Maybe it was the weather (not hot, but humid and threatening rain ... in December!) or perhaps it was the change in course (from a double loop to a single loop), but something just didn't feel right. Oh wait, maybe it was my running!

Seriously, the 11th annual Schlotzsky's Jingle Bell Run Half Marathon / 5K is a solid, well-produced event located in the heat of central Texas, Temple - situated around Interstate 35 with Waco on its north and Austin to the south.

The first nine runnings of the event in the first six years, with two races each in the inaugural year of 2008, 2009 and 2011, were by the Health & Wellness department of Scott & White Health. Last year and this year, it is produced by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Temple.

Runners received a nice technical shirt as part of their swag, which for a $45 half marathon one week out from race day is excellent. (Race day registration was $55.)

There were about 150 finishers in the half marathon.

The event is pretty much no thrills although intersections are manned by city employees and aid stations were taken care of by enthusiastic volunteers. Runners either run in the Scott & White West Campus parking lot, a combination of sidewalks or lightly traveled roads or the Pepper Creek Trail.

It is slightly uphill out to about mile 4, rollers until about mile 9-10 and slightly downhill on the return.

On this day, the Parks and Recreation Department did not get out mile markers. A little inexcusable as you can print 13 sheets of paper, laminate them, put them on a stick and go out and pound them into the ground two hours before the race starts. (My running was that bad that day it might have discouraged me to know my pace!)

The only major difference other than the change from a two-loop to a single-loop course (which had many places that were shared) was that the medal - not that I run them for these - was slightly better under Scott & White's race direction versus the City's.

If you're in the area, want to race and have the time, this is an excellent race to challenge yourself on a not completely flat course, where you're not running with dozens of people and for a great price.