Packet pickup was held at two breweries on the days leading up to the race, along with race day packet pickup for added convenience. They had a spinner wheel at the pickup and I won a growler!

Communication from Good Day for a Run and Mean Guy Running was stellar, as is their way. They send out emails with details leading up to the event and use Facebook to their advantage to disseminate information.

Race day weather was cool but dry. We’ve seen our share of snow and general yuckiness the last couple of weeks so we were all happy that the sun shining on the day of the race.

Prior to running we learned a bit about the charity that the race supports, Collette Paying it Forward. We also got the chance to chat with a few of the charity’s volunteers while they were selling 50/50 raffle tickets. I like races that give back to the community.

This race was very laid back. After a few announcements, we lined up for the 10am start. We fed through the start line and then self-seeded where we thought we should be. I put myself toward the very back of the pack – in hindsight I might have wanted to find a place a bit further up. The park paths are narrow and it’s hard to maneuver in a large crowd. Lesson learned – I’ll keep it in mind for next time.

After the Star Spangled Banner, we were off to the sounds of a bagpiper!

There are a few areas of the park that tend to flood when there’s been a lot of rain. Being familiar with the park and knowing where to step for that portion definitely helped me out, but I could tell there were a few runners around me that ended up with wet socks.

The course had a double loop so the lead runners met up with the back of the pack around mile 2. No skin off my back but I could see that being a bit of a challenge for them.

The first mile was crowded but once we got past that, it spread out a bit. There was a water station around mile 1.25, which you passed again in the second mile. Neither my running buddy nor I needed to stop but it’s nice that they have the option! We joked that we were holding out for the beer at the after-party.

After the second loop we veered off to go through the flooded area again. This time is was less critical to know where to step because it wasn’t as dense with runners.

We looped by the amphitheater once again and went through what started at the start line and became the finish line. Results were immediately emailed to my phone.

The after-party was held at a nearby sports bar, The Village Pub. Included with the price of the race was complimentary snacks (fries, tator tots, and pretzel bites) and a beer. Additional food and beverage was available for purchase (which we did since it was near lunch time).

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