As word about this event “gets out,” you’re going to be left behind. I don’t know what the capacity limit for this course is, but you want to run it now so that when it is a regular sell-out and everyone is raving about it YOU can say, “I ran that race back in the day before it was ‘discovered.'”

Woodland, WA is about 45 minutes north of Portland (depending on where you start and when you drive) and 2 to 2.5 hours from Seattle. You could probably drive from Seattle on race day morning, but it costs $20 for day-of-race packet pickup and you’d miss the entire expo.

The brand-new Woodland High School hosted the Blooms to Brews expo. There was plenty of parking, as well as two days to pick up your packet. The expo was small but mighty. Packet pickup had no line on Saturday afternoon, and it was still possible to register for the 10k, half marathon, marathon, or marathon relay at that time. In addition to Blooms to Brews logo merchandise, there were about 8-10 vendors, including a cool wraparound sports skirt company, Sweet Spot Skirts (neat design fits a variety of sizes, stays put, and covers what you might want to cover–made in USA!). A few race companies were there, and the Woodland Rotary was selling some delicious coffee as a fundraiser to support building a local sport park for the youth and teens of Woodland. One thing I really liked about the expo is that each of the tables was manned by a person who really cared about that table’s goods/services. There were no hired guns. Everyone was really friendly.

I opted to be pre-race lazy and drive, in part because there is a drive-through coffee shop right before you turn into the parking area. (I’m not going to lie, one of the things I really, really miss about living in the Pacific NW: drive-through coffee.) Parking was plentiful.

Starting line amenities included a bag check, water, snacks, music, and a post-race party that was ready to start. I took a few minutes to walk around and look at the amenities, since I still had plenty of time to spare. There was a school bus food truck that sold pizzas and other tasty food, right next to the BBQ. At the end there was a BBQ sandwich for each runner, with a vegetarian alternative for those of us who are not meat-eaters (AS PROMISED there was tofurky on a bun, warmed with vegetarian baked beans. Score!)

The starting line had the usual platformed trusses and a banner. When I read that the marathon started at 7:30 and the half at 7:40 I was like, “um, corrals? Is that enough time?” No, no corrals. Just as they should, runners self-seeded (with a little help from the well-spaced pacers) and the entire marathon group took off without any incident. In addition to various Marathon Maniacs (and Double Agents), I saw a man dressed up like…bacon?? He must have been with one of the four-person relay teams. One of the cool things about Blooms to Brews Marathon was the option for a FOUR person relay team. That means you only needed to be able to run about 6.5 miles to join in the marathon–a very cool opportunity, as many marathons don’t offer a relay, and others only offer a 2-person relay. Several of the spunky folks running the second and third legs whizzed right past me on my run, too! (Fresh legs, they had fresh legs. Or at least that is what I kept telling myself.) The relay medal was very cool–four magnetic pieces that fit together to form a key with tulips on top!

As promised,FLAT course. The most insignificant not-flat parts: one, leading up to a railroad crossing; two, leading down from the road to the beginning of the unpaved section (not sure if that was technically a dike, since the Horseshoe isn’t connected to a river?); three, coming off of the unpaved section and returning to paved road. Each of these was extremely brief–measured in feet, not yards. The marathon follows a separate course from the half marathon, but starts in the same manner and re-joins for the last few miles. As a marathoner, I love it when I’m not “just” running two loops of the half marathon course. (Personally, I hate passing the finish line before I get to cross it!) The relay teams all seemed to be having a great time–some dressed in matching costumes, others had a theme going, still others dressed like I do for a run (if it passed the sniff test, it’s good to go).

It’s fairly rare, in my experience, that a course that says it is flat is really, really flat. This one is, I promise. (Well, I can’t opine as to the looped portions of the marathon since I didn’t run them, but the half is like a pancake baby.) Since the vast majority of the race was rural, there were no “unofficial aid stations” or sponsored cheering stations. There were, however, plenty of well-stocked and cheerfully staffed aid stations! At least two of the aid stations had gummy bears–they were hiding in Dixie Cups–but there were no other foodstuffs served on course. (But again, that was NOT in the promises the race made, so I had packed some Glukos chews and Honey Stinger chews, and I was just fine. Yet another reason why you should actually read the race website and the emails from the race director, even if you run races all the time and figure you know everything there is to know.)

Still, the course was flat (hooray!), green (hooray!), and reminded me of all the reasons why I love the Pacific NW. The tulip fields were set back from the road, and as we passed I could see stripes of red, yellow, white, and other colors in addition to the non-blooming fields closer to the road.

As I rounded the corner to the very last piece, the home stretch, I noticed the final not-flat piece of the course: a very slight downhill to the finish line! Hey, I’ll take ANY downhill to the finish line, no matter how slight.

Post-race amenities included bottled water Opal apple cider (non-alcoholic), donuts, the aforementioned BBQ sandwich, and beer served from an antique fire truck! You could also buy pizza and other goodies from the food truck. The VIP area had a separate bar with the beers plus Washington State wine, and mimosas. VIP also had a spread of bananas, nuts, KIND bars, chips, and other assorted food. There was a complimentary massage station too. I was also happy to huddle under a heater (like the kind you find at outdoor/patio seating at restaurants). It wasn't exactly cold, but I was chilly after running.

For an expanded review and photos:
http://www.trainwithbain.com/blooms2brews/

2016 is my third year running the Livermore Half Marathon. This year I am also running the two other half marathons organized by this company (The Town's Half and The Golden Gate Half) to earn the glittering golden bear medal for the Golden State Half series.

Like last year, I didn't make the expo and bib-pickup. That's because the expo is held on Friday, which is a work day for most of us, and Livermore is about an hour away without crazy traffic. While many people make a mini-vacation weekend out of it and stay in Livermore, it's just not practical for the locals. The race organizers were all excited to announce that the 2017 race is going to be on a Sunday, but that just presented an entire mess of other problems (see below). Anyway, Livermore DOES allow someone else to pick up your packet, as long as they have a copy of your ID. I snapped an iPhone pic of mine, and had a friend pick up my bib and shirt (I did this last year too); we met at the starting line, I attached my bib and then took the shirt (still in the little envelope) to gear check. I did attend the expo the first year, and it had maybe a half dozen vendors of running products or things of potential interest to runners, some of which were local businesses clearly aimed at securing local customers.

The course has been the same all three years I have run this race. It starts and ends in downtown Livermore, right on Main Street. After passing through some streets to get out of downtown, then running along some subdivision-type housing, the course takes a few miles through a local park. There are aid stations at both ends of the main park, and some photographers and course marshalls in the middle. It's a nice break to run a half marathon that seems a lot like a park run. Exiting the park, the course heads past and through several vineyards before running through another park, down a stretch of road, through another park, back to downtown, and loops around a few blocks to the finish. There are very definitely HILLS involved--not epic ones, but significant ones. I like to stop at the top (signalling appropriately so as not to knock my fellow runners over) and enjoy the views when I work that hard for them!

Course support is pretty good. While there are a few designated cheering areas, there were a significant number of people cheering at various points along the street portion of the course. Aid stations were well-staffed, friendly, and well-stocked. There is even one that has a DJ and the volunteers dance. Fun!

The race finishes right back where it started. Livermore has been trying to do unusual things with their medals, and it's been a mixed bag in terms of success. The first year was a metal medal featuring grapevine artwork and a spinner center that is a wine glass-themed piece. The second year's medal was a coaster. The backing is metal, with a raised edge that has raised wine and grape designs; the center/main portion is cork, and the very center has the race logo in color. It looks awful in photographs, but is kind of neat close-up. (the design on the rim of the coaster doesn't show up well in pictures.) This year, the medal is wooden and looks like the butt of a wine cask. The outside edge is metal, like the metal bands that run around casks. Instead of a ribbon, there is a leather cord. The center has a painted race design that is wine-themed. There is also a wine glass charm shaped like the state of California that said 2016 that attaches to the bottom of the medal. Unfortunately, the ring portion of the wine glass charm was cheaply made (unlike any actual wine glass charm I have made or used) and did not stay fastened. As a result many people lost California. (I dropped mine, but found it again. Eventually I used pliers to bend the charm holder loop shut, but to do so required bending it out of shape. I may spend the extra dollar to get a quality charm holder from the local bead shop and replace it.)

Post race food no longer includes a donut, unfortunately. There were bananas, Kind bars (which made the gluten-free crowd happy), and a few other items to munch on.

Just outside the runner shoot was the finish line festival and wine tasting. All runners receive a glass, and there is a brewery pouring half pints (or at least I assume those Riedel-style glasses hold half a pint) and assorted wineries pouring tastes. In past years, spectators could buy a glass and enter the festival, but this year they changed it so that all non-runners had to pre-pay for their glasses. I dislike that personally, since I generally don't plan for someone to come with me but sometimes a friend will come along at the last minute. I also wish I had the option to get a full glass of wine instead of tastes, as I spent a good portion of the after party waiting in lines when I would have preferred to chat with my friends (who were in different lines). I'd be willing to pay for this option, too.

The finish line party also featured live music and a dedicated area for dancing, which kept spectating children busy and out of trouble. (Most runners were there for wine/beer and relaxation, not dancing, though I appreciated the music.)

The 2016 race had gorgeous weather, starting with cloud cover and ending with sun. All of the restaurants on Main Street seem to have an outdoor area, and they were doing a booming business after the race.

While I really want to go back in 2017 and continue my streak of running this race, the race directors decision to move the race to Sunday means it's likely impossible because that means next year the Livermore Half Marathon, Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco, and The Oakland Running Festival are all on the same day. If Livermore were still on Saturday, I'd definitely go run it. (Last year, I ran Livermore on Saturday, and Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco on Sunday.) There are a group of us trying to get Rock 'n' Roll and ORF to work together to let runners who want to do the half at ORF complete a full marathon by first running RnR SF then taking BART to Oakland to run ORF. The Rock 'n' Roll team seems open to working on this, and when I talked to the ORF assistant director at the RnR expo, he said he they were aware of the conflicting schedule and would be interested in trying to work something out. We actually spent about 20 minutes discussing how the two races could work this out and help runners who wanted to do both,without compromising either race or requiring too much to accommodate us. When I approached the Golden State Half Series about it at the Rock 'n' Roll expo, their rep's response was "it's not our fault that Rock 'n' Roll and Oakland decided to take our date. That's always been our weekend." He wasn't even interested in discussing how to make it possible for runners to do 2 or more events that weekend. In fact, he kinda bordered on rude. That was a HUGE turn off for me. (Seriously, there is a decent-sized group of runners who want to run all of these races, and it could be a fantastic cross-promotion for all of them.)

So it looks like I can't run Livermore next year. The timing is such that it isn't possible to run Livermore and either Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco or The Oakland Running Festival. Essentially, I have to pick between a perfect record at Livermore and a perfect record at Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco. I know Rock 'n' Roll has legacy recognition, plus I have the potential to run two races that day, and Livermore's attitude about the whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. I wonder if they will change their plans after next year--when many other runners will be faced with the same choice I'm facing.

2016 is the second year of the Rock 'n' Roll Dallas 5k. I ran the race last year, and did it again this year as part of the Remix Challenge (run 5k Saturday and the half marathon Sunday, get extra bling). This year's course was basically the same as last year's, only they reversed the directions.

If you're local to Dallas, or grew up going to events in Fair Park, you're probably not going to like this race; it's not going to show you anything new or different. Unlike the half marathon distance, there are no live bands out on the course (though there is a live band at the party afterwards). Most of my friends who ran this race were not local, and were there as part of the Remix Challenge. That said, I did see a lot of parents out there running with their kids, many of whom did seem to live in the area.

Access to Fair Park is easy and there is plenty of parking. This year I opted to take DART light rail since it was about a block away from my hotel. (An all-day pass costs $5.) I did hear some people complaining about finding parking, but these were family/friends who came to pick up runners at the end of the race. This year there were several other large events going on in Fair Park that started around the time the race ended, so that may have contributed to the griping.

The course itself is quite flat, and half nifty and half meh. This year the nifty part--the grand WPA-era pavilions and buildings, reflecting pool, carvings and murals--was first. The "meh" part is an out-and-back along the seasonal rail line that runs through the big parking lot on the back side of Fair Park. I'm not local, so I could be wrong, but I don't know that there are any viable alternatives to this course, beyond turning it into a two-loop course. It seems like there just isn't enough real estate to make 3.1 miles happen (evidenced by the "everybody gets a PR!" phenomenon caused by a course that everyone I talked to said measured quite short--2.7 or 2.8 miles vs. 3.1). I like the Fair Park location though, due to easy access via DART or car, plenty of parking, and convenient for those who planned their hotels around the half marathon location.

The aid stations had water (maybe Gatorade? I'm writing this a month later, and I don't think I took anything but water, personally). At the finish line there were bananas, water, Gatorade, chips, and other snacks. The finish line also had a beer tent for those over 21 with the Rock 'n' Roll sponsor beer, which I think is Michelob Ultra again. (I don't drink beer.) There was a concert, of course, with plenty of room to dance (and lots of the kids who ran their first 5k were dancing like little rock stars).

Packet pickup was at the expo, one of the smaller Rock 'n' Roll expos. This year it was harder to find, as the Dallas auto show took over most of the convention center, and there wasn't any good signage telling people where to go until they were already inside the right building. Like the race itself, the convention center is accessible by DART. I waited in line for maybe 5 minutes to get my bib, and then picked up my shirt. This year's shirts--for almost all of the Rock 'n' Roll races so far--are nicer fabric. They are still tech shirts, of course, and you had the option to choose a men's cut or women's cut. (Some larger-busted women prefer the men's cut as it fits better. I recommend all women go up a size in women's cut, as they run small.) The medals are hefty and well-designed, on wide, decorated, satin ribbons.

A word of caution: This year's weather was cold. There was a sudden drop in the temperature between Wednesday-Thursday (when I packed) and Saturday-Sunday (when I ran). I actually stopped at the 7-Eleven at the DART station on the way to the race and bought a 10-pack of black garbage bags (which I shared with other runners), and wore my trash bag for most of the course so the breeze didn't freeze me. (Yes, I am a delicate little flower that way.) My advice is to pack for weather that is both hotter and colder than predicted, or plan an emergency trip to Target (also right off the DART line).

Final thoughts: this is not a "destination 5k." While it is a fun event, and I enjoyed meeting other runners and using it as a pre-half marathon shakeout run, I would not have made the trip JUST for the 5k. If you're local and want a party-like 5k, and don't mind the course, this is a good choice.

This is my second year running Rock 'n' Roll Dallas as part of the Rock 'n' Blog team. While I wasn't originally planning to repeat in 2016, when I saw the Lone Star Legend heavy medal, I knew I'd have to do it. (The Lone Star Legend required running Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio in 2015 and Dallas in 2016. It's pretty bling that combines all things Texas--the shape of Texas, the Texas flag, the Lone Star, the Alamo, Big Tex--into one medal and was fairly popular, so I'm betting it comes back again for the 2016-2017 combo.)

As with the expo and the 5k, I opted to take DART light rail to the start. The train was packed with runners, which was kind of fun.

The course this year was NOT the same as last year. Based on runner feedback, the new route cut out a section of the course that covered some pretty beaten-up road surfaces, among other things. The start and finish were also in a new location, with the finish area near Reunion Tower. I don't know the city well enough to explain the rest of the course changes. While I was bummed to not run by Oak Lawn Coffee (where I enjoyed an epic mocha during last year's race), I didn't miss the roughed-up roadways. Note to runners: fill out those post-race surveys, and review your races! Race directors generally do want you to have a good race and enjoy it. If there is something you don't like, point it out! Good race organizations do respond to critical feedback.

This year, race day was VERY WINDY. Like you could lean into it windy. Comically windy (but not funny as you ran into the wind and crossed the final overpass/bridge). I don't know if the wind was the reason, but this year the course did not have the giant neon Texas-themed selfie stations, the Texas backdrops, or the bands with huge sets (like the one that had an entire BBQ joint, complete with smoker, in 2015). While waiting to jump into the corrals many runners huddled inside the nearest buildings. I kept both of my long-sleeved layers--thank you Target clearance rack--on for the entire race, and still wanted a heat sheet at the end of the race.

While I picked up my bib at the expo on Friday when I picked up my 5k bib, the expo was also open all day Saturday. I headed back for a meetup, and there were plenty of people picking up bibs and shirts pretty much all day. I'd say traffic was a little heavier at the expo on Saturday versus on Friday, but it wasn't insane or packed when I was there Saturday. As I mentioned in my 5k review, this is one of the smaller Rock 'n' Roll expos, a mix of well-loved favorites (e.g. Sparkly Soul headbands), race sponsors (e.g. Toyota, CEP compression, Glukos fuel), charities, run products, and events.

The course was not truly flat, but it wasn't technical or super challenging either. There were hills leading up to the bridges and back down again. Most of the course was fairly flat, on balance. Just like last year, we ran over the brand new bridge, an architectural beauty that inspired hundreds of selfies. (I didn't take them all.) While I assume which roads were available for closure played a role in course development (in case you're not aware, host cities can pick and choose which streets they will let you close, and for how long, and place other conditions on the race permit), it seemed to me like the course was designed to show off many different aspects of Dallas. We ran through some areas that were clearly under urban renewal, and some areas that looked a lot like the suburban town I grew up in, complete with parks and ball fields. We ran over what are ordinarily heavy traffic streets and a freeway (literally over that one, as we were on the bridge), and down quiet neighborhood streets. I really like it when a race course tries to show all the facets the location has to offer.

On course support was up from last year, with more families and random cheering people than I remembered from last year. Aid stations were on point and well-stocked, though as usual I wish half marathons put their first fuel option earlier on the course. On course entertainment included local cheerleading groups, bands, and other performers. I scored a selfie with a guy wearing a donut necklace that reminded me of the 1990s rapper clock necklaces!

The finish line area was also well-stocked with water, Gatorade, bananas, and an assortment of snacks, all of which I wanted to eat after preventing the wind from blowing me off of that last overpass. I was disappointed that there was no chocolate milk left--because yes, I'm slow, but there were plenty of people behind me--and that the volunteers(?) working that booth had let earlier runners take 3 and 4 bottles each. Fortunately that doesn't happen in every market.

Overall: I like this race as it gives me an excuse to see my extended family over the weekend. It's also an early-season Rock 'n' Roll race, and one of my first opportunities to meet up with my runner peeps from other states. I'd be more enthusiastic about the race except for the WIND WIND WIND (which wasn't an issue last year). Assuming I decide to try to go for Hall of Fame next year, I'll probably be back.

2016 was my first year running this race, which is the first of three races in the "Run the Bay" series. (The three races are based on the heritage Bay Area area code-s--408 in San Jose, 415 in San Francisco/Marin, and 510 in the Oakland-East Bay area.) I'm proud to be an Ambassador for this series by Represent Racing because even though I love my out-of-town races, there are so many awesome races in the San Francisco bay area--north, south, and east!

Expo/Bib Pickup:
The race had multiple packet pickup options. Unfortunately Google Maps betrayed me, so I missed the San Francisco event. Packet pickup at Santana Row came with a mini-expo (appropriate to the size of the race, about 12-15 booths). Fortunately it was in a covered area, as San Jose was getting some much-needed rain the day before the race. There was a booth for the Pat Tillman Foundation, the race's official charity partner, as well as some local businesses, the Represent Running shop, and Under Armour, brand of the race shirts and sponsor of the Ambassador program. There was a pre-race background/backdrop to take pics with your bib, as well as a poster with critical race-day information on it (like where to park on race day).

Parking/Access:
I'm not going to lie, I parked at a friend's house and walked to the start and from the finish. That was mainly to avoid post-race traffic. There is ample parking for a small fee, and many people met their friends and family at the finish line.

Starting Line:
It turned out to be a bright, sunny day! I had packed a bag of dry clothes, which I handed off to UPS (but ended up not needing). The starting line had the usual steel framed set-up, an announcer, some rock 'n' roll, and more porta potties than you dreamed possible. Lots of groups met up for photographs, and there were tons of families there to cheer on the start. The corrals were largely self-regulating, as there were no volunteers checking bibs and bouncing folks. Even though there were corrals printed on the bibs, runners adjusted themselves both forward and back as appropriate. (I have no idea how the corrals were determined. It might have been random. But this was a group of reasonable people--not insane Disney runners who all wanted to be in Corral A--so the faster runners moved up and the rest of us moved back. This turned out REALLY well. I didn't see anyone causing a road block, or any faster runners bowling over the slower ones.)

Race Course:
The course is flat, and since 8k is basically 5 miles, it's a good intermediate distance for people who have done a 5k and want a little more challenge. The course is open long enough that you can enjoy it even if you are a slow runner or a walker. It's also a good distance for kids who have done a 5k and want some more distance.

Scenery:
The course is point-to-point, and ends at Santana Row (hence the moniker, "race to the Row"). I think the course shows off some of the cooler parts of San Jose, including neighborhoods surrounded by blooming trees and the Rosicrucian Museum. (That said, I don't live there, so reasonable minds may disagree.) Have you seen that viral video where there is a WWII vet in uniform, and all these runners run over one at a time to stop and thank him? That's THIS race. This year there was a memorial mile, with military servicemen and women there high-fiving runners and cheering. For a race benefiting the Pat Tillman Foundation, that was perfect. The last segment is the mariachi mile, celebrating the Hispanic (and more specifically, Western-Central Mexico where mariachi music originated) heritage of San Jose. About a half dozen different mariachi groups were stationed throughout the mile, just far enough away from one another that they didn't compete with each other or cause cacaphony.

I would have liked the first aid station to be closer to the start (I got up early, and was ready for water before I hit the first one), but other than that, the aid stations were well-staffed and had plenty of water.

Shirts and swag:
The shirts are Under Armour, good quality. This year's design incorporates a shark fin (for the San Jose Sharks!) and the road. The medal has a little built-in foot or base, so it can stand up independently. The design is beautiful, and the shark fin is glittery, which is a lot of fun. The medal is on a wide, custom ribbon. Overall, one good-looking piece of bling!

Finish Line and Post-Race:
The finish line area has the usual amenites (announcers, steel framed/bannered race finish, balloon arch, timing mats, photographers, bottled water). There is a short walk from the finish line to the medals, and then another short walk to the parking area where the gear check, food chute, and party are located. This is a good way to alleviate any congestion in the race area (which you must appreciate if you've ever finished and had to come to a screeching halt because there is a mob of people in front of you). After getting my medal, I grabbed my checked bag (I had planned for rain, but we got gorgeous and sunny weather instead!). The food chute had both individual goodie bags (snacks, etc. in a reusable tote) and boxes of sliced bananas.

The reunion/party area had booths for multiple charities, health-related groups, and local sports teams. There was music, and the San Jose Sharks had a hockey shoot-out area for the kids. The San Francisco 49s mascot was there for photos and dancing. Several booths had contests or giveaways, and since the runners already had bags (the goodie bags had some room in them), it was pretty neat and tidy.

Many of the shops and restaurants at Santana Row had race-day-only specials, with many restaurants donating a portion of their proceeds to the Pat Tillman Foundation.There was also a post-race yoga class at one shop, but I didn't found out about it until after it was over. I would have liked to have the Santana Row brochures (that the security force were handing out after the race) available at packet pick-up. It also would have helped us plan the Ambassador meetup, as our first location--which we chose for its support of the Pat Tillman Foundation--was overflowing and we didn't know what all of the other available options were.

Overall:
A fun run at a shorter distance with a community-feel and amenable, friendly runners.