The 42nd annual Blueberry Stomp in Plymouth Indiana was a challenging race. The Stomp offers a kids 1 mile fun run, a 5k, and a 15k. There are only a couple 15k races in northern Indiana so this is not a common race distance for most area runners. The kids run starts at 8:30 and 5k and 15k starts at 9:00. This years race was a little warmer than usual with race time temps being around 75 degrees and humid.
The first mile and a half is straight out through town and into the country before the first turn, not much congestion to worry about dispite over 600 runners. Once out in country, starting at mile 2 and going till mile 7, the rolling hills really begin to hit. The hills are not anything huge, just constant until really the last mile and a half.
Also, the first half mile and the last half mile are along the festival parade route. So as you start and finish you are cheered on by the crowds.

Pros:
-This is a challenging course. It will test your training.
-Great race management. Started on time,
-5 or 6 aid stations, and on the last one, there are high school girls willing to throw water on you if you ask.
-while not a completely closed course, most of the race is in the country so there is very little car traffic.

Cons:
-cotton Tshirts and kind of ugly
-awards were lacking. They went 5 deep on age group awards but the awards were can koozies. Would expect that in your race bag.

If you want to read about how my race went, go to:
42nd Annual Blueberry Stomp.  | Daddy, Did You Win?
https://daddydidyouwin.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/42nd-annual-blueberry-stomp/

The Mash The Creek trail race offers a 10k and 5.5k race at Potato Creek State Park just outside of North Liberty, IN. Packet pickup is from 7:30-8:30 right outside the nature center and the 10k started at 9:00 with the 5.5k starts about 10 minutes later.
The race is very well organized but is also low key. There were probably around 100 runners for this event and all proceeds benefited the Northern Indiana Food Bank. The course is very well staffed with volunteers at every questionable turn to make sure you go the right way and you pass a total of three aid stations along the course with water.
The course itself is a challenge with a lot of rolling hills and very few straight areas. It also includes running up stairs (74 steps). The stairs on this day were slick because the heavy rain from the night before as was a short section of board walk that is on the trail. In most places, the trails are wide enough for passing as well.
The shirts were a purple tech shirt with the race logo on it. The awards were given to the overall winners and top 3 in each age group (10 years). The medals had the name of the race and on the back was once again the name of the race and your place along with the date.
Overall, I would recommend this race to any trail runner or to anyone looking to experience a trail race who doesn't usually get to. Trail races are rare in this part of Indiana so it made for something different.
To read more info on how I ran, and to see more pictures of the race, visit my blog post at:
https://daddydidyouwin.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/mash-the-creek-10k-2/

The Grand Lake Marathon is on the smaller size as far as Marathons go, but don't let that keep you away. The day before is packet pickup at the county fairgrounds about a mile away from the starting line. They state there is no race day pick up, but I think if you got in contact with them, they will help you out. I did think that closing packet pick up at 7:00 PM made it hard for people traveling from out of town. Also, consider the pasta dinner the race puts on. There really are no local places to carboload and we traveled 30 minutes to find a good place to eat.
The marathon, half marathon, and 5k all start right at the lake in Celina, OH. You could not park by the start/finish line. They ask that you park at the fairgrounds and they provide bus transportation to the start before and after the race. Busses kept coming and going so there wasn't much wait time throughout the day.
The race started on time as there was a clock counting down to the start that was started an hour before the race. The race does being in Marathon Maniacs as pacers as well if that is your thing. I talked to a couple following the race. Great people and had a lot of experience pacing in the past.
The course starts off the first mile along the lake but then you don't see the lake again until mile 8. There are also a few rolling hills in this section.
For the next few miles you run along the lake until the half and full splits. The half marathon finishes in St. Mary's and buses transports you back to Celina after the race. After roughly 11 miles, it flattens out and you are mainly running in the country surrounded by corn fields, which reminds me of where I do most of my long runs. Miles 14-20 are kind of a grind, not because of hills, but because you continually run straight. After 20, the roads start pounding on you. The bad thing about country roads is that they are typically crowned. My feet started to go numb. After mile 20, the roads started to turn more and the turns were banked causing a little more discomfort.
The last mile of the course you get a beautiful view of the finish as you run along the lake. Once you get to the lighthouse, it's one turn to go and you are finished.
This is not a truly fast course, but if you run conservatively early, you can run a good time.
Aid stations were well staffed with water and electrolytes. Be sure to say what drink you want. I thought I got water, dumped it on my head and found out it wasn't water. Also there were several aid stations with gels as well.

Pros:
Nice shirts with a map of the lake and the course highlited in orange. Different but thought it turned out nice.
Nice finishers medals with part of it being stained glass.
Packet pickup was easy
Well marked course
Great volunteers.
I can't remember the entry fee, but it was t bad especially if you register early.

If your in the Indiana/Michigan/Kentucky/Ohio area, give this race a shot. It's small but they make it a great atmosphere.
To read more on my race experience and see more pictures, go to my blog at:
https://daddydidyouwin.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/grand-lake-marathon/

This is a small town Indiana race. Although there were only about 125 runners, it is a growing race. For a race in only its second year, this is a very smooth race. The race organizers know what they are doing and know how to make runners happy. All proceeds go towards Hoosier Burn Camps.
The course is very fast and flat and with prize money being awarded to the top 3 overall runners, it brings out some very fast competition.

The course winds through the small town of Bremen, IN. And finishes in the towns park under a large American Flag held up by two of the towns fire trucks. There are 3 aid stations on the course as well with water. The race director is also very open to advice on making the race better. Awards are given out to the top finisher in 5 year age divisions.
This is a great race and look forward to making it a yearly 4th of July tradition.

The b STRONG 5k is run on the last Saturday of July. It is held in the small town of Bremen, Indiana. It is in honor of a local woman who lost her battle with lung cancer but was an inspiration to others in the community. The run starts and finished at Bremen High School, so there was plenty of close parking. I did not run this race, but my wife did and my kids and I volunteered. Speaking of volunteers, there were a lot of them and they were at every intersection of the race, making sure that no vehicles were allowed on the course. This was a completely closed race course. The aid stations (3 of them) were also very well maned.
The race itself was very well organized. Packet pickup was easy. The only issue was that they could not find one of my daughters on their list, but with the confirmation email, it was cleared up with no problems. The race started on time.
The inspirational part of the race was at the top of "b Strong Hill." They had a bell to ring at the top to signify that you conquered the hill and to encourage those behind you. The teenager who was manning the bell was a teen who had just finished his last round of chemo. At the hospital that he was receiving chemo at, they have a bell for patients to ring when they have completed their last round of chemo, so it only seems fitting that that was his job.
The awards were trophies and back packs to the top 3 overall runners and medals to the top 3 in each age group and back packets to age group winners.
The kids fun ru was great as well. Top 50 kids receivedmedals, and each kid also got a shirt.
Overall this is a great event and very well run race for the first time event. This is not a chipped timed race but they did a great job of getting the times and results quickly. Each runner who resisted On time received a tech shirt. If you registered early, registration was only $15. A great deal!!! I was really impressed by this race. Can't wait to do it in 2016!!!