Overall: I plan on doing this race again in 2017 because, quite frankly, I hate the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving Day races, but I do enjoy Turkey Trots. :) Five Star runs a variety of races from larger races to smaller, no-frills races. This is one of those no-frills races. The entry fee was $17. If I wanted to purchase a finisher's medal that was an additional 5 or 7. Want a T-shirt? That's extra. You do receive a small goodie bag when you pick up your registration. I purchased the shirt and medal for my eldest son. I was banking on hitting podium to EARN a medal! :)

Course: The course itself is out-and-back. It is RELATIVELY flat, but there are some inclines. It can get particularly windy going across the bridge.

Aid Stations/Bathrooms: The aid station was minimal, but for a 5k/10k, you can't ask for much more. It provided the basics, which is all you need. The finish-line station did have bananas, cookies, and sodas. There was an ice-cream truck there where you could purchase an ice-cream; however, seeing as it was in the 20s, I had no desire for ice cream! O.O

As far as bathrooms go, they had several porta-potties by the start area, and the wait time was minimal, approximately 3 or so.

Management: Overall, I would rate the management a 3 out of 5. The race was supposed to start at 8; however, it started over 30 minutes later! Their management of bathroom needs was excellent! Aid station? normal fare. Course design/labeling of turns? Good, except for the finish shoot. The 5kers do the out-and-back 1x. The 10kers have to do it twice. The issue is that there was some confusion at the separation of the finish shoot area that splits the 10kers and routes them back out again and the 5kers, who are finished. I ended up running a very small amount extra, due to the confusion. They also had issues with timing, and results did not display properly. Those issues were due to the program not the people. Unfortunately, it ended with results not reading properly for quite a number of people. If you were an age groupers or overall winner, they documented that when you crossed. I came in 1st overall for the female division, so even with the timing issue, I'm cool. :) More importantly, I wanted to run a Turkey Trot without the crowd, and this was the perfect race to do it!

My recommendations for next year include providing warming areas for runners after the race, some hot tea/hot chocolate at the finish, and please adhere to start times. I pre-fuel, and my fuel had already exited my body by the time the race started.

So why did I rate the race at an overall 4? Primarily because this is a low-cost alternative for people, who are tired of spending a fortune on 5k/10k races. Realize though that with low-cost races, you won't receive the perks that are typical for larger, more expensive races. Again, this race is on my calendar for 2017. It's relatively flat, right before Thanksgiving, and I can get away with only paying $17!

Another wonderful production by Mark Vescio and his crew, and of course, a visit from Maria herself! :) The race has a small-time feel to it and is fun for the WHOLE family with a 5k and 1k offering! Plus, the little ones will go ga-ga to get their picture taken with none other than Queen Elsa herself!!! Careful though!

The atmosphere is relaxed and laid-back. Despite the "frozen" temps, people had a blast huddling around the fire pits and chit-chatting with Jarian, the master DJ, who whipped up some tunes and kept us warm with dance moves!

So here's what you need to know:
PROS/Perks:
***bathrooms*** There are REAL bathrooms on the Still Family Farm. I mean actual toilets that flush with REAL toilet paper and sinks!
*Race Day Partners that provide muscle rub-downs, body analysis, and Zaxby's was there with grub! I'm vegan, so I could care less about that part, but 99.9% of the runners LOVED it! ;)
*Food: Zaxby's, bananas, muffins, water, s'more baggies
*Aid Station perfectly placed at about the halfway point
*Music to pump you up!

Course layout: The whole course is laid-out on the Still Family farm, so you get to see a bit around. One thing to remember though is that it's made with tractors, so it can get muddy and it's easy to twist an ankle when running on the trails made by the tractor tires (I did!).

You start by going around the field, which in the latter part of the year becomes the corn maize. Once through the back of the field, it goes down tractor trails (later used as part of the hayride in October) and around another farming field, so the first 1.5ish miles is fairly flat, but can get muddy. Once through the second field, you go into the woods (about .5m). Don't underestimate this section.

There are some rolling hills back there, but nothing crazy. The part to be careful for here are those tractor grooves. It's easy to roll an ankle blasting the downhill, IF you forget about the tractor grooves. The area is also covered in leaves, so it hides grooves. You do through this loop again and pass by the aid station before going back in.

After the second time around, you're routed back the way you came through the first field (last .5m), so it's a nice, flat finish!

I definitely loved the race and took 2nd AG there. Had I not of rolled the ankle and sprained it, I would have saved time and taken 1st, but would have, should have, could have. I did get frozen by Elsa though!

Course Lay-Out
The race is simple and low-key. There was an aid station set up right next to the parking lot, which was nice, so it provided easy access. There were at least four different spots to hit the bathrooms. I preferred the one at the top of the hill past the aid station. It was the closest to the course. All the bathrooms were nearby, but I opted for the one that allowed me to jump on and off the course quickly.
The course is a 1.03 mile loop made of asphalt. It’s not “flat as a pancake,” as some would believe; however, there aren’t any real hills either. I’d say there are inclines and declines, which you’ll definitely feel after hitting your tenth loop or so. 😛 As a friend mentioned before, I prefer those changes in elevation, as running on a completely flat surface is mentally exhausting for me. The fact that I get to use a variety of muscle groups makes the run that much more enjoyable! :)

Volunteers and Runners
The volunteers were awesome, as were the runners! Everyone encouraged and motivated each other. It’s like running with a pack of cheerleaders! When I arrived that morning, I had no clue who anybody was. I left that day with an awesome group of friends, and I hope I run into them…literally, very soon! Seriously, you won’t feel like a stranger at this race. :) I even had one lady offer up her aid station to me, when I told her I had left my stash at home. She’s training for a 100 miler and had her crew out with her that day. I didn’t have to use it, but it was very cool of her to offer it!

Since the 12-hour runners were mixed in with the 6-hour runners, there were camping chairs set out everywhere, and several runners set up their own aid stations. I brought a little, handheld cooler with just the bare necessities, as I figured I’d just grab the traditional ultrarunner fare offered at most race. :)

Aid Station
Speaking of aid stations, the race had a nice spread set up for runners with a variety of items from which to choose. Later in the day, there were grilled cheese sandwiches and pizza as well. It wasn’t crazy, and it had exactly what most ultrarunners would expect to see at an aid station. :) I pretty much munched on the m&ms, almond butter roll-ups, and a cookie or two.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END
I ran at a slow, comfortable pace the entire time. There was a time or two where I could feel fatigue coming on, and I knew I needed extra calories. Sure enough, shortly after taking an extra Hammer gel or grabbing a handful of m&ms, I could feel my stamina return. The same went with hydration. I always swell a bit during long runs, even before pregnancy; however, I pay particular attention to it for now. Whenever I felt the swelling was in excess, I pushed in more of my Hammer Endurolyte mix. Sure enough, within a few minutes, the swelling tapered off. I spent the race constantly assessing both situations, kind of like a balancing act. I managed to do so, although I now know that I need to add two tablets into my water versus one. I always err on the side of less is more. Put too little in, and you can still fill up the tank, if you listen to your body early on in the race. Put too much in, and well…you’re screwed. SOL, as some might say, with a high possibility of bonking. It’s hard to undo “too much.”
I hit a small wall around mile 23, which again, was due to needing extra calories. Once I filled up the tank, I was rearing to go again! I ran my final loop for 26.8 miles in 5:55, five minutes shy of the 6-hour mark. IT. WAS. AWESOME!

You know the crowd is great, when you actually hang around for a while after the race, which is exactly what I did. I spent a solid thirty minutes or more just chit-chatting with Lia and her family and other runners from the course.

THE VERDICT
Will I run this race again next year? ABSOLUTELY! My only decision is whether I’ll choose from the 6-hour or go with the 12-hour. :)