Being a new trail runner, I was a bit intimidated by this race. It's in New Caney, just north of Houston, in August. August here is HOT. And the 5k started at 8:40 at night. And it was through the woods on mainly single track dirt and grass trails. And it was awesome!! While I had to watch my feet, the terrain was not difficult. The race does start off very warm (92), but it cooled slightly as I ran. There is something really amazing about running through the trees at night with nothing but a headlamp. You receive a glow necklace when you pick up your bib, and many runners accessorized with their own glow bracelets and anklets. Not much in the way of swag. A quality T shirt that ran a little large, and no medal, but I don't care to receive a medal for a 5k anyway. Post race there was a food truck serving a choice of 3 different Tex-Mex dishes and beer for those of age. People hung out in the park after, eating & visiting. A fun and well-run 5k.

I'm still new to trail racing. This was my 3rd race, and I had a great time. The half marathon course was 3 loops. I thought it would be dull running the same loop 3 times, but it wasn't at all. I noticed something new each time.
The terrain offered the opportunity to run rocky areas, up steps, over little creeks, through sand, and on grass. It had it all. About 2 miles or so was single track. The race was a little late in the year to see wildflowers in Texas, but the views were still interesting. And the birds and rabbits were very active, especially at the race start.
As another reviewer noted, the transportation to the start was a challenge. The van ride to the start was ok, but riding to the parking lot post race was pretty rough. The cargo vans were HOT by the time we caught a ride at 11 AM. Wondering if the RD would be able to haul everyone on a flat bed trailer instead, maybe a hay ride of sorts.
The t shirts were high quality, and I've gotten several compliments on the quality of the finishers' medal.
Loved this race and will likely run it again in 2017.

Ran the inaugural Canton Balloon Fest Half in Canton, Texas Saturday, May 14th. This was a reasonably challenging race, with several gently rolling hills. The half course went through the town, out into the countryside, and back.
The first miles through town, the road was easy to run. Miles 8-12 traversed some pretty bumpy asphalt. The roads were not closed to traffic, so there were many places where we had to run single file. I sometimes found myself running through weeds on the side of the road either to pass another runner or just to stay on flatter ground.
The big selling point of the race was seeing hot air balloons during the race, but the weatherman missed the forecast. It rained for the first 3 miles or so, then was windy and overcast the rest of the race. The rainy weather turned out to be a good thing for those running the half, as there was almost no shade on the course. Also, I doubt that the aid stations would have been able to meet the demand for water had the day been sunny.
Crossing the finish line, I was dismayed to receive a completely different medal that what was shown on the website. Instead of a 4 color metal medal, finishers received a cheap looking clear acrylic medallion. Also, the finishers’ tech shirts are so thin that you can see right through them. So ok to wear during a training run, but I would never wear the shirt in public.
As I said, this was their inaugural race, so I have high hopes they’ll do better in 2017.
Bottom line: I enjoyed the small-town feel of this race but would hesitate to do the half again because an 8 o’clock start could mean a hot, sunny 13.1 miles over rough asphalt. I would probably choose to run the 10k which turns around at the edge of town. And if you’re really into medals, you have been warned.
Pros:
Plenty of free parking
Parking a short distance from the start/finish line
Real restrooms at the start/finish
Homemade breakfast burritos post-race
Pleasant, friendly volunteers
Quaint area for lunch & shopping post-race
Cons:
Bait & switch medal
Cheap shirt
Understaffed water stations