The Red, White and Rose is a series of runs around wineries in Southern Indiana. The Cedar Creek is the first one I've run, and now I wish I had done all of them! They offer 5k and quarter-marathon lengths, with a free glass of wine or beer afterwards. Since all races take place at wineries, you can also do some sampling or have a cheese platter afterwards. The medals are awesome, as they're made of cork and feature wine-related images.

This race was easily accessible, with plenty of parking space. It's just the right size to be competitive without having too many people, and the quarter marathon field was quite small. I got there just 15 minutes before the start because of construction, and I still had time to spare after grabbing my packet. They take lots of pictures before and during the race, so be sure to wear your favorite running outfit! The terrain is paved road, but don't think that means it's easy! There are SERIOUS climbs on this run, with extremely steep descents. Most runners walked at least 4 or 5 times. (They smartly place water stations at the tops of hills). Don't go in assuming you'll set a personal record, but do go in expecting beautiful scenery! This run goes around a stunning lake, and you'll run through some of the most charming neighborhoods in Southern Indiana. The area is heavily wooded, and in October the trees are changing. The weather was just right this year, at about 55 degrees. The last mile is mercifully flat so you can pick up speed at the end.

Best thing about this race? It doesn't start until 3pm, which is great for those of us who love to race, but don't love getting up super early!

The Brew HaHa Halloween 5k is part of a Craft Brews series, but it's the only one of the races I joined because of its Halloween theme. (It's my favorite holiday!) I was enticed by the fact that there's a costume contest, that it's in a really nice part of Indianapolis that I had not yet gotten to thoroughly explore, and that the swag is absolutely top notch (as swag for 131 Event Productions tends to be. Swag pictured).

The race started at 9:30 in the Carmel, Indiana Civic Plaza, which is a pretty green area surrounded by impressive buildings in the richest spot in the state. This means there are loads of great places to eat and top-notch shopping in the area for post-race. (I recommended MudBugs cajun, just a mile and a half from the race finish). There were over 1000 participants, but the crowd has a large area to spread out, and it was fun to check out the costumes after registering and getting my hand marked for a drink ticket.

At line up time, the crowd self-selects their place at the start based on time per mile. I placed myself by the 9 minute mile sign, which put me well ahead of the walkers/fun-runners this race attracts. In fact, many runners were hindered by their own costumes, but this is a non-serious running event, so no one seemed bothered. It's in fact the only race where I found myself drifting along with Forrest Gump and a man encaged by a giant gorilla. (It was a cleverly constructed costume.) The terrain was easy; it's road and a little bit of paved trail the whole way, and there's very little elevation change. An aid station is placed about halfway through. The fact that you're running around downtown Carmel means you get lots of encouraging onlookers walking their expensive dogs. The fact that it's a large race means you're inevitably running with a big group, which tends to make me move faster. I set PRs for both my 5k and an individual mile in this race.

At the race's end, you meet a cheering, drinking crowd and receive a massive medal with eyes that light up. It looks swank over a stylish race hoody. There's loads of bananas and free square donuts to munch on while you wait in line for your free tasty microbrew or free gourmet coffee, depending on whether you find drinking at 10am socially acceptable. The monitors quick to reflect the times of folks who have just crossed the finish line, so no wait to see where you stand! There are finisher medals and age group medals as well as loads of photos.

Overall, perfect race. The time of year is excellent (it was 65 degrees), the venue is top-notch, the beer is superb, and the crowd is a blast. And since it only takes an hour or two of your time, you can still explore the city and then go gear up for your Halloween parties!