I did the 5K as part of the Micalob Amber Challenge [5K, 15K and Half Marathon). It takes place the Saturday of race weekend after the 15k. If you run the 15k, after that race, there's a medal check at the finish so you can get in line for the 5K start (or do what I did and go back to gear check and put it with your checked bag).

It starts outside the convention center and it has 4 waves, a stroller wave and a walker's wave. The stroller wave is the best idea ever because people can run it, but you're not weaving in and out of 3-4 wheeled shinnanegans the entire race. Race starts at Broein and Franklin street and you can pick up your bib during the Expo Friday or Saturday before the race.

First wave goes out at 915 and every 15 minutes after. The down side of the waves is that there's only 1-2 entrances to each, so there's a lot of overflow out. It was definitely congested when I went out and people who clearly were in the wrong wave were stopping inappropriately in the middle to walk or take pictures for marathonfoto.

Course overall is flat, which is a plus. The course goes down Bayshore and has a turn around a little more than 1.75 miles out and finishes on the Tarpon dock. The finish is smooth going, you finish, get water, cold washclothes, gatorade and medals. A little difficult finding the food though. You're led under some shade of the convention center which takes you back to the start area.

Decent overall

Signed up day of the race while visiting family for the weekend in Lancaster.

Race time: 830 AM
Location: Lancaster Fairgrounds
Registration: pre register or sign up day of. $20 and proceeds go towards United Way

Parking: at the fairgrounds

Packet Pickup: under the grandstand, pretty straight forward

Distances: 5K/ 2 mile walk

Weather: chilly- 30s-40s. At least it was sunny

Course: starts on the fairground track for part of a lap before exiting and taking runners around Rising Park for a loop. Be prepared to go up some hills (what can you expect, the glaciers stopped here). Runners then come back into the Fairgrounds briefly before being routed to side streets next to the fairgrounds. You're brought back into the fairgrounds, around the outer loop/track of the fairgrounds. They finally decided to have a water stop, but the cups were straight up cheap plastic cubs. Still trying to figure that one out. We went around one of the parking lots and back onto the fairground track for the last 0.1-0.2 mile.

Not one of my favorite courses. In past years, the race went through town after leaving the fairgrounds. People apparently complained about traffic and because of that, there's nearly no place for races now a days. Not sure about this one in the future just based on the course

This was the 14th year for the race. Put on by Hermes Road Racing in Cleveland and benefits Lawyers Giving Back community outreach programs including the 3Rs, helping students in the Cleveland and East Cleveland City Schools. Option for 5 Miler, 5K, 1 Miler

Registration: $20 before 10/16, $25 after. Option for Family entry: $50 for 4 people of same family, but has to be mailed in in the same envelope. Also Team category, $90 for 4 people and you have to run the same event. Categories are Firm/Company, law school, college, and high school (male, female, mixed).

Packet Pick Up: was at the Galeria of Erieview. You could do Packet pickup the Friday before, but who does packet pick up from 4-6 pm with the Cav's home opener at 7 pm vs the Heat??? Packet pick up day of the race starting at 730 AM

Parking: Paid, either street or garages. I found a garage for $5

The Course: If you've done Hermes Races before, the course similar to other races that they put on. It goes out around First Energy Stadium [ie Browns Territory], along Lake Erie past the Rock n Roll HOF and along Lake Erie. The 1 mile turn around is 1/2 mile in and the 5K turn around was 1.55 miles in at the water stop. Seems like there were a good amount of 5Kers and not 5 Milers this year. You hit the water stop twice if you were a 5 Miler. Fairly flat course, though you did have some inclines, especially when running after mile 4 when running over I 90. No traffic issues for the most part [cops were out directing people as needed], but with less than 1/2 mile left, we had bus drivers not paying attention to police officers about where to turn.

Post race: held inside the Galleria Erieside. Cars cheerleaders were there. Food was available [bagels, cookies, donuts], as was water. DJs were there with music and they were also judging halloween costumes

Race management is good, but I wish they'd come up with different course routes, because I feel like I've done the same route multiple times at multiple races.