Cambridge 5k Yulefest

Cambridge 5k races have always been a fan favorite for our group because they are smaller in participant size than a lot of their counterparts. For a flat fee (no matter when you sign up), you get a really comfortable cotton t-​shirt, 5k race (timed and heavily policed) and beer afterwards. For their winter races, like Yule fest, you need to be aware that the beer tents are outdoors and usually without heaters.
Weather can play a huge part of these races and attendance because of course it is in December. With a running band that shows up each year and 5 – 6 breweries, it’s never a bad decision to do this race.
Unfortunately for 2014, they did have some complaints. 1. Don’t have the race the weekend after Thanksgiving. 2. If you do have it the weekend after Thanksgiving, have a bib pickup option BEFORE people leave town like Monday or Tuesday before. 3. DO NOT tell friends they cannot pickup their friend’s bibs on day of because you’re running out of shirts. They paid for them, that seems really inconsiderate. At the end of the day, the group could really learn from a few things, and maybe check the calendar better next year to avoid this mess!

I was really excited to run my first Cambridge 5K race considering all of the positive experiences of friends/​yelpers. I signed up for the Yulefest in Harvard Square last weekend to burn off all that extra Thanksgiving food, but mostly for the very cool race t-​shirt and after party.
Registration was simple and the organizers sent a couple of very informative pre-​race emails. I really appreciated those emails and had high hopes that the race would be as organized as the communication.
On race day we showed up during the designated pick-​up time frame to find a gigantic line wrapped around the blocks near Tasty Burger (the pick up location). After spending 30+ minutes standing in the cold and rain, we finally got our bibs, but were told we couldn’t pick up packets for others (direct line from the pre-​race e-​mail: «Yes, you can definitely pick-​up bibs for friends (let them know)». By the time I picked up my bib and made it over to the t-​shirt area there was only two left in 2XL. I grabbed one knowing I would never wear it. My boyfriend didn’t make it in time and left empty handed. There goes my $ 38 fee. Why did I even bother specifying a size in my registration if they weren’t going to order enough for all the pre-​registered runners? Another direct line from the website: «Registration includes a C5K race shirt, and admission to the post-​race Yule party.»
By the time we made it to bag check the race had already started. I’m a pretty slow runner, and combined with the late start I was behind the police cars trolling the course. This means I had to dodge cars and run on sidewalks for a decent part of this short race.
Had the weather been better the post-​race party probably would have added something positive to my review. By the time I was finished the rain was starting up and I just didn’t feel like standing outside wet and cold, even for «free» beer.
I will probably try another Cambridge 5K race. I’m hoping my experience was just a fluke.