It was great to come home to the Cocoa Bean 5K this year. Generally, I’m out of town Thanksgiving week, but some schedule changes this year made it possible to squeeze into registration at the last minute.

This 5K is worth coming out for on a frosty windy morning. Let me count the ways:

1. Indoor bathrooms located near packet pickup at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center University Fitness and Conference Center.
2. A race day registration fee of $23 (that included the race premium of gloves).
3. Race announcer and overall time record holder for the 30-something year Harrisburg Marathon Rick Blood shouting words of encouragement near the finish line.
4. Useful AG awards – choice of holiday decor or socks accompanied by a Hershey bar.
5. Ample food – both healthy and plenty of the not as healthy sort for those of us with a sweet tooth.
6. Great race directors and organizers Marge Lebo and Holly Bohensky bring their years of experience in running and race directing to the event.
7. A traffic-free looped course following a sidewalk trail through the complex.
8. AG awards for those under 10 right up through over 80 years.
9. You will see most of your running friends there. If you don’t have running friends when you arrive, you will have made a few  before you leave.

All in all, a wonderful finish to a Thanksgiving weekend.