Best Races in Houston & KC

Today I'm linking up with Erika at MCM Mama Runs, Marcia at Marcia’s Healthy Slice, and Patty at My no-guilt life for Tuesdays on the Run.

Today the topic is the best races in your area/state. Any distance, any time of year…

While I have only been racing in the Houston area for almost a year, I have come across some good races. Bonus, a few races in Kansas City you don't want to miss!

Don't miss in Houston:
Jail Break Run - Baytown, TX - mid February - Half Marathon and 5k. Supports Project Blue, a police charity for officers with injuries or illness outside the line of duty. This is a small race, it has a small town feel to it as well. The volunteers and course support are great! The course is predominantly flat, except for the portion that goes up the Fred Hartman bridge.

Houston Half - Houston, TX - late October - Half Marathon and 10k. This race is put on by the Houston Striders, a Houston running club. It is in its 10th year. I was signed up for this race last fall, but it got called off due to the aftermath of Hurricane Patricia and the flooding that ensued. I was impressed with the communication around the event weather issues via email, facebook and twitter. It was nice that they even gave rained out participants a nice discount for the 2016 event, plus they made the 2015 event virtual so you could still earn that bling. Post race party has craft beer and tacos!

Don't miss in KC:
Trolley Run - KCMO - late April - 4 mile. This is the most organized race I have ever been to. When I lived in KC, I never missed it. It is a large race... mostly downhill. Goes through some great neighborhoods... always has great crowd support.

Running With The Cows - Bucyrus, KS - mid May - Half Marathon and 5k - I ran this for the first time this year. It was a great race! Lovely rural Kansas scenery... be prepared for the rolling KS hills. Great post race buffet... and lots of stuff for the family to do while they wait for you to finish.