Run For Women – Unionville

The was my second year running this race. This year, the route was mostly through walking trails and parks - quite a nice route, but very congested in the beginning. They should definitely have runners line up according to their expected finishing time and start walkers after the runners are off. The swag bag was good, but after finishing the 10km, I couldn't believe that all the food was gone. There was absolutely nothing for the 10km runners - I was exactly middle of the pack, so there were still over 100 runners to finish, with no food for anyone. This was very disappointing. Also, the speeches seemed to go on forever, plus our starting time was bumped in favour of the 5km runners, which is frustrating as you just want to start your race and have planned accordingly with respect to fueling up and washroom visits. The finishers bracelet was very nice, however, and I probably will run this race again. But I hope the organizers read the comments and improve the race for 2017.

I have done this race a few times and this year the swag was amazing but the event was not. The 10k group did go out first and the 5k group was right behind them. It was a mess. Too many people and a narrow path that bottle-necked several times at bridges. Walkers were at the front of the pack and were walking 3 and 4 wide. No one was briefed on trail manners and when I said "on your left" no one knew what it meant. I had no choice but to walk portions of the race as it was just not possible to pass. I will not do this event again if they keep the same course and do not separate walkers and runners and also have waves.

Interesting route, but too narrow off the start for the 10K. Too many walkers lining up in front of runners! Lots of volunteers to keep people on course. Unfortunately, there was no food left for anyone running the 10K. Big mistake starting the 5k group first. Not likely coming back next year.

First the good. Race kit pickup morning of race! Beautiful route on paths through parkland! Great race atmosphere! Amazing loot bags! Nice mix of post race snacks! The bad. That beautiful route made passing people a nightmare!! The path was wide enough for 2, maybe 3 across ~ creating a bottleneck. It was 2kms into the race before it started to thin out and you could actually run! Mixing runners and walkers made what could have been a 5 banana rating into a 3. Have walkers start 5 minutes after the runners would have made a world of difference.

on the plus side: bib without running room on it. Great swag (if you are a woman). On the not so good side: too many people for the route. You start on a street and then funnel them on a path for 2 or 3 abreast. Passing was a problem. Runner beside me mentioned after the first 500 m: "Not going to be a fast time". Mixing runners and walkers not usually a good idea.

I ran this race for the first time in 2015 and did the 10 km. This is now one of my favourite races! I registered the morning of the race with no line-ups and received a nice shirt, and a bag of shoppers drug mart products (mouthwash, voltarin, bandaids, hand sanitizer, foot cream, vitamin D, kleenex). Washrooms were plentiful, as was free coffee prior to the run. The run was through residential streets and the town (2 loops made up the 10km) and there were a few gradual inclines (nothing too bad). There was also a 1km kid's run, a 5km run and walks. In place of a medal, every finisher received a bracelet with a runner charm on it. Post-race food was very plentiful - all you can eat bagels (many varieties), apples, oranges, bananas, several varieties of bars and cookies, vanilla protein drink, coffee and water. There were even yoga mats to stretch out on, flowers in the toilets, a hand washing station and sanitizer. All in all, a very well organized, motivating race, with great volunteers.

Nice fast route through Unionville. Well organized. Protein bars and extra goody bags. I will be back next year. Good website info as well

Great Race. Had a good time. Well organized.

Well organized, fun atmosphere, and it was great to be able to run for a good cause. I had to switch my bib down from a 10k to a 5k due to an injury, organizers were very helpful and made the switch easy. Instead of a medal, I got a nice bracelet at the end of the race (nice surprise), along with a t-shirt and a bag of gifts.

Had an amazing day. My family walked the 5k and felt so welcomed and encouraged. This year was my second year taking part in this event and I am sure it wont be my last!
Awsome effort by all of the volunteers.

Had AWESOME time at Run For Women 10k in Unionville. Different route from last year because of ice storm damage in the park, but the relatively flat run through the residential streets was made even more fun with the numerous ENTHUSIASTIC volunteers cheering us on along the way. (No bored volunteers at this race). Crazy dancing race ambassador at the finish line made me laugh! Pre-race speakers and warm-up got us in the mood and post race photos with the SDM posters ie. "you run like a girl" "you are gorgeous", etc were a fun touch. Love this year's purple tech shirt and bracelet too. FANTABULOUS party is an apt description!

This race was run a bit better then in previous years, but still not great. There were no reminder emails sent out, or race day instructions. I was just sent way too many emails asking me to join the race (which I did as soon as the registration opened). The 10k race route was very bland. Not the parks and trails that I signed up for. Running past a wood-chipper was...interesting! The goodie bags were decent, and there were more food options available this year. The kids run was again a mess. People were confused, the instructions were not well presented. I am not sure if I would run this again, there is nothing that makes this run stand out.

My daughter was registered for her first 5k race. She loved everything about this race. She was impressed with the volunteers and the way it was organized. Her few school friends do this race every year. She enjoyed the route and the crowd who cheered from the start to finish. The whole place was lighten up with so much positive vibes. She loved the opening ceremony. It was a fabulous event. She was showing off her cute bracelet to her soccer team today. She wants to do 10k next year with her few friends. She came home with a positive feeling. What a fantastic event it was :)

I was disapointed that the race started late. Because the race started late, some of the 10k people were still finishing when the Girl's 1k run started- using an out and back route on the same path as the 10k runners finishing were using. The keynote speakers went long and delayed the start of the race. At the finish line, there was water available. The only food available were bananas that had been cut in half- they were brown. The bracelet was very small and it does not fit me very well. The route was nice, but it would have been better if people had been briefed to "stay to the right". On some of the narrow paths it was crowded and hard to pass groups walking 4 or 5 wide. A few factors need to be tweeked to make this a top-notch race.

Great race, well organized. Not sure I will do it again, based on price. It is pricey for a 5k run. Great garb bags, bracelet too small to wear.

This race has such potential, but unfortunately the little things that they didn't do, or didn't do right taint the experience.

The race started late, as the keynote speakers were longer than planned. Because of this- the 10K women had less than an hour and 20 minutes to run the 10K in the excessive heat, AND make it to the Girl's 1k to run that race. This was a huge rush, with no time for washroom/food/drinking time between the events. The 10k route was changed at the last minute, and so the km marker signs were not accurate, and people were confused about where to go.

The bracelets that were given out at the end of the race were terribly small- they did not fit most of us- and we are all average size women. The bananas at the finish line had all been cut in half- making them begin to rot in the heat. Who wants half of a rotten/brown banana? That was the only food item available.

This race could be a great race, but I am not sure I would run it again. I hope they pick up their 'socks' for future races!!

Very well organized. Started on time. Route clearly marked. Starbuck's oatmeal and coffee was a nice bonus. :)

This is probably one one of the best races I've been at in my 2 years of running.

The race was so well organized, and the volunteer's were amazing.

I participated in the 5KM with my 11 year old daughter and we both had a great time.

Catriona LeMay Doan was very inspiring and I always enjoy hearing John Stanton speak.

We will be back next year.

I was registered for the 10K but due to injury had to switch to the 5K when I arrived on race day; I was afraid this would be difficult to do, but had no problem whatsoever! The races were very well organized, lots of volunteers along the way, and I really enjoyed the 5K route. At the finish line it was disappointing to find nothing but water, as I had been looking forward to fruit and oatmeal. By the time I arrived back at the "opening ceremonies" area the lineup for the post-run food was too long so I just went home hungry. Other than that, though, it was a wonderful event. I especially enjoyed the speech by Catriona LeMay Doan! All in all it was a fun event, the t-shirts are really nice, and I love the medal/bracelet. It's all in support of a good cause and I would do it again!