No, there's not much around for free these days, but there has been one race that's been free for about as long as I can remember: The Haggen to Haggen 5k in Bellingham. Sure, you have to have a Haggen Card to make it free, but what grocery store doesn't make you have a card these days. And you only need to look at the sponsors of the race to know that there's always great chow at the finish (awesome fruit and cookie selection, plus yogurt, sports drinks, bagels, sports bars, chips, and the proverbial "more!")
But even with the free entry and awesome grub, the greatest thing about the Haggen to Haggen is the course. It's a 5k PR waiting to happen. After a couple of brief ups and downs right in the first half mile, the next mile or so is all on a slight downhill, just enough to propel your legs along without being so steep that it makes you run faster than you want to. Then the rest of the course to the finish is flat. It's just a fast, fast, course. So get to the start line early (it's a bit narrow at the beginning) and set a new personal mark.
Oh, and just so you know that I know...that's me in the picture sporting my 1994! t-shirt from the Haggen to Haggen (although I've always wondered why they put a guy on the shirt that looks like he's race-walking, at best). I think I've only missed one year since then. Don't miss this race - it's a good one.
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