Blue Bell Fun Run
Brenham, TX
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The annual Blue Bell Fun Run provides runners and walkers a beautiful run through the countryside of Brenham, TX. Runner and walkers will experience small town hospitality, including unlimited Blue Bell Ice Cream at the finish line. Started in 1978, this race began to benefit the Brenham High School Athletic … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Mar 21):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 89 | 76 | 65 | 72 | 75 |
| L (°F) | 61 | 37 | 59 | 54 | 59 |
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Beautiful course but beware of the hills
I was a bit concerned as my left calf has not fully healed from the Little Rock Marathon 3 weeks ago….and the course was full of hills. I was hoping … MORE
I was a bit concerned as my left calf has not fully healed from the Little Rock Marathon 3 weeks ago….and the course was full of hills. I was hoping to at least go sub-2 hours.
Started off well and my pace was around 8 minute 10 second miles through the 10k but my calf started acting up (I usually shoot for sub 8 minute pace at my recent 10 milers). Had to favor my calf the rest of the race (and the sadists….I mean race organizers 🙂 had runners basically finish up hill (except the last couple blocks)).
Anyway, got my sub-2 hours with a finish time of 1:53:48. Took 5th in my age group….3 minutes off of top 3 , but overall OK considering the calf. Leg is pretty sore now. Will be icing it and elevating it.
Blue Bell is our Texas ice cream and at the finish line I tried a fudge bar (good). Plus, after the race, the ice cream was free at their creamery and market. I had their chocolate with peanut butter appropriately called Happy Tracks – very good (they don’t sell it in stores, only there). I’m a huge peanut butter & chocolate fan, my wife doesn’t like the combination (I think that not liking chocolate & peanut butter is a sure sign of communism).
T-shirts are very nice (there is an overall event t-shirt and a separate one for the 1/2 marathon runners). They were handed out in advance – but if they are for finishers, I kind of think maybe they should be handed out at the end (but no real issue there). The finisher medal for the 1/2 was also given out before the race (that I think should be changed to the finish line) and to be completely honest maybe organizers can invest a tiny bit more of the registration $$ into the medal as they really weren’t that special (but again, I own sooo many, it would deter me from running the race again).
Now to pick out my next race. The Hatfield & McCoy Marathon in June in Kentucky is my next official registered entry….but if I can mend this calf, I’ll probably jump in another race before than.
Run it for the Blue Bell
My second time running this half marathon. They also have three other distances, 10k, 5k, and Kids Mile. No parking on site so arrive early to find a spot in … MORE
My second time running this half marathon. They also have three other distances, 10k, 5k, and Kids Mile.
No parking on site so arrive early to find a spot in nearby lots or on the streets. You have to walk to the venue and depending on where you park it is 1/4 to a mile walk.
Bib pickup was efficient, you get your bib, finisher medal (s), and shirt (s) before the run. Not sure if they have a bag check as I saw lots walking back to their vehicles to drop off their shirts.
Course was the same as before and is rolling hills most of the route. Most all is on country roads with views of ranches, wildflowers, cattle, horses, and a few locals out to watch.
There is a good amount of aid stations and most of the volunteers are enthusiastic. There is a first aid station they were all sitting in chairs talking to themselves but at least they had table full of water cups. The rest of the stations, they were up handing out water and encouraging the runners. Now two of the stations, they were up water wasn’t drinkable. One tasted like what I would imagine pond water would and the other tasted like the plastic water jug. Sure just a fluke?
Finish line is your standard stuff but there is a blue bell truck handing out various ice cream bars which is a major draw of the run. No awards ceremony, you just check the results and go claim your medal if you are on a podium. The other big draw is the visitor center at the Blue Bell Creamery is open just for event participants and you can drive over and get more free ice cream, this time it is scooped of various flavors.
Overall a good event.
Country run with rolling hills
The race is a fundraiser for the athletic booster club so expect high schoolers to be the ones helping you at packet pick up in the HS gym. All distances … MORE
The race is a fundraiser for the athletic booster club so expect high schoolers to be the ones helping you at packet pick up in the HS gym.
All distances finish at the same time so the finish line is chaos. This year they went ahead and gave medals at packet pick up. Odd choice but we all got the right medal. Half marathoners get two shirts and two medals.
The course is pretty hilly. The whole thing was either up or down, with a pretty big monster hill at the finish. The half marathoner is all country roads and pastures. Some locals show up to watch but not much by way of spectators. High schoolers have made punny yard signs throughout the course though— cute touch. There is a railroad crossing early in the course— one would hope they plan the race starting time to avoid disruption.
The finish line has free Blue Bell ice cream. All you want.
Rolling hills the entire race
This race is in TX hill country. It does not have a big elevation change, but the course is through rolling hills for the entire duration of the run, which … MORE
This race is in TX hill country. It does not have a big elevation change, but the course is through rolling hills for the entire duration of the run, which was challenging.
After the run, we were treated with unlimited ice cream bars for both runners and spectators. We also were able to go to the Blue Bell creamery and get free scoops of ice cream!
As a half marathon participant I received both the fun run shirt/medal and the half marathon shirt/medal. My half marathon shirt has a large blue stain where it looks like the colors bled onto the white background. It was dark when I picked it up so I didn’t notice it until after the run. I did see other people wearing their shirts after the race, so it was apparently just an issue with the shirt I received.
Blue Bell And a Rolling Country Course
This event has been on my list for a few years. Free Blue Bell ice cream, what’s not to like. Event parking was about half a mile away but was … MORE
This event has been on my list for a few years. Free Blue Bell ice cream, what’s not to like.
Event parking was about half a mile away but was walkable and they provided busses.
Four distances were available, half, 10k, 5k, and kids 1 mile
I participated in the half and my wife ran the 5k
Half field was limited and there were only 418 finishers this year
Course was rolling hills the whole route. Very few flat stretches and it seemed like you were going up or down the whole time. I would call it a challenging course. Now there were no killer inclines just constant up and down.
Pretty country views of ranches and wildflowers most of the way.
Good water station support but only water was provided.
Post race only water and ice cream were provided. When I finished I was handed a cup of water but later runners had to go seek out water. I was also told that one of the water stops on the 5k ran out of water.
Swag was a t-shirt and a participation medal, both handed to you at packet pickup. Division winners also received a medal which you went to a table and picked up. Overall winners were given a plaque.
The reason most run is for the Blue Bell ice cream post race. Ice cream bars and ice cream sandwiches were available and it was pretty much all you wanted. You cold also go to the Blue Bell store (a short drive away) and get free ice cream with your race bib.
Benefits the Brenham High School Athletics program and it seemed like all of the high school athletes were out there volunteering.
Overall a good event. A few hiccups like running out of water and safety pins, but it was good. Probably a one and done for me since it was a three and half hour drive and involved a hotel stay.