A cloudy and humid morning didn't stop thousands of runners from lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement in the Red, White, and Boom! Half Marathon, Relay, and 5K.
Runners began showing up as early as 5:45 for the 6:30 half marathon and relay start times. The 5K began about 20 minutes later as the routes took runners through northeast Minneapolis and along the Stone Arch Bridge.
Andrew Spurgeon of Faribault was prepping for the 5K and running with Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge.
"To be healthy and fit and doing something I love on a holiday, it couldn't get much better than this," Spurgeon said.
Runners dawned the red, white and blue and carried American flags to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Diana Meyer of Hastings decided to run the half marathon.
"It's a great way to kickoff the holiday," Meyer said. "The weather doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would. I'm just going to take it slow and stay hydrated."
Race officials reminded runners to stay hydrated and to pay attention to their body during. Runners had the opportunity to quench their thirst at hydration stations spread out along the routes.
The races all finished at the Red, White and Boom festival taking place near the Stone Arch Bridge and Saint Anthony Main area in downtown Minneapolis. It will be a busy area Thursday, leading up to the fireworks scheduled to blast off around 10 p.m.
