Alex Sanchez's Staging Area

This was my first time running this event, but second time running a half marathon. I’ve ran quite a few races prior to this one (smaller distances) and typically take the time to check out all the extras that come along with it.

First things first: the race swag. I was impressed with the tech shirt and hat that came with the reusable bag. I must admit I love free stuff! But these were far superior than a lot of the swag I’ve gotten at other races.

Day of race: parking was free. And yes, this is important! The website gave locations to park, and they were not overly crowded (considering there were quite a lot of people attending). The distance to the starting line was not far at all. When I arrived to the location, there was plenty of space to stretch and get ready for the race. During the actual race, the scenery varied. It started parallel to the freeway and beach, then took a turn into residential area, followed by your typical Oxnard scenery (fields, fields everywhere!). It wasn’t so bad, the actual course remained flat as promised on the website. Aid stations were frequent and useful. I had expected gatorade at the later aid stations, but did not see any. However, gels and fuel were given out. At the finish line, there was a nice buffet of food (fruit, yogurt, bars, CHOCOLATE) as well as plenty of vendors. And of course, the beach was RIGHT THERE so it was nice to be able to go out and relax after the race.

Overall, I was very pleased with the way this race turned out. Since Ventura is by the beach, the weather was perfect. If you’re looking for a great race to make a PR or run your first half, this is a great one to do so!