Michael Schwartz's Staging Area

My first marathon was at Carlsbad in 2006 and I periodically run it again because it’s one of the best around. The pre-dawn start can be a little chilly, but you soon warm up as you pass the Buena Vista Lagoon, cross over Interstate 5, and head to the coast as the sun comes up. Most of the route is next to the beaches where the ocean provides a calming background soundtrack for me. Some feel the route is hilly, but the hills are small and gentle. I call it gently rolling coastal terrain with plenty of flat stretches in between. Take advantage of the downhills with a faster cadence and you can get a great finish time. I got a BQ here once. Spectator support in the residential areas is plentiful with some really good unofficial aid stations, music, great signs, and lots of energetic cheering.
The swag is excellent with a quarter-zip pullover in addition to the long-sleeve race shirt. Lots of parking at the mall where the start and finish are. Pre-race communication was the sensible amount to avoid overload but still give you everything you need to know in a timely manner.
A fun detail that has nothing to do with race management but reflects the spirit of the area is the “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree that you pass about six miles in.

The marathon started late for the second year in a row. The announcers talked non-stop about a bunch of nothing while everyone wondered why the start was delayed and how long it would last. It started 15 minutes late. Another problem for the second year in a row was aid stations having no electrolyte drink for the first six miles. Just water. When you finally get a drink with electrolytes, it’s not really an electrolyte drink. The product’s label even says “hydration drink.” There’s plenty of potassium, other minerals, even some vitamins, but very little sodium. When you sweat, you lose more than water and sodium tops the list of electrolytes you need to replenish. Maybe that’s why I saw so many people cramping up. Race management needs to learn about sports nutrition and make a runner’s health and safety more important than sponsor money. Another thing they should do is have cold drinks at the finish line. The bottle of water and the sponsor’s hydration drink that I got were at ambient temperature. As with the other issues, this was the second year in a row that this happened. Is there a new race director who doesn’t know what they’re doing?
Now I’ll stop complaining and tell you there are some good aspects to this race. It’s a relatively flat course with some points of interest along the way. Many spectators set up their own aid stations offering a variety of items like fruit-flavored gummies, real fruit, Otter Pops, even some “adult beverages.” The bling is always good, but this year was the 40th running and the medals were amazingly impressive.
Overall, I have mixed feelings about this race. The company that produces this race also produces other races in the area and I’ve never experienced problems like the ones at Long Beach. It seems like an easy fix. Now they need to do it.

Normally a very nice race, but multiple problems led to disappointment for lots of runners. The marathon started 25 minutes late. On a hotter-than-usual day, that’s a problem. There’s little shade on the course so you got more sun exposure and dealt with the heat longer. The on-course electrolyte drink remains a mystery. Nothing about the brand or product name on their web site. It was there in two flavors and one tasted awful. The first aid station to have it was 6 miles in and it was only in really small cups the whole way. I heard that they ran out of medals for those completing the Beach Cities Challenge. Easily fixed if they mail them later, but still disappointing. A couple of friends reported timing problems, with one showing no finish time. The corrected results the next day showed a time about 2 hours faster than the true time. Drinks at the finish line were not cold. On a hot day, that’s bad.
It wasn’t all bad though. The finisher’s medals are very impressive. The shirts are a quality product with a nice design. The course has some hills, but nothing terrible. Conserve on the uphill portions, take advantage of any downhill portions, and you can get a fast time. I got a BQ here one year.
Hopefully race management fixes all this because this is usually a fun race. Lots of good scenery along the way and the spectator support always provides some memorable highlights. People were handing out Otter Pops during mile 23 and there were not one, but TWO people in unicorn costumes at mile 10.

Out in the high desert somewhat near Las Vegas is this infamous place known as Area 51. You’ve probably heard about it. UFOs, aliens, government secrecy, and more. Want to run a race there? It starts at midnight. Party time! Put on your best alien apparel and choose your distance from 5K to 51K.
I ran this one as my first official ultra and took it easy to make sure I had enough energy left for the final post-marathon miles. The finishing stretch is flat, which really helps. The first 7 miles are uphill, the next 7 downhill, and the rest is flat except for a little climb before the second turnaround for the 51K.
I met people from many different states at this event. Lots of runners dressed up for this race, adding to the fun. The excellent spread of food and drink at the finish helps to jump-start your recovery. Not much to see in the darkness of race time, but if you wait around for the sunrise, you get to see the beauty of Nevada’s high desert.
I’ve run other Calico Racing events and they always do a great job providing what runners need and like. I highly recommend paying extra for bus transportation to and from the race. No school buses. They get quiet, smooth-riding tour buses with comfortable seats.
The marathon course is the same as the 51K except for an earlier second turnaround. Half marathon and shorter distances are different.

This year’s race got a lot of attention because of the weather, but the more important details are what runners can expect in other years. At the top of the list is the fantastic spectator support. They went well beyond cheering by decorating, being in costume, playing fun music, and setting up extra aid stations.
The course has some hills and all the tougher ones are in the early miles when your legs are still fresh. Keep your effort level from spiking and save some energy for later. I discovered the finish area was like a buffet line, with lots of items from the sponsors, especially Kroger and the local LaRosa’s Pizzeria. After you’ve gotten your medal and post-race goodies, you can relax in Riverfront Park, a beautiful place to rest, recover, and take photos.
Two more important details: The expo was bigger than most and shows great sponsor support. Access to the start corrals was very well-controlled. When I started running, there were no problems dealing with slower runners getting in the way or faster runners pushing through. Everyone around me was at the same pace.

Running downhill with a tailwind is great, but it doesn’t last forever. This course starts with a barely noticeable downhill, then gives you a little more push as you go. As you get close to the south coast, you get a moderate climb, then mixed uphill and downhill, then flat for the second half. The scenery is a variety of what’s on the island. Farms, lava fields, beaches, and then the tourist resorts. You get to run down Lahaina’s famous Front Street when it’s nearly deserted – a rare sight – and through the only tunnel on Maui. The 5 am start is to avoid the heat as much as possible, but it still gets uncomfortable before you’re done. At least the humidity is mild and the scenery is a beautiful distraction. Race production was excellent from packet pickup to post-race buses. Even though the highways are open to traffic and you run on a narrow shoulder at times, I found drivers to be careful, courteous, and many gave supportive horn honks and cheers as they passed.

The 2020 course was different from the one in previous years, so I’ll just say that they should use it again, despite the uphill finish. Most of the miles were on paved trails along two creeks in Papillion, southwest of Omaha. Construction in downtown Omaha forced the course change and the Covid pandemic forced other changes, but the race went on and the organizers showed that it can be done. Face coverings were required until you got to the start line, three runners started every ten seconds, and water stations had 10 ounce bottles of water or Gatorade instead of cups.
The course markings were the best I’ve ever seen. Every turn or trail intersection had multiple signs with big arrows to make it nearly impossible to go the wrong way. Most of these locations also had a volunteer stationed there. Not many spectators, but all were enthusiastic and supportive. Same energy from the volunteers. Nom-nom bag at the finish had some tasty goodies inside, but no protein bar or other source of good post-race protein, so bring your own. Maybe they can get a sponsor for that in the future.
Everything from packet pick-up to the finish line was very well-organized. This group does a great job.

If you think Bakersfield sounds boring, think again. The course runs through a variety of different neighborhoods and sections of the city while offering a few surprises along the way. The start and finish are at the Cal State Bakersfield campus with plenty of free parking. Going through different sections of the downtown area, even the seedy part with its dive bars seems strangely scenic when it’s quiet and deserted in the early morning hours. My favorite part was running through the grounds of the Kern County Museum. If you enjoy learning about local history, go here after the race. Many people envision Bakersfield as being flat, but there’s a hill you’ll climb in the second half of the marathon that will challenge you a bit. The half marathon is totally flat, but the marathon’s climb to Bakersfield College lasts for 3 miles. It’s gradual, so nothing too difficult, but you need to be ready for it. Once you run through the campus, you’re rewarded with a great view of the the valley and a huge oil field. From there, the last 10 miles are downhill on a paved trail that follows the Kern River. Spectator support in the residential areas was great. Even the police doing traffic control cheered for the runners and were very friendly. In addition to the usual shirt and medal, runners got a very nice hat suitable for running. Although the race has been cancelled for 2020 because of the annoying little virus issue, 2021 should be a great time to go.