My Profile

@NorseSunRun

San Diego, CA Raving since 2015 Half Fanatics Active 4 years, 11 months ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):
  • Rave race:
  • Race that's calling my name:

    Catalina Island Marathon

  • I run because:

    I like to jog, I like it a lot. Even when it’s hot. In the rain without a cane. Would run in the snow if I were that low. In the night by moonlight. In the fog or by a bog. I would jog with Sam and his green eggs sans ham. Over a bridge to get to the fridge. Solo in the wind or with a friend. Up a hill or by a mill. Around some trees or with some fleas. Sometimes tripping but never sipping. Down the beach while eating a peach.

My Races

Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.

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Half Marathon

Marathon

Ultramarathon

(Marathon or Ultra) + Half

Marathon + Ultra

Other

Future Races

Personal Bests (2)

Race Distance Location Date Result
200 Mile Relay Huntington Beach, CA Apr 12, 2019 33:00:00
Half Marathon Laguna Hills, CA May 25, 2015 1:52:00

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (19)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
200 Mile Relay Huntington Beach, CA Apr 12, 2019 33:00:00
Half Marathon Palm Desert, CA Feb 11, 2018 2:01:00
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Nov 5, 2017
Marathon San Diego, CA Jun 4, 2017
Half Marathon Del Mar, CA Apr 23, 2017
Half Marathon Temecula, CA Oct 30, 2016 2:01:00
Marathon San Diego, CA Jun 5, 2016 5:32:35
Half Marathon Del Mar, CA Apr 24, 2016
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Mar 13, 2016
Half Marathon Del Mar, CA Feb 14, 2016
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Dec 27, 2015 2:02:26
Half Marathon Temecula, CA Nov 21, 2015 2:10:22
Half Marathon Laguna Hills, CA May 25, 2015 1:52:00
Half Marathon Del Mar, CA Apr 26, 2015 2:10:00
15K San Diego, CA Mar 22, 2015
Half Marathon San Diego, CA Mar 8, 2015 2:02:00
Half Marathon Del Mar, CA 2014
15K San Diego, CA Oct 27, 2013 1:29:00
Half Marathon San Diego, CA 2013

My Raves

12 of us runners got into two Ford Transit vans (the van of choice for this event) and drove to Huntington Beach the night before the start and stayed at … MORE

12 of us runners got into two Ford Transit vans (the van of choice for this event) and drove to Huntington Beach the night before the start and stayed at a hotel that was a 5 minute drive from the start. At this point it would have been best to get some sleep but that wasn’t happening. I was in Van 1 and our start time was 5:45 am while van 2 got to sleep in and eat a proper breakfast. The course had good signage and there were plenty of runners along the way so getting lost was pretty difficult. The idea is to get water etc. from your van and the only porta-potties were at the end of your run. We ran past parks with restrooms and stores so an emergency bathroom break was never too far away.The runs ranged from 3.5 miles to 12 miles and we each ran 3 times throughout the event. My 3 runs started at about 6:30am, 6:00pm and 4:30am. Sleeping was not an option unless you can sleep on a van seat among backpacks etc. After our 1st runs were over van 2 took over and we had a lot of downtime to eat at restaurants and rest. We couldn’t run through Camp Pendleton so the course went far inland from Huntington Beach and Oceanside to make the mileage closer to 200. The runner exchange points were fine until we got to the ones where both vans had to park which were a bit hectic as this is a popular event. All of the teams decorated the vans with hilarious props and phrases and it was really fun just to walk around and check them out. As the day turned to night after our second leg we found a Denny’s open at 12:30 am to have “dinner”. Our last leg was during the wee hours and we all had to wear reflective vests and lights. There were always plenty of runners around and no one had to run by themselves through the dark. Traffic was not an issue either. By the time we finished our 3rd leg the sun was out and we had to wait for van 2 to finish the course. We found a shady tree at the Liberty Station park in San Diego and tried to get some sleep after a yummy breakfast at the Fig Tree Cafe. We all ran across the finish line together and enjoyed a couple brews in the beer garden before returning the van and heading home. The energy level was high and everyone was friendly and happy despite lacking sleep. . My hat goes off to those who chose the “ultra” option (six runners only).

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

I was staying at the very nice Hotel Westin Desert Villas (reviewed elsewhere) and noticed a half marathon scheduled on my last day there. I drove there, parked and lined … MORE

I was staying at the very nice Hotel Westin Desert Villas (reviewed elsewhere) and noticed a half marathon scheduled on my last day there. I drove there, parked and lined up all within 15 minutes as there were only a few hundred people and plenty of parking. The course is very flat with the distant mountains providing the only scenery unless you consider walls and sidewalks as scenery. The best part of the race is that is in Palm Desert which is really clean, new and relatively uncrowded like Palm Springs was 20 years ago. Maybe the reason is seems uncrowded is because most of the streets have endless walls on either side and the streets are really wide. The water at the aid stations was top notch although they ran out of cups (not water) after about 2 hrs. The weather was an ideal 70 something and the first half was in the shade.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

This year the weather for this run was ideal. The morning started off cool without the need for any sweatshirts and it got better from there. The sun was blocked … MORE

This year the weather for this run was ideal. The morning started off cool without the need for any sweatshirts and it got better from there. The sun was blocked by clouds and it never warmed up as a nice breeze set in toward the end. A small group of runners made the pre-run routine simple: pick up bib, warm up and go, no long waits for anything.The course is one of the best I’ve run. I didn’t see a single (active) car until about mile 10 so there was plenty of room to spread out over the country roads. The first section is flat and the houses quickly gave way to farms and then open space with chaparral and oak trees around mile 3. The fist real hill was fairly long but not too steep. After that the course slowly looped back to the flat area again with a few small hills to keep it interesting. Some sections were shaded with large Oak trees and the breeze never became a speed scrubbing headwind. At the post run party there were various beverages available for free that included wine, champagne, sangria and some good IPA beer from Wiens brewery and a pretty funny DJ. The PA system was never too loud and the music was decent. Thoughtfully, the organizers didn’t give out the cheap synthetic T-shirts that many people don’t bother to pick but instead offered nice cotton shirts as an option to purchase. I will be back next year for this one, definitely worth the drive from San Diego.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

This year 23,000 runners showed up to enjoy very overcast and cool conditions. San Diego's "June Gloom" weather is ideal for running and the sun came out only for the … MORE

This year 23,000 runners showed up to enjoy very overcast and cool conditions. San Diego’s “June Gloom” weather is ideal for running and the sun came out only for the the last couple of miles as a cool stiff breeze kicked in. With an event this big the organizers and volunteers really had their work cut out for them and they did a great job. There was always plenty of Gatorade but avoid the water unless you don’t mind a little bleach in it. Porta-potties along the course never had more than a few minutes wait. Porta-potties at the start were maxed out as would be expected with this many people. This was my first Marathon and I had to walk up the hill at mile 23 as did many folks who didn’t train enough like me. PROS: Spectator support and the bands were very motivating, the announcers were good as well as the music at the starting line. One nice part of this course was at about mile 9 one could peel off from the marathon course and just do the very flat half. Many spectators wrote hilarious signs and there were many runners dressed in costumes which always helps melt away those miles. I carried my own sports drink in a hydration pack and drank all of it by the halfway mark after which I relied on the Gatorade and snacks provided by the volunteers. The snacks at the finish were adequate and there was even a free beer for those so inclined. CONS: Nothing really to complain about except there did seem to be a huge mess to clean up afterwords with so many aid stations handing out salt and vaseline which I guess some runners needed.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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"Cold" is a relative term; for some cold is a bitter bone chilling 20 below. For me 40 degrees is bitter and bone chilling. The lure of a run for … MORE

“Cold” is a relative term; for some cold is a bitter bone chilling 20 below. For me 40 degrees is bitter and bone chilling. The lure of a run for me at this temp has to be significant to get me out of my warm bed and into the dark pre-dawn hyper-chilled air. Fortunately I was well rewarded with an incredibly scenic jog with a 700′ elevation drop. I brought my own water but it was so cool I really didn’t need it. The hardest part was taking off my warm sweatshirt handing it to the gear check volunteers. The first half of the run had a lot of sun so wear your specs. It also had three bridges and some really great views of the canyon. The second half of the run had more (cold) shade and the bike path was nice and wide so we were never scrunched in too much. It was always easy to see how far there was to go on the higher points so mile markers just weren’t needed.
Pros: Great views from hidden bike path and scenic bridges. Bus ride to start was well organized (I parked in Del Mar), few street closures needed, adequate water and snacks at finish. Several “stores of refuge” to sip on coffee and try to defrost.
Cons; 40 degree start “warmed” up to 58.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

2015 was my first attempt at this course and I will definitely be coming back next year. PROS- Small group of Runners, Water at stations did not have bleach as … MORE

2015 was my first attempt at this course and I will definitely be coming back next year.
PROS- Small group of Runners, Water at stations did not have bleach as a preservative (except for water at start line), Softer trail conditions on shoulder of road, Challenging course, Adequate snacks and juice at finish. T-shirts seem almost like cotton
CONS- Parking is a bit tricky to figure out; park down the dirt road at Ponte Winery, walk to start 300yrds) take shuttle back to start or walk 1 mile from finish. I paid for a “Pint of Beer” at registration only to find out that this is non-existent. Fairly hot weather possible. Relatively high registration fees.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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A fun low-key run with good water at stations. PROS-Medium sized group of runners, Very easy and convenient parking and bib pick up, Local hotels and eats more than adequate, … MORE

A fun low-key run with good water at stations.
PROS-Medium sized group of runners, Very easy and convenient parking and bib pick up, Local hotels and eats more than adequate, Friendly and plentiful spectators especially in Leisure World, Very organized with plenty of volunteers and water.
CONS- Weather can be on the warm side. T-shirts made from synthetic “help you sweat” material (please go back to cotton).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
2

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This event is my most favorite of all. PROS- Very challenging hill with great views of Torrey Pines, Adequate snacks at finish line, Easy bus ride to start, great bathrooms … MORE

This event is my most favorite of all.
PROS- Very challenging hill with great views of Torrey Pines, Adequate snacks at finish line, Easy bus ride to start, great bathrooms located near horse racetrack (start)
CONS- Huge crowd of runners, Water at stations sometimes comes from containers lined with trash bags (not sure if I’m the only one that can taste the difference) train-with/bring your own water, T-shirts made from synthetic material (yuk).
Update 2016: This year was construction year but there were only 2 minor changes to the route. As a result runners didn’t get to run on the “boardwalk” of the beach but it was a great run regardless.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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This run is just east of downtown San Diego with adequate parking if you're familiar with the area could be tricky if you're not. The running group is on the … MORE

This run is just east of downtown San Diego with adequate parking if you’re familiar with the area could be tricky if you’re not. The running group is on the large side of medium but entire streets are closed off giving runners plenty of room to maneuver.
PROS- Water stations adequate on course however be aware of the bleach infused water at the finish (2015), hooded sweatshirt instead of a shirt, chocolate at the expo and plenty of hills in scenic old neighborhoods.
CONS- Angry car drivers trying to get around closed streets, bleach as preservative in finish line water YUK, some parts of course not so scenic and very loud PA system (bring ear plugs).

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
2

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I have never tasted "bleached" water at this event after 3 seasons (Great work SD!). This run has the potential to be hit with hot weather, however, a surprising amount … MORE

I have never tasted “bleached” water at this event after 3 seasons (Great work SD!). This run has the potential to be hit with hot weather, however, a surprising amount of the run is in the shade.
PROS- Water tastes great at adequate stations along course, You can practically see the finish line at mile 10.5 making the last three (downhill) miles (psychologically) easier, Good friendly vibe among runners and spectators.
CONS- Very loud PA system at start (I felt sorry for downtown residents trying to sleep past 6 am) Lame synthetic shirt which seems designed to trap sweat against your body UPDATE: For 2016 they changed the material of the T-shirt, although it’s still synthetic it can breath now thanks to the wider mesh. The post race “snack bag” seemed a little bit better stocked too.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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I haven't run this course since they changed the route but if it's anything like the 14 route expect scenic country roads with big shady trees and horse ranches. I … MORE

I haven’t run this course since they changed the route but if it’s anything like the 14 route expect scenic country roads with big shady trees and horse ranches. I have never experienced hot weather during this run.
PROS- Medium/small group of runners, good water stations, funny running costume contest?, The Queen of England (costume) spectator, convenient parking, adequate snacks, plenty of shade and good starting area.
CONS- Can be very cold at start down at the bottom of a small valley, Lame synthetic T-shirt (please bring back the cotton ones!).
Update 2016: The new course has a little bit more shade and more “out and backs” but is still has very nice scenery. This year the PA system wasn’t very loud and I didn’t see any runners peeing in the bushes and trees along the course. Unfortunately some of the residents in the neighbor hood complained anyway about having there street closed for 3 hours even though they were told months in advance of the date and time. Other residents were much more friendly and came out to enjoy their morning coffee and watch the runners stream past.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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I normally don't sign up for trail runs but this one was pretty good. Parking is really easy if you get to the start early. Some runners were there for … MORE

I normally don’t sign up for trail runs but this one was pretty good. Parking is really easy if you get to the start early. Some runners were there for the 50K which is really humbling (what do they do for work that allows them to train that much?). The course (out and back) skirts Lake Hodges and is well marked. Don’t forget your trail running shoes!
PROS- Small group of Runners, Nice views of Lake Hodges especially going over the foot bridge, friendly runners some wearing costumes, shirt has good graphics, not to difficult to find wide portions in trail to pass or get passed.
CONS- Bleach in water at halfway turn around point, Shirt made from synthetic material.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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This well organized run has a large group of runners which start at the Cabrillo State Park. Parking is easy if you are familiar with Balboa Park. Enjoy the sunrise … MORE

This well organized run has a large group of runners which start at the Cabrillo State Park. Parking is easy if you are familiar with Balboa Park. Enjoy the sunrise and the view of downtown across the bay while warming up prior to the start. The first few miles are downhill and in cool weather but don’t get carried away. Acclimate to the heat properly if you want to enjoy this run.
PROS- Nice course, good vibe, good water stations (I recommend training with and bringing your own water).
CONS- Can be very HOT and Humid (Approx. 50/50 chance), Bring water and drink early if it’s hot,

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
2

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