My Profile

@PeteSinCA

San Jose, CA Raving since 2015 Active 8 hours, 1 minute ago

About Me

  • Running club(s):
  • Rave race:

    Brazen Almost New Year's Eve, 2014

  • Race that's calling my name:

    Rocky Ridge, 20??, sighhhhhhh ….

  • I run because:

    To show me I (still) can!

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 (9)

Race Distance Location Date Result
12 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 8, 2017 7 mi
6 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 9, 2016 17 mi
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Mar 15, 2014 3:09:26
10 Miler Capitola, CA Oct 22, 2017 3:11:00
15K Aptos, CA Jun 19, 2016 2:25:45
10K San Jose, CA Nov 28, 2013 1:25:38
5 Miler Woodland, CA Jul 4, 2016 1:05:09
8K San Jose, CA Mar 2, 2014 1:02:38
5K Cupertino, CA Mar 26, 2016 40:56

Future Races (0)

Race Distance Location Date Paid

Past Races (152)

Race Distance Location Date Result My Raves My Performance
5K Campbell, CA Feb 10, 2024
10K Livermore, CA Jan 27, 2024 2:00:16
5K Mountain View, CA Jan 1, 2024 56:26
10K San Jose, CA Oct 28, 2023 2:08:30
5K San Carlos, CA Aug 26, 2023 1:39:25
10K San Leandro, CA Jul 29, 2023
10K Fremont, CA Jul 1, 2023 2:32:35
10K San Jose, CA Jun 4, 2023 2:04:21
5K San Jose,, CA Apr 29, 2023
5K Cupertino, CA Apr 8, 2023 53:37
5K Dublin, CA Mar 19, 2023 59:11
5K Campbell, CA Feb 11, 2023 59:26
10K Fremont, CA Sep 10, 2022
5K Oakland, CA Jul 16, 2022 1:00:33
10K San Jose, CA Jun 5, 2022 1:56:53
5K San Jose, CA May 21, 2022 55:27
Half Marathon San Pablo, CA May 14, 2022
5K San Jose, CA May 7, 2022 54:22
8K Castro Valley, CA Apr 16, 2022 1:49:41
10K Morgan Hill, CA Mar 27, 2022 1:56:39
Half Marathon Richmond, CA Feb 26, 2022 4:14:00
Half Marathon San Leandro, CA Feb 12, 2022 4:43:08
10K Fremont, CA Jan 22, 2022 2:22:52
5K Campbell, CA 2022 58:23
10K Mountain View, CA Jan 1, 2022 1:59:16
5K Santa Clara, CA 2022 59:50
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Dec 12, 2021 4:19:07
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Nov 27, 2021 4:20:23
10K San Jose, CA Nov 14, 2021 1:48:18
10K San Jose, CA Oct 31, 2021 1:44:30
10K Belmont, CA Oct 9, 2021 1:52:45
5K San Jose, CA Sep 19, 2021 51:19
5K Castro Valley, CA Sep 11, 2021 57:33
5K San Jose, CA Aug 22, 2021 51:39
5K San Leandro, CA Jul 31, 2021 52:38
8K San Jose, CA Feb 2, 2020 1:31:36
5K Mountain View, CA Jan 1, 2020 1:00:25
5K San Jose, CA Nov 28, 2019
5K San Jose, CA Nov 2, 2019
10K Campbell, CA Oct 19, 2019 1:58:00
10K Mountain View, CA Sep 29, 2019 2:01:44
10K San Jose, CA Sep 22, 2019 1:51:10
5K Richmond, CA Aug 31, 2019 1:07:49
10K Martinez, CA Aug 10, 2019
6 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 6, 2019 10 mi
10K Fremont, CA Jun 29, 2019 2:12:02
10K San Carlos, CA Apr 14, 2019 1:51:36
5K San Jose, CA Mar 24, 2019 54:21
10K Palo Alto, CA Mar 10, 2019 2:10:00
10K Richmond, CA Feb 23, 2019 1:49:44
10K San Leandro, CA Feb 9, 2019 1:53:51
10K Fremont, CA Jan 26, 2019 2:00:15
5K Mountain View, CA Jan 1, 2019 53:41
10K Santa Clara, CA Dec 2, 2018 1:49:16
10K San Jose, CA Nov 22, 2018 1:54:26
5K Sunnyvale, CA Nov 4, 2018 59:43
10K San Jose, CA Oct 28, 2018 2:19:04
10K Brentwood, CA Oct 13, 2018 2:34:38
10K San Jose, CA Sep 30, 2018 1:42:13
10K Los Gatos, CA Sep 22, 2018 1:49:41
10K Felton, CA Aug 19, 2018 2:12:59
5K San Jose, CA Aug 11, 2018 51:13
5 Miler Castro Valley, CA Jul 15, 2018 1:52:34
6 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 7, 2018
10K Sunnyvale, CA Jun 17, 2018 1:54:23
10K San Jose, CA Jun 3, 2018 1:59:10
10K San Pablo, CA May 19, 2018 2:12:11
5K San Jose, CA May 12, 2018 54:38
10K Danville, CA May 6, 2018 1:52:48
10K Fresno, CA Apr 14, 2018 1:45:00
5K Cupertino, CA Mar 31, 2018 50:48
10K San Jose, CA Mar 18, 2018 1:56:58
10K Richmond, CA Feb 24, 2018 1:49:37
Half Marathon San Leandro, CA Feb 10, 2018
5 Miler Woodside, CA Jan 21, 2018 1:57:19
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Dec 31, 2017 4:33:42
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Dec 17, 2017 4:23:49
10K Fremont, CA Nov 25, 2017 1:51:52
10K San Pablo, CA Nov 23, 2017 1:56:33
5K Sunnyvale, CA Nov 12, 2017 49:53
5K San Jose, CA Nov 5, 2017 51:03
10K San Jose, CA Oct 28, 2017 1:48:26
10 Miler Capitola, CA Oct 22, 2017 3:11:00
10K San Jose, CA Sep 30, 2017 1:47:53
5K San Jose, CA Sep 2, 2017 1:14:07
12 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 8, 2017 7 mi
10K Santa Cruz, CA Jun 24, 2017 2:31:56
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Jun 4, 2017 4:13:24
Half Marathon San Pablo, CA May 27, 2017 4:22:14
5 Miler Oakland, CA May 13, 2017 1:58:14
10K Berkeley, CA Apr 15, 2017 3:17:45
Half Marathon Livermore, CA Mar 18, 2017
10K Pacifica, CA Feb 18, 2017 2:21:05
5 Miler Woodside, CA Jan 21, 2017 1:48:17
Half Marathon Castro Valley, CA Jan 1, 2017
Half Marathon Walnut Creek, CA Dec 10, 2016 3:41:48
10K Fremont, CA Nov 26, 2016 1:38:34
10K San Pablo, CA Nov 24, 2016 1:45:30
10K Davis, CA Nov 19, 2016 1:34:26
10K Vacaville, CA Oct 22, 2016 2:04:30
10K San Ramon, CA Oct 1, 2016 2:32:57
Half Marathon El Sobrante, CA Sep 24, 2016 4:02:37
10K Felton, CA Aug 21, 2016 1:52:53
6 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 9, 2016 17 mi
5 Miler Woodland, CA Jul 4, 2016 1:05:09
15K Aptos, CA Jun 19, 2016 2:25:45
Half Marathon San Pablo, CA May 28, 2016 3:20:00
Half Marathon Oakland, CA Apr 17, 2016 3:39:56
5K Cupertino, CA Mar 26, 2016 40:56
5K San Jose, CA Mar 20, 2016 59:25
8K San Jose, CA Mar 6, 2016 1:09:03
10K Richmond, CA Feb 27, 2016 1:32:56
10K San Leandro, CA Feb 13, 2016 1:29:11
Half Marathon San Rafael, CA Feb 7, 2016 4:01:05
10K Pacifica, CA Jan 16, 2016 2:06:03
Half Marathon Walnut Creek, CA Dec 12, 2015 3:32:16
10K Fremont, CA Nov 28, 2015 1:33:50
10K San Pablo, CA Nov 26, 2015 1:37:50
Half Marathon Livermore, CA Nov 14, 2015
5K Sunnyvale, CA Nov 1, 2015 42:31
Half Marathon Redwood City, CA Oct 24, 2015 3:23:48.5
10K Campbell, CA Oct 17, 2015 1:28:34
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Sep 6, 2015 3:40:18.933
10K San Jose, CA Aug 15, 2015
Half Marathon San Leandro, CA Aug 1, 2015 3:33:05
6 hr San Pablo, CA Jul 11, 2015 16.85 mi
Half Marathon Saratoga, CA Jun 6, 2015 5:44:21
Half Marathon El Sobrante, CA May 9, 2015 4:46:56
Half Marathon Santa Cruz, CA Apr 12, 2015 3:26:05
Half Marathon Livermore, CA Mar 14, 2015 4:57:24
Half Marathon San Leandro, CA Feb 14, 2015 3:50:26
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Jan 24, 2015 3:23:34
Half Marathon Castro Valley, CA Dec 27, 2014 4:27:42
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Nov 29, 2014 3:31:42
10K San Jose, CA Nov 27, 2014 1:30:47
Half Marathon Morgan Hill, CA Nov 2, 2014 3:39:27
Half Marathon Redwood City, CA Oct 4, 2014
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Sep 6, 2014 4:17:06
Half Marathon San Leandro, CA Aug 2, 2014 3:24:21
Half Marathon Los Gatos, CA Jul 13, 2014 3:21:49
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Jun 1, 2014 3:17:09
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Mar 15, 2014 3:09:26
8K San Jose, CA Mar 2, 2014 1:02:38
Half Marathon Fremont, CA Jan 25, 2014 3:22:34
10K San Jose, CA Nov 28, 2013 1:25:38
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Oct 6, 2013 3:11:38
Half Marathon San Francisco, CA Apr 7, 2013 3:28:39
8K San Jose, CA Mar 10, 2013 1:08:52
10K San Jose, CA Nov 22, 2012 1:31:52
Half Marathon San Jose, CA Oct 7, 2012 3:31:29
8K San Jose, CA Mar 11, 2012 1:15:14
5K San Jose, CA Nov 24, 2011 49:30

My Raves

Event & Course Description:The Race to the Flagpole 10K and 5K benefits sports at Livermore and Granada High School athletics and athletes. The event starts and finishes in Independence Park. … MORE

Event & Course Description:The Race to the Flagpole 10K and 5K benefits sports at Livermore and Granada High School athletics and athletes. The event starts and finishes in Independence Park. The 5K is an out-and back from Independence Park into and back from Sycamore Grove Park. The 10K course follows the same course into and back from Sycamore Gove Park, but includes a loop around the perimeter of the park. Sycamore Grove Park is a rural park nestled into a hill on the southern edge of Livermore, with a vineyard on its east side. A creek runs through the park and walking/running/biking is only on the trails. It’s a really beautiful park.

Organization & Production: Livermore Granada Boosters have been putting on this event for quite a few years, so its well organized. It’s a fairly basic event, consistent with a community benefit event. The course was well marked, and a “sweeper” followed the back-of-the-pack 10K runners to be sure they were doing OK. There were two water stations near the 10K turn-around, and another near the 5K turn-around (which 10K runners also passed through).

Bib: The bib is basic white, with the number and the name of the event.

T-Shirt: The event Tee is a sort of grey-blue cotton-polyester. The front artwork has the name of the event across the top in white block letters. Below that is “75” in very large numerals, a stylized American flag and “years”. Below that is “Livermore Granada Boosters” and “1949-2024”. The artwork is much more attractive than my description.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal and ribbon is a catalog item from Crown Awards, kind of like a second place medal (silver-colored) from a high school track event. I could have foregone, but I think the track event feel was the intent.

Finish & Recovery Area: I didn’t wander around the finish area other to observe that there were no park benches and that there were several tables which might have had snackie goodies.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I did this event in 2015 when they had a half marathon distance. The organization and feel of the event in 2024 was very similar and good. What was “lost” from the half marathon was a 6-7 mile out-and-back along a country road between vineyards. For my taste, the loop around Sycamore Grove Park, which was retained, was and is the most pleasant part of the former half marathon and the 10K courses. I was very happy with my finish time, my best since 2022, and will consider doing this event next year.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: The Kiwanis Resolution Run 10K and 5K benefits the Kiwanis service club and is run (or walked) on New Year's Day in Mountain View near the … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Kiwanis Resolution Run 10K and 5K benefits the Kiwanis service club and is run (or walked) on New Year’s Day in Mountain View near the south end of San Francisco Bay. Much of both courses use the eponymous Bay Trail. The views are of low lying marshes, and in the middle of both courses also of the edge of a landscaped golf course. The 10K course was out-and-back, with a little loop near the turn-around, while the 5K return splits off the outbound course about a mile into the return leg and follows a road along the edge of the golf course back to the start/finish area.

Organization & Production: The event is kind of no-frills, but very well done. Parking was plenteous and free. Check-in ran smoothly, the course was well marked, with course marshals at turning points, the water-only aid stations were well stocked with water and friendly volunteers … almost as if West San Jose Kiwanis has been doing this for many years … which they have. If the event is simple, it’s simplicity very well done. There is also a kids’ 1K run and gopher-herd.

Bib: The bib is basic white, with the number and name of the race.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt uses the same artwork the event has been using for at least several years (good use of $$), and this year’s cotton shirt was very red.

Finisher’s Medal: Only age group winners received medals, again good $$ use in an event for a charity.

Finish & Recovery Area: The start/finish area is a part of a park for kite flying, so it doesn’t have picnic benches (or baskets, sorry, Yogi and Boo-Boo). There were several chairs available for people who NEEDED one. There was a goodies table with fruit and snackie stuff.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: 2023 was my 4th time doing this event, hint, hint. It’s a good way to start the year, consistently well organized (including 2022’s short-notice-approval scramble), close to my home, and the ~10 AM start time is, ummm, friendly to those who party hearty New Year’s Eve (I’m boring, but don’t mind a little extra snooze time).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: As the title indicates, this even was a benefit for Gardner Health Services, which helps low income people find healthcare services. The 5K and 10K distances … MORE

Event & Course Description: As the title indicates, this even was a benefit for Gardner Health Services, which helps low income people find healthcare services. The 5K and 10K distances were out-and-back, starting and finishing near Gardner’s facility in Alviso, using the Guadalupe River Trail. One side of the course is the river, reasonably pleasant. The other side mostly overlooks industrial facilities and yards, plus some apartment or condo complexes. The trail is paved and flat, except for where the trail goes under a few streets.

Organization & Production: The online and email information for the event is basically register-and-run. It’ll get you registered, to the event, and home again. In my opinion, the webpage and email undersells the event, by not mentioning information frequent runners would find attractive. The information not included was that it was chip timed (SVETiming!), the event T-shirt is tech-type, bibs could have the runner’s name, and that there would be a finisher’s medal.

The event was pretty well organized (although it started 10 or 15 minutes late). There were pre-race coffee and post-race goodies. There were several health and education-related booths (no hospice organization). Some dignitaries spoke and a Catholic priest did a brief ceremony and prayer (for Dia de los Muertos). A high school mariachi band participated before and during the start. The course was well marked (going off-course would have taken effort), and there were water-only aid stations at the 5K and 10K turn-arounds. There was some bunching of runners for the first half mile or slow.

Bib: The bibs had an orange background color, race logo (a decorated skull) and name, the bib number, and the runner’s name. Definitely, Very. Nice.

T-Shirt: The shirt is bright lime green. The event logo is on the front, a decorated skull with the organization’s name, the year, on a purple circle. Around that circle is the event name, in orange, dark green, and fuchsia. It’s a really nice shirt, the nicest I’ve gotten in quite a few months.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is a decorated skull, grinning, not scary. The ribbon is purple, with the race name in white letters with several large orange and yellow flowers. The medallion is a bit smaller than is common (in the SF Bay Area, at least), but as a whole the medal is among the nicest I’ve received.

Finish & Recovery Area: I was the DLF of the 10K (not a surprise or disappointment to me), and while quite a few people had already left or were packing up, there was no lack of goodies and bottles of water. There was some seating nearby, though I just leaned against a fence to catch my breath and headed home.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: It sounds weird to me to say this, but I think the early bunching of runners for the first half mile or so probably affected my time by a couple of minutes, but not really materially (I still would have been DLF). This was a very well organized event, benefited a charitable organization, had very nice swag (did I mention that the swag bag included a packet of Lysol wipes and a Covid test?), and was on a trail I had not been on before (nice enough as long as I looked toward the river). There was a lot to like and I will consider doing the event in 2024.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
My Media

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Event & Course Description: No Foolin' Foot Race was run in the city of San Carlos to benefit the parks department and trails maintenance. It could be called, "A Tale … MORE

Event & Course Description: No Foolin’ Foot Race was run in the city of San Carlos to benefit the parks department and trails maintenance. It could be called, “A Tale of Three Parks”. The start/finish area was in Crestview Park, which is basically a soccer field plus a few picnic tables and a small children’s play area. Two distances were run, 10K and 5K. Both sets of runners wound their way around the hilly trails of Big Canyon Park. 5K runners then returned to the finish. 10K runners coursed around the hilly trails of Eaton park and returned to the finish using Brittan Avenue and Crestview Drive.

Bay Area weather can get quite warm in the summer, but race day 2023 was very pleasant and overcast. The 5K course was fairly shaded, though I didn’t much notice. There were several nice panoramic overlooks, plus some nice views of wooded ravines. Other than short sections on streets and in circling the soccer field in Crestview Park, the courses were mostly single-track dirt, with several short bridges over small seasonal run-off ravines and sets of steps down short steep places. Did I mention that the course was hilly?

Organization & Production: As I mentioned in my title, the 2023 running was billed as the first annual. But for that billing, it probably would not have been apparent that it was a first-time effort. It was that well done. Necessary information was on the event webpages, including course maps with elevation profiles. Check-in was race day. Volunteers in the start/finish area and on-course were friendly and encouraging. The course was well marked with color-coded flags, signs, and course marshals. There wasn’t an aid station on the 5K course, and there may not have been one for 10K runners. In the two parks the trails were single track and hilly, so there wasn’t room for an aid station or to schlep in a table and water and etc.. The finish area had water, coffee, coffee cake, bananas, and oranges, that I know of. There were several picnic tables and seats for the soccer field for those wanting to sit. Race Tees were given out at the finish.

Bib: The bibs were distance color-coded: white background was for 5K runners; green background was for 10K. The bib number is in the center, with the event logo to the left of the number. The date is at the top, sponsor logos are at the bottom, and the distance is in the bottom right corner.

T-Shirt: The race Tee is white, tech type. The front has the circular event logo, two runners running through green hills, with the location and date above them, and the beneficiary below. Encircling this is a purple ring with the event name at the top and the parks department slogan at the bottom. The back has sponsors’ logos. The Tee might not quite be favorites-grade – I am spoiled by some organizers’ designs – but it is really really nice. There was no finisher’s medal.

My Results and Opinion of the Event: If I haven’t mentioned it already, the 5K course was really hilly. The website, as mentioned above, does include the elevation profiles with the course maps. I didn’t look at the profile carefully enough, so I was quite under-prepared. It is a challenging course. I kept on chugging and finished, but the last 10K runner’s finish time was 6 minutes faster than my 5K finish time. I’m not trying to discourage anyone from doing the event, but runners should be prepared for a good – and beautiful – challenge. Would I do No Foolin’ Foot Race again? If I believed I could handle the challenge (maybe do it a little better), I would definitely consider it.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Zoom Firecracker was run in Quarry Lakes Park and along the Alameda Creek Trail. The 5K course is like a frying pan, with the handle being … MORE

Event & Course Description: Zoom Firecracker was run in Quarry Lakes Park and along the Alameda Creek Trail. The 5K course is like a frying pan, with the handle being out from and back to the start. The 5K course is almost entirely within the park, with views of the lakes. The 10K course (which I sort of did) is similar, except that it exits the park about midway around the “pan” for an upstream out-and-back leg along Alameda Creek, and then reenters the park. Half marathon runners did the 10K course, but a downstream out-and-back leg was done before reentering the park.

The part of the courses that was inside the park almost looks rural. The parts of the courses along the Alameda Creek Trail are OK, but while the creek is on one side of the trail, one can see houses and streets on both sides of the trail. July 1st is summer, and in 2023, the heat showed up. It was well into the 60s F when I started, and being slo-o-owww, it was about 81F when I finished. I would estimate sun exposure along the 10K course to have been 95% or greater.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs has been doing races at this venue for more years than I’ve been doing running events. They mark their courses with flags, sign boards, and chalk (or flour) very well. Normally, following the markings is easy when one pays attention. HOWEVER – getting back to my “sort of” above – this year one of the non-participants using the park moved a sign and misdirected runners off course. I followed that sign, and so did a group of 5K runners. I continued in a way that was off-course but basically the same distance as the section of the course I missed. Coastal marks courses very well, but they can’t prevent vandalism/sabotage. Welcome to trail running! It’s very rare, but vandalism does happen.

Aid stations were spaced as access to the course allowed. The aid stations I used had water, electrolyte drink, GU packets, and snacks. One of the volunteers at one station very kindly offered to and poured cold water on my head and back (very refreshing on a hot day). The volunteers at both aid stations were very encouraging.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are fairly plain, other than being color-coded for distance. Yellow was 5K, Blue was 10K, and Purple was the half marathon. Beyond that, the bibs have Coastal’s logo and motto, and the bib number.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are usually tech type, regardless of distance. For this event, my size, XXL, was cotton-polyester. The tech type T-shirts were dark purple, and the cotton-polyester shirt were bright pink. The front of the shirt has what looks like the burst of a fireworks rocket, and the back had sponsors’ logos. All in all, a very nice shirt. I think the pink showed the design better than did the purple.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is the fireworks rocket burst, with the race name and details (like the T-shirt). The ribbon is orange, with “2023 Finisher” in purple letters and numbers. Coastal uses the same medallion across several years. I have a 2019 finishers medal from this race that is the same. This design may be my favorite among Coastal’s medals.

Finish & Recovery Area: I had to go to work right after finishing, so other than grabbing a few snacks (Oreos and a couple of Almond Joys) I didn’t look around the recovery area. Coastal used one of the covered group picnic areas, so there were plenty of tables and benches at which one could rest and chat. Typically, Coastal has a fair number of different snacks, water, electrolyte drink, sodas, and sometimes bottles of beers in their recovery area.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Heat and sun exposure are not my friends, so that was unpleasant. That aside, I finished and was happy to do so. Looking at the results page for the 10K distance, I see that I was second in the semi-geezers age group, as well as the DLF, Dead Last Finisher. I think some 60-somethings changed to the 5K or stayed home.

More importantly, I spent a bit more time at aid stations than I ordinarily would, and the volunteers made my race experience especially pleasant. Having cold water dumped on me was great! I’ve done Coastal events at Quarry Lakes Park multiple times, some in fall/winter, and now a couple of time in summer. Zoom Firecracker will be considered in coming years.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Beer City San Jose is, as its name suggests, a beer-tasting-after-you-run event (though extra tasting tickets can be purchased). Three distances were run, half marathon, 10K … MORE

Event & Course Description: Beer City San Jose is, as its name suggests, a beer-tasting-after-you-run event (though extra tasting tickets can be purchased). Three distances were run, half marathon, 10K (which I did), and 5K. The event started and finished in Lake Almaden Park.

All runners took a trail north out of the park and crossed a bridge to the Guadalupe River Trail. 5K runners went almost to the SR 85 under-crossing and turned back toward Almaden Lake Park. 10K and half marathon runners turned right at that point to circle a pond before heading back the same way. All runners then went under the previously crossed bridge to a picnic area across Lake Almaden from the start area. 5K runners then turned onto a bridge to complete circling the lake and run to the finish. 10K and half marathon runners went onto the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, turning around at different points along the trail. These runners returned to the park and to the finish area in the same way 5K runners did. It was simpler than it sounds.

The trails were a mix of asphalt and hard packed dirt, wide enough for two-abreast two-way traffic. I would estimate the 10K course was 70%-80% sun exposure, and the 5K course 90%-95% sun. Having done other 10Ks on the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, the half marathon course is probably around 70% sun. On race day it was warm and got into the 80s F in the afternoon. Two days later was a morning rainstorm, with the afternoon being cloudy and in the 60s F, so the weather can vary.

Organization & Production: This was the first running of what may become an annual event. The organizer, Scena Performance, has been organizing trail runs for quite a few years, albeit mostly in the North SF Bay Area. Consequently, what was done was done well. Whether anything was simplified to keep costs low while seeing whether participation would be good, I do not know.

Aid stations were spaced as access allowed, the farthest apart being about 2 1/2 miles. The first aid station, at the 5K turn-around, was water-only. The other aid stations had water, sports drink, and GU gel packets. Volunteers were cheerful and encouraging.

The start/finish area was corralled off from the park with plastic mesh “fencing”. Runners started from within the corral, each distance having its own start time. Each participating brewery had its own pavilion and table(s) around the inside perimeter of the corral. The corral let the organizer control who had access to the beers (very few children – with parents – and no non-participants). The only seating was outside the corral, and beer was not allowed outside of the corral (the rules of the park, I think).

Bib: The bibs had a yellow and orange swirled background, with the event name in white in the top left, the number in light purple in the center, and the runner’s name in light purple to the right and above the number. It was not distance color-coded.

T-Shirt: The event Tee is navy blue and 100% cotton. The front has the event logo where a pocket would be, and “Beer City San Jose 2023” in large yellow letters on the back. Very decent, IMO.

Finisher’s Medal: The “medallion” is in the shape of a key and is also a bottle opener. The ribbon has “2023” and “Beer City” in yellow letters, with pairs of filled beer steins in between. The background is purple, and the ribbon is a bit less wide than what is currently typical for running events. All in all, the finisher’s medal is nice, though not specific to the San Jose running (another running had been held in Santa Rosa).

Finish & Recovery Area: Medals were given out near the finish arch, and there also was a table handing out bottles of water. As described above, the finish area was a corral. Not all pavilions had sampling glasses (plastic, with the event name, very nice), so one had to look or ask around. I’m not into beer that much, but I tried a couple. There was also a table with bananas and some snacky item(s). There were picnic tables just outside of the corral, though beer could not be taken outside of the corral. Beer tasting ended at 1 PM, so even someone doing a 4 hour half marathon would have ample opportunity for tasting.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Since this was the first, hopefully annual, running of this event, do take my seeming critical comments with a small block of salt.

That said, I’d say that what they did do was in most ways more than one would experience at a local school benefit or charity run, and more even than was done at Rock ‘n’ Roll events 10 years ago. Further, one is not likely to be able to sample beers from multiple craft breweries at those events. Other trail run organizers’ aid stations’ and recovery areas’ array of snacks are more elaborate, but future runnings of this event might also.

For me, perhaps the most significant part of a good race experience is the people, especially aid station, course marshal, and recovery area volunteers. In this respect Beer City San Jose was definitely a good race experience. I will definitely be watching to see if there is a second running.

DIFFICULTY
1
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4
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3
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Event & Course Description: The PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network) Purple Stride is a series of 50 events (in 2023) nationwide to raise money for PanCAN. The 2023 Silicon Valley … MORE

Event & Course Description: The PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network) Purple Stride is a series of 50 events (in 2023) nationwide to raise money for PanCAN. The 2023 Silicon Valley Purple Stride started and finished in Discovery Meadow, a green space next to the Children’s Discovery Museum in Central San Jose. The course sort of loops and wanders around nearby business and residential neighborhoods (some nicely maintained ~100-year-old Victorians!).

Organization & Production: This is the part of this Rave I’m not going to like writing. I proportion my expectations – and therefore my Raves – to the nature of the event. I have different expectations for a volunteer organized charity event than I have for a professionally organized (with volunteer assistance) event.

Registration is a bit odd, it’s free. But if you want an event Tee you have to donate or raise donations of at least $50. There are “buttons” in the registration process by which one can donate $50 or (IIRC) $100, or etc. or some custom amount. The event schedule, location, course map, and other important information is on the event site. There was only event day packet pick-up. Now for the part that could sound like the running snob I’m not …

As run, the 2023 Silicon Valley Purple Stride was a community walk, not a walker-friendly running event. It was not timed, and there were no bibs or finisher’s medals. The streets were not cleared or blocked, even partially. Walkers had to stay on the sidewalk more or less, making it a fairly choke point for the first one-third mile. Arguably, I failed to understand the nature of the event, so mea goofa.

There were directional signs along the way, which would have been good, but at about the quarter mile point there was a right turn sign that should have been a straight-ahead arrow. This sent the walkers into .6-.7 mile loop back to the start. So when we came to where we would have turned toward the finish arch we went straight, back into the course, went straight where we had turned, and eventually somehow managed to net 2.5-2.7 miles. If only for the safety of the people walking, a correctly marked course is pretty essential, not a running-snob thingy.

T-Shirt: After the above you might think, “They had one?” They did, a brand name, very purple, cotton shirt with a sort of mosaic of footprints forming a heart shape plus the name and logo of the event. As event shirts go, it is very nice, and the very purple color makes it stand out. And standing out was the point of the shirt. The event planners wanted people walking the event in central San Jose to be SEEN … and for people to be curious enough to wander over to ask about the event.

Finish & Recovery Area: Discovery Meadow is a large green space, and there were various pavilions for check-in, event-day registration, in-person donations, several sponsors, a food and water table (a pretty decent variety), and a stage.

My Opinion of the Race: I suppose this Rave could be taken as critical, but except for the mis-marked course, the event was done fairly for what it was. The problem, if you will, was my expectation that it would be a community/charity 5K run/walk like so many I’ve done. To borrow from an obscure movie, ;), it was not the running event I sought. It would be snobbish of me to criticize the Purple Stride for being what it was instead of what I expected. While volunteering might be a possibility, I do not plan to be a walker in future Purple Strides.

No cancer is good or nice, but pancreatic cancer is among the nastiest. The symptoms it causes early on are so non-specific that early diagnosis – early enough to have a chance for treatment to be effective – is difficult and not common. At the Purple Stride they said that the survival rate is about 12%. Meanwhile, because the digestive system of the person with the cancer is not functioning properly (the pancreas produces digestive enzymes), the person slowly wastes away almost to skin and bones. That was my uncle Gary’s (Gerhardt) experience. He was 48 or 49 when he died, never seeing his sons graduate from high school, marry, or his grandchildren. Pancreatic cancer is a cancer deserving hate and research into diagnosis and treatment is well worthwhile.

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1
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2
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Event & Course Description: The Big Bunny 5K benefits City of Cupertino Recreation department, and is run in the neighborhood of the City Hall. The start is on the street … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Big Bunny 5K benefits City of Cupertino Recreation department, and is run in the neighborhood of the City Hall. The start is on the street in front of City Hall and runs along the street and turns toward neighborhood streets, Runners do a loop around and through neighborhoods and then return down the street on which they started, to where they started.

Organization & Production: The event website has complete information – course map, schedule, where to park, packet pick-up time and location, etc.. There were numerous course marshals and some police or sheriff’s officers at key intersections.

Bib: The bib has two (almost electric) blue stripes bordering a broad (very) pink stripe, which has the bib number and the event date. The upper blue stripe had the race name in pink, with a bunny for the “U” in “BUNNY”.

T-Shirt: The race Tee is light blue poly-cotton with the race name in large, (very) pink block letters. The “U” in “BUNNY” is an open Easter egg with a bunny popping up out of it. On the back, in white, is the logo for the City of Cupertino. Nothing fancy, but cute.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medallion is a rectangle, with the race logo described above on a light blue background. The ribbon has the race name, including a bunny, but what is eye-catching is that the color ombre-fades along its length from pink to light blue. The ribbon also has, lightly, eggs, flowers, and tree branches. Definitely very nice for a medium-sized (367 finishers) community fun run.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish and recovery area was the Civic Center Plaza beside City Hall. The recovery area has quite a few benches for seating. A first aid station was in the area, as well as tables with water and half a billion bananas (would you believe I counted them?). Finisher’s medals were given out at a table rather than at the finishing arch.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I pushed myself a bit more than a couple of weeks ago, and was quite happy with my finish time (a fairly flat course and an unobstructed finishing arch helped). This was the third time I’ve done this event, though not since 2018. It’s not a destination or must-do event, but it’s a well run community event and I may do it again in the future.

DIFFICULTY
1
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4
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2
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4
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Event & Course Description: The Shamrock 5K Fun Run & Walk is a community run that is part of a larger St. Patrick's Day festival. The course is a loop, … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Shamrock 5K Fun Run & Walk is a community run that is part of a larger St. Patrick’s Day festival. The course is a loop, starting on major street Dublin Boulevard and ending on a trail nearby. Runners go a half or three quarters of a mile through a business district, (you do the math) miles through 1950s- or 1960s-vintage residential neighborhoods, and the final mile and a quarter or so along the eponymous Alamo Canal Trail (an extension off the regional Iron Horse Trail).

Organization & Production: Because this run was part of the larger festival, it’s not easy to separate organization of the running event from that of the festival. That said, registering was easy, online information was adequate, and finding the race day packet pick-up (there were two pick-up days before the event, but not close to where I live and work) was easy. Parking information could have been clearer. The start was by self-seeding, with timing mats there and at the finish. The finish was on the trail, arch and timing mats. When I was finishing there were people greeting friends and partially obstructing the arch. I suppose this sounds a bit bare-bones, but registration was just $35. No complaints from me!

Bib: The bib is simple, white background, race and sponsor logos, and number.

T-Shirt: The race tee is white cotton, with the race logo in front and sponsors’ logos in back. I usually don’t like white race shirts (I’m already pale enough!), but the race logo has “SHAMROCK” and a 3-leaf clover in the center in green, two yellow concentric circles, with the year and race name in orange circling between the yellow circles. With those colors, white may have been the best background choice.

Finisher’s Medal: This was a no-medal event. At $35, no complaint from me.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish was near a trail entry, so there was some space for finishers and friends to chat, but no seating or large gathering area. From the trail, finishers and friends walked into the festival, with vendors’ food and crafts booths.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Even with going past a few people near the finish arch I was happy with my finish time (the hindrance was a second or two, if that). I would not call the Dublin (California) Shamrock a destination or must-do event, but to meet up with friends or if it was the best for my schedule, I’d readily do it again.

DIFFICULTY
1
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3
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3
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3
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Event & Course Description: The Valentine Fun Run benefits the City of Campbell’s Parks and Recreation Department. Both distances use the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and start in Campbell Park. … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Valentine Fun Run benefits the City of Campbell’s Parks and Recreation Department. Both distances use the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and start in Campbell Park. The 5K, which I walked, went about a mile and a quarter, almost to Los Gatos Creek Park, crossed the creek on a bridge, ran past Campbell Park, turned around, and ran back, crossing another bridge back into Campbell park. The 5K course is like a long, very squashed oval, with a short out-and-back tail. The 10K course (which I’ve done in past years) is out-and-back mostly along one side of the creek, with a small loop on the other side of the creek through some marshy area for a sort of turn-around. Except for this loop, both courses are paved, and are flat, except for some rolling near a street under-crossing.

The creek side of both sides of the trail has an almost rural feel, but the other side of the outbound trail has well-landscaped condo complexes and a mobile home park along it. When the 10K course goes past Los Gatos Creek park, runners pass the park and some percolation ponds (and maybe some geese). On the other side of the creek (from the 10K and out-bound 5K course) is a freeway. The trail is lower in elevation from the freeway, so it isn’t too noisy, and the visual is bushes and trees.

Organization & Production: Campbell’s Parks and Rec people have been doing this and a Oktoberfest themed event for quite a few years, so it’s well done. Registration is through the city’s online “store” (= no processing fee). Aid stations were water-only and suitably spaced for participants who aren’t experienced/frequent runners. I didn’t partake, but I did see a table with coffee and bagels in the start-finish area before the start of the event. Timing was done by SVE Timing, a very solid outfit. Finish times were posted online by the next day. Parking at the start/finish park is limited (possibly not even enough for volunteers), but there is a large shopping and business park about a quarter of a mile away that allows parking near business buildings that are not used during weekends.

Bib: The bibs are color-coded by distance (yellow = 5K; blue = 10K) and feature the artwork described below.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is black poly-cotton, very nice to the touch. The artwork has an athletic shoe, with “46th annual” above it, a heart where the shoe logo would be, and “Parks Make Life Better” at the toe. Below the shoe are the race name and “Campbell Parks”. All in all, it’s a very nice shirt (especially for an event with a low registration price).

Finisher’s Medal: OK, I’ll ‘fess up, I described it as a “mehdal” in a FB group. The medallion is lightweight metal, probably from some sort of sports awards catalog. In the center is a nicely done custom sticker with the race artwork. BUT, this event has a very low registration fee (with no processing fee tacked on), and the proceeds benefit City of Campbell Parks Department, which, among many other things, maintains the part of the Los Gatos Creek Trail that goes through Campbell. So I’m OK with the medal (besides, I’ll wear the Tee many times, but not the medal).

Finish & Recovery Area: The last 20-30 minutes of my walk it started to sprinkle and gradually became a fairly steady shower. So I really didn’t look around the finish area much beyond getting a bottle of water, my finisher’s medal, and then find a covered space to see if I won an age group medal (not even close!).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’ve been a bit lazy the past couple of months, in a couple of ways. This was my first running event since early December last year. I DNSed a New Year’s Eve Day event, due to rain (that turned out to be a downpour & washout) and procrastinated too long to register for a January event I like. I also lazily adapted half of my 2022 Rave for Campbell’s Oktoberfest Fun Run for this Rave. Anyway, I didn’t push myself, but still got a decent finish time.

Would I do this event again? Well, the event has been on my possibilities list for years, but another race organizer I particularly like always has had an event on the same day. So I’ll have to say it’s a “Maybe”, but not because there is anything wrong with this event.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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4
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The 2022 Pinoy Runners Brgy. Bay Area 5K & 10K brought love of running (and walking), Filipino culture, and friends and family to Quarry Lakes Park for a 10K and … MORE

The 2022 Pinoy Runners Brgy. Bay Area 5K & 10K brought love of running (and walking), Filipino culture, and friends and family to Quarry Lakes Park for a 10K and 5K fun run. Some organizational aspects were pretty basic – e.g. timing table instead of electronic timing and no course map on the website (but course marking was good) – but all was well done. 5K and 10K runners did the same course, except 10K runners did it twice. The course was entirely within the very beautiful park, rather than moving the longer distance onto the Alameda Creek Trail, as many events do.

The cotton-poly race Tee and finisher’s medal are very pleasant, though my size, XXL, was not available, and I had to DNF. Given the size of the event, not having XXL was probably was to keep costs within reason. As for my DNF, I had been recovering from an injury and was under-prepared for the 10K distance. I was able to do ~4 miles.

The aid stations were well spaced and included Filipino goodies. As/more important were the cheerful and encouraging volunteers, at the aid stations and course marshals. There were also Filipino goodies along with the usual recovery area snacks and foods. All in all it was an excellent race experience, and I will consider this event in 2023.

DIFFICULTY
2
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4
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4
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Because I'm catching up after being remiss for a while, this Rave will be more brief than this event deserves. Urban Coyote's Oakland Redwoods 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon is … MORE

Because I’m catching up after being remiss for a while, this Rave will be more brief than this event deserves. Urban Coyote’s Oakland Redwoods 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon is run in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. The park is nestled in the hills east of Oakland, well out of the city, and absolutely beautiful.

Because the event is small, timing is “gun start” and chip-timed finish. The 5K, which I did, started on a different trail than did the other two distance and was an out-and-back that was the return leg for the other distances. The first part was an access road for several picnic areas (meadows and groves), but soon went up into the redwood forest. The course was uphill outbound, with some short rolling hills, and then back down the same way.

The race Tee was nice, except Urban Coyote doesn’t do my size, XXL. There was no finisher’s medal. These are reflections of where Urban Coyote is, as a business, and if they grow XXL Tees and finisher’s medals may come. All in all, I would consider doing more Urban Coyote events, as they suit my capabilities and schedule.

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3
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4
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I've Raved this race several times, and my main reason for this quickie review is that now that with Covid event shutdowns in (hopefully) the past, the Bay Area Dream … MORE

I’ve Raved this race several times, and my main reason for this quickie review is that now that with Covid event shutdowns in (hopefully) the past, the Bay Area Dream Mile is fully back. The start was, again, on Embedded Way, with runners gated in groups onto the course, to minimize bottle-necking at the trail entry (Yay!). The course was the very pleasant Coyote Creek trail. Aid stations were well placed and had plenty of water and encouraging volunteers. The race Tee and finishers’ medals were very pleasant (different medals for each distance). The one semi-hiccup was that the food truck that was catering the recovery food was swamped and tired sore-footed runners had a choice between a long wait in line or giving the food a pass (which I did, my sore feet overcoming my taste buds). The Dream Mile will be among the choices I will consider in 2023.

DIFFICULTY
2
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4
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4
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Event & Course Description: The Leigh Longhorn Stampede is a 5K that benefits Leigh High School students. Its mostly flat USATF certified course winds around part of San Jose's Cambrian … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Leigh Longhorn Stampede is a 5K that benefits Leigh High School students. Its mostly flat USATF certified course winds around part of San Jose’s Cambrian neighborhood. Since the area was developed in the late 1940s or the 1950s, it’s suburban homes with a fair number of mature trees. I’d guesstimate the course has 40%-50% shade.

Organization & Production: The event is low-key, but register and run. All necessary info is on the race website, with no gotchas. There is parking at the school, as well as in the nearby neighborhood that is not part of the course. There were a couple of water stations on the course, very appropriate for a family-oriented 5K. There were music groups at 3 points along the course, and cheer team girls near the start and finish.

Bib: The overall color of the bib is green (one of the school colors). It has a drawing of the school mascot, a charging bull, plus the bib number.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt is forest green cotton. The front has the green charging bull over a bright golden yellow circle. Around that circle are the race name and year.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is a about 1 1/2 inch diameter lead gray disc with stars around it. In the center is a mostly green sticker with the bull and race info. It’s semi-custom from Crown, but pleasant. I have very moderate expectations for charity/benefit events, so I’m quite happy with this medal. The ribbon is plain green.

Finish & Recovery Area: The start area was a street in front of the high school, and the finish was the school’s central quad. There were a good number of benches and picnic type tables nearby. Runners went through the finish arch and were given their medals and a bottle of water as they went into the quad. There was a table well stocked with bananas and other simple goodies – more than I would expect of a charity/benefit event.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’ve had slightly better 5K finish times recently, but since it was a fairly warm day, my time was probably pretty good (for me). I’ve been wanting to do this event for quite some time, but between other choices and two years of Covid pause, this was my first time. It’s about 10 minutes drive from my home, and was a pleasant race experience, so the Leigh Longhorn Stampede will be a consideration next year.

DIFFICULTY
1
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4
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3
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4

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Event & Course Description: All distances share the 5K course. I runs along part of the shore, in and out of eucalyptus groves. It then climbs through a grove up … MORE

Event & Course Description: All distances share the 5K course. I runs along part of the shore, in and out of eucalyptus groves. It then climbs through a grove up to an open ridge with 360-degree views. Coming down from that ridge, 5K runners turn right toward the finish. 10K and half marathon runner then head out toward the tip of the peninsula, in and out of groves, along more shoreline, and then through a grove to a split. 10K runners go to the finish, while half marathon runners repeat the whole course. The views are pretty amazing, and the Eucalypti smell pretty nice, too. I had signed up for the half marathon distance, but needed to bail out to do “just” a 10K. Under-prepared, warm day, sun exposure, and starting with a too aggressive pace work poorly for me (surprise, surprise, surprise!). That’s my fault. Nitro Trail, Dirty Dozen, and Nitro Turkey are wonderful race experiences.

Organization & Production: It’s a Brazen race. That means it’s register-and-run and well produced. A runner just needs to “worry” about getting there and getting home.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The top has the same artwork as the race T-shirt at the top (described below), with the race name and date. The bib number and runner’s name is in a distance color-coded strip in the middle, and Brazen Racing’s logo is at the bottom.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). The tech type T-shirt is bright golden yellow. The front has the prospector’s donkey described below, along with a small Brazen Racing logo.

Finisher’s Medal: Different people have different tastes, I get that. For me, the medallion is amazing, insta-favorite. The medallion is a copper-colored prospector’s mule (the venue is a former site for manufacturing explosives, such as a miner might use), about 3 1/2 inches long, nose to tail. The mule is loaded up with frying pan, bed roll, water bottle (wink, wink), shovel, and wood panels for making a shelter. The race name and info are on the wood panels. The degree of detail is amazing! The ribbon is dark brown, with a lighter brown lace-like pattern

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish/recovery area is a picnic area, with tables and trees. Brazen always has plenty of recovery goodies, including several flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was disappointed in my outcome, but that was largely my doing. That aside, I’ve done Nitro Trail before, and probably will again.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
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5

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Event & Course Description: The Willow Glen 5K is a family-oriented event that benefits the Willow Glen School District. As the event name suggests, it is run/walked in the Willow … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Willow Glen 5K is a family-oriented event that benefits the Willow Glen School District. As the event name suggests, it is run/walked in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose. The run starts on Lincoln Avenue, a main street, by Willow Glen Elementary School. It runs about a quarter mile through a downtown-like area, and then turns to wend its way around residential neighborhoods, returning to and finishing in the school courtyard.

Willow Glen is an older neighborhood, with very nice homes (some possibly about a century old) and lots of mature trees – very pleasant, and lots of shade. The course is all paved streets. The weather on event day 2022 was cool and overcast, near perfect (IMO), but 2 or 3 days previous had been sunny and warmer.

Organization & Production: The district has been running this event for quite a few years, and it is well organized. It’s basically register-and-run. The school courtyard was used for race-day registration and check-in, recovery area, and sponsors’ tables. The course is clearly marshaled, with SJPD and volunteers, and two water-only aid stations (in a 5K!). Runners self-seeded at the start, and parents with strollers did keep toward the back of the pack.

Bib: The bib has the T-shirt artwork at the top, and below that, the bib number in white on a green background.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt is navy blue, tech-type, with artwork in front and sponsors’ logos on the back and on the left sleeve. The artwork is not easily described. It has the race name and date, of course, worked into it, but had abstract drawings of a sunrise, a house with a garden, a fountain, willow trees, a person (?), a theater marquee, and a swimming pool … I think. The cumulative effect is way better than my poor guesscription. It’s a really nice T-shirt, much nicer than one might expect from a charity run.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area was pretty minimal. A lot of cut up bananas, bottled water handed out at the finish line, plus whatever was left of a bunch of Starbucks coffee that had been available before the run. There wasn’t any seating, but there were a couple of raised planters whose concrete walls served reasonably well.

My Opinion of the Race: I generally moderate my expectations for charity events, because I want them to use their funds as prudently as they think necessary. Other than being no-medal, this event, however, was on par with professionally organized running events.

As I mentioned, the school district has been doing this event for quite a while, but being a school district, they’ve probably had a lot of experienced people move on through the years, with new people in their place. I was particularly impressed by there being an aid station every mile, very family-friendly. Because this event is near me, ~15 minutes’ drive on streets, it will be a consideration in 2023.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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4

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' SPASM Lake Chabot is, as the race name indicates, run at Lake Chabot, near Castro Valley. Five distances are run, 8K, Half Marathon, … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs’ SPASM Lake Chabot is, as the race name indicates, run at Lake Chabot, near Castro Valley. Five distances are run, 8K, Half Marathon, 30K, Marathon, and 50K, of which I did the 8K distance. The 8K course is a “Lollipop”, a mile and a half along the lake, an uphill and downhill 2 mile loop, and then returning to the finish along the same lake shore. The other distances do most of the 8K course, but instead of returning along the lake circle around the lake, including some distance upstream along Grass Valley Creek. That is the half marathon course, and the longer distances do parts or all of that course again.

The section along the lake is rolling and paved. The loop in the 8K course is dirt trail, with a half mile long fairly steep uphill, and a steeper quarter mile downhill. The half marathon course adds two more fairly steep hills, is mostly dirt trail. And for the longer distances, rinse-and-repeat as required.

Spring time weather in the SF Bay Area is quite variable. Within a week or two it can go from sunny and in the low 90s F to rainy and in the 50s F. This year on race day it was the latter, with rain for at least my slow first 3 miles or so (possibly more, later, after I headed home). It was wet and muddy, and I was soaked and a slip-and-fall gave me a partial covering in mud. This, too, is trail running.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs’ events are register and run. Necessary information is on the website, check-in is race-day-only and smooth, courses are copiously marked, and recovery area goodies are good.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are fairly plain, except that the background color is varies with distances. Yellow was 8K. Beyond that, the bibs have Coastal’s logo and motto, and the bib number.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. Because the 2018 race tee was not a favorite, I forewent the 2022 shirt, for a $5 discount. As it turned out, the 2022 shirt was a new design and fairly nice.

Finisher’s Medal: Like many Coastal medals, the medallion artwork for this race is somewhat abstract, wavy parallel white and blue lines to represent the lake water and frequent foggy haze above the water. Along the top is the race name, and along the bottom the logo of the sports medicine clinic sponsor. The ribbon is purple, gives the year and has the race logo. All in all, it’s a pretty nice medal.

Finish & Recovery Area: In addition to recovery are goodies, this park has a good number of picnic tables (but no Yogi or Boo-Boo) at which one can munch and rest.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Because I had to be extra careful on the steep and muddy downhill, I assumed my finish time was significantly affected. I was very happy to finish and not be totally coated with mud after multiple slip-and-falls. Looking back at my 2018 finish time, I was actually a few minutes less slow in 2022, to my surprise.

Coastal is one of the Bay Area’s best trail race organizers and produces a consistently excellent race experience at a very reasonable cost. I will definitely consider doing this event in 2023.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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5

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Event & Course Description: The Wildflower Run benefits the American Association of University Women. It was run in northern Morgan Hill, in 10K and 5K distances, the 39th running and … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Wildflower Run benefits the American Association of University Women. It was run in northern Morgan Hill, in 10K and 5K distances, the 39th running and after a 2 year Covid break. I won’t try to trace the course in detail (I did the 10K distance), but will instead say that the area in which we ran is semi-rural, on the edge of the city, so we saw open fields, orchards, a vineyard, a new housing development, some larger “estates” (the best word I know to describe such homes), and some more ordinary suburban neighborhoods. The event started in the student parking lot at Live Oak High School, and finished at the other side of the campus, near faculty parking.

Organization & Production: As mentioned above, this was the 39th running, so the AAUW people doing the organizing have considerable practice. From checking out their website through leaving after finishing, the Wildflower Run is a register-and-run event. It’s fairly no-frills – no finisher’s medal, water-only aid stations – but what there is is done well. The course marshals along the course and aid station volunteers were consistently friendly and encouraging.

Bib: The bibs were fairly plain, blue for 10K, yellow for 5K, with the race name and bib numbers. The event is chip timed.

T-Shirt: Maybe I’m spoiled or not fully rational, but this was a sore spot for me. I “get” that charities need to use their funds carefully (it would be disturbing if they did not). So I dial back my expectations: cotton instead of tech-type is fine with me; I don’t expect amazing creativity or even a different design every year. When I picked up my bib and Tee early on race day, I was asked if a blue shirt instead of a red one would be OK. Thinking the difference was just color, I was OK with that, and left the shirt in my car (I usually don’t wear race shirts on the day of the race). I looked at my shirt after finishing, and saw it had the date “2020”. It’s a good quality cotton Tee, with a fairly interesting design, and obviously cost the charity money, but I wish the organizers had informed runners that some might receive shirts left over from previous years.

Finish & Recovery Area: I was tired enough that I didn’t check out what was in the area. In passing through it, I did notice cups with pretzel sticks and a lady handing out pieces of cantaloupe.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Maybe I’ll get over it (or grow up) but what I mentioned above was disappointing. The Wildflower run was well organized, with friendly volunteers, and the scenery was more pleasant than many street/road events I’ve done.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Once over lightly ... maybe? I've Raved Brazen Racing's Victory event before, but 2022 was the first time I did the half marathon distance. So … it's and out-and-back, mostly … MORE

Once over lightly … maybe? I’ve Raved Brazen Racing’s Victory event before, but 2022 was the first time I did the half marathon distance. So … it’s and out-and-back, mostly on the Bay Trail, starting near a former Ford plant in Rosie the Riveter national park, with different turn-arounds for the three distances. It’s a Brazen race, so production is excellent, from researching the event before registering through leaving the parking lot to return home.

Probably the 10K (and 5K) course is the most scenic, pleasant on both sides of the trail. Some time after the 10K turn-around, the half marathon course has freeway or industrial buildings on the inland side and bay scenery on the other, until runners reach the Albany Bulb, which is entirely pleasant (why a peninsula into SF Bay is called a “bulb”, I don’t know). The one brief hill, on the half marathon course only, was on the Albany Bulb. Otherwise, the courses are almost literally flat.

The tech-type T-shirt is light blue, with a large red, white, and blue “V” (Victory ships were built where the park is now), and a white banner across it with the word “Victory”. Very nice, though not quite “favorite grade” for my tastes (Brazen always has excellent artwork, and this really is NOT an exception).

The medal, on the other hand, is the most to my taste of this event’s finisher’s medals that I’ve seen. In the background is a large white circle, with a red ring around it. In the circle are stars, and around the ring are the year in Roman numerals and the distances. The foreground is an eagle perched on an anchor’s flukes with its wings raised to form a “V”, and across its chest is a banner with the word “VICTORY”. The ribbon is blue, with the race information. For those who also ran in Brazen’s Bay Breeze, there is a connector medal (octopuses and eagles have a natural connection, right? 😉 ).

I was very happy with my finish time, the best I’ve done since mid 2017 (and half an hour less slow than two weeks previous). A running friend and I sort of paced each other by talking the whole way, which kept me from thinking about things that hurt a little or how tired I was getting. Brazen is consistently excellent, so I will consider doing Victory in 2023.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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5

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Once over lightly ... maybe? Bay Breeze starts and end in Marina Park, and is out-and-back in three distances on the Bay Trail along the bay. I did the half … MORE

Once over lightly … maybe? Bay Breeze starts and end in Marina Park, and is out-and-back in three distances on the Bay Trail along the bay. I did the half marathon. For the half, the course was about half paved and half packed dirty and gravel. There is almost no shade on the course. Yesterday was mostly sunny and warm, but clouds and rain are possible in February.

It’s a Brazen Race, register-and-run. Well organized, well marked course (though going off-course usually would involve a swim), ample aid stations and recovery food. Very helpful encouraging volunteers … it’s a Brazen Race.

My tech-type tee is very red, featuring an octopus holding a bouquet of red roses – combining sea and Valentines Day themes. The medal is an octopus holding an anchor on a heart background.

My finish time was not great, ~70% because of non-preparation (= being lazy), 30% sciatica (I now know things that help, but wasn’t diligent in learning). Finishing was the BIG goal, because Bay Breeze was the last half I tried and couldn’t finish in 2018 before finally trying (and finishing) another in November 2021. Vindication? Revenge? Getting it behind me and moving on? Obviously Bay Breeze will be a consideration in the future.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing's Coyote Hills Trail Runs is done at Coyote Hills Park in Fremont, CA. The hills border the southeast end of San Francisco Bay, and … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing’s Coyote Hills Trail Runs is done at Coyote Hills Park in Fremont, CA. The hills border the southeast end of San Francisco Bay, and are just south of where Alameda Creek pours into the bay. In past years the start/finish area was in the park. This year the it was at a campground on the southern border of the park, not far from the Dumbarton Bridge.

The event was done in the three common distances, half marathon, 10K (which I did), and 5K. The courses shared some trails, and some were used by just one distance. The interconnected arcs, loops and out-and-back legs were more intricate than I could describe without being an insomnia cure. The best description would be that the courses were varying length tours of the park.

The 10K course was about 5% shade, and cumulatively a little over 1/3 paved. The courses were mostly gently rolling, but had 1 (5K), 2 (10K), or 4 (half marathon) fairly steep hills. It could be said to be a moderate intro to trail running, 🙂 . Every distance shared the hill about 3/4 mile from the finish, a .36 mile 10% grade climb up, and a 10% grade downhill of similar length.

The views were varied and pleasant – marsh, hills, and the bay. 10K and half marathon runners used a wooden causeway to cross a marsh. The weather was pleasant and sunny, neither too cool or too warm. But the event is done in January, so a few past years have had rain and mud.

Organization & Production: As mentioned, Brazen has been doing this event for quite a few years. My first time was in 2014. For those past runnings, runners parked at nearby DeVry University, and were shuttled to the park. DeVry moved, and the property owner was not willing to do this. Brazen learned this some 3 or 4 months before the usual race date and had to work out all new parking arrangements and reroute new courses with a start/finish area that had not been part of previous years’ courses. Only the event name and park were the same.

I usually describe Brazen races as register-and-run, everything so well organized that a participant just needs to register, get there, run their race, and return home. With all new courses and parking, the reorganized Coyote Hills event was still register-and-run. All courses were well marked with color-coded ribbons, chalk/flour, and course marshals at key turns. Covid adjustments were few, because Brazen has always done food handling at aid stations and the recovery area well.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. Bibs usually have some sort of distance color-coding. There is artwork (often shared with the race T-shirt), with the race name and date, bib number and runner’s name, and Brazen Racing’s logo.

The bib for Coyote Hills has a stylized coyote head (see below) in the top left corner, and the race name and distance across the rest of the top in block letters. In the center is the runner’s name in letters large enough to read an oncoming runner’s bib and cheer them on by name. Below that is the bib number, and across the bottom is Brazen Racing’s logo. The half marathon bibs were brown or burnt orange, the 10K bibs sky blue, and the 5K bibs yellow.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7).

Because Coyote Hills 2014 was my first trail event and first Brazen event, I upgraded to the tech type shirt. The T-shirt is black, and in the front is a string-art-style coyote head, one side pink, the other yellow. Below one of the coyote’s cheeks is the race name and year. Brazen Racing’s logo is on the left sleeve. On a Favorite-Meh-Bye spectrum, it’s clearly a favorite.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion has a black background, and at the top, the string-art coyote head, with orange “strings”. The year is at the coyote’s muzzle, below that the race name in block letters, and in a small rectangle the distances, all outlined in orange. The overall effect is visually dramatic.

Finish & Recovery Area: It’s a Brazen race, so there were plenty of recovery snacks, and a bottle of water was given with the finisher’s medal. The area was a bit compact, but organizers have to work with what they have. There were just a few park benches for those wanting to sit down, BUT the usual start/finish area for the event just had few low fence railings. There were some portacans, and because of the adjoining campground, several permanent restrooms (some had showers … not sure if those were functioning, but if the same area is used in 2023 …).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was kind of another welcome back event for me. Brazen’s Coyote Hills is nostalgic for me, and it was the first event I’ve done since 2019 with significant hills. As to the hills, I’ve got a way to go yet (10% grade!), but it’s a start. I was initially a little disappointed with my finish time, but then I remembered that the actual distance was 6.6 miles instead of 6.22 miles. I finished vertical, self-powered, and with a decent (for me) finish time. I’ll take it!

Do I need to say I’d consider doing Coyote Hills Trail Runs in 2023? Brazen Racing consistently does well organized events, so I’ll be back for this and some of their other events, as fits my abilities and goals. I recently signed up for one of their February halfs. I checked out the price for a large international event organizer (not The Mouse). The price for the same time between registration and the event was $60-$65 higher. Very different experiences, but for me, all in Brazen’s favor (and other local trail run organizers!).

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: Kiwanis Resolution Run starts and finishes in Shoreline Park Mountain View. The 5K course uses the Bay Trail outbound in in part of the return, but … MORE

Event & Course Description: Kiwanis Resolution Run starts and finishes in Shoreline Park Mountain View. The 5K course uses the Bay Trail outbound in in part of the return, but uses a golf course road for the rest of the return to the start/finish area. The 10K, which I did, is an out-and-back on the Bay Trail. As the trail name suggests, much of it is along the marshes at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. Both courses are mostly paved, and shade was perhaps 10%. It’s New Year’s Day, not usually warm.

Organization & Production: It’s almost unfair to review the 2022 running, because it was organized in half of the usual time, due to permit delays by the City of Mountain View. Also, courtesy of Covid, the race timing outfit they’ve used in the past was not available, so the run was not chip timed (which it usually is). In general, they had to do a lot of make-do. All the same, nothing particularly made for a poor race experience.

Probably the most noticeable organization change was that the actual 10K course was different from the map on the website. The map shows the course, lust before the turn-around, doing several tenths of a mile on paved street. As run, the course instead turned onto an unpaved section of the Bay Trail that heads right out toward the bay along a levee. Frankly, I hope they keep that change in future runnings. Running/walking on the levee with the marsh and marsh birds on both sides of the trail was much nicer than the paved street.

Bib: White background, race logo, bib number.

Race Hat: It’s not HeadSweats, but it is very nice. It’s white, tech type, and features the race logo. One thing I especially appreciate is that wher HeadSweats hats are a tight fit when adjusted as far as it would go, this hat fit nicely and could be adjusted larger.

Finisher’s Medal: No medal.

Finish & Recovery Area: I know they had fruit and goodies, but it was packed and gone by the time I finished. See below.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’m somewhat frustrated with my finish time (it wasn’t chip timed, but I used the stopwatch function on my watch). I had to do a cumulative total of about 10 minutes of rest stops because sciatica had one of my thighs really painful at times. But I completed the 10K and I wasn’t slower than normal by being lazy. I’ve another, more challenging 10K in a week, and I think I’m doing somewhat better.

As I mentioned above, the 2022 running was thrown together in half their normal time. It showed in some ways, but West San Jose Kiwanis Club still organized a good race experience. Hopefully they’ll be able to do what they normally do for January 1, 2023. I won’t say I will definitely do this event then, but it will be among the possibilities from which I’ll be choosing.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: The Firehouse Run (TFR) is put on by Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation and other charities to support Santa Clara schools. It started near and finished in … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Firehouse Run (TFR) is put on by Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation and other charities to support Santa Clara schools. It started near and finished in the stadium at the University of Santa Clara. The 5K course was a loop, mostly through the neighborhood just to the west of the university. There was no 10K distance in 2022. The course ran through neighborhoods of homes, many of which are probably 80-100 years old, on paved streets. It has mature trees, so it’s fairly shaded for much of the course.

Organization & Production: TFR is pretty much Register-and-Run. The website information is ample, and pre-race emails were informative. Packet pick-up could be done at a local Sports Basement the day before the race or at the race venue on race day. There was plenty of parking in a covered U Santa Clara lot about 10 minutes walk from the start/finish area. The course was well “marked” by volunteers and orange cones at some intersections, and police controlling traffic at more significant intersections. There was a water-only aid station at the ~1.5 mile point.

Bib: The bib had orange numbers on a black background, with the race artwork, described below, in the top left corner.

T-Shirt: The race Tee is medium blue poly-cotton, soft to the touch. At the top left of the front is the name of the race including the year, below which is a fire hydrant wearing a firefighter’s helmet and sporting a ginormous handlebar mustache.

Finisher’s Medal: There were no finisher’s medals, except for sex/age group top finishers. It’s a charity race, so I’m good with that.

Finish & Recovery Area: Pizza! The area is the entry area for a football stadium, so there were no picnic tables or similar seating.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This is a nice family- and neighborhood-oriented event. Lots of parents with munchkins ranging from strollers to middle and high school. It’s on my list of possibilities for 2023.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: The Oktoberfest Fun Run benefits the City of Campbell's Parks and Recreation Department. Both distances use the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and start in Campbell Park. … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Oktoberfest Fun Run benefits the City of Campbell’s Parks and Recreation Department. Both distances use the Los Gatos Creek Trail, and start in Campbell Park. The 5K, which I walked, went about a mile and a quarter, almost to Los Gatos Creek Park, crossed the creek on a bridge, ran past Campbell Park, turned around, and ran back, crossing a bridge into Campbell park. The 5K course is like a long, very squashed oval, with a short out-and-back tail. The 10K course (which I’ve done in past years) is out-and-back along one side of the creek, with a small loop on the other side through some marshy area instead of a turn-around. Except for this loop, both courses are paved, and are flat, except for some rolling near a street under-crossing.

The creek side of the trails has an almost rural feel, but the other side of the trail has well-landscaped condo complexes and a mobile home park along it. On the other side of the creek (from the 10K and out-bound 5K courses) is a freeway. The trail is lower in elevation from the freeway, so it isn’t too noisy or visually obtrusive.

Organization & Production: Campbell’s Parks and Rec people have been doing this and a Valentine themed event for quite a few years, so it’s well done. Registration is through the city’s online “store” (= no processing fee). Aid stations were well spaced for participants who aren’t experienced/frequent runners. I didn’t partake, but I did see a table with coffee and bagels in the start-finish area before the start of the event. Timing was done by SVE Timing, a very solid outfit. Finish times were posted online by early afternoon. Parking at the start/finish park is limited (possibly not enough for volunteers), but there is a large shopping and business park a quarter of a mile away that allows parking near business buildings not used during weekends.

Bib: The bibs were very pleasant, with tree themed artwork. 5K bibs had orange coloring, while 10K bibs had green coloring.

T-Shirt: The event Tee is dark gray poly-cotton. The artwork on the front has three silhouette people running past a water tower (the city’s symbol). The year is on the tower tank. Above the tower is the event name, and below the runners, the words “Campbell Recreation”. This is all in white, with a white shield-shaped outline. Around this in orange are two abstract wheat or barley stalks and another white outline. It’s a very nice event Tee.

Finisher’s Medal: When I did this event in 2019, there was no finisher’s medal (though the finisher’s steins are very nice, 😉 ). The event was not run in 2020, because Covid, and the 2021 event I did not do had a medal. The 2022 medallion has the shield shaped T-shirt artwork, with laurel leaves added along the side, and curled ribbons across the bottom with an oak leaf in the middle of the ribbons. The ribbon is dark gray, with orange stripes along the sides. The event name and the medallion artwork are along the ribbon between the stripes. All in all, a very nice finisher’s medal.

Finish & Recovery Area: I didn’t pay much attention to the finish area. There was a volunteer just past the arch handing out bottles of water, and a table nearby with more. The finish area was on a set of basketball courts, with grassy berms on two sides (to keep balls from rolling into streets). One berm has a low concrete wall, handy for sitting and resting. I suspect there were recovery goodies, I just didn’t go looking.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’ve been recovering and building back up from a muscle strain, so I wasn’t particularly aggressive, but my finish time was in the range I was hoping for. Campbell’s Oktoberfest Fun Run is very well done, very family-friendly (a kids run is part of the event, and I saw lots of child-parent pairs and runners with strollers), and 10 or fewer minutes drive from my house to the parking. I’ve done it before and probably will again. The only reason I haven’t done the corresponding Valentine themed event is that another organizer has an event I enjoy around the same time.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' ZombieRunner Quarry Lakes starts and finishes at a picnic area in Quarry Lakes Park. I described the course pretty well in my December … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs’ ZombieRunner Quarry Lakes starts and finishes at a picnic area in Quarry Lakes Park. I described the course pretty well in my December 2017 Rave, so I’ll keep this brief. I did the half marathon distance, which means I did the short vertical stroke of the “T” and both out-and-back halves of the horizontal cross.

The park is very nice, and the picnic pavilion good for weather … which we did have a little, of the wet variety. It sprinkled fairly steadily during the first half hour or so of the half marathon. The course is maybe 20% shade … though that didn’t mean much this year, given the weather.

Organization & Production: Coastal could be described as “budget”, but their race experiences aren’t “budget”. Their events are what I call “register-and-run”. From complete information on their website through well marked courses, well staffed and stocked aid stations, and pleasant recovery area, runners’ “worries” are getting there (parking is not pre-paid), doing their distance, and getting home. One nice “upgrade” since mid 2019 is that timing is now chip start rather than “gun” start. I’m not fast and Coastal’s events aren’t huge, so the several seconds delay between the gun and my actual crossing of the starting line never bothered me.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are fairly plain, except that the background color is color-coded for the distances. Beyond that, the bibs have Coastal’s logo and motto, and the bib number (whose first number is also distance-coded).

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. My shirt was white, which I usually don’t like (I’m pale enough!), but most of the shirts I saw were a medium slate blue. The artwork on the front was an abstract of the (Alameda) creek and tules, along with the race name, ZombieRunner logo (which includes a runner in shorts, Tee, and hat), distances, and date, all in a large rectangle. The back had the usual sponsors’ logos. The printing was done in bright (or BRIGHT?) orange and yellow, which on the white shirt is rather striking, in a good way. All in all, very nice.

Finisher’s Medal: The shape of the medallion is not easy to describe. It’s like an outer 90-degree arc from two concentric circles, very different from the simple disc when I did this event in 2017. The artwork is similar to that of the T-shirt. The ribbon is forest green, with the race logo and the word “Finisher”. Only the shirt has the date or year.

Finish & Recovery Area: It was under a group picnic pavilion. Perfect (not unique, but great for tired runners)! At or near several tables were a good variety of snacks, electrolyte drink, and ice chests with water, sodas, and beers. There was also a hot pot with some sort of stew or soup (I wasn’t sure trying some would have been a good idea for me at the time, so I’m not sure what it was). This is pretty typical for Coastal’s trail runs, though much nicer than many large-scale street/road events.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I didn’t have anything to prove to myself and was nursing an unhappy Achilles tendon, so I was not aggressive in pace. DNF was a realistic option if the tendon started acting up. But a mile or so in it was clear that wasn’t happening, so I kept going, carefully. Anyway, I was able to complete the half marathon, and to my surprise, my finish time was over a minute less slow than two weeks earlier on the same trail (but different course). I was still almost DLF – which I expected to be – but I had spent less time at aid stations, evidently. So I am very happy with what I was able to do, needing somewhat less rest than two weeks earlier.

Coastal consistently offers runners an excellent race experience at a moderate price, and this event was no exception. ZombieRunner Quarry Lakes will definitely be a possibility in 2022 (December 11th, mark your calendars).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
2
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: I've reviewed this race before, so I'll keep the course description brief. All distances – half marathon, 10K, and 5K – start and finish at a … MORE

Event & Course Description: I’ve reviewed this race before, so I’ll keep the course description brief. All distances – half marathon, 10K, and 5K – start and finish at a picnic area in Quarry Lakes Park. All runners do a partial circle around some of the lakes and go out onto the Alameda Creek Trail. Each distance has its own turn-around along the trail, and runners return to the park and complete the lakes loop.

Organization & Production: It’s a Brazen race. That means it’s register-and-run. All necessary info is on the website, courses are well marked, etc., etc., etc.. Runners’ challenges are getting there, running/walking their distance, and getting home. Runners familiar with road events may be surprised, perhaps, by Brazen’s well stocked aid stations. As always, Brazen’s volunteers are friendly and encouraging. More on that below.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The stripe in the center with the bib number is distance color-coded (red = half marathon; blue = 10K; yellow = 5K). Above that stripe are the race name, the runner’s distance, the year, and the race T-shirt artwork. Below the stripe are the runner’s name (as chosen by the runner in registering) and Brazen Racing’s logo.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). I did the half marathon distance, so my race Tee is tech type, bright blue, and short-sleeved. The front has the race name in yellow block letters, a turkey running out the Brazen arch chasing two running slices of pumpkin pie. The year is below the running figures. The Brazen Racing logo is on the left sleeve and the back is plain. My description doesn’t do the cuteness and humor of the shirt artwork justice!

Finisher’s Medal: Quarry Turkey is the second in a two-race series. Those who run and finish both receive the two races’ medals, plus a bonus connector. The Quarry Turkey medallion has a turkey wearing a race Tee with the letter “Q”, looking to his/her right. Along the left side of and below the turkey are the race name, year, and distances. The Nitro Turkey medallion is a mirror image, with an “N”, and the connector is a pumpkin pie with “You want a piece of me?” above and “Double Finisher” below.

Finish & Recovery Area: Brazen races always have extensive recovery snacks; the turkey races include pumpkin pie. I was waaaaaaayyyy too tired to survey what was available when I finished, though I did partake a little. The covered group picnic tables were very welcome!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was my first completed half marathon in 3 years and 11 months! Nearly 4 years! So I was VERY happy to have completed it … vertical … under my own power. My finish time was unspectacular (albeit my best in nearly 4 1/2 years), about what I expected. My big goal was to finish the half, so I’m very happy.

I’ve done Brazen’s Turkey races multiple times, so obviously I’m likely to do Quarry Turkey in 2022. The timing and closeness to my home are ideal, and it’s a Brazen race.

Because I was the very last finisher of the half, I got a glimpse of the degree to which Brazen keeps tabs on it runners. There were 4 aid stations, reasonably spaced along the course, numbers 1-4 in outbound sequence. When I reached Aid 3 on my return leg, it was clear they were expecting me, personally, and that became the more obvious as I progressed through Aid 2 and then Aid 1. It was clear that the volunteers were checking out my degree of awareness (as aid station volunteers should) and were encouraging me, personally. After finishing, in speaking with one of the RDs, I learned that my progress had been tracked among the RDs and the aid stations. While the RDs and many of the volunteers know me, I think a possibly struggling first-timer would have received similar attention and encouragement. As it was, Brazen and its community unknowingly made my “I’m back!” day extra special.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: The Vibha Dream Mile benefits an Indian education charity, and is run in several cities, including in Bangalore, India. The event in San Jose had three … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Vibha Dream Mile benefits an Indian education charity, and is run in several cities, including in Bangalore, India. The event in San Jose had three distances, 5K, 10K (which I did), and half marathon.

Vibha Dream Mile courses have evolved some through the years, but since I started doing their races have always been run on the Coyote Creek Trail in South San Jose. The change in 2021 from 2018 (when I last did the event) was that runners went directly from Embedded Way onto the trail, rather than running their first and last mile on streets. As the trail name suggests, it follows Coyote Creek, and runs from Anderson Reservoir northward into south San Jose. While the trail occasionally goes past several industrial parks or residential areas, it has a mostly rural feel. All in all, it is very pleasant.

On reaching the trail, 5K and 10K runners turned left, heading south on the trail to their respective turn-arounds. Half marathon runners turned right on reaching the trail and headed north, to a turn-around in Hellyer Park. They then ran past the start area to their turn-around near Metcalf Road in south San Jose. Southbound sections of the course are upstream, but only gently uphill, with some minor rolling.

Organization & Production: Runners were able to pick up their swag (in a reusable bag) the two days before the race and on the morning of. I did the former. Those doing the Friday or Saturday pick-up made reservations for their choice of hour-long time slots (no cost). This spread out pick-ups, because Covid.

Near the venue, there were designated parking (and don’t-park) areas with appropriate directing signs. From where I parked it was a ~.4 mile downhill walk via sidewalk to the start/finish area. Other parts of the parking area were nearer Coyote Creek Trail and may have been flatter. I’m just giving information, not complaining.

When runners go from Embedded Way onto the trail, they go through a narrow bottleneck several yards long. I knew this from other events held there. Vibha handled this in a way that I thought very clever. As each distance started – the half marathon in one group and 5K and 10K runners in a second, separated by half an hour – runners were released in groups of 10-20. This allowed some spreading of runners and thus mitigated the bottleneck. Very smart!

Aid stations were reasonably space, and offered water, electrolyte drink, and very encouraging volunteers. Besides the usual “rabbits” accompanying distance leaders, there were also course marshals riding up and down the course, looking for runners needing assistance. The course was well marked with arrows and had distance markers every mile.

Bib: The background of the bib is a silhouette of an adult and child running across a green fileld, with a blue sky, abstract clouds, and the Sun like a halo behind the adult. At the top center is the event logo and year. The left corner has a distance color-coded “swoosh” (half marathon = yellow; 10K = green; 5K = blue ) that tapers toward the center and gives the distance. The bib number was in white, outlined in black, and there were two sponsors’ logos at the bottom.

T-Shirt: The race Tee is long-sleeved teal-blue tech type. The collar is bright yellow. The front has the race logo, the adult and child runners with the Sun behind them, and the event name. Behind the runners in orange is a Golden Gate Bridge support tower, and below the partial bridge deck is the slogan for the race, “… a few miles for a million dreams …”. The left sleeve has the year, and the right sleeve, “Never give up”. The back of the shirt has sponsors’ logos in orange. It’s a very attractive shirt, IMO.

Finisher’s Medal: There were different medallions for finishers of the half than for those who finished the 5K or 10K. Again, not complaining, though race-bling-lovers might see this as inducement to do the half in 2022 (hmmmmmm …..). I didn’t get a good look at the medallion for half runners, but it was larger and copper colored, while other runners’ medallions had a brushed nickel appearance. My medallion is round and features the Dream Mile logo and slogan (half runners’ medallions probably were similar). Ribbons were color-coded for distance, 10K and 5 K ribbons the same color as on the respective bibs, and purple for half marathon finishers. Ribbons gave the race logo, distance, and year. All in all, a very nice finisher’s medal.

Finish & Recovery Area: Embedded Way is a cul de sac city street, so there weren’t any tables. On the other hand, instead of the usual snack items there was catered (and tasty!!!) Indian food, as well as oranges and bananas. Hint Water also had a pavilion offering finishers their drinks. The catered food was basically a light meal pre-packaged in take-out style containers (because Covid). Many (including me) took their food home to eat it there – very convenient (and did I mention “tasty”?).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was originally planning to do a vigorous but comfortable pace, but got lazy and was a bit more aggressive than planned. So I was a bit faster than I expected. There are worse “problems” to have, LOL.

All in all, runners’ greatest “worries” were getting to and from the event. Everything from signing up to leaving the parking area was smooth. As can be seen below this Rave, I’ve done and reviewed this event before. I came into it expecting a very pleasant race experience, and Vibha easily met that experience. I will definitely consider doing this event in 2022, whether in its more usual June time frame or, as in 2021, later in the year.

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Event & Course Description: I've Raved this event several times before, so I'll try to be brief. ZombieRunner Halloween has four distances, marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K. It starts … MORE

Event & Course Description: I’ve Raved this event several times before, so I’ll try to be brief. ZombieRunner Halloween has four distances, marathon, half marathon, 10K and 5K. It starts and ends in Hellyer Park. All runners start with a loop around the lake in the park, and then going out and back along the Coyote Creek Trail, with different turn-around points. Marathoners did the half marathon course twice.

The trail rolls gently, and outbound is upstream, so it is a gentle uphill. The eponymous trail follows the creek, and has a largely rural feel for much of the course. Definitely a very pleasant course.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs is an excellent race organizer, and this was no exception. Coastal is low cost, and there are at least a couple of ways in which costs are reduced, but which do not really lessen runners’ race experience. Aid stations were well stocked and staffed (Covid-appropriate, of course) with encouraging volunteers. Masks were optional for runners, and I did not notice many using masks, especially on the trail.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are fairly plain, except that the background color is varies with distances. Yellow was 5K, Purple was 10K, Green was the half marathon, and Orange the marathon. Beyond that, the bibs have Coastal’s logo and motto, and the bib number.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. I chose the no-shirt option this year ($5 less for registration), as the Halloween event shirt isn’t my favorite among Coastal’s shirts (Coastal uses the same shirts year to year, with occasional changes). In 2019 it was black, with an orange jack-o-lantern, a purple jack-o-lantern and bats, the race name and distances, and the name of the main sponsor, ZombieRunner Coffee. Not my favorite, but more mid-range than disliked, and it helps Coastal keep its registration fee lower (a trade-off I very much appreciate!).

Finisher’s Medal: As with shirts, Coastal uses the same medallion year to year for each race, changing every few years (2018 was the first year for the current medallion). The Halloween medallion is a favorite, shaped and painted as a vampire bat in flight. The ribbon says “Finisher”, gives the year, and has the race logo, a runner with a jack-o-lantern head with bats about the head. In 2021 and 2018 the ribbon was black; in 2019 it was orange.

Finish & Recovery Area: The recovery area is a covered group picnic area, with lots of tables. That I noticed, there were a jug of water one could use to refill a water bottle, an ice chest with bottles of water and, possibly, sodas. On a couple of tables there were Oreos, several kinds of chips, and candies. I didn’t notice everything, being a bit tired. It was pretty much the same spread Coastal normally had Pre-Covid.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was my second in-person 10K since October 2019 (the first being just 3 weeks earlier). Being flatter than that previous event, I was fairly aggressive and bettered my optimistic goal finish time by about 5 minutes. I was very happy about that.

Except for 2020, I’ve done this event every year since 2017. But for Covid and wanting to make note of the effect of appropriate safety precautions, I probably would not have reviewed the 2021 running. Coastal Trail Runs is very consistent, generally excellent, offer a great race experience, and are a good value. I will definitely consider doing ZombieRunner Halloween again in 2022.

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Event & Course Description: The Belmont Water Dog Run has two distances, 5K and 10K (which I did). It's run in the city of Belmont, and part of the 10K … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Belmont Water Dog Run has two distances, 5K and 10K (which I did). It’s run in the city of Belmont, and part of the 10K course goes through Water Dog Lake Park.

Both courses are out-and-back, with the two distances sharing the 5K course. The start and finish are in an area behind the Belmont City Hall. Runners follow Ralston Avenue to a shopping center just before Avenida de las Pulgas (love that name!) and do a loop through it. 5K runners turn left onto the Avenida, turn left onto El Verano Way, left onto Ladera Way, merge onto Maywood Drive, and then take Ralston back to the finish. The 5K is entirely on city streets.

10K runners turn right from the shopping center onto the Avenida and go back to Ralston. Ralston Avenue is then followed to Lyall Way, and then to the Water Dog Lake Trailhead. Lake Road Trail winds through Water Dog Lake Park, goes past the lake, and runners turn around near where they meet the John Brooks Trail. They then retrace their steps back to Avenida de las Pulgas, turn right, and then follow the route starting with El Verano that 5K runners took to the finish.

So about half of the 10K and all of the 5K are on city streets. Boring? Not really. Even though Ralston Avenue is a main artery, the course went mainly through a residential area, with homes I’d guess were built in the 1930s or 1940s. More to the point, there were lots of mature evergreens, nice visually and nice for shade. The part of the 10K course that 5K runners didn’t do was an unpaved trail with lots of close trees (more shade!). Except near the entrance to Water Dog Lake Park, few buildings were visible from the trail, other than some homes in the distance. Whether on streets or in Water Dog Lake Park, this was a pretty scenic event for both distances. What surprised me a bit, being less than well prepared mentally (I’m usually very mental!), was that the first half was almost entirely uphill. It wasn’t super steep, but the sort of uphill grade that slows and wears. On the other hand, except for a very brief steep hill, the inbound course was mostly downhill.

Organization & Production: I’m going to say up front, some of what follows has to be taken with a Covid-sized and -shaped block of salt, and keeping in mind that this was a small-medium sized charity event. That’s a convoluted way of saying that there were some information/communication things that could have been done better, and probably would have, had this been a normal year.

Because the event had to be put together very quickly, some things weren’t nailed down until within a few weeks of the event. As a result, the website couldn’t be updated, and much important information was communicated in mass emails a couple of weeks before the event (being a first-timer and a bit of a Nervous Nellie, I exchanged several emails with the Race Director (RD), who was VERY helpful). Assuming, as seems reasonable from what I saw, there will be a next year, I’m sure communication will be much improved.

Now, race day. Because Covid, officially there was no race day packet pick-up. One of the things I was able to set up with the RD was for me to be able to do that anyway. I doubt I was the only one. So I showed up I bit before 6:30 AM (free parking, 3 or 4 blocks from the event), and my bib and shirt were there.

Event timing was done by SVETiming, so the start/finish area was appropriately situated and set up. The course was well marked with chalk, coned off areas on streets, signs, and course marshal volunteers plus police officers. Once on the park trail, there were few possible wrong turns, and these were coned off. Pay attention to arrows and signs, don’t wander into car traffic, and a runner would have no problems following the course.

For 10K runners, there were 3 aid stations, reasonably located and spaced. All were well staffed with friendly volunteers and offered both water and electrolyte drink. What a runner saw and experienced in starting and on course was as well done as any running event.

Bib: Bibs were not personalized (I’m fine with that, personalized bibs cost more $$). The bibs were color-coded, green background for 10K and blue for 5K. The green background surrounds a white rectangle that has the bib number. The background has several “B” logos, the letter partly formed with a dog’s head and neck silhouette, along both sides of the white space. Across the top in distance colors was the distance, and across the bottom the race name and the date. Only the bib has the event date.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is gray, tech type. The front has “BMT WTR DOG RUN”, groups of three white block-letters arranged vertically. The “B” is the dog’s neck and head logo. The back is is plain.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion has the letter “B” logo in blue, surrounded by a silver metal ring. Around the top half of the ring are “COMMUNITY * AWARENESS * EDUCATION” and around the bottom are the several distances and special events (a children’s fun run and a “Fido Mile”). The top and bottom legends are separated by little white doggie bones. The ribbon has a sky blue center, with gray, darker blue, and gray stripes along both borders. The center has little education-oriented drawings, and along the center section are the event name and the distances and special events. Definitely a nicer medal than I would expect at a charity event!

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area and the surrounding area are an open space between the Belmont City Hall and the Belmont Historical Society building. Finishers went through the arch, received their medal, and received a baggie with some fruit and a snack. There wasn’t any seating, but that’s the nature of the area. There were also a good number of portacans in the area.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: My finish time was around my optimistic goal finish time and on a course that was a bit tougher than I expected. So I’m very happy with that.

I do not judge hugemongous national organization’s, local organizers’, and charity races the same way. What I expect is proportioned to the nature of the event. That said, while my overall experience might have been less than what normally had been done (this was the 4th running), because Covid, I will definitely consider doing the Belmont Water Dog Run next year. My bottom line is that the 2021 Belmont Water Dog Run was a really well done family-friendly community charity event.

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Event & Course Description: The Viva CalleSJ 5K is run in central San Jose, starting and finishing by the SAP Center (where the San Jose Sharks hockey team plays). The … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Viva CalleSJ 5K is run in central San Jose, starting and finishing by the SAP Center (where the San Jose Sharks hockey team plays). The course is basically two different out-and-back legs. From the start on Barrack Obama Blvd., between the SAP Center and the Arena Green West, runners turned onto The Alameda, toward Santa Clara. The turn-around for this out-and-back leg was at Lenzen Ave., a couple of blocks past Race St.. Runners then went back through the starting arch and turned onto W. St. John St., followed a little jog left then right, and turned around at N. 1st St.. Runners then returned by the same route to the start/finish arch.

The course is mostly through older small business areas, not especiallyscenic, but interesting to see how modern businesses have adapted older buildings. Runners went under (and back through) the SR 87 freeway at two points along the course.

Organization & Production: I think the two best adjectives for this event would have to be quirky and very low key. The event was not chip timed, so runners received bibs sequentially according to how they checked in. They had packet pick-up the day before at the Sports Basement in Campbell (which I did) the day before the event and at Arena Green before and during the event. Even though I checked in an hour into packet pick-up, I was the first “runner” and received bib number 1 (I’ll take “Things That Will Never Happen Again” for $10, Art).

The largest part of the event was bike rides, a 20 miler and a 40 miler. They started half an hour before the runners. There was no officiated run start. 8:00 AM came and one of the runners said “Go!” Other runners started their run as they arrived and checked in, donned their bib, and got otherwise ready. I remember seeing bib number 63 out on the course, and after I finished I saw bibs with numbers in the 70s being given out.

There were no porta-cans near the start area (you know, for those last-10-minutes-before-start pit-stops). Eventually I found there was a whole line of them … nearly quarter of a mile from the start area, on the second out-and-back leg. In the event’s FAQs webpage it said, “along the Viva CalleSJ route and at Activity Hubs”. As best I could tell, they were just in the one location. IMO, at least some should have been near enough to the start/finish area to be visible in the area. There was a one-stall set of restrooms in the Arena Green.

Bib: So, very low key … bibs given out sequentially … that means plain white bib, right? Nope! It’s one of the cooler bibs I’ve received. The background is dark blue, with an orange stripe across the top that has the event logo and name. The artwork shows a business district with a mix of tall and not so tall buildings and palm trees, with a Day-of-the-Dead-style skeleton couple riding a bicycle through the area. The woman is carrying a banner that says, “Viva!”, and the bicycle frame and front wheel spokes are the words, “Calle SJ”.

T-Shirt: The event T-shirt is dark blue cotton. It has artwork similar to the bib, except that it adds a bike-helmeted skeleton-child riding their bike in front of the bicycling adult skeleton-couple. There is an orange ring around the artwork, and the date is added below the event logo. I’ve given up on having favorites, but this event Tee is that kind of nice!

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion has the same artwork as the T-shirt, and adds a blue outer ring concentric with the orange ring. It’s a spinner within a spinner! The date spins within the artwork, which spins within the blue outer ring. As with the T-shirt, it’s “that kind of nice”!

Finish & Recovery Area: Meanwhile, back in LowKeyville … Arena Green West is a park with picnic tables (no pic-a-nic baskets, sorry Yogi) and LOTS of mature shade. A perfect recovery area. I did see a table with fruit near the pavilioned tables for check-in and and for receiving finisher’s medals, but there were no signs making obvious from a distance what the tables were.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: For this event and last week’s Bad Bass 5K I had a goal, a finish time under 50 minutes (yeah, I’m not fast). The course for Bad Bass was too rolling for a finish time goal, but I achieved the goal at Viva CalleSJ. A flat streets course with the most challenging “hills” being going under a freeway twice was ideal.

Viva CalleSJ is the oddest combination of very low-key with high-end elements I’ve seen. I should add that it’s very family-friendly – not tightly scheduled, nice wide course. I saw several youths running the course, and at least one tandem stroller. Taking it as an intentionally low-key event, locate some porta-cans near the start/finish, have signs for the check-in, snacks, and medals tables, and have a few volunteers telling people what’s where and where to go, and it’d be near-perfect.

Would I do Viva CalleSJ again. Well, maybe. It’s on my 2022 list of possibilities, but I did it this year because there were few Bay Area running events in September 2021 that were suitable for my current capabilities. The June lifting of Covid shutdown plus parks having to reorganize their staffing plus organizers having to cherry-pick from their backlog of events made for fewer doable (for me) events in September 2021. I expect 2022 will be closer to the full pre-Covid array of choices, and my capabilities are improving. On the other hand, I know that for what it intends to be, this is a very well done event, and close to my home. I’d definitely consider doing Viva CalleSJ again.

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing's Bad Bass is run at Lake Chabot Regional Park near Castro Valley. It has the usual distances, 5K, 10K, and half marathon, though, being … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing’s Bad Bass is run at Lake Chabot Regional Park near Castro Valley. It has the usual distances, 5K, 10K, and half marathon, though, being a trail event, the actual distances are a little longer. The 5K, which I did, was actually 3.35 miles. The event name refers to Bass Cove on the lake.

The 5K course, which is used for all three distances, runs on asphalt pavement along the scenic east shore of the lake, out and back. A bit past the 5K turn-around, the 10K and half marathon courses split, with the 10K course continuing in out-and-back fashion. The 10K course climbs a ~500-foot, 3/4-mile hill, gives a brief respite, then does another 100-foot climb in a quarter mile, and then another couple of tenths to an aid station and the turn-around. That steep downhill is steep and rutted, not trivial.

The half marathon course does a little loop – a mere 250-foot hill – before doing the big hill it shares with the 10K course. The half course then continues to circle the lake in a sinuous hilly course, with the last 2 1/2 miles along the south shore of the lake being flattish (rolling just enough to keep tired runners annoyed) and slightly downhill.

Organization & Production: It’s a Brazen race. That almost says what needs to be said. Brazen is organization to a “T”, and they’ve been doing events at Lake Chabot for years. It didn’t affect me, since it’s hard to go off-course on the 5K course, but Brazen’s course marking is excellent, with mile # markers to help runners track their progress. Runners “worst worries” are getting there before and getting home after the event.

I was being aggressive, within my abilities and the course, so I didn’t look over the aid station table to survey their goodies. I did notice that all volunteers were masked (and probably gloved, at least for food handling, Covid), and they offered water and electrolyte drink. Brazen uses Ultima Replenisher. What the station had was probably raspberry flavored, based on the color and the odor I noticed while passing through (one of Ultima’s better flavors, IMO).

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The Bad Bass bibs had distance color-coded stripes at the top and bottom, yellow for 5K, blue for 10K, and orange for half marathon. The race name and logo (see below) and year were in the top stripe. The bib number and runner’s name were in the middle white stripe, and Brazen Racing’s logo was in the bottom stripe.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). I didn’t upgrade, but the tech and poly-cotton shirts were both olive green. The front features the race logo and name, with the year and distances. The logo has a grinning fish in sunglasses, a Brazen T-shirt, a black leather jacket (he’s a BAD bass!), and a green/blue plaid kilt (don’t ask, I don’t know). The back is plain, and the Brazen Racing logo is on the right sleeve. All in all, a very nice shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is similar to the T-shirt artwork. The ribbon is glossy black, with the race name, year, and distances. It’ll display nicely! I was also third in my age group (I hope they found all those guys I knee-capped, 😉 ). The age group medallion has a fish with sharp teeth, the race name across the top, and “Age Group Winner” below the fish, all in the traditional gold, silver, and bronze coloring. The third place ribbon is glossy brown plaid, has the race name, and the place info.

Finish & Recovery Area: I didn’t explore the recovery area very much, but there were multiple flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches (a Brazen tradition), lots of packaged goodies (Covid), and a good number of picnic tables, some shaded, to sit at. What’s not to like?

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Though I’ve done Brazen events at this park before, I had never done Bad Bass, and had never done the 5K. I had a particular finish time goal for either Bad Bass or next weekend’s 5K. I didn’t reach that goal, even when adjusted for the slightly long distance, but given the rolling ups and downs of the course, I’m happy with my finish time.

Like I said above, Bad Bass is a Brazen Racing event, and I’ve been a fan of their race experience for nearly 8 years. I’m trying to work back to being able to do courses with challenging hills and longer distances, so I hope to be back at this and other Brazen Lake Chabot events. Doing Brazen’s Quarry Turkey half marathon is my next big Brazen goal.

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Event & Course Description: The Stars and Strides 5K and 10K is run in central San Jose, benefiting the Valley Medical Center Foundation. The start and finish were near the … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Stars and Strides 5K and 10K is run in central San Jose, benefiting the Valley Medical Center Foundation. The start and finish were near the Discovery Meadow Park, near the Children’s Discovery Museum. The 5K course does a sort of squared figure-8 using First, Second, and Reed Streets (going under I-280 three times), and then does a sort of dogleg loop that returns to the finish area using First Street (going under I-280 again). The 10K basically does this twice.

My preference is trail run scenery, so keep that in mind with what follows. The course goes through, mostly, older business and residential areas, some possibly a century old. The buildings and residence range from vacant storefronts to open businesses, plus mostly nice multi-story residence. Not my favorite scenery, but still more interesting than the homogeneity of some suburban courses I’ve done. One thing I appreciated was that this course did not use the parts of central San Jose used by events such as the Rock-n-Roll San Jose Half.

Organization & Production: It may be because this is a charity event, and possibly because it is the first running (and also post-Covid-shut-down), but some basic information about the event was posted to the event’s website fairly late. The email contact person was helpful and responded quickly. If the event is done again next year I think the information will be more complete, earlier, and the event may also be more publicized.

The start was in three corrals, divided by estimated pace, 10K and 5K runners together, starting 5 minutes apart. Unfortunately, the intro speakers went long, so the first start was 10 minutes late, with 4 minute separation for subsequent corrals. The delay wasn’t huge, but a bit irritating for some who had been standing around for up to half an hour, raring to go.

Bib: The bib has the race logo (see description below), the distance, and the charity name on a white stripe at the top. The middle is the bib number on a wide, distance color-coded stripe (the distance in the top is the same color), green for the 5K distance I did. The stripe on 10K bibs was blue. There is a narrow white stripe across the bottom with the logo of the sponsor of the particular distance.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt is tech type, light grey. The front has the race logo, the race name in red, blue, and green, the distances and two runners in black, and the charity name across the bottom in blue. For my tastes it’s neither spectacular nor meh, though for a smallish charity race it is quite nice. The event sponsors are on the back in black.

Finisher’s Medal: There was no finisher’s medal. It’s a charity event, so I’m fine with that. It should be noted that a nice medal could attract more runners. On the other hand medals are an expense. So charity event organizers have to weigh the attraction vs. the expense and the net benefit to the charity in making the choice.

Finish & Recovery Area: Discovery Meadow was spacious, even for the almost 700 participants plus family and friends, plus volunteers and booth people. Unfortunately, the recovery snacks were limited to GoGo Squeeze packets, a bag of pretzels, and Hint water, plus the bottles of water given out near the finish arch. Kind of disappointing, but definitely Covid-impacted, and maybe a bit more more I’ll touch on below.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: My finish time was about a minute faster than a 5K I did 3 weeks ago, so I’m pretty happy with it. There is definitely room for improvement, organizationally (fewer politician speakers, with trap doors where they stand would be good, 😉 ). However, this was the first running of an event that was originally planned to be done on July 4. Thank you, SARS-CoV-2 virus, thbbbbbbbbt! This had to have impacted what planning could be done, and what kinds of recovery snacks could be available.

Under all those circumstances, I think it was a good first effort, and it will be among my possibilities for July 4, 2022.

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing's “Breeze” events – this one was Summer Breeze – start and finish in Marina Park in San Leandro, and are, mostly, an out-and-back on … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing’s “Breeze” events – this one was Summer Breeze – start and finish in Marina Park in San Leandro, and are, mostly, an out-and-back on the Bay Trail. The one partial exception is the 5K course, 1 mile of which loops around Faro Point, which forms the Small Boat Lagoon near the park (also home to hundreds of squirrels!). This year, for the first time, I did the 5K distance. The other distances are 10K and half marathon.

Organization & Production: This was Brazen’s first event after the Bay Area’s 15+ month Covid shutdown. I didn’t notice some of the aid station and recovery area details, but the only change to normal Brazen excellence were in snacks and food types and handling. Foods were all packaged, and handling was by gloved volunteers. Registering and check-in were all smoothly done, as usual.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. Bibs are usually distance color-coded. There is artwork in the background (often shared with the race T-shirt) with, running from top to bottom, the race name and date, bib number and runner’s name, and Brazen Racing’s logo. My bib for the 5K had golden stripes at the top and bottom, was personalized, and had a shadowy flowered pattern in the background.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7), which I did. My tech tee is white, with the race name in gold-bordered blue letters and the date above and below. The distances are in a dark pink ring around the name, and the ring is bordered with flowers in ombre rainbow pattern colors. The left sleeve has the Brazen logo and a flower in blue. The back is plain, no race sponsor logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is about the size of the palm of my hand. It features a muscular Neptune surfing on two dolphins, trident in his left hand and a water bottle in his right hand. His red “muscle shirt” has a Brazen Racing bib and he’s wearing golden shorts. To his right, vertically, is the year in yellow, and to his left the race name in orange and the distances in light blue. Across the bottom corner in yellow script is “We’re back!”

Finish & Recovery Area: As noted above, I didn’t notice much about the one aid station I passed, except that the volunteers handing out water and/or electrolyte drink wore gloves. In the recovery area there was a line with guide ropes for the snacks, and the coolers for the It’s Its ice cream sandwiches were a few yards away. The variety of snacks was a bit less, by Brazen standards, because it all had to be packaged. Obviously, there was no cut up fruit, courtesy of Covid. Other than the lack of fruit, I doubt anyone unfamiliar with what Brazen did pre-Covid would have been disappointed. And the It’s Its, being packaged, were “back”, in four or six (I forget) ice cream flavors. I was not disappointed!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was, for me, post-Covid in two respects (not that the virus has disappeared or is unserious). It was my first in-person event since February 2020. And while I have done similar distances on trails near me and on treadmills at the gym, it was also my first event since having had Covid in January. I was fairly aggressive, by my capabilities, and am very happy with my sub-53 minute finish time.

As for the event … Brazen! Is! Back!!!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: My course description from 2016 is pretty good. The name, “408K” refers to the original area code for San Jose, “408”, and to the 8K distance. … MORE

Event & Course Description: My course description from 2016 is pretty good. The name, “408K” refers to the original area code for San Jose, “408”, and to the 8K distance. The section of the course that wends through the Rose Garden neighborhood is pretty pleasant, mostly pre-WW2 homes I think. There is a 180-degree hairpin turn during the 4th mile, something many runners find irritating. The final mile is called the “Mariachi Mile”, and there were six mariachi bands spaced through the mile (which otherwise is not very scenic).

Organization & Production: Run Local (formerly called Represent Running) has been organizing the 408K for several years. Run Local organizes races to benefit various charities, and the 408K was begun, even before Run Local became the organizer, as a benefit for the Pat Tillman Foundation.

There were 3 starting waves, divided according to runners’ estimated pace (part of registration). The course was well laid out and marshaled by volunteers and San Jose PD. The two aid stations were water-only, well staffed, and positioned in miles 3 and 4. There was a large-ish refreshments and recovery area, but I didn’t explore it. A decent goodie bag was given finishing runners in the finishing chute, just after receiving finisher’s medals. All in all, the 408K is a well organized medium-large running event

Bib: The bib has a white background, with the bib number and runner’s name in the center and bottom. These are color-coded for the starting wave. At the top left is the Amazon.com “smile” logo, and at the top right the 408K logo. Toward the bottom corners are light silhouettes representing the San Jose Sharks hockey team and the San Jose State Spartans

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is teal blue (San Jose Sharks) tech type, with sponsors’ logos and date on the back. The front has custom artwork that includes “San Jose”, the San Jose State Spartans’ and Sharks’ mascots/logos, and at the bottom, the race logo. It’s a very nice race Tee!

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is basically the same as the T-shirt artwork. The ribbon is white, with the race logo and “2020” along it. My description doesn’t do it justice!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I had two “objects” in doing the 408K this year. It was a, “Can I still do this?” for me, and my daughter did the race “with” me (she finished half an hour ahead of me). She lives in China, so it was a special part of her visit home. I was very happy with my finish time. The 408K is a very well organized event and I will consider doing it again next year.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Event & Course Description: The Resolution Run is a 10K and 5K event that benefits Kiwanis run on New Year's day. I did the 5K (like I did last year). … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Resolution Run is a 10K and 5K event that benefits Kiwanis run on New Year’s day. I did the 5K (like I did last year). The start and finish was in a large open field. All runners cross about 3/4 of that field, follow a trail that parallels Stevens Creek, and then turn to run along side a marsh. The trail curves around a slough. About 2/3 around the slough 5K runners turn left, while 10K runners continue around the slough and continue along the marsh. 5K runners go about half a miles to a turn-around, then go back around the slough and onto a trail that parallels a golf course access road. Runners are then turned onto the open field again, completing what amounts to a loop with a tail in the middle of it. Meanwhile, 10K runners continued along the mash, did a little loop with a short out-and-back leg, and then came back the way they came. Except for about a half mile at the start and finish which is packed dirt and crushed recycled street pavement, the course is paved (though there are parallel packed dirt paths along some of the trail).

Organization & Production: This race is what I call “register-and-run”. All a runner has to worry about is getting there (not hard) and running or walking their race. Information is complete, there were two pre-race packet pick-up days plus at the event. The aid station that 5K runners went through twice was water-only.

Bib: The 5K bib has a white background with the bib number in the center, the race timing company’s name across the top, and website across the bottom, all in black letters. Plain and functional.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is light lime green cotton. The front has the race logo in aqua, white, and purple, including “2020”. The back has sponsors’ logos in purple.

Finisher’s Medal: This race only had medals for over-all and age group place. Others received a “Participant” ribbon. I could have foregone the ribbon, but I suspect it didn’t cost the organizer very much. This is a charity race, so I’m good with the decision not to have finisher’s medals (though some charity races do).

Finish & Recovery Area: In the finish area there were apples, oranges, bananas, and coffee cake. There were no picnic tables or benches in which one could sit – sorely missed by me, but that’s the venue, not something the organizers could change.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: While I was over 6 minutes slower than last year, I was actually expecting a slightly slower finish time. I’m not getting younger. This is a really well done event, and the venue is not very pleasant and not used by many other events. I’ll be considering again next year.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description:The Trailblazer Race was run in Shoreline Park in Mountain View, CA and benefits Friends of the Stevens Creek Trail. Two distances were run, 10K (which I … MORE

Event & Course Description:The Trailblazer Race was run in Shoreline Park in Mountain View, CA and benefits Friends of the Stevens Creek Trail. Two distances were run, 10K (which I did) and 5K, with 530 finishers between the two distances.

Looking at the course map for the 10K, it looks like two loops with a connector between and a short out-and-back tail on the second loop. In the event, 10K runners did ~3/4 of the first loop, ran the connector, did the second loop with tail, ran the connector again, and completed the first loop. The 5K course was the first loop plus the loop connector as an out-and-back tail.

The start/finish area was a large open field designated for flying kites (being by the bay, it often is a breezy area). The course is flattish, mostly along and through the marshes along the shore, with the last mile or so alongside a golf course access path. When it comes to ocean scenery, I like rocks, cliffs, and breakers, but this course was very pleasant and serene. The surface was a mixture of crushed rock and sand and pavement (I didn’t pay attention to proportions) and was 90%-95% exposed (Hello? Jug of sunscreen?). Being early fall, weather can vary considerably, from very warm to somewhat chilly. This year was chilly (by SF Bay Area standards), in the low 50s F at start time.

Organization & Production: While there is room for some improvement, basically this was a register-and-run race. Information was complete and the course was well marked with arrows and plenty of course marshals. Access was easy, parking ample. Pre-start announcements were done by bullhorn, and being toward the back of a 200+ person pack, they were basically inaudible to me. The course markings and marshaling were such that going off course would require trying, so not hearing the instructions didn’t matter in that respect. And then at the end the announcing of age group awards was kind of disorganized, but I doubt many who won awards had the energy to be impatient. There were two water-only aid stations, well placed, with plenty of water and encouraging volunteers.

Bib: The 10K bib has a white background, with the organization and race names at the top, with the year and distance. In the middle is the bib number, and at the bottom are the logo of the organization and a sponsor. Bibs were mailed, so when I received mine I assumed all bibs were white. But when I checked in and hung out I found that 5K bibs were yellow background.

T-Shirt: Since this was a charity race, my expectations as a whole were quite moderate (I don’t say that disrespectfully). The race T-shirt is a light tan cotton Hanes Beefy-T. The front has a very large abstract drawing of a rabbit running between hills and along a creek. My words don’t do it justice, but it’s an instant favorite for me.

Finisher’s Medal: There were no finisher’s medals, which I’m fine with for a charity race (use the $$ for the important stuff!). However I caught a glimpse of an age group medal, and it looked like a VERY nice woodallion. Just to give an idea of the “crowd”, when they gave out age group medals for the 5K men over age 80, all three medals were given! Geezers rock!

Finish & Recovery Area: By the time I finished, chatted some, and waddled over to the food table, “all” there was was plenty of water (which I needed!) and a goodly quantity of cereal and granola bars, also quite welcome. I saw boxes from bananas and heard rumors of trays of coffee cake. I’m not a banana person, but having some of the latter would have been nice. But as a whole I was not disappointed. Managing supplies of goodies for a group of uncertain size and appetite is no small task. I think they did rather well.

The finish area is an open field, i.e. no picnic tables or places to sit down to rest. But that is balanced by the plenteous room for exhibitors (they had several) and tables for goodies, and plenteous parking.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was hoping for a bit better finish time, but was hindered some by some physical stuff. But I still had a decent, for me, finish time. I would not call this event spectacular, but it was very well done in just about every respect, and the trail scenery was very nice. I will definitely keep it in mind next year!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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The course description I gave for last year's running is a good one. I'll just add that of the several suburban trails I've seen doing events like this, the Los … MORE

The course description I gave for last year’s running is a good one. I’ll just add that of the several suburban trails I’ve seen doing events like this, the Los Alamitos Creek Trail could be the nicest. My one, fairly minor in the context of the whole race, criticism from last year was fixed. How it came to be, I don’t know, but this year the little loop to the finish was clearly marked. Woo hoo!

The race T-shirt is very nice, similar to last year’s except being red instead blue, still with a white inset at the sides. The finisher’s medal is a good sized disc, custom designed. It has the race logo and information in pink, light green and dark blue characters on a sky blue background – pleasantly colorful. Neither will be favorites, but that’s a reflection on the context in the SF Bay Area, not anything like a criticism or “faint praise”. The T-shirt and medal are definitely nicer than what might be expected at a charity event organized by a local running club.

OneMile4OneChild is a great family-community event. Lots of outgoing people, lots of family participation, and volunteers were EVERYWHERE (recognizable by their distinctive T-shirts). The aid stations were well-staffed and beyond. The volunteers’ T-shirts were nicer than at least one race T-shirt I’ve seen this year. The recovery area food was plentiful and varied. I REALLY appreciated the recognition given to volunteers while I was recovering.

I wasn’t going for a particularly ambitious finish time, but did better than I hoped for. All in all this was a great race experience, as good or better than some professionally organized events in which I’ve participated. My 5-Shoe rating is well-earned!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' Zoom Dynamite event was held at the park at Point Pinole. This is a really beautiful setting – once the site of an … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs’ Zoom Dynamite event was held at the park at Point Pinole. This is a really beautiful setting – once the site of an explosives manufacturer, hence the name of the race – with coast and bay views and fragrant eucalyptus groves. I’ve done events in this park on pretty much the same course 12 times now, and am not tired of the venue. The courses are mostly dirt fire roads with some double- and a little single-track trail.

Zoom Dynamite featured 3 distances, 5K, 10K, and half marathon. The 5K course was a loop, also used by the other distances. It traveled the southern coast of the point along open trail, in and out of small eucalyptus groves, crossed the tip of the point, and then went through another eucalyptus grove and down the center ridge of the point back to the start/finish area. The 5K course is has a few brief, not at all steep, hills. Just before reaching the finish area, the 10K course turned to start a loop around the other part of the Peninsula. It crossed the base of the point, out to a marsh area. It then looped through and along the marsh, and then finished using the last mile and a half of the 5K course. Half marathon runners did the 10K course twice (you won’t get bored!). All runners go along at least some coast, through eucalyptus groves, and along an open elevated spine with panoramic views of San Pablo Bay. The courses aren’t flat, but the 2 longest uphill climbs (one of which 10K runners did twice) are about a quarter or half mile each, with about 50-70 feet of climb.

There was 1 aid station. 5K runners came to it near their mile 2 and then finished. 10K runners came to it twice, the second time near their mile 4.7. Half marathon runners came to the aid station 4 times.

Organization & Production: Coastal is one of the SF Bay Areas best race organizers. The course was well marked. Coastal’s aid stations always have plenty of water and electrolyte drink, and a selection of sweet and salty snacks (usually including fruit, though I didn’t notice at this event). There were only around 200 participants in this event, so unlike Coastal’s usual practice, all runners of all distances were started at the same time.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are fairly plain, except that the background color varies with distances. Yellow was 5K, Blue was 10K, and Orange was for the half marathon. Beyond that, the bibs have Coastal’s logo and motto, and the bib number.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. My T-shirt is sort of a fluorescent chartreuse, though I also saw some that were sky blue. The front has the race name as a logo, with a cluster of dynamite at the upper left of the words, and a runner at the lower right. Below that was the race information, including the date, and on the back were the logos of the race sponsors.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medallion is of a nice size and weight disc. It has a bundle of dynamite and the race information (except the date) on a black background as the bottom half, and alternating royal blue and silver rays for the top half. The ribbon is a light salmon pink with the race logo and information and the year. I also won third place in the old goats age group. It is a disc with a banner across the bottom, and is not race-specific.Around the top rim is Coastal’s slogan, “Have fun out there”. In the center is “3rd”, with a runner above it. The banner across the bottom has Coastal’s logo, and at the bottom of the disc the logo for Coastal’s Zoom Running Events, which are not hilly and are family-oriented.

Finish & Recovery Area: I didn’t look around a lot, but Coastal’s recovery area normally has 5 gallon jugs of water and electrolyte drink, lots of salty and sweet snacks, and ice chests with bottled water, sodas, and beer. I didn’t notice or look for the latter. As I was leaving the RD was firing up the grill, though I didn’t see what he was going to cook (usually some sort of sausage). The recovery area was a good sized picnic area, with plenty of tables and shade.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: For me this was a best laid plans kind of deal. The original plan was that my wife would do the event with me, sort of capping off her recovery from foot surgery in the latter half of last year. Well, she had a problem with her other foot and was unable to do the event. One of the reasons we had chosen this event was the beautiful and varied scenery in this park. So at several points along the course we Facetimed. It was as close as we could come to her being with me and seeing what I was seeing. For that reason – going slower so my phone didn’t shake too much and stopping at several scenic points – I really wasn’t going for a great (for me) finish time. It was very enjoyable for both of us. Part of a great race experience is what you bring with you and how you “use” what you do and see.

Summing up, Coastal Trail Runs is an excellent organizer, Point Pinole is a really beautiful venue, there was a special brief run for the really young kids, and the weather is usually very pleasant and occasionally warm near the half marathon cut-off time (12:30), getting there is easy and parking is plentiful. I really don’t understand why the turn-out was so small. Anyway, great organizer, great race, I’d do Zoom Dynamite again.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Though my performance wasn't spectacular, I was encouraged by what I was able to do at Dirty Dozen to try the 10K at Bear Creek. The elevation profile – viewable … MORE

Though my performance wasn’t spectacular, I was encouraged by what I was able to do at Dirty Dozen to try the 10K at Bear Creek. The elevation profile – viewable on Brazen’s webpages for the race – is quite challenging, but the major climb is early in the race, so I thought I could take it on. Yeah, no. Like all Brazen events, Bear Creek is well organized, but I’m not up to Bear Creek 10K right now. Ah, well. My daughter was with me, and we dropped out at the first aid station, a bit more than two miles in. The aid station was well equipped with liquids, goodies, and encouraging volunteers. In other words, Brazen Racing Normal. I don’t know if I’d do Bear Creek again, but it’s not due to deficient organizing or lack of beauty along the course. I’d just have to work up to the challenge.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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No sarcasm, it really was fun. I've done Brazen's “Breeze” races – Bay Breeze in February and Summer Breeze in August – a number of times, but this was my … MORE

No sarcasm, it really was fun. I’ve done Brazen’s “Breeze” races – Bay Breeze in February and Summer Breeze in August – a number of times, but this was my first time volunteering for one. Brazen’s aid stations are always pretty varied. Water, electrolyte drink, and Coke. Several flavors of GU gel in packets. Potato chips, pretzels, Rice Krispy Treats, Payday bars, Oreos, Jelly Bellys, gummy bears, plan and peanut M & Ms, Skittles. Bananas, oranges, and watermelon.

We had a large crew, 7 I think, but it took quite a while to set it up. Our station was about a quarter of a mile before the 10K turn-around. We didn’t see 5K runners, but Summer Breeze is among Brazen’s more popular races (flattish course along the shore of the bay, usually decent weather in August … what’s not to like?!). So we were BUSY! Brazen staggers starts, so just as the less fast half marathon runners were thinning out the faster 10K runners started coming, and being somewhat close to the turn-around, we soon had 10K runners coming and going. Then the well spread out half marathon runners came … all in all, I think we went through about 9 gallons of electrolyte drink, and over 10 gallons of water.

The weather was pleasantly cool well into the morning, and even toward the end of the half marathon didn’t get super warm. One thing that was very cool was that we knew the last half marathoner who would be coming through our station on her return leg was doing her first half marathon, so we gave her a really great reception when she arrived. Later I learned that she did complete her first half!

Volunteering at aid stations can be very busy and serious (one of our tasks was to look out for runners in trouble), but it’s also lots of fun!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Most Brazen Racing events feature specific distances (usually half marathon, 10K, and 5K). Dirty Dozen mixes 12-hour and 6-hour endurance events with 10Ks and 5Ks in … MORE

Event & Course Description: Most Brazen Racing events feature specific distances (usually half marathon, 10K, and 5K). Dirty Dozen mixes 12-hour and 6-hour endurance events with 10Ks and 5Ks in the morning and afternoon. It is pretty much a dawn-to-dusk running and picnic party for runners and their families & friends. A catered barbecue lunch is included in registration for all times and distances, and can be purchased for their families and friends.

Dirty Dozen is run in Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park. It uses a 5K (actually 3.37 miles) course that loops around half of the point. 6-hour and 12-hour runners do as many laps as they can during their time (insert “loopy” joke here). 5K runners do the loop once and 10K runners do it twice. In the final hour of each endurance events a .4 mile loop is opened for those who cannot do one more full lap in their remaining time, but who want to do another mile or two.

The course is, I think, among Brazen’s more beautiful courses. It runs along the shore for a while, goes through a eucalyptus grove for a bit, runs along a cliff above the shore, then climbs (not too steep) through another eucalyptus grove to an exposed ridge with panoramic views of San Pablo Bay, and then back to the start/finish area. The weather in 2019 was mild, with a pleasant cool breeze while running along the exposed shoreline and ridge. The course is probably 30%-50% shade.

Organization & Production: Dirty Dozen is register-and-run. Participants just need to worry about getting there and back. Brazen has used this park’s trails since its very first trail run. So the course is well marked. There was one very amazing aid station – volunteers and goodies – at about the two mile point, and another equally amazing aid station in the start/finish area. Brazen’s aid stations usually have a wide range of snacks, but Dirty Dozen is over the top of at least two hills, so to speak.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. Bibs usually have some sort of distance color-coding. There is artwork in the background (often shared with the race T-shirt) with, running from top to bottom, the race name and date, bib number and runner’s name, and Brazen Racing’s logo. My 6 Hour bib is orange, except for the center stripe with my name and bib number. The artwork depicts race mascot “Clocky” stepping out of UK style police box, and to the left of that ancient Egyptian people.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. They can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). Instead of a race T-shirt, 6 and 12 hour runners receive a hooded sweatshirt, and may purchase a race T-shirt, also $7. This year I did not buy a Tee. The hoodie is zip-up and light green. The front has “DD X 2019” in white, in the middle, 2019 being the 10th running. The back, also in white, has the same artwork as the finishers medal.

Finisher’s Medal: Dirty Dozen had two different finishers medals, one for the endurance runners and another for the 10K and 5K runners. I did not see the artwork for the 10K/5K medal, but it was good sized and substantial (viewed from the back). The endurance medal is a coaster, brass colored and in a steampunk style. Around the edge of the main disc are gears and wheels. The main disk is made to look like the date setting dial of a Wellsian time machine, with 2019 selected. Around the edge of the disk is the rest of the event information. The ribbon is yellow-orange with gears in the background and the event information in black along the ribbon. It’s one of my two favorite medals since, well, Dirty Dozen 2018.

Finish & Recovery Area: The catered lunch was from a barbecue restaurant, yum! Brazen normally has a wide array of cakes, cookies, pie, and chips in its finish area, plus several varieties of It It ice cream sandwiches. I was pretty full from lunch, and didn’t look carefully (or partake), but I think what I saw was easily more than Brazen’s “ordinary”.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was my fifth year doing Dirty Dozen. Does that say enough about what I think of the event? The endurance events tell you what you can do. I was less than happy with what I learned, but it has helped me realize what I can do to improve on that. This year was special, because my daughter did the event with me which I think spurred me on a bit. Seeing Mike and Katie was really cool, too!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' Zoom Firecracker Run is based in Fremont's Quarry Lakes Park, and three distances are run, half marathon, 10k (which I did), and 5K. … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs’ Zoom Firecracker Run is based in Fremont’s Quarry Lakes Park, and three distances are run, half marathon, 10k (which I did), and 5K. The 5K did a circuit around the park. The 10K and half marathon did a partial circuit, exited to the Alameda Creek Trail and headed upstream (left) to a turn-around. The 10K reentered the park and completed their circuit of the park. The half marathon kept going downstream to where they crossed the creek and headed back upstream. They crossed another bridge, went to the park entry, and completed their circuit of the park.

The surface for the 10K course was mostly or entirely packed dirt and fine gravel, and basically flat. I’d estimate the course is 80%-90% exposed. Late June weather can be warm and sunny, and it was sunny but not too warm. Inside Quarry Lakes Park one can hardly tell one is in the middle of a city. The Alameda Creek Trail, on the other hand almost always has houses or a mobile home park on one side, and the creek on the other (with a channel that has been modified to prevent flooding and bank erosion, more practical than pretty). It’s not my favorite trail course, but it’s still more pleasant than central San Jose or a tract home residential neighborhood.

Organization & Production: Coastal does well organized races, as a whole. There were four aid stations on the overall course. 5K runners came to just one, at the point where 10K and half marathon runners reenter the park. 10K and half marathon runners came to their first aid station at the upstream turn-around. Both next came to the park reentry aid station. 10K runners turned into the park, did a short loop back to that aid station, and then on to the finish. Half marathon runners had two aid stations along their second out-and-back, one on each side of the creek. Then they went past the park reentry aid station and on to the finish.

Coastal generally marks their courses well, and I had no problem. At least a couple of runners went off course and another almost did at a point where a chalk arrow had gotten trampled a bit. I did see it, but tired people can make mistakes.. The aid stations had a couple of snacks (that I can sort of remember), water, and electrolyte chews.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are color-coded by distance, but otherwise just have the bib number and Coastal’s slogan, “Have fun out there”.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. My T-short was white, with a fireworks burst and the race information on the front, and sponsors’ logos on the back. It’s a very nice race T-shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal was the fireworks burst with the race information but no date. The ribbon is lavender colored, with “2019 Finisher” along it. It’s not quite a favorite, but it is very nice.

Finish & Recovery Area: The recovery area had bottled water and sodas, that I saw. Coastal usually has beer, but I didn’t see it. There was a good variety of snacks like chips, pretzels, and candies. After resting for a while at one of the picnic benches – it was a covered group picnic area – I had a very tasty grilled sausage in a suitable roll.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: It’s important for summer pretty much anywhere to be careful about hydration and wearing sunscreen, and I was. But I got a frustrating reminder that I don’t do well with more or less constant full sun exposure. Ah, well, I’ll learn and hopefully do better.

Looking over my medals from this year, Zoom Firecracker was my first Coastal event for 2019. That is a schedule thingy, not a reflection on Coastal Trail Runs. Coastal does excellent events and respects budgets without skimping. I know I’ll do more Coastal events this year, and already have one planned.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
2
SWAG
5

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I've done several Raves about Brazen's Western Pacific, so this Rave is going to be about a few things new to me. I was an aid station volunteer (4th time … MORE

I’ve done several Raves about Brazen’s Western Pacific, so this Rave is going to be about a few things new to me. I was an aid station volunteer (4th time at WP, I think), and was posted to an aid station that only saw Marathon runners.

A quick description of the marathon course would be that it circles half way around Quarry Lakes Park, heads toward San Francisco Bay along the Alameda Creek Trail for the first out-and-back leg, passes the park, follows the trail upstream for the second out-and-back leg, and then returns to the park to complete the circuit around the park. While some of the marathon course is common to the half marathon, 10K, and 5K, about half the first out-and-back leg and the second out-and-back leg are run by the marathoners only.

I was posted at the aid station at the turn-around for the first leg. Our station was about four miles distant from the previous aid station, and at the very end of a levee that juts into the bay. Two or three yards past our station was water! Thus, we – and more importantly, the runners – had a panoramic view of that part of the bay, from the Dumbarton Bridge to the San Mateo Bridge. Across the water from us we could see Redwood City and a city or two north and south of RWC. I’m not a BIG fan of marsh land, but the trail from the previous aid station to us had marshes on both sides of the trail, with Alameda creek on one side. After a certain point we started seeing driftwood washed inland from the creek by storm and tide. Along with the various bushes along the way, it really was quite pretty.

Our aid station was near the half way point in the marathon, so we had lots of water and Ultima electrolyte drink. We also had Coca Cola for those who wanted it. For fruit we had bananas, watermelon, and oranges (the “Holy Trinity” of running events), cut of for easy handling and consumption. We had chips and pretzels, cut up Payday bars and Rice Krispie Treats, trail mix, several varieties of candies – lots of salt and sugar for sweating runners expending calories. As we told one lady who was doing her first Brazen race, that was typical for a Brazen aid station. We also had ice for a bucket of cold water with a sponge to cool off runners, and to add to our water and electrolyte drink containers and to add to runners’ water bottles.

As mentioned above, this was my 4th time volunteering at Western Pacific, and I don’t know how many times I’ve volunteered for Brazen Races. So all in all I’d do Western Pacific again, maybe even some day as a runner.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The Airport Runway Run is held at and benefits the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, CA. Three distances were run, 10K (which I did), 5K, … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Airport Runway Run is held at and benefits the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos, CA. Three distances were run, 10K (which I did), 5K, and 2K. The 2K was basically an elongated loop that ran the length of the airport runway and came back to the finish through the taxi area for the hangars. The 5K and 10K were out-and-back. Both courses ran the length of the airport runway and then along a frontage road to a trail that has marshland on the bay side, and US 101 on the other (but with more than 10 yards between the trail and freeway). At about the 2 mile point, the 10K turned toward and into the marshes. The 5K turn-around was at about the 2/3 point of the 10K course’s part of the trail along US101. The 10K followed a trail along a levee, basically doubling back the way runners had come, and after about a half mile turned toward the bay for a quarter of a mile to the turn-around point. On the return leg both 5K and 10K runners returned to the start by the frontage road, past the front of the museum rather than back onto the runway.

It wasn’t the most scenic of course, but there was some “cool” to doing the length of the runway, and one could always look toward the marsh rather than US101 traffic (traffic noise wasn’t too bad).The 5K course was entirely paved. The 10K course was about 2/3 paved, with the trail along the marsh levees being packed dirt and fine gravel.

Organization & Production: The race is register-and-run, with complete information in the race webpages. There were two water-only aid stations, one at about the 1 1/4 mile point, and the second (10K only) just after the 2 mile point. The 5K turn-around was well marked with a nice big sign, and there were high-fiving course monitors at the 10K turn-around. The aid station near the 2 mile point was still handing out water when the last 10K runner (me) went through on the return leg (more friendly volunteers!), but the first aid station was not (with just ~3/4 mile left to the finish). The race was professionally timed.

Bib: The bib has a white background, with a blue stripe near the top and the bib number in black numerals below that. At the center of the blue stripe is the race logo, a runner running on a lighter blue stripe with the race name along the stripe. In an arc above the runner is the museum name, There’s a very light blue cloud behind the runner, and along the bottom of the logo are the distances and a biplane silhouette in maroon. To the left of the race logo is the museum logo, and to the right was the distance.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is navy blue tech-type. In the front, like a pocket, is the race logo in white, and on the back are the race sponsors’ logos, also in white. There were no finisher’s medals.

Finish & Recovery Area: When I finished, the finish area was already being packed up. For recovery food I saw lots of bananas and a taco truck (not “free”). Nor was there water or anywhere to sit down. All in all, a bit of a let down.

I should add that both before and after the race, participants had free entry into the the museum, which was interesting and very nice, especially cool for younger folk.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was pretty happy with my finish time, and it was 2 or 3 minutes longer than it might have been. I had noticed a possibly injured runner about 100-200 yards from the first aid station during the outbound leg, and I spoke to a volunteer and the person in charge.

The finish area was a bit of a let down, and my over-all rating reflects this. The Airport Runway Run is a fairly well organized race, and benefits the museum. The race Tee was tech-type, which surprised me a little, and while not spectacularly awesome, is easily nice enough that I’ll be using it for work-outs. All in all, this is not a must-do-this-again race for me, but I will definitely keep it mind for 2020.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Cambrian Schools 5K Fun Run is done sort of school year annually. The previous running was in November, 2017, and in 2019 it was in March. … MORE

Event & Course Description: Cambrian Schools 5K Fun Run is done sort of school year annually. The previous running was in November, 2017, and in 2019 it was in March. The race benefits Cambrian School District (San Jose) schools. As best I can remember, the 2019 course was the reverse of the 2017 course. In 2019 the start and finish was at Ida Price Middle school, and the turn-around was a loop around Steindorf STEAM School.

The course is entirely on streets in the Cambrian area of San Jose. Cambrian is a Baby Boom era neighborhood, with a hill at the corner of Huh? Street and Not Here! Avenue. It’s flat. It has a good number of mature trees – decent shade – but isn’t exactly scenic. March weather is pretty variable. Race day 2019 was clear but chilly, but two days earlier there was rain, and rain is forecast for the next day.

Organization & Production: Instead of their own webpage, Cambrian gave relevant information to RaceRoster, the registration service company. It was fairly complete, though it did not include a course map, nor mention that there would be pre-race-day pick-up. The information for the latter was in the pre-race email, however, and a course map was in the bag received at packet pick-up.

The course was copiously marked with Route Arrows, orange traffic cones, and volunteers. And street intersections were blocked by San Jose PD. One would have to work really hard to go off course! There were 3 water stations. In a 5K! That seems kind of odd, but families are a BIG THING in this run! And they saw to it that staying hydrated would be easy. And then there was a fourth, unofficial, water station set up by a local Realtor at the curb in front of their personal home.

Race timing was done by South Valley Endurance. I didn’t time it, but they had my finish time posted online within an hour of my finish.

Bib: The top ~40% of the bib is a red stripe with logos of the district at the corners and the T-shirt artwork in a white diamond in the middle. The middle 50% has the bib number. In a narrow black stripe across the bottom is the url for the district’s website.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt is red cotton. The front features a turtle running ahead of a rabbit. In an arc above the turtle is “Cambrian Schools”, and in an arc below the turtle is “5K Fun Run”, with the year below it. The back has the logos for the sponsors. All the graphics are in white. It’s not a spectacular race T-shirt, but it is really nice.

Finisher’s Medal: The previous running, 2017, did not have finisher’s medals. I was fine with that, because this race benefits the district’s schools. And that is what I expected for 2019. But medals were given to finishers, a golden disc with “5K” on a red, white, and blue striped ribbon. My guess is that it was decided that because this event is an important, somewhat unique, family experience a tangible memento of the event would be nice.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area had tables with pavilions for several sponsors, and tables with bottled water, apples, pears, and Kellogg protein bars (that I can remember). The finish area was an athletic field, so there were no tables or chairs.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was a very well done basic 5K. The biggest impression I came away with was that the emphasis was on family, and LOTS of students ran the race (the first four finishers were students), many in family groups. There were also a lot of preschoolers and toddlers (the latter mostly in strollers) with their Moms and Dads. So while the neighborhood scenery was pretty bland, the family “scenery” was a lot of fun.

The race is really well done, the start/finish areas about 10 minutes’ (or less) drive, and the pre-race packet pick-up is at the district office in my neighborhood. So I’ll be watching for this 5K again next “year” (whether fall 2019 or spring 2020).

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: I suppose the Palo Alto Double 8K // Ujena 5K/10K needs a bit of explaining. A Double Road Race is a race in two parts, or … MORE

Event & Course Description: I suppose the Palo Alto Double 8K // Ujena 5K/10K needs a bit of explaining. A Double Road Race is a race in two parts, or as the creator says, a race with a halftime. This race had a Double 8K – a 5K segment, a break, and then a 3K segment – plus regular 5K and 10K distances. I did the10K. With that prefatory explanation …

The start and finish area was the Baylands Athletic Center, at the dead-end of a small street at the southwest corner of the Palo Alto Golf Course. The all courses took streets for about 2/3 of a mile to the Renzel Trail. This parallels US101 freeway for most of the 1 1/3 miles to the Bay Trail. After passing the 3K and 5K turn-arounds, the 10K course then turned onto the Adobe Creek Loop Trail, following that for about 1.1 miles, and then turning around to retrace the same route to the finish. The one, water-only, aid station was just before the 5K turn-around.

The course is entirely paved and pretty much entirely exposed. The 10K and Double 8K started in moderate-light rain, clearing up to just cloudy after 15 or 20 minutes. For most of the course there was marsh or creek on at least one side of the course. There was a not very busy frontage road between the trail and US101, so freeway noise wasn’t too distracting.

Organization & Production: In my opinion, this was a mix of things done well and less than well. The website information was easily sufficient for a person to check out the race, understand it, register, and get to the venue. Parking was reasonably easy, the lots of a nearby business park.

I arrived very early, so check-in (race day only) was easy for me. But later in the morning the check-in line was long. This was probably due to the rain, the need to keep the check-in stuff dry, and the limited cover available. There was not room to “throw” extra people at the problem. The race started ~11 minutes late, possibly because of this issue.

The race was not chip timed. Timing was from the “gun start” (air horn) to when runners are observed crossing the finish. In exchanging emails with the timing person, I also realized there was no video/camera back-up. There were pacers for the 8K Double, very nice, but their signs were not well made and I saw at least two of the signs on the ground.

The course markings were with chalk or flour, which didn’t do great with rain and being trampled. The markings could be missed (I didn’t see the “1 Mile” marking until I was on my return leg). More than a few 8K Double runners passed their turn-around at the 5K point; they probably realized they had gone too far at the “2 Mile” marking near a bridge on the trail.

The water-only aid station at the 1.5 mile point was adequate for a cool day. The volunteers seemed not to be looking for runners having trouble, as I was limping and was not asked if I was OK (which I was, “just” a calf muscle spasm). The same was true of several course monitors at about mile 2.5. They directed 10K runners, but also did not ask about my limp.

I was the last to finish (unsurprisingly). When I went through the finish chute there was no one at the timing table. I was through the chute and heading for the water table when a lady gave me my finisher’s medal. Because no one was at the timing table, my finish time was not recorded, and was not on the race “preliminary” results page. That no one was at the table also means the RD and staff did not know they had a “runner” still out on the course. They were not in contact with their volunteers, and apparently had not crossed off bib numbers as people finished. Had someone had a serious problem, this would have been unsafe.

Bib: Bibs were color-coded by distance, black background for the 10K, green for the 8K Double, and white for the 5K. The name of the race was at the top, the bib number in the middle, and a sponsor’s website url at the bottom.

T-Shirt: Oy! Description first, then commentary. The T-shirt is short-sleeved tech type, fading from dark purple at the bottom to medium purple at the top, with a subtle vine and leaf pattern in it. A really beautiful shirt! On the front, in large plain white block letters is the name of the race across the chest and the date and location near the bottom hem. On the back at the bottom and on the right sleeve are sponsors’ logos.

I’ve received my share of “Meh!” race T-shirts, but this is the first I’m seriously thinking of not wearing it outside of my house. I usually use race Tees for work-outs at the gym or on the trail, but not this one.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is oval, on the small side compared to what is currently common with other races and organizers. The size aside, it is VERY nice. There is an oval in the center with a nature scene. Around this is a yellow ring captioned “Palo Alto Open Space Nature Preserves”. Then there is a purple outer ring giving the race name, “5th Annual”, and the location. The back and outer rim are black. The ribbon is purple, with the race name on it. Were it 50%-100% larger it would have gone from very striking to pretty amazing.

Finish & Recovery Area: This organizer bills its races as road races rather than trail runs. And the long distance for this race was 10K. With that context, the recovery area food and snacks were at least average, and probably above average for this race type. As late as I was in finishing, there were plenty of bottles of water, bananas, at least a couple of varieties of bagged chips, and a couple of varieties of bagged cookies.

As noted above, the timing table was unmanned, and it took a minute or two for the person giving out finisher’s medals to come to me. There was no one handing out water, but it was at a table adjacent to the end of the finishing chute, which is common.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: As anyone who has scanned a few of my Raves will know, I tend to be on the positive side of realistic. I seldom give a negative review!

Double Road Racing (or Double Running) represents itself as a significant or major race organizer. This naturally creates certain expectations. This was my first event with them, and I was disappointed. Some things were done well. A runner will have no problems getting to and starting the race, and the course maps are fine. The finisher’s medal is really nice, and the recovery area food was better than I expected.

As I’ve noted, the course marking and marshaling, in my opinion, needed improving. Especially stationing a course marshal at the 5K turn-around. Given the potential for wet weather, signs marking miles and turn-arounds would also have been better.

The biggest problem had to do with timing. Nothing is perfect, not RFID, not human observer-timers, not video/cameras. Going manual-only has at least two vulnerabilities. Larger bunches of finishers can overwhelm the observers. And the timing people need to know, toward the end of a race, how many participants are still out on the course.

DRR failed to use finisher check-off to know there was someone (me) still out on the course. Nor did they have their volunteers report on this. This resulted in the last timekeeper leaving the table before I was finished. And with no video/camera back-up, I know the finish time for me in their results was derived from my own, +/- 1 minute, tired guess. My email exchange with the person in charge of timing was less than satisfactory (I’ll just say that I was not stupid or obtuse enough to demand an accurate finish time I knew they could not have, and not elaborate further). And as noted above, not knowing someone was still on the course is a potential safety issue.

I said enough above about the race Tee.

This race is close to my home, perhaps a half hour drive. Despite that convenience, I probably will not do this or any other DRR races.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
2
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing's Victory starts and finishes at the Craneway Pavilion, where World War 2 Victory Ships were built. All distances go onto the SF Bay Trail … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing’s Victory starts and finishes at the Craneway Pavilion, where World War 2 Victory Ships were built. All distances go onto the SF Bay Trail , heading generally south and running along the marina at Richmond Marina Bay. 5K runners run about half way around the Bay, do a loop around Marina Park, and return to the finish. 10K (which I’ll be doing) and half marathon runners complete the circuit around Richmond Marina Bay and follow the trail south along San Francisco Bay, turning around at different points. The return is mostly the same route, except a different trail is taken into Marina Park to do a 3/4 circuit of the park before heading to the finish.

The scenery is varied and pleasant. The circuit around Marina Bay has views of the many boats berthed in the bay, and occasionally one that is maneuvering to head out into San Francisco Bay. After Marina Bay runners have San Francisco Bay on one side and views of the nearby hills on the other.

The weather can vary, year to year, so runners need to check forecast and be prepared. Victory 2019 was chilly (someone was prepared and wore a long-sleeved shirt, unlike two weeks ago), with lots of hazy sunshine. The course is pretty much entirely exposed, so depending on apparel sunscreen can be necessary.

Organization & Production: Except for three key junctions, the course is easily followed. Brazen always marks courses well, and the three aid stations are positioned at the junctions, so runners can get directions from the aid station volunteers. 5K runners come to the first aid station twice. 10K runners go through two aid station twice each. For half marathon runners there is some distance between the second and third aid stations, and they go though the third aid station twice. Brazen aid stations are always well stocked with liquids, snacks and cheery encouraging volunteers.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. Bibs usually have some sort of distance color-coding (having done the 10K, my bib’s background color was blue). There is artwork in the background (often shared with the race T-shirt) with, running from top to bottom, the race name and date, bib number and runner’s name, and Brazen Racing’s logo. The background of the bib for Victory had a hand making the “V for Victory” sign, with sun rays behind it.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). The tech Tee for Victory 2019 is dark blue. The front has the hand making the “V for Victory” sign, with sun rays behind it in light gray, red, and white. The race name, distances and location are below the hand. The back has a Victory Ship with the race information along the side, and the logos of sponsors and Brazen Racing below it.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion shows the fantail of a Victory Ship with the race information on the hull, and the propeller is a spinner. The ribbon has multiple dark blue and white stripes along its length, the name of the race and date in red outlined white letters, and the distances in red letters.

For those who did both the Bay Breeze race and Victory, there is a special connector medal. The medallion interlocks with the two finisher’s medals to form a “mega-medal. The medallion has a white and red lighthouse with “B2V Double” on its side, and a white banner with “Finisher”. At the bottom are a compass rose and anchor.

Finish & Recovery Area: I was too tired to hit the recovery goodies very hard. Brazen typically has a wide variety of fruit, chips, cakes, cookies, and candies to replenish calories and electrolytes burned. I grabbed a Chips It ice cream sandwich, chatted for a bit and headed home.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: The weather was near-perfect, and I worked for it, so I’m pretty happy with my finish time, not as THE goal but as progress and improvement.

Brazen Racing is a well-oiled machine when it come to organizing races, with lots of great people (runners, volunteers, and employees) and interesting venues. I’ll be back for more Brazen races and will consider doing Victory in 2020.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing's Bay Breeze starts and finishes in Marina Park in San Leandro, with half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances. I did the 10KI, but have … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing’s Bay Breeze starts and finishes in Marina Park in San Leandro, with half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances. I did the 10KI, but have also done the half marathon in the past. For 10K and half runners the course is easily described: head south on the Bay Trail and turn around at the designated point to head back to the finish. The 5K course adds a ~1mile loop around a small peninsula which the other distances do not do. The half marathon course is about half paved, half packed dirt and crushed gravel. The 10K course is about 2/3 paved. Much of the paved trail has shoulders of packed dirt and gravel. The course is basically flat.

One side of the course is almost always the bay. The inland side is mostly marshes, with about a quarter of a mile going past a housing complex. There are a couple of bridges along the course. Personally I’m more inclined to rocks, cliffs and breakers for sea views, but the views along the Bay Breeze course are very peaceful, and may include views of the bridges crossing to the San Francisco Peninsula (weather allowing).

Over several years, the weather for Bay Breeze has varied from sunny and relatively warm to very light rain and somewhat windy. There is basically no shade on the course. 2019’s running saw light rain for the half marathon starts, and very chilly wind. The rain had stopped when 10K and 5K runners started (guess who checked the weather forecast for rain, but not the temperature forecast … and wore a short-sleeve Tee!). Outbound, the wind was almost directly in runners’ faces. I noticed it less inbound but can’t say whether it had lessened or was less annoying coming at my back.

Organization & Production: Bay Breeze is one of Brazen’s most popular races, with over 1300 finishers of the three distances in 2019. The three distances have separate starts, with a “Hikers” start an hour before the regular half marathon start. This is for slower runners who want the extra time, and is also used by runners who want an earlier finish. Hikers are not eligible for age group or overall awards. The course for Bay Breeze is very simple, out and back. But Brazen marks its courses well, has course marshals at key points (not many for Bay Breeze), and has “Mile #” signs for each distance along the course.

Brazen’s aid stations offer a wide variety of liquids and snacks. Water and electrolyte drink are always provided, and Coke and ginger ale are also usually available. Snacks include a wide variety of candies, Payday and Rice Krispie Treat candy bars, cut up bananas and oranges, Oreo cookies, chips, and pretzels. That I can remember. If this sounds pretty much identical to my past Raves’ descriptions of aid stations, that’s because Brazen is VERY consistent. The goodies are great, but for me the best part of Brazen aid stations is the very cheery and encouraging volunteers. There is always one or two experienced aid station workers at each station, so things are generally well organized, allowing the volunteers to encourage and cheer on runners while keeping the goodies flowing.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. Bibs usually have some sort of distance color-coding. There is artwork in the background (often shared with the race T-shirt) with, running from top to bottom, the race name and date, bib number and runner’s name, and Brazen Racing’s logo. The background artwork for Bay Breeze 2019 was an octopus playing guitar to serenade his love (Valentine’s Day meets sea creature!).

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7), which I did.

The tech type race T-shirt for Bay Breeze 2019 was RED (as it has been for several years) and long-sleeved. The front has the serenading octopus-of-love and guitar. The back features the artwork of a previous year, the octopus holding a bouquet of red roses for his love. The back also has sponsors’ and Brazen’s logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is a large red heart with the guitar-playing octopus-of-love in front of it, and the race information at its bottom left. The ribbon has multiple red an white stripes, with the race information in blue outlined white and blue hearts running along the length of the ribbon.

Finish & Recovery Area: Not only did it rain lightly and briefly on race day morning, it also had rained on several days the previous week. The start/finish area is all grass, except the ground was saturated, which resulted in the lanes into and from the arch being churned into mud. I saw a couple of people on Facebook who mentioned slipping and falling just after finishing, which I came close to doing. Not dangerous, just part of “rain or shine”.

Brazen does not skimp on recovery area food – candies, cookies, cakes, chips, and cut up fruit, probably 3X the variety offered at aid stations. Brazen’s “signature” finish area snack is several flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches. I usually go for the mint ice cream, and occasionally strawberry. It’s It recently introduced a “Chips It” sandwich, which uses chocolate chip cookies instead of oatmeal cookies. The Chips It is also not coated with chocolate. I tried and liked the Chips It.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Brazen is one of the best race organizers in the SF Bay Area, always an excellent race experience (I’ve done 38 Brazen races in the past 5 years, so I’ll make that generalization!). Bay Breeze 2019 was all that. Bay Breeze is the first of a two-race series, and those who do the second race two weeks later, Victory, receive a connector medal that combines the two finisher’s medals into one really large “mega-medal”. I’ll be doing Victory, and doing Summer Breeze (same courses as Bay Breeze) is a possibility.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coyote Hills (CH) is organized by Brazen Racing and three distances are run, half marathon, 10K (which I did), and 5K. The race is creatively named … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coyote Hills (CH) is organized by Brazen Racing and three distances are run, half marathon, 10K (which I did), and 5K. The race is creatively named for its venue, Coyote Hills Park. All three distances do a loop around the hills. The 10K adds an out-and-back leg, branching off at about the 7/8 point in the loop. The half marathon does the 10K course twice, except for a .1-.2 mile segment through the hills behind the start/finish area that is unique to the half marathon course.

On starting, all runners go through the dirt parking area that is the start/finish area and onto paved access road for about a tenth of a mile. Runners then turn onto a trail that uses a boardwalk through a marsh and leave the marsh on paved trail. The course goes through some low hills and onto a trail that goes along the edge of the bay. After about a mile and a quarter, 5K runners split off to the left and go through a gap in the hills to the finish. 10K and half marathon runners, however, continue along the bay on packed dirt trail for another mile and a half or so, turn around, and head back to the split. At that point 10K runners use the same gap in the hills 5K runners used to go to the finish. Half marathon runners climb up into the hills, going behind the start/finish area, to start their second time around the course. When half marathoners are near the finish, they again climb into the hills, but turn onto a foot path to get to the start/finish area. The 10K and half marathon course is about half boardwalk and paved, half dirt trail. The 5K course is entirely boardwalk and paved.

Organization & Production: Brazen races are register-and-run. Information on the race webpage is very complete, course markings and marshals make it difficult to go off course, and aid stations are well stocked with water, electrolyte drink and a good variety of snacks, for even the slowest runner. Brazen is very consistent, race to race to … . One thing that sets CH apart from other Brazen races is that parking is so limited that Brazen has arranged for offsite parking and shuttle buses to and from the start/finish area.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The CH bib has distance color-coded race name, runner’s name, distance, and bib number. The race date is under the race name. Brazen Racing’s logo is in the bottom left corner. The background looks like a starry night sky with a steampunk robot coyote constellation.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). The 2019 CH tech type Tee is dark blue and long-sleeved. Brazen usually has really nice T-shirt artwork, usually so good that picking a favorite comes down to personal taste rather than good vs. so-so.

For quite a few years Coyote Hills Tees have been outstanding among excellent for my tastes, and 2019 was up to that standard. The front looks like a string art coyote head, face-on. The coloring of the string art fades from yellow to aqua blue. The back features a winged robotic coyote leg in white, with the name of the race and year on a light blue banner zig-zagged behind it. Just below the paw is the date in white, and below that the distances in light blue. Below the distances, in white, are the sponsors’ logos and Brazen’s logo.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is the same artwork as the back of the T-shirt, a winged robotic coyote leg in silver, with white background and a yellow banner with the race name and information. The Ribbon is black, with dark gray machinery wheels (Hello, steampunk!). Along the ribbon are the race name and date in orange, and the distances in white.

Finish & Recovery Area: As runners finished, they received their finisher’s medal and a little farther along someone was handing out bottled water. There was a sort of chute that funneled runners into an area with vendors’ pavilions, a massage pavilion, and several tables with goodies. Brazen’s “signature” recovery snack is It’s It ice cream sandwiches in several flavors of ice cream. I seldom pass up on having one, but I wasn’t sure it would be OK with my stomach. Anyway, Brazen recovery areas offer a wide variety of cakes, cookies, fruit, and more.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Coyote Hills was my first Brazen race, five years ago. Other than incremental improvements in things like race Tees and finisher’s medals, Brazen has remained consistent in the many things that make for a register-and-run race and an excellent race experience. A Brazen race is like a ginormous (more than 1100 finishers in the three distances at CH, one of Brazen’s larger events) family reunion picnic. Whether Brazen employees, volunteers, or the runners, everyone makes for a great atmosphere! My next two races are also Brazen races, so I’ll probably run or volunteer at Coyote Hills again.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: As the name suggests, the Kiwanis Resolution Run benefits a Kiwanis service club and through it, the charities it supports. The run has 10K and 5K … MORE

Event & Course Description: As the name suggests, the Kiwanis Resolution Run benefits a Kiwanis service club and through it, the charities it supports. The run has 10K and 5K distances, is run on January 1st, and is run in Mountain View’s Shoreline park. I ran the 5K.

The start and finish was in a large open field. All runners cross about 3/4 of that field, follow a trail that parallels Stevens Creek, and then turn to run along side a marsh. The trail curves around a slough. About 2/3 around the slough 5K runners turn left, while 10K runners continue around the slough and continue along the marsh. 5K runners go about half a miles to a turn-around, then go back around the slough and onto a trail that parallels a golf course access road. Runners are then turned onto the open field again, completing what amounts to a loop with a tail in the middle of it. Meanwhile, 10K runners continued along the mash, did a little loop with a short out-and-back leg, and then came back the way they came. Except for perhaps a half mile at the start and finish which is packed dirt and crushed recycled street pavement, the course is paved (though there are parallel packed dirt paths along some of the trail).

January in the SF Bay Area is not cold like in most of the US, but it is the coldest part of the year. In 2019, skies were clear, temperatures during the run were in the 40s F, and it was very breezy.

Organization & Production: This was a basic well done charity run – register-and-run, as I like to call it. The information on the website was complete and registration easy. There are maps for both distances on the site. Pre-race and race day packet pick-up were done (also race day registration). Probably the one unusual point was that the start times were 10:00 for the 10K and 10:15 for the 5K – allowing for people who had been festive the previous night.

The course was well marked with cones and with course marshals at key points, and there were mile markers. 5K runners passed an aid station at about the 1.7 or 1.8 mile point, though it was on the other side of the trail, and then came back to it, at about the 2.2 or 2.3 mile point. It was water only and well stocked.

Bib: The bib is plain white, with the bib number in red in the middle, and the race timer’s website at the bottom in blue.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is dark sky blue cotton-polyester blend. The front has the race logo (yellow is the main color), basically a large circle. Around the outside of the circle are the race name, location, and distances. Below the logo are the year and the name of the specific Kiwanis Club. As usual race sponsors’ logos are on the back of the shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: There was no finisher’s medal. Instead finishers received a blue ribbon with the race logo, name, and date. There were medals for the top over-all finishers and for age group top three.

Finish & Recovery Area: I guess the finish area could be called “no frills”. There were no places to sit, but that’s due to the area of the park used for the race. There were tables where finishers could grab bottles of water. At several more tables there were cut up apples and bananas, sliced blueberry coffee cake, and cut up brownies. As “no frills” goes, it was pretty nice.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: My results were about what I had hoped for, though I probably was held back by 10 or 20 seconds by the bottleneck at the starting arch. In an odd way, nothing exactly stood out to me about the race. The organization was tight, the volunteers helpful the course well managed, the marsh and slough scenery pleasant. The race is definitely family-friendly. I saw one 4YO young lady doing her first 5K, and I saw family groups that had 3 or 4 generations represented (Can you say “Octogenarian”? I knew you could.). The Kiwanis Resolution Run is a really nice community run. Being well done and close to me, I will definitely considerate doing it in 2020 and beyond.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Campbell’s Oktoberfest 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk starts and finishes in Campbell Park near downtown Campbell, with the Los Gatos Creek Trail as a course. The … MORE

Event & Course Description: Campbell’s Oktoberfest 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk starts and finishes in Campbell Park near downtown Campbell, with the Los Gatos Creek Trail as a course. The race is, as the name suggests, part of downtown Campbell’s Oktoberfest celebration as well as benefiting Campbell’s Parks & Rec Department. The 10K course, which I did, is an out-and-back with a ~1 1/4 mile loop added to the return leg. The 5K is an out-and-back.

Both distances started from the same point, 10 minutes apart. Just before going under San Tomas Expressway (STE), 5K runners crossed Los Gatos Creek on a bridge, returned toward the start (but on the other side of the creek), and crossed the creek again to run into Campbell Park. 10K runners kept going, under STE, past Los Gatos Creek Park, turning around just before reaching the Highway 85 freeway. About a third of the way back runners crossed the creek on a bridge, did a loop around a couple of ponds, and then crossed back to the trail back to the finish.

This part of the Los Gatos Creek Trail is almost all paved, wide enough and marked for two-way traffic, and close to flat. The weather in 2019 was near perfect, cool without being cold and mostly overcast. The 10K course is about 40%-50% shade.

Organization & Production: This event is what I call register-and-run. The website information is basically complete, registration is easy, and parking is readily available. A runner just needs to “worry” about getting there and doing their race. The course was well marked with orange arrows plus course marshals at a couple of key turns. There were two water-only aid stations, one about midway in the 5K course and another at the 10K turn-around. 10K runners would go through the first aid station twice. I was the last 10K finisher, and that aid station had no volunteers present when I passed it, though there was plenty of water.

Bib: The top of the bib is white, with the race logo in the left corner and the distance to the right. The middle has the bib number on a color-coded stripe, green for 10K and orange for 5K. Across the bottom is a narrow white stripe with the Campbell Parks & Rec Department url.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is olive green poly-cotton blend, very comfortable. The front has what looks like a running shoe footprint in white, though it has runners, a tree, and a wheat stalk worked into it. Toward the top of the shoe is the year in white and the name of the race in orange. Toward the bottom is a water tower, a symbol of the City of Campbell. On the back in white are sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: Because of the Oktoberfest theme and festival nearby, adult finishers over age 21 received off-white ceramic beer steins. One side of the stein has the race logo, which includes the race name, runners, a tree (“The Orchard City” is the city’s nickname), and a water tower. On the other side is a guy with a head like the water tower wearing lederhosen with a stein of beer in one hand, and on the other arm carrying all sorts of edibles (including wurst!).

Children and adults under age 21 received a medal. The medallion is off-the-shelf, fairly simple, and black. In the center is a custom-printed sticker with the race logo on a brown background and surrounded by leaves in fall colors. I’m spoiled and tend to dislike this kind of finisher’s medal, but the black medallion makes the very colorful sticker the “star”, and the overall effect is very nice. The ribbon has a black and an orange stripe along its length.

Finish & Recovery Area: By the time I finished, just under two hours, the finish area was mostly packed up and some exhibitors were gone already. There was plenty of water available and helpful volunteers (I received two steins and a finisher’s medal, which was a bit of consolation as well as a convenience to the race people – less stuff to pack up). The finish area was a set of basketball courts, but there were places people could sit down to rest if they wanted.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was OK with my finish time, possibly a bit better than I deserved. I was a bit concerned that the volunteers were no longer at the last aid station when I passed through. It suggested that no one was keeping track of whether any runners were still on the course, a possible safety issue. However it was located at a park, where the volunteers and other people might have been nearby (I did go by a family who were there to use the dog park). Other than that concern, this was a very well organized family oriented event. Would I do this even again? I did it before in 2015 and the parking area I used was 5-10 minutes from my home. I certainly would consider it in the future, and the City of Campbell has a Valentines Day themed event in February that I also consider when I plan out what races I do.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Brazen Racing’s Almost New Year’s Eve starts and finishes in Fremont’s Quarry Lakes Park. I did the half marathon in 2017, and my description in my Rave of the course … MORE

Brazen Racing’s Almost New Year’s Eve starts and finishes in Fremont’s Quarry Lakes Park. I did the half marathon in 2017, and my description in my Rave of the course was pretty thorough, plus or minus some punctuation oopses. In 2018 I volunteered, working at an aid station.

Our aid station was between miles 4 and 5 for runners of the half marathon, a turn-around point in an out-and-back leg. We only saw runners of that distance. We packed all our stuff at the start/finish area – tables, water, fruit, goodies. We were able to park our vehicles 20 or 30 yards from where we set up. While Brazen advises those who do the early, “Hikers” start that aid stations may or may not be fully set up, we were fully set up long before the first “Hiker” showed up.

We had the usual fluids: water (30 gallons!); electrolyte drink mix with the necessary 5 gallon jug; cans of Coke; pitchers and paper cups. For snacks we had regular and peanut M & Ms, trail mix, gummy bears, Skittles, Jelly Belly jelly beans, Rice Krispy Treats, Payday bars (the Treats and Paydays were cut up, potato chips, and peanut butter filled pretzel bites. For fruit we had cut up bananas and orange wedges. That I can remember. This is typical of a Brazen aid station.

We had a pavilion in case shade or shelter from rain was needed. It was a beautiful very cool day, so we didn’t use it.

In my opinion, “working” at an aid station hardly deserves to be called working. Several hundred pounds of water, goodies, and tables have to be brought from vehicles to the trail and set up (there were three of us sharing that work), but that takes perhaps 20 or 30 minutes. Once the runners start coming, though it becomes fun. The “Hikers” come one or two or three at a time, with the fastest of the regular-start runners mixed in with the slowest “Hikers”. We chat with them, offering liquids and goodies. This also is a safety check for whether any are having trouble. For all the serious purposes, it was a fun few seconds or couple of minutes with each runner.

Then the main pack of runners came in waves of 3s and 6s and #s, where one is continually offering water or electrolyte drink or snacks and still keeping an eye out for a runner who might be struggling. Since we were at the ~1/3 point in the half marathon course, many – especially the fastest – just did the turn-around and kept running. Others snagged a cup of water and a snack item and headed back out. Others spent a minute or two grazing and chatting. It was a slightly crazy time, handing out water (me), pouring more glasses of water and electrolyte drink, replenishing water bottles, and cutting up more fruit and candy bars, but it was FUN!

As the runners thinned out again and we knew there were only a few more, we consolidated our goodies onto one table and started packing things we knew we wouldn’t need. The course uses a public trail, so all along we offered water and such to others running or biking or walking on the trail. A few stopped and took up our offer, chatting about the race, and such. One family stopped with us for quite a while as their two pre-school-aged daughters grazed and we chatted with the parents.

Finally the “sweeper” came, assuring us that there were no more runners coming. We finished packing (we left the trail a little cleaner than it was before the race) and headed back to Quarry Lakes Park. All in all it was a very pleasant and fun 3 or 4 hours. For volunteering Brazen gives those who do a race T-shirt and credit for a “free” race.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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My original plan was to do this race as I did last, walk the half marathon distance. A nagging calf injury changed that plan for me. My Rave from last … MORE

My original plan was to do this race as I did last, walk the half marathon distance. A nagging calf injury changed that plan for me. My Rave from last year describes the courses for the several distances.

Around the beginning of November I realized I should just do what races for which I was registered, conservatively, and otherwise let my calf recuperate. I also realized that I didn’t volunteer at a race in all of 2017 or 2018 up to that point, so I registered as a volunteer, my first time with Coastal Trail Runs.

I frequently describe CTR as an excellent no-frills organizer. That’s an over-simplification, particularly in reference to aid station snacks and finish-recovery area snacks and food. I was at Aid Station 1, the first station 10K, half marathon, 30K, and marathon runners would encounter. We were located at the turn-around for the first out-and-back leg on the crossbar of the “T” course. The second aid station the longer distance runners would encounter was the one aid station through which 5K runners ran.

My partner Gary and I were dispatched to the station with a tub with the various snacks and an ice chest loaded in our vehicle. When we arrived the station was partly staged, with 2 or 3 multi-gallon jugs of water, a 5-gallon jug filled with water, and tables. So setting up was pretty quick – set out the tables and position two jugs for runners.

The tub of supplies had what we needed: pitchers, plates, bowls, and utensils; electrolyte drink mix; pretzels and potato chips; Oreo cookies; bananas and oranges; Coke and Sprite in the ice chest; Clif Bar gel packets. CTR’s aid stations commonly have trail mix and another snack item or two, but this was still much more than would be found at a large street/road race or some charity runs.

So Gary set out the snacks and cut up the fruit. I set up the water jug and the 5-gallon jug for the electrolyte drink and mixed the drink. The race was supposed to be cupless, but was had some paper cups for those who didn’t understand that. We asked them to preserve their paper cups to use again at subsequent aid stations (several marathon runners had and used the paper cups they had gotten from us the first time they came to our station).

We were well ready when the first runners showed up. From there we just served the runners what they needed (pitchers are faster than the spigots on water jugs), made sure the plates or bowls of snacks, fruit, and gel packets were replenished. And we chatted up the 30K and marathon runners the second time they came to our station to be sure they were “there”. We had, but did not need, a first aid kit, and we had the RD’s cell phone number in case we needed assistance.

The guy who was to relieve us showed up more or less on time (I wasn’t watching my watch). He handled the slower marathoners and taking the aid station stuff back to the start/finish area. The finish-recovery area snacks and food were typical of a Coastal race, a larger variety of snacks than were at aid stations, water, electrolyte drink, and sodas and craft beers in an ice chest. The RD usually grills hot food for the longer distance runners, and this time it was hot link sausages.

I did seven CTR races last year, and the finisher’s medals were all discs or rectangles – simple but elegant. I saw the finisher’s medal, and like the two medals I have from 2018, it was more complex. The medallion was fan-shaped, and the ribbon was a Christmassy green. The bibs were also distance color-coded rather than plain white.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: The Firehouse Run (TFR) is put on by Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation, Santa Clara Schools Foundation, Santa Clara Rotary Foundation, Santa Clara Unified School District, University … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Firehouse Run (TFR) is put on by Santa Clara Firefighters Foundation, Santa Clara Schools Foundation, Santa Clara Rotary Foundation, Santa Clara Unified School District, University of Santa Clara, and the City of Santa Clara to benefit Santa Clara Schools Foundation and two veterans charities. It started near and finished in the stadium at the University of Santa Clara. The 5K course was a loop, mostly through the neighborhood just to the west of the university. Those doing the 10K (including me) did the loop a second time. The course was through a neighborhood of homes that are probably 80-100 years old, on paved streets. It has mature trees, so it’s fairly shaded for much of the course, though it was a pretty chilly morning and I didn’t try to guesstimate a percentage. Race day was chilly (below 40F at the start) and sunny, but the previous day was showery, so weather can vary.

Organization & Production: The TFR is pretty much Register-and-Run. The website information is ample, and pre-race emails were informative. Packet pick-up could be done at a local Sports Basement the day before the race or at the race venue on race day. There is plenty of parking on the campus. The course was well “marked” by volunteers and orange cones at some intersections or police directing traffic at more significant intersections. There were water-only aid stations at the ~1.5/4.5 mile point and a little past the start of the second loop for those doing the 10K.

Bib: The bib has a black background, with the race logo in red and white in the top left. The top right has “4th Annual” and the distance. Across the bottom is the bib number. For 5K bibs, the letters and numbers were white, and for 10K runners, red. The bib is pretty simple, but attractive, especially the red on black 10K bib.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is light burgundy, 50-50 cotton-polyester, soft to the touch. On the front in white block letters is the name of the race. On the back is the race logo and names of sponsors.

Finisher’s Medal: The race did not have finisher’s medals, but did have age group medals, with 5-year groups. I had the “honor” of being the DLF (not a surprise to me, see below) and winning first in my age group. The medallion is sort of square, 2+ inches on each side. It looks like the front of a firetruck, including tires, mirrors, and light bar. It has the name of the race just below the center. The ribbon color transitions from dark reddish-brown to bright red-orange. Along the ribbon are the race name and the year. It’s really very nice.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area was a sort of entry-exit plaza just inside the stadium. There was no place for finishing runners to sit down, because of the nature of the place. For recovery food there were Cliff Bars, pizza, and lots of bottled water poured out into cups. Because of how late I finished there was no pizza or Cliff Bars left, which was a bit disappointing.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Before going any farther I should add an explanatory note. In the description of the race distances on the website it says that the 10K is not for walkers. Well, I emailed the organizer to see whether they had a particular concern that a brisk walker like me would be able to satisfy. The reply was that what was not wanted was slower walkers with strollers. It’s a safety issue more than a time issue. So, with the encouragement of the organizer, I signed up for the 10K. I think walkers who want to do the 10K distance in future runnings of TFR should first make sure it’s OK (which I also will do).

Anyway, because of this circumstance, I was not only the last finisher, but there was 11 minutes between me and the finisher just ahead of me, because I was probably the only one to inquire about the reason for the no walkers “rule”. That may have been why there were no goodies left by the time I finished. Disappointing, but my unusual/unexpected choice was kind of the underlying cause. Had I been DLF by only a couple of minutes the goodies situation probably would have been different. So I’ll “own it”.

I’ve been trying to recover from a strained calf muscle, and had re-strained it at my previous race. So I was not at all pushing myself. My comfortable “safe” pace actually resulted in a better finish time than I expected. So I’m happy on that point. A default age group medal is usually kind of amusing to me, but at least I had a (for me) decent finish time.

As a whole, the race was fun. The volunteer course marshals were very cheerful and encouraging, as were the police officers along the way. I’m more of a trail scenery type, but the neighborhood we coursed is very pleasant. All in all, depending on circumstances and timing I would definitely consider doing The Firehouse Run again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: The Zoom Turkey Trot (ZTT) has three distances, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. ZTT is the only Thanksgiving day race in the SF Bay Area I … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Zoom Turkey Trot (ZTT) has three distances, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. ZTT is the only Thanksgiving day race in the SF Bay Area I know of that offers the half marathon distance. I did the 10K. The start/finish area is in Hellyer Park. All distances circle the park and then head south on the Coyote Creek Trail. There are different turn-around points for each distance. The course is almost all paved, and about 60% shaded (depending on distance and time of day; for more details, see my 2017 ZombieRunner Halloween Run Rave). Two weeks before the 2018 race there was a major fire whose smoke significantly affected SF Bay Area air quality. Fortunately the weather changed, and rain showers the day before the race blew and washed the crud out of the air. Race day was pleasantly cool – upper 50s to lower 60s, with blue skies and a few fluffies. ZTT is intended to be a fun family-friendly event – there is a 50 yard run for young children (with the same finisher’s medal as the adults received!) – and an easy-going introduction to trail running.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs is a very consistent register-and-run organizer. All a runner need worry about is getting to the venue and running their race. Aid stations have a variety of snacks (fuel and electrolytes), and the recovery goodies are even more varied. The aid station used by all but 5K runners is at a trail entry point staging area that has restrooms. The ZTT course is so simple that it scarcely needs markings other than turn-around points, so I didn’t notice whether there were markings.

Bib: Coastal Trail Runs bibs are usually plain white, with organizer logos across the top, their, “Have Fun Out There,” slogan across the bottom, and the bib number in the middle.This race was different. Not only were the numbers distance-coded, but the bibs were color coded for distance. 5K bibs were white, 10K bibs were yellow, and half marathon bibs were purple. I don’t know whether this was the first time with color-coded bibs, a new norm, or whether Coastal have done this at their Turkey Trot before (they didn’t in 2014).

T-Shirt: Coastal’s race T-shirts are always tech type, regardless of distance. I saw multiple colors, but mine is lime green (I also saw sky blue and white). The front has the race logo, a spaced-out looking turkey and the race distance on a blue background, along with the race date. The back has the race sponsors’ logos in orange. Coastal has been using this race logo since at least 2014, but I’ve always liked Space Turkey.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is a spinner type. The center medallion is a disc, pretty much the same as the 2014 medal, with the race logo and distances. The outer rim is yellow, with the race name across the top and stars around the rest of the circle. The ribbon is orange, with the race logo and “2018 Finisher” running along it.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area is a covered group picnic pavilion, with lots of tables and benches at which one can rest. Coastal’s recovery goodies are pretty consistent, a good variety of sweet and salty snacks, bottled water, and a cooler stocked with sodas and beer. They also have some grilled food, though I didn’t check that out. Coastal also does a drawing for 10-20 (I didn’t count or win) turkeys.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I had very moderate expectations, since I’m trying to recover from a calf muscle strain. I was able to sustain a pretty good pace and my time was better than I anticipated. Coastal is an excellent race organizer. The Zoom Turkey Trot is a nice small-medium event – much to my liking – and close to my home. So I will consider doing it again next year.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Down By The Bay 5K benefits the Mountain View Parent Nursery School. The start and finish is in Baylands Park, in Sunnyvale. From the start, participants … MORE

Event & Course Description: Down By The Bay 5K benefits the Mountain View Parent Nursery School. The start and finish is in Baylands Park, in Sunnyvale. From the start, participants ran on a dirt trail along the south side of the park for about a third of a mile, and then another almost two thirds of a mile on paved trail next to the State Highway 237 freeway. Runners then turned toward the bay and ran along levees between marshes for a little over a mile and turned around, retracing their steps until the point the paved trail meets the park. At that point runners turned toward the bay and ran on dirt trail along the east side of the park until meeting the trail back to the start. Turning there, runners could go straight, up and over four mounds, and then to the finish. Or runners could go around the mounds to the finish.

There were divisions for runners/walkers and for parents with strollers. In addition, before the race there was a Tot Trot that went over the four mounds and then back along the trail around the mounds, perhaps 100 yards. Because DBTB5K benefits a preschool, there were a LOT of kids doing the Tot Trot. There were also quite a few participants in the Stroller Division, and quite a few children under age 10 running/walking the 5K.

Baylands Park is really nice, with a large grassy area, picnic areas shaded by trees, a good sized play area with slides and swings and such, and restrooms near the play area. The course is about 80%-85% dirt trail and about 90% exposed. In 2018 the weather was sunny and pleasant (still under 70F when I finished.

Organization & Production: DBTB5K is organized by volunteers and preschool staff, and is register-and-run. The website information is complete. There was pre-race and race day check-in available. Parking was free (very nice!) and plentiful. The “feel” was very low key, but very smooth. The course wasn’t complicated, but there were friendly and encouraging course marshals at turns. The one aid station was at the 1/3//2 2/3 mile point. It was well and encouragingly staffed and still had water available near the end of the race when I went through.

There were a couple of noteworthy changes from last year and when I did DBTB5K in 2015. The race has always been timed, but in 2018 the timing was done by SVETiming, who does LOTS of races all over the greater SF Bay Area. Results were available online race day afternoon, and possibly before noon (I didn’t check). In past years the race T-shirt was cotton, which is fine in my opinion for a charity 5K run. In 2018 the race Tee was tech type, a pleasant upgrade in my opinion.

Bib: The DBTB5K bib has three horizontal stripes. Across the top is a white stripe with the Whale Tail logo for the race, the name, and the date. The middle is a broad orange stripe with the bib number. Across the bottom is a thin white stripe with the url for the race website.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is navy blue tech type. In the front in orange block letters is the name of the race. Above that in light blue is the Whale Tail, and below, also in light blue is the race date. On the back in light blue are the sponsors’ logos and the logo of the Mountain View Parent Nursery School. All in all it’s a really nice race T-shirt!

Finisher’s Medal: Other than prizes for the male and female top three runners, DBTB5K is a no finishers medal race. It’s a charity race, so I’m entirely fine with that. On the other hand, children who ran the Tot Trot each received their own finishers medal, which I think is really cool!

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area had activities for children and sponsors’ tables. For recovery food there were bagels, cream cheese, bananas, and oranges. Pretty average/normal I guess. The bagel I had was fresh and the cream cheese shmeared on by a very cheerful food handler wearing gloves. There are picnic tales near the expo and play areas where one could eat, drink and recover.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: If it isn’t already obvious, I really enjoyed 2018 Down By The Bay 5K. Low key, beautiful day, kids having fun, very pleasant course … what’s not to like?! 2018 was my second year in a row and my third time doing the race. There’s a really good chance I’ll do it again in 2019.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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The ZombieRunner Halloween Run has four distances, marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. Like last year, I did the 10K. The start/finish area is in Hellyer Park – evidently last … MORE

The ZombieRunner Halloween Run has four distances, marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. Like last year, I did the 10K. The start/finish area is in Hellyer Park – evidently last year’s change from Los Gatos Creek Park and Trail is “permanent”. All distances circle the park and then head south on the Coyote Creek Trail. There are different turn-around points for each distance, with full marathon runners doing the half marathon course twice. The course is almost all paved, and about 60% shaded (depending on distance and time of day; for more details, see my 2017 Rave). ZRHR is intended to be a fun family-friendly event – it includes a costume contest – and an easy-going introduction to trail running.

Coastal Trail Runs is a very consistent register-and-run organizer. All a runner need worry about is getting to the venue and running their race. Aid stations have a variety of snacks (fuel and electrolytes), and the recovery goodies are even more varied. The aid station used by all but 5K runners is at a trail entry point staging area that has restrooms.

The race T-shirt for 2018 was similar to that of 2017 (see my Rave below), in a different color and shirt vendor. Coastal Trail Runs bibs are plain white, with organizer logos across the top, their, “Have Fun Out There,” slogan across the bottom, and the bib number in the middle. The numbers are distance-coded. For example, the 1000 series numbers were for runners doing the 5K distance.

Coastal’s finisher’s medal have traditionally been discs or rectangles, but 2018’s ZRHR medallion is unique. It’s shaped like a fanged vampire bat, with the race name and distances. The ribbon is black, with the year in white and race logo (pumpkin-headed runner surrounded by bats). The medals I have from 2017 races are very nicely done, but ZRHR 2018’s medal is really cool, insta-favorite.

My finish time … sigh … I told one person while recovering that it was the worst 10K finishing time I’d ever been glad to get. I’d strained a muscle the previous day (who knew one could do that while walking across one’s kitchen?!), and both DNS and bailing out mid race for a DNF were considerations. I was DLF for the 10K by half an hour and won AG second. I was happy to finish and earn my bat (medal).

Anyway, would I do the ZombieRunner Halloween Run again? I’m already registered for Coastal’s Turkey Trot, in the same park and trail. And 2018 was my second time doing ZRHR, so doing it next year is reasonably possible.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Tarantula Run! is done in the Vaqueros Watershed, near Lake Vaqueros and the City of Brentwood, CA. It has three distances, half marathon, 10K (which I … MORE

Event & Course Description: Tarantula Run! is done in the Vaqueros Watershed, near Lake Vaqueros and the City of Brentwood, CA. It has three distances, half marathon, 10K (which I did), and 5K. The setting is the hills around Lake Vaqueros. Being run in October, the grasses are all brown, dotted here and there with trees. The half marathon course looks like a figure-8, with a tail of the larger loop that is the start and finish legs. The 10K course looks like two loops, with a connector that is used twice. Parts of each loop plus the connector are used by the half marathon course as well. The 5K course is the second loop of the 10K course. Lots o’ hills, including some overgrown rollers in the last two miles that barely show up in the elevation profiles.

Other than a couple of road crossings, the courses are entirely dirt trail or graveled access road. Except for a few clusters of trees late in the course, the course is entirely exposed to sun. 10K runners encountered two aid stations, reasonably well spaced. The 10K’s second aid station was also encountered by runners of the other distances. Runners of the half marathon went 4 or 5 miles between their first and second aid stations, something that should be kept in mind, especially in warm weather.

Organization & Production: Tarantula Run! is a Brazen Race, which means well marked course, well stocked aid stations and recovery area, and really nice swag. A Brazen race is register-and-run, and will spoil you.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The usual pattern has distance color-coded stripes for the bib number and runner’s name, the race name and date, artwork shared with the race T-shirt, and Brazen Racing’s logo. The background is like a sun, hidden behind the colored stripe, with rays above and below. In the top right corner is a large, scary-looking spider.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for half marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7, which I did). The race Tee is black, with a big brown spider and the race name on the front. Shades of Shelob! Very Halloween-ready. The back has a brown spider silhouette, the race name, date and distances, and sponsors’ logos. It’s going to be a favorite.

Finisher’s Medal:The finisher’s medal has a giant spider with the “sun” behind it and the sun’s rays filling a square. Above the spider is “Tarantula”, and just below one of its legs, “Run!”. Across the bottom are the location, date, and distances. The ribbon is orange, and has a spider, the race name, location, date, and distances along it.

Finish & Recovery Area: Tarantula Run! is a Brazen race. That means lots of goodies – candies, cakes, fruit – in the recovery area, including It’s It ice cream sandwiches. I was exhausted and just sat and chatted for a while (the big-family-like atmosphere is one of the things I found attractive in my first Brazen race nearly 5 years ago, and it’s still true). I’ll just say that Brazen doesn’t disappoint and leave it there.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: When I registered I knew from the elevation profile and near total exposure (via Google Satellite View) that Tarantula Run! 10K was about the limit of what I can do, presently. With the warm day (sun exposure and heat are not my friends!) it was a very close call. I thought about dropping out as a “5K”, but with some encouragement managed to finish, vertical, and under my own power. Mission accomplished!

Brazen never disappoints. I will definitely consider doing Tarantula Run! again next year.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: OneMile4OneChild (OM4OC) is a charity race organized by the San Jose Vietnamese Running Club to support an orphanage in Vietnam. It starts and finishes at Almaden … MORE

Event & Course Description: OneMile4OneChild (OM4OC) is a charity race organized by the San Jose Vietnamese Running Club to support an orphanage in Vietnam. It starts and finishes at Almaden Lake Park in San Jose. There were two distances, 5K and 10K. The course for both distances is the same, out-and-back along the Los Alamitos Creek Trail, with different turn-around points. The 5K turn-around is a few 10s of yards before a steel frame wood plank bridge. The 10K turn-around is just before where the trail crosses Camden Avenue.

As the trail name suggests, it follows Los Alamitos Creek. The trail is entirely paved and is marked and wide enough for two-way bicycle use as well as runners and walkers. It’s relatively flat, but because the outbound leg is upstream, it is steadily but gently uphill, and, of course, gently downhill for the return leg. One side of the trail often has suburban neighborhoods, but much of the other side is a line of semi-rural hills, with a few homes dotted here and there. The trail is about 60-70% shaded – lots of trees. All in all it’s very pleasant.

Organization & Production: OM4OC is close to register-and-run. Pretty much everything a runner would need to get onto the trail and back is there. They even did wave starts (self-seeded) to separate the faster from the slower runners – nice! There were two water-only aid stations and course marshals and police where the 10K course crossed a significant street. I think the one point needing improvement is at the end where the course ran past the finish arch, passed a bridge, and did a loop around a lawn. Course marshals were definitely needed to direct runners past the arch and past the bridge, and also to steer people out of the last part of the course when runners were coming. I didn’t much mind the 10 or 20 seconds the confusion cost me but competitive runners might find it frustrating.

As a whole, though, OM4OC was really done well. Particularly noticeable – partly due to their fluorescent yellow T-shirts – were the really large number of helpful and encouraging volunteers. OM4OC was a really well-supported race!

Bib: The bib had three, alternating, blue and white stripes. The blue stripe at the top had the race logo. In the middle was the bib number, and at the bottom is the website of the running club.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is tech type, medium-dark blue. There are white insets at the sides, with three blue stripes. On the front are the race logo in yellow, orange, and white, the distances in white, and the date in yellow. On the back in white are the race and sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is round, with concentric circles of pink (center, large), yellow and dark blue (a thin border). Across the middle in blue silhouette are 5 running children. Above them are the distances, date, and location. Around the top in the yellow outer ring is the race name, and in the yellow ring below the children are the initials “SJVRC” (San Jose Vietnamese Running Club).

The ribbon is bright yellow, with the logo for the race, “2018”, and the logo of one of the sponsors.

Finish & Recovery Area: The only food I saw in the finish area was bananas (which, unfortunately, I do not like). But I was too exhausted to explore much. Soon after I sat down the volunteers were called for a “Thank you!” and to take their pictures – very cool!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was very happy with my finishing time, better than I’ve done on similar terrain in nearly two years. And I was spent at the end!

I have different expectations for races, depending on who is organizing it and for what. My expectations for a smallish, club/volunteer-organized charity race are pretty moderate, and OneMile4OneChild easily met and exceeded my expectations. My four-shoe rating is very strong, and with the few improvement I noted could easily be a five-shoe race. I will definitely consider OneMile4OneChild, and it was mentioned that adding a half marathon distance next year is being considered!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Organization & Production: LGCTR was my first time doing a Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) event. Most PCTR events are on-dirt hilly trail runs. The LGCTR is intended, in part, … MORE

Organization & Production: LGCTR was my first time doing a Pacific Coast Trail Runs (PCTR) event. Most PCTR events are on-dirt hilly trail runs. The LGCTR is intended, in part, to be an intro to trail running for runners who do mostly street and road events.

The LGCTR was “Register-and-Run”, with necessary info on the website and easy registration. All a runner had to worry about was getting there and back and running the race. Pre-race pick-up was at the nearby Sports Basement the evening before, and there was race day pick-up as well. I picked up pre-race, but arrived early enough to see that race day pick-up was ready before the promised time.

Starts for the several distances were half an hour apart, with a briefing for each group 15 minutes before their start. The Los Gatos Creek Trail is sort of my home trail and going off-course would be difficult, so I didn’t pay much attention to the markings. But the course markings would have been fine for a first-time user of the trail.

Bib: The bib has a wide orange stripe across the top, with the race logo and distances. In the middle is a wider stripe with the bib number and PCTR’s logo, and at the bottom another, more narrow, orange stripe. I noticed that marathon runners’ bib numbers were in the 200s, half marathon runners in the 100s, and 10K runners under 100.

T-Shirt: I do not know if my words can do the race T-shirt justice. It is tech-type for runners of all distances. The color is orange and brown pixellated camo, orange being the dominant color. In front is the race logo. It features the ears and top of a cat’s head, with “Los Gatos” just under. Instead of “o” in each word are the cat’s green eyes. Below that are “Creek Trail”, and below that the distances. On a solid color shirt the logo would be merely OK, but on this shirt it under-statedly lets the shirt speak for itself … which it does … loudly. Insta-Favorite!

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is wood and chevron-shaped. It has the race logo, large, and PCTR’s logo at the bottom. There is an orange border around the chevron. In addition there is a rectangular wooden tag with the year. Instead of a ribbon the finisher’s medal hangs from an orange-yellow cord.

LGCTR was a smallish “boutique” race, with 138 finishers of the three main distances. I ended up winning first place in my age group. Only one 10K participant, a younger guy, finished after me, so the Math is obvious. The age group medal is a shiny silver finish bottle opener. In the center are PCTR’s logo and “1st”, with “Age Group Winner” around the top and “2018 at the bottom. The ribbon is wide, with sky and navy blue stripes. It isn’t race-specific, but it is very nice.

Finish & Recovery Area: The whole set-up was kind of squeezed into a picnic area with a covered pavilion. It worked fine for a race of this size, but somewhere between 150 and 200 finishers it would have to be spread out more. A finishing runner was handed their medal right after passing under the arch. While there was no water by the arch, a table with water, sodas, and beer was just 4 or 5 yards straight ahead. There were plenty of picnic tables under the pavilion at which one could sit and rest.

Instead of a spread of cookies, cakes, and candies, finishers had a choice of “teriyaku” chicken or portobello mushroom-garlic “sliders” (they were pretty much full-hamburger-sized) with coleslaw prepared by Chef Yaku and served by his team. Yeah! Delicious!

While I was eating the RD was announcing finishers and also called up race and age-group winners. I kind of knew I would place by just finishing, but it was still pretty cool being called out. The RD was also very outgoing.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I had been lazy all week, hadn’t “run” my smartest race ever, and miscalculated the distance to the finish when I was in the final mile, so I was expecting a finish time 10 or 15 minutes later than my actual, so I’m actually pretty happy with it. I’ve got another 10K next weekend, so I’m going to try to be a bit smarter.

If it isn’t already obvious, this was a greaty race experience for me. It was a really well organized race, the first I had done anywhere on the LGCT in 2 years, and the first on that part of the trail in over 4 years.

A lot of things go into a race experience as I think of it, but people are probably the biggest part. The RD and staff were friendly and helpful, as were the aid station volunteers. I didn’t know anybody there (though I learned by looking over the results pages that a fellow Race-Raver did the half marathon), so I sat at a random table to rest, recover, and eat. It happened to be a table with several young ladies who had served as guides for the runners from the California School for the Blind, and we had a really pleasant chat. All in all, the people part of this race experience was great!

The registration fee for the Los Gatos Creek Trail Run is $5 or $10 higher than (somewhat) similar 10Ks, though it uses two parks in two different cities (and the longer distances go into a third city), which may increase the organizer’s costs. On the other hand, the finish area food, the people (organizers, volunteers, and runners), and there being the special 5K made this one of my best race experiences ever. So I will consider doing LGCTR again, and Pacific Coast Trail Runs events will be on my “radar screen” for future planning.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The Race Thru the Redwoods 10K is a locally organized race to benefit community charities in the Felton, CA area. In 2018 the start and finish … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Race Thru the Redwoods 10K is a locally organized race to benefit community charities in the Felton, CA area. In 2018 the start and finish were in Roaring Camp Railroad park. The course was basically out-and-back. The first mile was a paved loop around the maintenance area, nicer in appearance than in words. The facilities are sprinkled around what looks like a meadow with redwood trees around it. This loop was not repeated at the end. After that runners went up and into the redwoods on a paved access road. About midway in the course outbound runners turned onto about a mile of dirt trail through the trees, and then back to the road for another ~1/2 of a mile to the turn-around. With a few breaks, about 1 1/2-2 miles of the outbound course was fairly to somewhat steep uphill, including the mile on dirt trail. The return part of the course was entirely on the paved access road, with the downhill section that was not part of the outbound course being fairly steep. Most of the last ~2 1/2 miles was downhill.

The course, even the loop around the maintenance area, was really beautiful, with lots of neck-achingly tall redwoods. There is an overlook about a tenth of a mile from the turn-around point that is amazing. I had anticipated a fairly warm day, but it was foggy and chilly when I arrived, and cool for much of my (slow) “run”. The course was about 75% shaded; I didn’t use sunscreen or a cap, and was OK. Compared to trail races organized by Brazen Racing or Coastal Trail Runs, 2018 RTTR was similarly challenging.

Organization & Production: This was pretty frustrating for me, but first the good stuff. There were coffee and muffins in the check-in area before the race. I heard the coffee was not that great, though that may have been a matter of taste. The muffins were good – I enjoyed a half.

The course was reasonably well marked, and there were course marshals at each turn. The aid station was water only, and positioned where the outbound course rejoined the road. Thus, runners went past the aid station twice, with about a mile between passings or pauses. The aid station was well staffed, and still had plenty of water for walkers like me (much appreciated!).

Onward and downward …

Check-in was backed up, with long lines for most of checkers in, and delaying the start of over 20 minutes. According to an email I received from the RD they had nearly double the number of runners as last year, many doing race day registration. They were overwhelmed, and the limited space in their check-in and registration area probably precluded throwing in more people. My shirt size was not available and would need to be mailed later. I’ll take blame for that, as I registered fairly late. But when I arrived, soon after check-in started, the volunteers took a while to realize I had no shirt and have me write my address on a check-in list.

There were too few portacans – they had seven, but probably needed double that. The result was a really long line for those doing their pre-race ritual. This and the slow check-in delayed the start of the race. This also was affected by the much greater turn-out.

Prior to the 10K there was a 1 mile race for young children, using the loop through the maintenance area. Very cool! But, 10K runners were allowed into the 10K start area when at least three children were still on-course. They passed through safely (and were cheered), but someone lost track of who was still on the 1 mile course.

To me, in this Internet age of road and trail runs, a course map and (if not fairly flat) an elevation profile should be part of every race’s website. There was a map on RTTR’s website that looked like the same course as the 2016 course. But no elevation profile; something I confirmed in an email exchange. Having done RTTR in 2016, I decided to register for 2018, the 50th running. It was a different course than in 2016, and I’m pretty sure not the course on the website and on-site map. The actual course was more challenging than that of 2016, to the degree that had I seen an elevation profile of the actual course I probably would not have registered to do RTTR. I also paced myself too aggressively early on for my abilities and the actual course. My limitations are my responsibility, but a correct elevation profile is essential for planning.

This is a minor thing, but the aid station volunteers were inexperienced. That is not unusual, but they had not been told how to set up their trash bag holders. I described it for them, and when I came through on my return leg they had done it.

Near the finish, when I went through, there was a place with runner-vehicle cross traffic. Maybe it was different for the faster runners but late in the race vehicles going to and from a parking area crossed the course. One runner mentioned having to wait for several vehicles to cross in front of her. I doubt any of the slower runners cared about being slowed by several seconds (see below), but this was a safety faux pas.

When I finished I could see the timing mats had been removed, and I know there were 5 or more runners on the course behind me. When I looked at the race results webpage, it listed people who finished later than I did, but I wasn’t the list . I emailed the organizer, hoping for elucidation. He was very helpful, and learned from the timing people that there had been a problem toward the end of the race with their automated finish time logging. They had recorded people’s finish times manually, and in transcribing people and times from ther manual log to their results page I had been missed. So what I originally thought was an issue with the race was a glitch transcribing results from the timer’s back-up timing system. And a good RD handling issues well!

Soon after I received my finisher’s medal I heard the volunteers discussing that they had just two more medals, and that the box with extra medals had already been taken to be packed. Several of the participants coming after me would have to wait for their finisher’s medals to be mailed to them. Even the best organizer occasionally has an unexpectedly large number of late registrants or part of a shipment of medals gets delayed, but packing away the medals when people are (or should be) known to be out on the course?

When I finished the expo/recovery area was already partly packed up, with trucks in the area. I can sort of understand this if I’m the VERY last finisher, with significant time between me and the previous finisher (been there, done that, got a couple of those T-shirts), but when there are 5-10 people still out on the course?

Hopefully these growing pains and new course issues will be ironed out for 2019.

Bib: The bib is REALLY nice. Across the top on a sky blue stripe is “50th Race Thru the Redwoods” in Orange, black, and green block letters. The bottom 2.3 is a picture of a meadow surrounded by redwood trees, with the bib number in white.

T-Shirt: I registered late and my size is not one of the more popular, so my shirt was sent to me by mail. It’s light gray, cotton-polyester (90%-10%). The printing is entirely in black. The picture in front is of tall redwood trees with mountains in the background and ferns in the foreground. The redwood trees are wearing running shoes. Written in front of the trees is “50th Annual Race Thru the Redwoods”, and below the trees the location and date. At the to of the back is “50th Annual Race Thru …” again and below that sponsors’ logos. Light gray isn’t a favorite color, but it works well for the all black printing. It probably won’t be a favorite, but that’s a matter of taste rather than quality. I definitely like the humor of trees with running shoes.

Finisher’s Medal: 2018 was the first year RTTR had a finisher’s medal. I don’t know if this was just for 2018, the 50th running, or if this is something they will continue (they are considering it, per the RD). The medallion is a roughly triangular woodalion. It has cut-outs to resemble mountain peaks, and peaks and evergreen trees are pressed into the wood. In the center is a ~1 1/2 inch diameter metal disc showing several runners in motion, with the name of the race and “50th” around the outer rim. The ribbon is green, with “Race Thru the Redwoods 50th Anniversary” on one side, and “Finisher” on the other. Very nice!

Finish & Recovery Area: I did not look around, for the reason mentioned above.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was and am frustrated by the 2018 RTTR. It’s a very beautiful course. The bib and finisher’s medal are excellent. I know from 2016 that RTTR can be and has been well organized, but 2018 showed improvement was needed (and in my communication with the RD, they are working on it). What I listed above are significant to one’s over-all race experience.

Despite the course being more challenging than expected I’m pretty happy with my finish time (and that I finished at all!). It showed me my capabilities are better than I thought, not at all bad news.

As I mentioned a couple of times, the RD was responsive to my emails. He mentioned that they had ~75% more runners in 2018 than in 2017, many of them registering on race day. They were overwhelmed. They are looking at ways to improve over 2018. While the significant areas needing improvement are concerning, I will consider Race Thru the Redwoods in the future. The RD and my 2016 experience encourages hope that needed improvements are forthcoming.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: The Radical 80s Run takes place on the Coyote Creek Trail in South San Jose, starting and finishing in Hellyer Park. Two distances are run, 10K … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Radical 80s Run takes place on the Coyote Creek Trail in South San Jose, starting and finishing in Hellyer Park. Two distances are run, 10K and 5K; I did the latter. As the name of the trail suggests, it follows Coyote Creek. Both distances are out-and-back, take the trail southward, with different turn-around points. The Coyote Creek Trail, despite being in San Jose and near a freeway, feels fairly rural, with pleasant views of the creek and nearby hills (brown, not green, in August). I’ve done a good number of races along this trail and it is very pleasant.

The weather in 2018 was sunny, but not too warm. The trail is paved, with about 40% shade. It’s fairly flat, with some short rolling hills. Between the two distances there were 241 race finishers. There were a good number of children who did the race, so it is family friendly

Organization & Production: As a whole, the production was satisfactory, with some shortcomings that would not affect getting to, running, and finishing the race. The website has the information needed to register and get there, but there are some useful details commonly included in other races’ websites that are not present.

The first is that there is no course map or elevation profile. Other than wishing I knew which way the course ran, this didn’t affect me, since I’m familiar with that trail. But for someone not familiar this omission could be significant. The other omission was the time the park opened. The website does link to the park website, for those wanting further information, but since I already knew how to get to the start area, I didn’t go to that website. Well … my “secret” to getting a good parking spot is showing up early. Because the park opening time I didn’t know about was just an hour before the race start time, I showed up 45 minutes too early, and sat with my hazard lights blinking on a somewhat narrow section of road (with a dozen or more other early birds). Also, the park entry fee given on the website is incorrect (probably what it was when the race was first run 2 years ago).

The start/finish area was an open space of lawn, not near any picnic area. The trail markings were adequate. The 5K turn-around was a few feet past the first aid station and marked with a sign. The aid station was water-only and had 3 or 4 friendly volunteers. On the return leg there were course marshals to make sure runners took the turn back into the park. This was probably the one place course marshals would have been valuable, and they were there.

Bib & T-Shirt: The bib and T-shirt vary in some minor details, but share a common design. The cotton T-shirt and background color of the bib are black. At the center of the design is a brick wall. Above it in an 80ish font I can’t describe is “SJ”. Across the center, in letters intended to look like graffiti, is “Rad 80s”, and below that in simple block letters, the two distances. At the bottom of the wall is a black and white running shoe. On the T-shirt, below the wall, is the race website url. This is all on the front of the T-shirt; the back is blank. The Radical 80s Run organizer has different custom-designed race swag every year, but there is no date on the 2018 T-shirt, bib, or finisher’s medal.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is a bottle opener, with the same design described above. The ribbon is plain black (if you use the medallion as a bottle opener, you’d have to cut off the ribbon, so a plain solid color makes sense).

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area had two people handing out medals when I finished, and bottles of water in a tub of ice nearby. The recovery food was pretty good for a race this size – cut up bananas, croissants, several varieties of muffins (cut in half), several varieties of cookies, and packets of fruit puree or yogurt and fruit.

There were no age group awards (I was first – and last – in my age group, boo-hoo!). But there was a raffle with prizes supplied by sponsors, ranging from a blue tooth turntable to bottles of beer (minors had to have a parent receive the beer).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I was hoping for a little better, but I worked to get my finish time and am happy with it. I did better at 5Ks in March and November, but those were in cool weather and flat, which this race was not (it was cool for August, but was 5-10 degrees warmer than those races).

I gave this race a 3-Shoe rating. It’s at the high end of that range in my mind, and were it in a different part of the country I might have given it 4. There are several really good race organizers in the SF Bay area, and this race was not really in their league. With more complete and corrected information on their website and race dates on their swag this would be a 4-shoe race for me. I do not think these improvements would be difficult to do.

So … would I do this race again? It would not be on my must-do list, but it’s close to my home and good enough that I will definitely consider it next year.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: SPASM Lake Chabot Trail Run (LCTR) is pretty much eponymous. It's a trail run at and around Lake Chabot, and the principal sponsor is South Bay … MORE

Event & Course Description: SPASM Lake Chabot Trail Run (LCTR) is pretty much eponymous. It’s a trail run at and around Lake Chabot, and the principal sponsor is South Bay Pain And Sports Medicine (SPASM … a wryly humorous and accurate acronym), an acupuncture and chiropractic clinic. The race is run in five distances: 5 miles, half marathon, 30Km, marathon, and 50Km. I did the 5 mile distance.

The 5 mile course looks like a balloon with a wavy string (or lollipop … pick your metaphor), and its entirety or almost all of the course is part of all the other distances’ courses. The “string” is paved trail, out (then do loop) and back, about 70% of the course. It’s lots of short rolling hills and mostly shaded, lots of trees with some lake views. The dirt trail “balloon” starts with a moderately steep, half mile uphill climb, followed by a shorter and steeper downhill, and then a rolling return to the “string”. It’s also mostly shaded with lots of trees. There’s a degree of beauty beyond which appreciation lies in the viewer’s preferences. This is a great course for folks who love lots of trees!

Summer weather in the SF Bay Area can vary considerably. It can get pretty hot on occasion. More often it’s moderately warm or even somewhat cool. Thankfully, LCTR 2018 was fairly cool, and for the time I was on the course, overcast. I brought two water bottles, anticipating warm weather, but seeing the degree of overcast, I left one in my car.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs marks its courses very thoroughly with color-coded flags every couple hundred yards. This was no exception. There was also a course marshal at a key junction to help runners of the various distances go the correct way. Aid stations – water, electrolyte drink, and salty & sweet snacks – were 4-5 miles apart. Because it is an out-and-back with a loop, there were no aid stations on the 5 mile course (this was the other reason I considered carrying two water bottles). Coastal does gun-time starts and timing mat finishes.

Like other Coastal Trail Runs races LCTR is register-and-run. The website information is very complete, registration is easy, and race day organization is a smooth-running machine. Runner just need to “worry” about getting there and running their race.

Bib: Coastal Trail Runs bibs are plain white, with organizer logos across the top, their, “Have Fun Out There,” slogan across the bottom, and the bib number in the middle. The numbers are distance-coded. For example, 1000 series numbers are for runners doing the 5 mile or 10K distance.

T-Shirt: Coastal includes tech-type T-shirts in registration for all distances. My race T-shirt for the SPASM Lake Chabot Trail Run is fluorescent lime green (I also saw some that were red). The front features an abstract representation of the lake water, with the race name, distances, and date across the top, and the logo of the principal sponsor, South Bay Pain And Sports Medicine (SPASM), at the bottom. The back has the logos of the race sponsors.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is rectangular, with the same abstract of the lake water used on the T-shirt. The dominant colors of the water ripples are black, purple, and silver, with some light yellow and white. Across the top with a purple background are the race name and distances. And across the bottom are the name and logo of the principal race sponsor. Molded into the back across the top in small raised characters is “Coastal Trail Runs”. The medallion is not dated. The ribbon is bright green, with “2018” on white in several places along it.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish “arch” was formed by two curved poles with Coastal logo banners. This may have been due to park sound level restrictions. Volunteers handed people their medals as they finished. The recovery area was right next to the finish, an area with picnic tables, about half of it shaded. There were large jugs with water and electrolyte drink, an ice chest with bottled water, sodas, and beer. For recovery snacks there were several varieties of fruit, chips, pretzels, cookies and candies. I didn’t hang around long enough, but there were charcoal grills in the picnic area, and Coastal did have a couple of bags of charcoal ready for use. Later in the day they were going to have grilled recovery food (Hamburgers? Hot dogs? Bratwursts?) for finishers of the longer distances.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This was another, “Can I even do this?” race for me. That one mid-course hill had me pretty intimidated. That’s a reflection of where I am, not the crazy-steepness of the hill (which it isn’t). I had three target goals in mind, the first being to finish upright and under my own power; the other two were time targets. I took much of the race pretty conservatively, especially the part before the hill and the hill itself. After that, I kept the same “easy” pace of the group of ladies I was with until we arrived at the return leg of pavement. At that point, about 3.5-3.75 miles in, I realized I felt I had much too energy “in the tank” for that stage of the course. So I picked up my pace and finished with a time close to my my second, more “aggressive”, time goal. I probably could have achieved that goal, but I enjoyed the company and the park scenery. And I answered my big question with, “Yes! I can!”

It feels too brief and simple, saying this, but Coastal is a consistently excellent race organizer. They literally pull into the park with a large cargo van at 5 or 6 AM on race day and unpack and set up their whole race (except for the trail marking flags and signs which are already in place). Race-in-a-Van! Coastal’s volunteers are usually experienced runners who know from the runner’s side of the aid station table what helps and encourages. My two wish list things with Coastal are that I wish they did mat-timed starts, and I wish they had race dates on their medallions. But Coastal’s races are some of the least expensive in the Bay Area – a great race experience-value – so these don’t bother me.

While this was my first Coastal Trail Runs race of 2018, I did a half dozen last year. I plan to do several more this year, and would consider this race or their November Lake Chabot race in the future.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
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Event & Course Description: The Race for Literacy benefits the educational charity, India Literacy Project. 2018 was its 20th annual running. The race starts and finishes in Baylands Park in … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Race for Literacy benefits the educational charity, India Literacy Project. 2018 was its 20th annual running. The race starts and finishes in Baylands Park in Sunnyvale, and there are three distances, 5K, 10K, and half marathon. In the 2017 running there were ~700 finishers among the three distances. I ran the 10K.

The 5K and 10K courses are out-and-back. All distances started at different times, near the corner of a parking lot where the Baylands Park Trail begins. All followed it more or less eastward for about a mile and turned more or less southward onto the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail. After about a third of a mile, at Old Mountain View-Alviso Road, 5K runners turned around and headed back. 10K runners continued about a mile and a half farther and turned around near Agnew Road. In this section of the course 10K runners passed by Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, and California’s Great America theme park. When 5K and 10K runners reached the Baylands Park Trail, they followed it back toward the park, but when they reached the park they turn northward along a bike trail toward the bay and circled the park, finishing at the Baylands Park plaza. Half marathon runners did the 10K course, but an extra out-and-back leg along the bay, almost to Moffett Airfield, was added during their return along the Baylands Park Trail.

The course is almost entirely exposed, so sunscreen and a bottle of water are a must. 2018 weather was ideal! Temperatures were in the low-mid 60s, and the sky varied from overcast to filtered sunshine. I still wore sunscreen! Other than about 3/4 of a mile, cumulative, at the start and end inside the park, the course is entirely paved trail.

Organization & Production: The number of volunteers was almost amazing – numerous, friendly, and helpful. Pre-race check-in was as smooth and quick as any I’ve experienced. The pre-race email said parking was $6, but when I got there it was free (a mistake I don’t at all mind). Between the website and the email the information was pretty much all that was needed – register-and-run. There were two water-only aid stations on the course, with plenty of friendly volunteers. One was just before the 5K turn-around, and the other just before the 10K turn-around. There were volunteers on bicycles who patrolled the course, looking for runners in trouble. About 2/3 through my 10K one of these volunteers chatted with me briefly to be sure I was doing OK.

One moderate concern was at the turn for those doing the half marathon onto their second out-and-back leg. Even though it was well marked before the turn with two signs I think I saw two runners miss it, and when I passed the turn-off outbound I redirected one who would have missed it. After that I let inbound half marathon runners know of the upcoming turn, for the next 50-100 yards. When I passed the turn-off on my inbound leg there was a course marshal at the turn-off. I think the fastest half marathon runners were a little faster than anticipated. The turn was well marked with signs, but tired runners get tunnel vision. I spoke to the course marshal in passing and I think they’ll fix this minor glitch next year.

Bib: The bibs were color coded, medium dark blue for the half marathon, medium dark green for the 10K, medium dark red for the 5K, with black numbers and characters. Across the top was the name of the race, and the logo of a sponsor. In the middle was the bib number, and then along the bottom is the website for the timing company.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is tech type, bright lime green. Across the chest, in black and white, is the race logo, plus “20th Annual”. On the back, along the bottom, are sponsors’ logos. It’s not particularly special, but it is nice.

Finisher’s Medal: The 5K and 10K finisher’s medal is a catalog type medallion (winged running shoe and stopwatch with a star in the background) hung from a white ribbon. On the back is a stick-on disk engraved with “ILP Race for Literacy 5K/10K Race Finisher 2018”. I did not see the medal given to half marathon finishers. See my comments below about expectations and different types of races.

Finish & Recovery Area: This was a large grassy area, used before the race for race day registration and check-in. It was about 20-40 yards from the start arch and 50-100 yards from the finish arch. I didn’t check out every table in the spread out area, but I did notice an announcer’s table, from which race and age group winners were announced to receive their medalsand tables explaining India Literacy Project’s work. There was also a large race logo banner for people to take pictures, and a serving area for the post-race meal. Indian food! Very! Tasty! One of the dishes served, possibly dal, was hot as well as spicy (which was fine with me, but worth knowing for some one considering the race), and another with chick peas that was spicy but not hot. It was, unsurprisingly, vegetarian. Did I mention that it was tasty?

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I have different expectations for a 20,000 runner Rock ‘n’ Roll race than I do for a 700 runner trail race. And I have different expectations for a race put on by a for-profit business that does 20 or 30 races a year than I do for an annual volunteer-run race that benefits a charity. I expect a charity to be very careful about how much money it expends to put on the race so as to actually benefit from the proceeds of the race (just as I expect a for-profit organizer to make enough profit to stay in business and support the owners).

This was the first time I’ve run the Race for Literacy, so my expectations were based on prior experiences with charity races. I knew it was timed, so I expected the bib to have a timing “chip” and a start/finish arch. It is common for charity races to have cotton or cotton-polyester race Tees, and no finisher’s medal. And it is common for charity races to have just water at aid stations and cut up bagels and fruit in the recovery area. The bibs were slightly nicer than I expected, there were start and finish arches, and the aid stations were water only. The tech type race tees (Greenlayer, a good brand) were a bit of a surprise. I did not know there would be finisher’s medals until I saw them when I was about 30 yards from the finish arch. They aren’t fancy, but when one expects nothing they were pleasant (the engraved plate identifies the race and year, so if I look at it 5 years from now I’ll know what it was for). I knew, from the race website, that there would be catered food, so it wasn’t more than I expected when I got to the recovery area. But it was more than I expect of a charity race.

India Literacy Project had LOTS of volunteers. The check-in stations were well organized and staffed, The distances each had a unique start time, and the 10K (and probably the 5K) was started in 2 waves, 2 minutes apart. The aid stations had four volunteers at each station, easily adequate for the busiest times so that the volunteers were not too busy to be encouraging and watchful. Bicycle-mounted course monitors, while not unique, were good for runners’ safety and a good use of volunteers. Race for Literacy is a really well organized race!

There were also a lot of families doing the race as well as teams of friends (the names of the teams were printed on the backs of their race Tees (not by the teams), something I’ve not seen done before). This made for a warm family-like atmosphere over all. I would definitely do the Race for Literacy again.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Vibha is an Indian charity based both in India and the US that supports education in India. The Dream Mile is a fund raising race held … MORE

Event & Course Description: Vibha is an Indian charity based both in India and the US that supports education in India. The Dream Mile is a fund raising race held in cities in the US, plus Bangalore, India. I did the Dream Mile half marathon in 2014 and 2017.
The San Francisco Bay Area Dream Mile is run in South San Jose, along the Coyote Creek Trail. The course description in my 2017 Rave is what was done in 2018. I did the 10K, which went north and turned around near the southern end of Hellyer Park (just under US 101 freeway).

Organization & Production: The Dream Mile is Register ‘n’ Run: complete info, easy check-in (two 4-hour days of pre-race day check-in), well managed course, nice finish area. Runners of the marathon and the half marathon started an hour before those running the 5K and 10K. TriValley Running Club provided pacers for the half and full marathon distances. Friendly volunteers were everywhere, especially at the aid stations (water and Gatorade).

The one thing I wish had been better was that parking was about half a mile from the start-finish area, with access by walking along the course. Because of the lay-out of the course and timing, this put people who would be doing the 10K and 5K on the course when marathon and half marathon runners would be passing through that part of the course. The trail is fairly wide, so interference could be avoided by alertness on the part of those walking from their cars to the start-finish area. Avoiding the possible interference would have been better if other nearby parking was available (like in 2017).

Swag & Goodies:

Bib: The bibs are color coded, yellow for marathon, gray for half marathon, and green for 5K. The 10K bib has a broad blue strip at the top with the logos for Vibha and the race in yellow and white. The middle is a broad white stripe with the bib number. At the bottom is a narrow blue stripe with the distance. It’s simple and pleasant.

T-Shirt: The men’s race T-shirt is tech type Tee with an orange body, front and back, and yellow insets at the side. The inset for the women’s Tee was wider, with three sections, yellow-orange-yellow. The front has the logos for Vibha and the race in yellow, black, and white. The left sleeve has a sun in yellow, with “20 Years Strong” in the sun in black. 2018 was the 20th year in which Dream Mile races have been run. The back has the logos of the sponsors. I don’t know if it’ll be a favorite, but it’s very striking and nice.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is square, in a brushed pewter color. At the top is the Vibha logo. Under that is the number “20”, for the 20 years Dream Mile races have been run. Below the “20” is the Dream mile logo, and across the bottom, “2018”. Medal ribbons were also color-coded, blue for the 10K, with the Vibha logo, race name, and year along the ribbon.

Since the bibs, race T-shirt, and finisher’s medal did not identify a race location it is likely that the same bibs, shirts, and medals were used in all Dream Mile races in the US.

Finish & Recovery Area: The finish area is a cul de sac street, which provided plenty of room for a chiropractor tent, sponsors’ tents, and food. I wasn’t feeling great, so I just grabbed a chilled water bottle from near the finish line and flopped down on nearby grass. There was Indian food from a caterer/restaurant sponsor, so it was a bit frustrating being sore and unsure whether I could keep down spicy food. But for people who could, wow!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: On the whole this was a well run race. All the cheery volunteers at the aid stations made for a great race experience. This was my third time doing the Dream Mile and all three times was a great race experience. I’ll definitely consider doing it again.

One of the great experiences for me was meeting RaceRaves’ “own” Jen_L. She’s a really nice lady and was doing pacing for the marathon.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
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5

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I'm going to try to be brief (Katie and Mike are laughing at that sentence). My description of the courses in my 2017 Rave is pretty thorough. I did the … MORE

I’m going to try to be brief (Katie and Mike are laughing at that sentence). My description of the courses in my 2017 Rave is pretty thorough. I did the 10K distance this year (2018). The weather was sunny but pleasantly cool.

Like I said below, if Brazen can be said to have a “home course”, it’s Point Pinole. Nitro Trail was Brazen’s first race, 2018 being the 10th running. A family-like atmosphere characterizes Brazen’s races – I noticed this at my first Brazen race, 2014 Coyote Hills. But Point Pinole is HOME, and races there, especially Dirty Dozen and Nitro Trail, are like a ginormous family picnic. The impeccable organization, great aid station and recovery snacks, great bling, and beautiful venue are all great, but the people make it over-the-top special (and this year we were joined by Mike and Katie!).

The question is pretty much superfluous, but yes, I’d do Nitro Trail again, again.

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Event & Course Description: The course for the Willow Glen 5K is sort of sort of a crescent-shaped loop. It runs through the streets of the Willow Glen neighborhood of … MORE

Event & Course Description: The course for the Willow Glen 5K is sort of sort of a crescent-shaped loop. It runs through the streets of the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose. The 70-100+ year-old homes aren’t exactly upscale, but they are very nice and well maintained. The neighborhood being as old as it is, most of the trees are very mature and tall. I still prefer trails, but it is a very pretty neighborhood.

The start was at the intersection of Lincoln and Minnesota Avenues, near Willow Glen Elementary School, and the finish was in the elementary school grounds. The race was a benefit for the schools in that district. The course was paved streets, except for the last 80 or 100 yards. I’d estimate the course was 40%-50% shade, and the temperature while I was on the course went from about 65F to 70F.

Organization & Production: This was a pretty basic “Register-N-Run” race. Necessary information was on the website, including several available parking lots. Registration was easy. The course was well marked and marshaled (lots of encouraging cheerful volunteers!) and there were water stations (lots of volunteers!) at about 1 1/4 and 2 1/4 miles. There were markers for each mile. There were some residents who came out to cheer people on (one had strawberries for children!). There were people cheering at the finish and volunteers who handed out chilled bottles of water.

Swag & Goodies: Bagels, bananas, apples and coffee were available at pavilions in the check-in and recovery area. There was also a pancake breakfast for finishers put on by Kiwanis, free (I assume they had a jar or can for donations).

Bib: The bib is a dark teal green, with the bib number in yellow. Across the top is the race logo (see below), and across the bottom are “5K Run/Walk” and the website.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is navy blue cotton. The front has the race logo in front: “WG” in white letters and “5K” in green, with a red apple with a green leaf in between; under that is a thin light blue line; blow the line, in white letters, is “WILLOW GLEN”; below that are a small red, a medium-sized green, and a large light blue running triangles, with “2018” in the green one and “RUN/WALK” in the light blue one. On the right sleeve is the logo for a sponsor in yellow and white, and there are sponsors’ logos on the back. I don’t get the running triangles, but it’s a pretty nice race T-shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: This race didn’t have finishers medals. There were medals for age group places (I was 20th in the 60-90 group, so no medal for me) and for male and female over-all winners.

Finish & Recovery Area: Besides the food mentioned above there was a pavilion for post-run massages and places one could sit to rest sore feet. There was also a games area for younger children, during and after the race. This was a very family friendly event, with lots of children running and “running” (= in strollers and being carried) the race.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: It needs to be understood – as I discovered in the first 1/4-1/2 mile – that the Willow Glen 5K is a community fun run. In more “serious” races (does that sound stuffy?) most people self-seed, faster runners to the front, walkers and parents with strollers toward the back. It isn’t done rigidly and unerringly, but it’s a commonly done courtesy and safety measure. I’m sure some did this, especially the faster runners. I took my usual place among the walkers, just ahead of those with strollers. At the starting horn or signal what usually happens is that the whole mass walks forward, and as people reach the timing mats they start running. The large crowd in front of me just kept walking, to the point that it was a quarter mile or more before they were spread out enough for me to walk at full speed. At many races I would have been annoyed and frustrated by this, but the Willow Glen 5K just isn’t that kind of race. It had some fast runners – quite a few of the fastest people had finish times under 20 minutes. But it’s a primarily families and groups of friends doing a fun run/walk to tour the neighborhood, have fun, and support Willow Glen schools.

IOW, unless you’re fast enough to belong toward the front of the starting pack, this probably isn’t a PR race. I’m not anywhere near the front of the pack class. So while I had hoped to have a finish time under 50 minutes, my time was 42 seconds under 55 minutes and I’m happy with it. The initial pack slowed me down, it was getting warmish in the last mile or so (9 AM start), which affects my performance, and I decided not to be more aggressive. I just felt running/walking more aggressively just wasn’t in the spirit of the event.

Would I do the Willow Glen 5K again? Probably, since it’s close to me and supports local schools. It’s not quite a, “I want to do that race,” kind of event, but it’s pretty close.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Devil Mountain Run is a local charity benefit event in the City of Danville. There are other activities, but the main race distances are 5K and … MORE

Event & Course Description: Devil Mountain Run is a local charity benefit event in the City of Danville. There are other activities, but the main race distances are 5K and 10K. I did the latter. The 5K and 10K courses are entirely different, other than a 50-100 yard section at the start. The start was in downtown Danville on Railroad Avenue. 10K runners made their way on streets to the Iron Horse Trail. After a half mile or so on the trail runners went onto Camino Ramon and followed that for a couple of miles into San Ramon. Then runners turned and briefly followed a street that took them to the Iron Horse Trail, following that back to the finish and then another 1/2-3/4 mile back to the start and recovery area.

Camino Ramon parallels I-680 to some degree, but there are usually mature trees on both sides of the street, and the Iron Horse Trail makes its way through residential neighborhoods, with trees on both sides of the trail. It’s not forest-like, but the views, other that at the start, are mostly trees. The surfaces are all paved,about 50% street and 50% paved trail. I’d guess the course is on the order of 30% shade. Early May weather can be warm, though it was quite pleasant in 2018. All in all, sunscreen is a must!

Organization & Production: The information for the race – getting there, parking, course map, and schedule – was fairly complete, though the presentation could be improved. Due to street closures, getting to parking was less than straight forward, and the website information could have been more helpful. There were no signs directing to parking, but I was able to find a lot using Google Maps on my phone. There were plenty of porta-cans between the check-in/recovery area and the start arch.

Bib: The top ~60% of the bib is blue. The border at the bottom of this section is a curvy thin white line, with a section of red at the bottom. In the blue section is the race logo. The bib number is black with a white border and spans both color sections. At the bottom is the logo of the major sponsor, Hoka One One, and the race date.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is charcoal gray poly-cotton. At the chest is the race logo in red and white. The left sleeve has the logo of the City of Danville in white, and the right sleeve has the race name in white. The back has sponsors’ logos. It’s pleasant (and soft to the touch) but kind of bland.

Medals: This race, despite its size (nearly 1100 5K and 10K finishers) and having been run since 1978, only gives medals to event winners and those who place in their age group. Age group and event winners receive gift certificates for a free pair of Hoka One One shoes.

Finish & Recovery Area: The recovery area was a municipal parking lot, great for sponsors’ pavilions, but less so for tired sore feet. The food was bagels and bananas, which I passed on (I don’t like bananas – which makes me a runners’ heretic, I guess – and starchy bread didn’t appeal to me).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: It may be that it’s due to my expectations, but I was a bit disappointed. There was nothing about the organization that would hinder someone from getting to the race, and the course was well marked and marshaled. I was NOT thrilled with the finish arch being 1/2-3/4 mile from the recovery area! At that point runners and walkers are tired and footsore. Having the recovery area near the finish arch is not just an organizational convenience! The race Tee is kind of meh, and even charity races of that or larger size usually have custom finishers medals (not catalog medallions with custom printed stickers). Similarly, bagels and bananas are OK, but kind of meh (one charity race I’ve done a couple of times has food from an Indian restaurant/caterer!). I realize SF Bay Area runners are spoiled, but that’s kind of my point. In the context of what is normal in this area, the Devil Mountain Run is kind of lower end or stuck in an earlier era.

So all in all, I’d consider doing the Devil Mountain Run again. It is a register-n-run race, without organizational issues. But I’d consider it on an, “I want to do A race that weekend,” basis rather than, “I WANT to do THAT race again.”

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Event & Course Description: The KAMB Family Fun Run (FFR) is a charity race to support a radio station that plays Contemporary Christian Music. In 2018 it was run in … MORE

Event & Course Description: The KAMB Family Fun Run (FFR) is a charity race to support a radio station that plays Contemporary Christian Music. In 2018 it was run in Woodward Park in Fresno, CA. There were 5K and 10K distances, plus a 1 mile walk. The 5K course was sort of a rectangular loop around the perimeter of the park, with a short tail at the start and finish. 10K runners did the loop twice.

For about half the course runners had major streets on their left, for about a quarter there was a freeway or four lane highway on the left, and then for the remaining quarter – the northern side of the park – runners had a view of what looked like a flood bypass (very green in April), with the treeline of the San Joaquin River and the river itself a bit farther away. The view on runners’ right side was always of the park, variously, lots of trees, a large pond, lots of grassy areas (I noticed a Frisbee Golf area at one point), and an area for BMX-style biking.

Streets are streets (profound, huh!). The highway was hidden by an earthen berm, so runners only heard the cars as they went by. The park was really pretty, of course. Scenically, the highlight for me was the overlook along the north side of the park toward the San Joaquin River, which was really nice!

I would estimate that the course was about 55% paved, with the rest being a mix of packed dirt park access road, and double and single track trail. There was one 20-30 yard section of loose fine sand. I would guess that the course had about 30%-40% shade. The course was definitely not flat or even flat-ish. It had some gentle rolling, but there were two or three 20-40 foot hills, one of which was a bit steep (just after miles 2 and 5). Nothing super challenging, but folks accustomed to flat courses should be prepared for a few hills.

Organization & Production: The 2018 KAMB Family Fun Run was fairly small (under 50 5K and 10K finishers), its second running. Race information was mostly a webpage provided by the online registration site, and could have been improved. The times given for each race were the time for which the event had reserved the picnic area in the park. When I registered, there wasn’t a course map on the webpage (it did get added later). HOWEVER, neither of these issues would have affected a runner’s ability to register and get to the race on time for bib pick-up. Picking up the bib and T-shirt was easy and quick. The course was well marked, with course marshals at two points where runners crossed access roads. There was a water-only aid station at about mile 2. Volunteers were all friendly and encouraging.

Race timing was done by an electronic stopwatch or suitable app on the timer’s cell phone rather than by chip and sensor. Without asking the organizer people, I would guess that’s what was economically appropriate for the size and purpose of this race. Unfortunately for a few slow people (like me) the timing was stopped at the 1:30 mark; my time would have been around 1:45 (more on this below).

Swag & Goodies: The swag bag given out at check-in was nice, more that I anticipated. It had a KAMB logo water bottle, which I am using, because it has greater capacity and looks nicer than the employer’s logo water bottle I’ve been using for a couple of years. It also had a set of earbuds with a little carrying pouch and a KAMB pencil (I don’t know if we have a pencil sharpener). Not earth-shattering, but definitely nice.

The recovery area was a partly shaded picnic area about 20 yards from the start/finish. In addition to tables at which runners could sit there were bananas, protein bars, and ice-chilled or ambient temperature water. This was more than I anticipated from such a small race.

Bib: The bib was plain white, with the red bib number in the middle.

T-Shirt: The cotton race T-shirt is red, with the race logo in front, and sponsors’ logos on the back. The race logo is the race name in black block letters, with a runner silhouette cut out of the letter “A” of “KAMB”. Between the station call letters and the rest of the race name is a light blue flourish. It’s a pretty nice race Tee, even compared to those of races several times larger. There were no finisher’s medals, unsurprising for a race this size.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: My finish time of ~1:45 is not remotely close to fast, but it was the best I’ve done since a turkey trot in 2016. So I was pretty happy with that and disappointed not to have a more precise “official” time.

I had a couple of email exchanges with the organizing people at KAMB, one before, and one after the race. They were always courteous (as I also tried to be). In the latter exchange I gave my impressions of the race (mostly good) and expressed my disappointment that timing was discontinued before I finished. I’ve heard a few stories about race directors from somewhere close to infernal regions, but KAMB’s were the opposite of that. They were apologetic and appreciative of the several suggestions I included in my email.

Would I do the KAMB Family Fun Run again? I probably won’t, but NOT because of my race experience. Fresno is about 150 miles from my home. I did the race because I was in Fresno for other reasons, and while planning I looked for races that weekend. KAMB’s race was on the right day for my family’s schedule. Unless there were to be a similar coincidence of schedules, I probably won’t do KAMB’s race again.

Making the question above hypothetical, “If I lived a lot closer, would I …?” I probably would. Overall my race experience was very good. The park scenery was pleasant. The people – volunteers and runners – were very pleasant. The organizing people intend to improve what they do. Frankly, at $30 for the 10K and $25 for the 5K, I think the KAMB Family Fun Run may be $5-$10 under-priced, though I’m familiar with SF Bay Area registration fees, not what may be common in the Fresno area.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: The 2018 Big Bunny 5K course was much the same as in 2016. My 2016 Rave describes it well. It's a ”lollipop” with an eccentric loop … MORE

Event & Course Description: The 2018 Big Bunny 5K course was much the same as in 2016. My 2016 Rave describes it well. It’s a ”lollipop” with an eccentric loop and a bent start and finish stick. The neighborhood is reasonably pleasant, but the most interesting/unusual thing I saw was a faux-woody Ford Pinto station wagon. 2018’s race was a fundraiser for a charity that digs wells for towns and villages in nations outside of the US that do not have a safe source of water.

Organization & Production: As I stated in my headline, this was a no frills race, but done well. There were police and volunteers all along the course. Going off course was almost not an option. As in 2016 there was a single water-only aid station at about mile 2. First aid was also available at the aid station. There were signs marking miles 1, 2, and 3.

Swag & Goodies: Immediately on finishing one went past a first aid table, where bottles of cool water were available. Rather than giving out finisher’s medals in the finish chute they are given out at an easily spotted table in the recovery area. One of the sponsors was handing out snacks before the race, and presumably after. I didn’t see – but did not look for – other recovery goodies. The recovery area was a spacious lawn between the Cupertino Community Center building and the street where the start/finish arch was located. There was some seating.

Bib: The bib is similar to 2016. The background is white. Across the top is a hot pink stripe with the race name, except the “U” is a smiling pink bunny’s face. Across the bottom are several sponsors’ logos. In the middle are the bib number, in blue, and the runner’s name, in pink … well … . A funny thing happened at the printer. Many, but not all, bibs got the wrong person’s name printed on it. The timing stuff on the back had the correct number and name, but the bib front got the wrong name. I assume that by the time the race organizer people realized what had happened bibs could not be redone. Best laid plans of mice and bunnies …

T-Shirt: As in 2016 the race T-shirt is cotton, bright sky blue. At the front, where a pocket might be is printed a pink square filled with rows of little white bunny faces. An interesting idea, but the effect might have been better were the square and bunnies 10%-20% larger. But it’s a nice T-shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: I do not know what the 2017 finisher’s medal looked like, but the 2018 medal is a very nice step up from 2016. 2016’s medal was a standard medallion with a nice race-specific sticker in the middle. The 2018 medal is larger and looks custom made. It’s a sky blue Easter egg with pink stripes and small white polka dots. On the egg is the race name in white, with the bunny face “U”. At the top of the Easter egg are pink and white bunny ears. In contrast to 2016’s plain royal blue ribbon, the 2018 ribbon is hot pink, with the race name twice (with the bunny face “U”) and several white bunny faces in between. It’s going to be among my favorites!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: People with a very wide range of abilities ran the Big Bunny 5K. The first 12 finishers had times under 20 minutes, and the first 4 were under 18. On the other hand, as slow as I am (just under 51 minutes) 120 people finished after I did. The race has a very family oriented feel, in the start and finish area, as well as parent-child pairs and entire families running the race together.

The Big Bunny 5K is a race for a charity. So if it’s a little Spartan that means a bit more money goes to the charity. That aside, everything is well organized from the website to registering to doing the race. It’s a get there, run, and go home race with zero complications or unpleasant surprises. I’d hop on by the Big Bunny 5K again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
2
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The Go Green St. Patrick's Day Run used the Coyote Creek Trail, with the start and finish in San Jose's Hellyer Park. That sounds like any … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Go Green St. Patrick’s Day Run used the Coyote Creek Trail, with the start and finish in San Jose’s Hellyer Park. That sounds like any of several other races (of which I’ve done several) on that trail, except that the start/finish area was in the Sylvandale Picnic Area in the northern end of Hellyer Park. So for the first (and last) mile and a quarter I was in a part of the park I had not seen before. The start/finish picnic area was in a sort of three-sided bowl, with beautiful mature trees and grasses on the embankments. It was very easy to ignore the fact that we were in the heart of San Jose!

The courses were all out-and-back, with different “turn-around points”. Rather than a strict turn-around point the 5K course circled the lake at the southern end of Hellyer Park. 10K (including me) and half marathon runners used the same trail past the lake, coming and going. The 10K turn-around was shortly before going under Silver Creek Parkway. The half marathon turn-around was at Metcalf Park, midway between Bernal Road and Metcalf Road.

The Coyote Creek Trail is paved and reasonably wide. It parallels the creek, which makes for some pleasant views. It has a few very short rolling hills. The weather for the 2018 race started out chilly (under 40F when I arrived just before 7 AM), but was reasonable by start time (9 AM for the half marathon). There were thin clouds in the sky, but it was more like a filter than cloud cover. I’d estimate the shade for the 10K course to have been 60%-70%. I wore a long-sleeve shirt, but had it been a bit warmer short sleeves and sunscreen would have been appropriate.

Organization & Production: This was my first race with Finish Line Productions. Historically, this race has been run on the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Due to work being done near the usual start/finish area in Vasona Lake Park, Go Green was moved to the Coyote Creek Trail. Information on the website was complete (see below regarding swag), registration was easy, and there was a helpful pre-race email. There was some minor confusion about where to park, partly due to my arriving before the volunteers handling parking and partly due to a delay in the new parking information being posted to the website. I did race day check-in, which was easy. The number of portacans in the start/finish area was marginal, though I think the nearby permanent restrooms were a little under-used. There were park-owned portacans along the course. I don’t know exactly when the result were posted online, but it was done less than 24 hours after the race.

The course was marked with tape arrows on the pavement in a few places. There were also tape mile markers along the course, specific to the various distances. I’ve seen course arrows in the past that were rendered unremovable due to runners beating them into the ground, wearing holes in them, and took a year to weather away. These seemed to be made of a material that made them easy to remove after the race. I encountered 2 aid stations on the 10K course, the second one located about a third of a mile from the 10K turn-around, so that I came to aid stations 4 times during the 10K. The aid stations offered just water, which was fine for a cool day. The stations were well staffed, and the volunteers were friendly and encouraging. Overhearing some chatter among the volunteers, it sounds like the instructions email they received could have been more detailed and complete about where to check in and when.

Swag & Goodies: There were bottles of water available near the finish arch. I didn’t wander around the recovery area much, so all I SAW was some packaged cookies (which were good) and a craft beer poured from cans (which I did not try). I sat down for a bit and did not see other things at other tables.

Bib: Bibs were fairly simple. Across the top was the race name, with a shamrock to its left and the organizer’s logo to the right. At the bottom was the distance. In the middle was the bib number in large characters, with a broad color-coded stripe for runners of the half marathon (green) and 10K (orange).

T-Shirt: All runners received a long-sleeved tech T-shirt, gray for men and white for women. The front is the race logo from the race webpage: “Go Green” at the top; “St. Patrick’s Day” in the middle; “Run” at the bottom; the race distances were below that; a 4-leaf clover and swirls below “Go Green”; leafy vines on either side of “St. Patrick’s Day” and “Run”. The back has the race sponsors’ and organizer’s logos. Added: I finally wore the shirt a week later. I got a 2XL, but the fit lengthwise and in the sleeves is more like an XL. It isn’t one of my favorites, maybe, but it’s definitely a very nice shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: The main race webpage is not exactly accurate. In the left margin it says there would be finisher medals for all distances. In the central main body it says there would be pint glasses for all finishers and bottle opener age group place medals. The main body is what was given out to finishers – pint glasses for all and gold, silver, and bronze colored bottle openers for those who placed in their age group. The pint glass is clear, with the website race logo with one word changed: “Go Green St. Patrick’s Day Finisher”. The age group medal (I was 3rd in Old Goats age group) is about 2” long, with a sticker with the race logo, but with “Age Group Third” instead of “Run”. I display my bibs and finisher’s medals, so the glass messes with that, but it’s different from what is typical, kind of nice and useful.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’d been sick for the previous week and a half, and was probably at about 90% between not being fully over it and not being able to hit the trail much. So I was happy to finish vertical and under my own power; I was over half an hour “faster” than my most pessimistic anticipation.

I was a bit torn on my Overall Rating, between a weak “4” and a very strong “3”. It was a very good race experience, but not quite fully comparable to many other well done races in the SF Bay Area. There were things that could have been done better, more along the lines of needing to be tightened up than significant deficiencies. More extensive recovery area snacks would be nice. The website has some legacy information and needs a clean-up.

Would I do Go Green again? I will definitely consider doing the race next year, whether it’s run on the Coyote Creek Trail or the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Both are beautiful suburban greenway courses and both are close to my home. More importantly, it’s a register-and-run race, with no unpleasant missing information surprises.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: Except for a few over-simplifications my course description in my 2017 Rave for Victory is pretty good. I did the 10K again this year (as in … MORE

Event & Course Description: Except for a few over-simplifications my course description in my 2017 Rave for Victory is pretty good. I did the 10K again this year (as in 2016). The race start and finish is next to a building where Victory Ships were built during World War 2. A considerable part of the first ~1.25 miles was timber board walk and runners circled a couple of boat harbors, kind of cool. The rest was concrete. The loop around Marina Park done by 5K runners (and partly done by 10K and Half Marathon runners) was entirely concrete. For another mile and a quarter after 10K and Half Marathon runners turned right at the first aid station the surface was concrete, and then became asphalt. Along much of the asphalt section there was a packed dirt and gravel “shoulder” for those who prefer that surface. 10K runners cross bridges over a couple of creeks before their turn-around, while the Half Marathon turn-around was fairly close to Golden Gate Fields horse race track.

It was pretty chilly and breezy during check-in and while waiting for the start (it was ~40F when I arrived at 6:15!). The breeze calmed down some before the start, so all in all we had perfect weather for a run. It was cool and sunny with some very thin clouds. The 10K and Half Marathon courses were 90%-95% exposed, the shade being mostly in Marina Park, late in the race (when it might be needed and refreshing!). Definitely a sunscreen or a long-sleeve and long pants course (and a hat if you have a hairstyle like mine).

Organization & Production: Victory is a Brazen race. That means runners just need to worry about getting there and running/walking their race. Registration and check-in were easy (I did race-day check-in and had my bib and Tee by 6:30). The course for Victory was fairly simple, but Brazen always marks courses well, with “Mile #” signs every mile. Brazen aid stations are always well stocked with a variety of liquids, snacks, fruit, and multiple flavors of GU packets. Finishing runners are announced as they finish and are handed their finisher’s medals. Brazen races are consistently a great race experience.

Swag & Goodies:

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The usual pattern has distance color-coded stripes, the race name and date, artwork shared with the race T-shirt, the runner’s name, Brazen Racing’s logo, and the bib number. The bib for Victory featured a hand giving the famous “V for Victory” sign.

T-Shirt: Brazen’s registration fee includes a tech type T-shirt for Half Marathon runners and a poly-cotton T-shirt for 10K and 5K runners. 10K and 5K runners can upgrade to a tech type Tee for a moderate fee (currently $7). I didn’t upgrade this time. The tech type Tees were of a medium gray color. The poly-cotton Tees are medium-dark gray with the “V for Victory” hand in a US flag pattern and the race name below it on the front. On the back is a bow-on Victory Ship at full speed with the race name, distances, location, and date below the bow wave. Below that race logo are the logos of the race sponsors and Brazen Racing.

Finisher’s Medal: The Victory finisher’s medal features the full-speed Victory Ship and bow wave with the race name and distances below it. The date is on the bow of the ship. The ribbon is blue, with a bow-on Victory Ship, the race name, distances and date.

Finish & Recovery Area: Finishers went through the chute, received their medal, got a bottle of water if they wanted it, and went straight toward the recovery area. Awaiting them there were a variety of sweet and salty snacks, bagels, and fruit, a considerable spread (as always!).

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’ve “run” Victory twice, in 2016 and 2018, and volunteered in 2017. Brazen Racing is an excellent and consistent race organizer. I’ll probably do Victory again – as a “runner” or as a volunteer – and I plan to do more Brazen races in 2018.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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My descriptions of the Bay Breeze course in previous Raves are good, so I'll just say that the 10K and half marathon courses are out-and-back along the Bay Trail, mostly … MORE

My descriptions of the Bay Breeze course in previous Raves are good, so I’ll just say that the 10K and half marathon courses are out-and-back along the Bay Trail, mostly exposed (sunscreen time, even with overcast!). This is one of Brazen’s more popular races – not hilly, easily accessible, good parking availability, usual great aid station snacks and recovery area food. Size does not strain what Brazen produces, from a participant’s point of view. The 2018 running was above average warm, in the mid-upper 60s and somewhat humid. Heat and I are not amicable running partners.

So, why do a Rave when I’ve Raved Bay Breeze before? We-e-e-e-ellllll this wasn’t my best day on the trail. I signed up to do the half marathon distance, but when I was approaching the mid-point turn-around I realized that I probably had the “gas” to do only 9 or 10 miles, but not the full 13.1. At the turn-around was an aid station. Brazen cares about its runners (and walkers) and aid station volunteers are told to keep an eye on runners’ condition. Usually that means the usual encouraging chatter, which lets volunteers see how “with it” the runners are. It’s fun for all with a purpose (BTDTGTTS, literally).

So, after resting for a bit to see whether that helped, I decided I’d best drop out at that point. After a bit of chat with the volunteers, they made sure I really was basically OK and contacted the RD to let them know what was happening. What would ordinarily have happened next for me would probably have been that I would help them at the aid station (that would have been my choice) until the Sweeper came, and then I would have gotten a ride back to the finish area with a volunteer. As things happened, a couple of volunteers (a Dad and Daughter) were going to be leaving early (to join the Mom who was doing the 10K), so I walked with them the half mile or so to their car and had a pleasant ride with them, getting to know them some.

The normal protocol in situations like that is that the runner dropping out checks in with the RD to let them know (s)he is OK and not out on the course. Brazen keeps track of and cares about who is still out on the course. With Brazen, if a runner drops out of, for example, the half marathon but has completed 5K or 10K, they get a finisher’s medal for having done that. The half marathon turn-around being at ~6.5 miles, I did an “ultra” 10K. Brazen finisher’s medals are always great. Bay Breeze combines sea creature and Valentine’s Day themes, so the 2018 medal had an octopus (The Octopus of Love!) with a bouquet of red roses. As for doing Bay Breeze again? I will be Bach, errrrrrr back.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: This was my second year in a row doing Coastal Trail Runs' Crystal Springs Trail Run (CSTR). Looking over my Rave from last year, it's a … MORE

Event & Course Description: This was my second year in a row doing Coastal Trail Runs’ Crystal Springs Trail Run (CSTR). Looking over my Rave from last year, it’s a pretty overview of CSTR. So I’ll just add more details, plus a few things that were different in 2018.

One way or another, all runners do the 5-Mile loop. Just after the end of the 2 3/4 miles of uphill 5 Milers turn right, downhill toward the finish. The other distances turn right, uphill, to do their loop(s), and then return to the finish by the remaining mile or so of the 5-Mile course.

To date, 2018 has been much less wet than 2017. So the course was wet, but with only a few, very avoidable, mud patches. The first mile or so was through scrubby deciduous trees. Right around mile 1 the trees transition to redwoods. Then the last mile is mixed redwoods and deciduous. The 2 3/4 miles of uphill is not, on average, very steep (~260 feet per mile), but some parts are steeper than others, and it’s a longish steady mile climb. There were no aid stations in the 5-Mile course, so runners should be prepared (this is REALLY important if one does the August running of CSTR!). All in all, the 5-Mile course is probably 90% shade and 100% beautiful.

Organization & Production: Coastal Trail Runs is an excellent organizer. A runner merely needs to “worry” about getting there, running their race, and getting home. It should be noted that Coastal does not do chip timed starts – finish times are referenced to the “gun” start time. Those who are fast and competitive should self-corral to the front of the starting pack.

Swag & Goodies:

Bib: Coastal Trail Runs bibs are plain white, with organizer logos across the top, their, “Have Fun Out There,” slogan across the bottom, and the bib number in the middle.

T-Shirt & Finisher’s Medal: Coastal Trail Runs gives tech type race T-shirt to runners of all distances. Coastal uses the same artwork for their T-shirts and finishers medals from year to year. The ribbon of the 2018 CSTR finisher’s medal has “2018” instead of “2017”. Similarly the race Tee is the same except for the race date. This year I placed third in my age group. Coatal’s age group medals feature Coastal’s logo: their name in orange letters, with two green hills that have trails in white. The ribbons give the ordinal number, and the medallions are bright metal finish gold, silver, and copper colored.

Finish & Recovery Area: After runners pass through the finish arch a volunteer hands them their medal, and the recovery area is a few step to their right. The recovery area for CSTR is a covered picnic area, with plenty of seating. The fluids and snacks available in Coastal’s recovery area are pretty consistent from race to race: electrolyte drink, bottled water, 2 or 3 types of soda, and craft beers; the snacks were chips, pretzels, Chex mix, candies, and Oreo cookies. I noticed bagels and cream cheese, and as I was leaving I noticed a camp stove was being fired up to warm some soup.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Due to some health events and a bit of laziness on my part, CSTR was a return to hilly trail runs for me, and my main goal was to finish vertically and under my own power. I did that and wasn’t much slower than last year, so I’m happy.

Coastal Trail Runs does trail runs, really well. I did seven Coastal races last year. This year’s CSTR was no exception, so chances are I will do several Coastal races in 2018, and will consider CSTR come 2019.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing runs out the old and runs in the new year with a pair of races on New Year's Eve Day (NYE) and New Year's … MORE

Event & Course Description: Brazen Racing runs out the old and runs in the new year with a pair of races on New Year’s Eve Day (NYE) and New Year’s Day (NYD). In 2016 and now 2017 NYE was run in Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont and the Alameda Creek Trail, while NYD was run at Lake Chabot near Castro Valley. Quarry Lakes Park is the former site of a sand and gravel quarry, with lakes formed by ground water and water from the nearby Alameda Creek. The park is a mix of public use areas and preserves for local plants, animals, and birds, with trails around the lakes in the park. There is plenty of parking inside the park, and the parking fee for NYE is pre-paid.

I did the half marathon and will note where the other distances leave the half marathon course. Most of the 10K and half marathon courses were new for Brazen. All runners started with a clockwise circle 2/3 of the way around Horseshoe Lake. 5K runners then turned right to finish their loop course with a 2/3 circle around Rainbow Lake back to the finish. 10K and half runners turned left, zig-zagged up to the Alameda Creek Trail, crossing a pedestrian bridge to the other side of the creek. Once there, all runners turned right for the first of two out-and-back legs for runners of the half. About 2/3 of the way on this leg 10K runners turned around, headed back into the park, and followed the course taken by the 5K runners back to the finish. Half marathon runner went a bit farther, turned around, and when they reached the pedestrian bridge continued out for their second out-and-back leg in the other direction on the Alameda Creek Trail. This leg was about as long as the first leg. Half runners turned around, crossed the pedestrian bridge into the park and then completed their circle around Horseshoe Lake back to the finish (a different and shorter route than that taken by other runners).

The 5K course is almost entirely packed dirt with some fine gravel, and that course is half of the 10K course. The part of the 10K and half marathon course on the Alameda Creek Trail is entirely paved. So the 10K course is about 50-50 dirt-paved, and the half marathon course about 80% paved. The trail on the side of Alameda Creek across from Quarry Lakes Park has a fair amount of shade, so the 10K course had about 20-30% shade, while the half marathon course had 30%-40% shade. SF Bay Area December weather can vary, so runners need to check weather forecasts for race day several days ahead. If rain is forecast for race day or the previous or following day come prepared for wet weather. NYE 2017 had near perfect running weather – a bit chilly (Bay Area chilly, not Illinois chilly), with some clouds.

Organization & Production: Brazen is one of those organizations where runners’ only worries are getting there, running their race, getting home, and stiffly hobbling into their dwelling. All necessary information is on the website, online registration is easy, the pre-race instructions email is sent several days before the race and gives very complete information and instructions, and everything from start/finish area set-up through aid stations and back for recovery flow smoothly. For those who could, there was packet pick-up at Road Runner Sports in Berkeley for several hours each on the two days before the race. Or one may pick up one’s bib and race T-shirt on race day morning. Either option always runs smoothly and quickly.

Brazen marks its courses well, though once one was on the Alameda Creek Trail the choices were to stay on course, wander into people’s back yards, or tumble down the bank into the creek. The markings on trails in the park were clear. Brazen also places numbered mile markers along its course, making keeping track of one’s progress easy. Brazen had four aid stations at this race. The first was inside the park, about 1.4 miles from the start. The second was at the end of the pedestrian bridge, where 10K runners would pass it twice, and half runners three times. This station area got a bit congested as outbound mid-pack 10K runners and mid-pack and slower half marathon runners inbound from their first out-and-back leg arrive around the same time-frame from two different directions. The volunteers did their best to spread runners out by how they positioned the tables and the volunteers handing out water and electrolyte drink. The other two aid stations were at the ends of the two out-and-back legs, encountered only by half marathon runners. Brazen aid stations always feature a wide range of sweet and salty snacks, fruit, water, electrolyte drink, and sodas, and GU gel packets.

Swag & Goodies: Brazen’s recovery area food is pretty amazing for variety. Finishing runners were greeted by having their names called out on the PA system, given their finisher’s medal, and handed a bottle of water (if wanted). A few yards away in a covered picnic area was an even wider variety of cookies, chips, cakes, pretzels, fruit, and candies. Brazen’s “signature” recovery snack is multiple flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches (my favorite is mint ice cream!). Evidently there is a Costco near Quarry Lakes Park, as there were boxes and boxes of extra large pizzas – I saw “deluxe”, pepperoni, no-meat veggie, and cheese. The deluxe was very tasty.

Bib: Brazen doesn’t do plain race bibs. The usual pattern has distance color-coded stripes, the distance, the race name and date, artwork shared with the race T-shirt, the runner’s name, Brazen Racing’s logo, and the bib number. NYE 2017 bib artwork featured a black hotrod that looked like a hybrid of the Beach Boys’ “Little Deuce Coupe” and ZZ Top’s panel wagon. Running from the front of the hotrod, along the front fenders, and onto the doors were blue flames. At the back of the hotrod was a sign, “Now Leaving 2017”.

T-Shirt: The NYE 2017 race T-shirt for half marathon runners is a light blue tech type with the Brazen Racing logo across the chest in front and race artwork and sponsors’ logos on the back. The race artwork has the hotrod described above with a large full moon behind it. It’s definitely going to be a favorite!

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is large and substantial. It features the hotrod, full moon, the “Now Leaving …” sign, and fireworks bursts. As mentioned above, Brazen does a pair of New Year themed races. I didn’t do NYD, but its medal replaced the moon with the Sun and the sign with a “Now Entering 2018”. The NYD hotrod is purple with yellow flames. For those who participated in both races there was a connector medal with an arched bridge and the words “Pedal to the Metal”. All. Extremely. COOL!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Having done seven Coastal Trail Runs races and eight Brazen Racing races in 2017, comparing the two is almost inevitable. Using Rock ‘N’ Roll events as a sort of standard for high-end price, Coastal would be low price, and Brazen medium. Coastal’s Tees, and medals are simpler and use the same artwork year to year; Coastal’s bibs are plain white with bib number. Brazen’s Tees, medals, and almost all bibs have artwork that changes from year to year. Both have a fairly wide variety of aid station snacks, Brazen a bit more. Brazen’s recovery area food is more varied, but Coastal grills burgers or brats for finishers of their longer distances, and their finish area cooler has bottles of beer. What the two have in common is that both provide their runners good value and excellent race experiences in a wide variety of venues and trails. Personally, the differences between the two aren’t much of a factor when I choose between the two. The dates, venues, terrains, and distances are my main considerations. I have some preference for Brazen, but on balance Coastal is not a step-down.

2017 was a frustrating year for me, a couple of steps backward (at the least) in my capabilities. Brazen New Year’s Eve was just my fourth completed half marathon in 2017. But I finished NYE under my own power and vertical, and it was my second half in the month of December. So I’ll take it as a restart point. As a whole I like Quarry Lakes Park. It’s really pretty. OTOH, Alameda Creek Trail to me is just OK. However, the new course went farther toward the foothills above Fremont, and that part was prettier as well as not familiar. It looks like Brazen’s Western Pacific half and full Marathons will use the course Brazen usually uses. This may be because that Marathon course is certified for qualifying for the Boston Marathon. I haven’t planned out much of 2018, but the chances that I will “run” or volunteer at Western Pacific and/or New Year’s Eve in 2018 are pretty high.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' Zombie Runner Quarry Lakes (ZRQL) is one of three races Coastal does at Quarry Lakes Park and the nearby Alameda Creek Trail. In … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs’ Zombie Runner Quarry Lakes (ZRQL) is one of three races Coastal does at Quarry Lakes Park and the nearby Alameda Creek Trail. In 2018 the events will be in mid March, the end of June, and mid December. The first two feature 5K, 10K, and half Marathon distances. In the past the December race included a full Marathon distance; a 30K distance was added in 2017.

Quarry Lakes Park has, as the name suggests, lakes that fill what were once quarry pits. The park and the trails in it are really beautiful. The Alameda Creek Trail follows the creek, usually with suburban houses and occasional parks on both sides. The creek is fairly wide, with lots of tules. It’s not my favorite trail run course, but it is much preferable in my mind to a race in central San Jose. Perhaps because of my moderate expectations I was a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed the course this time.

The half Marathon (which I did) course can be described as a “T” with a short vertical stroke and a much longer horizontal stroke. Both strokes in this description have curves and the vertical stroke has a loop in it, so it doesn’t exactly look like the letter T. All runners did the mile and a half outbound side of the vertical stroke. When runners reached the Alameda Creek trail 5K runners turned right, ran along the trail for a little over 3/4 of a mile, and then back into the park for another 3/4 of a mile or so to the finish. Back where the 5K runners turned right the 10K and longer distance runners turned left onto the trail for the left side of the horizontal stroke. After about 2 miles runners reached an aid station where they also turned around. Runners then retraced their steps, and when they reached the point where 5K runners went back into the park – also the location of an aid station – 10K runners took a slightly longer route to the finish. Longer distance runners went out on the second side of the horizontal stroke, about 3.6 miles out and 3;6 back . The turn-around for this leg went up onto a sidewalk to cross to the paved bike path on other side of the creek for the return. There were two aid stations, one on each side of the creek and in sight of each other, for this leg. Runners went slightly past the park reentry, crossed a pedestrian bridge, and then returned to the park reentry and to the finish by the route 10K runners took. On reaching the finish, 30K runners turned around and did the 10K course again, while Marathon runners did the half Marathon course again.

For 5K and 10K runners the course was entirely hard packed dirt and fine gravel. For longer distance runners it was 65%-75% dirt and gravel. The 5K course was mostly exposed, and the 10K course may have had 10%-20% shade. Because of trees on the creek path opposite the park side and the angle of the sun, half and full Marathon runners experienced 30%-40% shade. Except for a few street underpasses and some very gentle inclines, the courses for ZRQL are basically flat.

Organization & Production: Coastal’s races usually flow from checking it out online to registering to finding necessary information on the website to getting to leaving after the race. The “only” hard work is running your race. Quarry Lakes Park is easily accessible and has plenty of parking. ZRQL had almost 430 finishers, and races with 2 or 3 times as many finishers have been accommodated by the park and trails. Runners do have to pay a $5 vehicle entry fee, but Coastal’s registration fees are pretty low.

There were 3 separate start times – the long distances, the 10K, and the 5K. Coastal does gun start timing, so faster runners should position themselves toward the front of their starting pack for the most accurate finish time. The locations of aid stations, as with pretty much all trail races, are dictated by access to the trail. Aid stations for ZRQL were 2.1-2.7 miles apart. Coastal typically has a variety of sugary and salty snacks at aid stations, plus water, electrolyte drink, Coke, and Sprite, and ZRQL was no exception.

Coastal doesn’t do mile markers, so knowing the aid station locations and distances helps one track one’s progress. The website has a chart with the aid station locations and distances between. Coastal DOES mark courses well, though the course for ZRQL is a bit simpler than some of Coastal’s races.

The finish area (a covered group picnic area) food is mostly a super-set of what is at aid stations. However, just as the fastest 30K and Marathon runners the RD fired up a picnic area grill. I did not see what was about to be grilled, but in previous races I’ve seen hamburgers and bratwursts. For liquid recovery/refreshments there were bottled water, sodas, electrolyte drink, and beer (Anchor brand; I also have seen Sierra Nevada at another Coastal race).

Swag & Goodies:

Bib: Coastal Trail Runs bibs are plain white, with organizer logos across the top, their, “Have Fun Out There,” slogan across the bottom, and the bib number in the middle.

T-Shirt: Coastal’s registration fee includes tech type race T-shirts for all distances. Some Tees were “Royal Blue”, some were “Chili Pepper Red” (I saw the boxes). I got red. The race logo on the front is an abstract view of Alameda Creek, looking through tules and across the water course. Across the top of the logo is the race name in green, with the race information (including date) and the Zombie Runner store logo in yellow-orange. The back has the sponsors’ and organizer’s logos. It may not become a favorite, but it’s pleasant and may grow on me. I do like the color,

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is a disc with the logo and information from the T-shirt on it (except the date). The ribbon is green and (to my disappointment), unlike other Coastal medals I have from 2017, does not have the year.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: This has been a year of health problems that have affected my endurance and the distances I’ve done in races. There was also a month and a half I hiatus. Prior to Zombie Runner Quarry Lakes I had not done a half Marathon since the Dream Mile in June, then the second half I’d completed in 2017. So my “big” goal in doing Quarry Lakes was to finish a half Marathon. Enjoying the course and day and enjoying Coastal’s race experience were secondary. Maybe having my expectations “looking” elsewhere set me up for it, but I enjoyed all that too, as well as finishing with a time faster than the 7 1/2 hours allowed for the race. Quarry Lakes Park is beautiful, the Alameda Creek Trail is pleasant and occasionally beautiful, the day was cool and sunny, and Coastal consistently gives a great race experience (ZRQL was my seventh Coastal event in 2017). This isn’t my favorite course, but Coastal is a great organizer and those longer distances are calling me. December weather and the flattish courses mean that with training, who knows come December, 2018. My first 30K? My first Marathon?

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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My previous years' Raves describe this race pretty well. The bib, T-shirt, and medal features Quarry Turkey dancing, holding a large spoon. It's sort of mirror image to the Nitro … MORE

My previous years’ Raves describe this race pretty well. The bib, T-shirt, and medal features Quarry Turkey dancing, holding a large spoon. It’s sort of mirror image to the Nitro Turkey medal, where Nitro has a similarly sized fork. For those who do both races there is a connector medal which has a grinning ear of corn high-fiving Nitro and Quarry.

Quarry Turkey is a second great family time, with another Little Turkeys race (yes, they do get medals!), lots of kids running with their parents, and quite a few in strollers as well. Being less pressed for time and including a half marathon along with the 10K and 5K, each distance has its own start time.

Because Quarry Turkey is the Saturday after Thanksgiving families don’t have to rush home for their Thanksgiving dinner. This makes Quarry Turkey a little more relaxed in pace, with more hanging-out and talk pre-race and during recovery time. Turkey Trots with 20,000 runners have their place and unique vibe, but for me “smaller” races like Nitro and Quarry Turkey (~1000 and ~1200, respectively) are much more enjoyable. 2017 was my fourth Quarry Turkey. It probably won’t be my last.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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My Raves tend to be rather Dragnetesque – “Just the facts”, lots of them. 2017 was the third year running that I did Nitro Turkey, and my 2016 Rave covers … MORE

My Raves tend to be rather Dragnetesque – “Just the facts”, lots of them. 2017 was the third year running that I did Nitro Turkey, and my 2016 Rave covers the relevant facts pretty well, Brazen is very consistent, and this beautiful location is pretty much their home turf. I’ll give the bling a quick once over. The key feature the Nitro Turkey dancing with a large fork. Brazen does a two-turkey race series and award a special connector medal for people who do both races.

Brazen races are always family friendly, but Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey are especially so. Before each race’s main events there are special races for the little ones, a 100-150 yard out-and-back. The 5K and 10K courses are also very stroller friendly, and I saw many runners and walkers pushing strollers, often husband and wife together. I also saw many parent(s)-child(ren) groups as well.

Brazen races usually have somewhat of a family picnic atmosphere, since so many runners are regulars and have become good friends. Nitro Turkey (as well as Quarry Turkey and July’s Dirty Dozen) take it up a notch, as friends are in a celebratory mood, welcoming visitors and first-timers, preparing for family gatherings later in the day. 2017 was my third Nitro Turkey, and it probably won’t be my last.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The Down by the Bay 5K & Tot Trot is put on by and benefits the Mountain View Parent Nursery School. Being a charity race, my … MORE

Event & Course Description: The Down by the Bay 5K & Tot Trot is put on by and benefits the Mountain View Parent Nursery School. Being a charity race, my expectations are different from a race put on by professional organizers. One further comment, comparing my course description in my 2015 Rave and the event’s course map (the course hasn’t changed), I don’t know what I was saying. Doh!

The race is set in Sunnyvale Baylands Park. The start/finish arch is on a dirt single track trail, between the Baylands Grove and the Discovery Play Area. The recovery and activities area is in an open grassy area adjacent to the play area. The course is an out-and-back, with the first 1/2 of a mile being different.

Runners went about 30 or 40 yards down the dirt trail to the asphalt parking access road. After 100 yards or so, the course turned onto a trail that paralleled the access road, with the park’s picnic areas and eucalyptus grove along the other side of the trail. After a couple hundred yards the trail rejoined the access road. Because the distance isn’t any different and the surface is smoother, most parents with strollers chose to stay on the access road. Where the trail rejoined the road was the location of the race’s only water station. Runners would pass the station twice on the run. The access road (the Baylands Park Trail) continued for another half mile or so, with a wall on one side (with the Highway 237 freeway on the other side of the wall) and marshes on the other. At the end of the access road and just before Calabasas Creek, runners turned onto the Bay Trail, which is on a levee, and proceeded about a half a mile between marshes to the turn-around. On the return leg, when runners reached the water station they turned onto a trail that circles along the bay side of the park and turned onto the single track trail that led toward the finish. At this point runners could choose to go straight, over four short mounds, or go a little farther, around the mounds. The finish was then 40 or 50 yards ahead.

The race mixes beautiful shady eucalyptus groves in the park with the bleak beauty of the marshes and wetlands along most of the course. I didn’t notice much freeway noise or smell during the half mile section along Highway 237. For those who used the trail instead of the access road, the course would have been about 2/3 packed dirt and gravel trail. Other than the 300 or 400 yards along the picnic areas the course was entirely exposed. In November that usually doesn’t matter, but it is worth remembering and checking weather.

Organization & Production: Down by the Bay is so well organized, with information on the website and emails, that it’s a no worries Register-and-Run race. Except for the race timing people, the race is entirely organized and staffed by a few school staff and lots of volunteers. The water station is encountered a bit early and late in the race, maybe, but its location is dictated by the trails rather than by chosen poorly. On a reasonable day it works fine. The volunteers at the aid station were friendly, helpful, and encouraging. They were also at a key turn, directing runners on their return leg. There were course marshals along the course, with several stationed at the turn-around point. I think I saw some volunteers from a high school or junior high, and some from a Girl Scout Troop.

The finish arch was on a single track trail, so they did not hand out water there. Runners walked 60 or 80 yards to the recovery area where there was bottled water, bananas, oranges, apples,bagels and cream cheese, and blueberry coffee cake (the food handlers wore gloves). The recovery area also had games and activities for kids.

The “Tot Trot” mentioned in the name of the race was run before the 5K race started. The course went from the arch, over the mounds used by the 5K, and back along the trail around the mounds (no 2-way traffic!). I’d guess it was 150-200 yards, not trivial. It was very preschooler and toddler friendly, with many parents accompanying or carrying their children. All Tot Trotters received a finisher’s medal on a beaded chain.

Bib: The bib has a plain white background. The name of the race is across the top in orange letters. Below that is the logo of the race, a blue whale’s tail, and the bib number. In between the name of the race and the bib number, in small letters, is the date. At the bottom are logos of a sponsor and the school. I believe the 2016 bibs were the same, except for the date (smart!). Not spectacular, but easily a cut above a plain white bib with number and sponsor name.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is dark charcoal gray, of a 50-25-25 cotton-rayon-polyester blend, not tech type, but soft to the touch (nicer in that respect than the 2015 Tee). The front has a circular design, with the name of the school around the top, the whale tail logo and race name in the center, and the date around the bottom. The back has the logos of the various sponsors. It’s a pretty nice race Tee, but the fit is almost a size smaller than most I have, which means it doesn’t fit me. Since I use my race Tees for workouts and for general casual wear, this is “advertising” that the Down by the Bay 5K may not get (unless I become smaller in circumference, which would be a good thing).

Finisher’s Medal: There was no finisher’s medal for the 5K runners. It’s a charity race with a strong family emphasis, so I have no problem with there being medals for the Tot Trotters but not 5K runners. It really is about the kids, at the school and at the race event.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Despite the four mounds that are almost like small hills, my finish time was 70 seconds faster than last week’s completely flat 5K. It was also under a certain time goal I had set, so I’m pretty happy that I’m making progress.

All in all, Down by the Bay 5K was a very well done race. The shirt fit is a disappointment, but it is what it is. Maybe next year they’ll choose a different shirt with a different fit. The race was really well done from checking it out through leaving the parking lot (FREE!) to go home. Down by the Bay 5K was a very pleasant race experience.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: As the race name suggests, this 5K benefits Cambrian School District schools in San Jose. I live in the district and the race was run just … MORE

Event & Course Description: As the race name suggests, this 5K benefits Cambrian School District schools in San Jose. I live in the district and the race was run just a couple of miles from my home. “Cambrian” is the name of an area of San Jose that was developed not long after World War 2 (Hello, Baby-Boomers!).

The race started and finished at Steindorff STEAM school. The course was an out-and-back that used neighborhood streets and a trail through Doerr Park, with a turn-around at Ida Price Middle School. The course was paved (AKA “Streets”), and being a mature neighborhood, had a fair amount of shade. The weather was clear with temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s, so shade wasn’t exactly critical, though appreciated.

Organization & Production: Small- and medium-scale races (this race had 538 finishers) benefiting a local cause are not like large-scale commercial races or medium-sized trail races organized by for-profit companies. And I adjust my expectations accordingly.

With that preface … the website information and pre-race email for this race were quite complete, everything a runner would need to know to get there, know where to park, and what to expect. A no worries race experience is pretty much a fundamental requirement in my view, and this race delivered it. Packet pick-up was in my neighborhood (how cool is that?!).

While the start/finish arch was on Foxworthy Avenue, the adjacent school play area had pavilions for the various district schools, a local charity, a sponsor, and for race day registration and packet pick-up. The registration and pick-up table could have been located better, or signs could have been posted to direct people there (several people asked me where it was). The race was started about 20 minutes late. I didn’t hear any explanation, but I saw quite a few people arriving late. Some might not yet have picked up their bib and Tee. So I’m guessing the delay was to accommodate them.

Self-corraling was kind of marginal, so faster runners should make sure they get toward the front. There were lots of parents with small children and strollers, enough that I finished mid-pack (an unusual experience for me), and I found myself threading through families and strollers. I consider this to be inherent to the nature of this race. A large number of the runners were families with children in the district’s schools. No doubt some have had experience with races (and I did see some Tees from other races), but for many it was probably their first race of any distance. So the idea of self-corraling would be unfamiliar to them. Getting families out there running together was the purpose of the race (besides being a fundraiser), so I was fine with that.

The course was through nice suburban streets, pleasant but not unlike the street I live on. The neighborhood is in the district. San Jose Police had closed down the streets all along the course, so there was no traffic to worry about. There were student volunteer course marshals positioned along the route, though there was one turn that probably should have had one but did not (I saw a dad and son go off-course there). There were water stations (on both sides of the street) about a half mile from the turn-around point. There was a first aid and information table right near the turn-around.

Bib: This was a small pleasant (visually) surprise. “Normal”, in my experience is a plain white bib with a number and maybe the charity’s name or logo in a color different from that of the bib number. The top of this bib has a sky blue background stripe, with the Cambrian School District logo and the race logo, which includes the name and original date (see below for more about that). About half the bib is a white stripe in the middle with the bib number. Across the bottom is a thin yellow stripe with the url for the district. All in all, a much nicer bib than I would expect. I wonder if a district parent does graphic design and a sponsor did the printing (i.e. smart organizing!).

T-Shirt: I’m a T-shirt snob. I like the feel of tech-type T-shirts. Reality is that cotton Tees are the norm for 5K and 10K races, and this race is no exception. It benefits schools, so being careful with their money is a good thing! That said, it is a custom design, a running shoe with the mascot logos of the various district schools around the shoe. The artwork was done by a district student, very cool! Above the shoe is the name of the race, and below it the original date. The Tee itself is fluorescent green, a very practical color for runners who run on streets in the evening (good thinking!).

Finisher’s Medal: There was no finisher’s medal, a budgetary choice with which I am entirely fine. The race benefits the district schools. ‘Nuff said.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’m fine with my finish time. I worked for it, and it was what I could do. I finished vertical,which is a good thing.

All in all, this was a pleasant race experience; in job performance review terms, it “Exceeded Expectations”. This race was originally scheduled to run October 15, 2017, but that was the week of the big fires in the North Bay. There was enough smoke in San Jose air, even though the fires were a hundred miles away, that the school district decided to postpone the race due to poor air quality. That took a lot of flexibility on the part of the district, organizing committee, and volunteers. The only visible artifacts of the change were the original date being on the race T-shirt and the bib. These had probably been printed before the fires had even started.

Basically I did this race because the weekend was open, and the novelty of the packet pick-up being at the district office in my neighborhood. I can’t speak for next year at this point, but I would definitely consider doing it again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Event & Course Description: Normally the Zombie Runner Halloween Run uses the Los Gatos Creek, Flume, and Jones trails, with the start/finish area in Los Gatos Creek Park. And normally … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Normally the Zombie Runner Halloween Run uses the Los Gatos Creek, Flume, and Jones trails, with the start/finish area in Los Gatos Creek Park. And normally the distances are 5 miles, half marathon, and marathon. Courtesy of extensive sprinkler system work near and across the trail in Vasona Lake Park all that was changed in 2017.

Coastal Trail Runs moved the race to Hellyer Park and the Coyote Creek Trail, where they do their Turkey Trot. And the distances were 5K, 10K (which I did), half marathon, and marathon. Starting and finishing Hellyer Park, the course is an out-and-back along the Coyote Creek Trail. Runners start off by circling the park (which has a very nice lake in it) and then following Coyote Creek along the trail to their several turn-around points. Marathon runners do the half marathon course twice, including circling the park. The Coyote Creek Trail is almost flat, mostly ruralish, well shaded, and very pleasant. Except for about 50 yards of single track dirt the course is entirely paved. Degree of shade depends some on the time of day, but the 10K course is about 60%-70% shade, with much of the exposed area being the circuit around the park, when the sun is very low and it’s likely to be overcast. In the first part of October SF Bay Area weather can vary from cool to hot to cool to … . In the latter part of October the weather starts to settle into fall, and in 2017 the weather was reasonably cool.

Organization & Production:
This was my 6th Coastal Trail Runs event in 2017. Coastal is the kind of organizer where runners only need to worry about getting to the venue and running their race. Coastal consistently delivers an excellent race experience.

Coastal marks its courses very thoroughly with color-coded flags and with signs. Coastal’s aid stations (very consistent from race to race) normally have both water and electrolyte drink, plus salty and sugary snacks. I also saw electrolyte gel packets. Their aid station volunteers are always helpful and encouraging.

Swag & Goodies: Coastal finish areas always have plenty of salty and sugary snacks, in even greater variety than the aid stations. Cut up fruit is available, and there is an ice chest with sodas, beer, and bottled water. As I was recovering the grill in the picnic area was being fired up, and as I was leaving I noticed sausages were being grilled.

Bib: Coastal has plain white background bibs with the organizers’ logos, the bib number, and the slogan, “Have Fun Out There”. Plain, but it works.

T-Shirt: Coastal only does tech type race T-shirts. At the Halloween Run I saw shirts that were white, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent green, and black. Mine is green. It features a large fanged jack o’lantern and bats, with the race name, (correct) distances, date, and the logo of the main sponsor, Zombie Runner. On the back are the logos of the organizer and other sponsors. For my taste it’s just OK. I’ll use it for work outs as I normally would, but it won’t be a favorite.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is a disc, a bit larger than Coastal’s usual medals. Except for a dull silver outer rim, the background of the medal is black. At the top is a jack o’lantern headed runner and the Zombie Runner logo. Below them are the race name and the distances of the usual race (but incorrect in 2017). The ribbon is (What else?!) black with the year on several places along it. One way Coastal reduces expenses (and registration costs) is by using the same artwork on its medals over the years, and the same medals for several years’ races. So this medallion was probably also used for the 2016 race (with an appropriately dated ribbon). Personally, I’m totally fine with that, and if I run the Halloween Run again next year that medal will be 3 or 4 feet away from this year’s. Coastal’s medals are usually very good but not amazing. This one will be among my favorites.

Being one of two in the Old-Goats-Who-Finish-the-Race-Vertical age group, I placed second. The medallion is silver, with the Zombie Runner logo. The ribbon is sky blue, with “SECOND PLACE” along it.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’m not in love with my finish time, but it’s what I can do presently when I work at it. So I’m happy with the effort.

Because Coastal had to change venues, this running of the Halloween Run isn’t typical of that particular race. The usual course is quite different, especially challenging for runners doing the half and full marathons. But it does show Coastal’s flexibility, adaptability and consistency. Would I do this race again? Very probably. Coastal is an excellent organizer, and the usual course is very close to my home (under 10 minutes’ drive). I’m also planning to do one more Coastal race in 2017.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Surfer's Path Hang 10/5 is one of a three race series: Surfer's Path 10K & 5K in late February; Surfer's Path Marathon & Capitola Half Marathon … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Surfer’s Path Hang 10/5 is one of a three race series: Surfer’s Path 10K & 5K in late February; Surfer’s Path Marathon & Capitola Half Marathon in May; Surfer’s Path Hang 10/5 in October. All share much of the same course, except the marathon and half marathon start in Santa Cruz instead of Capitola, and the marathon is a double out and back, with the second leg being unique among the races.

10 and 5 mile runners start together, heading westward along Cliff, Opal Cliff, and E. Cliff Drive, near the shore and between the shore and Corcoran and Schwann Lagoons. At 7th Avenue in Santa Cruz runners turn inland near the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor and cross Arana Gulch, which feeds Woods Lagoon and the Harbor. Just before the gulch runners go onto the Arana Gulch Trail, cross it, do a half mile loop and begin the return leg to Capitola.

The course has some sea and beach views, but some of it is among vacation homes, bungalows, and a mildly funky business district. There were several beaches along the way, so runners did see surfers in wet-suits with their boards. The course features several short rolling hills, and except for a dirt section of the Arana Gulch Trail loop, is paved streets. The temperature during the race was in the 60s.

Organization & Production:
The race website information is very complete, with maps and elevation profiles, schedule, and parking information. As I often say, runners simply need to worry about getting there and running their race. The organizer, Lifestyle Escapes, didn’t send out a pre-race email, but it really would not have been necessary.

There were 3 aid stations, with water and friendly volunteers. While the course map was entirely adequate, the course was marked with lots of chalk or flour arrows, and there were lots of encouraging volunteers along the course, as well as course marshals at key points.

The course is maintained for a minimum 15 minute mile pace. Slower people, like me, would have to follow traffic laws, beginning some time after the half-way point. Being slow (DLF), I had to do that. It did not impact what I did much, other than staying in bike lanes or on the sidewalk the last 4 or 4 1/2 miles. I was able to top off my water bottle at the mile 6 aid station. After that the other aid stations had already packed and left, as had whatever good stuff was happening in the finish area, including the finish arch.

BUT! I had my wife let the organizers know I was still coming. That everything was dismantled was due to time limits in the organizer’s contract with the City of Capitola. The start/finish area was in a touristy commercial area, so stores would be upset if their normal business traffic were disrupted. The race directors hung out until I finished, as did the photographer. The RDs were super nice people and had a goodie bag for me. Tipping off my conclusion somewhat, it’s to a fair degree because of them that I am considering doing their 10K next February.

Swag & Goodies:

Bib: The bib is really nice. The background is a close-up picture of a large wave. At the top is the name of the race. In the middle left is the bib number, with the race logo to the right of it Across the bottom, in dark blue script is the locations and year.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt was handed out to people as they finished. This generally makes me a bit nervous, since I’ve had a poor experience with that kind of arrangement. However they managed it, I did receive a Tee in my size even though I finished last. The shirt is fairly simple, but likely to be a favorite. The shirt is tech type and maroon, a color I like. The front simply has the name of the race series, “Surfer’s Path” in script. The back has a surf board with three S-curved stripes: light blue changing to dark blue; white; orange changing to yellow. Across the board is the race name, and below is the year

Finisher’s Medal: I’m going to “cheat” a little with my description, courtesy of a Facebook friend who posted a picture of the medal (he’s fast). One of the things that didn’t go well for the organizer is that 2 of the 3 boxes of medals went astray. So most who did the 10 mile distance didn’t receive a medal, as probably did a few who did the 5 mile distance. This is something outside of the organizer’s control, and occasionally happens to the very best. The medal is in the shape of a surf board, with the name of the race and year like a banner across the top. The board is very similar to the one on the race T-shirt, with blue, white, and orange S-curved stripes. The medallion is not huge, but it is a very decent size. The ribbon features curved stripes in the same colors as the medallion, with “Surfer’s Path” and “2017” along the ribbon. I received my medal by mail 11 days after the race. I was expecting 13 or 15 days, so that went well.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I didn’t pay attention to a lot of the shore area I could see in the first couple of miles. As strange as it sounds, I didn’t realize how much I could have seen until the last couple of miles. Being strange, I’m a little disappointed, but know I should not be.. I did notice lots of nice, shaggy, and fragrant eucalyptus trees along much of the course. There was some really gorgeous scenery along the course! None of the hills was especially long or steep, but they were definitely enough to slow one down and burn up energy.

For slow people like me, one has to be aware of the time limit and the adjustments that need to be made for the latter part of the race. Mostly, it’s following normal pedestrian traffic laws and being sure to top off one’s water bottle at mile 4 or 6. Letting the RDs know beforehand that you are slower and giving an estimated finish time would be a good idea.

Have I mentioned yet that I’m slow? More importantly, would I do this event again? It’s a year away, so I’ll just say I would consider it. All in all, Surfer’s Path Hang 10/5 was well organized, and the people organizing it are really nice. All told, it was a very good race experience. I’m definitely interested in the 10K and 5K race next February. While I hope my endurance then will be better than it is now, the race is managed at a 20 minute mile pace, which is slower than I did in this 10-miler.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Saying it up front, I prefer trail races to city street races because of the views. I hope to do the Sharks Fitness Faceoff justice nonetheless. … MORE

Event & Course Description: Saying it up front, I prefer trail races to city street races because of the views. I hope to do the Sharks Fitness Faceoff justice nonetheless. Both the 10K and 5K courses started through a balloon arch on a side street next to the SAP Center (home of the San Jose Sharks). Runners turned left onto the Alameda (which becomes W. Santa Clara Street) and then right onto Market Street for a sort of out-and-back leg that looped around the Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Runners continued on Market St., past W. Santa Clara. It became Coleman Avenue, and just before runners reached Guadalupe Parkway 5K runners did a U-turn, retracing most of their steps. They turned back onto W. Santa Clara (no second loop around the Plaza) and circled around the park near the start/finish so as to finish by going through the balloon arch again. Where 5K runners U-turned 10K runners ran along a frontage street that paralleled Guadalupe Parkway and then turned to complete a loop through neighborhoods and back through the balloon start/finish arch.

Except for between miles 2 and 3, which was mostly between an elevated street and some vacant space, most of the 10K course was through pleasant small business districts and residential neighborhoods. 5K runners did not run through that not so beautiful mile. The business districts were more downtown-like, not industrial, and the neighborhoods were very pleasant older neighborhoods. One residential area had really nicely maintained 2- and 3-story Victorians. Most of the course had mature trees, and the out-and-back leg on Market was between fairly tall buildings, so the course was probably 75%-85% shaded. For what it was it was a mostly pleasant course.

Organization & Production: From first glance at the website to leaving for home after the race, runners’ only concerns would have been getting there, doing the race, and getting home. The national anthem was sung and Sharky (the Sharks mascot) was there. The 10K start was on time and Sharky was out on The Alameda to high-five (high-FIN?) passing runners. Every mile was marked and had aid stations “stocked” with water and plenty of encouraging volunteers. San Jose police had closed streets along the course, so runners never shared a street with cars. There was no finish area food or water, but there was a “health fare” that included activities for children. I didn’t check that out, so there may have been snacks at a booth or two (Safeway was a sponsor).

Bib: Bibs were color-coded, with teal blue (Sharks team color) background for 5K runners and gray for 10K runners (I did the 10K, so I have a bit of bib-color envy). The background picture is a photo of runners going past some bushes or trees. The race logo is at the top. The bib number is in the lower middle, and at the bottom are the San Jose Sharks logo and the distance. The gray color makes the 10K bib a bit blah, though I have to admit being pretty spoiled by some other races. It is nicer than plain white.

T-Shirt: Do I need to say it? The race T-shirt is …… teal blue, tech type. The front has the San Jose Sharks logo, with what looks like a laced up collar printed near the neck. The left sleeve has the race logo. On the back is a box with sponsors’ logos, and below that “17” (the year) in large white numbers. Definitely among the nicer race Tees I have!

Finisher’s Medal: To be honest, this is what attracted me to this race. It’s a hockey puck (insert Don Rickles joke here)! Printed on both sides (not stickers!) are a close-up of the shark’s teeth and nose from the team logo and “2017”. Encircling this are the name of the race and the name of the principal sponsor. Both sides of the ribbon have teal and black background colors. One side has “2017” and the name of the race. The other side has the url for the Sharks Foundation, twice around the ribbon. My description scarcely does it justice. It’s unique and cool!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I try to rate and opine about races for what they are and not something else. The scenery for a street race will be different from that of a park trail race. A charity race and that of an organizing business are likely to have different amenities. For all the association with the San Jose Sharks hockey team, this still was a charity race, benefiting the Sharks Foundation. So my expectation for amenities are lower – swag and snacks and recovery food.

From what I saw (and I could have missed something), there was no food or water in the finish area. I did not venture over to the health fare, so there could have been some there. And the aid stations were water only. On the up side, the aid stations were at every mile. For the SF Bay Area climate, that many aid stations is unusual. The 5K course was laid out so that 5K runners saw the Mile 1 and Mile 2 aid stations. They were prepared for temperatures to be in the 80s or 90s, but the real temperatures stayed in the 60s, possibly the high 50s at start time. This and other activities also make the event kid friendly, and I did see a number of elementary age children who were doing the 5K.

The Race T-shirt and the finisher’s medal both rate among the nicest I have. The Tee resembles a Sharks jersey. If I tried to classify medals by type or theme – humorous, serious, unique – the Sharks Fitness Faceoff medal would be the first I have that I would classify as unique, in form and material.

All things considered I’d say the Sharks Fitness Faceoff is sort of a high-end charity race. There are amenities they could improve – hand out water to people as they finish, locate food booths near the finish area, electrolyte drink at aid stations, and maybe GU packets at some – but the T-shirt and medal definitely make it high-end as charity races go. The organization of the race was very well done. Next year’s Fitness Faceoff is a year away, so I can’t say I’ll definitely do it next year, but I will definitely consider it

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: No, I wasn't describing the runners (Wink! Wink!). It was a HOT day. As in above 105F when many or most people finished their half marathon. … MORE

Event & Course Description: No, I wasn’t describing the runners (Wink! Wink!). It was a HOT day. As in above 105F when many or most people finished their half marathon. It was a record-breaking day, in temperatures, not finish times. Welcome to summer!

So, the easiest approach to describing the course I did, the 5K, would be to start with the half marathon course. This course was two oblong loops that shared a long section in the middle, with a short start and finish “stick”. As the course map on Brazen’s website is aligned, half and 10K runners did the loop on the left, and when they finished that loop 10K runners headed for the finish, while half marathon runners went out on their second loop. 5K runners did an abbreviated version of the second loop, using a mile or so of two trails not used by the other two distances. The courses are almost entirely dirt trails, with 80%-90 sun exposure (very little shade).

Organization & Production: Trail Hog is a Brazen race, so that means excellent organization from the information on their website all the way through returning to your car after finishing and recovering. Courses are always well marked with color-coded flags, and there were course marshals at key junctions to direct runners which way to go.

Brazen races normally feature separate start times for each distance. Brazen also normally has an early “Hiker’s Start” for slower half marathoners, usually a half or full hour before the regular half marathon start. At Trail Hog the scheduled Hiker’s Start was half an hour early. When it became clear how hot the day would be, Brazen also scheduled and set up for an extra early start, a full hour before the regular half marathon start. Both early starts were used by a good number of runners, and not just by half marathoners. Those who used the early starts were/are not eligible for age group medals.

Brazen aid stations normally feature lots of refuel snacks and liquids. For this race Brazen added frozen Otter Pops and buckets of ice water with sponges for dumping on runners’ whatever (trust me, it feels amazing on a hot day!). Pre-race announcements mentioned that all aid stations had been given a lot of extra water (and Brazen aid stations never run out, normally!). Aid stations also had walkie-talkies to be able to notify the race director of runners in distress so a vehicle could be sent to bring them to the start/finish area and EMT assistance.

Brazen’s finish area recovery food is pretty amazing, including the perennial favorite, It’s It ice cream sandwiches, in multiple ice cream flavors. When one enters the finish “chute” runners’ names are called out, the timing mats are crossed, a volunteer(s) takes pictures, another hands the runner their medal, and somebody gives a bottle of ice cold water or directs runners to the tubs (I was so exhausted and hot, I don’t remember which). And then it’s like entering RecoveryLand – food, water, electrolyte drink, and sodas, lots of picnic tables (many in the shade. Because of the heat there were several EMTs cruising among the recovering runners, giving out chill packs and checking how people are doing.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Brazen color-codes its bibs according to distance. There was a wide stripe at the top and a more narrow stripe at the bottom: orange for the half marathon; blue for the 10K; yellow for the 5K. In the upper colored stripe are the race name, distance, location, date, and a Rat Fink inspired hog dressed in colonial formal attire, bib # 2017, and with sweat pouring off him (ironically accurate!). In a broad white stripe in the center are the runner’s name and bib number. In the lower colored stripe are the organizer’s logo and a couple of hashtags.

T-Shirt: Brazen gives 5K and 10K runners poly-cotton race T-shirts with their registration fee, and half marathon runners receive a tech type T-shirt. 5K and 10K runners can upgrade to a tech Tee for $7 (in 2017); I did this. The tech type Tee is light blue. On the front are the race name, ”MOUNT HAM” (the race is run near Mt. Hamilton), and the sweating Hog Fink politician. On the back is the Hog Fink politician delivering a speech with a star background, and below the race name, distances, location, date, and sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal has the speechifying Hog Fink, arm raised and index finger pointed. His podium is a box with the race name and information. The ribbon is brownish orange, with the race name in large Green letters, and the race name in black letters.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: I’ve seen the Facebook chatter of a number of people who did the half marathon distance, experienced ultra-marathon runners. Trail Hog 2017 was tough! The Trail Hog half marathon of itself is reasonably challenging, but what made the 2017 running really tough was the record-breaking heat. Brazen Racing did what they had to do and could do to inform runners and be prepared. Trail races are typically “Rain or shine,” with runners being responsible to know and act within their capabilities. More than a few did so by downgrading from half to 10K or 10K to 5K.

Speaking personally, 2017 Trail Hog was the toughest 5K I’ve ever done, and possibly the toughest race I’ve completed. While my endurance at this time was part of that, the heat was the biggest reason. I do not blame or complain against Brazen or Trail Hog, heat is a known possibility of trail races in summer.

2017 Trail Hog was also kind of weird. Along side the heat, the course is really beautiful. It’s set in the foothills east and above San Jose, with lots of dry grasses on rolling hills dotted with clumps of oak and other trees. The views definitely reward the work, and as far as I know, Trail Hog is the only trail race that is run in Joseph D. Grant Park.

Would I do it again? Well, the chances I’ll be running or volunteering in a Brazen Race again sometime this year are pretty high. They’re my favorite among the several excellent race organizers in the SF Bay Area. This was my second time running in Trail Hog, and last year I volunteered, so I will always consider doing Trail Hog as late summer comes around.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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As a whole, my description of the course and organization of Dirty Dozen that I posted last year is fairly complete. I’ll just add that Brazen Racing is very consistent … MORE

As a whole, my description of the course and organization of Dirty Dozen that I posted last year is fairly complete. I’ll just add that Brazen Racing is very consistent and has lots of experience in working at Point Pinole (where Brazen put on their very first race; this was the 8th running of Dirty Dozen). Dirty Dozen is a day-long (7 AM to 7 PM and beyond) running party and family picnic that doesn’t compromise the serious.

The Dirty Dozen 6-hour and 12-hour races can be used multiple ways: distance goal; time endurance goal; seeing where you are; and more. For me, DD has been seeing where I’m at together with a distance goal. This year I found out where I am at, well short of my 20 mile distance goal. And well short, in multiple ways, of where I was a year and 2 years ago. I understand much of why I am where I am – much of it my fault, in a direct sense, and much of it frustratingly unexpected. Any challenging race, to some degree, tells you where you’re at; Dirty Dozen does so perhaps more plainly and bluntly.

Swag & Goodies: Brazen’s refuel snacks at aid stations are the most varied I’ve seen – candies, cut up candy bars, cookies, fruit, and sodas besides water and electrolyte drink. At DD things like salted red skin potatoes and Otter Pops are added as time passes and runners’ energy is burned off. The finish area replenishment goodies are usually a super-set of what is available at aid stations plus the fabled It’s It ice cream sandwiches, but Dirty Dozen features much of that plus a catered barbecue lunch that is served from 11 AM to ?? PM. In the past, 10K and 5K runners paid a bit extra to partake of the barbecue, but this year it was, “Your bib is your meal ticket,” for all runners.

Bib: Bibs at DD were simpler than Brazen’s usual bibs. There are a wide and a narrow time-coded horizontal stripes at the top and bottom of the bib, with a wide white stripe in the middle. The wide stripe at the top has the race name, location, date, and time. The narrow stripe at the bottom has Brazen’s name in script and a couple of hashtags. In the white stripe are the runner’s name and bib number. The stripes color for the 12 Hour runners is reddish brown, and green for 6 Hour runners.

T-Shirt: Brazen does the race apparel for Dirty Dozen differently that it does for its other races. 6- and 12-hour runners receive with their registration a hooded sweatshirt. It will be several months before I use my DD VIII hoodie, but the ones I have from 2015 and 2016 have been really good quality. 2017 was a pull-over, like in 2015; 2016 was a zip-up. 6- and 12-hour runners can also buy for $7 when registering, a tech type race T-shirt. For those who use their race Tees for work-out or other wear I recommend buying this. Brazen’s race Tee designs are always somewhere between really nice and amazing. Both the DD VIII race T-shirt and sweatshirt are green. The upper arms and lining of the hoodie are yellow-gold. The colors are similar to the Oakland Athletics team colors. The front and back designs for each are the same. The front has the race name, year, and location in a rectangle on the upper left. The back has a running clockwork man with handle-bar mustaches, with the race name, times, location, and date encircling him. 5K and 10K runners had their own unique race T-shirts and finisher’s medals, which I did not see.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion for 6- and 12-hour runners at DD is a ~4” coaster, very substantial. I don’t mean to give the medallion short shrift, but it is the same design as the backs of the race Tees and hoodie – the running clockwork man encircled by the race information. It’s a very striking medallion. The ribbon is yellow-orange with tan gears along its length, the running clockwork man, and the race information, also quite nice

I seriously do not want in any way for my opening paragraphs to discourage anyone from doing Dirty Dozen, in whatever distance or time that sounds good. DD is well organized, with a gorgeous course (I’ve done 6 Brazen races at Point Pinole, and still love the views). And it really is like a family picnic (without ants or bickering, though). I will be back – maybe Nitro Turkey, maybe Nitro Trail, maybe DD IX, maybe some or “all of the above”.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Run's San Lorenzo River Trail Run started and finished in Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz, CA. It featured 5 distances, 10K, half marathon, … MORE

Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Run’s San Lorenzo River Trail Run started and finished in Harvey West Park in Santa Cruz, CA. It featured 5 distances, 10K, half marathon, 30K, marathon, and 50K. I did the 10K. The 10K and half marathon courses were out-and-back, the 10K turning around where the course crosses State Highway 9, and the half continuing to the north entry area of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (near Roaring Camp Railroads) in Felton, where it turned around. The half marathon course included a rope crossing (twice, of course) of the San Lorenzo River. The marathon did the half marathon course twice; the 30K did the half marathon, with an additional 5 mile loop at the half marathon turn around. The 50K does the 30K and then does the half marathon course again. Coastal’s map makes this more clear than do my words.

Other than a brief circle around Harvey West Park, the 10K course is entirely dirt trail, much of it single track. I’d estimate it was 70%-75% shade and the weather in 2017 was perfect, upper 50s-lower 60s, though a bit humid (the previous weekend was 15-20 degrees warmer!). The first mile or so was about 500 feet of climb, followed by a couple of miles of small rolling hills, a short, not steep downhill, and then back.

Harvey West Park is very pretty, set in a light industrial area. There is lots of street parking near the start area (I parked 20 or 30 yards away). After circling the park to spread people out, the trail quickly climbed through a madrone forest area. Just before leveling out, there was a space of open grasses and shrubs with pleasant panoramas. Then runners entered a redwood forest for about 2 – 2 1/2 miles of big trees. My words really can’t suffice to describe how beautiful and peaceful this redwood forest was and is. San Lorenzo River was one of the nicest forest trail experiences I’ve had in the past few years of doing trail races.

Organization & Production: As always, Coastal Trail Runs’ organization was excellent. The information on the website was very complete. My first sight of the race itself was when I was driving on Highway 9 to the race, where I went through where runners would be crossing. There were signs on the highway warning drivers that runners would be crossing the highway. Check-in was quick (race day only), as usual. Coastal races are chip timed, from the “gun” start. So fast runners who care about the 5 or 10 seconds it takes for the whole pack to cross the start line should position themselves at the front.

The course marking was excellent, with no points of confusion, even during the return leg after a couple hundred runners had run through the course 2 or 3 times. One exception to the website information is that it says there would be no aid on the 10K course, but there was a table at the 10K turn around with water, sports drink, and a very encouraging volunteer – no snacks, as other aid stations probably had, but all very welcome after 3+ miles. Coastal doesn’t do mile markers, so be familiar with the map.

Swag & Goodies: The finish area had lots of sweet and salty snacks – chips, cookies, candies, bagels, and fruit. There was also an ice chest with iced water and sodas.

Bib: Coastal’s bibs are plain – white background, distance-coded bib number, logos at the top, and, “Have fun out there,” along the bottom. Functional, not fancy.

T-Shirt: Coastal does tech T-shirts for all distances. I saw two colors, red and black. Mine is black, with the race logo in a gray oval in front and sponsors’ logos in back. It probably won’t be one of my favorites, but people’s tastes differ.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is rectangular, with a silver brushed metal finish and a raised rim. A blue abstract river flows across the center, with the name of the race across the top and the distances across the bottom. The organizer’s name is on the back. The ribbon is green, with the year in purple.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Coastal Trail Runs is a really excellent organizer of low cost trail runs in really beautiful locations. San Lorenzo River was my fifth CTR race this year, so “low cost” does NOT mean cheesily or poorly done. Quite the opposite! I am considering doing other Coastal races in 2017.

I probably could have pushed myself harder, especially on the flatter and gently downhill parts of the course and maybe shaved 5 or 10 minutes off my finish time, but I don’t know if I would have enjoyed this race as much as I did. This was a really beautiful 10K course, and I’d love to work up to being able to do the half marathon (which looks pretty challenging). Whatever the state of my abilities, I will consider doing this race again next year.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Vibha is an Indian charity based both in India and the US that supports education in India. The Dream Mile is a fund raising race held … MORE

Event & Course Description: Vibha is an Indian charity based both in India and the US that supports education in India. The Dream Mile is a fund raising race held some 9 cities in the US, plus Bangalore, India. I did the Dream Mile half marathon in 2014.

The San Francisco Bay Area Dream Mile is run in South San Jose, along the Coyote Creek Trail. Unlike in 2014, the start/finish area is on Embedded Way, a short cul de sac street by the Silver Creek Sportsplex, with marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances. The half marathon course, which I did, was a double out-and-back. All distances ran about a mile on streets to a trail entry point at Silver Creek Valley Road. The first out-and-back leg ran north along Coyote Creek Trail, turning around at the south end of Hellyer Park. When the trail entry point was reached, runners then went south along the trail for about 3 1/2 miles to a turn-around just past Metcalf Park. Runners then returned to the trail entry and retraced their steps on streets back to the start/finish area. Marathon runners did the half marathon course, except their second out-and-back leg was longer. They then repeated that long second leg. 10K runners only did the northward out-and-back. 5K runners had a turn-around about a half mile into the northward out-and-back.

The course was fairly flat – with some 5-20 foot dips and rises – paved trail and city streets. The street section was through a modern light industrial area. The trail went between the creek, which is somewhat wooded, and light industrial and residential areas; sometimes both sides were wooded, though a nearby freeway reminded runners where they were. As a whole, the trail is not stunning, but definitely very pleasant. Winter 2016-2017 was very wet, and Coyote Creek flooded parts of the trail, Hellyer Park, and a neighborhood in San Jose. Brazen had to re-route the half marathon course for their Hellyer race. Vibha had to re-route their marathon course, due to damage to the trail. Now (June!) there are just a few yards where sandbags keep the creek off the trail. Piles of brush can be seen at many points in the creek. Visually it’s a very different experience from fall 2015, when I did the Race to the End of Summer on more or less the same course and it was quite dry.

Organization & Production: Vibha’s website has very complete information, and registration is easy. Both course maps (in a couple of data formats) and elevation profiles were available. I did packet pick-up 2 days before the race, at a local sports goods store – very efficient. The start time for the marathon and the half was 7 AM, and 8 AM for the 10K and 5K runners. The early start was very welcome on a somewhat warm day. The 1 hour separation also minimized the two groups passing by each other in opposite directions. Being slow, I did experience that for a few hundred yards, but most runners of the full and half would have missed them entirely or almost so.

When I Raved the 2014 running of the Dream Mile, I commented that it seemed like volunteers were everywhere. Volunteers wear distinctive T-shirts, so they are easily noticed. And Dream Mile 2017 was similarly supported by many, very friendly, volunteers. The course is not complicated, but there were chalk markings and/or course marshals wherever there was a turn or chance for confusion. There were mile markers every mile, and aid stations were spaced 1-2 miles apart (3 were within a half mile of each other, where runners left the street and near the junction of the 2 out-and-back legs). The aid stations for the first out-and-back leg had water and electrolyte drink only. The stations for the second out-and-back leg – used only by runners doing the half and full marathons – also had bananas, GU gel packets, and fruit bars.

All the volunteers I encountered were very very friendly and encouraging. Tri-Valley Running Club provided pacers for both the half marathon and the marathon, with various pace times. I tried to thank as many volunteers and pacers as I could. Volunteers are a really large part of a race experience, and they made this experience really pleasant.

Swag & Goodies:
I mentioned in my Rave for the 2014 Dream Mile that there was Indian food in the finish area. That was true again this year, and as late as I finished, there was still plenty. I was able to sample it, but was very disappointed that it wasn’t going to work for me. It was delicious, but if I had tried to force myself to do more than sample it …

Bib: The half marathon bib had a gray background, with a white stripe where the bib number is printed in gray. The background and number color were color-coded for the distances. At the top, in white and yellow are the logos for Vibha and the Cream Mile. At the bottom, in white, is the distance the participant did. The 10K bib was very attractive, a red background and bib number color.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is very bright lime green tech type, with bright blue inserts at the sides. The front is very similar to the top of the bib, featuring the logos for Vibha and the Dream Mile. Just below the slogan for the race is the year. According to the Bay Area Dream Mile website, 2017 was the first year the race Tees were tech type; my Tee from 2014 is cotton. The back features the logos of race sponsors, in fairly large print, very nice for the sponsors, and interesting and readable for people who chance to see the shirts. I don’t think it will be a favorite, but it’s a nice Tee, and I won’t hesitate to wear it for workouts like I do other race Tees.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is substantial, a white background, with about 1/8“ brushed metal outer rim. Across the top are the logos for Vibha and the race. Below that are a silhouette of a student reading and the year, 2017. There were different colored ribbons for the half marathon and the marathon. The ribbon for the half is gray, with the logos for Vibha and the race, the year, and the distance. It is likely, since the location and date are not on the T-shirt, the medallion, or the ribbon, that the same shirts and medals are being used at all 9 Dream Mile events in the US. Vibha is a charity, so works for me!

My Results & Opinion of the Race: My results … well, I finished. I don’t love my time, but it was what I could do. It may have been affected by my having a cold, it might have been affected by my having done a half 8 days previous. Whatever. It was an honest effort, and if I’m less than thrilled, well, I can work on improving.

If it isn’t incredibly obvious, I think the Bay Area Dream Mile was a really excellent race experience. My sole regret was not being able to enjoy the excellent Indian food as much as I would have wished. But that’s on me, too. I would definitely consider doing the Dream Mile again (would my system handle the food better if I did the 10K? Hmmmmmm …).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: If Brazen Racing could be said to have a “home park”, Point Pinole, the venue for Nitro Trail, would be it. Brazen’s first race was Nitro … MORE

Event & Course Description:
If Brazen Racing could be said to have a “home park”, Point Pinole, the venue for Nitro Trail, would be it. Brazen’s first race was Nitro Trail, and Brazen does 3 races there throughout the year: Nitro Trail, Dirty Dozen, and Quarry Turkey. Point Pinole is a really beautiful setting – once the site of an explosives manufacturer – with coast and bay views and fragrant eucalyptus groves. The courses are mostly dirt fire roads (with a few just visible patches of old asphalt, brick or cobble stone) and asphalt access roads, with some double- and a little single-track trail.

Like most Brazen events, Nitro Trail features 3 distances, 5K, 10K, and half marathon. The 5K course, also used by the other distances, travels the southern coast of the point along open coastal trail and through some eucalyptus groves, crosses the tip of the point, and then goes down the center of the point back to the start/finish area. The 5K course is has a few brief, not at all steep, hills. Just short of the 5K finish, the 10K course turns to double back down the center of the point – by a different route – goes back close to the tip of the point, skirts a marsh on the north side of the point, goes briefly near the shore, and then crosses the base of the point back to the finish. The 10K course is a double-lobed loop. Mostly, the half marathon course is doing the 10K course twice (you won’t get bored!), with some added trail to make the half marathon distance, including ~3/4 of a mile on trails the 5K and 10K courses do not use. All runners go along at least some coast, through eucalyptus groves, and along an open elevated spine with panoramic views of San Pablo Bay. The courses aren’t flat, but the 2 longest uphill climbs are about a half mile long each, and 50-70 feet of climb.

There were 2 aid stations. 5K runners came to an aid station near their mile 2 and then finished. 10K runners came to each aid station twice, because of how the two lobes of the loop are laid out, which means half marathon runners come to each aid station 4 times.

Organization & Production:
From checking out the race on Brazen’s website through leaving the parking lot after the race, runners’ “only” worries are getting there and doing their race. The website information is very complete – schedule, course maps, elevation profiles, FAQs, etc.. As with most (all?) Brazen races, bib pick-up could be done the two afternoons/evenings before race day at a local athletic store, or on race day. I usually do race day pick-up, and that is always efficient.

Brazen always marks its courses thoroughly, with color-coded flags and chalk or flour arrows. Trail branchings that go off-course are also marked so runners don’t go there. Brazen aid stations are always well stocked with water, electrolyte drink, Coke, cut up fruit, candies, cookies, chips, and very encouraging volunteers. I was THE last half marathoner to go through the stations, and both made sure they had liquids and snacks for me.

Swag & Goodies:
Brazen’s finish area food is all but legendary – many of the same snacks the aid stations have, in greater variety, pie, cakes, and perhaps a half dozen flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwich. As late as I was in finishing, they still had a lot available. The pineapple was very tempting, as were mint or cappuccino It’s Its, but I was too exhausted, and was feeling full from all I had drunk and snacked on the trail. Brazen Racing is very meticulous and consistent about taking care of its runners (Brazen wants them to finish in one piece, leave happy, and come back for more!).

Bib: Some races’ bibs are very plain, white, plus or minus a color stripe, a logo or two, and the bib number. And that’s fine. Bibs are not a large part of a race experience. Brazen racing goes all the way to the opposite extreme! Brazen’s bibs are practically works of art! The background of the bib is a picture from a 19th century advertisement for the explosives manufacturer whose factory facilities had been located at Point Pinole. The picture shows a strong giant shaking the hand of a miner at his claim. In the top right is the logo for the race, and just below that the distance done and the date. To the left of the distance is the distance-specific color-coded bib number, and below that a color-coded stripe, with the runner’s name. Brazen Racing’s logo is across the bottom.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is huge and heavy, usable as a coaster. It’s a ~4” diameter dull finish brass-colored disc with a relief of Alfred Nobel (inventor of dynamite; the company that had used Point Pinole was licensed by Nobel to produce dynamite), wearing sunglasses and a sweatband. To the right of Nobel is the race date in Roman numerals, and to the left the race name and distances. Engraved on the back – a first for Brazen – is a little of the history of Point Pinole and Brazen. There was still ample room for a runner’s name and finish time to be engraved.

T-Shirt: The tech T-shirt is RED. On the front is the race name in yellow script, and in smaller white script are the distance, date, and location. On the back is the drawing of Alfred Nobel, described above and the logos of the sponsors and Brazen Racing. Did I mention that the Tee is RED?

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’ve done 4 Brazen races at Point Pinole, though this was the first time I had done Nitro Trail. Nitro was also sort of a grudge race for me. It was the third half marathon I had started in 2017, but the first two resulted in DNFs. In both cases, health stuff were the root of my not finishing, but it was still been very frustrating. So I was going to finish Nitro, if it took me more than 5 hours (or whatever Brazen allowed). My actual time was I’ll-take-it-grade, but it’s where I am, and it’s a FINISH time (Brazen typically has race finish times available online within 12-24 hours). That monkey is off my back and relaxing in the Point Pinole Monkey Sanctuary!

Nitro Trail is not a flat course race. Nor is it a hilly “true” trail race. It’s kind of a hybrid, a pleasant introduction to trail racing. The views – coast, panoramas of the bay, marsh, and eucalyptus groves – are just short of spectacular. And Brazen Racing does Nitro Trail well!

Speaking of which, this was Brazen’s 9th running of Nitro Trail, and 8th anniversary as a company. Taking a special annual picture of all who were there was part of the pre-race activities. Wearing red was the “rule” of the day (which the race Tee aided … did I mention it is RED?), so I wore a Tee from a previous Brazen race (2016 Brazen Goonies, very piratical) instead of my RaceRaves Tee.

Would I do Nitro Trail again? Very likely. I’m doing Brazen’s Dirty Dozen at the same park in a few weeks, and plan to do Nitro Turkey again this year as well.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: There are races especially or particularly for women. While “Cinderella Trail Run” might suggest it is such a race, it is not. It is named for … MORE

Event & Course Description:
There are races especially or particularly for women. While “Cinderella Trail Run” might suggest it is such a race, it is not. It is named for the Cinderella Trail which is part of the course. And this Cinderella is a … about a mile of very steep and technical downhill. Ankles beware!

Backing up a bit, Coastal Trail Run’s (CTR) Cinderella Trail Run has 5 distances – 5 miles, half marathon, 30K, marathon, and 50K. The courses are based on two loops with a connector between them. I did the 5 mile distance, which is the first loop plus the connector as an out-and-back. The course was hilly, had lots of trees (redwoods, other evergreens, and eucalypti in particular), very fragrant, and generally beautiful. There were a couple of overlooks where one could see much of San Francisco Bay, including the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. As always, Coastal marked the course very clearly, I’d guesstimate it was 90% or more shaded, and there were parts of the course that were definitely technical – rocks, roots, and ruts (Oh my!).

Organization & Production:
The San Francisco Bay Area has several really excellent organizers of trail races, and Coastal is one of them. Wanting to check out certain venues, timing, and personal miscellany has lead to my doing 4 CTR races this year (with more likely), so I say that based on some experience.

Coastal provides a smooth, excellent race experience. The information on the website is very complete, and registration is easy. Check-in was smooth. The course was very well marked, including don’t-go-here flags where runners could go off-course. The 5 mile turn-around was also an aid station used by all distances, and it was well stocked with water and Clif Shot Electrolyte drink, and both sugary and salty snacks. The friendly volunteers topped off my water bottle and I grabbed some trail mix (sugar, salt, protein). The finish area food was even more plentiful, and the ice chest included beer as well as bottled water.

As I’ve said before, Coastal organizes its races from checking it out online through leaving the parking lot post-race so well that runners just need to worry about getting there and doing their race. Coastal races are low cost, and generally don’t include park entry. HOWEVER, like the previous Coastal Race I did, Grizzly Peak, there was no park entry fee for the Cinderella Trail Run. As such things go, getting to the Cinderella Trail Run was one of the easier (easiest?) of the races I’ve done. Once you get on the SR 13 freeway, you take the Joaquin Miller Road exit, drive about a mile, and then turn left into the park.

Swag:
Bib: CTR’s bibs are plain white, with the bib number and CTR’s logos and motto.

T-Shirt: CTR gives out tech Tees for runners of all distance. Mine is black, though I saw others that were bright chartreuse. At the center of the front is a spray of wildflowers and ferns (literally true, a runner will see these). Above in pink letters is the name of the race, and flowing beneath are the distances and date. On the back are CTR’s and sponsors’ logos. It’s a very attractive race T-shirt, probably among my favorites.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal has the same graphics and wording as the race Tee, except for lacking the race date. The ribbon is sky blue, with “2017” running along it in sunshine yellow. The medallion is heavy, silver-colored, with a wire-brushed finish. It doesn’t grab you by the collar and smack you in the face with how nice it is, but it’s a very very nice finisher’s medal!

Besides being DLF for the 5 mile distance, I also was second place in the old goats age group (not what CTR calls it). CTR does age group medals, and the second place medal is bright silver with a wave pattern background. In the center is Coastal Trail Runs’ name and logo.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I had three tiers of goals: at least, I wanted to finish, still vertical; I hoped to finish under 2:30; finishing under 2:00 was something I would have liked to do, but wasn’t sure was realistic. It’s a challenging course,and that’s where I’m at right now. I focused on finishing and doing as well as I could. It was less than 5 or 10 minutes before finishing that I actually looked at my watch. Finishing (just) under 2 hours was a pleasant mild surprise.

I’ve mentioned before in Raves about Coastal Trail Runs’ races that they are low cost, and they are that. You could do 5 Coastal half marathons for the cost of two Rock ‘n’ Roll halfs. And unless you love races with 15K-25K runners, large crowds, and cityscapes, the parks, trails and overall experience of CTR’s races are much nicer, in my opinion. BUT, Coastal Trail Runs races are not budget race experiences, low price notwithstanding! When I consider a Coastal race, whether they will organize it well is not something I worry about. I know they do and will.

I would definitely consider doing the Cinderella Trail Run again, and the half marathon distance looks like a profile I could be ready to take on next year. That’s a decision for next year. For now, I have my eyes on a late June Coastal Trail Runs race in Santa Cruz.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: I'm going to deviate from my usual outline a little and state up front a factor that may color my review. I am discouraged with my … MORE

Event & Course Description:
I’m going to deviate from my usual outline a little and state up front a factor that may color my review. I am discouraged with my finish time for this 10K. The course was tough enough, but it ate me alive and spit me out. The simple reason is that I’ve not been able to maintain the regularity of my training – almost none at all – and my endurance is wa-a-a-ayyyy down. I had to take two 5 minute rests, something I’ve never done before.

Coastal Trail Runs’ Grizzly Peak Trail Run is run in Tilden Regional Park, east of Berkeley, CA. As is typical of Coastal’s races, the various distances are formed by connected loops, sometimes repeated by the longer distances. The 10K course is part of the courses for the half marathon, 30K, marathon, and 50K distances. The start is near Lake Anza, runs near the lake briefly and also passes near a golf course. The 10K course is a “lollipop” out-and-back. There are two fairly steep climbs in the first half of the course, with lots of rolling between the hills, and then the last ~40% of the course is almost all downhill. Over 90% of the 10K course is dirt roads and single track trail.

Courtesy of a wet winter and rain showers a couple of days before race day, there were a LOT of muddy patches on the course that were the full width of the trail. One had to pick which way to go, around or through, and a couple of muddy patches were also pretty steep (I skated and fell in one in which I was going downhill). Oh, and we were warned that there was poison oak for those who went off the trail (Welcome to trail racing!). So one had to watch for that if one went around a muddy patch. The “upside” of 2017’s weather and the season of the year was that the course was very green, with redwoods, eucalypti, and more trees than I could identify. It was a beautiful forest trail run!

Organization & Production:
Coastal Trail Runs is a class organization! Online registration and race day check-in were smooth and quick. Online info was complete. As usual, the course was well marked, and there were course marshals at the 3 road crossings on the 10K course. Aid station locations depend on access. For a couple hundred pounds of water plus other goodies, aid stations need to be located where the course comes near or crosses a road. It isn’t unusual for some 10Ks not to have any aid stations. Grizzly Peak Trail Run had an aid station about 1.7 miles from the start with water and sports drink only. 10K runners passed through this aid station twice, and I got my water bottle refilled both times. I didn’t see the other aid stations, but Coastal typically has a variety of salty and sugary snacks plus fruit at their aid stations. A runner doing a Coastal race need only worry about getting there (which was a little more complicated that other races I’ve done, but with Google Maps on my cell phone, I managed) and running their race. Coastal’s venues and organization provide an excellent race experience.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Coastal does simple bibs – organizer’s logos and slogan (“Have Fun Out There”) and the bib number on a white background.

T-Shirt: Coastal gives runners of all distances the same tech type race T-shirt. The Grizzly Peak Tee is uber-bright chartreuse, with the race name and logo on the front, with the distances and date. The logo features a mountain peak that has morphed into a roaring grizzly bear. The back has the logos of the race sponsors and organizer.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion is wire-brushed finish and silver colored,very substantial. It duplicates the front of the race T-shirt, with the race name, logo, and distances. The mountain peak – roaring grizzly is in very dramatic relief. The ribbon is light blue with the year in black letters.

With being frustrated with my finish time, being 1/4 covered with mud, and needing to get home for some family time, I didn’t wait to see how I finished in my age group. I’d been around 6th place in previous Coastal races, so I didn’t expect to place much higher. A few days later, checking my time for this Rave, I found that along with being the 10K DLF I was also first (= only) in my age group. So I emailed Coastal, and they were good enough to let me pick up my extra medal at the next Coastal race I was doing. The First place medal is bright gold with a wave pattern background. In the center is Coastal Trail Runs’ name and logo.

The finish area food emphasizes carbs – definitely appropriate for runners who have burned off 1500-X000 calories – with chips, pretzels, cookies, and candies. There was also an ice chest well stocked with cold water and sodas, and maybe beer (I was too muddy and spent to notice). Someone was also grilling burgers. There were a good number of picnic tables at which one could rest, recover, and replenish.

My Opinion of the Race:
Coastal does budget-conscious trail races ($45 for the half marathon at Grizzly Peak and many/most [all?] other Coastal races! One could do two Coastal half marathons for the cost of one Rock-n-Roll half marathon, and in much more beautiful surroundings), but whatever they do to cut their costs, they don’t cut runners’ race experience. There was no park entry fee for Grizzly Peak. Would I do Grizzly Peak again? I don’t know, but that’s a reflection on my current capabilities, not the Grizzly Peak Trail Run or Coastal Trail Runs. I’ll ask myself that question next year. Would I do another Coastal Trail Runs race? Absolutely! I’m planning to do one next month, and having done 3 Coastal races in 2017, I’m eligible for a 5% discount. Looking further into 2017, there are 3 other Coastal races I’m considering, depending on how my year goes.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Trail races are probably affected by weather more than street and road races, plus or minus rain-or-shine policies. Brazen Racing's 2017 Badger Cove illustrates this. 2017 … MORE

Event & Course Description: Trail races are probably affected by weather more than street and road races, plus or minus rain-or-shine policies. Brazen Racing’s 2017 Badger Cove illustrates this. 2017 Badger Cove was probably scheduled with the park at Lake Del Valle 6-9 months in advance. Well, California’s drought was broken, in a wet and dramatic way in late 2016 and early 2017. Between damage to trails and to facilities, it was recognized 2 or 3 (?) weeks before the race that the Lake Del Valle course and facilities would not be ready, and an alternate venue selected and courses mapped out.

2017 Badger Cove was run in Wildcat Canyon Regional Park, where Brazen Racing does a race in May (“Wild Cat”), but using a course somewhat different from Wild Cat. Where the half Marathon course for Wild Cat is a figure-8, with an out-and-back tail off one of the loops, 2017 Badger Cove was a straightforward out-and-back course, with different turn-around points for each distance. BadgerCat, being one of Brazen’s Ultra Half series races, featured three fairly steep climbs, the shortest being .85 miles – not for the faint of feet. BadgerCat, like Wild Cat, paid off those who manage to do the work with 180-degree to 360-degree panoramic overlook views of the San Pablo and San Francisco Bay area.

Organization & Production: It’s a Brazen Racing event. That means that from registration through leaving after finishing, “all” a runner need worry about is getting there (pretty easy) and running the race (much less easy). The course was well marked with color-coded ribbons and a course marshal at a key turning point.

Aid stations were well spaced and stocked, with the three aid stations also being the turn-around points for the three distances. Street and road runners accustomed to aid stations with just water and sports drink at each aid station and maybe GU at selected stations will find Brazen’s aid stations’ offerings much more elaborate. In addition to those three items at each aid station, Brazen also offers Coca Cola and a wide variety of sweet and salty snacks. The finish area has even more goodies!

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib features a green-clad, determined-looking, fist-pumping Leprebadger (St. Patrick’s Day!), the usual race and bib number information, and the runner’s name. All on a dark brown wood grain background.

T-Shirt: The tech-type race T-shirt is medium-dark green, with the name of the race and the year on the front. On the back is the Leprebadger, a rainbow and pot of gold, the race name, and the race information and sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The gold-colored medallion features the fist-pumping Leprebadger breaking a finish line tape, a rainbow behind him with, and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The race details are cross the tape, on the rainbow apex, and on the side of the pot.

My Results & Opinion of the Race: Sigh … it’s been a frustrating year for me, health-wise. “Courtesy” of gout flairs in both feet, I had not been able to do any more than normal walking for three weeks, and then still didn’t do any for the week leading up to the race. I didn’t want to overdo and re-inflame the affected joints. After 4 weeks of almost nothing but normal, part of daily life, walking, I was very unprepared, and had to turn around somewhere between mile 4.5 and 5, returning to aid station 2. After helping serve out water to runners for a while, I was driven back to the start/finish area. Since I had completed a little more than 10K (completing 5K would have been handled the same), I did receive a finisher’s medal.

Added comments: Brazen has some really caring runners! Even had I been “aware” enough to try, I could not have counted how many people encouraged me and asked how I was doing. One kind lady stayed with me last last half mile or so before I turned around, making sure I was OK. Brazen runners and volunteers communicate about struggling runners. People who passed me told the volunteers at the next aid station about me, including my bib number. Had I made it to that aid station I would have been fully and caringly quizzed as to how I was doing. As things happened, that quizzing happened at the aid station to which I returned. At Brazen races, word of a struggling runner gets communicated to people who need to know, and appropriate action is taken. Similarly, when I reached the aid station to which I returned, they communicated that I was safe and needed a ride back to the finish area. No one wants to need assistance, but Brazen is prepared (and has handled more serious situations). My thanks to to Brazen – the company, the volunteers, and the runners.

What can I say? It’s a Brazen Racing race. That means well organized and a first-class experience. Brazen has many repeat runners who know each other, which makes for a family-like atmosphere. With the caveat of checking out the maps and elevation profiles, I’d recommend trying a Brazen race to anyone not familiar with Brazen. Would I do a Brazen race again? I’ll be volunteering at one next week. Would I do Badger Cove again? Probably, but I’d try to be better prepared!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Since I participated as an aid station volunteer, I'll try to make this brief. Don't laugh! The courses are easy enough to describe. Runners start at the Craneway Pavilion in … MORE

Since I participated as an aid station volunteer, I’ll try to make this brief. Don’t laugh! The courses are easy enough to describe. Runners start at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond, and follow the trail around the boat harbor – lots of small boats at anchor, very picturesque. At about mile 1.25, runners reached Marina Park and the first aid station, where I was. At that point, 5K runners went to the left, to do a loop around Marina Park, came back through the aid station, and back to the finish at the Craneway Pavilion. 10K and half marathon runners went to the right after the aid station, following the trail along the bay. Both distances have turn-arounds, loop through the park, and pass the aid station on their way to the finish. The courses are flat, the 5K paved, the 10K mostly paved, and the half marathon a bit more than half unpaved hard-packed trail. The weather in 2017 was great, though rain is always a possibility at this time of year.

As always, Brazen’s organization went smoothly. Our aid station had water, sports drink, and Coca Cola, as well as a wide variety of sweet and salty snacks. The “V for Victory” race Tees were excellent, as were the finisher’s medals. From the information on the website through the finish area goodies (did someone say “It’s It”?), Brazen provides an excellent race experience, and all a runner needs to worry about is running the race.

The thing that struck me, as I was handing out sports drink to runners, was the strong, friendly community atmosphere. An organizer and volunteers are a big part of a race experience – smooth organization, encouraging people – but another significant part of a great race experience is brought by the runners and walkers themselves. Runners’ friendliness, encouragement, and respect at Brazen’s (and some other organizers’) races are outstanding. I noticed this at my first Brazen race, more than 3 years ago. A lot of factors can bring someone to a race for the first time. Race experience – from the organizers’ side and from the runners’ – will bring people back, to the same race, and to an organizer’s other races. Over time, coming back becomes brand loyalty and friendships, and Brazen Racing has both. Would I do Victory again? I did the 10K last year and volunteered this year. I’m sure I’ll be back to the Craneway Pavilion again. I’m already registered for a Brazen race next month.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Coastal Trail Runs' (CTR) Montara Mountain Trail Run (MMTR) is run in San Pedro Valley Park near Pacifica. There are 5 distances, 10K, half marathon, 20 … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Coastal Trail Runs’ (CTR) Montara Mountain Trail Run (MMTR) is run in San Pedro Valley Park near Pacifica. There are 5 distances, 10K, half marathon, 20 miles, Marathon, and 50K. I did the 10K. The several distances do different combinations of two connected loops, along with a long out-and-back section. The 10K “just” does the first loop.

Other than very brief sections through a parking lot at the start and finish, the 10K is all on unpaved trails, mostly single track. Also other than at the start and finish, there is not much of the course that is flat. Runners are either climbing up or down hills. There are two hills in the 10K, the first climb up is about a mile and a quarter long, and then a similar distance down. The second hill is about 2 miles up, and is slightly longer going back down. The rate of climb, up and down for both hills is ~500” per mile. This is not SUPER steep, but it is quite a workout. I’d rate this the second or third toughest 10K I’ve done.

What can I say about the setting and course of this race?! My 5-shoe rating is a good summary. The first couple and last couple of miles of the 10K course are through beautiful and fragrant eucalyptus groves. The middle, higher, part of the course is manzanita scrub, with views of the surrounding hills. At several points along the second hill, as runners go up seemingly unending switchbacks, there are multiple overlooks where the runner can see the ocean surf along the coast at Pacifica. The day before the 2017 race there had been rain, and winter 2016-2017 has been quite rainy. Another organizer had had to move their race from this venue to another venue just a month earlier, because the trails had been closed due to fallen tree. For MMTR, the 10K course was definitely wet, had some quite muddy patches, and runoff flowing down parts of the trail. But as a whole the trail was in very good condition. The weather also was very cooperative. Race day caught a break between two storms.

Organization & Production:
CTR is an excellent organizer of small-medium sized, low cost trail runs. CTR’s website has all the information a runner needs to check out a race, register, study the course map and elevation profile (a must for most CTR races!), and get to and from the race. While CTR did not have mile markers at MMTR (just as at Crystal Springs Trail Run), the course is copiously marked with color-coded flags. There were few places where a runner could go off course, but CTR also has color-coded don’t-go-this-way flags. Check-in with CTR is always race day, and is well organized. CTR does not do chip-timed starts, just the finish. Runners to whom 10 or 20 seconds offset matters should line up at the front of the pack of starters. Really, the only thing about which a runner need worry is running the race.

The 10K course did not have an aid station. This is dictated by the location and limited access for bringing in aid station goodies and volunteers. The only aid station encountered by any distance is in the start/finish area. Runners are expected to bring whatever water, gels, or snacks they might need for 6-7 mile spacing between aid station encounters. CTR’s aid stations typically have water, electrolyte drink, and various candies and salty snacks. The finish area goodies are similar, and include several items that are less suitable for eating on the trails.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Coastal Trail Runs’ bibs are plain white, with CTR’s logos and a sponsor’s logo, and the bib number. Simple and functional.

T-Shirt: CTR gives the same, tech type, T-shirt to runners of all distances. The race T-shirt for the 2017 Montara Mountain Trail Run is fluorescent yellow. On the front is the race logo (which can be seen on CTR’s website) – a eucalyptus tree – the race distances, race name, and date. The back has the organizer’s, and sponsors’ logos. It won’t be one of my favorite race Tees, but it’s still very nice.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal for MMTR is simple but elegant. Like that of Crystal Springs Trail Run, the medallion is a wire-crushed silver-colored disk into which the race logo, distances, and name have been stamped. The ribbon is aqua colored, with “2017” at multiple places along its length.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As noted above, Coastal Trail Runs does low cost trail races. There are a few aspects where the “low cost” is noticeable – parking not being pre-paid is probably the most obvious. On the other hand, the Processing Fee for Coastal race registration is $3-$4 lower than for most races, and after 3 Coastal races in a calendar year one can get a 5% discount for the rest of that year. Aside from that, the other aspects of being careful with expenses are barely noticeable, and nothing really detracts from the runners’ race experience. The race experience – all the aspect of a race taken together – is the bottom line, in my opinion. Coastal provides an excellent race experience.

I was very happy with my finish time, despite not being 100% health-wise (again!). The downhill of the second hill is very runnable, and I was able to maintain a pretty quick walking pace for the final couple of miles. In better circumstances I probably would have run some of it. Would I do Montara Mountain Trail Run again? Very possibly. It’s a really great park and trails, and Coastal Trail Runs does great races.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

1 member marked this review helpful. Agree?

Event & Course Description: The Crystal Springs Trail Run (CSTR) is run in Huddart Park, and features 5 distances, 50K, Marathon, 22 miles, half marathon, and 5 miles. I did … MORE

Event & Course Description:
The Crystal Springs Trail Run (CSTR) is run in Huddart Park, and features 5 distances, 50K, Marathon, 22 miles, half marathon, and 5 miles. I did the 5-mile distance. The courses could be described as four connected loops. The longer the distance, the more loops a runner does. 5-mile runners do just the first loop, that all runners do.

The 5 mile loop starts with a 1 mile of downhill, a brief flat section, and then 2 3/4 miles of uphill. Then runners do about a mostly downhill mile to the finish. The actual distance is about 4.7 miles.

Most of the 5 mile loop is single-track dirt (mud!) trail, with the last mile being a fire road, some gravel and some paved. Ordinarily I’d say the trail part is somewhat technical, with exposed rocks and tree roots, and some rutting. The winter 2017 Crystal Springs Trail Run was run the day after several days of significant rain. So there were many muddy patches, run-off flowing across or along the trail, and a few fallen trees across the trail. So this race can be fairly technical.

Organization & Production:
Just to make clear that what follows is not the least bit critical, Coastal Trail Runs is an excellent organizer of small-medium sized trail races. From checking out a race through leaving the park parking lot after finishing, everything is complete and well done. Needed information is all there, online registration is easy, and race day runs like a well-oiled machine.

Just as trail races are different from large-scale road and street races, not all trail races are the same. How a trail race is done and how many runners can be accommodated depend on where the race is held. Some trail races can accommodate over a thousand runners, with aid stations every 2-3 miles. Not Huddart Park. While the start-finish area might be able to handle that many runners, the 3+ miles of single track in the 5 mile loop, used by all runners, would not. More to the point, aid stations have to be accessible for moving in 1 or 2 hundred pounds of water and goodies, plus volunteers.

At Huddart Park accessible locations are not numerous. Consequently, there were no aid stations on the 5-mile loop. Coastal’s website map shows where aid stations are located, so runners doing the 5-mile distance know to bring their own water or electrolyte drink. Runners doing the longer distances did come to aid stations, but the spacing could be over 5 miles apart. Welcome to trail running!

The 5 mile loop was marked extremely well, with color-coded flags at regular intervals. There were not many places where one could turn onto a wrong trail, but these were marked with color-coded don’t-go-there flags. The coding was explained during the pre-race instructions (Hint! Listen to the Race Director’s spiel!). There were no mile markers, as is common in races located in more remote venues. Because I had studied the map and elevation profile (Hint! Hint!), I always had a reasonable idea where I was along the course.

Because I didn’t encounter an aid station, I didn’t see what was available. Based on having done Coastal races in the past, the aid stations would have had bananas and oranges, salty snacks like chips and pretzels, and several varieties of candy – refuel, and replace electrolytes.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Coastal’s bibs are simple – plain white background, bib number, company logos, and a sponsor’s logo. The bib for 2017 CSTR is the same as those for Coastal races I did in 2014, except for the actual bib numbers.

T-Shirt: Coastal Trail Runs gives tech type T-shirt to runners of all distances in their races. The T-shirt for CSTR is medium-dark gray, The front has an abstract drawing of several very tall redwood trees, with the name of the race next to the trees. Below this – the race logo on Coastal’s website – is the date and the several distances. The back has Coastal’s logo, and the logos of the race sponsors. All in all, a very nice T-shirt.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is wire-brushed metal, fairly heavy, with the race logo (no date) pressed and painted into it. Very nice! The ribbon is medium light blue, with the year at several places along it. Both the medallion and the ribbon are a big step up from the medals Coastal had in 2014 (I did a couple of Coastal races in 2014, though not CSTR).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
It’s been a frustrating month or so for me. Courtesy of a nasty cold I DNFed a half on New Year’s Day, and during the week leading up to this race I “enjoyed” a week-long gout flair. So my hopes for this race were, a gorgeous course, starting (if it wasn’t stupid), and finishing.

My decision to go ahead and do the race was literally made the night before. I didn’t push myself, but for a pretty challenging course and conditions, I was happy with my finish time. As for the “gorgeous” part, my expectations were exceeded. The course was manzanita and redwood forest for all but the meadow at the start/finish area. This was my first time in Huddart Park, but I intend for it not to be my last.

Coastal Trail Runs does low cost races. There are a few aspects that reflect this: parking is not included in registration (on the other hand, the Processing Fee for registration is $3-$4 lower than most races, and after 3 Coastal races in a calendar year one can get a 5% discount for the rest of that year); medals do not have race dates (Coastal could use the same medal for their August CSTR), and has used the same logo artwork for several years. BUT when it comes to runners’ race experience, Coastal doesn’t cheap out. Coastal delivers an excellent race experience from before the start to beyond the finish. And because Coastal does smaller races, they do many races in beautiful venues not suitable for larger races.

Would I do Crystal Springs Trail Run again? Possibly. Will I be doing Coastal Trail Runs races again? I just signed up for a Coastal race next month in Pacifica (10K, no aid station, beautiful venue).

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
4

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vent & Course Description: Every year, Brazen Racing does (Almost) New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (NYE and NYD, no “Almost” in 2016) as twin events. Those who participate … MORE

vent & Course Description:
Every year, Brazen Racing does (Almost) New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day (NYE and NYD, no “Almost” in 2016) as twin events. Those who participate in both receive a special connector-medal that joins the two finisher’s medals into a large “mega-medal”. Usually the half marathon course for both races is the same, circling Lake Chabot, with NYD in the reverse direction from NYE. 2016/2017 was different.

Seismic upgrades were in progress at the Lake Chabot dam, so NYE was run at Quarry Lakes Park, and while NYD was run at Lake Chabot, only on trails east and north of the lake. The first ~1.66 miles follow the east shore of the lake, “flat”, except for rolling hills. Shortly after aid station 1 the course did a hairpin turn to start climbing the first major hill (not the longest!). After some rolling hills along the “top”, the course went down hill again to a “flat” section. Then at mile ~4.25, we began to climb a ~1.25 mile hill – not super steep, but definitely a climb. Aid station 2 is around the top of this hill. From there is a ~1.5 mile stretch of rolling hills, and then a loop with a long descent at the start, and a fairly steep ~.4 mile climb back to the start of the loop. Runners then return to the second aid station, and take a shorter – and much steeper – route back to where they had done the hairpin turn, and again following the lake shore to the finish area,.

The first (and last) 4-5 miles go through live oak forest. The out and back section and loop after aid station 2 go through eucalyptus forest. The forested areas, glimpses of the lake through trees, and views of San Francisco Bay from high points amply reward runners for their work! The first and last ~1.66 miles are paved trail. The rest is dirt. Recent weather having been dry, the ground was moist, with some mud and puddle patches at low points along the trail. Some areas were rutted, but not severely. I didn’t see the steep downhill on the return from the aid station (more about this later), so I don’t know how rutted it was (I’ve seen it before, and am pretty sure there were lots of ruts!).

Organization & Production:
Brazen Racing does races really well, from checking out a race on their website through leaving after a race, and at every stage between. And they do not skimp! New Year’s Day was no exception. Everything was set up and ready to go when I arrived at 6AM (!). I opted for the “Hiker’s Start”, an hour before the regular half marathon start. The course was well marked with color-coded flags, chalk on the ground, sign boards, and occasional course monitors. Going off course would not have been very easy. The aid stations were well stocked with the usual array of snacks, water, electrolyte drink, and encouraging volunteers. The allegedly orange-flavored electrolyte drink tasted hideous! And it was mixed correctly (i.e. not the volunteers’ fault). Organizationally, Brazen does and did everything necessary to let runners focus on running their race and enjoying the course.

Swag & Goodies:
Brazen’s aid stations are about as elaborate as any I’ve seen by any organizer. Along with the usual water and electrolyte drink, one will typically find Coke, potato chips, pretzels, plain and peanut M & Ms, Skittles, Mike & Ikes, gummy bears, trail mix, cut up Payday bars and Rice Krispie Treats, Oreo cookies, and cut up bananas and oranges.

The finish area goodies included most of the above plus multiple varieties of cookies, cakes, plus Brazen’s “signature”, It’s It ice cream sandwiches. Arriving in the finish area fairly late, there were plenty still plenty of goodies on hand.

Bib:
The NYD bib features the space shuttle with smoke billowing as it is being launched, along with the race name, distance, and bib number on a black background. The distance and bib number are distance color-coded.

T-Shirt:
The race T-shirt is navy blue, tech-type, since I was in the half marathon (10K and 5K runners get poly-cotton, unless they upgrade for $7). The front has “Brazen”, the race name, the distances, and the date in the shirt pocket area (no pocket, of course). The back features the space shuttle, about to launch (into the New Year!) with “Brazen Racing” above it, and “MMXVII” below.

Finisher’s Medal:
The finisher’s medal features a glow-in-the-dark rocket-ship in flight, with Baby New Year peering out a porthole. The ribbon is black, with with race name, distances, and date along it. It’s not as hugenormous as many Brazen finisher’s medals have been recently (not disappointingly so), but it is designed to fit with the NYE medal (sun and planets) and connector to form a much larger mega-medal.

I volunteered at NYE – one of the aid stations – and did the NYD race. As such, I thought I would receive “just” the NYD finisher’s medal. As I learned, NYE volunteers also received the connector. Brazen rewards its volunteers!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Writing this has been less easy than usual. NYD was a really well run race, and I would do it again. But it was a discouraging experience for me. I had been fighting a bad cold all week. I thought I was doing pretty well, maybe at 85%-90% of my normal. 65%-70% was reality, and I ran out of gas by mile 11 – only my second half marathon DNF. What’s useful for this review, however is that I experienced aspects of Brazen races that most people don’t, but might be interested to know.

Soon after I reached the conclusion that I would have to drop out when I reached the aid station at mile 11, the sweeper caught up to me. He asked how I was doing, took a picture of my bib, and notified the aid station people to wait for and assist me. He also kept me in sight for most of the remaining interval, making sure I didn’t go off course. Once I reached the already packed up aid station, one of the volunteers got me some water, tied down his truck load, and I rode back with him to the finish area. The sweeper had also let the race director know there would be a DNF runner, so I checked in to let them know I was OK.

All in all, Brazen New Year’s Day 2017 gave several insights into Brazen as a race organizer. Brazen was able to change the NYD course – and maybe the NYE venue – to work around maintenance at the venue. I’ve seen this before, at a couple of Brazen’s races. Second, Brazen pays attention to how its runners are doing. Volunteers at aid stations toward the end of the longer distances are instructed observe and chat with runners to be sure they’re OK. As my experience (not Brazen’s most extreme in 2016, by the way) showed, when someone needs assistance the volunteers are ready and do what is needed. Third, Brazen is flexible with regard to finisher’s medals. I signed up for and DNFed the half marathon, dropping out at mile 11. Because I had done well over 10K I was given the finisher’s medal as having finished the 10K distance. It couldn’t help my frustration very much, but DNFing was due to MY limitations that day. Brazen does what it can to make runners’ experiences of what Brazen controls good. I will be running and volunteering at quite a few Brazen races in 2017.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The course for the Walnut Creek Half Marathon is an out-and-back loop, about 10 miles on streets and roads, and the rest on park and greenway … MORE

Event & Course Description:
The course for the Walnut Creek Half Marathon is an out-and-back loop, about 10 miles on streets and roads, and the rest on park and greenway trails. The race starts on N. Civic Drive, near Civic Park. The first 4 miles (3 along Treat Boulevard) or so are a mix of business areas, shopping plazas, apartment complexes, and houses. Around mile 4 Treat starts leaving the city and going up a hill; around mile 5.5 runners turn onto Cowell Road, still uphill. This is the only hill, but is a bit over 2 miles long, gaining nearly 400 feet, with the steepest part on Treat Blvd.. Around mile 6.3 the course turns onto Ygnacio Valley Road, for about 3.5 miles (~1.5 miles of it downhill). Treat Boulevard and Ygnacio Valley Road are significant artery streets (more on this below). Around mile 9.8 the course turns into Heather Farm Park, and after an aid station and a 180-degree turn, turns onto a park trail. From that point the course follows several paved trails back to Civic Park and the finish area. The last 3+ miles of the half marathon course is the nicest part of the course, though the rural hills on Treat Boulevard and Ygnacio Valley Road are very pleasant. The latter half of the 3 miles on park and greenway trails is also the out-and-back 5K course. The 5K starts and finishes in Civic Park.

Oh! Did I mention it? There were rain showers at times during the 2016 entire race. I got soaked! Last year was dry, but 5-10 degrees cooler. Also, for abut two miles along Ygnacio Valley Road runners faced (literally) significant headwind. Be prepared to deal with weather … it’s December.

Organization & Production:
The Walnut Creek Half Marathon is well organized, almost register-and-run. The online information is very complete. The only exception to r-a-r is parking, which has to do with the location, not a shortcoming of the organizer, Team BlueSky Events. There are plenty of parking lots near the check-in, start, and finish areas, but runners must choose where they want to park.

As mentioned above, nearly 10 miles of the half marathon course is run on artery streets, and there is traffic. Team BlueSky had traffic control well managed, with cones along the course, and police officers (Walnut Creek and Concord) or traffic services company employees managing traffic. It feels odd at first, walking and running that close to moving cars, but it’s very well handled.

There were very large mile markers at just about every mile (I think “Mile 4” was missing, and I didn’t see “Mile 6”, though it may have been obscured by the aid station located there). The aid stations were par for the course for a road race, offering water and sports drink. The stations were well staffed, with lots of encouraging volunteers.

My finish time was similar to last year. But unlike last year, not all the vendors were gone or leaving. Kudos all the way around! Whole Foods (I’ll forgo the common joke) provided after race food – bananas, oranges (both cut up), Dole fruit cups, Whole Foods bakery scones, and Health Warrior Chia Bars. Being a late finisher, Whole Foods had bagged their goodies and gave them to late finishers.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib was simple but nice. It has a red background for the half marathon or a green background for the 5K, the bib number, the race name, and the distance.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is very nice, long-sleeved, tech type. Men’s shirts were gray, with maroon side inserts. Women’s shirts had the reverse color scheme, maroon with gray inserts. The front has a large tree in black and midnight blue, with “Walnut Creek” and “International” arched over the date, “Half Marathon, and the distances (half, 5K, and half marathon relay) in white letters. The back has the logos of the sponsors and the organizer. The left sleeve has the logo of the California Half and Full Marathon Series (more about this below). The right sleeve has the logo of the principal sponsor. The black color of the tree on the medium-dark gray of the T-shirt makes the tree easy to miss.

Finisher’s Medal: The half marathon finisher’s medal is gold colored, large, substantial, and simple. Keystone shaped, it gives the race name, “Run Walnut Creek”, “Finisher 2016”, and a very large “13.1”. The ribbon is black, with ”2016 Run Walnut Creek” on both sides (as it would be seen if worn).

I’ll say more about the series below, but I had participated in California Half and Full Marathon Series races, and received the medal for having done four races in that Series (the Walnut Creek Half Marathon was one of the must-do medal races participants could select). This medal is also fairly large and substantial. With a white border, across the top is “4 Race Challenge”. At the bottom is the name of the series on a maroon background. In the middle are two runners silhouetted by the rising sun, running from the Golden Gate Bridge to a surf board behind a grove of palm trees. Vertically along the surfboard is the year, “2016”. The ribbon is maroon, and bears the same information. Very nice!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
My finish time was about 10 minutes slower than last year, but last year was dry and I don’t recall wind, either. So I’m pretty happy in that respect. From an organization POV, the Walnut Creek Half Marathon is a nice, well done, (mostly) street-road race (the ~3 miles on trails uses PAVED trails). Team Blue Sky really should decide whether to call it the “Walnut Creek International Half Marathon”, the “Walnut Creek Half Marathon”, or “Run Walnut Creek” – it’s no big deal for running the race, but having three names confuses “branding”, a marketing mistake. My personal preference is trail races, away from cities, so for me the scenery was mostly mehhhhh. The views of the hills in the section I noted above were very nice, however, and there was some low ground fog over the city. From the hills runners saw lots of trees poking up through the mist, also very pretty.

I probably won’t be doing the Walnut Creek Half Marathon in 2017, but that has to do with other races I’d like to do that are likely to be around the same time frame. From a medium-sized road race experience perspective, I definitely recommend the Walnut Creek Half Marathon.

OK, so what is the California Half and Full Marathon Series? Let me start by saying that I have no inside information or relationship. What follows is what I’ve seen on the Internet plus some intelligent (I hope!) guessing. The Series is managed by Team BlueSky Events, who does organize a couple of events in the Series. The Series is a good mix of trail, rural road, and city street races.

On the organizers’ side, the Series appears to be cooperative marketing. The organizers are mostly independent single events or small-scale organizers. The Series is put together every year, so previous years’ events may not be part of a current year’s series (or may not join the series by the beginning of the year, but join a little later). I assume participating races pay a fee and in return receive publicity on the Series website (https://calhalfseries.com/) and promotion in emails from the Series to runners who have done Series races or signed up on the Series website or Facebook page. Team BlueSky Events does not participate in putting on other organizers’ races. The races are whatever they are (I have seen negative raves for one Series race in Southern California, so do a little research before signing up – for ANY race – starting with RaceRaves).

From a runner’s perspective the Series website has a calendar, on which one can see the various Series races on monthly calendar webpages, very useful for planning. The site also has a map, which shows race locations, handy for those wanting to find and do a certain number of Series races. Because most Series races are indies and small scale organizers, the Series is an opportunity for runners to learn about races of which they previously may not have heard. The series includes events pretty much the full length and breadth of California, from San Diego to Redding and Eureka, from a couple of races at Lake Tahoe to a race along the coast on Monterey Bay. The heaviest concentrations are in the Los Angeles-San Diego, San Francisco Bay, and Sacramento-Tahoe areas, but definitely not exclusively so. So the series could be used to plan a vacation or trip around a particular event (there’s a half marathon in the Humboldt Bay Area I’d love to do!).

How does the series work? For runners, it’s easy. Run races in the Series throughout the year, and do one of the “medal races” at the end of the year. Well, sort of, but I’ll get to that. Nothing to sign up for but the races one runs. There are medals for people who do 4, 7, 10, 15, or 20 Series races (half or full marathons). The sizes of the medals are proportional to the number of races run (the 20 race medal must be a chiropractor’s delight!). Running the 3 Series (non-medal) races through the year was easy for me to plan, as two of the organizers were ones in which I was interested. On the other hand, doing 10, 15, or 20 Series races would pretty much plan out a runner’s year (not that that would be a bad thing!). There are 3 medal races in Southern California, in November and December. In Northern California there is one medal race in late August, the Santa Rosa Marathon and Half, and the Walnut Creek Half Marathon in December. On finishing at Walnut Creek, I found the awards tent, told the person my name and number of races, he looked at a printed list, and handed me the medal and (cotton) T-shirt. Very easy.

One last word about the Series. BlueSky also has a separate Series for Oregon (I counted 17 races on their map, so far) and a new Series for Washington (I counted 9 races on their map, though that may increase as they grow). With the number of Oregon and Washington races not too far from Portland, it would not be impossible for a runner to do 4 Race Challenges in both states. It would entail a bit more driving (especially for the medal races!), but a southern Oregonian or northern Californian could, similarly, do 4 Race Challenges in both states.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: I've reviewed Quarry Turkey a couple of times before, but once over quickly. The race starts and finishes in Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, CA. The … MORE

Event & Course Description:
I’ve reviewed Quarry Turkey a couple of times before, but once over quickly. The race starts and finishes in Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, CA. The 5K course does a loop around the largest of the lakes in the park. The 10K and half marathon follow the same course part way around that lake, then turns to run along the side of another lake, out of the park and onto the Alameda Creek Trail. 10K runners follow that trail for a short distance and turn around; half marathon runners go farther along that trail to a turn around. 10K and half marathon runners both re-enter the park, finish their loop around the second lake, rejoin the 5K course to finish the loop around the first lake, and then to the finish. The views along the Alameda Creek Trail are pleasant, and in the park around the lake, quite beautiful.

The trails inside the park are mostly dirt and packed fine gravel. Part of the Alameda Creek Trail is similar, and some is asphalt paved (the part used by half marathon runners only is paved). There are gentle rises and falls, but the course is pretty flat. The steepest “hills” are street under-crossings. In good weather the courses would be good for PRs. For about half an hour of the half marathon (a full hour for those who did the early “Hikers Start”) it rained. The 10K started as the rain was tapering off, and 5K runners caught a few minutes of the very tail end of the storm.

Organization & Production:
It’s a Brazen race, which means excellent from registration through heading home afterward. The rain forced check-in to be under the shelter over a picnic table cluster, but this is what Brazen normally does in this park, rain or shine. Probably the worst consequence of the rain was that Quarry Turkey, wasn’t able to do as many pictures with runners as usual.

The rain brought out the best in Brazen’s volunteers, those working aid stations especially. Every function was done smoothly, and aid stations had their full complements of volunteers. While Brazen does provide pavilions for aid stations, even if set up (in the rain!) stations are fairly exposed, and unlike runners who have their activity to warm them some, aid station workers are tied to their station. It is not unheard of for volunteers to no-show on rainy days, or for those who did come to leave during the race. Brazenteers were there, handing out water or sports drink, and cheering on the runners as if it were a brisk sunny day. Kudos Brazenteers!

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Brazen does two turkey trot races every year, with coordinated themes. The Quarry Turkey bib features Super Quarry flying to the rescue. The letters of the race name, bib number, distance, and runner’s name are color coded: yellow = 5K; blue = 10K; orange = half marathon. When the two bibs are placed next to each other, chronologically left to right, Super Quarry and Super Nitro are flying toward each other.

T-Shirt: The men’s tech type race T-shirt is tan. On the front is Quarry Turkey in super hero flight, as on the bib. On the back is Quarry Turkey running to the rescue.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal features the running Quarry Turkey, as on the T-shirt, with orange cape billowing out behind. The medal also gives the race name and information. The ribbon is blue and festooned with the running Quarry Turkey and the name of the race.

As mentioned above, Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey are run as a themed pair. Those who run both races receive a third medal that interlocks with the two finisher’s medals to form a mega-medal. The center medallion has a gravy boat at the top pouring out a stream of gravy, with the words, “It’s all gravy.” The ribbon is half blue, half orange (the colors of the ribbons for the two finisher’s medals) and indicates that both races had been run.

The bib, the race T-shirt, the medals … all in all we’re talking serious cool!

The aid station snacks were simpler than usual for Brazen – maybe due to the weather, maybe due to the holiday season – but still very good. Both stations I passed had water, sports drink, GU packets, bananas, and oranges. At least one also had Jelly Belly jelly beans. The finish area goodies were pretty typical for Brazen, candies, cookies, snack cakes, trail mix, and, of course, It’s It ice cream sandwiches. And in honor of Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Having already Raved about Quarry Turkey twice before, I probably would not have done so again but for two things. First, the rain, which forced adjustments (which were few but done well) and tries the hardihood of volunteers, those at aid stations especially. Brazenteers excelled! Second, more personal, my daughter joined me in doing the race. With rain and all, it was a special time.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: My Rave about the 2015 running of Nitro Turkey is a pretty thorough description of the race, but Hopefully this Rave will round out the picture. … MORE

Event & Course Description:
My Rave about the 2015 running of Nitro Turkey is a pretty thorough description of the race, but Hopefully this Rave will round out the picture. I did the 10K again in 2016. 10K runners follow the 5K course almost to the finish, and then go out out on another, different loop. The 5K course is an elliptical loop around half of Point Pinole, and then 10K runners’ second loop goes around the rest of the point. Runners go past sea views, through eucalyptus groves, and across ridges where one can see the groves, the bay, and the scrub and grasses between groves. Wonderful views on a Thanksgiving morning, and 2016 was perfect weather, clear and sunny, with temps between 45 and 55!

Organization & Production:
Brazen is consistently great, from registering through leaving the parking lot after the race. I described it in greater detail in my 2015 Rave, so I’ll just say that the only things a runner have to worry about are staying vertical and running the race.

2016 showed a bit of Brazen’s flexibility in course management. Due to work being done in the park, Brazen had to re-route the first part of the course. The worst that could be said is that the first quarter mile or so was pretty packed, slowing back-of-the-pack runners some until they reached the wider main trail. For all that, the course was clearly marked and monitored by friendly helpful volunteers.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Brazen’s bibs are always works of art. I’ll just say that that this year’s super hero themed Nitro Turkey bib has distance color-coded words and bib number, and features Super Nitro flying to some one’s rescue.

T-Shirt: One can choose at registration whether to receive a poly-cotton race T-shirt (included in registration fee) or pay $7 extra for a tech T-shirt. I chose the latter. Brazen’s race T’s are always excellent, and 2016 Nitro Turkey is no exception. The T-shirt is gray, with Super Nitro in flight. The back has Super Nitro in full run.

Finisher’s Medal:
The rather large finisher’s medal is up to Brazen’s always high standard. Super Nitro is running toward the viewer, blue cape billowing out behind him. The orange ribbon similarly has running Super Nitro, with the details about the race. For those who do both Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey, a third center piece interlocks the three medals into a large “mega-medal”. The center medallion has a gravy boat at the top pouring out a stream of gravy, with the words, “It’s all gravy.” The ribbon is half blue, half orange (the colors of the ribbons for the two finisher’s medals) and indicates that both races had been run.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Brazen’s races always have a family-like feel, and Nitro Turkey is all the more so. Many runners bring family and friends. Many come in costume. It’s just a really friendly and relaxed time together, before, on the course, and after.

One feature of Nitro Turkey (and also of Quarry Turkey) is a free “Little Turkeys” race – bib, T-shirt and a really nice medal – children. The course is about 50 yards out and 50 yards back. Nitro Turkey always runs, and always places last. But he keeps trying.

Having run another turkey trot 5 days earlier and doing Brazen’s Quarry Turkey in two days, I didn’t push my self really hard. So I was ~6 minutes slower than last year, but quite happy with my time. It was a really good work-out in a beautiful place on a beautiful day with good runner friends. It was probably one of my favorite race days to date. Will I run Nitro Turkey again? Probably, and probably the one or two other Brazen races through the year at Point Pinole.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The 2016 Davis Turkey Trot was run the Saturday before Thanksgiving in northern Davis, CA. The 10K course is sort of a figure-8, with the neck … MORE

Event & Course Description:
The 2016 Davis Turkey Trot was run the Saturday before Thanksgiving in northern Davis, CA. The 10K course is sort of a figure-8, with the neck of the “8” being a point on Covell Boulevard. The start and finish are near the Civic Center Park field. The 5K course follows the first loop of the 10K course, and then does a very small second loop to return to the finish. The half marathon course adds one large and three small loops to the 10K course.

I was expecting the race to be mostly street, but only 30-35% was street, with the rest being paved pathways through parks in the area, plus a short cement walkway through the Davis High School campus. The course wasn’t bubble-level flat, but close enough to make a weak joke about it. The neighborhoods were older, maybe 1920s or 1930s vintage, well maintained, with lots of very mature maple trees. The park trails were obviously suburban parks, but very pleasant.

Central California weather can vary considerably in mid-late November. In 2016 it was in the mid-upper 40s F, with frequent moderate showers. I wasn’t drenched, but the towel I brought was handy to protect my car upholstery, and having an extra, dry, shirt was good, too.

Organization & Production:
A Change of Pace Foundation’s webpages for the Davis Turkey Trot have very complete information. Registration was easy, and the pre-race email was very helpful. While being somewhat experienced in doing races helps, I’d not been in Davis in decades. The website directions were very helpful in knowing what streets to take and where parking would be available.

The course was well marked, with volunteers posted at points where a runner might easily go astray. There were hugenormous banners marking every mile.

Swag & Goodies: The aid stations had water and sports drink. In the finish area were bottles of chilled water, bananas, bags of Pop Chips, packages of Sports Beans and Jelly Belly jelly beans, and energy bars. All in all, pretty nice.

Bib: Bibs were color-coded for distance: brown background color for the half marathon; green for the 10K; orange for 5K. The green of the 10K bib is dark green at the bottom and fades to chartreuse at the top. Across the top are the race name and year, with an abstract turkey logo. At the bottom are the bib number and distance. All in all, very nice.

T-Shirt: Runners of all distances received a gray long-sleeved tech T-shirt. The front has a logo with a green background color, the race name, year, and turkey, as on the bib, and below that the distances and location. The back has the sponsors’ names and the name of the race organizer.

Finisher’s Medal: Only those doing the half marathon receive a finisher’s medal as part of what they get for their registration fee. People doing the 10K and 5K have the option of buying a participation medal when they register. The 10K and 5K registration fee is lower than is common, and if one pays the extra $5 (in 2016) it brings the fee up to what is common.

I chose to buy the participation medal, and it is very nice. The background metal is silver-colored, very smooth and shiny. In the center, in raised borders and glitter paint is the abstract turkey logo. Around the top, like a banner, is “Davis 2016” in orange letters. At the bottom in stamped metal, is “TURKEY TROT”. The ribbon is black, with “2016 DAVIS TURKEY TROT” and the abstract Turkey on both sides of the ribbon and both sides of a wearer’s neck. I started out thinking it was very nice, but not, “Wow!” It’s quickly growing on me.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As its name suggests, A Change of Pace Foundation (ACOP) is a charity foundation, promoting athletics for children and youth. The Davis Turkey Trot is a medium-large race, with over 1750 finishers in the three distances. It also utilizes streets and suburban parks. So I think the pretty basic aid stations and packaged (bananas have their own package, in a sense) goodies are appropriate to what ACOP is trying to do, and the character of the race.

There were two aid stations on the 10K course, at Mile 2, and near Mile 4. When I got to the first aid station, a half hour after the 10K start, the water and sports drink were there, with cups, and had been used, but there were no volunteers. This forced runners to choose between pouring their own water, or skipping the aid station. On the other hand, the second aid station had 5 or 6 volunteers, handing out the water or sports drink, and encouraging runners as they passed. I’ve emailed ACOP regarding the lack of volunteers at Mile 2 aid station. It was raining when I got there, so the volunteers may have sought shelter (a race in Los Gatos on a rainy day earlier this year had many of its volunteers not show up, and those who did went home mid-race when in rained – nobody was at any of their aid stations for most of the race). I’ll update this when I hear from ACOP.

The table where special awards (for a race series) and participation medals were given out was not adequate, space or staff. There was a 3-5 minute (or more?) line when I got there. One person behind me commented to a friend that this table is always not well organized.

I went into this race knowing the course and conditions could be good for an attempt for a PR, so I was pretty aggressive. I may have been affected more than I realize by the weather, or maybe I was too aggressive. Anyway, I was 12 minutes slower than a PR. On the other hand, I didn’t cross the finish line with any energy I should have expended on the course, so I’m happy with my results.

These are areas that could be improved, but far from spoiling an overall really good race experience. This race was my first experience in a race organized by ACOP, and as a whole I was very favorably impressed. From checking out the race online through leaving the parking lot after the race, there were no uncertainties or major frustrations. It’s far enough away from my home that the Davis Turkey Trot wouldn’t be a race I’d do every year, but given the right family circumstances and timing, I’d certainly consider doing it again.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Brazen Goonies is run in Lagoon Valley Park in the hills southwest of Vacaville, CA. The start/finish area is at the north end of the lake, … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Brazen Goonies is run in Lagoon Valley Park in the hills southwest of Vacaville, CA. The start/finish area is at the north end of the lake, and the course for all three distances, half marathon, 10K, and 5K, could be described as a figure 8, with the start and finish at the neck between the two loops. I did the 10K, but the three distances share much of the same course. All three distances start by doing a loop around the small lake in the park, about 2 miles. Just before reaching the start runners are turned onto the second loop, and come to an aid station. After the aid station, runners climb a short, but very steep hill, and then back down, also very steep. At this point 5K runners turn toward the finish, climbing out of a little valley, and then on to the finish.

10K and half marathon runners turn in the other direction, and after about a flat mile, climb a fairly steep hill, then another hill, and then a third hill. These hills aren’t as steep as the first hill, but they’re not gentle. Between the second and third hills there’s about .4 mile along a ridge that’s fairly flat. After topping the third hill the trail goes down to a road and an aid station. At this aid station, 10K runners take the road toward the finish, a steady but not too steep downhill, with the last mile or so fairly flat.

Half marathon runners turn the other direction from the aid station, and do an out-and-back (up and down a hill) leg of about a mile and a half. Then they head back down toward the finish area, but repeat the second loop of the short steep hill, three hills, the out-and-back hill and then finally down to the finish.

Going around the lake and from some of the hills and ridges runners have some really beautiful views of the lake and the oak-clustered hills in the park. I’d guesstimate the courses to have been 35%-40% paved, but with wide packed gravel and dirt shoulders paralleling much of the paved roads for those who prefer to avoid pavement On the other hand, most of the rest of the course is single track trail. The course is probably 90% exposed, making sunscreen an absolute must, as well as adjusting one’s pace if the weather is warm (it was partly cloudy in 2016, with the temperature under 70°F). Parking is plentiful, and the park entrance may be a half mile from I-80 exit.

Organization & Production:
I know I have to explain this, but it’s a Brazen Racing race. That means lots of good things for runners, from checking it out for the first time through leaving after the race, and even a little after.

The race information online is very complete, including course maps and elevation profiles (the latter could use improvement, as the vertical scale numbers are not easy to read), and directions to the venue. Registration is easy, and Brazen sends out a very detailed race instructions email several days before the race. Check-in, whether a day or two before the race or race morning is easy. Brazen usually has results online within 12-24 hours after their races.

The course will be very well marked. Aid stations will be well positioned, with friendly and encouraging volunteers, and the array of drinks and energy-boosting snacks (candies, cookies, fruit) is close to amazing.

The finish area is very welcoming, from the people handing out finishers’ medals and bottles of water to the even greater array of recovery & celebratory goodies to the welcoming people – volunteers, fellow runners, and runners’ family & friends. It feels like a family picnic!

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib background color varies with the distance: orange for the half marathon; light blue for the 10K; yellow for the 5K. The top left is the race name. The top right has a skull and cross-bones logon (green eyes!) and the date. Below the race name is the piratic distance, “Ten Kilometarrghs” and under the logo is the bib number. Below that is a black stripe with the runner’s name in letters that look like they are made of bones. And then across the bottom is the organizer’s name and a couple of hash tags for the race.

T-Shirt: The tech T-shirt is red. The front has the skull and cross-bones race logo, with the race name above the skull. To the left of the skull is the date, and to the right is the location. Across the bottom is the motto, “Never say die”. On the back the Race name forms a circle, with the motto between the words of the name. Around the top of the circle are the distance, and around the bottom is the race date. Below that are the logos of the race sponsors and organizer. I think it’s going to be one of my favorite race Tees!

Finisher’s Medal: Words can scarce do the finisher’s medal justice! It’s roughly an oval, 4 inches on the long axis, and 3 inches on the short axis. It features the same artwork as the from of the T-shirt, with the race name, motto, and the skull’s eyes in glow-in-the-dark green. It’s off the chart amazing! The ribbon features the skull, the race name, the motto, the date, and the distances on a gray wood-grain background.

Much to my surprise, I placed third in my age group. Brazen recently changed to age group medals designed for each race. The colors are gold, silver, and bronze, and the Goonies age group medals are about a 3 inch circle. The design is a compass rose, with the name and motto in center as on the back of the T-shirt. Just below that is the organizer’s name. Circling these is a ring with “Age Group Winner around the top, the distances around the bottom, and little skulls at the sides. The around the edge are the points of the compass, with scroll work between each point. It’s jaw-dropping amazing!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
On the whole, I’m pleased with my results. I didn’t study the elevation chart as well as I might, and was probably too aggressive during the flat loop around the lake. As a consequence, I had less energy for the hills, especially the ones later in the race. I was able to recover some in the final downhill, and pushed myself again. I didn’t bring much energy into the finish that should have been expended on the trail. In balance, it could be that I gained more early than I lost later. So I’m just going to study better, plan better, and be a little less afraid of pushing myself.

Would I do Lagoon Valley again? Very likely. I like trail races. Brazen is one of the best race organizers in the SF Bay Area, if not THE best. The people – organizers, volunteers, and runners – are all wonderful people. 2016 set a personal mark for the 10K in Goonies, and there’s always the half marathon, which is part of Brazen’s Ultra Half Series.

On a personal note, Mr. RaceRaves, Mike Sohaskey, ran the half at Goonies. I got to meet him, and found him every bit as friendly, helpful, and encouraging in person as he is on the RaceRaves site and RR’s Facebook page. I hope I’ll meet Katie sometime soon!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: Rocky Ridge, in any of the distances (5K, 10K, half marathon), is very challenging. Very. Challenging. Rocky Ridge is run in the Las Trampas Wilderness just … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Rocky Ridge, in any of the distances (5K, 10K, half marathon), is very challenging. Very. Challenging. Rocky Ridge is run in the Las Trampas Wilderness just west of Danville. The start/finish area is a picnic area of the Ranch At Little Hills event center.

The 5K and 10K use parts of the half marathon course. The half marathon is a figure-8, with the “top” (= first) loop being the longer. The 10K and 5K follow part of the outbound of this loop – uphill – cross a creek, and then double back down the hill. After 10K and 5K runners go through the point where the two loops cross, they come to their first aid station, and start climbing a beast … I mean a very steep hill. About half way up the hill 5K runners turn around and head back toward their finish. 10K runners keep on climbing, a total of .85 mile (so I’ve been told) of very steep uphill. About 2/3 of this climb is paved. After that ~2/3 point, runners turn onto a single-track trail and continue their climb to the wider ridge trail. This climb, the rolling ups and downs along the ridge, and the ~1.8mile, killer-steep, downhill to the finish area comprise the second loop of the half marathon course. The mile and a half along the ridge have some amazing panoramic views, to the east and to the west, and the view from the hill just after the second aid station (the fourth for half marathoners, located in a saddle between two hills) is almost 360-degree. This loop is the second loop for half marathoners.

The course is about 90% dirt trail, and about 90% exposed. Some of the trail is moderately technical, uneven cracked earth and exposed rocks (turned ankle hazard), some exposed roots, and some very rutted areas in the steep downhill. 2016 was very cool, as to weather, but there have been warm-hot years as well. Sunscreen, filled water bottle, and liberal use of fluids and snacks at aid stations are all musts, whatever the weather!

Organization & Production:
It almost suffices to say that this is a Brazen Race, which means very thorough, very tight organization, from registering through leaving the parking lot after the race. On top of that, Rocky Ridge is the culminating, mandatory, race in their Ultra-Half Series, so the atmosphere is appropriately special.

I’ll try to hit a FEW highlights. The website information is very complete, as is the pre-race email. On-site parking is very limited, and there is a shuttle to and from another parking area nearby (I didn’t need to use it, so I didn’t see how that was set up).

The course was well marked with color-coded flags and flour. The aid stations were well stocked with water, sports drink, and a wide variety of snacks – and with friendly and encouraging volunteers.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The Bib has a black background, the Firecat (running fiery wild cat) race logo in the upper left, the race name, location, and date in the upper right, the color-coded distance and bib number across the center, the runner’s name below that, and Brazen’s logo and race-specific hashtags across the bottom. Brazen has some of the nicest race bibs around.

T-Shirt:
As always, Brazen includes tech T-shirts for half marathoners and poly-cotton for 10K and 5K runners in the registration cost, with an option for the latter to upgrade to tech for an additional $7. The front of the grayish brown poly-cotton shirt features the Firecat running across the race name in craggy-looking letters. The back has the Firecat running across the location and date, with the elevation charts for the half marathon, 10K, and 5K below it, and the sponsors’ logos at the bottom.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is copper-colored metal with a red background color, the top of the medal being the half marathon elevation profile, and the Firecat running across the white-lettered race name. The ribbon is bright red, gives the race name, distances, location, and dates, and is double-sided. Words don’t do it justice.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
The Rocky Ridge half marathon is a beast, more than I think I’m up to trying at this point. The 10K is the beast’s younger brother, and the 5K a piece of the beast. The .85 mile climb is a steep killer, and the ~1.8 mile downhill to the finish will all but paralyze your quads. In other words, if you like challenges, put Rocky Ridge on your must-do list. The mile and a half along the ridge is a great scenic pay-off, and the finish area has It’s It ice cream sandwiches and a wide array of other post-race goodies.

My finish time was a little longer than what I wished for, but I finished without being finished. It’s a starting point, something on which I might improve, and maybe I might even give the full beast a try.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Event & Course Description: The organizer of the Fall Showdown, with half marathon, 5 Mile, and 5K distances, is Wolf Pack Events, which organizes smallish races and duathlons near San … MORE

Event & Course Description:
The organizer of the Fall Showdown, with half marathon, 5 Mile, and 5K distances, is Wolf Pack Events, which organizes smallish races and duathlons near San Pablo Reservoir in the East San Francisco Bay Area (between Berkeley and Walnut Cheek). There were 93 finishers of all distances of this year’s Fall Showdown. Small does not mean poorly organized, and there is plenty of room for this race to get larger. The founder/owner of Wolf Pack is himself an athlete with much experience in athletic events. He knows what athletes doing this race will need and provides it. While done carefully as to costs, the Fall Showdown was really well done.

The course is reasonably simple to describe. It’s an out-and-back that starts and ends at the San Pablo Reservoir Recreation Area, going to and climbing up to San Pablo Dam, with a short out-and-back loop in the hills above the dam and another short out-and-back leg that crosses the dam. The scenery varies from trees along the lake front, large groves of trees, and brown (it’s fall, remember?) tree-dotted hills surrounding the dam – and a herd of goats. I lost count of how many times the course crossed wood plank bridges. Very. Scenic. The surfaces are varied, asphalt and hard-packed access road, and dirt trails. I’d estimate the split to be 50-50 road and trail.

The terrain I’d rate as fairly challenging. The first and last 4 miles are mostly gently rolling, not too bad, but NOT insignificant. But much of those 5 or so miles in the middle are fairly hilly, including a pretty steep ~.6 mile climb to the top of the dam. For those familiar with Brazen’s Ultra Half Series, I’d rate this race as of similar difficulty to one of the less difficult in that series. SF Bay Area weather is very changeable in the months of September and early October. For the 2016 Fall Showdown it was very warm, almost hot. The first and last 3 miles are in and out of shade; the 4 or 5 miles in the dam area are pretty exposed, and the middle of the out and back legs is pretty shaded. Runners doing this race should definitely train for steep hills, study the elevation chart and map, and watch race day weather forecasts for the week or two before the race.

Organization & Production:
Organization was simple, but well done. Registration was easy, and the website had complete information, including an interactive course map and elevation chart. Parking was ample and free (nice!). Check-in was race day only, well organized, with ample time. Timing was from “gun start” to crossing the finish mat using a timing ankle strap that was returned after finishing. Volunteers were knowledgeable, helpful, and encouraging (including the owner, who staffed one of the aid stations). The aid stations had water, sports drink, and Clif Shot gel packets. The course was reasonably well marked, though I went off-course twice. The first time I misunderstood the markings and went the wrong way around the loop above the dam (i.e. distance and elevation change not affected). The second time, when I was very tired and hot, I missed a marking and went a longer (1.25-1.40 miles) way, but got back on course without back-tracking. I think I’ll own that as mostly my mistake.

Swag & Goodies:
I saw the finish area food before the race, and it was pretty nice, fruit and muffins, as well as bottled water. By the time I finished – the last to finish the half – it was all consumed or packed away (or maybe I was too exhausted to see it), but I was given a bottled water (not cold). I was close to wondering if I was going to barf, so I wasn’t really looking for food.

Bib: The bib was plain white, with my bib number and the name of the sponsor, RoadID.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is white poly-cotton blend, with a very nice, colorful graphic on the front, the race name, and the date.

Finisher’s Medal: The medal is also fairly simple, an outer rim with laurel leaves and space in the center for a sticker. The sticker is very nice, the same as the race T-shirt front. The ribbon is two stripes, maroon and silver. I also won my age group, being the oldest to do the half by 7 years. The award is a plaque that matches the T-shirt, adding the age group.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Small and simple does not need to mean spartan or poorly done. From registering through leaving after the race, everything was well done. And while I’ve seen races with much more elaborate snacks at aid stations and the finish area and swag, those are also five to ten times the size of the Fall Showdown. I’ve also seen much larger races with less at aid stations, finish area, and similar swag. So I’d say the Fall Showdown is bargain-priced, but a very good value. The scenery was excellent, and the people – volunteers and runners – were really nice.

Would I do the Fall Showdown again? Very possibly. Wolf Pack does several races a year in the San Pablo Reservoir, so I might do a different Wolf Pack race to see Reservoir in a different season of the year.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Race Thru the Redwoods is a locally organized race that benefits the local high school track program and local charities. The course is an out-and-back that … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Race Thru the Redwoods is a locally organized race that benefits the local high school track program and local charities. The course is an out-and-back that starts and ends near the entrance of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The course takes runners into the stand of redwoods from which the park is named – sometimes splitting for the purpose of traffic control. The course is about 60% paved access roads, 40% hiking and horse trails. It is generally uphill outward bound and downhill inward bound, with a fairly steep .8 mile hill climb right around the midpoint of the 10 Km. Other than some of the first mile (which is not repeated at the finish), the course is almost entirely shaded.

Organization & Production:
RTTR is a really well done (2016 was the 48th annual, so they’ve had a bit of practice!) basic race to benefit local charities. Though a bit of updating is needed, the website information is complete, including a satellite view course map (nice for checking sun exposure and shade) with an elevation profile. Online Registration was easy, the confirmation & Receipt being sent by email (pretty normal nowadays). No pre-race email was sent, but the information on the website is sufficient to get some one to the race venue without trouble..

Bib pick-up was race day only and very smooth. Park entry and parking were free, and the latter ample. The start/finish area is a picnic area, with lots of tables for organizational stuff and people to rest. There were snacks and water available before and after the race, including bananas and granola bars.

There was one well stocked water-only aid station close to the half-way point of the 10K, which runners pass twice. I think I was the last to stop there, and they had enough water to refill my water bottle and to spare. T-shirt pick-up was after finishing, which made me nervous (I’m SLOW). But I received the last T-shirt in my size, with the finishers after me probably wanting other sizes.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: Plain white, black bib number. The timing “chip” is attached to the back. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. And entirely adequate.

T-Shirt: The race Tee-shirt is olive green (or light FOREST green) cotton, printed in black or dark brown. The front features runners coursing through a stand of redwood trees, with the name of the race, date, and location below them. The back has the name of the race, a logo of evergreen trees, and the date, with sponsors’ logos beneath. Very nice!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
The course for the RTTR is fairly challenging, generally uphill for much of the outbound direction, with ~.8 mile being a really steep hill. All in all I’m pretty happy with my time of ~7 minutes under 2 hours.

The organization was basic, low key, and very well done. It let runners focus on running their race and appreciating the beauty of a stunning redwood forest and a creek with a couple of wooden bridges. I would definitely do Race Thru the Redwoods again, and if I skip it in 2017, I definitely want to do it in 2018, its 50th running.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3

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Event & Course Description: Most Brazen Racing events are for specific distances (e.g., half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances). Dirty Dozen mixes 12-hour and 6-hour endurance events with a 10Ks … MORE

Event & Course Description:
Most Brazen Racing events are for specific distances (e.g., half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances). Dirty Dozen mixes 12-hour and 6-hour endurance events with a 10Ks and 5Ks in the morning and afternoon. Dirty Dozen ends up being a dawn-to-dusk picnic party for runners and their families & friends. There is a catered barbecue lunch that is included in registration for 12-hour and 6-hour runners, and can be purchased by other runners and their families & friends.

The venue for Dirty Dozen is Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park. Brazen uses this park for two other races during the year – Nitro Trail and Nitro Turkey. Dirty Dozen uses just the 5K (actually 3.37 miles) course of those races, that loops around half of the point. 6-hour and 12-hour runners do as many laps as they can during their chosen time (insert “loopy” joke here).

In the final hour of each event a .6 mile loop comes into use for those who think they cannot do one more full lap in their remaining time, but want to do another mile or two. The short loop goes about a quarter mile out on the main loop, crosses a hill, and then returns by the last part of the main loop to the start/finish area.

The course is, in my opinion, among Brazen’s more beautiful courses. It runs along the shore for a while, goes through a eucalyptus grove for a bit, then runs along a cliff above the shore, then climbs (not too steep) through the eucalyptus grove to an exposed ridge with panoramic views of San Pablo Bay, and then back to the start/finish area. The weather in 2016 was pleasantly mild, with a pleasant cool breeze while running along the exposed ridge. The course is probably 30%-40% shade, lessening some when the sun is nearly overhead.

Organization & Production:
Dirty Dozen is a Brazen race, which means excellent organization. Smooth registration and check-in (on the two days before the race at a local sports store, and on race day). A well marked course with course marshals at a couple of key points. There were two aid stations, one near mile 2 of the 3.37 mile loop, and one in the start/finish area.

Brazen races always have a wide variety of fruit, candies, cookies, and salty snacks, plus water and sports drink. At Dirty Dozen the aid stations offer even more variety – four kinds of fruit (that I can remember), more different cookies, and, later in the race, salted boiled red skin potatoes. Besides the fluids and snacks, there were also GU gel packets, Salt Stick electrolyte capsules, and buckets of water with sponges for later in the day. Also as always, Brazen volunteers are very helpful and encouraging. Many Brazen runners also volunteer at races, so they (we!) know how important that care and encouragement is.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib for Dirty Dozen is almost subtle, by Brazen’s norms. The middle is a medium-dark green stripe, with the bib number and runner’s name in fancy letters. The top and bottom are medium-dark gray stripes with darker gray clockwork sprockets. The top stripe is wider, with the race name, location, date, and event or distance. The bottom has Brazen Racing’s logo. All in all, very nice.

T-Shirt: Another aspect of the Dirty Dozen is the apparel that comes with 12-hour and 6-hour registration – instead of a T-shirt, a hoodie sweatshirt (a tech type T-shirt can be purchased for $7, which I did). And 10K and 5K runners receive a T-shirt with its own design. The hoodie and 12/6-hour T-shirt are navy blue. The front is simple, with the race name, year, location, and “DD VII” in orange-yellow and orange letters – very understated. The back has a large clockwork design (the race name, location, and date are worked into the design) in the same colors, kind of steampunk and very visually dramatic. I didn’t get a good look at the shirt for 10K and 5K runners, but it’s blue, with a mud-monster rising from its ooze with raised arms, and “Dirty 10K & 5K” and the location and date between its hands. The DD VII zip-up hoodie and T-shirt surpass my description – #insta-faves!

Finisher’s Medal: As with the race apparel, 12-and 6-hour runners received a different medal than did 10K and 5K runners. The latter medal featured the rising mud-monster. The medal for 12-and 6-hour finishers is a large, heavy, coaster with a fob to make it look like a stopwatch. The design is the same steampunk clockwork as on the hoodie and race Ts. It’s over-the-top cool!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
My feelings about how I did are kind of mixed. On one hand, I went .6 miles farther and a half hour longer than last year. On the other I was well short of my 20 mile goal, again, and stopped when I still had energy, but had a couple of blisters and knew I was pressed for time for things later in the day. As modest as my goal was, I felt like I had been beaten by the race again. And when I got home after an hour and a half drive, I had trouble just getting out of my car and walking across the yard to our front door.

When I looked again at the elevation profile of the “5K” loop and did some (rather) mental math I realized that, while the elevation change for the loop wasn’t extreme, done 5 times, the elevation change becomes quite wearing. It’s not as great, for that many laps, as one of Brazen’s Ultra Half series races, but it is greater than that of Coyote Hills. So I’ll take the PR 17.45 miles and hit the hills more over the coming year.

Would I do DD VIII next year? I’m already thinking about signing up for the 12-hour and working out the time issues with my wife entailed in going for 7 or more hours. Dirty Dozen is one great race!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5

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Course Description: The 5-3-1 Run – 5 miles, 3 miles (actually 5K), and 1 mile – is a 4th of July event that benefits the Woodland Schools Foundation (WSF). It … MORE

Course Description:
The 5-3-1 Run – 5 miles, 3 miles (actually 5K), and 1 mile – is a 4th of July event that benefits the Woodland Schools Foundation (WSF). It is set in southeast Woodland, starting and finishing at Pioneer High School’s track. The 5 mile course is an out-and-back loop around a large “block” that encompasses Pioneer High School, Woodland Community College, and some vacant land, plus looping through an adjoining neighborhood, with a couple of out-and-back branches along the way.

The course was almost literally flat, and used concrete-paved trails and city streets. I wouldn’t call it scenic, but it was pleasant, part rural, part park-like college campus, part modern suburban neighborhood.

Organization & Production:
The 5-3-1 Run was a partnership between volunteers from WSF and Kaia Fitness, a local women’s fitness business. As a whole, everything went pretty smoothly – with one notable exception – though there was also of room for improvement.

Registering for the race was easy – Active.com handled this service, and there was no service fee tacked on to the registration price. The room for improvement here is that information about the race kind of came out gradually in the 8-10 weeks before the race, and publicity was hard to find. I suppose this was OK for people in the community who do races a couple of times a year (and there may be logistic concerns of which I’m unaware). But many runners – local and farther away – plan months in advance, and register 2 or more months before race days. I realize that the 5-3-1 Run isn’t trying, right now at least, for 2000 participants (there were 174, all distances), but with a population of >50,000 in Woodland and probably triple or quadruple that in the surrounding area (which includes Davis), trying for that many participants isn’t wildly unrealistic. If at all possible, the information for the race needs to be online and registration open 4-6 months before the race, Active.com sends out weekly emails about upcoming races in recipients’ area, but a race who’s registration opens a month or two before race day isn’t going to get much – if any – publicity.

Speaking of information about the race, the Woodland Schools Foundation webpage for the 5-3-1 Run was pretty incomplete. The webpage gave the race location, date, and start time, the locations, dates, and times for pre-race packet pick-up, and a link to the Active.com webpage. The WSF race webpage did not give the Facebook page url for the race, the course maps (!), mention that the race would be chip-timed and by whom, nor mention that packet pick-up could be done on the morning of the race. The webpage for the 2015 running of the 5-3-1 Run was still online, so course maps could be found there, if one knew where to look.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib is suitably simple. The background is plain white. Across the top is “W. S. F.”, in the middle is the bib number, and across the bottom is the logo of race sponsor Fleet Feet Sports. A fancy background would probably be an inappropriate expense, but having the name of the race and date would be a very nice addition that probably would cost little if anything.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt, for all distances, was navy blue tech type. The front has a white circular logo, with stars and stripes at the top, “Woodland Schools Foundation” in one of the stripes, the race name and date in the middle, and running shoe footprints around the bottom of the logo. The back has the logos of the race sponsors. Fairly simple, but definitely a nice race T-shirt, very nice for a small benefit race such as the 5-3-1 Run.

There were water stations positioned along the course (more on this below), which were water only. I didn’t notice water in the finish area – I may have missed it, as I wasn’t looking for it – but there was a table with watermelon, bananas, apples and packets of almonds. The watermelon was already cut up an hour before start time, which isn’t a good idea in regard to freshness. Water-only aid stations is fine for a race of this size and purpose (though it wouldn’t hurt to ask Fleet Feet if they could supply some sports drink mix). The finish area food variety was pretty nice, and they had plenty to the very end.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I hinted at this above … the actual run was a bit of, “Best laid plans of mice and Race Directors.” The “rabbit” (a bicyclist leading the runners) was supposed to circle the track, go through the school parking lot, and turn right onto a sidewalk path that parallels the street. Well, (s)he turned left, throwing everything into disarray. The whole pack followed and were not turned around. So the nicely laid out and marked course was only partly followed – a couple of 5-miler aid stations probably never saw a runner – and in reverse. Looking at the results, I think most 5 mile runners ended up doing the 5K course. I did the 5K course, and then, before finishing, added a 1 mile out, 1 mile back leg so as to actually do 5 miles.

I heard, after the race, that some people were angry about the course goof-up. I don’t get that. Yes, there was a goof-up, but following the 5K course in reverse wasn’t hard, nor was improvising to get the full 5 miles. It’s not like the 5-3-1 Run was a Boston Qualifier or had cash prizes for the winners. The 5-3-1 Run was supposed to be fun, and to support Woodland schools!

Woodland Schools Foundation and the 5-3-1 Run will be back next year, and they’ll do better. Would I do this race again? Possibly not, though not because of how it was organized and run. This race was more than 2 hours’ drive from my home, the farthest by about an hour that I’ve driven for a race. If I lived nearer, I might do the 5-3-1 Run again and again and … . I grew up in Woodland and graduated from Woodland High School, so this was a sentimental choice for me. The “rabbit” going astray aside, the 5-3-1 Run was a pretty well organized race.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Course Description: The course, for all three distances, is easily described. Starting in Aptos Village Park, runners go out the drive into the park, and turn onto Aptos Creek Rd., … MORE

Course Description:
The course, for all three distances, is easily described. Starting in Aptos Village Park, runners go out the drive into the park, and turn onto Aptos Creek Rd., following it and the Aptos Creek Fire Rd. into the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. The course is out-and-back, with different turnaround points for the 5K, 10K, and 15K distances. There were aid stations at each turnaround. About 1/2 of the 15K course was paved road, and about half was packed dirt or packed dirt over old pavement. Simplifying somewhat, the outbound half of the 15K was uphill, and inbound was downhill. From the lowest (the start) to the highest point is about 464 feet. It’s never steep, but the outbound climb is steady and wearing. 90% or more of the 15K course is shaded (nice on a warm day, as it was in 2016).

Organization & Production:
The Superhero Race is small, organized by Fleet Feet Sports, benefiting the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Activity League. The organization is simple, but well done. Registration is done through Fleet Feet’s online store. There are packet pick-up events on the Friday and Saturday before the race at the Fleet Feet stores in Monterey and Aptos, respectively. There is also a half-hour packet pick-up time on race day.

The course is relatively simple, but there were course marshals at the turn near the start, and the one or two points where there were branches from the road followed by the race. There were mile marker signs every mile. The aid stations were water only. By the I got to the station near the 10K turn-around on my inbound leg there was just one, very helpful, volunteer, and when I got to the station at the 5K turnaround no one was there, though there was plenty of water and cups for self-serve.

Coffee was available during the pre-race check-in and mill around time. There was a free kids race – around the Aptos Village Park green – with participation medals.

At the finish area there was a table with water (not chilled), cut up bananas, gluten-free blueberry muffins, and packets of gluten-free granola. The latter two were from a local bakery (the granola was VERY tasty!).

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib is very simple, the race logo (a caped superhero posed before a redwood forest in silhouette), the distances, the date (without the year), and the bib number, all on a white background.

T-Shirt: The men’s race T-shirt is medium blue-violet and polyester-rayon-cotton blend. Across the top of the front is Fleet Feet’s logo. Below that is a shield with “Superhero” across the bottom, a 5-pointed star in the middle with the three distances, and just under “Superhero” is the full date of the race. On the back are Fleet Feet’s logo, the name, distances, and date of the race, and the logos of the other sponsors of the race.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
The distance I did, 15K, is not a common distance in races, so this was my first time doing that distance. At this point, 32 hours after I finished, I don’t have an official finish time, but I used the stopwatch app on my watch. My pace was a bit faster than 15 1/2 minute miles. The terrain profile was similar, in elevation change, to that of Brazen’s Coyote Hills or of The Jungle Run half marathons. Given that this elevation change was over “just” 15K, I’m pretty happy.

A couple of things set my pre-race expectations. First, while Fleet Feet Sports is a for-profit business, this race was for charity, not for profit. Second, I’ve had my eye on doing at least one race in the Forest of Nicene Marks State Park. So I expected fairly basic organization and a very beautiful course. I was not disappointed!

There was no finisher’s medal. Much as I might like for there to have been one, for the charitable purpose and the size, not having one was a reasonable decision. Having electrolyte drink in at the aid stations addition to water would have been very nice, but given the distances and typical coastal weather, not unreasonable. There were just 2 regular, and 1 handicap accessible portacans in the start area. This was marginally adequate (the line was about 15 minutes long in the half hour before the start time). I’d like to have seen at least one volunteer still at the last aid station (inbound) late in the race. The finish area food table was in an unshaded area near the finish arch. While I like the walk from the arch to the table being short, for the sake of freshness and the comfort of the volunteers, it should have been located in the shade or under a pavilion.

Probably the improvable aspect that came closest to irritating me had to do with race T-shirt distribution. T-shirts were distributed to participants at packet pick-up, first-come-first-served, and people who chose to check in on race day morning were advised in the pre-race email that T-shirt availability was not guaranteed. My size, XL is a popular size, and I had to settle for a 3XL. I had been warned, and chose not to drive 2 hours round trip to the packet pick-up the day before.

I realize that T-shirts are ordered based on the number of registrants at the time of the order, plus an estimate of how many late registrants there will be. Too large an estimate of late registrants is less money for the charity. That said, I think early registration should be encouraged. The alternative I would suggest is that T-shirts be reserved for people who had registered 2 weeks (however long it takes to send in the order and receive the shirts) or more before race day, and remaining shirts distributed to late registrants as they finish.

I wish I could devote as much time to the beauty of the course as I did, above, to the little things that could be improved. I’ve lived in Silicon Valley over half my life, and knew the course for this race would be through a redwood forest. So I expected the course to be really beautiful. It! Was! Tall redwoods, and lots of other, deciduous, trees. The course followed Aptos Creek up into the park, which added to the visual and aural beauty. The course crossed three bridges (twice each, of course), two of which were of wood construction. This race isn’t “bucket-list-grade”, but it certainly is a hidden gem! My 4-shoe Course Scenery rating feels a bit stingy, but it leaves room for 5-shoe courses like SF races that cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

Bottom line time, would I do the Superhero Race again? I will certainly keep it in mind in future years, and consider doing it again. The organization was simple, but well done, and the course is gorgeous.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3

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Strictly speaking, I didn't do Nitro Trail, as I was a “remote” runner. One option with most Brazen races is to do the race “remote”, at one's own time and … MORE

Strictly speaking, I didn’t do Nitro Trail, as I was a “remote” runner. One option with most Brazen races is to do the race “remote”, at one’s own time and place. Registration is as easy as with regular registration. The price is lower, and the race T-shirt, unless one upgrades, is the cotton T-shirt. In registering, one does not commit to a particular distance. About a week before race day Brazen sends remote registrants the T-shirt, Bib, finisher’s medal, and goodies bag.

Bib: The bib has a brown background, and features the race logo – Atlas bearing the globe on his shoulders – at the top and right. A banner across the globe gives the race name and information. In green letters, from top to bottom, are “Remote Runner”, my bib number, and my name.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is light gray 90% – 10% cotton-polyester. The front is the race logo (as described above) in red and yellow-orange. The back has a globe and banner in yellow, with “Nitro” in red on the banner. Around and above the globe in yellow is, “Point Pinole”. Around and below the globe in yellow is, “Trail Races”. Below this are the logos of the race organizer and sponsors.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is the race logo, a 3-D “sculpture” of Atlas with the globe on his shoulders, with the banner described above across the globe. It’s large, heavy, and copper-colored. As simple as that might sound, it is an AMAZING medal! The ribbon is medium brown, with a print pattern in darker brown.

What and how did I do? In the two weeks before the race date my wife and I were on a trans-Atlantic cruise. The ship has a 1/3-mile promenade deck. On separate days I did “5K” (10 laps) twice, 10K (19 laps) twice, and a half marathon (40 laps) once; on a day when seas were rough I also did a third 5K on a treadmill. In spite of a crew drill during 5 or 6 laps during the middle of the half marathon, my “finish time” was 3:20, faster than I’ve done since June, 2014. I’m sure the very cool weather was helpful in getting that finish time.

Because of when we left for our trip, I didn’t receive my race swag until we got home. It had been mailed (I received an email) as I mentioned above. Everything went well, organizationally, but I did miss the camaraderie that happens at Brazen races. I also missed the It’s It at the finish area, but the ship had a soft-serve ice cream machine and I had a yummy ice cream cone.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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This is going to be a bit different from my more usual Raves. Like last year, I was a volunteer rather than a runner at Western Pacific Marathon. Specifically, I … MORE

This is going to be a bit different from my more usual Raves. Like last year, I was a volunteer rather than a runner at Western Pacific Marathon. Specifically, I was an aid station volunteer. So other than seeing a map, seeing the area in which I was located, and past experiences on parts of the course, my experience was with the race organization rather than running in the race.

With regard to the course it is important to note a significant change from last year. In 2015 (and probably in previous years) marathoners ran the half marathon course twice, which was like a loop with a single, long, out and back leg. 2016 West Pacific Marathon runners went from Quarry Lakes Park along the Alameda Creek Trail out to the Bay, back past the park, several miles upstream along Alameda Creek, and then back to finish in the park. The course was sort of like a “T”, but with a very short vertical base, and a very very long top cross. Probably half or more of the course is paved trail, but the course inside the park is not paved, nor is some of the upstream trail (the aid station I worked at was at the upstream turn-around, so I saw some of that part of the course). As in previous years, the Western Pacific Marathon course is USATF certified, and can be used to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Race organization … Brazen Racing is like a well-oiled machine. Every aid station’s food and beverage supplies are planned and ready to go, along with utensils, tables, 10 gallon insulated water dispenser jugs, cutting boards, a pavilion (for shade), cups, plates & bowls, buckets & sponges, and trash bags with holders. Brazen Racing aid stations are NOT Spartan!

I was at an aid station that only saw marathoners, once, about 3 miles from their finish. So, what did we have? We had water (many gallon bottles!), electrolyte drink (mixed from powder), Coke, 7 Up, ginger ale, and Mountain Dew. We also had Otter Pops, frozen, and lots of ice to keep the water and sports drink cold. For food and snacks, we had bananas, oranges, Payday bars, Rice Krispie Treats – all cut up by us – trail mix, plain & Peanut M & Ms, Mike & Ikes, Jelly Belly jelly beans, gummy bears, and Oreo cookies. Besides offering drinks and stuff, we chatted up the runners to see how they were doing, offered Salt Stick salt tabs, and offered to squish water on their heads and down their backs to help them cool down a bit. It was a pretty warm day, and I worried a little toward the end whether we had enough water, but we ended up with 4 or 5 unopened gallons of water, plus dumping out what was left in our two 10 gallon jugs.

Being located near the end of the marathon and staying on station till the very last runner (and the sweeper) came and went before packing up (we still had some of everything listed above) we arrived back at the start/finish area maybe 20 minutes before the last finisher. Brazen’s finish area food is quite varied, and besides the usual It’s It ice cream sandwiches, cookies, cakes, candies, and soda, they also had pizza. It’s possible they had run out of a few items, but the last finisher, who has run many Brazen races, wouldn’t have been disappointed.

The race T-shirt I received as part of volunteering is a bright yellow tech type, with locomotives in blue in front and in color in back (much of the course is a former Western Pacific Railroad right-of-way, hence the name of the race). I have only seen the finisher’s medals in pictures. Both the regular finisher’s medal and the special marathon finisher’s medal feature a locomotive – VERY nice! Brazen does race-bling right!

Usually my last paragraph has to do with how well I did, and whether I would run that race again. Well, I didn’t run it, but there is a distance I haven’t done yet that is calling me, and Western Pacific’s allotted time is pretty generous. Would I volunteer with Brazen again? This was my third time, including twice at Western Pacific. I would definitely volunteer with Brazen again. Speaking “from the other side of the aid station table”, volunteers are a very significant part of a runner’s race experience – encouragement, watching for some one who is struggling or in trouble. There are a couple of SF Bay Area organizers with whom I’d consider volunteering, and I encourage anyone reading this to consider volunteering for races near them.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Course Description: The Sasquatch Scramble half marathon course was sort of a double-lobed loop on the trails of Redwood Regional Park in the hills above Oakland. The course features very … MORE

Course Description:
The Sasquatch Scramble half marathon course was sort of a double-lobed loop on the trails of Redwood Regional Park in the hills above Oakland. The course features very long gradual hills, shorter steep hills, and lots of rutted trails with exposed tree roots. About 2/3 of the course is shaded by gorgeous redwood and other trees, though I didn’t experience miles 7.8-9.2 or miles 9.7-11.3. More about that later.

Organization & Production:
I’m going to be brief about a lot of important details because of one somewhat complicated aspect. Signing up, the website information, check-in, start/finish area, restrooms, and more than pops into my mind – all the myriad things that get runners to the starting line and take care of them as they finish – were all well done.

Now for the one aspect of the half marathon that did not go well. Putting it succinctly, many/most half runners got lost. Backing up a bit, park trail races usually use selected trails from a larger network of trails in the park. Sasquatch Racing informs its runners about their courses in several ways. The website links to a map that includes the elevation profile. Sasquatch makes available near check-in a detailed course description (and I did grab one, and looked it over). These were fine. Some one following them would not have gotten lost

Because of being more focused on the trail and their running/walking, runners tend to rely on course markings and course marshals. Based on my experience earlier this year at the Rattlesnake Ramble, Sasquatch normally does both very well, with fairly short distances between marking flags. At about Mile 8 in the Scramble, I missed a turn, went straight forward on a wrong trail, and something weird happened. Part of this was due to the fact that the course marshal who would have been there was a no-show (why, I don’t know). The RD sent some one to cover, but being unfamiliar with the trails, (s)he got lost.

The weird part is that for a mile or two on the wrong trail I saw and followed flags of the same color and pattern code as that used by Sasquatch. I even doubled and tripled back over a half to full mile section when I encountered a longish gap in the flags. And then, on satisfying myself that was was on-course, I found several flags beyond the gap that had puzzled me. Finally, after 2 or 3 miles along this wrong trail I realized that I was, in fact, off-course. Fortunately, at about that time I had cell reception, was able to find where I was on the Google Maps app, and got to the finish area having covered about the same distance as I would have had I stayed on-course.

What happened? Whence the flags that fooled me? Redwood Regional Park is a popular venue for trail races, and evidently one such race a week or two or ?? previously had not thoroughly cleared their course of course marking flags. Without those wrong flags I would have realized within a quarter mile that I was off-course, turned back, and gotten back on-course.

There’s just no way Sasquatch could have anticipated another race’s flags being present on a wrong trail, close to a turn in the Sasquatch course. Because of this and because the website map and course description would have kept me on-course had I followed them, I’ll take much of the blame, attributing just a small part of the blame to the missing course marshal.

When I arrived at the finish area the RD explained that many half marathoners had gotten lost, and about the missing course marshal. All in all, this did not, in my opinion mar an otherwise really well done race. The RD and his people did the best they could, and some days … well … best laid plans of mice and RDs.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The background of the bib has a sort of forested look (appropriately!) . The name of the race is at the top with the distances, the bib number is in the center, and the sponsors’ logos are across the bottom. Around all this information are silhouettes of Sassy scrambling all over the bib. Very nice.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is a nice bright medium blue tech T, with the silhouette of Sassy in the center, formed of words and phrases related to the race. Above Sassy are the race name, distances, and “2016”. On the back are the sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The medallion for the half marathon features a scrambling Sassy, the name of the race, and the year. Along an arc on the right of the medal is “Scrambled 13.1”, The medallion also has a bottle opener, plus Phillips and straight-blade screwdriver tips. Simple to describe, but very nice.

While Sasquatch Racing’s races are small in size, their finish area goodies are far from skimpy. That I remember, among other things: two flavors of Hint Water; two varieties of beer from a local craft brewery; several flavors of Crunch Culture Yogurt; oranges and bananas; Kettle Brand chips (I had Sriracha flavor); Perfect Bars; miscellaneous candies. Aid stations had water, SOS Rehydrate sports drink, oranges, and bananas.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I assume there are some who participated in the half marathon who are upset at the way things turned out, but I’m not one. It probably made an unfortunate impression on any half runners doing a Sasquatch race for the first time. As best I know, there were no glitches at all encountered by 10K or 5K runners. Only half marathoners were affected.

My personal view is that 2 of the four course information sources were right; one of the sources that runners rely on more, the course marshal for one turn, was not there; there were flags (the fourth course information source) from another race on the wrong trail that would mislead some one who went off-course (me!). So of the two fails, one was despite a second volunteer being sent (who got lost), and the other was something the RD could not anticipate. Had I followed the map and/or course description I would not have gone off-course, so I won’t dump all the blame on the RD. As for the missing course marshal and false flags, RDs are humans, not deities. Things happen that are beyond their ability to fix on-the-spot (and the RD did try!).

As things turned out (and with some backing and forthing on one section of trail), I covered about the same distance as the correct course, and the wrong trails I was on may have been a little more challenging than the right ones. All in all I’m very happy with my time. As another reviewer said, it was a really beautiful day, on a very beautiful set of trails.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
My Media

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Course Description: The Big Bunny Fun Run starts and finishes at the Cupertino Civic Center. It starts and ends on the same streets, and loops around some nice residential neighborhoods … MORE

Course Description:
The Big Bunny Fun Run starts and finishes at the Cupertino Civic Center. It starts and ends on the same streets, and loops around some nice residential neighborhoods and next to two parks. The surface is city street, pretty much flat, with a water station near mile 2.

Organization & Production:
The race information on the website is useful and complete. Signing up online was easy. I went to the Friday pre-race packet pick-up, and they had started early – the process was simple and smooth. Race day parking was free, and even an hour and a half before start time there were signs directing participants to the parking garage.

Both the start and finish were timed. I self-corralled mid-pack (there were 4 signs with average paces to help the process). The start/finish arch seemed a bit narrow to me, but it didn’t end up being much of a bottleneck.

The course was well-marked, with numerous volunteers, sheriff’s deputies, barricades, and cones all along the course. The course was pretty well isolated from vehicles, except for residents of the streets along the course (who were not a problem). Course maps were provided, but one would have had to try very hard to go off-course.

The finish area was the civic center plaza, and there were pavilions for the various sponsors. There was bottled water a bit past the finish arch, and I remember seeing oranges, bananas, and some snack bars. One of the sponsors was a coffee company, who had coffee available before, during, and after the race. Part of every race bib was a tear-off ticket for a finisher’s medal, and these were distributed at a table 10 or 20 yards from the finish arch. When I finished, the line seemed long, but it only took 2 or 3 minutes. The volunteers were fast!

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib has a broad light blue center stripe, with white upper and lower borders. On the upper border is “2016 BIG BUNNY 5K” in pink, with blue bunnies on either side. On the blue stripe are the bib number and the runner’s family name in white characters. Across the bottom are the logos of the sponsors, the City of Cupertino, and the charity beneficiary.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is very bright pink cotton, has a drawing of a bunny’s face, is very bright pink, has “2016 BIG BUNNY 5K” below the bunny, and is very bright pink. Oh! Did I mention … the T-shirt is very bright pink? It’s very bright pink. Seriously, this very bright pink T-shirt is pretty nice … and …

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal is a semi-custom off-the-shelf. The medallion is gold colored, round, with stars around the edge. In the center is a printed sticker with a smiling bunny, the race name above the bunny, the distance between the bunny’s ears, and “2016” below the bunny, all on a bright light blue background. The ribbon is bright medium blue. For a local charity race, it’s a very attractive medal.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
My finish time was a PR. I think this was my third timed 5K, but my previous PR time was from a race just 4 months ago, so I’m pretty happy with how I did. All in all, the Big Bunny Fun Run was a really well done local charity race. The organizational details were pretty much flawless. The race also attracted some pretty fast runners, so only the mascot was fluffy. Very family friendly! I would definitely consider running the Big Bunny again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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Course Description: Hellyer 2016 used different start/finish area and course than in 2015. The start/finish area was Embedded Way, a short cul-de-sac street near the Silver Creek Sportsplex in San … MORE

Course Description:
Hellyer 2016 used different start/finish area and course than in 2015. The start/finish area was Embedded Way, a short cul-de-sac street near the Silver Creek Sportsplex in San Jose. 5K runners turned left onto the Coyote Creek Trail from Embedded Way and headed south. The 5K course was a simple out-and-back, and was also the last 3.1 miles of the half marathon. The 10K and half marathon course turned right onto the Coyote Creek Trail and headed north. 10K runners went as far north as the northern end of Hellyer Park, out-and-back, except for the two legs going around the lake in Hellyer Park on different sides of the lake. Half marathon runners went through Hellyer Park the same way 10K runners did, but went farther north, through Los Lagos Golf Course, past Stonegate Elementary School, and turned around near the Tully Community Branch Library. After coming back, half marathoners passed the finish area, did the 5K out-and-back, and finished.

The trail is paved and largely flat. Coyote Creek Trail is an suburban greenway trail and generally very pleasant.

Organization & Production:
Registration and race information (website and emails) were easy and excellent, as usual.

This was the first time Brazen Racing has used this start/finish venue. Access and parking were easy (though for much of the parking there was a pretty steep hill one had to climb to get to and from the start/finish area), and there were volunteers directing traffic. The start/finish area felt a bit compact for a race with about 1200 finishers. There were an adequate number of porta-cans.

Immediately after the start there was a short but very narrow bottleneck, moving from the street onto the trail. I suspect more than a few faster runners who weren’t at the very front of the pack were frustrated by this. I did the 5K, the distance with the greatest number of runners and walkers. Once on the trail it was pretty bunchy for a quarter or half mile. This was my first time doing a Brazen 5K, and my wife and I were doing it together, side by side much of the time. Maybe our experience wasn’t unusual and at least partly due to walking abreast much of the time. I don’t think the race traffic planning could have been better than it was.

Course marking was fine – one would have to try to go off-course, so marking and traffic directing was minimal. There were signs marking each mile. I didn’t look closely at the aid station, which was at the turn-around and busy. Water and sports drink were handed out by volunteers, and there were at least some snacks (probably in good quantity and variety).

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The background of the bib looks like a field of tall, green, grass. Across the top of the bib is the race name and date. In the middle are the bib number and the distance in cursive script. Below the number is the runner’s name; at the bottom is the organizer’s name/logo. The bib number and runner’s name are color-coded for the distance (orange = half marathon; blue = 10K; Yellow = 5K).

T-Shirt:
My wife and I received cotton race T-shirts, and I saw the men’s and women’s tech Ts. The men’s cotton Ts were brown, and dark blue in tech; the women’s cotton Ts were mauve, and violet in tech. The front has a round logo, with a banner, “Hellyer” across it. Across the top of the logo are the distances, and a graphic of the Cheshire Cat, Alice, and the Mad Hatter chasing the White Rabbit just below (but above the banner). Below the banner are the year, date, and location. On the back is the name of the race – with the ears of a rather spooky-looking rabbit forming the “LL” – the distances, the date, the location, and sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal:
The finisher’s medal has the Cheshire Cat, Alice, and the Mad Hatter chasing the White Rabbit through tall grass, with the race name as the path below their feet. At the bottom are the date and distances. The ribbon features the same artwork and graphics.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
For me the point of doing Hellyer was doing the 5K with my wife, at her pace. She used it as a sort of milestone in her recovery from a broken ankle 9 months ago, and as a sort of test for our plans later this year. We finished, which was the big goal, with a reasonable finish time. Because my focus was on her, my observation during the race were less broad in scope.

Brazen’s bibs, race T-shirts, and finisher’s medals are generally so nice that rating them – distinguishing VERY good from excellent – comes down to subjective personal taste. I’d rate the T-shirt and bib as very nice, but not my favorites (the T-shirt is “growing” on me, though). The finisher’s medal is among Brazen’s best, in my opinion.

I would definitely consider doing Hellyer again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course Description: The 408K is named for the phone area code of San Jose, and the 8K distance of the race. Unlike other races run in central San Jose, the … MORE

Course Description:
The 408K is named for the phone area code of San Jose, and the 8K distance of the race. Unlike other races run in central San Jose, the 408K is a point-to-point course rather than an out-and-back or a loop. Runners start near – and run past – the HP Pavilion, home to the San Jose Sharks hockey team, and finish at Santana Row, a shopping and living complex. The course runs through a small business district, briefly, through some of San Jose’s nice older neighborhoods, and along two sides of San Jose’s Municipal Rose Garden, past an older middle school, around the back and side of a mall, and into Santana Row. Of the several races run in central San Jose, the 408K’s course is probably the nicest.

Organization & Production:
This was the 5th running of the 408K, and my fourth time doing it (I skipped the 2015 edition). Both the 2013 and 2014 editions had some organizational oopses that made those race experiences less than they might have been for me. This year was done well, from registering through leaving Santana Row.

Online information was fairly complete (I never found mention of a finish area T-shirt pick-up, which was available) and registration was easy. Pre-race email communications were helpful. I paid to have the bib mailed to me, and it arrived more than a week pre-race; this is a nice option for those who live farther from San Jose, or who don’t want to go to Santana Row on the Friday evening or Saturday before the race.

The parking at the HP Pavilion was $5. Everyone likes free, but $5 is not out of line for the entry/parking fee for the venues of many trail races I’ve done (many are $6). The Mountain View to Winchester line of VTA Light Rail has a couple of stops within easy walking distance of the HP Pavilion, so I got on at the Winchester station, and after finishing I walked the ~2.7 miles back to my car (I could have taken Light Rail back, but wanted the extra exercise).

There were ample portacans convenient to the start area. Runners were corralled into 4 waves by expected finish time, with an extra initial wave of wheelchair racers. Aid stations were simple, water being what I remember, though sports drink may have been offered. The course was well marshaled by San Jose PD and volunteers; one would have had to try to go off course. There were encouraging residents here and there along the course, and along the final “Mariachi Mile” there were several bands.

The finish area was well laid out. The finish arch was well down the Santana Row entry drive, and the people giving out water and medals were well separated from the arch and from each other (congestion was an unpleasant issue – to me – in the 2014 408K). The finishers’ lane continued and curved farther back, with stations for goodie bags and bananas, and then into the finishers’ area. There were a number of sponsors’ booths in the area, and a clearly visible and identified, well organized, pair of tables for T-shirt pick-up (this was another sore spot for me in the 2014 408K). For those who parked at the HP Pavilion there were shuttle buses to take runners back to the HP Pavilion. While I didn’t use this shuttle, a coworker who did the 408K did use the shuttle and told me that everything went well.

Receiving my finish time in almost real time by email was a nice touch. All in all, everything was tightly organized and well done!

Swag & Goodies:
Goodies: I’ve already mentioned the goodies, to the extent there were some. They had bottles of water (not chilled, which was OK on a cool March morning) and cut up bananas. And there were some packaged snacks in the goodie bag – a fruit & nuts bar, some packaged nuts, some fruit gummies, and some corn thins. I don’t like bananas, so the fresh goodies were quite underwhelming to me. Getting a grocery store and/or a bakery to supply more fruit and some bagels and/or pastries would be a relatively easy (and common) improvement. On the other hand, the snacks in the goodies bag were more than I’m used to, so …

Bib: The bib has the race name in isometric block characters, with the faces made to look like streets. In the middle of the “0” a shark fin is ripping through the number. Above is the logo of the race and the date. Across the lower part of the block characters is the bib number, with the racer’s name below the number. The bib numbers were color-coded to indicate the runner’s wave, and “Wave (#)” is in the top right corner.

T-Shirt: The race T-shirt is a gray Under Armour Heat Gear tech shirt. The front has the same graphic as the bib, except in color. The road on the “40” is black, with orange center stripe on the “4”. The “8K” road is teal blue with white center striping. The shark fin is black, outlined in orange.

The back has “5th Annual” over the race name/logo. Below the logo is the charity benefited by the race, the Pat Tillman Foundation, the race date, and the logos of the race sponsors.

Finisher’s Medal: The medal can be hung from the ribbon, or it has a base so it can stand like a trophy. At the top are name/logo of the race. The lower 2/3 is a street with a shark fin sticking out of it. Visually it’s much more impressive than my description, though it doesn’t have the race date.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’m reasonably happy with my finish time. It wasn’t close to the PR I was hoping for, but my pace was faster than 15-minute miles, and I probably did as much actual running as I have in any previous race. That latter is one of the goals toward which I’m working this year.

I’d love to see the 408K (Represent Running is the organizer) work out a sponsorship arrangement that would result in more and more varied fresh foods in the finish area. That said, everything the organizer tried to do was done very well, without glitches or rough spots. And the bling – the race T-shirt, finisher’s medal, and bib – are excellent! Would I consider doing the 408K again? Definitely. The less than well done experiences in 2013 and 2014 have been fixed, and Represent Running seems to have put together a formula that works well and yields an excellent race experience.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course Description: Victory was an out-and-back, starting and finishing at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. The three distances shared the same course, eastward and southward in the outbound direction, along … MORE

Course Description:
Victory was an out-and-back, starting and finishing at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. The three distances shared the same course, eastward and southward in the outbound direction, along the San Francisco Bay Trail. The 10K course was mostly paved, the majority of it asphalt, with some concrete. There was also some wooden boardwalk. In 2016 the weather was clear and sunny, and there is not much shade on the course.

At the start runners ran straight toward an amazing 180-degree view of the northern San Francisco Bay, and then turned toward the many boats berthed in the Inner Harbor Basin. The course did a near full circle around the basin and then headed toward El Cerrito and Albany. Half runners “toured” Point Isabel and turned around in a loop part way into the Albany Bulb.

Organization & Production:
This was the inaugural race, Brazen’s first time using this venue and course, but some one not familiar with Brazen would not know it from the race production. Brazen does race organization well, and this was no exception.

Registration, parking, and check-in were all easy. Getting close to the half marathon start time inbound traffic was impeded a little by the location of the portacans (dictated by the venue), but the parking people were continually encouraging people in line to impede into the street a little as possible. Parking was free. Lines for the portacans were probably less than 5 minutes, even just before start times. A few more portacans would have been nice, but the number may have been limited by the venue.

The course was pretty simple, and the markings pretty minimal. There were course marshals at all turns and turn-arounds. Aid station 1 was pretty basic, dictated by the location. It was just over a mile from the start/finish, so runners probably would be expecting anything elaborate. I didn’t pay very close attention to the other aid stations, due to how I was running the race.

The finish area was pretty typical for Brazen: finishers announced by name; medals given out smoothly; water available on the finish lane; engraving, awards, and food tables spread around a grassy area.

Swag & Goodies:
Bib: The bib front features a Victory Ship, with the race name, distances, and date along the side. Below is the runner’s distance spelled out, bib number, and the runner’s name. The background is gray.

T-Shirt: The T-shirt is blue and long-sleeved. The front features the same Victory Ship as is on the bib. The back features the other side of the ship, with stars, the location, and the date along the side. Above the ship are a hand making the “V for Victory” sign, plus the race name and distances. Below are sponsors’ logos.

Finisher’s Medal: The finisher’s medal features the same Victory Ship on an aqua blue background. The water area has swirls to represent water, and there are clouds in the sky. The ribbon is also aqua blue with swirls, the race name, distances, and date. It may be the largest finisher’s medal I have.

Bay Breeze and Victory could done as a pair of races, with finisher’s medals that interlock with a center medal to form a “mega-medal”. The center medal is shaped like and features an anchor. At the bottom are “B2V” and “Double Finisher”. The ribbon is aqua blue, with “Breeze to Victory” and “Double Finisher” along it.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’m tempted to be disappointed in my result – not the PR I was working for – but I wasn’t coasting. Whether due the weather and exposed course or my change to part running, part walking (instead of almost entirely walking), I worked hard and I’m good with my results, for now.

What can I say? Well, it was a “typical” Brazen race – on the large side, 1100+ finishers – which means it was well done. Even using a new (to Brazen) venue and course it was as well done as if they’d been doing for years. Basically, Brazen has a formula-package for putting on a race, one that’s very adaptable. On the people side, Brazen’s people and volunteers are just as great.

Would I do Victory again? Yes! Beauty is somewhat a matter of taste, but for mine that course was the most beautiful of Brazen’s “flat” trail races. Beauty, well-organized, all in all, a very nice race.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course Description: I reviewed Bay Breeze last year, and its “sibling” Summer Breeze twice. This year I did the 10K distance instead of the half marathon. The 10K course is … MORE

Course Description:
I reviewed Bay Breeze last year, and its “sibling” Summer Breeze twice. This year I did the 10K distance instead of the half marathon. The 10K course is pretty much the same, except in distance. The race started in Marina Park in San Leandro, and went out and back southward on the Bay Trail (which, as its name suggests, follows the shore of San Francisco Bay). The difference between the 10K and the half is how far southward runners go. The 5K course includes a loop on Faro Point, near Marina Park, before going outward on the Bay Trail (but does not repeat the loop). The inland side of the Bay Trail varies, sometimes a golf course, sometimes a housing complex, and a lot of the time its marshland. On the other side is the bay. 2016 was different from 2015 in being fairly foggy for much of the race, not enough to impair course visibility, but giving the bay a very different look, and keeping the temperature cool. The Bay/Summer Breeze course isn’t my favorite Brazen course, but it’s very pleasant, far more to my taste than central San Jose.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in many reviews that I think Brazen Racing is perhaps the best Bay Area organizer of medium-sized races. This race did not alter my opinion. Everything from registering through leaving the parking lot after the race was really well done, with the usual friendly and helpful people.

One change worth noting is how bib pick-up was done. In the past Brazen has had separate areas and different number sequences for the various distances, and bibs and T-shirt envelopes were boxed alphabetically. The new system, which is probably easier for Brazen and as easy for runners, is to issue bib numbers sequentially by registration date/time, without regard to distance. Bibs and T-shirts are organized for pick-up sequentially. Runners consult an alphabetical list to learn their bib number and then go to the appropriate number boxes. Still very easy and quick.

Swag & Goodies:
I’ve mentioned Brazen’s aid station and finish area snacks and goodies in past reviews. Bay Breeze 2016 was as extensive and plentiful as always.

I paid to upgrade to the tech T-shirt given half marathoners. The T-shirt is long-sleeved and Bright RED. The front has last year’s “Octopus of Love”, posed as Cupid with arrows and a drawn bow-and-arrow. The back has the Octopus, forming a heart with two tentacles, the race info, and sponsors’ and the organizer’s logos.

The bib is personalized, color-coded for the distance, features the “Octopus of Love” with a bouquet of roses, gives the race name, distance, and date, all on a lace pattern background.

The medal features the Octopus in silver and tan on an aqua blue background, the race name, distances and year, and what looks like kelp leaves also in the background. The ribbon has the Octopus and kelp in light blue on light blue for the background, the race name in red, and the year and distance in white. Brazen’s finisher’s medals are always impressive!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:

My feelings are mixed about my finish time. I had been trying for a PR, and certainly wasn’t taking it easy, but came up, well, long. I had done a tough hilly half marathon 6 days before, maybe I hadn’t recovered fully. I’ll be trying again for that 10K PR in 2 weeks, with no races in between, so maybe then.

Would I do another Brazen race? I’ll be doing one in two weeks. Would I do Bay Breeze again? Probably. Whether new to running or been doing it a long time, Brazen’s races are great race experiences, and offer challenges for almost any ability level.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course Description: Describing the Rattlesnake Ramble half marathon course is “easy”. Runners of the half started near the marina, circled Lake Chabot clockwise, and finished near the marina. The first … MORE

Course Description:
Describing the Rattlesnake Ramble half marathon course is “easy”. Runners of the half started near the marina, circled Lake Chabot clockwise, and finished near the marina. The first couple of miles were along the eastern shore of the lake, with some gently rolling hills. The course then crossed the dam, and started climbing into the hills west of the lake. There were two major hills, with lots of rolling before, in between, and after. And then, just when a runner thinks (s)he’s safe, there was a quarter-mile-long steep hill, just to remind runners to hate steep hills near the end of a race. The last mile (and a half?) was again along the lake, on the western side.

About 4 miles of the course is paved, with the rest on dirt trails. The weather was sunny and warm in 2016, and had been dry for several days. So there were a good number of muddy areas, and quite a few stretches that were very rutted from rain run-off. There was one overlook about mid-course, with a view of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline behind. It’s a really beautiful course!

The 5K and 10K courses use the latter part of the half marathon course, out-and-back, running up the western shore of the lake. The 5K is almost entirely paved, fairly flat. The 10K went up into the hills.

Organization & Production:
As I’m becoming familiar with various local organizers, I’m finding that they all have their own personality, and try to do/be different things. In my perception Sasquatch Racing tries to be – and succeeds – well organized but low key and relaxed.

Between Sasquatch’s website and Facebook page their information for people interested in their race is pretty complete. Registration was easy. Pre-race communications and instructions were good and helpful.

I’m nervous about being late to venues with which I’m not familiar. I don’t want a missed turn or full parking lot to cause time stress. On top of that, Superbowl 50 was in Santa Clara, so the possibility of traffic was an additional concern for me. Consequently, I got to the park a little after 6AM, probably the first to arrive for the race. I think Sasquatch people and volunteers started arriving after 6:30. With race day bib pick-up starting at 7:30, and the regular half marathon start being at 9:15, being able to arrive a little later was a convenience for all concerned. Check-in was easy and quick; I don’t think the parking lots were ever full. The park has several restroom facilities, adequate for the size of the race without portacans.

In addition to the normal half marathon start there was a “hikers” start half an hour earlier. It was not timed electronically or by gun time, and finish times for the hikers were referenced to the regular start gun time. Due to small variations in the two start times, my official “finish” time was off, after correcting for the 30 minutes offset, by about a minute and a half. I normally time myself by my own watch – usually not as precise as the organizers’ timing system, obviously – so I know what my actual time was. The regular start times for the three distances were chip timed, start and finish. Preliminary results were posted online and notification emails sent to runners less than 24 hours after the last half marathoner finished.

Generally, the course was well marked and runners received a “cheat sheet” turn by turn course description. There were a couple of points at which I went off course briefly. One was due to a confusing placement of a turn marker at a place on the 10K course, probably because of it being out-and-back. The other was an unmarked fork at a bridge, where the correct choice (the bridge) looked less likely. In both cases course monitors got me back on course quickly. Had I read that part of the “cheat sheet” I probably would have stayed on course – mea goofa. There were no mile markers. The first two aid stations on the half course were at about miles 4 and 8. Runners are advised of this in the pre-race instructions email, and are advised to carry water. The aid stations were well stocked even to the very end, as were the finish area goodies.

One of the unique things Sasquatch Racing does is they have a sort of scavenger hunt along their courses. They place “woodalions” left over from previous races, painted bright green and marked with various prizes, along the course. I found one, and the prize was a free 10K or half marathon entry for a Sasquatch race. Nice!

Swag & Goodies:
All runners received a tech T-shirt. The lower left of the front features a large rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike. Diagonally across the top is the name of the race, and the distances and year just below. On the back and on the sleeves are logos of the organizer and sponsors. All the writing and graphics are in silver. I can remember two colors of men’s shirts (dark blue and gray), and two colors of women’s shirts (pink and blue). With the men’s shirts at least, the two colors represented two sizes. All in all, it’s a very nice race T-shirt.

The bibs are not personalized, but are otherwise quite nice. With a variegated dark green background, the bib gives the name of the race, the distances, the coiled rattlesnake race logo, the bib number, and several sponsors’ logos. A colored Sharpie was used in the last digit to distinguish distances (e.g. red = half marathon).

The finisher’s medal for the half marathon is a roughly oval bottle opener. It has a silver border, a black background, and a nicely detailed rattlesnake head in silver in the center. Across the top in black is “RAMBLED”; at the bottom left in raised silver is “13.1”. The ribbon is black, with snake heads near the medallion, the race name and date at the part of the loop opposite the medallion, and “Snake, Rattle, and Roll!” on one side, and “Don’t Tread On Me” on the other. Very! Nice!

10K and 5K finishers received a circular “woodallion”, laser-scribed with the snake head, with the race name around the top, and the date at “4 O’clock” under the snake’s tongue. Instead of a ribbon the “woodallion” is hung on a braided cord. From the pictures I’ve seen it looks really nice.

The aid stations offered water, sports drink, cut up bananas, sectioned oranges, and GU gel packets (that I can remember), and very encouraging, helpful volunteers. I didn’t graze around the finish area much, but with my finisher’s medal I was also given a Hint water and a paper lunch sack with a bag of barbecue flavored Kettle Chips and some M & Ms. There were also two kegs with beer from a local microbrewery (I’m unqualified to say whether the type of beer I had was good or not; it was very flavorful and reasonably refreshing).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Rattlesnake Ramble’s half marathon course was fairly challenging, and it was a warm day (in February!). All in all I was and am happy with my finish time.

Sasquatch Racing (at this point at least) is focused on organizing small low key trail races in pleasant but challenging venues. It’s tempting to say they did some things simply, but, thinking on it, that would be incorrect. Everything they do is at least a bit nicer than I’ve seen done basically in various races. About the only things I’d have like to have seen would have been a chip timed hiker’s start, and mile markers. Stand-outs for me were the very nice T-shirt and finisher’s medal, the finish area goodies, and the very friendly and encouraging volunteers and staff (frankly, I’ll take nice staff and volunteers over nice swag and goodies every time; Sasquatch had both!).

Would I do the Rattlesnake Ramble again? I’d certainly consider it. Would I do another Sasquatch race? I had already planned on doing the Sasquatch Scramble in a couple of months, and my experience confirmed that plan. The free entry is a pleasant bonus, not a decision maker.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course Description: Inside Trail Racing's Pacifica Foothills Race utilizes two loops among the three distances, 10K, half marathon, and 30K. One loop, used only by half and 30K runners, climbs … MORE

Course Description:
Inside Trail Racing’s Pacifica Foothills Race utilizes two loops among the three distances, 10K, half marathon, and 30K. One loop, used only by half and 30K runners, climbs some 1900 feet in three miles, up then down Montara Mountain. In good weather this gives panoramic views of that part of the SF Peninsula, with the Pacific Ocean in the west. The other loop is used by all three distances, the 10K and half doing it once, and the 30K twice. This loop has views of eucalyptus groves and the hills and valleys above Pacifica. There are two hills on this loop, the first climbing some 400 feet in a little less than a mile, and the second climbing some 800 feet in just under 2 miles. It’s a tough course, with lots and lots of switchbacks, uphill and downhill. At most, there was .75 miles, cumulatively, of somewhat flat terrain. The 2016 race also featured lots of drizzle, some rain, and mud; it’s a rain-or-shine race, unless there’s lightning.

Organization & Production:
Before proceeding with this I wanted state explicitly something that has been implicit across my past reviews. To a large degree I review based on what a race and organizer are and try to be. A one-off small local charity race is different from a large regional or national organizer’s race and should not be reviewed as if it were the same.

This was my first race with Inside Trail Racing. From signing up through leaving the parking lot after the race, everything was well and smoothly done. The registration process was not memorable (i.e. it was easy). The website information was complete and usable, as was the pre-race email. Race day check-in was quick, and they started before the promised time (I was checked in before the scheduled start time!).

Between the park’s on-site restrooms and four porta-cans, the sanitary facilities were fine for the race. Besides the check-in table there was also a sheltered bag-check area. Pre-race instructions were announced by megaphone, and were fine. The 10K course was well marked. There were no aid stations along the loop used for the 10K, nor on the loop used by the half and 30K. There was one aid station near the start/finish that was passed once by half runners, and twice by those doing the 30K. There were no “Mile X” markers on the 10K course. More on this later.

Due to the weather and my clothing being wet and muddy, I did not graze the finish area food very much or observe people. I saw cold sodas and was offered hot chocolate. I remember seeing a good variety of baked goods and fruit. For the size of the race (303 finishers of all distances) the goodies were pretty impressive, and the people – volunteers and runners – were friendly and helpful. Race T-shirts, finisher’s medals, and sex/age group place medals were distributed to finishers from a nearby trailer.

Swag & Goodies:

T-shirt: The same, very nice, bright blue tech type race T-shirt was given to runners of all three distances. The front has the race logo (including location, distances, and race date); the back has the race name and distances, an abstract design of a cluster of swirls, sponsors’ logos, and the organizer’s logo. I don’t think it will be among my favorites, but definitely not among my least favorites.

Bib: The bib is colorful, with sponsors’ and the organizer’s logos, and the bib number. It isn’t personalized, nor does it identify the race or distance. Inside is not alone in bib simplicity

Medals: The finisher’s medal features the same race logo and details as on the T-shirt. On one side, the ribbon has the part of the logo that depicts the hills, with the race name and organizer’s logo. On the other side are the distances, location, and race date. Being one of two men of my age group to finish the race, I received a 2nd Place Age Group Winner medal. The medallion and ribbon have the organizer’s logo and that information. Both medals are very nice quality.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’ll put my conclusion ahead of some important details. I would participate in Inside Trail’s races again, and I would consider doing this race again.

Just as race organizers are not all alike, neither are trail race organizers. Inside Trail seems to do somewhat smaller races that utilize challenging hilly courses whose terrain and lack of vehicle access make aid stations fewer and farther between. Inside Trail’s website and pre-race email inform runners what to expect, and advise carrying water or sports drink. In my experience, not having an aid station some where on the 10K loop was not a problem. I had a 24 oz water bottle and used only half. A warm summer day would have been different, but it was totally fine on a cool January day. The lack of mileage markers also means runners need to be extra familiar with the relevant map and elevation profile to plan their race strategy. From what I saw, Inside’s people and racers are not snobby or elitist, but their races are toward the high end in difficulty.

I do not want to discourage anyone from this or other Inside Trail’s races, but runners and walkers considering such races need to choose, prepare, and run/walk wisely. “My” distance has usually been half marathon, but a good, sober look at Inside’s elevation chart told me that doing the half in this race would not be practical.

For me, this 10K was one of the hardest races I’ve ever done, not that I’m anything like a speedster. All things considered, I was very happy with my finish time. The course was almost entirely fairly steep hills, up and down, with lots of switchbacks. The course was also pretty muddy, and drizzle or rain was almost constant. Having to pay close and constant attention to the footing ahead of me, I didn’t look around much at the beauty around me. What I did see was truly beautiful. For all my care, I still slipped and fell three times in the 2 miles or so of downhill that were most of the last 2 1/2 miles. I blame my skills more than the mud. This was my first race in which mud was a significant aspect of the course. After finishing, picking up my swag, and getting some snacks, I changed into the clean dry clothes I brought with me. All in all, as I said above, I would consider doing this race again.

I want to give a shout-out to UKCathryn’s and cenevoldsen’s reviews. Because their ability levels are different from mine and the weather/trail conditions they experienced were different, both posted important insights and perspectives on this race!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course Description: The course for the Run Walnut Creek half marathon (aka Walnut Creek Half Marathon) is a clockwise out-and-back loop, about 10 miles on streets and roads, and the … MORE

Course Description: The course for the Run Walnut Creek half marathon (aka Walnut Creek Half Marathon) is a clockwise out-and-back loop, about 10 miles on streets and roads, and the rest on on park and greenway trails. The race starts on N. Civic Drive, near Civic Park. The first nearly 2 miles is on Civic, through downtown Walnut Creek, turning onto Treat Boulevard. The next 2 miles or so there are housing neighborhoods on runners’ left, and shopping plazas and businesses on the right. About mile 4 Treat starts up a hill, leaves town around mile 4.5, and at mile 5.5 the course turns onto Cowell Road, still uphill. This is the only hill on the course, but the uphill portion is a bit over 2 miles long, gaining about 390 feet. At about mile 6.3 the course turns onto Ygnacio Valley Road, for about 3.5 miles. Civic Drive, Treat Boulevard, and Ygnacio Valley Road are artery streets, the latter two fairly busy (more on this below). At about mile 9.8 the course turns into Heather Farm Park, and after following the driveway for a couple hundred yards, turns onto a park trail. The course now follows several such trails back to Civic Park and the finish area. The last 3+ miles of the half marathon course is easily the nicest part of the course, though the rural hills on Treat, Cowell, and Ygnacio Valley are pleasant,and the suburban neighborhoods are OK. The latter half of the 3 miles on park and greenway trails is also the 5K course. The 5K starts and finishes in Civic Park. Besides the regular half marathon and 5K the half could be done as a relay, and there was a half-mile (around Civic Park) Kids Fun Run for kids 12 and under. Fun Runners got their own T-shirt, bib, and finisher’s medal. Organization & Production: The website information is fairly complete (the site doesn’t mention the race day packet pick-up). The sign-up process was easy. There were a couple of informational emails in the week or two before the race. Parking is offsite, but there are quite a few lots nearby in downtown Walnut Creek. Race-day packet pick-up was in Civic Park, near the finish area. It was done smoothly in two stages, bib pick-up and swag pick-up (including the T-shirt). Course monitoring and marking were done well. One would almost have to try, to go off-course. On the several artery streets a very wide lane was coned off for runners (1 1/2 – 2 car lanes). There were police officers or people from a traffic services company at every intersection or exit from a condo complex or shopping plaza. Runners of the half encountered 6 aid stations. The first 3 had water and Gatorade; the latter 3 also had cut up oranges. The aid station volunteers were mostly helpful and encouraging. Each runner’s start and finish were individually timed. At the finish, runners entered the lane, crossed the finish mat, received their medal, and came immediately to tables with water and goodies. My memory is probably incomplete, but I remember oranges, cinnamon pinwheels, and Cliff Bars being available. I finished among the last 10 or 20, and there was plenty available late in the race. Swag & Goodies: T-shirt – The race T-shirt is long-sleeved, beige, with orange side insets. The front has “Fifth Year Anniversary” and the race name in light blue with parts of letters in dark blue forming a tree, the distances, and the date. The upper right sleeve has the major sponsor’s logo; the left has the logo of the California Full and Half Marathon Series. The back has more sponsors’ logos and the organizer’s logo. Bib – The bib is orange with the silhouette of a tree in gray. Across the top is the distance. Below that the bib number, and then at the bottom is the race name and the name and logo of the major sponsor. Finisher’s medal – The medallion is a silver metal disc with cut-outs to accommodate the ribbon and between the three lines of text in red. The top line is “2015”; the middle is “Run Walnut Creek”; the bottom is “13.1”. The ribbon is dark red, with the tree logo at the back center, and “2015 Run Walnut Creek 13.1 Finisher” down both sides from the neck, and on both sides of the ribbon. My Results & Opinion of the Race: While the hill was not the steepest I’ve done, the uphill being over two miles long definitely slowed me down and drained a lot of energy. On the way downhill and a bit after, my right calf gave several twinges, as if a spasm almost started. Being careful of that also led me to be less aggressive. For all that, my finish time was a little over 3 1/2 hours, with which I’m quite happy. The race organization, from registering to walking to my car after the race was all very well done. Nothing was amazing, but it was all well done. The swag – T-shirt, bib, and medal were all excellent. All in all, it was a very good race experience. The one drawback, in my opinion, is that the race is really pricey. I registered in the October1 through December 1 time window, and the fee for the half marathon was $95 – almost as pricey as a Rock ‘n’ Roll series race! Would I do this race again? Run Walnut Creek is the Northern California mandatory year-end race for the California Full and Half Marathon Series. I plan next year to do several of the races in the series to earn a series medal, so I’m planning to do this race in 2016.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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Course Description: I described the course some in my review of Quarry Turkey 2014. It was written some 7 or 8 weeks after the fact, so with it fresh in … MORE

Course Description:
I described the course some in my review of Quarry Turkey 2014. It was written some 7 or 8 weeks after the fact, so with it fresh in my mind …

All distances do the 5K course; the 10K and half marathon add an out-and-back “tail”. 5K runners do a squarish loop around Quarry Lakes Park. 10K and half marathon runners branch off for their out-and-back leg midway around the loop. 10K runners do about 3 miles on the Alameda Creek Trail, while half marathon runners do an extra 7 miles in addition.

The 5K and 10K surface is mostly packed dirt, with some paved trail and a section along the paved parking lot. Much of the trail beyond the 10K turn-around is paved. The start/finish area is one of the large group picnic areas in the park.

The loop around the several lakes in the park is, to me, the most beautiful part of the 10K and half marathon courses. The two-sided Alameda Creek Trail follows the creek, and has housing developments on both sides; the half goes under several street overpasses. It’s much nicer, I think, than a course through a city business district, but it’s a bit too much of a stretch to me to call it beautiful (maybe I’m spoiled). This gives the race a dual personality, as only the half marathon course is mostly on the creek trail. 5K runners only see the park, and 10K runners aren’t on the creek trail long enough for it to get monotonous; almost a different experience. I did the 10K this year, and enjoyed the course more than when I’ve done halfs on it.

Organization & Production:
I must sound like a Brazen Racing groupie, but this was a typical Brazen race, which means excellent! The whole race experience, from registering online to leaving the park after finishing was very smooth. Pre-race instructions were clear, parking was ample and free, the course was well marked and monitored, the aid stations were well-stocked (including lots of snacks!), volunteers encouraging and helpful, all in a family picnic atmosphere. The finish area food was plentiful and in great variety. I was told that Quarry Turkey is Brazen’s second most popular race; everything was very obviously scaled to serve that.

Brazen makes their “Turkey” races extra family friendly. Both have 100-yard (approximately) “Little Turkeys” races for the younger children, run shortly before the main races. The costumed mascot always “runs” with the kids, and always finishes last. Kids running the Little Turkeys race receive a “Little Turkeys” T-shirt, bib, and a finisher’s medal.

As with Nitro Turkey, the county foodbank had a food collection station. While I haven’t heard how much was collected, what I saw had me wondering how they would carry it all out to their vehicle – a nice problem to have!

Swag & Goodies:
T-shirt – the T-shirt is gray, with Quarry Turkey (orange T-shirt with “QT” on the front) mid-stride running across the front, the race name, and the year. The back has Quarry Turkey seated on a rock pile, looking satisfied and holding up two feathers on his left wing, to signify that the Quarry Turkey race was the second in a series. Below the rock pile is an orange sign with the name of the race, distances, date, and location. And below that are the logos of the race sponsors.

Bib – the bib is personalized, color-coded for the distance, and gives the distance. At the top are Quarry Turkey holding a large rock (last year’s T-shirt image), the race name, the location, and the date.

Finisher’s medal – the image on the finisher’s medal is similar to that on the back of the race T-shirt, Quarry Turkey seated on a rock pile, holding up two feathers. It has the race name, distances, and date. The ribbon is gray, shows the Quarry Turkey image from the back of the T-shirt from the waist up, with the race name, distances, date, and location. But there’s more …

For runners who do both Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey there is a third medal that interlocks with the Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey medals to form a “mega-medal”. This medal shows two Little Turkeys (in orange and blue T-shirts, with “LT” on the fronts) high-fiving (or something like that) each other. Across the bottom and also along the blue ribbon are the words “DOUBLE TROUBLE!” These were distributed next to the tables for medal engraving and age group awards.

Goodies – In a word, “Wow!” The aid station fluids and snacks were typical for Brazen races – water and sports drink, several varieties of candies, cut up Rice Krispies Treats and Payday bars, chips and pretzels, cut up bananas and oranges. “Typical” might seem an understatement, compared to many other races, but this really is typical for Brazen. It was the finish area that put the “!” in “Wow!” Brazen always has a wide variety of fruit, cookies, baked items, candies, and chips, along with its signature It’s It ice cream sandwiches in multiple flavors (I like strawberry and mint). The variety of these seemed greater than usual, and there was also pumpkin pie (pieces in a paper cup, not whole slices). Brazen used the circular configuration of the picnic tables to spread the goodies around to minimize lines and waiting (I finished at a fairly busy time and didn’t have to wait for anything).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’ll try to be uncharacteristically brief. I’ve done 2 other organizers’ Turkey Trots in the South SF Bay Area. They’re all very well done. Brazen’s Turkey races are THE BEST in the area!

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course Description: Nitro Turkey is run on Thanksgiving morning in the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park, on mostly (>90%) dirt trails. Point Pinole is a peninsula that juts into San … MORE

Course Description:
Nitro Turkey is run on Thanksgiving morning in the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline park, on mostly (>90%) dirt trails. Point Pinole is a peninsula that juts into San Pablo Bay, an arm off the northeast end of San Francisco Bay. A century ago (or so) Point Pinole was the location of a manufacturer of explosives. Some of the ruins of that facility can be seen from the Nitro Turkey course.

The 10K course can best be described as a two-lobed out-and-back loop. The first lobe is also the 5K course. The 5K course circles (actually, a long, irregular ellipse) the southwest part of the peninsula, and the second lobe of the 10K course the northeast part.

The Nitro Turkey course is sufficiently hilly that it isn’t a PR kind of course; not as hilly as one of Brazen’s Ultra Half Challenge courses, nor the kind of intermediate Coyote Hills course. What Nitro Turkey offers is gorgeous views – of the bay, and of numerous groves of eucalyptus trees – and the experience of a Brazen race. I’d estimate the course to be 40% shaded, though that matters much less in late November.

Organization & Production:
Being run on a holiday, Nitro Turkey is a little less elaborate in some details than regular Brazen Races. Nothing important was skimped:

Same easy registration; same quick and easy race day check-in (there was pre-race-day check-in available as well);

Same ample maps and pre-race communications;

Same well-marked course and ample aid stations;

Same friendly helpful volunteers;

Same family atmosphere – several Brazen “Regulars” came and ran in costume.

Brazen’s “Turkey” races also have collection stations for food banks in the counties in which the races are held.

Brazen makes their “Turkey” races extra family friendly. Both have 100-yard (approximately) “Little Turkeys” races for the younger children, run shortly before the main races. The costumed mascot always “runs” with the kids, and always finishes last. Kids running the Little Turkeys race receive a “Little Turkeys” T-shirt, bib, and a finisher’s medal.

Swag & Goodies:
T-shirt – bright blue, with an intense and determined turkey on the front, looking like it had burst through the front of the shirt. Below the head of the turkey is the name of the race and the year. On the back is the back of the turkey, with the name of the race above and the location, date, and sponsors’ logos below the turkey. The turkey has kind of an Angry Birds look, but is different from the game logo.

Bib – is personalized, gives the distance, and is color-coded for the distance. It features the determined looking turkey striding while carrying a really large lattice-top pie. To the right of the turkey is the race name (in a font that looks like boards), location, and date.

Finisher’s Medal – Nitro Turkey (wearing a blue T-shirt with “NT” on the front) is seated on a wooden packing crate. The name of the race, date, and distances are the label on the crate. This medallion, with that of the Quarry Turkey race (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) and a third special medal, form a large “mega-medal” for those who do both of the races. The ribbon depicts a triumphant Nitro Turkey holding up the “fore-feather” of his right wing (signifying the first race in a series), and has the race name (in the “boards” font), distances, and date along the length of both sides of the ribbon

Goodies – both the aid station and finish area goodies were a little less elaborate than most Brazen races. The difference is not great – a few less varieties of candy snacks at the aid stations, a few less choices in the finish area food, and “only” two flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches (strawberry and pumpkin). That said, what was available was easily more varied than what many other races offer. I wasn’t at all disappointed.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As noted above, the course for Nitro Turkey is too hilly for accomplishing PRs. My finish time was 12 minutes slower than my PR for a 10K. All in all I am quite happy with my finish time.

I did Brazen’s Dirty Dozen race this past July, which uses the 5K course for its 5K and 10K distances, and for the 6- and 12-hour endurance races (it’s a loopy race). I knew that part of Nitro Turkey’s course was beautiful, so I had pretty high expectations for the full 10K course. I was not at all disappointed, as my 5-shoe rating for scenery suggests. At this point – more than 30 races in the SF Bay area – I think the beauty of this course only exceeded by that of the half marathon I did in SF, which crossed and re-crossed the Golden Gate Bridge.

Brazen’s organization, “product”, and race experience is simply excellent. The Little Turkeys races at Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey make the Turkey races events that are great for the whole family, during a family-oriented holiday.

Would I, etc.? Brazen’s events at Point Pinole are already on my “want to do” lists for 2016 and beyond.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course Description: The course for the Race to the Flagpole half marathon is about 45% an out-and-back, which only runners of the half did, and about 45% the 10K course. … MORE

Course Description:
The course for the Race to the Flagpole half marathon is about 45% an out-and-back, which only runners of the half did, and about 45% the 10K course. The start and finish areas are in Livermore’s Independence Park, and all runners do the same first and last 3/4 mile or so.

On leaving Independence Park runners follow a trail that takes them to Sycamore Grove Park. 10K runners enter it for their run, while half marathon runners pass it by, taking trails paralleling various roads through hundreds of acres of vineyards, up into the hills east of Livermore. The trail is twofold – paved trail paralleled by packed dirt trail (used by horses, so watch for equine “landmines”). “Up into hills” means climbing. None are super steep, but it’s 2-3 miles of mostly uphill, with some short flat or downhill stretches between individual hills. And then back down again, turning into Sycamore Grove Park to do the 10K course.

The 10K course is an elongated figure-8 using Sycamore Grove Park trails. These run past vineyards, through oak, eucalyptus, and (surprise!) sycamore groves, past an olive orchard, alongside and over a creek. For my taste, this part of the half marathon – the 10K course – was the more beautiful part of a generally beautiful course. Most of the trail was access road for park rangers, with perhaps 3/4 of a mile of paved trail (much of which had a packed dirt shoulder). The terrain is mostly gently rolling, with one short hill well worth calling a hill.

Organization & Production:
* Overall, race organization and production were very well done. There were aspects that could be improved, and aspects that were nicer than I expected from a small, local, charity race (two Livermore area high schools’ athletic programs).

* Easy registration with no service fee tacked onto the registration price; this fee doesn’t bother me, as the registration site is providing a service and earns a reasonable fee, but it is nice for budget planning.

* Speaking of budget, the $45 registration fee is really low!

* This was the first race I’ve been in (more than 30) that did not send a race instructions email. Much of what is typically in such emails – parking, check-in – was on the mail-in registration form, but I registered online. I didn’t find it until the day before the race. Race instructions can be an email or a webpage, but if the latter, it should be easy to find.

* The course maps are a bit klutzy, a map of the out-and-back section of half marathon, and a map for the 10K, with text showing where half runners go onto the 10K course. Not very user-friendly. There were no elevation profile charts.

* Come race day … parking was free. The lot got pretty full half or a full hour before start time.

* Packet pick-up was race day only, and getting bibs and T-shirts were separate steps. Both were quick for me, and I didn’t see a line for either.

* There was a color guard from the local VFW post and a singer who led the “Star Spangled Banner”.

* Both start and finish were chip-timed.

* Course marking was OK. There were quite a few stationary course monitors, and quite a few, very helpful, monitors on bicycle. Going astray required being inattentive (which I was at one point; I was corrected within 20 yards by a nearby monitor). A few chalk markings or traffic cones to indicate, “Don’t go this way,” would be good in future runnings of this race.

* Aid stations were water only, and there were quite a few. I probably passed water stations 8 times (some twice). I think I heard some sloshing sounds as I walked, somewhere around mile 10 or 11.

* I was the last to finish the half, and when I did there were no food tables or food. On the other hand, well-laden food tables had been in the area before race start, and I had availed myself of some. Having food available to the very end would have been nice, but it was a small race, with only 54 doing the half marathon. So I have no problem with the lack of food tables at the very end.

* By the time I finished they had also run out of finisher’s medals. The person in charge apologized profusely, explained, and got my bib number. I was told to expect a medal in the mail in 2-3 weeks. The reason they ran out was that they had received MANY more late and race day registrations than they had anticipated. I have no problem AT ALL with this consequence of a community supporting a charity race beyond the expectations of the race planners!

Swag & Goodies:

T-shirt: Light gray cotton T with the race logo (runners approaching a sycamore tree with an American flag in the background, very attractive), race name, year, and distances on the front, and sponsors’ logos on the back.

Finisher’s medal: I looked at the finisher’s medal, briefly, before race start. It’s an off-the-shelf medallion with laurel leaves circling a center with a printed insert.

Goodies: Before race start I saw coffee, bottled water, cut up bagels with cream cheese, muffins, fruit strips, cereal bars, cut up oranges, and uncut Fuji apples, that I can recall.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:

Because there were no elevation profiles and I’m not familiar with the area I did not prepare for this race as I might have had I known it was fairly hilly. Just past mile 1 I saw far enough ahead to adjust how I was going to do the race. I throttled back a little and finished with a time that had me satisfied and appropriately tired.

The 2015 Race to the Flagpole was mostly well-organized and had a beautiful course. My 4-shoe rating is well earned. For what it is, a smallish charity race, with better course maps, adding elevation profiles, and a little better course marking, I might rate it 5 shoes.

I would consider doing the Race to the Flagpole again, and I would recommend it to friends. The 10K especially is a good intro to trail racing.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3
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Course description: The Down by the Bay 5K starts and finishes in Sunnyvale's Baylands Park. The race starts on the Baylands Park Trail, through the picnic area, and then goes … MORE

Course description:
The Down by the Bay 5K starts and finishes in Sunnyvale’s Baylands Park. The race starts on the Baylands Park Trail, through the picnic area, and then goes out-and-back leg along that trail and the Bay Trail (about .8 miles on the latter). When it reaches the picnic area the course follows the Baylands Bike Trail around the periphery of the picnic area until it reaches the Baylands Park Trail, which it takes to the finish. Basically the course forms a loop around the picnic area, and the out-and-back forms 3 of the four sides of a trapezoid.

About 40% of the course is paved parking lot or trail, and the rest is packed dirt and fine gravel. The scenery was generally pleasant – marshland and surrounding slightly higher ground. Other than 4 very short hills approaching the finish – there was a flatter bypass path for those who wanted/needed it – the course was almost flat.

Organization & Production:
Easy registration. Two days’ packet pick-up at Sunnyvale Sports Basement, quick and smooth.

About 30 or 40 yards from the start/finish arch is a playground, and sponsors tables were set up on the lawn.

Since the race benefited a preschool, parents with strollers were encouraged to participate.

The course was not marked, as such, but there were volunteers at every turn to direct and encourage runners. I only noticed a marker for Mile 2.

There was one aid station, water only, positioned for runners to pass twice, with about 2 miles between.

The race was chip timed, both starts and finishes, nice for a small charity race.

The after race area was nicely set up with food and sponsors’ tables, conveniently near the playground (great for families with small kids!

In addition to the 5K, there was a “Tot Trot” of maybe 100 yards, including 4 short hills. There were also some kids’ games in the food and sponsors area.

Swag & Goodies:
Swag – this was a no medal race (fine with me, it’s a charity 5K). The T-Shirt is dark blue cotton, with race name, logo (a whale tail), and date, and the name of the beneficiary on the front. On the back are the sponsors’ logos plus the race name and website on the back. All in all a very nice race T-shirt. The bib has all of the same information plus the bib number on a white background. All in all, very nice for a small, local, charity race.

The after-race food was really good for a small charity-benefit race. There was Hint flavored bottled water (not chilled), whole bananas, a veggie platter, cut up bagels and cinnamon rolls, and coffee cake. I didn’t finish very late, so I didn’t see what and how much was left for late finishers.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Because I haven’t done a chip-timed 5K in almost 4 years my finish time was a PR, by 7 minutes. So I was very happy with that.

This was a sometimes basic, sometimes more than basic small local 5K race. Race organization was without a hitch, from what I could see. It’s worth noting that this was just the second year for this race. Who could (reasonably) want more from such a race? I would definitely consider doing this race again.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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Preface: I didn't register for this race, as a runner or as a volunteer. I was there to encourage several runner friends, and got there about an hour before check-in … MORE

Preface:
I didn’t register for this race, as a runner or as a volunteer. I was there to encourage several runner friends, and got there about an hour before check-in was to open. Rather than stand around and get chilled, I walked up to the RD and asked if I could help. So, does that make me a bandit volunteer? An undocumented volunteer? Whatever, it gave me a chance to see Coastal Trail Races’ organization, and the course is one with which I’m familiar (I use it for training and work-out).

Course description:
The race started in Los Gatos Creek Park and was an out-and-back along the Los Gatos Creek, Flume, and Jones Trails. There were 5 mile, half marathon, and marathon distances. The 5 mile course used only the Los Gatos Creek Trail, with a turn-around at the top of the dam at Vasona Lake. The half and full marathons continued on that trail through Vasona Lake Park, past Los Gatos High School, and just past Forbes Mill Museum in Los Gatos. At that point the course followed the Flume and Jones Trails to the turn-around at Lexington Dam, and then back to Los Gatos Creek Park. The Marathon did this course twice.

The 5 mile course is mostly flat – though generally uphill on the out-bound leg – except for the climb up the face of the dam to the turn-around. This is a little steep, but fairly short. There is a fair amount of climbing on the latter half of the Flume Trail to where it meets the Jones Trail, and even more climbing on the Jones Trail. About 3 or 4 tenths of a mile before the dam the trail comes to an overlook (well above Lexington dam) with some REALLY nice panoramic views, and then it is all downhill to the dam. The last quarter mile or so of this downhill is VERY steep and rutted (from rain run-off). The turn-around is at the dam (nice lake views!) and then … remember that steep downhill?

At its “worst” this route is beautiful on one side and business buildings or Highway 17 through a couple tens of yards of trees. Until one reaches the climbing on the Flume Trail Los Gatos Creek is always on one side or the other, usually through a wooded thicket. Once one starts climbing it is generally rural; while Highway 17 usually within sight, it’s often at some distance. At times the trail is terraced into a fairly steep hillside, and is sometimes single track. The surface of Los Gatos Creek Trail is paved until reaching Forbes Mill Museum. There usually packed dirt margins on one or both sides of the trail. From there it, the Flume Trail, and the Jones Trail are packed dirt and gravel.

All in all this is a beautiful course. I’ve used this course and Los Gatos Creek Trail going in the other direction for over a year and a half and am not tired of it.

Organization & Production:
Based on what I saw and past experience with Coastal … At this race, only the finish arch was in positions when volunteers started arriving. EVERYTHING else was unloaded from Coastal’s van on race morning. That. Van. Was. Full! Basically it was Race-In-A-Van! I’m not knocking it in the least! It worked, well, and check in started more than 5 minutes early.

There were 3 aid stations in addition to the aid station at the start/finish area (which was the mid-race turn-around for the marathon). Coastal’s aid stations generally provide water and electrolyte drink, plus salty and sugary snacks. Most of Coastal’s races are very challenging hill trail races, so they are good about replenishing runners’ hydration, energy, and electrolytes.

My experiences with Coastal’s online registration have been good. Coastal does race day only check-in. Their process has been efficient and quick when I’ve done it, and Based on timing some one, I’d estimate the wait time at 5-7 minutes when the line was longest.

There were 5 portacans in addition to the restrooms that are part of Los Gatos Creek Park. The latter are wheelchair accessible. There was a line, and though it looked longish, it was only about 5 minutes.

Coastal does chip timing, but uses “gun time” for every runner’s start. Folks who want more accurate timing need to be toward the front of the start pack or use their own stopwatch (seriously, though, how many people need their finish time to the tenth of a second?). In this race the trail was not very wide, so not many could be in the front row or two at the start. I hope Coastal does move to chip-timing runners’ starts and finishes.

Swag & Goodies:
One nice thing Coastal does is give tech type T-shirts to all runners, whether 5K or half marathon. Coastal also has T-shirts designed for women. I didn’t get a good look at the T-shirt for this race, but it was black (men) or charcoal gray (women) and featured the pumpkin-headed runner. It looked really nice.

Looking at a picture on FB, the finisher’s medal has the pumpkin-headed runner on the left, the race name, and the three race distances. It’s a very nice looking medal, though it lacks the race date.

I wasn’t around for the finish, so I only saw the goodies as I was helping unpack. Coastal typically has candies and chips, and I saw oranges and watermelons. I took charcoal over to the picnic area barbecue pit, but don’t know what was to be cooked.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Coastal is one of the best organizers of smaller trail races in the SF Bay Area. I was impressed by the organization of this race, from the Race-In-A-Van to how smoothly the check-in went. I can’t speak for runners’ total race experience, but my experience as a bandit volunteer was good and things seemed well set for a good race experience.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Course description: The course for the 2015 OktobeRun was out-and-back, about 85% the same as in 2014. Instead of in the Port of Redwood City, the start/finish area was a … MORE

Course description:
The course for the 2015 OktobeRun was out-and-back, about 85% the same as in 2014. Instead of in the Port of Redwood City, the start/finish area was a block-long section of a side street in downtown Redwood City, by the school district office building. From there runners of the half marathon and 5K went through a couple of downtown streets to a street that crosses US 101 freeway and has access to the Bay Trail near the marina of the port (about a mile in all). After going around the marina, 5K runners are on the trail for only about half a mile and then return to the finish area.

The half marathon follows the trail for another 5 miles to the turn-around. The scenery is varied – modern condo and townhouse complexes, marsh land (with levees and power distribution towers), house boats along the marina, US 101 (less than 20 feet away, with a chain-link fence between), modern business buildings, San Carlos Airport, open water with bay views (see pix). Some of the course is pleasant, and some … . Between city streets and paved trail, all but about 3 miles of the half marathon course is paved. There is very little shade along the course.

Organization & Production:
I did one of the pre-race packet pick-ups, arriving about the scheduled start time. The volunteers were still setting up, but with that, checking in several others ahead of me, and then getting my bib and T-shirt, it took 15 minutes or less. Pretty smooth and efficient!
The start/finish area had race-day registration and packet pick-up, sponsors’ tables, the timing people’s tables, and about a dozen portacans (one handicapped). The latter seemed adequate – lines, but not too long (the lines trailed into the area where runners were waiting to start). It got a bit snug just before the half marathon start, though there was more room at the very back for more starters. The sound system was not audible and intelligible at the back.

The number of aid stations was appropriate for a race with a good number of participants who don’t do races very often. Like last year, the stations had water, Gatorade, and helpful volunteers. The course marking was a bit better than last year, with chalk arrows at every turn or curve or transition, and helpful and encouraging volunteers directing runners at such points. Getting lost would have taken considerable effort. This year the Tri-Valley Running Club provided pacers for runners wanting to finish with a particular time.

I was the last half marathon runner/walker to finish. While few other runners were about, there were plenty of volunteers to cheer, give out medals, and such.

Swag & Goodies:
T-shirt – ‘roid-rage pumpkin orange, short-sleeved, tech type. The front has “5th Annual”, race name, logo, location, and date. The back has sponsors’ logos. VERY. Nice (see pix). Volunteers were (apparently) given similar, purple, T-shirts – very visible and a nice race memento.

Bib – race name and logo (no date), color-coded for and has the distance, runner’s name, and bib number. Also very nice

Finisher’s medal – Crown trophy “Titan Insert Medal” https://www.crowntrophy.com/medalshome/insertmedals/89-titan-insert; 4”, stars around the edge, plastic-coated printed paper insert with race name, date, and “FINISHER”. Plain black ribbon (see pic).

Magnetic sticker – given to half marathon finishers, a “13.1” white oval magnet with the race name/logo and date. I don’t know of any other race that does something similar – very nice!

Finish area goodies – Very decent. I was offered water soon after receiving my finisher’s medal, and the food table had orange wedges, cut up bananas, bagels, and coffee cake from a sponsor. I was the last finisher, and there was more than plenty available.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
There is a lot to like in this race. When it comes to organization, the OktobeRun is well done, start to finish, and almost entirely with volunteer people. The only professional aspect of the organization I recognized was the race timing – A Change of Pace Foundation – which totally makes sense, and ACOPF does it well. Some of the course is very pleasant. Most of the swag – T-shirt, bib, and “13.1” magnet – is excellent.

Some of the course is kind of meh. BUT, Redwood City Education Foundation had to make a choice (years ago, obviously). Situated where Redwood City is, RCEF had to choose between using the Bay Trail and using trails in nearby, hilly, parks. The park trails would be nice, but not very friendly to the families and more casual runners who are the largest proportion of the people RCEF needs to participate. RCEF wants this race to be a family-friendly event, and for that the relatively flat Bay Trail is the right choice.

The finisher’s medal … with 2015 OktobeRun I have 26 finisher’s medals, and it is probably my least favorite. It’s an off-the-shelf medallion with a plastic-coated printed paper insert. This race is, however, a charity fund-raiser, and I have since learned that this sort of medal is common for such races. Money for things like T-shirts and finisher’s medals should be used carefully.

I was very happy to have finished (unlike last year), with my finish time, and with my race experience “out there” on the course. Would I do the OktobeRun again? Probably, but probably not in 2016. That said, I didn’t anticipate, last year, doing the OktobeRun in 2015. It wasn’t my first choice when planning 2015, but when several circumstances made the OktobeRun my choice, I was totally fine with that (the date change to late October was nice – less likelihood of hot weather). So it’s not impossible that I’ll do the OktobeRun again next year.

Addendum: My original review had made critical remarks about the quality of the finisher’s medal. One (should) keep learning, and I have since learned that such medals are common in smallish charity races. So I have edited this review, offer, here, my apologies for criticizing without knowledge, and have bumped up my Swag rating from 2 to 3 shoes. I anticipate doing more such races in 2016.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
3
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Campbell's Oktoberfest 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk starts and finishes in Campbell Park near downtown Campbell, with the Los Gatos Creek Trail as a course. The race is, as the … MORE

Campbell’s Oktoberfest 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk starts and finishes in Campbell Park near downtown Campbell, with the Los Gatos Creek Trail as a course. The race is, as the name suggests, part of downtown Campbell’s Oktoberfest celebration. Both the 5K and the 10K are out-and-back courses.

The 5K course proceeds upstream on the Winchester Blvd. side of the creek, crosses to the Highway 17 side of the Creek just before the Camden Ave. undercrossing, goes past Campbell Park, turns around near Creekside Wy, and returns to Campbell Park. There is an aid station just after crossing to the Highway 17 side of the Creek.

The 10K course proceeds upstream on the Winchester Blvd. side of the creek, passes through Los Gatos Creek Park, goes under Highway 85, and turns around near Lark Ave.. From the turn-around, the course goes under Highway 85 again, crosses the creek near Los Gatos Creek Park for a short loop, crosses again, passing through that park again, and returns to Campbell Park. The aid stations are in the Los Gatos Creek Park and just before the Lark Ave. turn-around.

The course is fairly flat, with some some gentle ups and downs and a couple of “hills” where the trail passes under Camden Ave. and Highway 85. It is generally uphill as one goes upstream, and is paved and fairly wide. The ~1/4 mile loop in the 10K course was mostly unpaved. The course has a fair amount of shade, especially on the Winchester side of the creek. The Los Gatos Creek Trail is not knock-your-eyes-out beautiful, but it’s a very pleasant suburban greenway trail.

Organization & Production:

* Easy, well organized pre-race packet pick-up at Campbell Sports Basement.
* Free parking about 1/3 mile from the the start area, at The Pruneyard.
* Pleasant, well organized start/finish area; sponsor Whole Foods had goodies available before the race; Whole Foods and Buffalo Wild Wings had food available for finishers.
* The start corral area for the 10K was a bit crowded.
* Easy to see mile markers at every mile. Volunteers directing traffic at every turn.
* Water-only aid stations. Plenty of volunteers at the stations.
* Bottled water – not cold, but pleasantly cool – available in the finish area, even late in the race, as well as goodies from sponsors.

Swag & Goodies:

* Black tech type short-sleeved T-shirt with lime green inset stripes at the sides and along the top of the shoulders; nice color race logo and date on the front; race name, symbols of the City of Campbell and logos of sponsors on the back. Very. Nice!
* The bib has the race logo (no date), the distance in numbers & letters and color-coded in the background of the bib number.
* No finisher’s medal.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:

I was very satisfied with my finish time, and found the race generally pleasant. The Los Gatos Creek Trail is my “home” trail, and after using to for nearly 2 years I’m not tired of it. I finished fairly late, and both Whole Foods and Buffalo Wild Wings still had plenty of food available.

In some ways, Campbell’s Oktoberfest 10K & 5K Fun Run/Walk is very basic – water-only aid stations, no finisher’s medal. In other ways it’s better than average. It’s definitely well organized and family friendly. The race benefited the Los Gatos Creek Trail and the restoration/upkeep of the par course along the trail. The atmosphere in the start/finish area was very relaxed and pleasant. I generally reserve 5-shoe reviews for races that have fairly amazing courses and organization, so giving this race a 4-shoe review means I thought it’s a very nice and well done race. I am considering doing Campbell’s Oktoberfest 10K & 5K again in 2016, and am also considering doing Campbell’s corresponding Valentine’s race.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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Course description: The Race to the End of Summer uses Embedded Way, by the Silver Creek Sportsplex, a southeast San Jose cul-de-sac street, for its start/finish area. The half marathon … MORE

Course description:
The Race to the End of Summer uses Embedded Way, by the Silver Creek Sportsplex, a southeast San Jose cul-de-sac street, for its start/finish area. The half marathon course is a double-legged out-and-back. From Embedded Way, all runners go out onto Hellyer Avenue, turn onto Fontanoso Way, onto Silver Creek Valley Road, and then to the Coyote Creek Trail. This is approximately 1 mile, and is also the final mile of all distances. All runners then turn right onto the asphalt paved Coyote Creek Trail, toward Hellyer Park. The 5K turn-around is in about half a mile, and the 10K turn-around is about a mile and a half beyond that, almost to Hellyer Park. The 5K and 10K are single-leg out-and-back. Runners doing the half go into Hellyer Park and circle the lake instead of a turn-around. The half then goes back, past the trail entry point, and proceeds on the second out-and-back leg, turning around close to Metcalf Road and going back to the trail entry point and Embedded Way.

The Coyote Creek Trail is generally pleasant, though not as beautiful as many trail courses in parks farther from urban-suburban areas. On the other hand, I find it a lot more beautiful than the street courses of the several races run in San Jose. The trail isn’t flat, but there aren’t any “real” hills. Parts of the trail have trees, the creek, and hills on either side, some have the creek on one side and modern industrial buildings on the other. Parts of the course are near and even go under US Highway 101. Traffic noise can be quite noticeable, so I recommend music and ear buds for races on this trail. This year, 2015, has been a drought year. The lake in Hellyer Park was almost dry, with several large puddles (and a few wading egrets). I did a Turkey Trot that started/finished in Hellyer Park, and the lake is very pretty when it has water in it. I also saw along parts of the course a fair number of small trees that were dead. While not plentiful enough to spoil the appearance of those parts of the course, they were noticeable. Needless to say, JEMS Racing cannot control the weather. If Winter 2015-2016 is as wet as some hope, the lake may be full in 2016 (and, consequently, would be very pretty), and the course much greener.

Organization & Production:
Online registration was quite smooth, and pre-race instructions came by email early in the week of the race. There was no race-day packet pick-up, but there were three pick-up days pre-race: Thursday (which I did) and Friday pick-up at the M8trix Casino near where US Highway 101 and First Street cross, and Saturday at the Silver Creek Sportsplex. Access from and getting back onto freeways (I-880 is nearby) were easy. Pick-up was in a small banquet room, with separate tables for getting one’s bib, T-shirt, and swag bag. It was smooth and quick, maybe 20 minutes from riding the elevator up to the room to getting back into my car.

On race day there was free parking at two nearby businesses. The walk from where I parked to the start/finish area was maybe a quarter mile. I arrived before the volunteers were out to direct traffic (they weren’t late, I was early), but there were signs in place indicating where to park.

The start/finish area was simple and functional. There were 18 porta-cans at the end of the cul-de-sac (2 of them handicap accessible), plus two hand-washing stations. These were also easily accessible from the course, being passed twice by all runners. Between the 7AM start for the half marathon and my slow pace, I can’t say whether the 18 porta-cans were adequate at peak usage times. The start/finish area was bounded by barriers and tables for the timing station and various vendors.

Besides sensing runners’ start and finish times, there were timed splits near the 10K turn-around and half-marathoners’ turn-around. There were a LOT of aid stations! They were basic – water and sports drink – for 10K and 5K runners; some stations along the half-marathon out-and-back leg also had GU gel packets. This is more basic than some SF Bay Area trail races, but is similar to aid stations at large street races. There were mile markers for every mile.

I was among the last to finish. So most of the people in the finish area by then were volunteers, but they were very encouraging. After receiving the finisher’s medal another volunteer handed me a chilled bottle of water. As best I could tell, all (or almost all) the finish area goodies were still available, and the chiropractic people were still available.

It seemed like volunteers were EVERYWHERE! The course was well marked, but there were volunteers along the course to cheer on runners and keep them on-course. Some were very cheery (especially two young ladies near Hellyer Park), some were possibly a bit out of their comfort zone. But all were helpful and encouraging, especially those at aid stations.

Swag & Goodies:
The T-shirt is attractive, if not spectacular. It’s cherry red, tech type, with the JEMS Racing logo and race name on the front. The back has the name of the race and the usual sponsors’ logos … but no date. According to the website, all runners received the same T-shirt; this is nice, as many races reserve tech-type T-shirts for half and full marathon runners. While the bibs are not personalized, the half marathon bibs were different from those of the 10K and 5K.

Finishers of all distances received finishers’ medals. I didn’t see the medals received by 10K and 5K runners, but the half marathon finisher’s medal specifies the distance. The medal is a heavy polished rectangular bottle-opener type, with a spinner with the JEMS Racing logo. The name of the race is above the spinner, and the date and distance are below the spinner. Very impressive!

As mentioned above, aid stations were basic – water and sports drink on the first out-and-back leg used by all distances, and GU gel at some aid stations on the second out-and-back leg (used only by half marathon runners). Finish area food was not as varied as many trail races, but was as or more so than some large road races. I noticed bananas and oranges, blueberry coffee cake, quinoa chips (a race sponsor), and bagels with cream cheese or peanut butter for spreads. Besides the water given at the finish line, there were also chocolate milk and a chocolate-flavored coconut water beverage. And as I mentioned, there was still plenty when the last finishers crossed.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I had strained a calf muscle a week and a half before, so I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish. I started carefully, realized 3 or 4 miles in that I was doing fine, and settled into a brisk but not aggressive walk. I finished a little over 3:40, slower than my usual for that sort of course, but at the start I wondered if I could finish under 4 hours.

All in all the Race to the End of Summer was a very pleasant, well-organized and run race. It’s family friendly (I saw an 8 or 10 year-old young lady doing the 10K) and “accessible” to runners new to races or who do races very occasionally. There are some very good race organizers in the SF Bay Area, and while the Race to the End of Summer is toward the upper end in registration fee, it is among the simpler in its aid stations, though a little more varied in finish area goodies. I should mention, however, that part of race proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

What improvements might be done at low-moderate expense? Adding the race date to the T-shirt would be good (assuming the omission was not accidental). Offering GU gel (or a similar product) near the 10K turn-around would be good, and appropriate for the distance and (usually) warm weather. GU is not a sponsor, but Sports Basement is, so perhaps this could be arranged with them. Another pleasant addition that would not be too expensive might be to offer trail mix, chips, and some sort of candy (e.g. peanut M & Ms or Skittles) at half marathon aid stations (and maybe at the 10K turn-around). Having these in the finish area would be a not too expensive upgrade, perhaps with one or two varieties of cookie as well.

One thing I think would be good to add to JEMS’ Race Info page for the Race to the End of Summer and to the pre-race instructions is a strongly emphasized request that racers not drop empty cups, gel packets, etc. along the course other than trash container near-misses. Trail runners are typically much more careful not to litter, but while not extreme, I saw more empty gel packets and cups along the course (and picked up several) than I’ve seen in other trail races. This could improve runners’ race experience as well as JEMS’ relationship with the parks organization that maintains the trail. Another thing JEMS could do is ask aid station volunteers to go, late in the race, 50-100 yards on either side of their station and pick up litter they see, even if it isn’t from their race.

The bottom line question, would I do the Race to the End of Summer again? Yes. I would, and am considering doing it again next year. Most of the race organizers in the SF focus on challenging hill trail races, though two have a few races on flatter trails (including the Coyote Creek Trail). While hill trail races have more beautiful courses, they are challenging, not very “accessible” to new and occasional racers or to road/street runners. JEMS’ races – three races, currently – fit in a not very full niche. While their Mardi Gras Madness 5K has San Jose streets for its course, the other two use the Coyote Creek Trail (but are not identical), in the three common distances.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4

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Course description: There was much to like about the 2015 Froyo Run in San Jose, but the course isn't one of them, to me at least. It's not ugly or … MORE

Course description:
There was much to like about the 2015 Froyo Run in San Jose, but the course isn’t one of them, to me at least. It’s not ugly or unsafe (or otherwise unsuitable), it’s just not that beautiful. Further, the course is a 5K loop around central San Jose, which means 10K runners see the same sights twice. The 2015 San Jose Froyo Run started and finished at Arena Green East (Guadalupe River Park) near the HP Pavilion.

I may not be the best person to comment on this, as I much prefer trail races. And all but one of the street races I’ve done (9 of 10) have been in this part of San Jose. So I’ve been spoiled, and have limited street course experience. A good part of the 2015 San Jose Froyo Run course is in streets with clean, modern, commercial and municipal buildings, reasonably pleasant, just not my preference.

Organization & Production:
Race organization had several of the aspects to like in this event. There are several organizer “models” that I’ve experienced in the past 4 years. There are (inter)national organizers of large races, such as Rock ‘n’ Roll or runDisney. There are smaller regional organizers who do smaller races, e.g. Brazen racing or Coastal trail Runs. There are volunteer organizers who do one-off charity events (e.g. the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot or the OktobeRun). Run for FroYo is of another model, in which a large corporate sponsor engages an event organizing company to do a series of races to promote their product(s) or service(s). FroYo Run is such a series, 12 races in 2015, and benefiting local charities. On to some of the good stuff …

The sign-up process was quick, and packet pick-up was race day only. Between using a scan-able ticket (which runners had to print out beforehand and bring with them) and having lots of volunteers scanning and handing out swag bags, this was very quick. Toward the end, as the check-in line was getting long, I timed some one, and found that she was in line about 5 minutes. Check-in was quick, but runners had to choose between wearing their bag during the race (many did) or checking their bag (which was very simple). Bib numbers were distributed first-come-first-served. Results for every bib number were posted online, but if a runner wanted to have their name shown and be eligible for age group awards, they had to register their bib number online. It worked smoothly, but having to use a smart phone made it a bit clunky and slow. All in all, it was pretty evident that processes were kept simple and technology was used to make check-in quick (even giving out one-size-fits-all hats was probably done to be quicker than distributing multiple sizes of T-shirts).

Check-in began at 7AM, which is pretty typical; race start was at 9AM, which is NOT. I normally arrive at races early, and am accustomed to waiting a little longer than some folks, but two hours?! But for meeting (unplanned) and chatting with some friends, it would have been frustrating. More importantly, the race was held in Mid-August in San Jose, CA. Hot weather isn’t a certainty in San Jose, but it was hot this year! I understand that checking in ~2300 people takes time, even with an efficient process and lots of check-in stations. I think it would be better and wiser to open check-in at 6:45 and make check-in time 30 minutes shorter so as to start at 8:15. For those who felt the need (or wanted to kill time), there were two warm-up sessions. There were plenty of porta-cans; I NEVER saw a line (almost a violation of race tradition!).

The start … the start area was confined and compact, divided into 5 corral groups – not for the claustrophobic or agoraphobic. Spreading it out another 20 feet would have been nice (if the City of San Jose allowed it). The main access point into the start area was toward the back, so runners had to filter through the walkers and walker-runners to get to their corral area. I was worried at first about how the packed a start area would impact how quickly slower folks (like me) could start, but then the announcer mentioned that it would be a wave start (i.e. one corral group at a time, separated by a couple of minutes). Good. Organization. Choice.

There were 3 aid stations on-course, generous for a 5K course. The aid stations handed out only water, very minimal. The volunteer-organized OktobeRun has water and Gatorade, and the SV Turkey Trot has water and Gatorade plus GU gel packets at some aid stations. FroYo would do well to bring on a sports drink, and maybe a gel packet co-sponsor! I’ve read (in another review) that there were mile markers. I didn’t see them, but maybe I was too focused on my walking-running. I would have appreciated seeing mile markers. Maybe use larger mile markers?

Swag & Goodies:
I’m a bit torn here. I like race T-shirts (as Reb Tevye would say, “It’s a tradition!”). I wear them for work-outs, and I sometimes wear them in races. On the other hand, the hat is tech type and very nice, and the sunglasses are protective from UV (OTOH, the orange frame …). The hat is olive green, with the FroYo swirl logo and “FroYo Run” embroidered. The bibs are color-coded (green and orange, get it?) for the 5K and 10K distances. The finisher’s medal and ribbon are in FroYo’s corporate green and orange colors: the swirl logo in green; “FroYo Run 2015” in orange and the corporate font; the ribbon is orange with white lettering, “FroYo Run” and the swirl.

The finish line goodies were skimpy. FroYo is the sponsor of the race, and giving out samples of their product (together with logo-swag = advertising) is the premier feature of the finish area. But the FroYo plus unchilled bottles of water were it for goodies. Even ignoring Brazen Racing’s plentiful and varied finish line goodies, the variety at FroYo 2015 wasn’t. Simply adding cut up oranges, bananas, and bagels (if done by a co-sponsor it would cost FroYo nothing) would be a huge improvement, but still basic compared to what is common in race finish areas.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
My expectations coming into this race were quite moderate. This is context for my review and impressions of the overall race experience, not to denigrate the FroYo Run. I’ve done several races in central San Jose, and knew it wouldn’t be a gorgeous course. I signed up because it was close & convenient, the medal looked cool, and it suited a goal toward which I’m working (transitioning from walking to running in races).

In regard to the latter purpose, I was quite happy. I did do some running, which I’m sure improved my finish time by several minutes. Mission accomplished, onward and upward!

As to my overall opinion, I’m in a bit of a quandary. Were the FroYo Run a well-established race, in the context of what is common/normal in the SF Bay Area, I’d rate it 3 shoes. But my understanding is that this is the FroYo Run’s inaugural season. For that and the fact that it could improve “easily”, I’m giving it 4 shoes. One thing I appreciated greatly was that the race was geared to be very family-friendly. The pre-race and post-race pace was relaxed. There was a costume and a gummy bear toss contest (with a very chatty announcer). And, of course, frozen yogurt with toppings is very kid-friendly. I saw many families doing the race as a family event (including one largish group of families from a homeschoolers’ support group). The 2015 San Jose FroYo Run was also very friendly for runners who don’t do a lot of organized races. On the whole, the fundamentals of the race organization were solid – no mess-ups or bottlenecks that would spoil the race experience. I hope FroYo and its event organizer learn from this year and come back next year providing an even better race experience.

Addendum: FroYo Run recently sent out a Survey Monkey survey to people who did the FroYo Run. While not saying so in so many words, this strongly suggests to me that there will be a next year. They definitely stated that they want to improve the FroYo Run, and included a text box for improvement suggestions.

Second Addendum: sfgal78 commented in her review that the FroYo Run 10K course was as much as a half mile short. I was uncertain of this, as the course had several out-and-back short leglets, and went between large buildings a number of times. I don’t know how well GPS watches work in that sort of environment (especially between large buildings). I did a 10K on 10/17/2015 in which my performance was similar to or a bit better than what I did in the FroYo 10K, except my finish time was 5 minutes longer. That isn’t anything like a precise comparison, but I think it confirms sfgal78’s observation. Because of this, I’ve also down-rated the Overall rating and Race production rating. A 10K course that is a half mile, >8%, short is sloppy organization, and who wants a PR time that is not real? I deleted my time, which was a “PR”. I’d rather my Past Races list look like I DNFed than to have a bogus finish time.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
2
SCENERY
1
SWAG
4
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Course description: This was my second time walking/running the Summer Breeze Half Marathon, plus doing the Bay Breeze Half on the same course this year. The course is pretty simple … MORE

Course description:
This was my second time walking/running the Summer Breeze Half Marathon, plus doing the Bay Breeze Half on the same course this year. The course is pretty simple to describe: it starts and finishes at Marina Park in San Leandro; it’s an out-and-back along the Bay Trail toward Hayward, with the half marathon turn-around being in sight of the San Mateo Bridge. Of the Brazen Racing events I’ve done this one of the less beautiful, but it is very pleasant. Brazen has some gorgeous courses! Racers have the bay close on one side (except for a few brief jaunts a few 10s of yards inland) and marshland on the other (except for a brief passing of a house complex). It’s not knock-you-out gorgeous, but pretty and peaceful. The 5K course includes a loop not used for the 10K and half marathon, and is entirely paved trail.

Exception for a few patches while passing that housing area the course is without shade – sun protection is a MUST. In 2014 it was clear pretty much the entire race; in 2015 it was overcast the first hour or two of the half marathon, with a steady breeze the entire time. Checking weather forecasts in the week or so before the race is a good idea.

Organization & Production:
In general I regard Brazen as the best race organizer in the SF Bay Area of medium-sized trail races at their price range. Registration and check-in are smooth. Courses are always well marked and monitored. Aid stations offer a wide variety of snacks, with water and sports drink, and are always staffed with friendly and helpful volunteers. The food in the finish area is also varied and plentiful – chips, cakes, cookies, fruit, and It’s It ice cream sandwiches. All that was true of Summer Breeze.

I did experience a couple of aspects of Brazen’s organizing that I hadn’t before. Originally I had signed up to do Summer Breeze “Remote”. I was going to be on vacation outside of the SF Bay Area. That didn’t happen, so I changed my registration to doing a regular half marathon. While the changeover was easy, somehow my pre-race T-shirt packaging got complicated by there being a larger than normal number of late registrations. My envelope had a cotton T-shirt rather than the tech T-shirt half marathon racers normally receive. While at the table to see whether I could trade for a tech-type I happened to overhear one of Brazen’s owners explaining to the table volunteers about the surge of late registrants. There were no tech T-shirts available pre-race. I was told to return to the T-shirt table after finishing, when the T-shirts of no-shows would be available first-come-first-served. Being slow, there were no men’s tech T-shirts available when I finished.

What was different from my otherwise similar experience with another race organizer is that Brazen’s planning allowed for late registrants to the degree that I have a very nice race T-shirt in my size, in cotton rather than tech-type. On the whole I regard that as an organizing success (unlike the other organizer, from whom I have a T-shirt that does not fit and cannot, regardless of any weight I might lose) in a real-world context.

While, strictly speaking, it isn’t entirely Brazen’s organizing, the atmosphere in the start/finish area and on the course is very family picnic-like. Many racers have done several – or many – Brazen events before and have developed friendships. Somewhere around mile 7 or 8 I had to stop and sit down to remove a pebble from my shoe. I was surprised by how many passing runners asked me if I was OK! I know runners tend to care about each other “out there”, but I was surprised by how many checked up with me as they were passing.

Swag & Goodies:
As with Summer Breeze 2014 and Bay Breeze 2015, the bib, T-shirt, and finisher’s medal have a nautical theme, and are a coordinated pair with those of Bay Breeze 2015. The bib has the race info, a whale, the number, and is personalized. The front of the T-shirt has the whale, with the race name and year in artwork styling similar to 19th Century whaling art. The back features the whale, with the race info and sponsors’ logos incorporated in the top and bottom of the artwork. The finisher’s medal has the whale and race info, very nicely done.

The aid stations had the usual variety of snacks – candies, cookies, chips, pretzels, and fruit, plus water and sports drink. The finish area food was also similar to what Brazen usually has, baked goods, chips, pretzels, and fruit. Maybe I’ve not noticed before, but they also had bagels and some toppings. By the time I finished they were already out of It’s Its, due to the surge of late registrants (and me being slow). As a whole the finish line “spread” late in the race was still as good or better than what most races have when everything is still available.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
For some reason this course, in the past, has tempted me to be too aggressive for my abilities, and I’ve twice finished with boot prints on my tail. So this time I was determined to be more careful and finish without calf cramping or running out of gas or having the stop to barf on my way home. I know, what a challenge! I probably took home some energy I’d prefer to have used on the trail to get a better time, but I’m pretty happy to have finished without cramping or barfing.

This is the second time I’ve done Summer Breeze, and it was my third Brazen race on this course. So I certainly would consider doing it again. The reasonably flat course of the Breeze races makes for good chances of a PR and an “easy” introduction to trail races.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course description: Dirty Dozen has several “distances”: normal 5K and 10K distances (two of each, morning and the afternoon); 6-hour and 12-hour times. All “distances” use the same course, a … MORE

Course description:
Dirty Dozen has several “distances”: normal 5K and 10K distances (two of each, morning and the afternoon); 6-hour and 12-hour times. All “distances” use the same course, a 3.37 mile loop around Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Park; the same course used for Brazen’s Nitro Trail and Nitro Turkey 5K. 5Kers do the loop once; 10Kers do the loop twice; runners and walkers doing the 6-hour and 12-hour events do as many loops as they can within that time. In addition, for the 6-hour and 12-hour people, there is a 2/3 mile “short loop” that came into use in the last hour of each event for those unable to do a full loop in the remaining time, but wanting to squeeze a bit more distance into the allotted time.

There are no monster hills on the course, but there are a couple of hills, plus a couple more longer stretches that are steadily uphill. The hills aren’t THAT significant the first couple of laps, but with time and laps those hills add up and take a toll. The hills on the course are far from insuperable, but they are significant.

Dirty Dozen, in my opinion, has one of Brazen’s more beautiful venues, with broad vistas of various parts of San Pablo and San Francisco Bays. Runners also go through shaggy fragrant eucalyptus groves that make the course on the order of 40%-50% shade (it can be warm and sunny!). One can also see remnants of the explosives company that once operated there. I did the 6-hour time, and have to admit that after the 2nd or 3rd time around the charm got a bit diminished (being warm and tired probably influenced that as well). I didn’t do a short loop, so I can’t describe it.

Organization & Production:
My opinion that Brazen may be the best organizer in the SF Bay Area of races of this size and price is expressed in several reviews. If Brazen’s usual variety of aid station snacks and finish area food is the standard, this event was over-the-top! Check-in was quick and smooth. The course was well marked, and there were just two aid stations – in the start/finish area and approximately mid course. Because of the longer duration of the overall event the snacks available at the aid stations varied through the day, with “new” things being added through the day (I’ve heard rumors that Otter Pops were available later in the day). The changeover to using the short loop and the announced instructions were clear and well done.

While technically not a part of Brazen’s organization, one of the things that makes Brazen races great experiences is the family-like atmosphere. As with everything else, this was beyond the excellent “ordinary” (for a Brazen race). It was like a ginormous family picnic, with some of the crazier folk in your family!

Swag & Goodies:
Unlike other Brazen races, a race T-shirt was not included in the registration fee. Instead, it included a pull-over hoodie. The sweatshirt is dark blue; the front has “DD-VI” (the 6th running of the event), and the name, location and date of the event. The back has what looks like a 45 RPM record – i.e. setting personal records – with similar information in the center hole and on the “label” of the record. There were T-shirts for the endurance events and for the 5K & 10K, but I didn’t buy either (by the time I inquired they were out of the T-shirts for the 6- & 12-hour events)

The T-shirt and finishers’ medal for the 5K and 10K featured a jolly oozy mud monster forming a heart with his thumbs and forefingers. The finishers’ medal for the endurance event was a coaster similar to the back of the sweatshirt. The ribbon for the endurance medal has LP records on a red background, with the name and year of the event.

As mentioned above, the aid station snacks and finish area food were above and beyond Brazen’s normal great variety. I “only” saw what was at the aid station in the late morning, but in addition to the usual candies, fruit, cookies, chips, and drinks they also had quartered, boiled red-skin potatoes. That I remember (I won’t claim great clarity of perception and thought 15 miles into a race!). The finish area aid station was similarly extensive. The finish area food … Brazen’s norm is a wide variety of goodies in the finish area – cookies, cakes, chips, pretzels, fruit, and several flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches. The variety at Dirty Dozen was even greater, including another type of ice cream sandwich. And then there was … barbecue from Slow Hand BBQ in nearby Pleasant Hill. They had pulled pork, brisket, beans, and coleslaw. Very! Tasty!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Time endurance events are different from specified distance events. I know, I have a reasonable grasp on the totally obvious. Instead of how fast can I go in a fixed distance, it’s how far can I go in a fixed time. Strategically it’s different; the goal is to last for a certain amount of time while eking out distance. I was not able to keep going the whole 6 hours. I had to stop at 5 hours and 16.85 miles, out of gas, feet hurting. That was farther in distance than I’ve ever done, and as far as I could do on that course, in that weather, and that phase of the moon. I’d love to have done another lap – to top 20 miles – but that I did not is my “fault”, not the fault of the race. It was like a mark on the wall, showing where I am, what I can do, today.

As I said above, the course of this race is very beautiful. Whether Dirty Dozen, Nitro Trail, or Nitro Turkey, I think SF Bay Area and Central California runners should do a race at Point Pinole. The 10K and half marathon courses for the latter two add a loop around a part of Point Pinole not used in Dirty Dozen. Coastal Trail Runs also has a race that uses much the same courses.

Would I do Dirty Dozen again? I haven’t thought that far into the future for actual plans, but I can see using Dirty Dozen again to gauge where I am in my abilities. I’ve been tentatively planning to do Nitro Turkey this year (2015), and what I saw at Dirty Dozen encourages those plans.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course description: This is a very demanding course (though not Brazen's toughest race)! The start/finish area is in the forests of beautiful Sanborn Park, above Saratoga, CA. The first ~2 … MORE

Course description:
This is a very demanding course (though not Brazen’s toughest race)! The start/finish area is in the forests of beautiful Sanborn Park, above Saratoga, CA. The first ~2 1/2 miles is a ~1600-foot more or less unbroken climb to the Skyline Trail. From there the course is two out-and-back legs along the that Trail. This trail parallels Skyline Blvd. (SR35), but racers don’t often hear, and less frequently see, cars on the highway. The course then descends back to Sanborn Park, but by a different trail. This latter trail has some fairly steep descents, with lots of switch-backs. It has many exposed rocks and tree roots, requiring runners and walkers to be VERY attentive to avoid ankle turns and falls (I fell, for my first time in any race, and I was far from alone, from what I’ve heard). I’m not whining, it’s just a demanding course. The course, as a whole, is gorgeous, forested , with a mix of tree types, including some coastal redwoods. That means that most of the course is shaded (I’d estimate 80%-90%), which is great, since June can get warm.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in other reviews that I think Brazen is one of the best race organizers in the San Francisco Bay Area, and this race was no exception. Brazen is consistent! I did the packet pick-up two days before the race, as it was at a store close to me. It wasn’t a busy time, so the friendly volunteer had my bib and was finding my T-shirt by the time I checked in and signed the waiver.

Course marking was excellent (signs, color-coded flags, and sandwich signs) with people at key points to direct traffic. Aid stations were suitably located, well-stocked to the very end, with goodies and friendly, helpful, and encouraging volunteers.

This was the smallest Brazen race I’ve participated in to date, with 448 finishers for all distances. The start/finish area was suitably compact and well organized. Even though I was the very last halfer to finish (Sam and Jasmin’s son handed me my finisher’s medal, very cool!), there was no lack of goodies. Situated in a picnic area, there was also no lack of places to sit, rest, and wonder why you did this to yourself.

Swag & Goodies:
The half marathon race T-shirt is a nice bright blue tech type, with a logo situated where a pocket might be if it had a one. The logo features a rampant banana slug (a critter native to the area) in a toga-like gi and black belt (sort of a double visual pun), encircled by the race name, year, and the three distances in the race. The back has the race name, a nicely slimy jolly banana slug, the race distances in a slimy font, and “Brazen Racing”, all in yellow, plus the logos of the sponsors. The bib is personalized, and features the Ninja Slug, race name, date, and the “location”, “Slugatoga, USA”. The finisher’s medal and medal hanger are on par with some of Brazen’s best, featuring Ninja Slug and the pertinent information. I can’t say it’s my favorite, but it’s very far from my least favorite among the finisher’s medals I have. As a whole, Brazen’s finishers’ medals are done so well that “favorite” comes down to one’s personal taste and (sometimes) sense of humor.

Brazen’s aid station and finish area goodies are pretty consistent from race to race, which means a lot of variety and a lot of everything. At the finish area there were candies, chips & pretzels, cookies and cakes, several flavors of It’s It ice cream sandwiches, and probably more than I can remember.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I used the hour-early hiker’s start and my finish time was a little under 5 hours, 45 minutes. My time may be telling me things I don’t wish to hear, but I didn’t do anything stupid, and did what I am able to do. So I’m happy to have finished, with that finish time. It was only a year ago that I started toying with the idea of trying some of Brazen’s more challenging races, so I’ve come a way in the past year. I. Was. Tired. And my calves are mooing as I type this, from spasms late in the race (with so many who had turned ankles, I count myself lucky). All in all, this race is the measure of what I can do at this point in my life.

For those who like tough trail courses and those who want to take on a challenge, I’d say, “Do this race!” For those accustomed to road races, I’d suggest trying one of Brazen’s slightly less challenging hilly races first, just to see where you are. After that, if you think you can, do TrailQuake (or its December “sibling”, Summit Rock). The scenery is very rewarding – sometimes very up close and personal. This course isn’t the bright center of the trail race universe, but it will not disappoint. And Brazen does races right.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: The half marathon course forms a figure-8, with a little out-and-back spur at the waist of the 8. The 10K course follows the first loop of the figure-8. … MORE

Course description:
The half marathon course forms a figure-8, with a little out-and-back spur at the waist of the 8. The 10K course follows the first loop of the figure-8. The 5K course is an out-and-back that includes a mile-long steep hill. The half has two more steep hills, each 1.5 energy-eating miles long. Some of the trails late in the half are narrow single track. There are some nice views on the 5K course, but the 10K and half marathon have the best, especially the half. Late in the 10K and the half is a 1.5-mile steep climb to the tops of two hills that have spectacular 360-degree views of the entire northeast San Francisco Bay area (see pix!). Lots of energy (and a few expletives, in my case) expended, amazing payoff! The half has several overlook views of a portion of the nearby bay, and at one point descends into a very green and shaded wooded grove, jumping over a tiny creek. It was like a portion of an entirely different race course! I didn’t see any wild life while on the trail, but I did see some “Bovine Bandits” wander into the race course, and I think I heard Nitro Turkey and Quarry Turkey working out near by.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in other reviews of their races that I think Brazen is the best organizer of small-medium sized races at their price point in the San Francisco Bay Area. From online registration through finish line goodies and activities, Brazen does it right! Unless a race is sold out, Brazen generally does registration up through race day. Besides a price break, Brazen gives race T-shirts along with the race bib at packet pick-up to racers who registered 3 weeks or more before race day. This is nicer for early registrants who are slower than giving out race T-shirts at the finish, first-finished-first served. Quite a few racers and volunteers have run in multiple Brazen races and have become friends. Together with Brazen’s people they make for a friendly, family-picnic-like atmosphere.

At Wildcat I did packet pick-up on race day. I’ve done this at several races, and the process is always fast and efficient. With the T-shirt I had a chance to glimpse Brazen’s problem handling in action. I was given a cotton T-shirt (a very high quality one, BTW) instead of a tech T-shirt. It took me longer to explain the problem than for the exchange to be made. It wasn’t a huge problem, but the packet pick-up people knew exactly what to do.

Wildcat seems to be among Brazen’s smaller races, almost 600 finishers of all distances. While the size of the production was to scale, there was not skimping in the kinds of things done. The course was well marked and monitored. The aid stations were fully stocked and the volunteers helpful and cheery.

Swag & Goodies:
The bib, race T-shirt, and finishers’ medal are great, as usual (see pix). The T-shirt is black, with a rampant charcoal-gray cat, claws extended, on the lower left of the front. The back has fierce-looking cat eyes, the race info, Brazen’s logo, and sponsor logos. The bib has the cat eyes, the race name, the distance, the number, and the runner’s name. The medal is a brown sign post with the race name and info and “Warning Steep Trails Ahead”.

The finish area goodies were plentiful even for the last several finishers (e.g., me). By the time I finished, they were packing up, but the volunteers were very helpful, including finding an It’s It for me.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
How did I do, and would I do Wildcat again? The race day weather was very merciful. It was overcast, cool, and breezy pretty much the whole race. I think I saw the sun peeking out briefly around mile 9. Because of the longish steep hill so late in the race, I’d consider Wildcat a bit more difficult than Badger Cove, but because the day I did Badger Cove was warm and sunny, I did Wildcat 10 minutes faster (less slowly?) than Badger Cove. For where I’m at, I’m happy with my time. My brain is still recovering from the late hill (“Why am I doing this to myself?!”), so I don’t quite have a good perspective on this race. But that isn’t a problem with the race. I’ve recently started planning for 2016, and Wildcat is on my list of possibilities for May. If I don’t do Wildcat the most probable reason will be that I was pursuing some other goal (maybe attempt a full marathon at Western Pacific, another Brazen race a week or two earlier? Maybe a California Full and Half Marathon Series race?). For San Francisco Bay Area and Central California runners and walkers I’d regard Wildcat worthy of being a must-do trail run. The challenges, views, and race organization are that good!

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course description: Western Pacific starts and finishes by looping around Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, with the middle of the course being a long out-and-back leg along the Alameda Creek … MORE

Course description:
Western Pacific starts and finishes by looping around Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, with the middle of the course being a long out-and-back leg along the Alameda Creek Trail. Unlike most of Brazen’s races, Western Pacific includes a marathon distance as well as the usual half marathon, 10K, and 5K. The Half marathon follows this course once, and the full marathon does it twice. Brazen uses this venue and course for its Quarry Turkey event, and Coastal Trail Runs uses this venue and a similar course for its Quarry Lakes events. I have done both in 2014 and have reviewed both. The marathon course is USATF certified and can be used to qualify for major races such as the Boston Marathon. At Western Pacific 2015 I was a volunteer at an aid station, and did not run in the race. The course isn’t Brazen’s or Coastal’s most beautiful (though the start/finish area is truly beautiful, especially around sunrise), but it’s FAR nicer than the street courses I’ve done in central San Jose. This course and that of Brazen’s Coyote Hills event converted me to trail races. The course is pretty flat, good for a PR. Western Pacific is a good race to introduce a road racer to trail races.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in other reviews of their races that I think Brazen is the best organizer of small-medium sized races at their price point in the SF Bay Area. From online registration through finish line goodies and activities, Brazen does it right! Unless a race is sold out, Brazen generally does registration up through race day. Besides a price break, Brazen gives race T-shirts along with the race bib at packet pick-up to racers who registered 3 weeks or more before race day. This is nice for early registrants who are slower than giving out race T-shirts at the finish, first-finished-first served. Quite a few racers and volunteers have run in multiple Brazen races and have become friends. Together with Brazen’s people they make for a friendly, family-picnic-like atmosphere.

This was my second time volunteering in a Brazen event. Brazen’s organization is as impressive from that perspective as from a runner’s perspective. Volunteers range from noobs to people who have volunteered at dozens of races. Usually few or none have worked with each other before, and the number and mix isn’t clear until a week or two before race day. So organizing the parking monitors, packet pick-up tables, start/finish area, and aid stations is sort of like herding cats. Brazen has good cat-herds! One thing I appreciated as a noob is that both times I was teamed up with experienced people; aid station captains have always worked at many Brazen events. Good for learning the ropes, good for consistency for racers.

This time all the necessaries for our station had been pre-positioned the night before. We met up in the start area around 6AM, got into cars, and drove to our station. Drinks, equipment, goodies, plates, bowls, cups, and knives were all there. We were ready long before any runners arrived.

What is available for racers at an aid station? We had a nurse on our team (and there were nurses on bikes patrolling the course). Our main staples were water and sports drink, handed to runners along the edge of the course so they could take a cup as they ran past. There were also a lot of cups of both, pre-poured, on our table. We refilled water bottles on request (toward the end of the marathon I started looking at runners’ water bottles and asking them if they wanted a refill). We had a pretty full range of goodies available, normal for Brazen events. Several racers who seemed to have been in their first Brazen race said some version of, “Oh, wow!” when they approached our table. That I can remember, we had oranges, bananas, Payday bars and Rice Krispie Treats (all cut up for ease of eating), Oreos, Jelly Bellies, Mike and Ikes, Skittles, Gummy Bears, plain and peanut M & Ms, and trail mix. We also had Salt Stick caps, which have several electrolytes plus vitamin D3, and we had GU packets in at least 3 flavors. I think the only item we ran out of, toward the very end of the marathon, was the Rice Krispie Treats. Otherwise, we were well stocked and might have been able to serve another 50-100 runners (only runners doing the half and full marathons came to our station, twice and four times respectively, about 530 racers total) with an almost full range of goodies. And we had water, sports drink mix, and GU (some races’ aid stations have just those items) sufficient for even more. All in all, Brazen and its volunteers do their best to make their events as pleasant as possible and help runners do well.

Swag & Goodies:
Volunteers receive the same “tech” race T-shirts runners/walkers doing the half marathon and marathon distances received The T-shirt for Western Pacific 2015 is up to Brazen’s usual high standard, though I don’t think it will be among my favorite Brazen T-shirts. I caught a glimpse of the finisher’s medal, and it features a train in relief in a brushed metal finish. The T-shirt and medal are well into the range where personal taste prevails in picking favorites. This medal would probably have been among my favorites.

The finish area had Brazen’s usual array of fruit, pastries and cookies, salty snacks and, of course, It’s It ice cream sandwiches in several flavors.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As I said above, this was my second time volunteering in a Brazen event, and Brazen’s organization is impressive from that perspective. I currently plan to do Quarry Turkey again this year, probably the 10K distance, and may attempt the marathon distance at Western Pacific 2016. Western Pacific probably won’t be my last time volunteering at Brazen events, either. Brazen makes its races wonderful experiences.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5

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Course description (First the good part): The out-and-back course for the Santa Cruz Half Marathon starts on Beach Street near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, passes the Municipal Wharf, turns … MORE

Course description (First the good part):
The out-and-back course for the Santa Cruz Half Marathon starts on Beach Street near the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, passes the Municipal Wharf, turns onto and follows West Cliff Drive, turns a bit inland, and proceeds into Wilder Ranch State Park. There are a few short hills that are a little steep, but some one accustomed to flat road/street races wouldn’t be much hindered. The ocean views along West Cliff Drive are magnificent. The trails through Wilder Ranch go through tree groves and short uncultivated hills, and instead of a turn-around has a 1-2 mile loop that takes runners and walkers along the cliff above the shore. For beauty I’d rate this race close to a half marathon in San Francisco (see pictures!). If only for the course, I’d rate this race a must-do-at-least-once for SF Bay Area runners and walkers.

Organization & Production (Now the not so good):
I want to be careful as well as accurate, so some personal context. First, there are people who love to be critical and nit-picky. I don’t think I’m such a person. I far prefer and enjoy writing good things about good people, good products/services, and good organizations. Second, what follows has context – choices I made and my abilities. I will try to make these clear. Third, this is not my first race; I have had experiences with race organizers besides the organizer of this event, Firstwave Events. They are the background of my expectations. Finally, let me state up front: nothing that follows would have seriously hindered anyone’s participation in the race; I saw no compromises of safety.

Beginning at the beginning … the set of webpages Firstwave has for this event is pretty complete. The one thing I think missing is an elevation profile. According to the hyperlink text, the USATF map to which it points is supposed to have an elevation profile. It does not. The course map on https://www.halfmarathons.net/course-map-santa-cruz-half-marathon/ has an elevation profile. Registering for the event was not memorable, so it was as easy as it should be. Firstwave also allowed registration at packet pick-up points, including on race day. About a week before the event, Firstwave sent a race instructions email, with pretty much all the info a race participant would want.

I chose to do early packet pick-up. I live half an hour or more from Santa Cruz, so this was a welcome option. I got to the location about 10 minutes early, and there was already a small queue. No problem. Come pick-up start time, it didn’t. Some 15 minutes after the start time, 4-6 volunteers came walking in, and about 5 minutes later pick-up began. Not a huge problem, but not great, either. The packet was just the race bib. I think I understand why they did that – 3 different pick-up locations on 3 different days, and not wanting to schlep around lots of boxes of race T-shirts. That’s my guess, at least; it had consequences for me.

Come race day, I followed the directions exactly, and got where I was supposed get without problem. But when I got there, the Beach Boardwalk parking lot, another choice I made, relying on the race instructions email, bit. The email stated that parking would be $12, and that’s how much I had with me. Unfortunately, 2-3 weeks before race day – and a week or more before the race instructions email was sent – the parking fee was raised to $15. I had to find street parking that didn’t have a parking meter. I know what happened, but seemingly no one at Firstwave double-checked the Beach Boardwalk website before sending the email.

There was an adequate number of portacans in the start area, though half marathon runners had to be very careful so that start time didn’t come with them in line or inside a portacan. The portacans were located such that the lines were in the start area for all but the very fastest runners. That may have been dictated by the City of Santa Cruz. There were also several portacans at various points along the course.

Along West Cliff Drive there were volunteers at every (every!) side street to be sure runners didn’t go off course. Aid stations were well staffed. Several were supposed to have GU gel packets. I didn’t see any GU, but maybe I just didn’t notice. All stations had water and Gatorade. Besides volunteers, streets were well marked with flour and with barricade signs or traffic cones; going off-course would have taken effort. Once on the park trails (about 1/3 of the course) the course was again well marked, and there were strategically placed volunteers where a wrong turn could be made. I also noticed several course monitors on bicycles, and even a couple of ambulances here and there. As a whole, course marking and management was excellent.

The website states that the race is managed at a 15-minute-mile pace. That does not mean racers doing 16 minute miles will be picked up by sweepers. What it does mean is that aid stations may be running low, packing up, or closed, depending how much slower one is. I was a little faster that 16 minute miles and saw some packing, but stations still had water and Gatorade available. It also means that at some point late in the race the course will be shifted a few feet from West Cliff Drive itself onto a parallel walking path. Other than being a little closer to the ocean, this doesn’t hurt the race experience (if anything, it enhances it a little). There were other pedestrians on the path, but I wasn’t affected by them.

Probably my biggest disappointment was T-shirt pick-up, which was after finishing. I wasn’t the very last to finish, but I was in the last 10% of finishers. I went straight to the T-shirt tables – didn’t get water, didn’t get a bagel, didn’t collect $200. They were out of my size. They were out of the next size larger. I took a men’s Large, so I would have a race T-shirt, but was pretty sure it wouldn’t fit. It doesn’t: not around my too substantial gut; not my broad shoulders (which I cannot change); not my longish torso. This bothered me, and still does. I registered well in advance, but because I’m a walker, men who registered late, on pick-up days, and on race day – but were a bit faster – got all the XL T-shirts, the size I paid for when I registered. Men who finished after me and wanted XL or XXL had the same disappointment. This race was my third with Firstwave Events. One of those also had T-shirt pick-up at the finish, and there too they were out of my requested size; the next size larger was available and was fine. All in all, this was poor planning and organization! And Firstwave’s loss of advertising, since I wear race T-shirts to the gym and out on trails between races.

Swag & Goodies:
The finish line is on the beach on the other side of (i.e. north of) the Municipal Wharf, 50 or 100 yards from the start. An announcer called out finishers by name, and there was bottled water and sports drink in ice water filled tubs right by the finish. There were also several tables with bananas, bagels, cream cheese, and protein bars (that I can remember). Late finishers were not skimped.

How was the swag? The bib is very nice, with a picture of a hotel that is visible from the start area. The hotel that might be a local icon, but I would have preferred something more scenic. There is also a saying across the bottom about the nicest views being from running shoes, but it has a typo (the 2014 Jungle Run bib, also a Firstwave event, had the date wrong, so I sense a pattern). The medal and ribbon are very nice, with a surfer theme. Both depict a VW bus with a surfboard, plus the race name and date and the words, “half marathon finisher”. It’s on par with the quality of the finishers’ medals from Rock ‘n’ Roll or Brazen Racing. The T-shirt front has artwork similar to that of the medal (see picture with T-shirt, medal and bib), except it lists all three distances. The back is blank – not even the logos of the race sponsors (or the organizers!). A couple of runners I saw were wearing the 2014 SCHM T-shirt, which was on par with the 2014 Jungle Run T-shirt, one of my favorites among the race T-shirts I have. The 2015 SCHM T-shirt is good; the 2014 SCHM T-shirt is somewhere between excellent and amazing.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
So, the bottom line question: would I do this race again? I have to give a qualified answer. I would not do the Santa Cruz Half Marathon again soon if it is organized by Firstwave Events. I plan to do two more events this year organized by Firstwave, the Jungle Run and the Morgan Hill Half Marathon. They are part of the Bay Area Running Series, for which there is a special medal for completing at least 3 of the 4 events. So where I’m concerned, Firstwave will have 2 opportunities this year to show me they’ve tightened up their organizing. If they do, I would consider again doing the Santa Cruz Half Marathon and/or the Jungle Run (which is held in Los Gatos, very near where I live). The SF Bay Area has a good number of excellent race organizers, and even more well-organized “indy” races. So I won’t lack choices.

My finish time was not a PR, but I was happy with it – I didn’t have any mea goofas, nor was I a slacker.

Addendum: I contacted Firstwave by Facebook and email. I was hoping to get a T-shirt that fits, obviously, but more importantly, some assurance that Firstwave recognized the problem with their process and would adjust/change it. I didn’t succeed in the latter, as best I can tell. After a couple of responses, Firstwave has been silent. I’ll be doing two Firstwave events this year. The next one hands out T-shirts at the finish, so I’ll soon see if they have increased their allowance for late registrants. UPDATING THIS: the Jungle Run, for which I was already registered, was cancelled, due to the start/finish venue being unavailable. Between this and being given but ~6 weeks notice, fair or unfair (on my part), I’m done with Firstwave’s events. I requested a refund rather than a registration for the 2016 Jungle Run. I received the refund check some 6 weeks later..

Realistically, this issue is one that might only be experienced by really slow racers, like me. Handing out T-shirts pre-race, guaranteeing those who register before a certain date their chosen T-shirt type and size would avoid this problem and encourage early registration. Firstwave does that with the Morgan Hill Marathon and Half Marathon.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
2
SCENERY
5
SWAG
3
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Course description: Badger Cove is a challenging hill trail race set along and above the southern half of the east shore of Lake Del Valle (near Livermore, CA). Starting at … MORE

Course description:
Badger Cove is a challenging hill trail race set along and above the southern half of the east shore of Lake Del Valle (near Livermore, CA). Starting at the East Beach picnic area, the 2015 course had a short southward out-and back leg, and then the half marathon followed a long, more or less out and back, leg northward that included going up and down a steep hill twice – outbound and inbound – and a loop around the southern peninsula of Badger Cove.

I had fairly high expectations for how pleasant the views would be, expectations met and exceeded. The rolling and steep hills were covered with green grasses, sometimes with groves of trees, sometimes dotted with large lone trees. There were beautiful hilltop overlooks with vistas of Lake Del Valle and of the surrounding hills. The views of the lake from the Badger Cove peninsula were gorgeous!

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in other reviews of their races that I think Brazen is the best organizer of small-medium sized races at their price point in the SF Bay Area. From online information and registration through finish line goodies and activities, Brazen does it right! Quite a few racers and volunteers have participated in multiple Brazen races and have become friends. Together with Brazen’s people they create a friendly, family-picnic-like atmosphere. 2015 Badger Cove was no exception.

All the many individual details that create a total race experience were up to Brazen’s usual high standard. Set-up began while still dark (I had arrived early, and almost walked into a picnic bench while looking for the porta-cans), and race day check-in was running by 6:45, well before sunrise. The early “Hikers” start was delayed 15 minutes, for safety. By the time I reached the first aid station it was fully set up. Course marking and monitoring was excellent. I was among the very last to complete the race, so I saw that the aid stations had plenty of drinks and snacks to the very end.

Badger Cove Half Marathon 2015 did not use the course ordinarily used for the race, due to a key trail section having been closed. This forced a near complete re-routing, within the same area of the park but using perhaps just 2-3 miles of the usual course. The resulting course was a bit more difficult than the usual one. I mention this: to point out that I did not experience the usual course (more on this later); to highlight Brazen’s flexibility. I do not know how much notice Brazen had – probably not long – but they plotted a new, equivalent, course, marked and monitored as well as in any Brazen race. Had I not known the course was different and Brazen had not used it before, I would not have known from the organization and marking.

Swag & Goodies:
Brazen’s race swag – T-shirt, bib, and finisher’s medal – are normally excellent. The 2015 Badger Cove T-shirt was green, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, with a “Leprebadger” theme front and back. The bib featured a fairly real-looking badger. The finisher’s medal depicted the Leprebadger dancing in front of his pot of gold (at the end of a rainbow, of course); the St. Patrick’s Day themed ribbon gave the name of the race, and featured shamrocks and the Leprebadger running the race. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who registered 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

Finish area goodies … the goodies were the same as usual, excellent. Brazen is consistent, which means few surprises – not all surprises are good. So, It’s It ice cream sandwiches in several flavors, pastries, cookies, cake, bananas, oranges … more than I can easily recall.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
How did I do? This was the first race in quite a while when I had done all my personal prep without forgetting anything (full meal, sunscreen, water, etc.). And I did not make errors like being overly or under aggressive. The course was the most difficult I’ve ever done – I knew it would be, even the regular course – and it was a warm day (mid 70s in the shade when I finished). Badger Cove is not Brazen’s most difficult race, but on that day my just under 5 hours finish time was what I could do. It wasn’t what I wished to do, but I’m working on being as happy with that finish time as I should be. Four years ago a 5K on flat streets would have been a challenge for me.

Would I do Badger Cove again? I’m an older guy, and Badger Cove is at or near my physical limits. I’m working on that. That aside, based on the race experience – Brazen, the volunteers, the participants, and the Badger Cove course – I would do Badger Cove again.

Do I think this review will be useful for others interested in this race, given the somewhat different course? I look at races as a whole experience, from learning about it and signing up through leaving the parking lot after the race. The race information, registration, and total race organization were Brazen’s excellent norm. The race was set in the same area of the same park, with the same or similar trails and views. The new course was a little more difficult, but as a whole I think my total race experience was the same as it would have been and this review is as valid and useful as if the regular course had been used.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Course description: I participated in Brazen's 2015 Hellyer Half Marathon as a volunteer, not as a runner/walker (the DB SW forced me to enter a distance and a "My performance" … MORE

Course description:
I participated in Brazen’s 2015 Hellyer Half Marathon as a volunteer, not as a runner/walker (the DB SW forced me to enter a distance and a “My performance” rating). Hellyer Half Marathon starts in San Jose’s Hellyer Park, loops around a lake, and is then an out-and-back on the Coyote Creek Trail. It’s a fairly flat course, good for getting a PR and as in intro to trail races. I’ve done and reviewed a couple of races that use the Coyote Creek Trail, and think it’s a generally beautiful course. That I know of, Coyote Creek Trail is used by the Vibha Dream Mile, Coastal Trail Runs’ Turkey Trot, JEM Racing’s Race to the End of Summer, and Moshan Productions’ Monster Dash.

Organization & Production:
Volunteers get very different views of a race. I say “views”, because parking traffic directors, check-in & start/finish area people, and the people at the various aid stations do and see different things. I worked at the second of three aid stations on the course. We were located a couple of tenths of a mile before the 10K turn-around, so half marathon and 10K racers came to our station twice, but 5K racers didn’t see us at all (except for a couple of 5K racers who decided to do 10K instead of 5K – they liked the goodies).

Volunteers sign up using the same process as registering to run in a race. We were asked by e-mail to arrive and check in at 6AM. It also informed us where we would be working (including a map to the site, supplies load/unload point, and place for parking). I waited a bit after checking in for the rest of the team to gather, and then we loaded up our stuff – lots of water in gallon bottles (8 pounds apiece!) and lots of goodies. We – about 8 of us – then drove in several vehicles to the location, unloaded, parked, and started setting up our station. We had everything we needed, from cups for water and sports drink to bowls for goodies to knives to cut up oranges and bananas to signs and trash bags plus holders. We had everything set up and ready well before the first half marathon runners arrived. All in all it was an impressive array of sugary and salty snacks, drinks, plus all the other things the station needed!

What did I do? Nothing huge or thrilling. I maintained a steady stock of cups of sports drink ready to be handed to racers. Another guy did the same with water, and we kept an eye on the snacks to be sure everything was available.

Toward the end, we cleaned our area, making sure there was no litter from the race (picking up some litter that was not from the race), loaded up equipment, unused water and goodies, and drove back to the start/finish area, where we unloaded.

A racer’s excellent (or poor) race experience is the sum of a very large number of small details, many of them handled by the volunteers. No matter how small a task, it is an essential detail among the many many essential details that make for excellent race experiences.

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt is blue, with an “Alice In Wonderland” White Rabbit theme. On the front the White Rabbit (wearing a formal Victorian coat!) is running left to right. On the back the White Rabbit is running toward the viewer. And the White Rabbit’s eyes … this isn’t a nervous and harried Disney-esque White Rabbit, he looks more like DracuBunny! The finisher’s medal also features the White Rabbit, and the ribbon has rabbits and clocks.

I’ve mentioned Brazen’s finish area spread before. Salty snacks, fruit, pastries and cookies, and, of course, It’s It ice cream sandwiches. A welcoming and tasty sight after burning off 2 or 3 thousand calories!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
What did I get from being a volunteer? Well, I received a tech-type race T-shirt – a very nice one, as is usual with Brazen – and will receive a “free” race. As nice as those are, far better were helping the racers, getting to know some of my fellow volunteers, and getting an inside glimpse of how well organized Brazen’s races are! Would I do it again? Absolutely, yes (addendum: I have volunteered again since writing this)! And I already have a race in mind! If it isn’t incredibly obvious, I definitely am trying to encourage others to volunteer as well. You will love it! And, yes, I would consider running/walking in the race.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5

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Course description: Brazen's Bay Breeze Half Marathon uses the same start/finish area as their Summer Breeze event (Marina Park in San Leandro), and the same out-and-back course along the Bay … MORE

Course description:
Brazen’s Bay Breeze Half Marathon uses the same start/finish area as their Summer Breeze event (Marina Park in San Leandro), and the same out-and-back course along the Bay Trail. I’ve reviewed Summer Breeze here on RaceRaves. The course is “flat”, mostly following the shore of the bay, with occasional jogs inland and crossing several creeks by way of wooden bridges. Lots of salt marshes on the inland side, and rocks and small beaches on the bay side. Not a stunning course, but very nice. To my mind it’s far nicer than races in central San Jose (where I’ve done several races). For users of mobile music services such as Pandora, there is good cell service along almost all of the course. There is very little shade on the course, so sunscreen is advisable and allowance should be made for warm days (like in 2015). Marina Park has a nice play area and equipment for little munchkins waiting for Mom or Dad to finish their “playtime”.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said before that I think Brazen is the best small-medium sized race organizer in their price range in the SF Bay Area. All the things I’ve praised previously, from online registration through after-race goodies, held true at 2015 Bay Breeze. For the more capable runners, Brazen had arranged with a running club (Tri-Valley Running Club, if I recall correctly) to provide pacers. I’m not remotely close to that kind of ability, but it’s definitely a great service for those who are. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who register 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

The aid stations were (as usual) generously stocked with water, sports drink, and snacks (salty and sugary – electrolytes and fuel), even for the slowest finishers.

Bay Breeze (and probably Summer Breeze) is one of Brazen’s more popular races – there were more than 1900 finishers. The race was also sold out a week or two before the race, so if this event (or Summer Breeze) sounds interesting, don’t wait until the last moment to register!

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt, finishers’ medal, and bib … I don’t know how Brazen does it, but they were excellent as usual (see pix)! The T-shirt is maroon, featuring the Octopus of Love holding out a bouquet of roses for his lady-octopus love (a marine theme for a race run on Valentine’s Day!). The finisher’s medal also depicts the Octopus of Love, and the ribbon has length-wise red (2) and white stripes, with red hearts along its length.

Finish area food was ample and generous (as usual, again) – It’s It ice cream sandwiches, cakes, pastries & cookies, chips & pretzels, and fruit … that I can remember. Late finishers – e.g. moi – did not lack!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
There’s something about this course that tempts me to be way too aggressive early on – as I did last year at Summer Breeze – and I do poorly as a consequence. It has to be the fault of the course, not the “little gray cells” between my ears! In getting my tail kicked, I had a chance to see the last couple of aid stations, the volunteers, and the finish area VERY late in the race. It was an “opportunity” I would gladly have forgone, but it was also a good look at how well Brazen organizes its events. I would do either of Brazen’s “Breeze” events again.

DIFFICULTY
1
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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I don't know if there's a proper protocol/etiquette for a second review of a second time I've run a particular race (I did run a little this time … when … MORE

I don’t know if there’s a proper protocol/etiquette for a second review of a second time I’ve run a particular race (I did run a little this time … when gravity did some of the work), but I’m going to do this as a second review. Having run it yesterday rather than almost a year ago, it’s a bit more fresh in my mind.

Course description:
The course is a loop with an out-and-back tail. It starts by crossing a marsh, going through some hills, following the bay shore for a while, up and down a hill, and then through some hills to the start area. This is done once for the 10K, and twice for the half marathon. The 5K doesn’t do the out-and-back tail up and down the hill. Unlike in 2014, there was water in the marsh in the first mile or so of the course. A wooden causeway or boardwalk is used to cross the marsh (Coyote Hills is not a mud run). Having water in the marsh made it visually much more interesting than in 2014.

One of the details I forgot in writing my review for the 2014 race is that there is not a lot of shade on the course. For the first time around of the half (and for the 10K and 5K) there is some shade from the hills themselves. But it’s a pretty open course. On clear, warmer, days sunscreen, water, and appropriate clothing (it can get warm late in the half) are a must! And pace yourself.

Organization & Production:
This year I chose to do the Hiker’s start, starting and finishing about an hour earlier than last year. There is very little parking in the park near the start/finish area, and Brazen set up offsite parking, with shuttles (8, if I recall correctly, each making multiple trips) to the start/finish area. I arrived fairly early at the off-site parking, before the shuttles started running. I got onto the first shuttle, and it started a bit before the scheduled time. Very smooth. Finishing time was a a bit different. I finished soon after and around the time many 10K and regular-start half runners did. After cooling down some I headed for the shuttle line, and it was quite a line. I probably waited 45 minutes to get on a shuttle. I’m not really complaining. Offsite parking and shuttles are necessary. My 2015 finish time resulted in my joining the shuttle line at a peak demand time. I don’t think I waited at all last year. To me this is not a problem with race organization. It’s dictated by the venue and the nature of a race. Either Brazen does the best race it can in this venue, or Brazen doesn’t do it at all. I think Brazen did the best it could, and I feel this course, scenery, and general race experience are well worth a bit of inconvenience. That said, runners and walkers considering this race should be aware of this potential wait after finishing.

The aid stations were well-stocked with liquids and snacks, are the volunteers were helpful and encouraging as usual. Brazen is very consistent, and I have a hard time writing the same thing for every Brazen race I review. Brazen’s people – employees and volunteers – work hard to make runners’ race experience excellent.

Swag & Goodies:
I think the 2015 T-shirt is nicer than that of 2014, mainly the T-shirt color (back in January of 2014, the Coyote Hills T-shirt was probably one of my favorites among what I had). Brazen’s T-shirts are good enough that “good”, “better”, and “best” depend on one’s personal preferences and, sometimes, sense of humor. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who registered 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis. The finisher’s medal is the face of a coyote, in relief, with the race info in an arc below the coyote. The ribbon has length-wise two-tone blue stripes, with the race name and distances in the center strip. Personal taste applies to finishers’ medals, but for me the 2015 Coyote Hills medal is the nicest of all the medals I have (not just Brazen’s)!

Finish area goodies …fruit and chips and pretzels and cookies and pastries and cakes and (pant, pant) It’s Its, oh my!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
My time was about the same as last year, except this time the tail-kicker was much farther behind my behind. This was my second time doing Coyote Hills, I don’t think it will be my last. Coyote Hills is a good intro to trail racing generally, with a good taste of hills.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: Brazen runs two races around the New Year, one just before or on New Year's Eve, one on New Year's Day. Both circle Lake Chabot (near Castro Valley, … MORE

Course description:
Brazen runs two races around the New Year, one just before or on New Year’s Eve, one on New Year’s Day. Both circle Lake Chabot (near Castro Valley, CA): (Almost) New Year’s Eve circles it counter-clockwise; New Year’s Day, clockwise. There is a special medal for those who do both races (doing two half marathons with four days rest between is more than I can do … right now anyway). I don’t think I’ve done any of Brazen’s most beautiful race courses yet, but of the various races I’ve done – Brazen’s and other organizers’ – the beauty of this course is, I think, second only to RnR’s 2013 San Francisco Half Marathon, which crossed and re-crossed the Golden Gate Bridge. While not Brazen’s MOST challenging, this is a challenging hill trail race. I was questioning my sanity miles before finishing; I also realized that finding and expanding my ability limits is part of what I’m doing. With these two races, weather – i.e. rain and cold – and course condition can be factors. It did not rain during 2014 (Almost) New Year’s Eve (nor the New year’s Day 2015 race), but the temperature just before sun-up was in the upper 30s F, and there was a thin sheet of ice on some sheltered areas near the lake shore. A few parts of the course were muddy from rainstorms a week or two earlier.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in many reviews of Brazen’s races that I think they are the best small-medium sized race organizer at their price point in the SF Bay Area. From online registration through the finish line goodies and activities, Brazen does it right! Brazen also has quite a few repeat racers who have become friends, which makes for a generally family picnic like atmosphere. I will add one more word of praise, consistency. Having done 5 Brazen races in 2014 (and several more since), I think that description is well earned and deserved!

Race day packet pick-up was quick, smooth, and efficient. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who register 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

Course markings were clear and course monitors were around. Aid stations were amply stocked, and volunteers helpful and encouraging. “Just” another Brazen race.

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt, bib, and finishers’ medal (see pix) were up to Brazen’s usual high quality. I would have preferred the T-shirt had had the Pegasus that was on the race bib instead of the roaring lion with a party hat. But I think that was what was on the New Year’s Day bib and T-shirt. The medal is designed to interlock with the New Year’s Day medal, for those who do both races, but doesn’t look odd on its own. The medal isn’t my one of my favorites, but it’s far better than my least favorites among the finisher’s medals I have.

Great finish area goodies – chips, fruit, sweet stuff, and It’s Its – and people (racers, Brazen people, and volunteers)! It’s getting challenging for me to find interesting ways to describe consistent excellence!

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I was very happy to finish at all, and with my time. As with Trail Hog a few months earlier, this was a, “Can I do hilly trail races at all?” test for me. And I showed myself I can. I would consider doing (Almost) New Year’s Eve again, and it is a possibility for 2015.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: Brazen Racing does two “Turkey” races, Nitro Turkey on Thanksgiving Day at Point Pinole, and Quarry Turkey on the following Saturday in Fremont's Quarry Lakes Park. Using the … MORE

Course description:
Brazen Racing does two “Turkey” races, Nitro Turkey on Thanksgiving Day at Point Pinole, and Quarry Turkey on the following Saturday in Fremont’s Quarry Lakes Park. Using the same course as their Western Pacific race, Quarry Turkey starts and finishes in Quarry Lakes Park, loops around the park twice, and has a long out-and-back leg along the Alameda Creek Trail. While not Brazen’s most beautiful course, it is still very pleasant.

Organization & Production:
I’ve said in other reviews of Brazen’s races that I think they are the best small-medium sized race organizer at their price point in the SF Bay Area. From online registration through the finish line goodies and activities, Brazen does it right! Brazen also has quite a few repeat racers who have become friends, which makes for a generally family picnic like atmosphere. The “Turkey” races are even more family friendly, with kiddie (“Little Turkeys”) races and pictures with the Turkey for each race. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who register 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

Most of the half marathon, the distance I did, is on Alameda Creek Trail, making the course markings for that part simple. The loops around Quarry Lakes Park are a little less simple, but the course markings were easy to follow. Aid stations were well spaced and amply stocked with water, sports drink, and Brazen’s usual variety of salty and sweet snacks (including pre-cut bananas and oranges).

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt and bib depict the buff Quarry Turkey at “work”.The finishers’ medals for the two “Turkeys” interlock to form a larger medallion showing the Turkeys “in action” (see the pic for the T-shirt and finishers’ medal … not the handsomest model wearing them, but …).

There wasn’t any turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes among the finish line food, but there was the usual array of chips, pretzels, baked goodies, candies, and, of course, It’s It ice cream sandwiches.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I had done a 10K in San Jose on Thanksgiving Day and then did the half marathon in this race two days later, so I was pretty out of gas by the time I finished. This year I may do that 10K in San Jose or Nitro Turkey and then the 10K distance in Quarry Turkey. Or maybe my endurance will be better. So I do plan to do this race again.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: Coastal Trail Runs' Zoom Turkey Trot has an out-and-back course along the Coyote Creek Trail, starting and finishing in San Jose, CA's Hellyer Park. It's almost the same … MORE

Course description:
Coastal Trail Runs’ Zoom Turkey Trot has an out-and-back course along the Coyote Creek Trail, starting and finishing in San Jose, CA’s Hellyer Park. It’s almost the same course as the Vibha Dream Mile, which I’ve reviewed previously. The course follows Coyote Creek, is almost flat, mostly rural, well shaded, and very pleasant.

Organization & Production:
For a price that is easy on the budget, Coastal Trail Runs gives racers an excellent race experience: a beautiful, well marked course; an appropriate number of well stocked aid stations; good after race goodies; a tech T-shirt for racers of all distances. One could do two Coastal events for the price of one Rock ‘n’ Roll event, and while Coastal’s events have 1/5 – 1/10 the number of racers of a Rock ‘n’ Roll event, I don’t much like mooo-ving experiences in races. Smaller races tend to have a family picnic feel, which I like.

Swag & Goodies:
The finish line food was a pleasant and plentiful array of salty and sweet snacks, plus fruit. Neither variety nor quantity are skimped. It being Thanksgiving Day, I didn’t linger and graze, so I can’t do a very good list, but at Coastal’s registration price, the finish area food is pretty impressive.

Coastal Trail Runs’ T-shirts and finishers’ medals artwork are a bit simpler that Rock ‘n’ Roll’s or Brazen Racing’s, but this is a comparison of very good to excellent. I especially like the humor of the Zoom Turkey Trot T-shirt and medal image, a spaced-out looking (from all the Zooming?) turkey (see the pic for the T-shirt and finishers’ medal … not the handsomest model, but …).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I’ve done the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot 3 times, and it uses most of the same course as the 408K (also 3 times) and the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose 1/2 Marathon (twice). 8 races sharing much the same course! I decided to do something different for Thanksgiving 2014, and I already knew Zoom is an excellent organizer – in my opinion, possibly the best in its price range in the SF Bay Area. The Zoom Turkey Trot did not disappoint. Because I was doing a half marathon two days later I wasn’t at all aggressive. I was happy with what I did in the two Thanksgiving weekend races. Coastal’s Zoom Turkey Trot is among the Thanksgiving weekend races I’m considering for 2016, and will be for years to come (if I’m still around).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4
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Course description: The Morgan Hill Half Marathon is a loop course that starts and ends in the Morgan Hill, CA Centennial Center. The course takes the racer from city streets, … MORE

Course description:
The Morgan Hill Half Marathon is a loop course that starts and ends in the Morgan Hill, CA Centennial Center. The course takes the racer from city streets, through country roads, and back to city streets. The country roads go past horse corrals and vineyards, through scenic hills, and past a lake west of Morgan Hill. The Marathon course is a similar, but larger, loop. While not as challenging as many hill trail races, there are hills. And they are not trivial. An under-prepared racer could get their tail kicked by this race! I’d say the degree of challenge of this race is similar to or a little greater than that of the Jungle Run, (also organized by First Wave Events). All in all, while not spectacular, much of the country roads part of the course is beautiful. And the city streets are residential, visually more pleasant than business or industrial.

Organization & Production:
The organization of this race, from online registration through the finish area activities and goodies – and everything in between – was excellent. Particularly noticeable to me was the course management – the aid stations (basic, but well-stocked, and the volunteers were friendly and encouraging), course monitors, and availability of assistance. There was a hikers start – which I took advantage of – a half hour before the regular marathon and half marathon start. I did not see any of the shortcomings in this race that I had seen in the Jungle Run. Vendors were still all present and busy when I finished (there being a marathon, with many runners not yet finished, could have been part of the reason for this). Similarly, there was ample food in the finish area, but I didn’t stay long enough to see how things were for late finishers of the marathon. The race T-shirt was given out the day before, at packet pick-up, avoiding the potential problem handing out T-shirts at the finish creates for late finishers – running out of popular sizes before everyone who wants one has finished (see below). The 2014 Morgan Hill Half Marathon was an all-around well done race.

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt is simple, but VERY nice, and the finishers’ medal is of excellent quality (see pics). 2014 was the 5th running of the Morgan Hill Marathon and Half Marathon, and the T-shirt and medal both commemorated this. Other than noticing that food was plentiful, I didn’t notice what was available. I do remember seeing bottles of water and sports drinks in tubs of ice water near the finish. I was a bit more focused on not throwing up (I know, charming).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Cutting to the chase (race?) … well, it’s not as simple as it was when I first wrote and posted this review. I was planning to do the Morgan Hill Half Marathon again in 2015, as part of the Bay Area Running Series (doing 3 of the 4 races in the series earns a special medal). On its own merits, this race is well done and very nice, worth doing again. Three factors have come together to change my plans for 2015 and the foreseeable future.

The 3 races I planned to do in the series are the Jungle Run (in Los Gatos, which I did in 2014), the Santa Cruz Half Marathon, and the Morgan Hill Half Marathon. At the 2014 Jungle Run, I experienced the “potential” problem with handing out race T-shirts to runners as they finish. They were down to one T-shirt in my size, with probably another 10-15 runners yet to finish. I chose to receive the next size larger, of which they had several, which worked fine. At the SCHM they were out of my size; they were out of the next size larger; I took one of the next size smaller, which does not fit due to my shoulder breadth and torso length. After that I was still going to do the series races I had planned on, but then my last straw came.

The 2015 Jungle Run – for which I was already registered – was canceled. The venue for the start/finish area fell through, and First Wave said they were unable to find another suitable venue. They sent the cancellation notice just 40 days before race day, after most alternatives (not a lot, in July) had already raised their registration fees above their early-registration prices. The 4th race in the series would work poorly for me – farther from my home than any race I’ve done to date (I’m writing this in late June, 2015), and a point-to-point course (making race day even longer in duration).

I’m not going to go for the Series medal, not doing the 2015 MHHM. And, “fair” or not, I will not do First Wave Events-organized races for at least a couple of years. I’m sure First Wave could tighten up their organizing (assuming they recognize their issues and choose to improve), But there are many good organizers and well-run events in the SF Bay Area. I choose to reward their fine organization work by giving them my business.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: The OktobeRun is run in the Redwood City, CA area (guess in what month!). The 2014 start/finish area was at the Port of Redwood City (run in conjunction … MORE

Course description:
The OktobeRun is run in the Redwood City, CA area (guess in what month!). The 2014 start/finish area was at the Port of Redwood City (run in conjunction with the Redwood City Port Festival). The 2015 start/finish area will be at a school district office in downtown Redwood City. Most of its flat out-and-back course is along the Bay Trail, which mostly follows the shore of that part of San Francisco Bay. The Bay views are very pleasant. Parts of the trail go between the US Highway 101 freeway and a variety of business buildings and the San Carlos Airport. Those those views are less pleasant, and “feature” freeway traffic noise. The 2014 course had VERY little shade (I’m writing in June, 2015, and have not seen the first and last mile or so). Weather permitting, the course should be pretty good for doing a PR.

Organization & Production:
The OktobeRun is a fund-raiser for Redwood City schools, organized and run entirely by volunteers. That makes me feel badly about my 3-Shoe rating! Much that led to my low rating are things the organizers are “stuck” with: area geography (a park trail course would be more scenic, but also hilly, limiting the number of participants and less family-friendly); working in conjunction with another event; weather. I think the organizers selected and set up about as good a start/finish area and course as were available to them.

For being organized entirely by volunteers and only in its 4th running, race organization was somewhere between very good and excellent. I arrived before most of the volunteers. Most of the signage directing racers to parking and the start/finish area was not up yet (probably could not be done the night before). Being early is my habit for an event in an unfamiliar area, so I’ll take all the “blame” for that. There were a good number of porta-potties, though 100-200 yards away from the start/finish area and not very visible from the start/finish area. The placement was probably due to the Port Festival. A directing sign or two would have been helpful. There was one turn where the course was not marked and I went 40 or 50 yards off course. A nearby aid station volunteer quickly got me back on course. Aid stations were appropriate in location and number, and had water and Gatorade (basic but easily adequate; the race benefits a charity, and if I want a snack I can bring it; in other words, I’m fine with what they did). The stations were well stocked even late in the race. The volunteers at the aid stations were very helpful and encouraging. Organizing volunteers is like herding cats, so this is a sign of both good organization and good people volunteering. I’ll take excellent volunteers over elaborate aid station spreads any/every time!

Swag & Goodies:
There were plenty of after race goodies and activities in the finish area (quite well done for being set up in a business parking lot!), plus the nearby Port Festival (it will be less close in 2015, but on the same weekend). The race T-shirt is simple, but VERY nice (see pic). It is black and long-sleeved, humorously inappropriate for 2014’s very warm race day, so I didn’t wear it in the race. Evidently a previous year’s race weather was chilly. But being black and long-sleeved, and its simple elegance make it one of the favorite race T-shirts I have. I didn’t receive a finisher’s medal, but from what I saw it also was very nice. A perk for half marathon finishers is a magnetic “13.1” oval car sticker with the OktobeRun logo (I hope they have these again in 2015!).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Would I do the OktobeRun again? My race experience was less than pleasant: heat and lack of shade; dropping out of the race at the Mile 10 aid station due to being too aggressive (mea goofa!) and both calves cramping early (before Mile 3!); the partly less than pretty course. On the up-side, I got a ride back to the finish area, and the volunteers at that aid station were very helpful! The organizers could not control these less pleasant things; some were my poor judgment and luck. On the other hand, the venue, course and weather are part of any race experience. All in all, I would consider doing the OktobeRun again. “Beating” the only half marathon course, so far, that has “beat” me is some incentive. And it really is well organized. It isn’t on my must-do list, however due to a change of plans I am considering doing it again in 2015.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course description: Trail Hog utilizes trails in Joseph D. Grant Park near Mt. Hamilton, in the hills and mountains just east of San Jose. Generally, the course is two connected … MORE

Course description:
Trail Hog utilizes trails in Joseph D. Grant Park near Mt. Hamilton, in the hills and mountains just east of San Jose. Generally, the course is two connected loops. What sticks most in my mind is hills and trees. Though run in the late summer, the venue and trails are beautiful, and there is an reasonable amount of shade. I did Trail Hog in 2014, and the weather was not too warm, but in talking to other racers I learned that it got pretty hot (in the 90s) in 2013. So Trail Hog’s challenges are the hills, the distance, the hills, and a high possibility of warm weather. One other thing I should mention, for those using a service like Pandora for music while running/walking, cell reception in much of the park is somewhere between poor and none.

Organization & Production:
I’ve mentioned before that I think Brazen is the best organizer of small-medium sized races in the SF Bay Area. Trail Hog was everything I’ve come to expect of a Brazen race: smooth organization; beautiful venue; well-marked and monitored course; amply stocked (variety and quantity) aid stations; family-like atmosphere. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who register 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

Swag & Goodies:
As always, the after-race goodies were great – in variety and quantity! The T-shirt, bib, and finishers’ medal were all excellent (see pics)! The artwork featured a running Rat Fink-inspired hog. On the medal, Hog Fink (my nickname for the character) is pursuing an It’s It ice cream sandwich, one of the goodies available among the cakes, cookies, pastries, chips, and pretzels in the finish line food.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Trail Hog was easily the most difficult race I had done up to that point! Trail Hog is possibly the least difficult (an odd description for a difficult race, but I can’t think of a better) among the challenging races in Brazen’s Ultra Half Challenge Series. For me Trail Hog was a, “Might I be able to do this?” test. I was REALLY done in at the end, but I finished it. I had planned to do Trail Hog again in 2015 as part of the Ultra Half Challenge, but I’ve since come to the realization that finishing the final, mandatory, race in the challenge – Rocky Ridge – in the allotted time is still beyond my current abilities. So my plans for 2015 have changed, but I will be working to improve my abilities and I may again do Trail Hog and attempt to do the Series.

DIFFICULTY
5
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: Summer Breeze is one of Brazen Racing's several relatively flat course trail races. The course is an out-and-back that starts and finishes in Marina Park (San Leandro, CA) … MORE

Course description:
Summer Breeze is one of Brazen Racing’s several relatively flat course trail races. The course is an out-and-back that starts and finishes in Marina Park (San Leandro, CA) following the Bay Trail south toward Hayward and back toward the park. The 5K course goes out onto a little peninsula not used by the 10K or half marathon course (which stay on and have different turn-around points on the Bay Trail). Racers get very pleasant views of the Bay and of several creeks that pour into the Bay. Being a relatively flat course, this is a good race for a personal record and as a “easy” introduction to trail races. For users of mobile music services such as Pandora, there is good cell service along almost all of the course. The challenges in this race are the distance and the possibility of warm weather. This is the same venue and course Brazen uses for its Bay Breeze race in February. Summer Breeze and Bay Breeze are a bit larger than some Brazen races, probably due to the flat course, accessible venue, and prospects of pleasant weather. Marina Park also has a nice play area for racers’ munchkins. I think both sell out, so last minute registering is likely to result in disappointment.

Organization & Production:
I’ve mentioned before that I think Brazen is the best race organizer in the SF Bay Area in its price range (not very high!) of small-medium sized races. Summer Breeze was everything I’ve come to expect of a Brazen race: smooth organization; beautiful venue; well-marked and monitored course; ample, well-stocked (quantity and variety), aid stations; family-like atmosphere. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who register 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis.

Swag & Goodies:
Brazen has great after-race goodies, including baked goods, fruit and salty snacks. It’s It ice cream sandwiches are sort of Brazen’s signature finish line treat. The race T-shirt, bib (personalized!), and finishers’ medal artwork have a marine theme (see pic). The bright yellow T-shirt features a mermaid on the front, and a sailing ship on the back. The finisher’s medal features the mermaid sitting on a rock that is labeled with the race name and date/distances information. The T-shirt and medal are among my favorites of the race bling I have.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
I was not happy with my finish time, but that had nothing to with Brazen or the course. I was too aggressive early in the race and was running out of gas in the last 3 or 4 miles. Making things worse for me, one of my calves cramped up around mile 12. Running out of gas and limping do not make for a good finish time. Would I do this race again? I’m already registered to do the February, 2015 Bay Breeze race on the same course (June, 2015 edit: I did Bay Breeze and have reviewed it; I’m currently registered to do 2015 Summer Breeze as a remote race).

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: The Jungle Run is run mostly or entirely in Los Gatos, CA. The start and finish area is at the Los Gatos High School athletic field, and the … MORE

Course description:
The Jungle Run is run mostly or entirely in Los Gatos, CA. The start and finish area is at the Los Gatos High School athletic field, and the course takes Los Gatos streets (some residential, some business) from LGHS to Los Gatos Creek Park, taking runners onto the Los Gatos Creek Trail. From this park the course follows the trail through Vasona Lake Park, past Los Gatos High School, past the Forbes Mill Museum in Los Gatos, goes up the trail about 2/3 of the way to Lexington Reservoir, and then turns around and heads back to the finish at LGHS. It’s very easy to misjudge the challenge of this course, as it has no significant hills, but it is steadily uphill the whole 5-6 miles from Los Gatos Creek Park to the turn around near the reservoir (https://www.mapmyrun.com/us/los-gatos-ca/los-gatos-jungle-run-1-2-marathon-route-40874942). Also, because it is run in July it can get warm as the race progresses. The part of the course along the Los Gatos Creek Trail is quite beautiful; the residential areas of Los Gatos are very pleasant; the business areas, 2-3 miles, are business areas.

Organization & Production:
The Race organizer is Firstwave Events. I would rate the organization of this race fair-to-very-good rather than excellent. The most important stuff like registration, bib pick-up, venue, parking and check-in, porta-potties, and aid stations were all done well. My main complaints are related to my having been among the last finishers. Race T-shirts were given out at the finish, and by the time I finished they had but one of my preferred size left. Knowing a later finisher might want it, I chose the next size larger, which fit fine. Also, by the time I finished some of the finish area activities people were packing up or leaving. Hopefully Firstwave noticed and will address these issues that do diminish the race experience some. That said, I would do the Jungle Run again, and may do so in 2015.

Addendum, 5/15 & 6/26: This was only my 4th small-medium sized event. I’ve done 10 or 11 since, which has adjusted my expectations. I’ve changed my “Race Production” rating above to reflect this, down a notch (OK, one less shoe). I’ve participated in two more of this organizer’s events, the Morgan Hill and the Santa Cruz Half Marathons. I’ve reviewed both here on Race Raves. More to the point, the minor T-shirt annoyance I experienced at the 2014 Jungle Run was repeated at the SCHM, except without receiving a T-Shirt that fits. It looks like Firstwave’s events get a lot of late registrants and Firstwave’s planning leaves slower participants (slower than 13 minute mile pace is my guesstimate) susceptible to the disappointment of finishing but not receiving a race T-shirt that fits. I did contact Firstwave about this, and was less than satisfied with their (inadequate) communications. I had registered for the 2015 Jungle Run, but Firstwave had to cancel it.

Swag & Goodies:
The tiger-themed race T-shirt, bib, and finishers’ medal are among my favorites of the ones I have (see pix). The T-shirt has a small, colorful, graphic of a tiger where a pocket would be if the shirt had one. On the back the graphic of the tiger is large. And colorful! The bib features a tiger in the background behind the bib number, with the race name across the top, and the date and location across the bottom. The finisher’s medal features the tiger’s face in orange on a silver background. All in all, very cool!

Between my cramping calves, not wanting to throw up, and being discouraged and discouraged, I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the finish area goodies. I grabbed a bottled water from a ice-water-filled tub near the finish, and I noticed that some of the activity vendors were packing or packed up. While I was among the last 10-20 finishers, I was not the last. I completely understand the vendors’ people wanting to spend as much of a Sunday PM with their families and friends as possible, but they are in the finish area to advertise their products and services by being part of runners’ race experience.

Firstwave needs to work on this, particularly for slower racers, whose race experience could be (and WAS) diminished by unexpectedly heavy late registrations and giving out race T-shirts at the finish first-finished-first-served. These are organization issues, but are experienced – if they are – in the finish area.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Personally, I was under-prepared and misjudged the course. I had had an injury 2 months previous, and I had had bronchitis the previous month. Both had limited my preparation some, but that’s life. Working with, around, and through what life “throws” at you is the context for exercise and event like this. I was too aggressive early in the race, and around the 11th or 12th mile my calves started cramping, which hampered me late in the race. Mea goofa!

Would I do the Jungle Run again? My answer, now in June, 2015, has changed and is, “No, not anytime soon.” Since I originally wrote this I’ve had further, discouraging, experience with the organizer, Firstwave. The 2014 Morgan Hill Marathon and Half Marathon, organized by Firstwave had gone well. The T-shirts were given out with the bibs at pre-race packet pick-up. And there being a marathon distance meant activities and services were still there for late finishers of the half. Things were not so good with the Santa Cruz Half Marathon in April, 2015. When I finished (with some 20 more behind me) I went straight to the T-shirts table. They were out of the size I asked for when I registered. They were out of the next size larger. I took the next size smaller, just to have something, but was – correctly – sure it would not fit. I have, since, seen a review of the SCHM on Yelp written by a woman who also finished late, and had the same disappointment. I had some email contact with Firstwave, which sounded promising at first, but fizzled into nothing (an “F” for Communication, and an “F” for Customer Service!).

For all that, I had done the SCHM as one of three races for the Bay Area Running Series, so I registered to do the Jungle Run, and planned to do the MHHM. Then, about 6 weeks before race day, Firstwave canceled, due to the start/finish area at LGHS being under construction and not being able to find a suitable alternative venue. I’m not entirely satisfied with the latter part of the explanation, but canceling so late made finding an alternative race a bit of a scramble for me, was past the time when organizers gave discounted prices for early registrants.

So, even though the Jungle Run is practically in my back yard and the Santa Cruz Half Marathon and Morgan Hill Marathon and Half Marathon are very reasonable drives from my home, I will not do these races as long as Firstwave is the organizer, unless I learn, somehow, that Firstwave has improved their organization so that early registering late finishers do not risk a disappointing and frustrating race experience because they are slower.
I’ve participated in 19 half marathons and 7 races of other distances since late 2011. I don’t burn up the asphalt or the trail, but I can say that the SF Bay Area does NOT lack for excellent race organizers and indie-organized races! I hope a time comes when events like the Jungle Run, the SCHM, and MHHM have an excellent organizer, whether some other organizer or an improved Firstwave.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
3
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: The Dream Mile course is an out-and-back, starting in San Jose's Hellyer Park, and following the Coyote Creek Trail southward toward Morgan Hill. The trail is alongside Coyote … MORE

Course description:
The Dream Mile course is an out-and-back, starting in San Jose’s Hellyer Park, and following the Coyote Creek Trail southward toward Morgan Hill. The trail is alongside Coyote Creek, and is generally fairly rural, though it occasionally skirts residential neighborhoods or business parks. The scenery along the trail is generally beautiful. Of the races I’ve done up to January, 2015 I’d rate this trail the third most beautiful (after the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Francisco Half Marathon, and Brazen’s “Almost New Year’s Eve”, which circles Lake Chabot). While not a straight incline, the half marathon climbs about 100 feet outbound, and, of course, loses that 100 feet in the return leg. The three distances for the Dream Mile utilize three different turn-around points on the one trail. The Dream Mile is run in early June, when warm weather is possible.

Organization & Production:
Vibha is an Indian education charity that has activities in the US, but whose focus is on providing education for children in India. The medium-sized Dream Mile race (~1200 in 2014, ~1400 in 2015) is a fund raiser, organized and staffed by Vibha and its volunteers. The race day registration and T-shirt pick-up tables were well staffed and seemed efficient. There was a warm-up time led by some fitness people for those who wanted to do so. Vibha’s aid stations were spaced every 1.5-2 miles, well stocked with drinks and snacks (including late in the half marathon), the course was well marked with distance signs, and they had plenty of course monitors. It felt like Vibha’s volunteers were everywhere, very helpful and very friendly, working to provide a good race experience.

Swag & Goodies:
The finish area had activities for children and plenty of food and drinks. There was a carnival for children, and lots of Indian food, catered by one of the race sponsors. I was VERY disappointed that I was not feeling well after finishing and had to decide that eating spicy food was not a good idea! The atmosphere in the finish area was very friendly and family-like! The presence of so many families made for a very friendly family-like atmosphere!

The 2014 T-shirt for all distances is bright yellow cotton (the 2015 T-shirt is VERY nice, white, with a runner in the forefront, and a silhouette of an Indian city in the background), with the Dream Mile logo on the front, and race sponsors’ logos on the back. The common practice in races in which I’ve participated is tech T-shirts for half marathon runners, and cotton T-shirts 10K and 5K for racers. The 2014 finisher’s medal is a bit light-weight (see pix), features Vibha’s logo, and specifies the half marathon distance. Vibha is a charity, not a for-profit organizer. If cotton T-shirts for all distances and less fancy finisher’s medals are the best use of their money, I’m totally fine with that! The Vibha Dream Mile is a fund-raiser, not a race for its own sake. I see these two points as minor quibbles in the context of an excellent race experience.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
Though I didn’t do the Dream Mile in 2015, I would definitely consider doing the Dream Mile again! This charity benefit is done right and well! Vibha’s people, their race organization, and their over-the-top finish area make the Dream Mile race experience wonderful!

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
3
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Course description: Zoom Quarry Lakes begins and finishes in – Surprise! – Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, CA. The course is mostly flat, loops around the park, and the half … MORE

Course description:
Zoom Quarry Lakes begins and finishes in – Surprise! – Quarry Lakes Park in Fremont, CA. The course is mostly flat, loops around the park, and the half marathon has an out-and-back leg using both sides of the Alameda Creek Trail. Quarry Lakes Park is very pretty, and the Creek Trail is pleasant, going between residential neighborhoods. Of the trail races I’ve done, Zoom Quarry Lakes is one of the less beautiful – not the least. But compared to courses used by races in central San Jose, I’ll take Quarry Lakes park and the Alameda Creek Trail.

Organization & Production:
Coastal Trail Runs aims to do small bargain-priced trail races, very well. In my opinion they succeed in this, and are the best organizer in the SF Bay Area for their price range. Coastal does not skimp when it comes to pleasant or beautiful venues, marking courses properly, in number of aid stations, or quantity and variety available at aid stations.

Registration is handled, smoothly, through Coastal’s online store. Check-in is race day, and is done very efficiently. There is ample parking and plenty of restrooms nearby. Coastal’s volunteers know what they are doing, and are pleasant and helpful helpful. The atmosphere with the volunteers and racers feels like a family picnic.

I was the second to the last to finish the half marathon, so I can say that the aid stations were properly provisioned with water, sports drinks, and snacks. What Coastal does at their low registration fee is impressive; I know of another SF Bay Area organizer that does less, less well, at almost double the price.

There were slightly fewer than 200 who did the half marathon, so there was no individualized time-tracking at the start. Since I mostly walk, I placed myself at the back of the starting group, and my actual time may have been 10 seconds shorter than my official time. That is not a big deal to me; those who do care about a few seconds can start at or near the front. The half marathon course was clearly marked with colored flags that I found very easy to follow. I did look over the course map from the website with some care before race day, and recommend doing this.

Swag & Goodies:
The T-shirt artwork is a bit basic, a red “tech” T-shirt with an abstract graphic of a creek or small lake. On the other hand, racers for all distances receive “tech” T-shirts for their registration fee, not a common “perk” for 10K and 5K runners in other organizers’ races. The finishers’ medals share the same artwork (see pics), and are of nice quality (I have less nice medals from other races, so “nice” isn’t a euphemism). Nicer artwork would be pleasant, but for a $45 registration fee, I almost hate mentioning it.

The food in the finish area was plentiful, to the very end of the race, and while not as great as at some races, the variety was very good.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
While Zoom is not my favorite local race organizer, they are excellent. I have done one other Coastal race since, the 2014 Turkey Trot, and Coastal is consistent. I may participate in one or two of Coastal’s races in 2015, and may do some in 2016 – possibly one that uses this same park and course, possibly one or more of Coastal’s more challenging hill trail events.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
4
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Course description: The 408K (named for Silicon Valley's original phone area code and the the race's 8K distance) is a benefit for the Pat Tillman Foundation. It was first run … MORE

Course description:
The 408K (named for Silicon Valley’s original phone area code and the the race’s 8K distance) is a benefit for the Pat Tillman Foundation. It was first run in 2012. The start is in central San Jose, uses many of the streets used by the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot and Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon, except it finishes at the Santana Row outdoor mall (i.e. it isn’t an out-and-back). Other than a freeway underpass or two the course has no hills, so it’s a fast, not especially scenic – nor especially unpleasant – course.

Organization & Production:
There are appropriate aid stations (four in 2015?) along the course with water and sports drink. There are groups of musicians and cheerleaders from local schools along the course, and mariachi bands in the final mile. The 408K is a mostly well-organized race, with a family friendly distance, time limit, and atmosphere.

In 2014 I chose not to have the race T-shirt mailed to me with the bib (a service that costs extra). After the race, I had a little difficulty finding where the T-shirts were being given to finishers. When I did find the area, due to finishing toward the end of the race they no longer had my size. They took my name and info, and I got my T-shirt by mail two weeks later. The process worked, but it sort of felt like it was made up on the spot by the volunteers rather than something planned in advance. To some degree this less than excellent part of my race experience was due to the finish area size and layout (pretty much dictated to the organizers) and the large number of people who signed up just before or on race day.

Judging by the 2015 webpages, packet pick-up and mailing are something with which the organizers are still tinkering. The 408K is a large race, with thousands of runners, getting bibs and T-shirts to as many as possible while accommodating late- and race-day registrants is something close to a logistical nightmare. Those who prefer to wear their race T-shirts during the race should choose pre-race packet pick-up or mailing options that permit that.

The 2014 finish area, in my opinion, was too cramped for the size of the race. This discourages hanging out after the race to enjoy the goodies and activities. Thousands of spectators, finishers, and ordinary business patrons were all together in a relatively small area. It also brought some of the race-end activities close enough to where runners finish that congestion could have been caused, affecting finish times. This was not a problem in 2012 or 2013, whose finish areas were a slightly different area of Santana Row.

So, the course is a point-to-point rather than an out-and-back, and tired finishers are some 5 miles from where they started. Now what? Well finishers could arrange to be picked up, or just run back to the start area. The 408K also has free shuttles to take finishers back to the start area. In 2014 the shuttles used the parking lots of the closed theaters across Winchester Blvd., and may have done the same in 2015. Personally, I got on the Light Rail at the Winchester Ave, turn-around and took it into downtown San Jose. After the race I walked several miles down Winchester Ave. back to the Light Rail station. I’m weird.

Swag & Goodies:
The race bling has evolved over its first 3 runnings (see pics). The first year, 2012, had a very nice tech race T-shirt, but no finishers’ medal. The 2013 T-shirt was tech, but the artwork looked like some one sized the artwork for a small child’s T-shirt but put it on an adult T-shirt. There was a finishers’ medal for 2013, but the design seems pretty gaudy and cheesy to me. In 2014 “somebody” got it right: the race T-shirt and finishers’ medal designs are excellent. I’ve seen pix of the bib, race T-shirt, and finishers’ medal for 2015. All are excellent: the finishers’ medal, to my taste, is even better than in 2014; the T-shirt is solid; where the 2014 bib had some artwork that was obscured by the medium-dark orange color, the 2015 bib has even more artwork, with a more neutral background color.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
The 8K distance is kind of unique. My 2014 time was a little better than 12:40 miles, with which I’m happy. I’ve been in 8 races over the past 2 1/4 years whose courses were in the same area of San Jose, so I gave the 408K a pass in 2015. But it is very convenient for me, and I may do it again. Like the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot, this is not the kind of race to which one might ordinarily travel long distance to run, but it is pretty well organized, benefits a worthwhile charity, and is very accessible to runners in Silicon Valley and the South Bay.

DIFFICULTY
2
PRODUCTION
4
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course description: This was my first race with Brazen Racing, and my first park trail race. Brazen does park trail races, about 2/3 in hilly terrain, with most of the … MORE

Course description:
This was my first race with Brazen Racing, and my first park trail race. Brazen does park trail races, about 2/3 in hilly terrain, with most of the rest fairly flat. The Coyote Hills race, in Coyote Hills Park in Fremont, CA, is sort of in between, not flat terrain, but not as hilly as Brazen’s hill trail races. The course for the half marathon is a double loop – doing the 10K loop course twice. The scenery is varied and beautiful, going through: a marsh, using several wooden bridges (unfortunately, 2014 was a drought year, so the marsh was dry and the tules were brown); through some rolling hills; along the shore of the Bay; up and down a not too gentle hill; then over a fairly steep hill; repeat.

Organization & Production:
When it comes to organizing small-medium sized races, Brazen is, in my opinion, the best in the SF Bay Area at its price range. All the organization details are done well – bib pick-up, start/finish area organization, course marking, aid stations, ultra-friendly volunteers, and finish area food. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-up, those who registered 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-shirts before the race on a first-come-first-served basis. This works better for slower runners/walkers like me than giving out T-shirts at the finish on a first-finished-first-served basis. Pictures are taken by volunteers, and are available free online (though not sortable by bib number or racer name). One thing I noticed even at this, my first Brazen race, was the friendly family atmosphere. Many racers and volunteers have done several Brazen races, and have become friends.

There is some limited parking near the park entrance, but Brazen arranged for offsite parking with nearby DeVry University (Brazen had people with maps at the park entrance to direct racers) and had shuttles that took people to the start/finish area. There were nearly 1350 participants in 2014, pretty evenly divided among the three distances.

Swag & Goodies:
This being but my fourth half marathon and being used to the more basic aid stations of large street races – water and sports drink, plus GU gel at some aid stations – I didn’t pay much attention to the aid station tables at 2014 Coyote Hills. In the finish area I noticed that there was quite a variety of food, but I was feeling a bit sick, and just drank cold water (not smart). What did catch my not entirely alert eye was the friendly environment of the finishers and volunteers.

The race T-shirt is green, and features a moonlit Coyote, howling at the moon. While the particular shade of green is not my favorite, the artwork is impressive, The bib is personalized, and in the background of the bib number is a sort of mosaic howling coyote. The medal has the howling coyote again, with the race name, date, and distances. Compared to the finishers’ medals I had from three Rock ‘n’ Roll halfs, the 2014 Coyote Hills medal had personality, and was an instant favorite.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
A racer accustomed to relatively flat courses – street or trail – should prepare for this terrain and adjust their strategy. Two of my previous halfs were flat street courses, and the 3rd had just one significant hill. In preparing for this race I didn’t look very closely at the elevation profile that is included on Brazen’s course map webpage. So I undertrained and was too aggressive in the first half of the race. The race came very close to kicking my tail! In retrospect, having more experience with more hilly courses, my finish time was pretty good for my abilities. Liking the race organization and the family-like atmosphere, I did four Brazen races in 2014, did five more in 2015, plus volunteering at two … so far. One of the races I did was Coyote Hills. Whether you (the very patient person reading this) are accustomed to street/road races, flat trail races, or more challenging trail races, I strongly recommend Coyote Hills. Street/road racers especially might find themselves hooked! I think you’ll have fun!

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
4
SWAG
5
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Course description: I did Rock 'n' Roll's San Jose Half Marathon in 2012 and 2013, walking in both. The 2012 race was my first half marathon. The course for the … MORE

Course description:
I did Rock ‘n’ Roll’s San Jose Half Marathon in 2012 and 2013, walking in both. The 2012 race was my first half marathon. The course for the San Jose Half Marathon is almost entirely flat. Pretty much the only “hills” are freeway underpasses. The course runs through older business and residential areas in central San Jose. Probably the best “scenery” are the many mature trees in nice, older, neighborhoods, plus the runners and spectators. My difficulty rating above reflects my effort more than the intrinsic difficulty of the course.

Organization & Production:
The Rock ‘n’ Roll series is probably the largest and best of large (= 10s of thousands of runners) half marathons and marathons. Races are held in major cities all over the US and in countries outside of the US. RnR races are very well organized; the three I’ve been in had 15,000-25,000 participants. Packet pick-up is done the two days before the race, at a “Health Expo” in a nearby convention center – bibs & T-shirts plus an exhibition hall featuring various health and fitness related products and trinkets (some food exhibiters give out samples). When runners register they are asked their estimated finish time, and this is used to “corral” runners. This is done so that fast runners are not hindered by slower runners, and slower runners are not endangered by being passed by a lot of faster runners. In addition to corralling, RnR further spreads runners “wave starts”, starting corralled groups one by one, several minutes apart. Obviously runner timing is done by sensing when a runner crosses the start line as well as when they cross the finish line, RnR also makes cheating difficult through several electronically timed check points along the course, plus photographers whose photos can be used to track individual runners. Aid stations are pretty basic – water and sports drink at every station, and GU gel at selected aid stations (RnR’s route information gives the locations of aid stations and what each will have).

Swag & Goodies:
RnR’s finisher’s medals are the quality standard to which many other races compare theirs. The 2012 finishers’ medal is shaped like an audio cassette tape with the race name and date as the information on the label of the tape. The 2013 finishers’ medal is like a stage with microphones, lights, and monitor speakers. The 2012 race T-shirt is navy blue, with a large, older style microphone. The 2012 race T-shirt is gray, with the event name and date diagonally across the front. (See pix)

RnR’s finish areas have food and drinks that vary according to what their sponsors provide. I can remember cold bottled water, bananas, oranges, and granola bars. In 2013 Jamba Juice gave out sample-size portions of one of their smoothies; in 2012 and 2013 the fruit was provided by Whole Foods. RnR finish areas have a lot of people – sponsors’ workers and finishers.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
All in all RnR races are a mooooo-ving experience, from lining up for packet pick-up at the “Health Expo”. I don’t mean to sound negative, but I don’t love large crowds, continuous noise, and city streets. Smaller races on park trails have become my preference. But my preferences aren’t everyone’s. For an outgoing person who likes well-organized races with LOTS of racers, the San Jose Half (and other Rock ‘n’ Roll events) fits that bill. This race is also excellent for some one doing their first half marathon, as its main challenge is the distance (i.e. no hills, though there is a possibility of warm weather, as there was in 2014 – I was doing a different half marathon that weekend, and it was very warm by SF Bay Area norms).

Rock ‘n’ Roll events are pricey, $90-$100 unless one is able to register very early or has some sort of discount. By way of comparison, the registration for most of the half marathons I did in 2014 and 2015 cost $60-$75, with at least one organizer’s registration costing $45-$50. BUT, RnR is very consistent, with well done courses in major cities, lots of products and services at their “Health Fairs”, well managed races (aid stations and first aid availability), and a finish area with lots to eat, drink, and do. Putting on all that is expensive, and I’d go so far as to say that runners who can should do at least one RnR event to experience at least one large race that is well organized from registration and online info through recovering in the finish area in a sweat-soaked T-shirt and finisher’s medal.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
5
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Course description: The 2013 course of the Rock 'n' Roll San Francisco Half Marathon was an out-and-back from Fort Mason, through Crissy Field, and across (and back) the Golden Gate … MORE

Course description:
The 2013 course of the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Francisco Half Marathon was an out-and-back from Fort Mason, through Crissy Field, and across (and back) the Golden Gate Bridge. From the pre-dawn lights and views from the Marina to those going through the Presidio and Crissy Field to those crossing and re-crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, this race was the most beautiful in which I’ve participated (I’m updating this in June, 2015, and this is still my opinion). Though much of the course was along the shore of the bay and the Golden Gate (the straight between the San Francisco and Marin Peninsulas), it was not flat! There was a ~150′ climb (over the distance of ~1/3 mile) from the Presidio up to the bridge that came close to kicking my tail (this was my second half marathon, so …). And, of course, there was a bit of a climb at the Marin end of the bridge as runners went under the bridge and returned by the other side. Looking at the 2015 course map, it looks more challenging. The course goes from the west end of Golden Gate Park, over a ~200′ hill into the Presidio, climbs ~250′ up to the Golden Gate Bridge, crosses and re-crosses it, traverses Crissy Field and the Marina District, climbs ~250′ up Russian Hill, and finishes at the Civic Center. Due to traffic control requirements there was/is a 3 1/2 hour time limit (from the start of the last wave?).

Organization & Production:
Rock ‘n’ Roll is probably THE premiere, international, organizer of large races in major cities that feature half marathon and marathon distances. And when I say “large” I mean 15,000 or more racers … sometimes many more. RnR events are great for racers who love LARGE races and traveling to large cities (including some outside of the US). RnR does corralling by estimated finish time and wave starts so that faster runners are not held back by slower runners and slower runners aren’t at risk of collision with faster runners. Every detail is done well, from online registration through finish area activities and goodies. Putting on large-scale, premium venue, races is expensive, as are the registration fees ($85-$120, depending on whether one registers a couple of weeks or >6 months before the event).

Swag & Goodies:
The race T-shirt features the name and date of the race, with a cable car climbing a hill. The back of the T-shirt has the name and date of the race, with a sailboat sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge.

RnR’s finisher’s medals are the quality standard to which many other races compare theirs (see pic). The finisher’s medal for the San Francisco Half Marathon has the Golden Gate Bridge – with guitars as towers – in the foreground, and the skyline of SF in the background.

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As I said above, the hill up to the bridge came close to beating me, but I kept going, and it was worth it! I’m a walker, so I’m not setting the street or trail alight, but my time was a bit faster that in my first half marathon, RnR’s San Jose Half Marathon. So I was quite happy with how I did.

Large races are not my preference, nor does my checking account like high registration fees. And the San Francisco Half Marathon is in SF and is no longer an out-and-back, so getting there (the start is way too early to use BART), parking, and getting home require some planning and arranging (unless one lives in SF). So I don’t plan on doing the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Francisco Half Marathon again soon. All that said, I think this race should be on western US runners’, “I want to do this race someday,” list.

DIFFICULTY
4
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
5
SWAG
5
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Course description: This race, the 5K in 2011, was my first race. I did the 10K distance in 2012 and 2013. The SVTT is a very large race (more than … MORE

Course description:
This race, the 5K in 2011, was my first race. I did the 10K distance in 2012 and 2013. The SVTT is a very large race (more than 20,000 racers between the two distances) that benefits local charities. As the name all but states, it is run on Thanksgiving Day. The race is run in central San Jose, and is more or less a loop course that begins and ends near the HP Pavilion. Parking was free at the HP Pavilion lot, and racers who live near a Light Rail station will be able to use that (several trains are early enough, and there are a couple of stops near the start/finish area) to get within easy walking distance of the start area. The race is run on city streets through both business and residential neighborhoods. The closest thing the course has to a hill is a freeway underpass, so it’s a fast course.

Organization & Production:
The Silicon Valley Turkey trot race is very well organized, with the course well marked and monitored, appropriate aid stations, friendly volunteers, and SJPD traffic control. One thing not done in 2011, 2012, or 2013 is a finisher’s medal. The 2014 SVTT did have a VERY nice finishers’ medal. The race benefits charities, so that’s fine with me.

Swag & Goodies:
The finish area activities and goodies were very good, similar to what is done at the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose half Marathon. The race T-shirt is very nice, a colorful, long-sleeved race, tech T-shirt (see pics).

My Results & Opinion of the Race:
As a whole San Jose is reasonably pleasant, though not exactly a picturesque city. Large races with 10-30 thousand racers aren’t my taste either. But the Silicon Valley Turkey Trot is a very well organized and pleasant way for people living in (or visiting) the Silicon Valley area to preemptively assuage Thanksgiving Dinner guilt while benefiting local charities.

DIFFICULTY
3
PRODUCTION
5
SCENERY
3
SWAG
4
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