The Riverside Reindeer Run is one of my top three favorite races. The Lexus LaceUp series puts out well planned events. A lot of thought is clearly put into the … MORE
The Riverside Reindeer Run is one of my top three favorite races. The Lexus LaceUp series puts out well planned events. A lot of thought is clearly put into the details to make a successful race. Bib pick the day before was easy as there were several volunteers to keep the lines short. There was a plethora of porta potties at the start/finish area. Also plenty of porta potties along the route. There was a last minute change to the originally planned route due to standing water on the course as a result of recent rainy weather. A notice of the changes was emailed to the runners the day before, which I appreciate. The post race food trucks were great! Some of the best food I’ve had. I’m looking forward to participating again next year.
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Another fantastic Lexus LaceUp Race!
The Riverside Reindeer Run is one of my top three favorite races. The Lexus LaceUp series puts out well planned events. A lot of thought is clearly put into the … MORE
The Riverside Reindeer Run is one of my top three favorite races. The Lexus LaceUp series puts out well planned events. A lot of thought is clearly put into the details to make a successful race. Bib pick the day before was easy as there were several volunteers to keep the lines short. There was a plethora of porta potties at the start/finish area. Also plenty of porta potties along the route. There was a last minute change to the originally planned route due to standing water on the course as a result of recent rainy weather. A notice of the changes was emailed to the runners the day before, which I appreciate. The post race food trucks were great! Some of the best food I’ve had. I’m looking forward to participating again next year.
A Excellent Race
The aids stations were excellent. The medal was fine to have under my pillow while sleeping. The most unique aspect of the race was the course. The race could be … MORE
The aids stations were excellent. The medal was fine to have under my pillow while sleeping. The most unique aspect of the race was the course. The race could be improved with more nutrition. The race is recommended to friends to have a excellent experience.
A Excellent Run
The Aid Stations were awesome. The most unique aspect of the race were the flat streets, and the unique scenery. The race could be improved if there was more of … MORE
The Aid Stations were awesome. The most unique aspect of the race were the flat streets, and the unique scenery. The race could be improved if there was more of a variety in race food. The race is recommended to friends and family.
Jingle All The Way
Lexus LaceUp Riverside Reindeer Run is the fourth and final stop in a four part race series. Race distances included a 5K, Half Marathon and 1K Kids Run. Packet pickup … MORE
Lexus LaceUp Riverside Reindeer Run is the fourth and final stop in a four part race series. Race distances included a 5K, Half Marathon and 1K Kids Run. Packet pickup was at Fairmount Park from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm on Saturday. Participants were allowed to pick up packets for other people. Free race morning packet pickup was available to participants who registered prior to November 6th. Participants who registered after November 6th could pick up their packet on race morning for a $5 prepaid fee. When picking up their packet, runners could pick between a free Santa Hat or Reindeer Antlers.
Parking on Sunday morning was in various designated lots in Downtown Riverside. Runners could then walk to Lot 33 near the Convention Center to catch the free shuttle to Fairmount Park.
The race started and finished at Fairmount Park. The course is both street and bike path. There are gentle rolling hills throughout the race. Per my Garmin, the minimum elevation was 718 feet and the maximum elevation was 863 feet. The course is mostly an out-and-back, thus runners visited most of the aid station twice. There were a total of 10 aid stations stops. All aid stations were stocked with water, Nuun and had porta potties available. Most of the aid stations also offered Honeystinger gels and/or gummies. As with other LaceUp events, the volunteers were fantastic.
Upon crossing the finish line, refreshments included small bottles of water with optional tablets of Nuun, pretzels and bananas. Upon exiting the finisher chute, runners could use tear off vouchers on their bibs to receive a free food item from one of the many food trucks as well as a small cup of Sierra Nevada beer. Sierra Nevada offered a variety of three beers to select from. There were several vendors selling running related items and services. Lexus had two vehicles on display and provided a cellphone charging station. Free massages were available. Altra hosted a planking competition for a free pair of Altra running shoes. There was a table with free LaceUp waterbottles that could be filled with lemon, lime and cucumber infused ice water. Santa walked around and took photos with participants. Anyone who uploaded a photo to Instagram using the hashtag #lexuslaceup was able to pickup a print of the photo from the Print Shop booth. LaceUp also provides free race photos, which will be online in the next few days.
There was a lot to do at the finish festival and plenty of reasons to hang out after the race. There were tables with umbrellas and chairs, which encouraged participants to sit down and socialize with friends. Once runners were ready to leave, they could take the free shuttle back to Lot 33.
Any runner who participated in at least one LaceUp race every year since 2014 could pick up a 5 Year Legacy Charm to attach to their medal. Any runner who participated in all four of the 2018 LaceUp events (any distance) could receive the LaceUp Challenge Medal upon completion of the series (it spins!). Runners who participated in the Foothill 5k Challenge in April could earn the Best Foot Forward Challenge Medal by running any LaceUp race. The series has also been added to the California Half & Full Marathon Series, which allows additional opportunities for half marathon runners to earn a challenge medal.
I am a big fan of this race series and look forward to participating again in 2019.
Great Holiday Race
This race offers a 1/2, 5K and a kids 1K. So fun for the entire family. It's holiday themed and they pass out Santa hats when you pick up your … MORE
This race offers a 1/2, 5K and a kids 1K. So fun for the entire family. It’s holiday themed and they pass out Santa hats when you pick up your bib. They do offer race morning pick up, if you do this be sure to get there early enough. Parking is off site and they bus you to the park. So leave about 30-45 min early to give yourself enough time to get settled before the run. Super fun and cute race. Will be back in 2019!
Great Out & Back + Great Food
This is the second year I've ran the RIverside location. LaceUp goes all out with the holiday theme and it's super fun for the entire family. The course is out … MORE
This is the second year I’ve ran the RIverside location. LaceUp goes all out with the holiday theme and it’s super fun for the entire family. The course is out and back and ends at a park.
Plan to get there a bit early race morning. They suggest you park about a mile away but they do offer shuttle service before and after the race.
Super fun! Candy canes at the finish along with food that is included with every race entry. There are usually about 5 food trucks to choose from for your free meal.
Really fun race. Will be back in 2018!
Awesome Holiday Race!
I love the Lexus LaceUp series - as I've mentioned before, Lexus really knows how to put together a well planned race. The registration process is easy, there's lots of … MORE
I love the Lexus LaceUp series – as I’ve mentioned before, Lexus really knows how to put together a well planned race. The registration process is easy, there’s lots of promotions throughout the year, pre-race instructions are clear and easy to follow, race day directions/signage is easy to find. This was my third year running this race and I had set a goal for myself to run a sub 2 hour half marathon before the end of the year. I’m familiar with this course and know what to expect. The course is out and back – mostly flat, there is one difficult hill around mile four/five and a few small/short rolling hills after that. The course is mostly on the paved Santa Ana trail. I was so happy to cross the finish line at 1:55:38 (new PR by 10 minutes!) and to accomplish another goal I set for myself this year. Another friend of mine wasn’t far behind and finished her first sub 2 hour half marathon as well. Two other friends also ran the half, one of whom this was her very first race ever! It truly was an amazing day – my friends and I all ran well and enjoyed our time together and on the course. We enjoyed the post race activities – lots of food truck and refreshing beer from Sierra Nevada. Lots of table and chairs for comfortable seating. Finishers podiums are available to post race pictures. We loved the carolers singing Christmas Carols while we relaxed after the race. I’m very much looking forward to participating in this race again next year!
Cold, we'll organized, nice medals.
For this race I got 13.06 miles with 281' elevation. My second year pacing 1:30 group. Very well organized, started right on time, adequate aid stations. After race party always … MORE
For this race I got 13.06 miles with 281′ elevation. My second year pacing 1:30 group. Very well organized, started right on time, adequate aid stations. After race party always awesome at lexus laceup events. A lot of food, beer, and gear to buy. It’s a very long drive for me, but it’s worth it.
Nice course, well organized, free photos
I got lucky with parking and was able to park super close and for free! The course was actually pretty nice and had variation. Much better than what I expect … MORE
I got lucky with parking and was able to park super close and for free!
The course was actually pretty nice and had variation. Much better than what I expect when I think of Riverside. =) There was a hill at the beginning and a hill at the end. I wore a short sleeved shirt and yoga capris. My face and hands were cold and numb. I wished I had worn some cheapy gloves.
It was well organized. The bib pick up was smooth & quick (and I was able to do this the morning of without paying an extra fee). The shirt was gender specific, moisture wicking and fit really well. The medal was pretty ginormous.
The expo at the end was really weak. Not much giveaways. The free food truck (you pick one out of the… four?) was A-okay!
I was really surprised that they were passing out Bloks (energy gels). There were two spots in the 10k that they handed it out. (My previous run, Golden Gate Half, didn’t even give out any energy gels… and that tends to be expected for longer distances.)
The volunteers and military people were good (keeping the runners safe and hydrated).
OH! I loved the free pictures too!!!
Fun day with friends
First time running this series. Heard about this event from a friend and wish I could've ran all 4 locations! Will be back in 2017!! Finished medal & tshirt is … MORE
First time running this series. Heard about this event from a friend and wish I could’ve ran all 4 locations! Will be back in 2017!!
Finished medal & tshirt is great and plenty of food at the finish line. Not much view while running 10K but that’s not a big deal. Parking was a little far from the event and only 1 meter to pay (which eventually broke) causing long lines.
Another fantastic Lexus Race!
I really love this course - its mostly flat with a few hills, the right amount of elevation change. The course is mostly on a paved bike trail. I loved … MORE
I really love this course – its mostly flat with a few hills, the right amount of elevation change. The course is mostly on a paved bike trail. I loved seeing all the service men & women at every corner & intersection to ensure the safety of the runner. We are so thankful to have them there! The runners along the course were so encouraging to other – I had two gentlemen encourage me to push just a bit harder when crossing the finish line. I ended up getting my second best 1/2 marathon time and I ran this course 10 minutes faster than last year! Post race was awesome! Free beer tickets and free food tickets which can be used at any of the four food trucks on site. Lots of photo ops, pictures posted to instagram and tagged with #LexusLaceUp were printed, free water bottles, lots of chairs & table to relax. I’m planning on running all four races of this series next year.
Cold start
Cold morning. High 40's. Which made it harder to warm up and launch when the gun went off. After 3 mile my feet started to move and had a great … MORE
Cold morning. High 40’s. Which made it harder to warm up and launch when the gun went off. After 3 mile my feet started to move and had a great race. I loved the food trucks, beer garden, free Evian, LaceUp water bottles, and the photo podium! I brought my son and his friend, we all PR’ed for the half!
Challenging and Fun!
I have lived in Orange County about 16 years now, and if its not for Lexus Laceup Running Series Races, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go visit Ventura, … MORE
I have lived in Orange County about 16 years now, and if its not for Lexus Laceup Running Series Races, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go visit Ventura, Palos Verdes orRiverside! I live and work in Irvine in Orange County, and my life revolves around San Diego, LA and OC mostly and I had no reasons to go to these places! But I am glad I got to go run these towns, because of Lexus Laceup Running Series!
The last stop of the series was this Sunday at Riverside. Those of you that have been running this entire series would have noticed this is the only Sunday race, and every other ones were on Saturday. Why? I don’t know, but in hind sight, I like Sunday races better! I feel like I have more time to rest/carb load and hydrate all day Saturday!
I originally thought the Riverside Course was hilly, hillier than the Palos Verdes from their elevation chart on their website, but my running buddy Victor, sent his last year’s course chart, and I realized it was a tough course, but not as tough as Palos Verdes. This helped to revise how I wanted to run this race. For Palos Verdes, I wanted to start off with the aim of 1:50 pace, and as I go , I thought I would speed, and cut time. But with Riverside, I wanted to start off faster, and as I go decided to slow down. I am still learning, and I don’t know what the right approach is, but for Riverside, this approach paid off, as I finished with a new PR of 1:42. There had been couple of factors that helped with this time. Its been super cold last few weeks, and I feel like I run little faster in the cold. The race day at Riverside started off at 45 degree, which tremendously helped with the time. On top of that, just few days ago Mike Bertram from our running group offered to pace my 5 mile training at 7:30 pace, which helped me get a taste of running at this speed a little bit.
The course itself was pretty good course, tough at times, but it was fun nevertheless. It had a small residential loop, that we climbed up about 80 ft at a stretch. Other than that it was mostly an out and back loop.
Compare to other events of this series, Riverside event, at Fairmont Park, had a big space for their post event expo. As I already got used to their events by now, it was again one of the well organized, coordinated event, with options for same day bib pickup, nice tech-t-shirt, gear check, enough portable toilets, nice water bottles, photo print booth! Compare to the previous events, they stepped up their results booth, with a scanner, so getting the result was much faster this time! I usually don’t bother checking my time, as I don’t ever place as I am still trying to get better time, but you should have seen the smile on my face, when I learnt I got the 3rd place in my age division!
One of the thing I like about this race is, even tho Lexus is the main sponsor, the way they go about injecting Lexus brand name into the event. Its done very so subtle way, as an immersion of the brand to everyone that come run this race! The race focus is to get families and runners to come participate, run , enjoy, and while doing it get to see the Lexus car, and see how luxurious it is, without sounding it as a sales event! Its an art, and somehow this event group managed to make this happen! When I talk to others, I can tell how much everyone love this event! I am pretty sure these events managed to get Lexus as a house hold name and brand for these 1000+ runners that ran the event!
So Cal does have series medals, but its mostly different races try to come up with an idea of ‘series’ like the Tri-crown in SD or beach cities in OC/LB. But Lexus series is similar race experience, but localized with each town the race happens. The courses are different, the medals are different, Its kind of same experience, but I am looking forward to what this specific town has it as a twist! And, to me it seems like they have represented the cities in a very best of way, and in a good mix. To have me drive 5 mins to go run in Irvine (down the street from me), to get me to drive 2 hrs to get Ventura and run the trail and ocean side, and an hour to get to Palos Verdes to run the beautiful hilly seaside course, and to run in Riverside, at a park – its a very beautifully mixed experience. I got to experience each community at these cities part of this race!
he post race Food truck line up was pretty awesome. They always good pretty good name trucks down, and this race was no exception! and Sierra Nevada beers have always been a fixture at the post race party! I enjoyed both!
Free Food & Beer at Finish!
I believe this is the third year this series has been going on. The course was rolling hills pretty much the entire time. Mostly an out and back with a … MORE
I believe this is the third year this series has been going on. The course was rolling hills pretty much the entire time. Mostly an out and back with a small loop around a really nice neighborhood around mile 5. The medal was really nice and big. If you complete all four races they put on you get a challenge medal. Free food and beer at the finish line for every runner, no matter what distance you ran. There’s usually about 4 food trucks to choose from and sometimes it can be hard to choose because they’re all so good! Really excited to run more of these next year. I’m hoping to do all 4 and get the challenge medal next time.
Great local race through Riverside
This was a nice race - I enjoyed the route through Riverside. The post race was great - lots of food trucks! The medals and shirts were very nice as … MORE
This was a nice race – I enjoyed the route through Riverside. The post race was great – lots of food trucks! The medals and shirts were very nice as well. The parking instructions were a bit confusion, as the walk to the start was quite a distance and there was plenty of parking closer to the start line.
Flat Course
Last series of the Lexus Laceup Running Series. It was a very flat course, some minor uphills, but majority downhill. PR'd my average half by 7 minutes! I highly recommend … MORE
Last series of the Lexus Laceup Running Series. It was a very flat course, some minor uphills, but majority downhill. PR’d my average half by 7 minutes!
I highly recommend this one! Free voucher for free food ($7.00 value) and beer! And free pictures when you use their hashtag on Instagram. A lot of perks in this post-race party.