Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego
San Diego, CA
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Original Rock ‘n’ Roll Bringing the fun to the run since 1998, Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series San Diego is a favorite among locals and tourists alike. Starting at Balboa Park and finishing in Downtown San Diego, you’ll explore up to eight well-known neighborhoods and experience an insider tour that … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 05):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 69 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 70 |
| L (°F) | 64 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 63 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Not the Rock and Roll race that it was
I had run this race several years ago when 35K would show to run it and listen to a named band whether it be rock or country that was famous … MORE
I had run this race several years ago when 35K would show to run it and listen to a named band whether it be rock or country that was famous on their way up or down. You would sit in Petco park and drink your bear with a sweatshirt on because San Diego is “cold in late May/early June”. When the race was bought out things went down hill. The swag was good this year – shirt for marathon, half marathon, and 5k were all unique and so was the medal. The communication was good and so was the expo. The race started at 6:15 for the fast folks but you know if you were back of the pack, you would start at 7:15. The course was well marked and the spectators on the course were A++++ from bubble machines to spraying us with water to the humorous adopt a dog on the course, the antique cars we passed, the jello shots, etc. Why I would give this race a C + was 35K runners and you had to wait in line for an hour before the start of the race for port-a- potty and of course, that meant no toilet paper or sanitizer. In the small races, there was a volunteer handing out toilet paper. In this race, one of our friends walked to the volunteer tent to get some. After waiting an hour, we started the race at the same time the sweepers were clearing the streets. The first water station had one out 6 tables left with water. This is unacceptable in a race that been run for over 20 years. FYI after waiting another minutes at the end, there was non alcoholic beer. We had talked before the race admiring the shirts about coming back next year – after the race, no way,
Great first half; then highways
Overall this was a marathon that really caters to the half and probably local marathoners who can appreciate the highways being closed for runners. Pre-race: The only pre-race email I … MORE
Overall this was a marathon that really caters to the half and probably local marathoners who can appreciate the highways being closed for runners.
Pre-race: The only pre-race email I got was my bib number and there wasn’t a runner’s guide on the website. It would have been good to know more about the corral start times because there were 26 corrals, meaning you were in for a very long wait if you arrived before 6.15am and were in one of the later corrals. The expo was well-run with bib and shirt pick-up easy, but there were not many non-Rock n Roll vendors.
Race start: I didn’t need to use a port-a-potty but the lines were crazy from what I saw. The corrals were too small to hold everyone so each time they sent off a corral, everyone in the later corrals moved up while people waiting for their corral tried to squeeze in through the entry gates. I was just outside the gate at corral 9 and didn’t make it to the start line until corral 12 or 13. They also announced that all marathon runners had to start by corral 15. My mistake was trying to move forwards once in the corral because there were people pouring into the corrals ahead making the right side super slow; once I scooched over to the left, I actually got to the start line in time.
Race: The first half was great – lots of spectators, all kinds of performers (Tom Cruise lookalike in top gun gear may have been my favorite), music, and great energy. There were a lot of spectators offering shots and a real party vibe (“PBRs for PRs!”). The course had some ups and downs and helpful things like course signs saying “rough road ahead”. After the course split, it was a totally different experience – there were enough runners that it was definitely not deserted but there were few spectators and just a whole lot of highway – either running next to one or on one. At the halfway point, the course had a short downhill then quickly funneled runners from road onto a narrow path – there wasn’t any advance warning signage and even the pacer I was near didn’t know that this was coming so there was a lot of jostling. After the path came the highway. The sun also came out around that time and fortunately there was a bit of a breeze. I had to stop at a medic tent for ibuprofen and ice just before the highway to hill (shoutout to the helpful medics). There were I think two music stations going up the hill and a water stop so it wasn’t utterly lonely, but the worst part was actually the camber of the road, rather than the gradient – it was aggressively banked. At the top of the hill there was a big sign saying “i conquered the hill” and a line of people waiting to film themselves ringing a bell. After that is a rather nice downhill (albeit cambered) into the city to the finish line.
Post-race: You get your medal and the usual snacks (banana, cheez-its, muesli bar, fruit gummies, water) and have to keep walking to the exit points. Overall, it would an incredibly fun half; I’m glad I did the full but don’t need to do it again.
Big Race with fluff
Good race, high humidity, 30,000 runners two days, 4000 5k, 18000 hald marathoners, 8000 marathoners. Well done, easy to get to, good folks, several hills, run the top of San … MORE
Good race, high humidity, 30,000 runners two days, 4000 5k, 18000 hald marathoners, 8000 marathoners. Well done, easy to get to, good folks, several hills, run the top of San Diego and then down hill to the ocean. Finish in the city, walk to the party. Crazy bunch of people. You will like this race.
Run the park
Good 5k, well done. 4000 runners, early morning run. Good fun. all kinds of runners. Very humid there. Race Sat and Sun the 1/2 or the Marathon. MORE
Good 5k, well done. 4000 runners, early morning run. Good fun. all kinds of runners. Very humid there. Race Sat and Sun the 1/2 or the Marathon.
Beautiful city, too many people
I love San Diego. The first half was absolutely incredible and full of life. The second half the full runners were pretty much on our own. Hill on the highway … MORE
I love San Diego. The first half was absolutely incredible and full of life. The second half the full runners were pretty much on our own. Hill on the highway was BRUTAL and too far into the race. The expo was super fun, but the start was insane. I was late to my corral because the porta-potty line was over 90 minutes long. I started with the six hour group and had to bob and weave for quite some time. I wish the full runners could start 30 minutes ahead, or at least get their own bathrooms.
Great course, but hilly!
This was state number 42 for me and I had my personal worst race time.! The course was challenging with hills and many turns. It was well supported with plenty … MORE
This was state number 42 for me and I had my personal worst race time.! The course was challenging with hills and many turns. It was well supported with plenty of cheering spectators. The hill on highway 163 around mile 22 was the hardest and I wished they had placed a water stop along that section. There were plenty of water stops and port a pots through out the rest of the course with friendly volunteers. I did not like the electrolyte drink they were giving out and that may have caused me getting dehydrated.
The expo, medal and shirt were very good. I stayed at an Airbnb on 3rd street and was able to walk to both the expo and start line to avoid any parking issues. Weather was fairly good with a mostly cloud covered day. It did get humid later in the morning.
The overall number of runners was announced at over 24,000, not sure how many were doing the full/half on Sunday. Although the field was crowded at times, it was never really an issue. It was a fun race with lots of families supporting folks during the race.
San Diego was such a great place to visit with many fine restaurants and places to visit. Best zoo I have ever been to!
typical Rock'n roll race
thankfully we had cloud cover, otherwise it would have been too warm, net downhill but most of the net loss is in 1 mile and the first 5 miles are MORE
thankfully we had cloud cover, otherwise it would have been too warm, net downhill but most of the net loss is in 1 mile and the first 5 miles are gradual uphill
Super Humid and hot today , great course
Lots of runners, 24,000+-, two races, 1/2 and full. Tons of spectators, Lots of hills, two big ones, a good long run down hill at the end. You will like … MORE
Lots of runners, 24,000+-, two races, 1/2 and full. Tons of spectators, Lots of hills, two big ones, a good long run down hill at the end. You will like this race. Very much a fun race.
Very nice
The reviews are accurate. Well done. Swag is nice and medal was bigger than traditional tiny Rock N Roll. I wish the beverages at the end were better. Not sure … MORE
The reviews are accurate. Well done. Swag is nice and medal was bigger than traditional tiny Rock N Roll. I wish the beverages at the end were better. Not sure kombucha is a good idea after running and athletic brewing is good for some but I would like regular beer options too. They had a local.light beer for $5/can.
A rollickin’ rock and roll run!
The Rock n Roll San Diego Half Marathon is a fun run with big crowds... and getting pricier by the year. Expo / pick-up: -This year’s expo was back at … MORE
The Rock n Roll San Diego Half Marathon is a fun run with big crowds… and getting pricier by the year.
Expo / pick-up:
-This year’s expo was back at its traditional home, Halls A and B of the San Diego Convention Center, after spending a year at the Waterfront Park. That means paying Convention Center prices for parking. Yikes. The expo was well-organized, with clearly-marked areas at the beginning for bib pickup, shirts, registration, and race info. Hang onto the shirt pick-up bags because they’ll be handy for carrying all your expo goodies and also for race-day gear check. Afterwards, you’ll wind your way through official merch sales, photo-ops, sponsors, vendors (pick up some last-minute socks, sunglasses, or GUs), as well as a race history exhibit featuring medals and photos from previous Rock n Roll races. The bad news is that official race merch prices have gone through the roof since they signed on with Lululemon a few years ago. I wanted to buy a Rock n Roll shirt or hoodie, but I think my mental snapshot of the ridiculous price tags is a more fitting souvenir. You can also sign up for next year’s race at discounted prices, but they keep raising prices here as well. Not great.
Parking:
-Parking in San Diego is always tough, and this race is no exception. While it’s nice that parking at the Convention Center for the expo is more centralized compared to last year’s Waterfront Park, the bad news is that it’s much more expensive since you’re in the heart of San Diego. For race-day parking, I used the race-recommended Spot Hero app to book a parking lot that was halfway between the start and finish areas (remember: it’s a little over a mile and a half between them). If it feels like a long trek from your race-day parking spot to the start line, don’t worry. There will be hundreds of fellow runners making the same trip with you on foot up to Balboa Park. It’s a fun sort of bonding experience!
Pre-race:
-The official start line is at 6th Ave and Quince St, but the energy, music, crowds, and port-a-potty lines start once you cross 6th Ave and the El Prado Bridge/Laurel St. Remember to bring your expo-issued bag, zip-tie, and gear check tag from your bib—it’s the only gear check bags they’ll accept at the gear check trucks on the southeast side of the grassy start area. Speaking of grass, try to avoid the wet morning green if you want to keep your shoes clean. All along 6th Ave, runners will be guided into fenced corrals marked by giant guitar picks corresponding to the corral number on your race bib. Faster runners will be rushed off first in earlier corral waves, followed by subsequent slower waves. I wish the race would bring back the turnstile/gate and traffic lights used to launch runners in prior years. Based on race results, there were at least a thousand more runners this year for the Half Marathon, and those turnstiles would have really helped reduce the wave sizes and congestion.
Course:
-Miles 1-4 start by heading north along 6th Ave, away from Balboa Park. A slight tweak to the course this year: instead of turning right onto University Ave, the course turned onto Robinson Ave instead, through some residential neighborhoods before shifting to Park Blvd and then finally University Ave. It’s slightly disorienting if you’re used to the old course, but it’s not a major change. You’ll then head northeast through the Hillcrest, North Park, and University Heights neighborhoods. There’s plenty of entertainment, DJs, bands, drag queens, and even a Top Gun-era Tom Cruise impersonator in these early areas. Some hills around Mile 2 in North Park thin the running crowd a bit, but there were still so many racers who kept pushing on. There’s some good early-morning energy in the first few miles and it’ll put a smile on your face.
-Miles 4-8 make a winding loop through the Normal Heights residential neighborhoods. The streets are narrow but flat and cozy here. You’ll encounter so many local San Diegans out to cheer you on and offer home-made refreshments. Somewhere between Miles 4 and 5, unofficial hydration stations offer shots and beer, with some pretending to be “Sobriety Checkpoints”, haha. As the course re-enters the city streets, keep an eye out for Ron Burgundy himself. Stay classy, San Diego!
-Miles 8-13.1 set up an exciting finale to the race. The full Marathon course splits from the Half Marathon after Mile 8, where the Feed-sponsored Energy Station delivers electrolytes and energy gels. Shortly after, the Half course enters the northeast corner of Balboa Park. The toughest hills of the course kick in around Mile 9 and 10, up Jacaranda Place. They’re a challenge coming in so late in the race, but luckily the Naruwan Taiko drum group will power you up the toughest hills. Once you round the corner past the Morley Field Disk Golf Course, you’ll climb another mini-hill to the sounds of The Surf Birdz/Sonic Tonic bands perched at the top. Then it’s all downhill from here, zooming down Pershing Drive through Balboa Park, through the disco-DJ tunnel under Curran Plaza at Mile 12, then into downtown San Diego for the roaring finish line. I absolutely love the downhill momentum in the final three miles, it’s such a blast!
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The Rock n Roll race series’ claim to fame is the music and entertainment offerings, and the half marathon course definitely rocks. Every mile or so, you’ll encounter rock bands, DJs, a drag show, a Top Gun-era Tom Cruise impersonator, a mariachi band, Joe Dreamz, cheerleaders, or a taiko drum group. It’s rarely quiet and rarely boring. My main complaint: at the Mile 12 tunnel under Curran Plaza, the swirling disco lights that lit up the tunnel were missing again. They’ve been off-and-on for the last few years—gone one year, back last year as simple vertical beams of light, and now gone again. I don’t understand what’s going on. Bring back the DANCING disco lights! Water support and port-a-potties were sufficient. Weather was cool and completely overcast, with temperatures going from 65 F at the start to a drizzly 69 F at the finish line.
Post-race:
-Cross the finish-line, celebrate with your finisher medal, and grab your well-earned refreshments: bottled water, a banana, Kirkland granola bars, Goldfish crackers, fruit snacks, and cups of electrolytes from Mortal Hydration. There are several official photo backdrops available, and I’m glad they moved them further down the finisher chute to minimize the congestion in prior years. The runner chute extends several more blocks down W Ash St towards the Waterfront Park Finish Festival. The grassy park is where you’ll find the alphabetized family reunion area, gear check trucks, food trucks, official merch sales, medal pick-up for the Heavy Medal Challenge and for the Remix Challenge, medal engraving, and wide-open space to cool-down and stretch. In prior years, there were several more photo backdrops, including giant “13.1”, “26.2”, and medal podium stands, but they seemed much harder to find to find this year. Live music came courtesy of Paging the 90s, a retro rock band, playing on the main stage just across from the beer festival. New this year was a Race Day After Party at the Carnitas Snack Shack, but seeing as it didn’t start until 12 pm, I’m not sure how many people stayed around hours after just for that. As you make your post-race exit, prepare for some of the worst traffic ever. Plan accordingly!
Swag:
-This year’s official half Marathon shirt was a multi-colored design: the top-half of the shirt in navy blue, the bottom half in a sky-blue tone, with four stripes of blue/light-blue/gold/orange cutting diagonally between, and faint silhouettes of beach scenes and Balboa Park at the bottom of the shirt. Blue text for “San Diego” sits atop the stripes in the front, and “Half Marathon” sits on the back stripes. The front chest reads “Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series” in white, with the orange San Diego RnR guitar pick logo stamped on the left sleeve, and the sponsor names for The Feed, FitVine, Wahoo, and St. Jude’s Research Hospital in white at upper back. It’s a nice design, but judging from other color variants I saw worn by runners throughout the weekend, it looks like it’s a standard template being used by Rock ‘n’ Roll across several of their races.
The Half Marathon medal this year was a black rectangular medal, with a yellow/orange sunset backdrop that features “13.1” in large white text at the front. A cursive “San Diego” sits at the bottom-left corner, “6.1.2025” at bottom-center, the orange Rock n Roll San Diego guitar pick logo at the bottom-right corner, all along a silhouette of the San Diego skyline. The medal is looped in a golden orange ribbon with some palm leaf prints throughout.
If you ran the 5k, your Remix Medal is a DJ turntable that declares “REMIX CHALLENGE” in orange and white at the top. One disc on the turntable features the orange Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego guitar pick logo, while the other disc reads “2025 Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series”. The Remix medal is looped in an orange ribbon.
Bottom-line:
-The Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon remains a fun, energetic race. The big crowds contribute to the energy, but it also means some congestion along the course. Just remember to go out there and enjoy the good vibes (and high prices).
Electric course through the city
The atmosphere was amazing, community support through the roof. Plenty of aid stations with gels and electrolytes. There were some decent hills that you should prepare for. 100% running again MORE
The atmosphere was amazing, community support through the roof. Plenty of aid stations with gels and electrolytes.
There were some decent hills that you should prepare for.
100% running again
This race is catered to half-marathoners
First off, beautiful weather for race day of 60 degrees and overcast, I was able to beat my goal of sub 3 hours, and run with some very nice people. … MORE
First off, beautiful weather for race day of 60 degrees and overcast, I was able to beat my goal of sub 3 hours, and run with some very nice people. These were all great positives from the race.
On the flip side, there were three main pieces of San Diego RNR that I was not happy about:
1) COURSE TERRAIN: specifically the highway to hill is a bank turning highway, where runners are effective running sideways while at a 5-10% grade. Not to mention that this incline/decline is at mile 22-25. I’m unsure how I didn’t get injured.
2) RACE SETUP: Marathon runners race in tandem with the half-marathoners. There are 20k+ half marathoners and only 5k+ marathoners. These races begin at the same time and runners finish in the exact same area. Personally, I barely got across the finish line due to physically being extremely beat up and was swarmed by thousands of half-marathoners finishing at the exact same time. This was dangerous and even though I was very close to passing out I could not find much needed medical support.
Suggestion: either do these races on different days so that runners who finish the marathon can receive needed medical attention or have the races finish in separate areas (two separate streets/locations)
3) COURSE ROUTE: The back half of this marathon is completely desolate.
The first half of the race is awesome. You go through the neighborhoods of North Park, Hillcrest, Mission Valley, and the crowd is great.
On the flip side, I saw a total of a few hundred people (outside of volunteers) from miles 13 to 25. This course goes through empty areas, doesn’t have good scenery, and is just overall bland. Not happy with how uninspiring the end of this race is.
good course, great crowd support
Rock 'n Roll San Diego is a fun gem on my race calendar. You spend a weekend in San Diego, you run a net downhill course, and if you like … MORE
Rock ‘n Roll San Diego is a fun gem on my race calendar. You spend a weekend in San Diego, you run a net downhill course, and if you like a drink or 12, there is the mile 4-5.5 gauntlet of beverages available.
San Diego is not flat. There are plenty of rolling hills throughout the race, but there are not many killer hills. (The downhill at mile 9 is a steep one.)
Lodging can be a little pricey, so bring a friend and split the cost. Don’t need a car, so you can Uber or bus from the airport, and you can walk to most places around town, or take the trolley (light rail).
Pre-race choose your porta potty lines well. The ones near the back have long lines, while the ones near the front (by the low corral numbers,) have a lot shorter lines.
The half marathon course takes you from Balboa park, thru Hilcrest, North Park, back thru Balboa park and finishes downtown (near Little Italy).
The expo (and post race) is at Waterfront park. Parking is scarce, so walk, trolley, or FRED your way to and from the area.
Plenty of places to eat in the area, but you might want to get a reservation on race weekend. The Queenstown Public House is where we ate after the race this year.
For the more casual runner who wouldn’t mind a drink or two, there is fireball, tequila, beer, mimosas, tequila sunrise, and a myriad of other drinks (including a few made to order stops) in mile 4-5.5. Enjoy. I ran better after a shot or two. And of course there are plenty of official water and electrolyte stations on the course. This year, the featured electrolyte was Mortal Hydration.
This race offers something for the most serious runners, or the BOPers like me.
Rock, roll, run! It's a crowded party!
The San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon is all about the atmosphere, the big race energy, and the crowds—for better and worse. Expo / pick-up: -New this year! The … MORE
The San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon is all about the atmosphere, the big race energy, and the crowds—for better and worse.
Expo / pick-up:
-New this year! The expo was staged at San Diego’s Waterfront Park, the same location as the post-race celebration. Overall, it was fine but the expo is one-way foot traffic, so be sure to enter from the south entrance near Ash Street and exit from the north of the park. You cannot enter the fenced expo area from anywhere else. The organization of the expo area was interesting because you pick up your bib first, followed by a detour through merchandise sales and sponsors/vendors, and THEN they allow you to pick up your shirt. I’m guessing with the new outdoor setup, they were worried about people getting their bib and shirt, then bailing before hitting up the money-makers. Who could turn down the opportunity to buy overpriced Lululemon-branded Rock ‘n’ Roll clothing? *eyeroll* Seriously, the prices on official race merchandise have been egregious since Lululemon took over, I hate it. One other casualty of the outdoor expo setup: the mini-exhibit dedicated to the history of the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll races. Since San Diego is the first and original race in the series, they used to really highlight that history and showcase all the previous medal designs. If the exhibit was still around this year, I definitely missed it since it wasn’t as prominent.
Parking:
-Parking in San Diego is always tough, and the Waterfront Park is no exception. Bad news is that the parking is less centralized than at the previous Convention Center location, but the good news is that you have many more street parking options, and it often ends up being cheaper than before. For race day, I used the Spot Hero app, as recommended by the event website, and found a spot halfway between the start and finish areas. Don’t worry too much if it feels like you’re walking a long distance to the start line. On race-day morning, there are so many fellow runners making the same long trek in the same direction—it’s a fun bonding experience, haha.
Pre-race:
-The official start line is at 6th Ave and Quince St, but the energy, music, crowds, and port-a-potty lines start once you cross 6th Ave and Laurel St/the El Prado Bridge. Remember to bring your expo-issued plastic bags and gear check tags from your bib—it’s the only gear check bags they’ll accept at the gear check trucks on the east side of the grassy start area. Runners line up along 6th Ave, separated by numerous corrals marked by large guitar picks, matching the corral numbers on your race bib. You’re released in in waves, but I missed the turnstile/gate used in prior years to break the start waves into even smaller waves, which reduced congestion. Based on the race results, there were at least 1,700 more runners this year just for the Half Marathon, which led to congestion in the first 3-4 miles. Bring back the gates and the mini-waves!
Course:
-Miles 1-4 head north away from Balboa Park, then east through the Hillcrest, North Park, and University Heights neighborhoods. There’s some great entertainment, music, bands, and drag queens in these early areas. Some hills around Mile 2 in North Park normally start thinning the running field, but it felt like it barely made a dent in the larger number of racers this year. Overall, these first few miles are friendly and charged with early-morning race energy.
-Miles 4-8 make a winding loop through residential neighborhoods in Normal Heights. The streets are narrow but flatter and cozier here, with plenty of local San Diegans out to cheer you on or offer home-made refreshments. I counted at 4-5 pop-up stands offering shots and beer around Mile 4.5!
-Miles 8-13.1 set up an exciting finale to the race. The full Marathon course splits off from the Half Marathon at around Mile 8, and shortly after, the Half course enters the northeast corner of Balboa Park. Some of the toughest hills of the course kick in around Mile 9 and 10, up Jacaranda Place. They’re not the steepest hills in the world, but they’re a real challenge coming in so late in the race. Luckily, race sponsor Biofreeze has a pit-stop area here where they’ll blast your legs with pain-relief spray. Once you round the corner past the Morley Field Disk Golf Course, you’ll squeeze by road construction and narrow center dividers. And it’s all downhill from here, zooming down Pershing Drive through Balboa Park, through the disco-DJ tunnel under Curran Plaza at Mile 12, then into downtown San Diego for the raucous finish line. There’s some real downhill momentum in the final miles that make it so much fun!
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The Rock n Roll race series’ claim to fame is the music and entertainment, and the half marathon course truly rocks. Every mile or so, you’ll encounter rock bands, DJs, a drag show, a Top Gun-era Tom Cruise impersonator, a mariachi band, Joe Dreamz, cheerleaders, stylish low rider cars, or a taiko drum group. It’s rarely quiet, and you’re never bored. Local residents join in on the fun too—at around Mile 9, someone placed an inflated unicorn on the street, spewing water from its horn! After taking a year off, the colorful lights in the Mile 12 tunnel are back, but they’re just vertical beams, not the swirling disco lights of years prior. There was a DJ at the tunnel entrance, but those colorful, dancing lights were a special touch, especially so close to the end. Bring back the DANCING disco lights! Water support and port-a-potties were plentiful. Weather was cool and completely overcast, with temperatures going from 59 F at the start to 60 F at the finish.
Post-race:
-Cross the finish-line, celebrate with your finisher medal, and grab refreshments: bottled water, a banana, Kirkland granola bars, Goldfish crackers, Mott’s fruit snacks, and cups of electrolytes from Mortal Hydration. There are several official photo backdrops available (great!), but I wish they were set further down the finisher chute. Their location is too close to the finish line and creates some traffic jams. Runners are funneled several blocks eastward down Ash St towards the Waterfront Park finish festival. There, you can make your way to the alphabetized family reunion area, gear check trucks, food trucks, even more (better!) photo opportunities, official merch sales, Remix Challenge medal pick-up (if you also did the 5k), medal engraving, and wide-open green space to cool-down and stretch. Live music by from a No Doubt tribute band blared from the main stage, creating a festive mood along the waterfront.
But as you make your post-race exit, prepare for some of the worst traffic ever! I understand the need to close streets and freeway on-ramps, but you can’t just close them and say “that’s that!”. Put up some signs to reroute the car traffic, let us know how to get back on the freeway! I’m not sure if this is more on the race organizers or local transportation agencies, but something needs to be fixed. It took me 20 minutes just to get from my parking garage to an open on-ramp…
Swag:
-The official Half Marathon shirt was a blue tech shirt, with a circular graphic centered in 2 shades of orange and 2 shades of blue, white silhouettes of palm trees and birds, and large, curvy golden text of “San Diego” in the middle. Smaller white text around the graphic spell out “EST. 1998”, “Half Marathon”, and “06.02.24”, while the Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar pick logo sits up top. It’s a nice colorful design, a major upgrade over last year’s black tech shirts.
The Half Marathon medal is a big, round, dark silver disc, with “THE ORIGINAL” in orange/yellow/blue/white text on blue near the top, white “San Diego” on blue near the bottom, and sparkly white “13.1” in large text in the center, popping out over a cut-out of a California grizzly bear. The outer edges of the medal are striped in orange/blue/yellow, with the “06.02.24’ date at the bottom, and the orange Rock ‘n’ Roll guitar pick logo at the very top. It’s all looped in a golden-yellow ribbon white some white palm tree silhouettes. If you ran the 5k, your Remix Medal is a set of yellow/orange/blue over-ear headphones, surrounding a swiveling medallion that says “2024 Remix Challenge” in blue text on orange/yellow gradient on one side, and the orange Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego guitar pick logo on a yellow background on the other side. The Remix medal is looped in an orange/yellow gradient ribbon
Bottom-line:
-Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego is a fun, big-time race with lots of runner and lots of energy. For the first time, though, I could feel the downside of the race being too popular: a congested race course and paralyzing car traffic at the end.
Lots of fun: 1st Half Marathon
Get there early, preferably via Uber, parking is hard to find and there's traffic. If you use one of those guys on a bike with lights it can cost $60 … MORE
Get there early, preferably via Uber, parking is hard to find and there’s traffic. If you use one of those guys on a bike with lights it can cost $60 PER PERSON. will definitely be running out again next year.
Perfect first half marathon
This was a super fun first half marathon! People cheering pretty much the whole course, costumes, food + drinks (should you wish), lots of excitement! A few tough hills. Was … MORE
This was a super fun first half marathon! People cheering pretty much the whole course, costumes, food + drinks (should you wish), lots of excitement! A few tough hills. Was hoping for more scenery when I first heard “San Diego” but still great vibes overall.
Horrible "organization"
Was not able to participate in this race due to the shitty "organization" for this event. From a bunch of roads closed that created a huge caos hours before the … MORE
Was not able to participate in this race due to the shitty “organization” for this event.
From a bunch of roads closed that created a huge caos hours before the event started to the overwhelming amount of people that did not allow a decent flow of all the vehicles to get the rest of the people get close to the start of the event.
Never seen such a lack of interest by the organizers and local authorities to make this a fun event, which is what we all expect to experience.
My wife and I ended up all frustrated and mad at each other for all the bad vibe that we opted to go back home for the sake our own health.
Incredible Experience!!!
I got injured 2 weeks before this race, but since it was part of a family vacation I still participated. I wasn't able to run so I walked it. In … MORE
I got injured 2 weeks before this race, but since it was part of a family vacation I still participated. I wasn’t able to run so I walked it. In hindsight this might have been a blessing as I was able to take in the sights and sounds more than if I had been running. The event itself was amazing. Different types of bands / music throughout the entire course. Unbelievable crowd support as well. The course runs through a neighborhood at one point and almost every driveway had people out cheering, giving out shots or beer along with water. One house even had their own band playing in the driveway. The had a Tom Cruise and Ron Burgundy impersonators on the course, cheerleaders and a host of others throughout the course.
The expo was so so. Nothing spectacular but still nice. The after party area was fun and the entertainment was nice also.
All in all a really fun event. I would like to do it again in the future, so I could actually run it, but who knows!!
The OG
I get why this is the original Rock N Roll race, and I loved. The course was decent, it had some great parts and some other not so great areas. … MORE
I get why this is the original Rock N Roll race, and I loved. The course was decent, it had some great parts and some other not so great areas. RnR after party has really changed, not the same as it used to be. The expos are also much smaller and have less offerings. Overall, this was a nice race and the weather was great.
Big race and difficult to find parking.
Typical Rock and Roll event..large crowds..buy entry early!! Expo was filled with LuluLemon apparel which had a lot to choose from...lots of cool gear to buy. The weather was fantastic … MORE
Typical Rock and Roll event..large crowds..buy entry early!! Expo was filled with LuluLemon apparel which had a lot to choose from…lots of cool gear to buy. The weather was fantastic for running that day..overcast and cool.