Overall Rating
Overall Rating (51 Reviews)
4.7
(51 Ratings) 🏆 (51 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
3.5
SCENERY
5
PRODUCTION
4.5
SWAG
4.1
RUN in beautiful Lake Tahoe!ROCK your way through some awesome weekend events!RECOVER pool side with live music at the post-race pool party! The Rock Tahoe Half Marathon starts at Spooner Summit and drops over 1,000ft as it winds its way down Highway 50 along the stunning East Shore of Lake … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 15):
  2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
 
H (°F)  71  80  79  68  73
L (°F)  39  35  54  36  51
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Recent reviews

    aubreynetzel FIRST-TIMER '23

    The race is beautiful, mainly downhill with stunning views of the lake. Elevation may be a challenge if you're not acclimated. The good: Pacers, really cool medal, full food (like … MORE

    The race is beautiful, mainly downhill with stunning views of the lake. Elevation may be a challenge if you’re not acclimated.
    The good: Pacers, really cool medal, full food (like a packed lunch) at the finish, the views, early start for walkers.
    The bad: Have no reason to not start earlier as the sun is a doozy when it comes out, ran out of aid (Gu) for the first 7 miles for “slower” runners (I was the 2:45 pacer) which isn’t acceptable, was short on water/cups at some water stops, mile markers were all over the board either super off on their placement or just missing all together, and the shirt is very “meh”.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    nagelca1989 FIRST-TIMER '23

    This race is amazing! The expo was simple but good energy, the line for getting your bib did get kind of long but wasn't too crazy. The start line was … MORE

    This race is amazing! The expo was simple but good energy, the line for getting your bib did get kind of long but wasn’t too crazy.

    The start line was a wide open area with plenty of bathrooms. They had a guided stretch and a really excellent electric guitar national anthem before an on-time start! The first 3 miles are totally down hill so I flew into the next 10 miles of rolling hills. The walkers had started an hour before us which I had originally thought was strange but then ended up loving it as they would cheer me (and I would cheer them) on as I ran by them on the course. The altitude is definitely no joke on your performance up here (and I only showed up to Tahoe, one day before) but the views all made up for it!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    cfconwayiii FIRST-TIMER '22

    Pre race communication was great Expo was sufficient nothing spectacular Weather was perfect Postcard views coming out of the tunnel First half was all downhill with rolling hills second half, … MORE

    Pre race communication was great
    Expo was sufficient nothing spectacular
    Weather was perfect
    Postcard views coming out of the tunnel
    First half was all downhill with rolling hills second half, course was good on road with a couple of miles on bike trail
    Swag was awesome: very nice shirt and medal was big and one of my favs
    National Anthem was played by a guy with a guitar which was pretty cool
    Plenty of aid stations with bananas, oranges, goldfish, gummies, granola bars, water and hydration recovery drink
    Finish line had stainless steel water bottles, granola bars, bananas, oranges. Also had compression recovery boots, they felt real nice on sore legs!
    One thing I was not a fan of is that top 3 overall winners were eligible for age group awards too. I am only saying this since I finished 4th in my age group and the first place finisher was 3rd overall. I guess I should have run faster. Lol
    Overall fun race with great staff and volunteers
    I definitely recommend this race!

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    LaurynPerz REPEAT RUNNER '19

    Every time I encourage someone to run a half for the first time, this is the race I recommend. I've ran this 3 of the 4 years we have lived … MORE

    Every time I encourage someone to run a half for the first time, this is the race I recommend. I’ve ran this 3 of the 4 years we have lived here. I wanted to run the one other time, but had just given birth. I was able to bring her in the stroller on the 2019 race. This race has a gradual decline for most the race and then the last couple miles wind through the shade near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. I have probably ran 15+ half marathons over the last 5 years, and Rock Tahoe is my absolute favorite. My one critique as that one year, I tied my quarter zip around my waist along with my bib number so I got no pictures and wasn’t able to view pictures to comb through, which I would have done. I was really disappointed because the photos turn out so great with the beautiful scenery.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4
    My Media

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    spartanmom REPEAT RUNNER '19

    This was my daughter's and my second year running the Rock Tahoe Half Marathon and we loved it! The management is organized, everyone is friendly and the scenery is amazing! … MORE

    This was my daughter’s and my second year running the Rock Tahoe Half Marathon and we loved it! The management is organized, everyone is friendly and the scenery is amazing! From packet pickup to the pool party and everything in between we had nothing but great experiences. All of the hydration and fuel stations were manned with awesome volunteers who cheered us on and even entertained us with their dance moves. We absolutely want to participate next year and look forward to another great time!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    Fragileflower12 FIRST-TIMER '19

    My son won a free race entry to this race at the CIM Expo in December~and since he can’t drive yet...off we went to run Rock Tahoe. I loved the … MORE

    My son won a free race entry to this race at the CIM Expo in December~and since he can’t drive yet…off we went to run Rock Tahoe. I loved the idea of staying in Tahoe, getting to sight see etc. However, rooms were at some points $500 nightly due to the event and a concert the same weekend. Make sure you make arrangements early!!! We stayed in Reno and drove up Race morning. Easy! Wasn’t ideal but was doable. Would’ve much enjoyed being able to stay local and enjoy festivities though. Anyway, back to the race itself. The expo is so small you mustn’t blink. They do a great job or organization though and bib pick up was easy and painless. Not much to buy to brag (meaning shirts, sweatshirts etc) What they did have basically only fit the typical runner body~oddly enough, the majority I saw didn’t fit that mold so I’m hoping they figure that out soon. Again, organized expo but seriously lacking. Race morning meant bus rides to Spooner Summit. About a 20 min ride. I wasn’t looking forward to what I figured would be a winding route to the top. (I get very carsick). It wasn’t!! There were plenty of buses. Easy parking at Montbleu or Hard Rock parking. Hop on the bus at your scheduled time and off ya go. Easy. Great atmosphere at the top. Although, for being named after Hard Rock…it seemed a bit weak energy wise. Announcer was good but other than that just your typical pre race blah. There’s an early start for back of the packers. I enjoyed this. However, pay attention to the “penalty boxes”. These are areas Back of Packers can’t pass before the lead runners go through. They are real! The first 3 miles or so are downhill. However, there are some uphills and rollers and even a significant couple uphills. While it’s not exactly like scaling Mt diablo or Mt Tam…it is work when you’re at elevation and sleep deprived and it’s HOT!! Not to mention when you’re expecting all downhill!!!! This frustrated me. Also, the entire course minus a couple last miles are on a very very VERY busy highway going into Tahoe. Only one lane is shut down. It’s busy! So, no headphones. And yes, it’s dangerous at points. The AS are setup at great intervals BUT most only stocked with that yellow Nuun and water as well as some orange slices. However, mile 9s AS rocks with alcohol and other goodies if you’re into that sorta thing. If not, they’re also the most energetic and friendly with great music!! I struggled here with food poisoning and the heat and constant rollers. I just couldn’t get any pace going for myself. Maybe it was the elevation too but it just wasn’t a good time for me. I finished well well WELL over my projected. But, I finished. The last three miles or so are odd. The route veers off into a “bike route”. I didn’t pay attention to that on the course map so I had one vision in my head and it was wrong. This made my last three miles hell. This “bike route” was paved and went through a lil camping area and upstairs and hills and down through meadows then thru town. Odd! Then, instead of finishing in front of HR Hotel…the course winds behind the hotel and down the street to the backside of the hotel to finish. Again. Odd. The finish line announcers were present even at my late arrival which I was thankful for. (In my defense, a good amount of time was spent helping several injured runners and one gal who blew out her knee right in front of me!) There were a few snacks left at my finish and I’m very thankful for the guys manning the water bottle pool that threw extra water bottles at my hubby and I as we finished. Love the water bottles too! Keepers! Post race festivities for me were meh. I’m not a beer drinker so a few of the tents were not for me. I’m not one for feeding my face post race with huge sandwiches or alcohol so that really wasn’t any interest. The clothes for sale were the leftovers from expo in size small and smaller. The best part of the post race for me was the chance to buy an organic fruit popsicle. Lol. Those were great! The medals and shirts were superb!!! The sling pack was ok. It doubles as your gear check bag with blanks on it to fill in your bib number with marker which I thought was genius. Other than all that I was just happy to get in my car and head back to Reno to relax in the hotel and go out to the BBQ street fair that night!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    3

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    aynroger FIRST-TIMER '19

    If this race is not on your bucket list, it should be. The views for the majority of the net downhill course are stunning. Don't be fooled though, there are … MORE

    If this race is not on your bucket list, it should be. The views for the majority of the net downhill course are stunning. Don’t be fooled though, there are enough rollercoaster hills in the second half to keep you working for that medal. 2019 was warmer than usual temps for Tahoe and I’m excited to run it again in 2020 with hopefully slightly cooler air.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    2

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    bg.momiche FIRST-TIMER '19

    First half I have ran but everything was very well organized, water and food stations about every 2 miles, moderate route when u think Tahoe, very fun, beautiful and well … MORE

    First half I have ran but everything was very well organized, water and food stations about every 2 miles, moderate route when u think Tahoe, very fun, beautiful and well worth it! I will be doing it again next year!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    veerios12 REPEAT RUNNER '19

    This race has a beautiful course, fun expo, and aid stations are great. Such a fun race to do. The scenery alone makes it worth it. Mostly down hill the … MORE

    This race has a beautiful course, fun expo, and aid stations are great. Such a fun race to do. The scenery alone makes it worth it. Mostly down hill the first three miles, then the rest is rolling hills. Expo/packet pickup is a event itself with music and fun vendors/sponsors. Aid stations are awesome plenty to refuel and friendly faces. Definitely a must do race.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4
    My Media

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    Profile photo of Eric Salsman
    etsalsman FIRST-TIMER '19

    This race was organized very well. The course was sufficiently protected and there were minimal turns throughout the course. Water stations were plenty, though some were slow on refilling cups … MORE

    This race was organized very well. The course was sufficiently protected and there were minimal turns throughout the course. Water stations were plenty, though some were slow on refilling cups so there was a minor wait for water. The packet pickup expo was on the smaller side, but it was efficient and was a fun party nonetheless. The finisher expo was amazing at the hard rock. There were plenty of snacks and refreshments at the end. Finisher photos were great, and the pool party & tacos at the finish were just what the body needed after a race. I will be back for sure.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    kristinjb83 FIRST-TIMER '19

    This is probably one of the most beautiful runs that I have done. It is not all down hill there are a few good hills to climb. But overall, the … MORE

    This is probably one of the most beautiful runs that I have done. It is not all down hill there are a few good hills to climb. But overall, the weather was perfect, the production was good and had good energy, and you cannot replace Lake Tahoe views.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    2

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    londonjulia FIRST-TIMER '19

    Well worth my drive from Bend, Oregon to run this wonderful half marathon with a friend. Absolutely stunning views and a great course with a lot being downhill. Hard to … MORE

    Well worth my drive from Bend, Oregon to run this wonderful half marathon with a friend. Absolutely stunning views and a great course with a lot being downhill. Hard to do a PR when you can’t help but stop for photos so I will be back again😉 So well organized from packet pick up to pool party finish. Everyone super helpful and welcoming. Lots of well stocked aid stations and toilets if needed. Swag is great and appreciate being able to download the professional photos. Pool party was a welcome end to the run. If you are looking for a half marathon this one will not disappoint……

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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    JuliaReid FIRST-TIMER '19

    Amazing crew! Water stations every 2ish miles with food and waters. Amazing vibe and you can’t beat that scenery! You must stop to take a selfie! MORE

    Amazing crew! Water stations every 2ish miles with food and waters. Amazing vibe and you can’t beat that scenery! You must stop to take a selfie!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    mbender FIRST-TIMER '19

    It’s was such a beautiful course that I forgot I was running at some points! Well organized , the aid stations were fully stocked and at great intervals. I love … MORE

    It’s was such a beautiful course that I forgot I was running at some points! Well organized , the aid stations were fully stocked and at great intervals. I love the swag! I only wish I could have attended the pool party! That will be a must for next year! My new favorite race for sure!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    mmori REPEAT RUNNER '18

    Its 2nd time around. Last year, I enjoyed it so much that I signed up immediately for this year. During my run, I had no expectations other than knowing that … MORE

    Its 2nd time around. Last year, I enjoyed it so much that I signed up immediately for this year. During my run, I had no expectations other than knowing that I will encounter beauty in the nature surrounding me while putting myself through a challenging but fun course. It’s not easy to run at elevation when I don’t train in elevation. This year what made a difference truly is that my last year’s run motivated a big group of friends to come up and run with me. Last year it was me and my awesome bad ass triathlete friend who ran. This year, i ran with a big group of bad ass Spartans and guess what, we are inspiring even more people to sign up for 2019. The energy from this race is infectious to say the least. The course is breathtaking. The swag is awesome. I run for medals and like last year this medal rocks. I beat my last year’s time and I am proud, albeit by just 3 min. So What else can I ask for? More runners coming up to join this awesome race and I hope to crush my run time in 2019 by a bigger margin!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    mindfullyfit1 REPEAT RUNNER '18

    Aid stations are amazing and often. Love the electrolyte options. Also, fruit and gummy energy chewies are an added bonus. People are so nice and helpful. Easy directions to the … MORE

    Aid stations are amazing and often. Love the electrolyte options. Also, fruit and gummy energy chewies are an added bonus. People are so nice and helpful. Easy directions to the race, fun after party, and the medals are the main reason I run. Plus downhill it perfect for me, since I don’t really train for this race.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    princessmama2003 REPEAT RUNNER '18

    I love this run which is why I came back and will continue to come back! From registration to the finish line, it was smooth and informative! Every aide station … MORE

    I love this run which is why I came back and will continue to come back! From registration to the finish line, it was smooth and informative! Every aide station was full stocked with hydration, fuel, and energetic support! Well marked course and awesome finish line! The after party rocked and the pool was a great way to recover. Love this race and recommend it! Also walker friendly for those wanting to take on a half and not ready to run. And not to mention the gorgeous views!!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    trigurltri FIRST-TIMER '18

    This was the worst half marathon I've ever run. I ran the first 5.5 miles of the race (which was downhill) at an 11min/mile pace, which is fast for me. … MORE

    This was the worst half marathon I’ve ever run. I ran the first 5.5 miles of the race (which was downhill) at an 11min/mile pace, which is fast for me. I never saw the 2:45 or 2:30 pacers, they were so far ahead of me. Last time I checked with friends who are pacers, the purpose is to run that pace the whole race. I rely on them to keep me steady, not blow my wad in the first half.
    Also – they ran out of water between the second and fourth water stations. Less than an hour into the race there was no water on the course until you hit the steep hill. By then, my race was over. My water bottle was empty and I was getting dehydrated. Some may say this is my fault. But I’ve done several half marathons by now and have never had one run out of water so quickly. Miles 10 – 13 after 2:30, maybe.
    I will try this half again. I’m hoping this year was just a fluke. Maybe new pacers and not expecting it to be as warm as it was.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    1
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    athenatk FIRST-TIMER '18

    Elevation is a factor! Follow your training plan. One aide station ran out of water - was glad that I decided to carry a little water with me. Missed the … MORE

    Elevation is a factor! Follow your training plan. One aide station ran out of water – was glad that I decided to carry a little water with me. Missed the opportunity to purchase swag at expo. Was so tired after race. Disappointed that the online store is now closed.

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    Profile photo of Melissa Plunkett
    plunkett.mel FIRST-TIMER '18

    Beautiful and great extras! Lots of care put into the details such as quite and easy shuttle to the start, super fast uploading of the free photos taken at lots … MORE

    Beautiful and great extras! Lots of care put into the details such as quite and easy shuttle to the start, super fast uploading of the free photos taken at lots of stages of the run…

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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  2. Rock Tahoe Half Marathon