Run the night in this Christmas run to remember while making fun holiday memories. Enjoy a festive race experience, award winning medal & swag along with DELICIOUS RESORT CULINARY TREATS post race. Bask in the glow of 600+ scenic acres to race-cation on. The world class JW Marriott San Antonio …
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Run the night in this Christmas run to remember while making fun holiday memories. Enjoy a festive race experience, award winning medal & swag along with DELICIOUS RESORT CULINARY TREATS post race. Bask in the glow of 600+ scenic acres to race-cation on. The world class JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa has much to offer with its amazing pool complex, luxurious rooms, free nightly s’mores & amazing golfing at TPC San Antonio.
The Stars at Night Half and St. Nick at Night 10K & 5K runs are San Antonio’s very first NIGHT TIME 1/2 Marathon. This is a unique race experience for the running community which takes in all the incredible beauty of the world-class JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa! Not only will you be pulled in by the charm of this fine resort, but by their illuminated golf cart path courses. An amazing post race celebration on their fabulous event lawn awaits you.
Talk about your one of a kind cool courses this would be it with a NIGHT TIME run with a good bit of it being on the SAME EXACT golf course as the Valero Texas Open. You’ll head off on asphalt roads in and around the JW Marriott including lush TPC Pkwy as you crest the hill over looking the Resort. Then it’s off on your two golf course cart path adventure lit up by luminaries to guide your way. The scenery is simply breathtaking even at night. Plenty of run support from enthusiastic Aid Stations, heated Restrooms and a well marked path on these concrete cart paths.
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Deceptively Hard but Super Cool
Pros First! - Running a Christmas half marathon at sunset/night was really fun! - This is a good spectator race! You do a couple different loops and go past the … MORE
Pros First!
– Running a Christmas half marathon at sunset/night was really fun!
– This is a good spectator race! You do a couple different loops and go past the start and finish areas (they’re fairly close to each other) at least four or five times. My friend came to watch, and she got to cheer me on a lot without walking all over the place.
– Swag is great. The medal is hefty and really nice. The half marathon shirt is actually a light sweatshirt. I now wear it all the time.
– The course is well-marked. They have cones with glow sticks in them to help you stay on the path/watch for curbs.
– The announcer at the finish was a lot of fun!
– There were employees in golf carts at each split in the course making sure 10k and half marathon runners went the right directions (like half marathoners going straight while the 10k runners turned right).
– Beautiful course through a golf course and along a nature path
Middle of the road things (neither pro nor con):
– This race course is deceptively hard. The uphills are UP and the downhills are DOWN. I thought it would be more gentle rolling hills. It’s not. I live/train in Utah and thought the hills would be no problem for me. They were haha. Other runners with lots of half-marathon experience said it was a difficult course. It’s still a lot of fun. Just train accordingly.
– A lot of people running the races stay at the resort. So when I was searching for packet pick-up, people gave me directions like I knew things were.
Cons (but they didn’t outweigh the pros for me):
– Parking was a little confusing, particularly for packet pick-up. Better signage and instructions for parking (and also where to go for the pick-up) would have been nice.
– There’s food at the end, but I’m pretty sure the 5k runners (there are a LOT of 5k runners) ate most of it. So the half marathon runners got slim pickings. This was a bummer because we really need the food post-race. I got a banana, one pastry, plain shredded chicken, and a cup of hot chocolate. The website advertised a much better offering with brownies, tacos, various pastries, and more.
Overall, I had a lot of fun running this race. I missed my goal time by a lot, but having my friend cheer me on throughout made up for my disappointment in my pace. Running at sunset and at night on a golf course/resort at Christmastime created a unique race, and I appreciated how well-marked the course was. It’s definitely one worth trying out!
Half at Night on Golf Course
This was my second year to participate in this half and it won’t be my last. The run itself is okay but if you make a weekend out of it … MORE
This was my second year to participate in this half and it won’t be my last. The run itself is okay but if you make a weekend out of it and register early to get the discounted rate for the resort then it is a great experience.
The run, they have a 5K that starts first then about 30 minutes later the 10K/Half start. Most in the 5k will finish before it gets dark but the 10k/Half you will be running after sunset. Headlamps or other lighting is needed and the event says required but I saw many without illumination. I would not do it without lights as a previous runner wrote there are lots of uneven surfaces and it is dark. The course is sidewalks, golf cart paths, grass, dirt roads, concrete roads and a concrete multi use trail. It is lined with illuminated traffic cones, directional arrows and mile markers. There seemed to be enough aid stations that offered water and sports drink. The run winds its way through the resort, the golf course, a parking lot, down a street, militia use trail, then back on the golf course to the finish. There are some small rolling hills that while not steep they do let you know you are going uphill. As stated it is dark and without any kind of a light it is probably not safe. Even with lights you do need to watch your step when on the golf course or other non-paved surface.
Swag – 5/10k is a long sleeved shirt – Half is a sweatshirt. Finisher medals for all with the Half medal being slightly larger.
Post race food was provided and an indoor facility as well as a couple of outdoor fireplaces were present to keep warm.
If you placed in your age groups, this year you got a cup that said award winner.
While I was never worried that I was going in the correct direction, there are a lot of turns and running on the same part of the course in the opposite direction but as I said it was well marked, but a few more volunteers would of been helpful. This seems to be an issue with most events these days, not enough volunteers.
I enjoy this weekend and plan on returning. The resort is great, lots of Christmas decorations and events for everyone. Friday and Saturday night are super busy but if you can stay over Sunday night, it was quiet and almost empty.
Major let down
Dark very uneven course. Huge cracks in pavement and large holes in golf course portion. Hydration stations only manned about the first hour. No restrooms past about mile 3. Several … MORE
Dark very uneven course. Huge cracks in pavement and large holes in golf course portion. Hydration stations only manned about the first hour. No restrooms past about mile 3. Several racers peeing in the bushes. No course entertainment, very poor directions in the last couple of miles and no one to ask if I was on course. Even went back to make sure I didn’t miss a cutoff as Garmin read 13.3 mile before I was even finished. Cost me at least 5 min. Would not do again.
Nice Night Holiday Run
This was a nice family event in a great location. Three distances available, 5K, 10K, and Half. I ran the half. Event is at the JW Marriott Resort and run … MORE
This was a nice family event in a great location. Three distances available, 5K, 10K, and Half. I ran the half. Event is at the JW Marriott Resort and run mostly within the property. Run started at 5:15ish. So depending on your pace the first few miles are at dusk and most of the distance is run under the light of the stars. They say lights are required for 10k/Half runners but I noticed a few without any kind of illumination. I wouldn’t run without it as there are sections that are pretty dark and the surface is a combination of paved roads, cart paths, trails, as well as running across a couple of golf fairways, some dirt/rocky sections, and a grassy field or two. Plus this year it rained most of the night before and that day, so there were several water puddles and a larger deeper puddle when you go through a shoestring tunnel under the road. Course was marked with green glow sticks/lights and some directional signs but no mile markers. Mostly flat with only small short bumps. Plenty of water/sports drink stops were on course. Pacers for the half were provided for 1:30 to 3:00. Swag, a nice large finisher medal for half finishers. Medals were also given to 5/10k finishers, just a tad smaller. Half participants were given a hoodie sweatshirt, 5/10k a long sleeve Tee. Post race event was indoors and tacos, fruit, brownies, water, coffee, and hot chocolate were available. I am not sure about post race awards. I didn’t stay as my bib was “unnamed runner” at the time (a quick email got that fixed). Great event at a nice resort. If you register early enough they have rooms at a great discounted rate. Always nice to be able to walk to and from the start line from your room. But if you didn’t stay at the resort, there is plenty of free parking. I will definitely run this event again, already planning for ne t yeR
Nighttime golf course trail run
This was a different kind of race. The 1st 2.5 mile are on streets, and then transitions to the golf course cart paths. RUnning in the dark on the trails … MORE
This was a different kind of race. The 1st 2.5 mile are on streets, and then transitions to the golf course cart paths. RUnning in the dark on the trails was tough but fun. Headlamps are required and needed, since the course is never straight and level. You are constantly going right/left/up/down. The restort where the race is held is done up very well for christmas. This is a race I will probably do again.