EVENT DISCONTINUED. Per race website: “Replaced by Mission Trail 5K Run/Walk”.
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The Valley of the Flowers Half-Marathon & 5K Run/Walk is held at La Purisima Mission State Park on a scenic off-road course. It is one of the few missions in California that have been fully restored facilities and docents working the shops & grounds dressed in historic era clothing.
The Half-Marathon course is hilly, mostly dirt with sections of sand and pavement. The 5K course is slightly hilly. Every mile and turn is marked. Registration includes post-race refreshments, entry fee to State Park, and finishers medal. A specially designed long-sleeve jersey or T-shirt (please choose the one you perfer) is included with Half-Marathon entries that are recieved no later than August 10th.
This Half Marathon & 5K benefits the Nancy Perry Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Lompoc Valley Distance Club (LVDC) awards four $500 scholarships each year – two for Cabrillo High and two for Lompoc High school students.
The Lompoc Valley Distance Club joined the Marathon craze sweeping the nation in the 1970’s. The Valley of Flowers Half Marathon came into being when the Full Marathon was started in 1976. This relationship continued for the next 21 years. The initial course start and end location was at Lompoc Senior High School, and then in 1977 both moved to River Park. After several years, they moved back again to Huyck Stadium, and continued there for another 13 years until 1997 which was the last year the Full Marathon was held.
The Half continued drawing 13.1 runners at this location until it was moved to Vandenberg Air Force Base in 2002 under the directorship of Wayne Davis. The course ran on North Base and 2 years later started and ended at the Vandenberg Fitness Center. Normally the event took place in June, but in 2007 when it moved to La Purisima Mission under the direction of a new director, Betty Lee, it was rescheduled to September. The Half has remained at the Mission to this day but the date move to June for 2016. After 9 years Betty Lee is turning over the event to Wayne Davis for 2017.
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Nice weather, hilly,lots of aid stations
Nice hilly course mainly on dirt and soft sand and pavement in some areas. 700ft of elevation gain and 13.11 for the distance. Very well marked course with some people … MORE
Nice hilly course mainly on dirt and soft sand and pavement in some areas. 700ft of elevation gain and 13.11 for the distance. Very well marked course with some people cheering you on the course. Lead bicyclist were nice specially since I was in first place the whole race:) Aid stations were nice and they served both Gatorade and water. There are hills throughout the course, but the biggest hill is at about mile and its a nice and steady climb that last a little over a mile, but what goes up, must come down so you can really fly on those last 2 miles of the course.