| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| H (°F) | 65 | 62 | 72 | 64 | 62 |
| L (°F) | 46 | 48 | 46 | 46 | 36 |
| Powered by Dark Sky | |||||
I got my PR at this race because it was mostly downhill. Very challenging physically and mentally but it was awesome to say that I completed it! MORE
I got my PR at this race because it was mostly downhill. Very challenging physically and mentally but it was awesome to say that I completed it!
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Starting at 5300 foot elevation and ending at 3400 foot. Although downhill, course was not that easy. Really enjoyed nearby national parks. Great race to do while on vacation. Nice … MORE
Starting at 5300 foot elevation and ending at 3400 foot. Although downhill, course was not that easy. Really enjoyed nearby national parks. Great race to do while on vacation. Nice finishing medals and age group medals for top 5 in each group!
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This race starts early-first heat at 6am, which means boarding the shuttle at 4am (driving to start line isn’t an option. The course is mostly downhill, starting on a dirt … MORE
This race starts early-first heat at 6am, which means boarding the shuttle at 4am (driving to start line isn’t an option. The course is mostly downhill, starting on a dirt trail, which is a little rough, and then continues onto pavement, and is paved the rest of the way. It starts in the mountains and has nice scenery all the way. At the finish line shuttles take runners back to their cars.
There are plenty of aid stations along the way.
You can camp at the finish line or stay in a hotel (there are several nearby). I stayed at the Sierra Sky Ranch which had clean, comfortable accommodations and felt very “homey”.
The race is not in Yosemite, but borders it. I drove in to the park Saturday, after the race, but the park was so congested it was hard to enjoy. If I did it again, I’d visit on a week day, and take a guided tour so I wouldn’t have to worry about parking (or lack there of).
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The finish was a little anti-climatic. Other runners who had finished were walking where runners where still running. Would like to have more established path for runners. Cold as F**K … MORE
The finish was a little anti-climatic. Other runners who had finished were walking where runners where still running. Would like to have more established path for runners. Cold as F**K in the morning but great drop off section. bring something ugly to toss in the bin. you might find it later, you might not. Found my ugly pink jacket in no time!
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The race was run in two heats to accommodate the large number of runners and cars. Since the start line was in a remote area outside of the park, every … MORE
The race was run in two heats to accommodate the large number of runners and cars. Since the start line was in a remote area outside of the park, every runner had to be bussed to the start line. No exceptions. The first heat began at 6:00 AM, so the first heat’s runners departed their assigned parking lot at 4:30 AM. I have no idea how many busses it took – but doing the math: 1500 runners per heat divided by 50 seats per bus = 30 busses. That looked about right.
About that 4:30 AM departure – our hotel was only five minutes from the parking lot, so we left at 4:20. Big mistake. So did every other carload of runners, and the two lane highway with a single stoplight at the turn to the parking lot was backed up for a couple of miles. It took 20 minutes to make that 5 minute drive. Thankfully, there were plenty of volunteers to direct the cars to the overflow parking, and plenty of busses to get us to the start line – with about 10 minutes to spare. Not enough time for the porta-potty line. Thank goodness for the bathroom on the bus!
The first five miles of the race were on a decent dirt road with only a few muddy spots. The race staff had roped off a couple of significant trip hazards. Then it was downhill most of the way, with miles 5 – 10 being quite fast but not so steep that you needed to brake.
At about mile 10, beautiful Bass Lake came into view, and rolling hills past beach houses and shore-side businesses dotted the course. The race finished at the site of the race expo, on the shores of Bass Lake.
Vacation Races is the most environmentally friendly racing company that I’ve run with (hopefully there are others I don’t know about). Their races are always cup-free, but they provide a hydro-pouch as part of registration. It clips to your belt so you can carry it with you and fill as needed. There were trash and recycling receptacles at the start and finish lines and at all the aid stations.
Vacation Races also makes a big deal of the awards – complete with a podium honoring the five places overall and in the age divisions. The only downside was that those of us in the first heat had to wait for the second heat’s results before they could start the awards – cutting into our time at the park. But that was OK – standing on the podium is the very best!!!
A couple of tips: 1) my GPS couldn’t find the Race Expo, resulting in an unexpected tour of Bass Lake. Be sure you get accurate directions, and 2) Yosemite National Park was very crowded on race day. Plan to stay an extra day or two so you can really see the park.
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Beautiful trail! But more downhill than I expected. Downhill is not difficult, but caused a lot of discomfort on my knees and toes. It took a really long time to … MORE
Beautiful trail! But more downhill than I expected. Downhill is not difficult, but caused a lot of discomfort on my knees and toes. It took a really long time to get to the start of the half marathon, but the overall location and experience was well worth it. The half marathon gave me an excuse to explore Yosemite with my friends. We went on a crazy physical and mental journey of running the half marathon, and the very next day hiking half dome.
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The race was a race to not be taken lightly. Bass Lake is a beautiful place but the temperature was something to deal with. There was a logistics issue with … MORE
The race was a race to not be taken lightly. Bass Lake is a beautiful place but the temperature was something to deal with. There was a logistics issue with the amount of people and buses. After that, the race was beautiful to run and I would recommend it to anyone. The downhill portion does not make it easy. I did everything wrong but signing up was the only thing I did right.
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Read the race paper with details given at expo. It gives good race tips and things you can do /or participate in while your visiting there! Make sure to get … MORE
Read the race paper with details given at expo. It gives good race tips and things you can do /or participate in while your visiting there! Make sure to get to shuttles on race day, no later then 4am to make sure you get to start line on time! Go prepared by wearing extra clothes to keep warm while you wait! They have great aid stations with snacks, Gu’s, gel’s, electrolyte drinks and water, so no need to overpack your fanny packs. Have a great fun race! 🙂
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This was my fastest Half Marathon ever! First 10 Miles were downhill. It was tough on the legs, but I enjoyed it. I would run this, again. The dip in … MORE
This was my fastest Half Marathon ever! First 10 Miles were downhill. It was tough on the legs, but I enjoyed it. I would run this, again. The dip in Bass Lake helped with the sore legs. It was very nice.
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This is such a beautiful course! There was so much energy and it was nicely put together. I will say that the start is very hectic and chaotic as space … MORE
This is such a beautiful course! There was so much energy and it was nicely put together. I will say that the start is very hectic and chaotic as space is limited. Luckily there are multiple waves. Be careful though, the downhill kills your leggs.
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This was an overall great race! I loved the location and scenery of the course; we started at the top of a mountain and it was all downhill from there. … MORE
This was an overall great race! I loved the location and scenery of the course; we started at the top of a mountain and it was all downhill from there. It was really cold early in the morning (we had to be shuttled to the top of the mountain, 2 hours prior to race start) and there were three fire barrels provided. Everyone was huddled around them trying to get warm as we waited for the race to start. Once we got going, we warmed up and running through the mountains and park land was beautiful!
The race expo and post-race area were set up nicely with adequate support and I LOVED the medal, so cool looking! It is in the shape of an arrowhead with a picture of Yosemite Valley on the front. It is one of my favorite of all the races I have done. I would definitely recommend this race to others!
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They adjusted the course from the prior inaugural year, which made me SOOO happy since I was still recovering from and IT band injury. There was more of the run … MORE
They adjusted the course from the prior inaugural year, which made me SOOO happy since I was still recovering from and IT band injury. There was more of the run on trail compared to the road (which I preferred). There was still wonderful and gorgeous scenery and awesome swag, like the t-shirts (which I bought the one in the photo) and the HUGE medals! I still found the town a bit small and sometimes boring… but then again, you’re meant to go to Yosemite park for the fun right? You can’t ever beat the scenery of Yosemite. It’s just so unique and almost out of a dream. Next year, they moved the race into May, which is a bummer for me because October worked out so well in terms of work and weather (I prefer colder climate to run). However, I am dying to go back for another run there and this time, I will be camping in the park!
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I've always loved Yosemite and I was excited for this Inaugural Half! It was 13.1 miles almost all downhill. While this sounds amazing and I PR'd this course, my knee … MORE
I’ve always loved Yosemite and I was excited for this Inaugural Half! It was 13.1 miles almost all downhill. While this sounds amazing and I PR’d this course, my knee didn’t quite agree with how awesome I felt during the run! Alas, that is my own fault for not managing proper form while running. Anyway, I PR’d this half marathon and I’m still so proud of it! It was a beautiful course, mostly on road. It was chilly in the morning but it warmed up quickly. Oakhurst is a little town and has a limited amount of things to do and places to eat, but the fact you can go see Half Dome and Nevada Falls, among other amazing scenery, is all I needed to hear! I love the clubs they have to encourage people to hike the trails and explore the national park. It really makes it a mini-vacation! I did this run again the next year just because it was so much fun!
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This was my first official half marathon, but used to run this distance often in high school and college and I would say the outline went very smooth and definitely … MORE
This was my first official half marathon, but used to run this distance often in high school and college and I would say the outline went very smooth and definitely run professionally. It was great having gear drop-offs at the start line and at mile 3- even better that we did not lose our stuff! Race is almost ALL downhill so prep your quads!! We took an ice bath in the Merced river after the race, which helped. Only drawback was the start of the race- being from So Cal we were freezing our butts off (around 32 degrees in the am) before the start and had to wait in the area for about 2.5 hours so it took some time before our bodies warmed up. I would do this race again and by it being their second time putting this event on, I was pleasantly surprised on how well-organized it was. Also, medals are awesome!!!
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I liked that the race was so economically friendly and tried to minimize as much waste as possible by giving us our own water bottles; however, stopping to get water … MORE
I liked that the race was so economically friendly and tried to minimize as much waste as possible by giving us our own water bottles; however, stopping to get water slows your time if you’re looking for a personal best. The race itself was beautiful and although cold in the beginning, you’ll definitely warm up as you start to run more. The only complaint I have is with the bus/shuttle system in the morning. I know it was only the second half in Yosemite, but much can be improved for the next race.
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I would definitely recommend this 1/2 marathon race! Definitely one of my favorite races. I truly enjoyed the low stress race environment and the beautiful course. Part of course was … MORE
I would definitely recommend this 1/2 marathon race! Definitely one of my favorite races. I truly enjoyed the low stress race environment and the beautiful course. Part of course was trail running through gorgeous pines and we proceeded down hill on an asphalt road. Many food and water stops. The race swag was excellent quality and at great prices.
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dress in layers if race is in October again. Predawn race start was long long cold wait. Personally- I was dressed for run, don't like dropping clothes off, however the … MORE
dress in layers if race is in October again. Predawn race start was long long cold wait. Personally- I was dressed for run, don’t like dropping clothes off, however the race organization did have drop bins along way and at start.
Met great people on the bus ride to race start.
Stay several days to enjoy the park.
Plenty of restrooms at start. Great set up for package pickup and ending of race.
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The course has since changed, but there was so much downhill when i ran this course its 1st year, that it made my legs shaky, & the post race pain … MORE
The course has since changed, but there was so much downhill when i ran this course its 1st year, that it made my legs shaky, & the post race pain was extreme in legs & hips. I walked like an old lady for 2 days, from all the impact from the steep downhill! But it was pretty, & the downhill did make me run fast! My main complaint is there weren’t enough port-a-potties. But I would love to run this race again.
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This was the first time running in Yosemite. My friends and I used this as our destination race and were not disappointed at all. Started out a little chilly but, … MORE
This was the first time running in Yosemite. My friends and I used this as our destination race and were not disappointed at all. Started out a little chilly but, after the first 5 miles it warmed up perfectly! We extended our experience by going into the park and hiking half dome (on my birthday)! Wonderful experience … vacation races never disappoint!!!
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I did the inaugural race. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come back since the course has changed to include some trail. Vacation Races always does a great job … MORE
I did the inaugural race. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come back since the course has changed to include some trail. Vacation Races always does a great job in supporting the racers. I also like how they provide the additional medals & activities for the days proceeding the race. The course was beautiful & I hope to return to race in Yosemite once again.
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Such a beautiful and challenging race
I got my PR at this race because it was mostly downhill. Very challenging physically and mentally but it was awesome to say that I completed it! MORE
I got my PR at this race because it was mostly downhill. Very challenging physically and mentally but it was awesome to say that I completed it!
Scenic,downhill,trail+road,great medal
Starting at 5300 foot elevation and ending at 3400 foot. Although downhill, course was not that easy. Really enjoyed nearby national parks. Great race to do while on vacation. Nice … MORE
Starting at 5300 foot elevation and ending at 3400 foot. Although downhill, course was not that easy. Really enjoyed nearby national parks. Great race to do while on vacation. Nice finishing medals and age group medals for top 5 in each group!
Scenic, downhill, early start time
This race starts early-first heat at 6am, which means boarding the shuttle at 4am (driving to start line isn’t an option. The course is mostly downhill, starting on a dirt … MORE
This race starts early-first heat at 6am, which means boarding the shuttle at 4am (driving to start line isn’t an option. The course is mostly downhill, starting on a dirt trail, which is a little rough, and then continues onto pavement, and is paved the rest of the way. It starts in the mountains and has nice scenery all the way. At the finish line shuttles take runners back to their cars.
There are plenty of aid stations along the way.
You can camp at the finish line or stay in a hotel (there are several nearby). I stayed at the Sierra Sky Ranch which had clean, comfortable accommodations and felt very “homey”.
The race is not in Yosemite, but borders it. I drove in to the park Saturday, after the race, but the park was so congested it was hard to enjoy. If I did it again, I’d visit on a week day, and take a guided tour so I wouldn’t have to worry about parking (or lack there of).
COLD START. Best medal!
The finish was a little anti-climatic. Other runners who had finished were walking where runners where still running. Would like to have more established path for runners. Cold as F**K … MORE
The finish was a little anti-climatic. Other runners who had finished were walking where runners where still running. Would like to have more established path for runners. Cold as F**K in the morning but great drop off section. bring something ugly to toss in the bin. you might find it later, you might not. Found my ugly pink jacket in no time!
Oh Capitan, My Capitan!
The race was run in two heats to accommodate the large number of runners and cars. Since the start line was in a remote area outside of the park, every … MORE
The race was run in two heats to accommodate the large number of runners and cars. Since the start line was in a remote area outside of the park, every runner had to be bussed to the start line. No exceptions. The first heat began at 6:00 AM, so the first heat’s runners departed their assigned parking lot at 4:30 AM. I have no idea how many busses it took – but doing the math: 1500 runners per heat divided by 50 seats per bus = 30 busses. That looked about right.
About that 4:30 AM departure – our hotel was only five minutes from the parking lot, so we left at 4:20. Big mistake. So did every other carload of runners, and the two lane highway with a single stoplight at the turn to the parking lot was backed up for a couple of miles. It took 20 minutes to make that 5 minute drive. Thankfully, there were plenty of volunteers to direct the cars to the overflow parking, and plenty of busses to get us to the start line – with about 10 minutes to spare. Not enough time for the porta-potty line. Thank goodness for the bathroom on the bus!
The first five miles of the race were on a decent dirt road with only a few muddy spots. The race staff had roped off a couple of significant trip hazards. Then it was downhill most of the way, with miles 5 – 10 being quite fast but not so steep that you needed to brake.
At about mile 10, beautiful Bass Lake came into view, and rolling hills past beach houses and shore-side businesses dotted the course. The race finished at the site of the race expo, on the shores of Bass Lake.
Vacation Races is the most environmentally friendly racing company that I’ve run with (hopefully there are others I don’t know about). Their races are always cup-free, but they provide a hydro-pouch as part of registration. It clips to your belt so you can carry it with you and fill as needed. There were trash and recycling receptacles at the start and finish lines and at all the aid stations.
Vacation Races also makes a big deal of the awards – complete with a podium honoring the five places overall and in the age divisions. The only downside was that those of us in the first heat had to wait for the second heat’s results before they could start the awards – cutting into our time at the park. But that was OK – standing on the podium is the very best!!!
A couple of tips: 1) my GPS couldn’t find the Race Expo, resulting in an unexpected tour of Bass Lake. Be sure you get accurate directions, and 2) Yosemite National Park was very crowded on race day. Plan to stay an extra day or two so you can really see the park.
Beautiful trail! But a lot of downhill
Beautiful trail! But more downhill than I expected. Downhill is not difficult, but caused a lot of discomfort on my knees and toes. It took a really long time to … MORE
Beautiful trail! But more downhill than I expected. Downhill is not difficult, but caused a lot of discomfort on my knees and toes. It took a really long time to get to the start of the half marathon, but the overall location and experience was well worth it. The half marathon gave me an excuse to explore Yosemite with my friends. We went on a crazy physical and mental journey of running the half marathon, and the very next day hiking half dome.
Beautiful as Hell
The race was a race to not be taken lightly. Bass Lake is a beautiful place but the temperature was something to deal with. There was a logistics issue with … MORE
The race was a race to not be taken lightly. Bass Lake is a beautiful place but the temperature was something to deal with. There was a logistics issue with the amount of people and buses. After that, the race was beautiful to run and I would recommend it to anyone. The downhill portion does not make it easy. I did everything wrong but signing up was the only thing I did right.
I recommend running the Yosemite half!
Read the race paper with details given at expo. It gives good race tips and things you can do /or participate in while your visiting there! Make sure to get … MORE
Read the race paper with details given at expo. It gives good race tips and things you can do /or participate in while your visiting there! Make sure to get to shuttles on race day, no later then 4am to make sure you get to start line on time! Go prepared by wearing extra clothes to keep warm while you wait! They have great aid stations with snacks, Gu’s, gel’s, electrolyte drinks and water, so no need to overpack your fanny packs. Have a great fun race! 🙂
Wow, Downhill!
This was my fastest Half Marathon ever! First 10 Miles were downhill. It was tough on the legs, but I enjoyed it. I would run this, again. The dip in … MORE
This was my fastest Half Marathon ever! First 10 Miles were downhill. It was tough on the legs, but I enjoyed it. I would run this, again. The dip in Bass Lake helped with the sore legs. It was very nice.
Great Trail Race
This is such a beautiful course! There was so much energy and it was nicely put together. I will say that the start is very hectic and chaotic as space … MORE
This is such a beautiful course! There was so much energy and it was nicely put together. I will say that the start is very hectic and chaotic as space is limited. Luckily there are multiple waves. Be careful though, the downhill kills your leggs.
Loved This Race!
This was an overall great race! I loved the location and scenery of the course; we started at the top of a mountain and it was all downhill from there. … MORE
This was an overall great race! I loved the location and scenery of the course; we started at the top of a mountain and it was all downhill from there. It was really cold early in the morning (we had to be shuttled to the top of the mountain, 2 hours prior to race start) and there were three fire barrels provided. Everyone was huddled around them trying to get warm as we waited for the race to start. Once we got going, we warmed up and running through the mountains and park land was beautiful!
The race expo and post-race area were set up nicely with adequate support and I LOVED the medal, so cool looking! It is in the shape of an arrowhead with a picture of Yosemite Valley on the front. It is one of my favorite of all the races I have done. I would definitely recommend this race to others!
Better course this year!
They adjusted the course from the prior inaugural year, which made me SOOO happy since I was still recovering from and IT band injury. There was more of the run … MORE
They adjusted the course from the prior inaugural year, which made me SOOO happy since I was still recovering from and IT band injury. There was more of the run on trail compared to the road (which I preferred). There was still wonderful and gorgeous scenery and awesome swag, like the t-shirts (which I bought the one in the photo) and the HUGE medals! I still found the town a bit small and sometimes boring… but then again, you’re meant to go to Yosemite park for the fun right? You can’t ever beat the scenery of Yosemite. It’s just so unique and almost out of a dream. Next year, they moved the race into May, which is a bummer for me because October worked out so well in terms of work and weather (I prefer colder climate to run). However, I am dying to go back for another run there and this time, I will be camping in the park!
Inaugural Yosemite Half!
I've always loved Yosemite and I was excited for this Inaugural Half! It was 13.1 miles almost all downhill. While this sounds amazing and I PR'd this course, my knee … MORE
I’ve always loved Yosemite and I was excited for this Inaugural Half! It was 13.1 miles almost all downhill. While this sounds amazing and I PR’d this course, my knee didn’t quite agree with how awesome I felt during the run! Alas, that is my own fault for not managing proper form while running. Anyway, I PR’d this half marathon and I’m still so proud of it! It was a beautiful course, mostly on road. It was chilly in the morning but it warmed up quickly. Oakhurst is a little town and has a limited amount of things to do and places to eat, but the fact you can go see Half Dome and Nevada Falls, among other amazing scenery, is all I needed to hear! I love the clubs they have to encourage people to hike the trails and explore the national park. It really makes it a mini-vacation! I did this run again the next year just because it was so much fun!
Great race and even better scenery!
This was my first official half marathon, but used to run this distance often in high school and college and I would say the outline went very smooth and definitely … MORE
This was my first official half marathon, but used to run this distance often in high school and college and I would say the outline went very smooth and definitely run professionally. It was great having gear drop-offs at the start line and at mile 3- even better that we did not lose our stuff! Race is almost ALL downhill so prep your quads!! We took an ice bath in the Merced river after the race, which helped. Only drawback was the start of the race- being from So Cal we were freezing our butts off (around 32 degrees in the am) before the start and had to wait in the area for about 2.5 hours so it took some time before our bodies warmed up. I would do this race again and by it being their second time putting this event on, I was pleasantly surprised on how well-organized it was. Also, medals are awesome!!!
So beautiful and breathtaking
I liked that the race was so economically friendly and tried to minimize as much waste as possible by giving us our own water bottles; however, stopping to get water … MORE
I liked that the race was so economically friendly and tried to minimize as much waste as possible by giving us our own water bottles; however, stopping to get water slows your time if you’re looking for a personal best. The race itself was beautiful and although cold in the beginning, you’ll definitely warm up as you start to run more. The only complaint I have is with the bus/shuttle system in the morning. I know it was only the second half in Yosemite, but much can be improved for the next race.
Incredibly beautiful course!
I would definitely recommend this 1/2 marathon race! Definitely one of my favorite races. I truly enjoyed the low stress race environment and the beautiful course. Part of course was … MORE
I would definitely recommend this 1/2 marathon race! Definitely one of my favorite races. I truly enjoyed the low stress race environment and the beautiful course. Part of course was trail running through gorgeous pines and we proceeded down hill on an asphalt road. Many food and water stops. The race swag was excellent quality and at great prices.
Do it!
dress in layers if race is in October again. Predawn race start was long long cold wait. Personally- I was dressed for run, don't like dropping clothes off, however the … MORE
dress in layers if race is in October again. Predawn race start was long long cold wait. Personally- I was dressed for run, don’t like dropping clothes off, however the race organization did have drop bins along way and at start.
Met great people on the bus ride to race start.
Stay several days to enjoy the park.
Plenty of restrooms at start. Great set up for package pickup and ending of race.
It was Crazy [email protected] Yosemite's 1st half!
The course has since changed, but there was so much downhill when i ran this course its 1st year, that it made my legs shaky, & the post race pain … MORE
The course has since changed, but there was so much downhill when i ran this course its 1st year, that it made my legs shaky, & the post race pain was extreme in legs & hips. I walked like an old lady for 2 days, from all the impact from the steep downhill! But it was pretty, & the downhill did make me run fast! My main complaint is there weren’t enough port-a-potties. But I would love to run this race again.
VR Yosemite - such a beautiful course.
This was the first time running in Yosemite. My friends and I used this as our destination race and were not disappointed at all. Started out a little chilly but, … MORE
This was the first time running in Yosemite. My friends and I used this as our destination race and were not disappointed at all. Started out a little chilly but, after the first 5 miles it warmed up perfectly! We extended our experience by going into the park and hiking half dome (on my birthday)! Wonderful experience … vacation races never disappoint!!!
Another amazing Vacation Race!
I did the inaugural race. I'm sorry I haven't been able to come back since the course has changed to include some trail. Vacation Races always does a great job … MORE
I did the inaugural race. I’m sorry I haven’t been able to come back since the course has changed to include some trail. Vacation Races always does a great job in supporting the racers. I also like how they provide the additional medals & activities for the days proceeding the race. The course was beautiful & I hope to return to race in Yosemite once again.