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@RunDMV
Los Angeles, CA Raving since 2018 Active 4 years, 5 months agoAbout Me
My Races
Organize, track & review your races and personal bests here.
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Future Races
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| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Paid |
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Past Races (6)
| Race | Distance | Location | Date | Result | My Raves | My Performance |
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| Ventura Marathon | Half Marathon | Ventura, CA | Oct 20, 2019 |
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| Santa Clarita Marathon (1998-2019) | Half Marathon | Santa Clarita, CA | Nov 3, 2018 |
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| Tommy Scott Memorial LAX Run | 10K | Los Angeles, CA | Apr 29, 2018 |
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| Run To Remember Los Angeles | 10K | Los Angeles, CA | Apr 8, 2018 |
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| Pasadena Trail Half Marathon, 10K & 5K | 10K | Pasadena, CA | Oct 22, 2017 |
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| Santa Monica Classic | 10K | Santa Monica, CA | Sep 10, 2017 |
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Ventura Marathon
Ran It For a PR
Ventura Marathon
Organization: Smooth sailing, for the most part. Easy packet pick-up with no lines in the afternoon. There were more than enough start line shuttles, and I only had to wait … MORE
Organization: Smooth sailing, for the most part. Easy packet pick-up with no lines in the afternoon. There were more than enough start line shuttles, and I only had to wait a couple minutes in line. Gear check drop off was a little bit of a mess because they handed out bags at the drop point instead of giving you one with your bib. Could be improved by making it clear ahead of time that you can bring and use your own bag for gear check.
Course: I chose this course specifically because it’s almost all downhill for a shot at a PR (which I accomplished). It is an easy course with few sharp turns and despite being run primarily on running/biking path, the race is small enough that it’s never crowded except for the usual 1/4 mile crowding. But the scenery isn’t great. The hills near the start are nice, but your back is to them. The second half of the course runs by a lot of industrial and commercial distribution sites, and sometimes you’re sandwiched between that and a highway. And, yes, Ventura is in the race name, but don’t expect to see the ocean.
Course support: Minimal spectators since you’re running through a sparsely-populated area. Decent turnout at the finish line. Good encouragement from course volunteers, though (no “Almost there!” statements).
Medal: Nice design, but I would appreciate having a half marathon-specific medal.
Shirt: A low-end, unbranded technical shirt. Again, it is not race-specific. This is a relatively expensive race with a corporate sponsor…I’d feel a lot better about the value and being appreciated if there were at least half marathon-specific medals and shirts.
Final note: This race is attractive for a PR chance and as part of a weekend trip to Ventura. But at no point during or after did I think, “Great race, I’ve got to come back.”
Santa Clarita Marathon (1998-2019)
Best LA-area Race I've Found Yet
Santa Clarita Marathon (1998-2019)
Organization: 5/5. First off, this race is a fantastic value: $60 for a HM is practically unheard of, especially for a professionally-managed race. I was in and out of packet … MORE
Organization: 5/5. First off, this race is a fantastic value: $60 for a HM is practically unheard of, especially for a professionally-managed race. I was in and out of packet pickup on Saturday morning in about five minutes. Also…ample, free parking(!) in close proximity to the start line. Kudos to race organizers for NOT handing out the junk mail-esque advertisements for random races/race products that you sometimes get–just your bib and your shirt, they way it should be. Also, I loved how the City of Santa Clarita government really embraces this race. They had giant start/finish banners hanging from a pedestrian bridge and also posted placards along the whole course with encouragement and Santa Clarita trivia (might not seem like much, but something to keep the mind engaged and shows local support). No problems for start line organization, and the race started on time.
Course: The nice wide streets at the start meant you could quickly find your stride and weren’t constantly weaving around walkers for the first mile. The majority of the course is on the city’s extensive bike/jogging trail network, which were well-maintained and spacious, if not the most scenic, as you pretty much just have people’s backyards on one side. My biggest complaint would be the last half mile, which comprises two bridge climbs and a hairpin turn, all of which were real pace-killers while trying to finish strong. Biggest positive were water/Powerade stations every mile (or more).
Course support: You’re running through an LA bedroom community at 7AM, so pretty minimal. A few small groups (10-15) near major roads, but most looking for individuals rather than cheering on runners in general.
Medal: A new favorite. Detailed and well-designed. I definitely appreciate having a unique medal for each event rather than a catch-all. (See photo)
Shirt: Not the best, but certainly not the worst: Gildan brand polyester wicking material. While I like the graphic, they need to rethink the size and thick material…that gets pretty uncomfortable and sweat-logged before long. As for the color, I’ve learned race organizers usually use red for the half, purple for the full, and green for the 10K, and orange for the 5K. Fortunately, I like red workout shirts.
Final note: This race punches above its weight. It has big-time organization with a small-town feel. You won’t find a better value in LA.
Tommy Scott Memorial LAX Run
Great cause, great medal, average race
Tommy Scott Memorial LAX Run
Organization: Started 20 minutes late, and the timing company seemed to have a lot of problems getting prepared for the start. Course: Despite the name, you never run on LAX. … MORE
Organization: Started 20 minutes late, and the timing company seemed to have a lot of problems getting prepared for the start.
Course: Despite the name, you never run on LAX. The course goes around northeast corner of the airport perimeter and is pretty boring. It’s flat with no shade and no scenery. It’s an out and back with one turn.
Course support: Other than the few airport police officers giving encouragement, there isn’t any. Post-race refreshments were pitiful (water and a Kind bar, all of which had nuts).
Medal: An instant favorite. Clean, modern ribbon and an eye-catching, classy medal design. See “Photos” link to the right, under the map.
Shirt: Crappy thin 100% cotton with a giant graphic and lots of sponsor logos. The graphic on mine was askew by two inches as well. Even if it wasn’t, I’d still probably have donated it to Goodwill.
If it weren’t for the cause that this race supports, I probably wouldn’t be back. I also MIGHT consider this race for a shot at a PR. Also, for this year, they were still offering $10 off registration within a month before the race.
Run To Remember Los Angeles
Well-Organized Race for a Great Cause
Run To Remember Los Angeles
Organization: Easy packet pickup at a well-run and well-stocked expo. Race day was a breeze (assuming you bought parking ahead of time). Plenty of parking in The Grove parking garage, … MORE
Organization: Easy packet pickup at a well-run and well-stocked expo. Race day was a breeze (assuming you bought parking ahead of time). Plenty of parking in The Grove parking garage, which is right next to the start/finish line.
Course: Flat, wide streets. There’s about half a mile or so that winds through the Paramount Studios lot, if that’s your thing. They also had a bunch of historical police vehicles lined up, presumably ones that are used in films.
Course support: Non-existent in terms of spectators. The most course support was at the entrance to Paramount Studios, where there was a gauntlet of officers from various police and fire agencies cheering you on. The most motivation comes from the runner field, as there are numerous academy classes and various stations running in formation and singing cadences.
Medal: Nice elements integrating local flair and law enforcement themes (challenge coin and thin blue line), but the design is a bit busy and the ribbon rather plain. See “Photos” link to the right, under the map.
Shirt: 100% cotton, and not all that soft. The graphic gives no indication that it’s a race to honor first responders.
I’ll be back because of the cause and because it was VERY well-organized for a race of 3,000+ runners. This race also would be a good one with a PR in mind.
Pasadena Trail Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
10K? What 10K?
Pasadena Trail Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
When I give $55 to a race organizer, I expect certain things for my money. Number one: I expect to run the correct distance. My Garmin showed 5.54 miles (~9K), … MORE
When I give $55 to a race organizer, I expect certain things for my money. Number one: I expect to run the correct distance. My Garmin showed 5.54 miles (~9K), meaning this race was measured a full kilometer short! I know there is a margin of error in GPS watch tracking, but there is NO way it could be up to two-thirds of a mile short. If anything, GPS watches tend to show runners over the official race distance, since runners don’t run the shortest possible route. Also, this is the link (https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/1026737613) to the official route provided by Pasadena Running Company…notice how even they only show it to be 6.01 miles.
If you go based on time, supposedly I beat my 10K PR by two seconds. But that PR, from two years ago, was on a flat course and after three months of half marathon training, during my fastest year ever.
It’s also the little things that can make a race and make you feel like the race organizers really care about your experience. Is my race’s distance shown on the bib, medal, or shirt? No, no, and no, in this case. Is the race shirt something I would wear while running or working out? No again (100% cotton). Looking at the bib, medal, and shirt, it’s like my 10K didn’t exist. Which actually is true, since it was a 9K.
The “trail” part in the name is a bit of a misnomer as well. At least a third was on paved road.
Packet pickup and race execution were fine. But I won’t be back to give my money to a race company that can’t even come close to measuring correctly.
Santa Monica Classic
LA's Signature 10K
Santa Monica Classic
One of the few 10Ks in LA that really feels like its put on by professionals who organize races for a living. Great organization, wonderful scenery (can't beat running down … MORE
One of the few 10Ks in LA that really feels like its put on by professionals who organize races for a living. Great organization, wonderful scenery (can’t beat running down Ocean Ave next to Palisades Park), and good spectator support. I just wish the start and finish lines were a little closer together. Be prepared to walk about a mile to the start if you park in downtown Santa Monica.
Wouldn’t recommend it for a PR shot. No big hills but there is a long, steady uphill in the middle, and the weather in early September is pretty warm.