Sarah Presley Dasaro's Staging Area

Because I live in California, this race was most likely a “one and done” for me. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend this race to anyone wanting to run a marathon in Ohio. I have nothing but positive things to say from start to finish. If I lived closer, this would likely be a yearly event for me.

My friend and I easily found metered street parking right outside the convention center for the expo on Saturday. The expo was large with a nice variety of vendors. In addition to the race shirt, marathon participants received a nice travel bag (great for my return flight home). There were also free posters available that you could have signed by the artist. People running their first ever marathon received an additional shirt and a sign to pin to their back.

On race morning, we had no trouble getting to one of the designated parking lots. There were plenty of porta potties spread out around the entire venue. I loved that the corrals were referred to “pig pens.” There were even porta potties in each of the “pig pens.”

I highly enjoyed the course. There are a lot of hills, but they are long and gradual. None were steep enough to cause me to adjust my pace or run/walk ratios. The long gradual downhills felt great to run.

The course support was great. Although my friend and I did not partake in the bacon, we were highly amused by the infamous bacon aid station. At another station, participants were handed small toy balls and encouraged to try to throw them into a basket. My friend and I both missed, but enjoyed a good laugh at the experience. Later in the race, volunteers were handing out cool wet towels.

I loved that the Finish Line said Finish Swine. It helped me finish with a big smile on my face. Finishers were handed a bag with various snacks. There were also a variety of vendors selling food. The official beer at the finish was Michelob Ultra, but a local brewery brought out several kegs of their beer that participants could help themselves to. The finish venue was at a park overlooking the Ohio River which provided scenic photo opportunities.

My friend and I had no difficulty walking back to our car once we were ready to leave.

The medals featured a flying pig and were nice and heavy. A great addition to my 50 states display! When I got home, I dropped my medal onto the hard concreate causing a dent. I reached out to the race to inquire about purchasing a replacement for my display. They mailed me a replacement free of charge.

I can’t speak highly enough of this event. It is a “must run” for anyone who lives near Cincinnati or for anyone looking to run a marathon in Ohio.

If you read my reviews of this race from 2018 and 2019, you know all about my misadventures with staying in Big Bear and taking the shuttle down the mountain to the start. In short: don’t do it. It is not worth the frustration.

This year, I took the (free) shuttle from Redlands up the mountain to the start. This alone greatly improved my experience with this event. I was on the first shuttle going up the mountain. When I arrived, I had plenty of time to use the portapotties, stretch, eat my breakfast and socialize with friends. In previous years, the bus from Big Bear got me to the race start with BARELY enough time to use a portapotty… forget trying to stretch or find friends. Due to this alone, I had a much better time running this race than previous years.

Although we were given mylar blankets and gloves at packet pick-up, extras were available at the race start. Although it wasn’t as cold as previous years, this was greatly appreciated by many runners.

Because I ran the LA Marathon only 6 days prior, my original plan was to take it at an easy/moderate pace. But because I felt good and I am familiar with the course, I ended up pushing my pace. Much to my surprise, I ended up PRing. My previous half marathon PR is from 6 years ago this month, so this was a big deal for me.

My usual disclaimers when it comes to Revel Big Bear — it does not run in or near Big Bear. It should be called Revel Redlands. The people I was sitting with on the shuttle going up the mountain thought we were going to Big Bear. They were disappointed when I showed them on my phone where we were actually going. The half is the least scenic Revel race I have run. All of the beautiful photos you see from this race are in the first half of the full. The scenery in the half is rather dull. With my usual warnings now out of the way, it is a fun event.

Unlike previous years, I got to hang out at the finish line and cheer my friends in who were running the full. I am normally in a rush to catch the shuttle going back up to Big Bear, which only runs once an hour. The regular shuttles going to the parking in Redlands depart much more frequently (and it is a much shorter trip).

Finish line refreshments included water, Bodyarmor sports drink, chocolate milk, pizza, cookies and Hangar 24 beer. They also had the usual towels soaked in ice water, which were very welcome on such a warm day.

Every year, Revel includes a nice gift branded with the Revel logo. In 2016, it was a cold weather beanie. In 2018, it was a hat. In 2019 it was Goodr glasses. This year it was a nice quality insulated cup with lid.

While I did not like this race the first two times I ran it, I have a high opinion of Revel events in general. Taking the bus up the mountain from Redlands instead of down the mountain from Big Bear has greatly improved my overall experience with this particular event. I look forward to continuing my legacy status and running it again 2022.

Now that I am retired from running San Diego RnR as a full (and thus no longer running on the 163 Freeway! yay!), I really enjoy this race as a half. This race makes San Diego shine. Be prepared for mile 4.5. You run through a residential neighborhood where residents are giving out beer and shots of various hard alcohols. It the entire course is fun… not just mile 4.5. Or maybe I’m just elated to no longer be running on the 163.

My only complaint this year was parking. The race suggested parking near the finish and walking to the start. Due to Covid, they were not providing the usual shuttles this year. Clicking the link on the RnR website to reserve a parking spot, none of the lots were anywhere near the start or the finish! They were off in completely different directions. This was confusing because I am normally able to pre-purchase parking in a lot that isn’t *too* far from the finish. Several of my friends resorted to parking in residential neighborhoods between the start and the finish. Since logistics were a bit of a headache, my husband graciously offered to drop me off at the start and pick me up at the finish.

I have nothing but positive glowing reviews of this race. I loved everything about it from start to finish. You run through a mixture of city, residential neighborhoods and a beautiful forested area. Because the scenery kept changing, I did not get bored.

I have never seen so much (race provided) course support, especially in the second half of the full. There were volunteers on bicycles riding along checking on the runners.

Local bands were playing at the finish festival. The kids were REALLY talented. Not to mention- pulled pork sandwiches, beer and locally brewed hard seltzers.

I don’t tend to repeat marathons outside the state of California, but I would run this one again in a heartbeat. This race is a gem.

This race usually conflicts with San Diego RnR, so I was delighted for the opportunity to run it without conflict this year.

To allow for social distancing, bibs and shirts were available for pick-up at Running Center in Temecula everyday starting on 5/21. The day before the race, bibs were available at Vail Lake Resort. Race morning packet pick-up was available upon special request.

Parking on race day was $10. The half marathon started at 7 am. The 5K started at 8 am. I arrived at 6 am. I did not have to wait to pay to park. There were sufficient porta-potties for the 114 people running the half marathon.

The course is mostly trail. You may have to hike some portions of it. It isn’t as challenging as some other trail races I have done. The last part of the race gives you some gorgeous views of Vail Lake. We had pleasantly cool weather. Some years this race can be brutally hot.

The aid stations were extremely well stocked with Honeystinger gummies and gels. Soooo many flavors!!!!! They also had water and an electrolyte beverage. The volunteers at the aid stations were all awesome.

The medals were made of wood (see attached picture) and absolutely adorable. I liked the medal I received when I last ran this race in 2015, but I LOVED this year’s medal.

Unfortunately the participant wine glasses were accidently shipped to Colorado, but the race director will be individually mailing everyone their wine glasses this week.

Usually there is a great finish festival with wine, but that portion of the event could not happen due to Covid restrictions. Even more reason to run it again next year!

If you do this race, plan to pick up your packet prior to race morning. Packet Pick-Up was available at Runners Circle in Los Feliz on Friday from 1 PM – 6 PM and Saturday from 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Race morning packet pick-up was available at the race start from 6:15 AM – 7:15 AM.

Since my race started at 7:30 am, I arrived to Griffith Park at approximately 6:30 am and was in line to pick-up my packet by 6:40 am. I should have arrived significantly earlier. I still don’t understand how it took so long, but packet pick-up was incredibly unorganized and the lines barely moved. I did not get my bib and shirt until 7:24!!! I skipped trying to use the restroom because I believed the race was starting in 6 minutes. Ultimately, the race start was delayed until 7:45 am. My friend who has run this race before told me that this is typical of this event.

Morning frustration aside, I really enjoyed the race once I started running/hiking. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful morning. The course was a mixture of road and trail. I wore my trail shoes at the recommendation of the race website, but next year I will wear my regular running shoes.

For the 12K, there were two aid stations. Each one we passed by twice. The aid stations were well stocked with water, a sports drink and GU. The volunteers were great.

The course was an out-and-back which turned around at a scenic look-out point where you could see the Hollywood Sign in the distance.

Upon finishing, Suja was giving out samples of their juice and Rise Brewing Co. was giving out cans of coffee (the one with oat milk was delicious!). There was a small variety of snacks including oranges (my favorite).

The medal was my favorite part of this event. It was wooden and featured P-22, the famous mountain lion of Griffith Park. The only thing that could have made me happier is if the shirt featured P-22 as well… that, or an actual P-22 sighting!

I had a good time with my friends and will very likely run this race again next year…. I will just my pick up my packet before race morning. Then it will be a perfect day!

This was my 6th time running the Half Marathon, 3rd time completing it along with the Bike Tour.

In the past, we have used one bib for both events. This year, we were given separate bibs. This was impractical for those participating in both the Bike Tour and Half Marathon. My first instinct was to ziptie the Bike Tour bib to the front of my bike and wear my Half Marathon bib on the front of my shirt. I hesitated because I didn’t know if I would have trouble re-entering the Bike Valet area after the Half Marathon without my Bike bib. In years past, only people with Bike Tour or Combo bibs are allowed into the Bike Valet/Transition area. Since there was no pre-race communication on how they wanted us to juggle multiple bibs, I decided to wear my Bike Tour bib on my back and Half Marathon bib on my front.

The Bike Tour and Marathon both start at 6:00 am. The Half Marathon started at 7:30 am. Upon arrival, I went over to the Bike Corrals to check-in, only to discover absolutely no Volunteers. In previous years, Volunteers were there to hand us a JetBlue luggage tags to write our bib number on to then attach to our bike and drop bag. When leaving at the end of the races, you would show that your bib matched the luggage tags on your bike and drop bag. This method simple and practical. Why change it?

I’m guessing the initial Volunteers didn’t show up when they were supposed to, so the race sent a different group of Volunteers. At approximately 5:40 am (20 minutes before the start of the Bike Tour), a group of Volunteers came over to the Bike corrals. They quickly cut up sheets of paper, had us write our bib number(s) on the sheets of paper and taped them to our bikes. This improvisation turned out to be a wasted effort, but I will get to that.

It should also be noted that there were no portapotties in the Bike Valet/Transition area prior to the start of the ride, but they magically appeared when we returned from the ride. Also, usually there are separate bike racks for people doing just the Bike Tour vs people doing the Combo. This helps with the flow for those who need to transition to the Half Marathon. That was not the case this year.

The Bike ride itself was fantastic as always. I love riding through the closed streets of Long Beach. The Bike Tour starts behind the Marathon and initially heads in the opposite direction. Much of the course is also part of the Marathon course, although I have never spotted any of the marathon runners. Helmets are required and bike lights are highly encouraged since the ride starts while it is still dark. There are no mile markers for the Bike Tour. The event is actually less than 20 miles. In 2017, my Garmin registered 19.64 miles. 2018 and 2019, my Garmin registered 19.63 miles. In previous years, the Bike Tour was untimed for everyone except those running the Half Marathon as well. This year it was untimed for all participants.

Upon finishing, before entering the Bike Valet area, cyclists were forced to wait in a line to write down their name and phone number. This was fine for people only participating in the Bike Tour, but extremely inconvenient for people on a tight timeline to get ready for the half marathon. A number was attached to the bike and participants were given a paper claim tag. Again, this was fine for people only participating in the Bike Tour who were now checking their bike so they could go enjoy the Finish Festival. It was ridiculous to expect those running the Half Marathon to carry a paper claim tag. I put my tag into my fuel belt. By the time I returned, it was torn and limp with sweat.

I had a great time running the half marathon as always and did not experience any issues. I was mildly disappointed that the Beach Bum Beer Garden (for those who have run the race 3+ consecutive years) switched from Shock Top (yum) to Michelob Ultra (yuck). Oh well. I will survive without good beer, right?

I absolutely love the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon weekend and I really enjoy participating in the Bike Tour and Half Marathon. It is one of the events I look forward to the most each year. It is a shame someone dropped the ball on organizing the Bike Valet for the Bike Tour this year. Perhaps someone new was in charge and made changes to “improve” the system without realizing those changes negatively affected those participating in the Bike and the Run. When I went to the Bike Valet after the Half Marathon, the Volunteer who escorted me to my bike was surprised to see I was wearing a Half Marathon medal. She was completely unaware that some people were participating in multiple events.

In summary, changes I would like to see for 2020:
1) One bib for the Bike Tour and Half Marathon
2) Volunteers should check-in bikes prior to the ride so that people are not delayed in getting ready for the half marathon
3) No paper claim tickets for people running the half marathon
4) Portapotties should be dropped off in the Bike Valet/Transition Area prior to the Bike Tour, not during
5) Separate bike racks for those also running the half marathon

While my review of 2019 is harsh, it all revolves around the poorly executed Bike Valet for those participating in the Bike and Run. I hope the race recognizes what went wrong this year and improves things (back to the way they were) for 2020. If you look at my previous review of this event, I normally have very good things to say.

This was my first time participating in America’s Finest City Half Marathon and I highly enjoyed it.

Packet pick-up was at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina Pavilion on Friday from 12 pm – 6 pm and Saturday 10 am – 5 pm. Free parking was offered in a dirt lot next door to the hotel. The actual expo was in a large tent, rather than inside the hotel itself. My main complaint pertaining to the expo was that there were no bathrooms. Participants had to go inside the conference hall of the hotel and walk all the way to the end of the hallway. There were plenty of signs directing people to the expo, but there were absolutely no signs directing people to the bathroom. We hit the expo around noon on Saturday, but a few vendors were already packing up (I’m looking at you Waterloo Sparkling Water).

If you can’t attend the expo, race morning packet pick-up was available near the finish line starting at 4 am for $20 (cash or card).

On race morning, participants were instructed to catch a shuttle from one of two locations near the finish in Balboa Park to the start at the Cabrillo National Monument. The buses ran from 4:00 am – 5:15 am. Preferring to arrive to races early, I was on the very first bus. The bus ride from the finish to the start was approximately half an hour.

There were plenty of porta-potties at the start, which is always a good thing.

I really enjoyed the scenery during the race. In the early morning light and ocean view in the background, I found it relaxing running by the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. I liked running by the San Diego International Airport. I smiled when running by Waterfront Park, which happens to be the finish line of San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll. Not to mention, I loved finishing in Balboa Park. The weather was cool and overcast. It was a perfect day.

There were a few small rolling hill at the start and then a nice big downhill. The course is then mostly flat until mile 11, when you begin a nice long climb uphill. Everyone warned me about the hill. Ultimately, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined it would be.

The volunteers were fantastic. The aid stations offered water and Ultima. I did not see any gels or other fuel provided by the race. Run clubs and residents came out and offered tequila shots, mini-burgers and licorice.

Upon crossing the finish, runners received a bottle of water and a paper bag containing a banana, RX Bar and a Kashi Bar. There was also a beer garden sponsored by Ballast Point Brewing Company. Participants could pick between a complimentary IPA and a lager.

The medal was metal and featured a parrot. I was greeted by the sight of a few of these parrots as I walked back to my car.

This was a solid San Diego race and I would absolutely run it again.

2019 brought some very major changes to Run to Remember.

The first significant change — the race had an all new course. The new starting line was at Westfield Century City Mall, rather than The Grove. The new course took runners through Beverly Hills (including Rodeo Dr.) and into Fox Studios, rather than Paramount Studios.

This year, participants were promised free parking at the new venue. To get the free parking, participants were instructed to download the Westfield app and register their vehicle prior to race date. While registering my vehicle, I was required to provide credit card information for payment, which made me uncomfortable since the parking was supposed to be free.

The second significant change — the race no longer had an expo for participants to pick up their packets the day before the race. Race morning packet pick-up was the only option available. Packet pick-up started at 5:00 am. The Half Marathon started at 6:25 am. The 5K started at 7:30 am. The 10K started at 8:15 am. Bib numbers were not pre-assigned.

Fearing all these changes were a recipe for a chaotic morning, I arrived to the parking lot by 4:45 am. As promised, a camera recognized my license plate and the parking gate automatically lifted when my vehicle approached.

Once I was parked, I was a little confused as to where to go to pick-up my bib. As I had gotten there so early, there weren’t a lot of people yet. After a bit of wandering, I exited the parking structure onto Avenue of the Stars and located packet pick-up. There were no lines yet, so I was able to walk right up and have a bib number assigned to me in less than a minute. Participant shirts were black, cotton and unisex.

I then went to pick up my Legacy gift. This year Legacy Runners were to receive a Legacy bib (generic, no number) and a Legacy t-shirt. The front of t-shirt was identical to the participant shirt. The back featured an image of the Legacy bib. I pinned my bib with my number to the front of my shirt and the Legacy bib to my back. I then gear checked my two shirts. Three of my friends who are Legacy Runners were unable to pick-up their Legacy items as their names were not on the list.

I only saw about 10 porta potties, but did not have to wait in line to use one as lines had not yet formed.

The half marathon started promptly at 6:25 am. There was a special moment of silence for the CHP Sgt. Steve Licon, who had been struck and killed by a suspected drunk driver the day before. I noticed there was no missing man formation flyover before the start of the half marathon. This is something I have come to look forward to at this race, and was disappointed it didn’t happen.

Overall, I enjoyed the new course. It was nice running through Beverly Hills and on Rodeo Dr., even though I had run through this area during the LA Marathon only two weeks prior. When I was around mile 5.3, I saw 4 helicopters fly by for the missing man formation. Based on the time, I’m guessing this was done for the start of the 5K. I did not see any additional police helicopter flyovers. During previous years, a helicopter flew over at multiple times during the race while activating the siren.

There were approximately 10 aid stations providing water and Gatorade. I do not remember seeing any gels or other fuel. The volunteers were friendly and enthusiastic.

The run through Fox Studios was much shorter than the run through Paramount Studios and was at the end of the race. The course was slightly short. Per my Garmin, the race was 12.99 miles. All of my friends had very similar readings from their GPS devices.

Upon crossing the finish line, participants received water, bananas and BodyArmor Sports Drink. Upon exiting the finishers chute, participants could visit vendor booths to receive additional snacks including RX bars.

The medal featured a police & fire style badge with a compartment to place a challenge coin (see my attached photo). For the challenge coins, participants could pick between Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Police Department, County of Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles Fire Department and EMTs. New this year — there was a metal bar with a military branch slid onto the ribbon to rest above the medal. The military branches were already attached to the medal ribbons and thus given out at random.

There were a handful of race photographers, but like last year, participants were not sent their individual photos for purchase. 92 select photos were placed on the race website.

It took about 10 – 15 minutes to wait in the line of cars to get out of the parking lot. Upon reaching the parking gate, I noticed the gates were raised to allow free flow of traffic out of the garage. I’m not sure if this was done because people had difficulty taking advantage of the free parking through the app.

I liked some of the changes to this year, but felt other things needed improvement. I hope next year they bring back the expo the day before. Regardless, I am a big supporter of this race and look forward to continuing my Legacy status for years to come.

I traveled to New Orleans to mark the state of Louisiana off my list.

The expo was at the New Orleans Convention Center on Friday from 12 pm – 6 pm and Saturday 9 am – 5 pm. Like other Rock n Roll events, you cannot pick-up packets for other people. As I mentioned in my review of the 5K, I felt the expo was noticeably smaller than some of the other Rock ‘n’ Roll races I have run.

The half marathon and marathon started near Lafayette Square and finished at Roosevelt Mall in City Park. The two race distances started together at 7:30 am and stayed together until just before mile 13. The first portion of the race was a long out-and-back on St Charles Ave through the Garden District. I enjoyed seeing the large beautiful homes and lush trees. We then ran through the French Quarter, although not on Bourbon Street. After the half marathon branched off, we ran next to Bayou St. John until we hit the ocean. When I reached the turnaround point near mile 18, there were no volunteers or signs. Runners knew to turn around based on the traffic cones that were setup across the road. I would expect this at a smaller race, but not at a Rock ‘n’ Roll race. Close to mile 26, there was some construction occurring on the other side of a small construction fence right next to the race and construction dust was being blown onto the race course. I found it odd that the construction couldn’t be canceled for a few hours.

Every aid stations was stocked with water, except for the one at mile 7.2 which ran out. Every other aid station had Gatorade as a secondary option. SIS Gel was provided at mile 7.2, 14.7, and 20.1. In my opinion, this fuel is absolutely disgusting and I desperately wish they would go back to Glukos or Gu. The volunteers at the aid stations were awesome. The website said that salt would be provided at mile 8.6 and 13, but I did not see any.

I was warned there wasn’t much course support in the second half of the marathon, but I really expected to see more of the community coming out to support the race in general. For the most part, it seems like most of New Orleans was hungover thus slept in and ignored the race. Races such as the LA Marathon and Pittsburgh draw much more community support.

Upon finishing the race, there wasn’t much to do. Finish line refreshments included water, bananas, crackers, chips and Michelob Ultra. When my hotel roommate finished the half marathon, she told me they were handing out jambalaya to the runners. I did not see any jambalaya when I finished the marathon. My hotel roommate also told me that massages were available, however they stopped accepting sign-ups at 10:30 as the massage therapists were only scheduled to be there until noon. As far as she could tell, a lot of 10K runners were able to get massages, many half marathoners were able to get massages and no full marathoners got massages. Talk about a slap in the face from Rock ‘n’ Roll! It is also disappointing that Rock ‘n’ Roll no longer gives out jackets to full marathon finishers.

The medal featured a crawfish with a glittery hat, umbrella and mardi gras beads (see my attached photo). I was pleased with the medal as I felt it was iconic for new Orleans.

The free shuttle back to the starting line was efficient and hassle free.

Overall, I enjoyed the race and happy that I picked it to mark the state of Louisiana off my list. Would I recommend it to others? Yes, with warning if they plan on doing the full. Would I run it again? No.

Due to personal scheduling conflicts, 2019 marked my first time participating in Surf City in a few years.

The expo was at the race start in a parking lot along the Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach. It ran from 1 pm – 7 pm Friday and 10 am – 4 pm on Saturday. Someone can pick up your packet for you as long as they have a copy of your ID and your online waiver is signed. Parking at the expo was rather expensive, so I parked about 3/4 mile away and walked to the expo. There was a good variety of vendors at the expo. I walked away with a few good purchases and a few good freebies. For those unable to make it to the expo, there is the option to pre-purchase race morning packet pick-up for a fee of $25.

On race morning, there were multiple free parking lots to select from with free shuttles going to the start. I arrived early, thus had no issues with traffic and had plenty of time to use a porta-potty before the race.

The marathon started at 6:30 am, the 5K started at 7:00 am and the half marathon started at 7:45 am. Many people ran the 5K as well as the half marathon.

The half marathon course is flat, but rather boring. It is mostly an out-and-back, with the exception of a small out-and-back loop that started near mile 3. This segment was rather narrow and at times I was forced to run slower and/or walk due to congestion in front of me. I was annoyed when I observed a couple holding hands while taking a walk break together — completely obvious to the fact that people were having difficulty moving around them to pass.

Nothing remarkable stands out in memory about the rest of the race other than the scattered rain showers.

Upon finishing the race, I took a few photos then left. Surf City used to have one of the best post-race beer gardens. Looking through my Instagram photos, in 2016 they served a variety of beers from Sam Adams. In 2014 & 2015 they served a variety of beers from Kona Brewing Company. Now? Michelob Ultra. Bleh. Pass.

Mylar blankets were not automatically handed out eventhough it was raining. If you wanted a mylar blanket, you had to go to the medical tent for them to record your bib number. I found this odd.

The medal was a cute wooden surfboard with a metal Volkswagen bus affixed to it (see my attached photo). I’m glad they returned to this type of design.

I did not have to wait long to board a bus to go back to the parking lot where my car was parked.

It was nice getting to run Surf City again, but I found that the race did not hold up to my nostalgic memories of it. If I return next year it will be because I have that weekend free and I like the medal.

I won a free entry into the Resolution Run through an Instagram contest.

Packet pick-up was at Road Runner Sports from 10 am – 2 pm on Saturday. You could pick up packets for other people. For those unable to attend packet pick-up, free race morning packet pick-up was available starting 6 am on Sunday morning.

Per the pre-race e-mail, participants should utilize parking lots and street parking up and down East Mission Bay Drive. A map was provided showing general locations of the various parking lots. I arrived about an hour before the race start and was able to locate street parking with only a minimal walk to the start.

The half and 10K started at 7:15 am and the 5K started at 7:30 am. The race started and finished at Tecolote Shores and ran along the flat paved paths through Mission Bay. There were aid stations every 1.5 – 2 miles, each stocked with water, Ultima and Honeystingers (my favorite!). I enjoyed seeing all the various types of birds that call Mission Bay home.

Reading through the previous year reviews, both people commented that the course was poorly marked. For 2019, I found the course adequately marked. The level of markings were consistent with other races of this size. The mile markers were extremely accurate up until mile 10. There was no mile 10 marker. I then hit the mile 11 marker at only 10.3 miles. The mile 12 marker was at 11.3 miles. I reached the finish line at only 12.4 miles. It became apparent that a volunteer had been turning participants around early during the out-and-back portion.

As of this writing, the race has not sent out an e-mail or made an official post on their main Facebook page addressing the short course. However they replied to a comment about it on the Facebook event saying, “Hey everyone! Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry about the mix-up with the volunteer course marshall. As soon as we heard about it we sent someone to fix it but we are sorry to those affected. In order to make it up to you, when 2020 registration opens, you will be able to sign up for next year for only $49 with code: RESRUN2020. It will be good for 30 days so keep your eyes open! Again, we apologize.”

While disappointed that the course was .7 miles short, mistakes happen. I wouldn’t let this stop me from running the race again next year.

Just before mile 7, the half marathon course passed by the finish line. Like the previous reviewers, I experienced some frustration with 5K and 10K participants who had finished and were utilizing the path to walk back to their vehicles. Many walked in groups and seemed oblivious to runners still on the course. This seems to happen at nearly every race that starts and finishes in Mission Bay and I have come to expect it.

Finish line refreshments included small cups of water (with an area nearby where you could refill a water bottle) and incredibly green bananas (in another few days, it is going to be delicious!). Participants could then go pick up their goody bag. My bag contained a bottle of Detox Water bioactive aloe water, a 6oz can of Bare Republic clearscreen sunscreen spray SPF 30, a .17oz sample of Bare Republic mineral SPF 30 sunscreen lotion for the face, a 13.23oz jar of Hyperbiotics Prebiotic organic prebiotic fiber supplement, a 1.27oz sample of Purely Inspired organic protein plant-based nutrition powder, a 3oz Sans meal bar, a 0.78oz Larabar, a Boude flushable wipe, a small Justin’s peanut butter cup and various race flyers. I was surprised by such great items in the bag.

There were also great vendors at the finish line. I enjoyed a post race stretch offered by Stretch U. GT’s Kombucha had three flavors on tap and were pouring generous 12oz cups of their booch (AND encouraging people to come back for seconds and thirds!). Imperfect Produce was offering 50% off produce boxes for new customers. Statefarm Insurance was giving away fun items (I got a rainbow fannypack… clearly what my life was always missing). Sans was giving away meal bars. I noticed Suja Juice also had a booth, but they packed up before I had a chance to visit. Lorna Jane had a booth selling some of their athletic clothing. There were several other vendors, but those are the ones I specifically remember.

The medal features the year 2019 and a space to write a goal for the year. There are magnets on the back of the medal so that it can be affixed to your refrigerator at home.

Despite the short course, this race was a positive experience and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have run it.

The Ugly Sweater 5K was on Saturday and the Holiday Half Marathon was on Sunday (to be reviewed in a separate post). If you register for the challenge and run both races, you can receive the Golden Snowflake Challenge medal after finishing the Half Marathon on Sunday.

Parking was at the Pomona Fairplex, Blue Gate 9. There was signage guiding traffic to the proper gate, which I appreciated as my GPS wanted to send me in a different direction. The cost to park was $12, cash or card. If you attend both days, save your receipt so you only have to pay for parking once.

Packet pick-up for the 5K was only available on Saturday morning starting at 7 am. New this year — bib numbers were not pre-assigned. On Friday, participants were e-mailed a QR code to print out or show on their phone. At packet pickup on Saturday morning, volunteers scanned the QR code and then scanned the bib being assigned. The lines to pick-up bibs were rather long, but moved at a semi-reasonable pace.

There was a costume contest at 8 am and the race started at 8:30 am. The course is a simple loop through the Fairplex. Other than one hill, it was mostly flat. There was one aid station, which served water and Nuun. The course highlights included running through some of the art installations for the Chinese Lantern Festival and running on the speedway.

Finish line refreshments included Terra Blues chips (yum!), Skinny Pop popcorn, Kind bars (yum!) and bottles of Bai antioxidant water.

The finisher medal featured a Christmas wreath (see my attached photo). In years past, the medal has been a snowflake with the exact design changing each year. Some participants were disappointed that the race broke away from this tradition. The participant shirt was a red “ugly sweater” inspired dri-fit short sleeve shirt. The shirt was the same for both the 5K and Half Marathon. There were a variety of vendors selling running related items and offering product samples.

The 5K is fun, but the primary reason I run it is to earn the Golden Snowflake Challenge medal. If it weren’t for the challenge medal, I would just run the half.

If you love the lights, sounds and crowds (and more crowds) of Las Vegas, then this is the race for you.

2018 marked my 3rd consecutive year participating in the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. While I loved running the #stripatnight, this year was noticeably less organized than previous years.

The expo was at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Thursday from 3 pm – 6 pm, Friday 11 am – 7 pm and Saturday 9 am – 6 pm. Like previous years, there was no Sunday expo. Also like other RNR events, you cannot pick up packets for other people. For those unable to attend packet pick-up, there was the option to pre-purchase race day packet pick-up for the marathon, half marathon or 10K for a $40 fee. This offer was limited availability and subject to selling out.

This year, the Start Festival Village was in a large parking lot behind Planet Hollywood. In 2016, it was located at the ill-fated concert venue across from Mandalay Bay. After the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival shooting in 2017, the race was forced to change the venue barely a month before the race. For 2017, the headliner concert was shuffled to Saturday after the 5K at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds. The Start Festival Village for Sunday was moved to an area near New York-New York and the T-Mobile Arena. For 2018, I speculate that the race sought a long term new venue for the Start Line Village that would meet their requirements.

The Village opened at 2:00 pm. The Headliner concert, Capital Cities, began playing at 3:00 pm. Participants were split into three separate start times/waves based on their projected finish time they submitted when registering. Faster runners were given blue bibs. Participants with blue bibs had between 3:40 – 4:10 pm to get into their corral, even though Capital Cities was still playing. The Blue Wave started at 4:30 pm. Moderate speed runners were given green bibs. Participants with green bibs had between 4:10 – 4:40 pm to get into their corral. The Green Wave started at 5:00 pm. Slower runners and walkers were given yellow bibs. Participants with yellow bibs had between 4:40 – 5:10 to get into their corral. The Yellow Wave started at 5:30 pm. While this system is a good in theory, many people intentionally submitted unrealistic finish times to get placed into faster corrals. Despite the fact that they were checking the color of bibs, I also noticed several people with yellow bibs start with the Green Wave. With 40,000 runners, all this added to some of the course congestion.

Upon exiting the Start Festival Village to head to the corrals, participants were herded down a side street, which served as a holding area before entering Las Vegas Blvd. It was very crowded and had no clear indication of what was going on. Many people forced their way to the front, possibly not realizing that the colored wave had not yet been given access to Las Vegas Blvd. It felt very chaotic when we were finally allowed to line up on Las Vegas Blvd. While bibs listed corral numbers within the colored waves, it was helter skelter and very difficult to move forward toward one’s actual assigned corral number. This system was executed much more efficiently in previous years.

Because people had to be in their corrals so early, many had to use the restroom by the time it was their turn to cross the start line. There were a total of 8 aid stations on the Half Marathon course. Each aid station had 1 – 2 porta potties. As you can imagine, with 40,000 runners, the lines for the aid station porta potties were ridiculously long. The aid stations were stocked with water and Gatorade. At mile 4.5 and 9, they provided SIS Gel. In my opinion, this fuel is absolutely disgusting and I desperately wish they would go back to Glukos or Gu. The volunteers at the aid stations were awesome.

The course is an out-and-back. It starts by going down the Strip, past the infamous Las Vegas sign and airport. The course then turns around and heads back up the Strip to (but not through) Fremont, where it turns around again and goes back down the Strip to finish at The Mirage. I normally find out-and-back courses boring, but not in this case. It is a lot of fun to run on the Strip. Tons of lights. Tons of music. Tons of cheering (and probably intoxicated) supporters. The race is one big party like only Las Vegas can offer.

Upon crossing the finish line, mylar blankets were provided, which was much appreciated on the cold evening. Post race refreshments included water, Gatorade, bananas, pretzels, granola bars, Pringles chips, chocolate milk and Michelob Ultra.

The medal was stylish and the quality I would expect from a Rock ‘n’ Roll race. It featured the Las Vegas Strip skyline and a deck of glittery cards that fold out (see my posted photo).

If you ran the 5K (to be reviewed in a separate post) on Saturday and any distance on Sunday, you can receive the Remix Challenge Medal.

While I was a bit disappointed by the organization of this year’s event, this is still one of the most fun half marathons I have ever done and I plan on coming back year after year. I highly recommend the half distance. Based on the full marathon I ran in Vegas back in 2007, I cannot recommend running this race as a full. After running the one full in Vegas, I swore I would only return for halfs. Vegas is only fun when you are running on the Strip. Plus, starting this year, Rock ‘n’ Roll races no longer give out jackets to full marathon finishers.