Lucky Run was held on St. Patrick's Day. There are several options: 7 Mile Run-Walk, 7K Run-Walk…read more(4.34 Miles), Lucky 13 Half Marathon (13.1 Miles), or Kid's Fun Runs (1 Mile, 1/2 Mile, 1/4 Mile, 200 Yard Dash). It was my first run, so I decided to do the 7K and had a friend sign up with me. We picked up our bib numbers and t-shirts on the day of the race. I was worried there was going to be a long line, but there wasn't a line at all. The porta-potties, however, had a long line. I would say that we waited for about 30 minutes for her to use the facilities. We missed the start time. The start and finish line was at Davis High School. The course went through the Community Park and the North Davis greenbelts and residential streets. It was narrow at some spots. The uphill onto the bridge in the beginning and then again at the end was killer. I suggest more water stations. When I stopped at the first one, I was asked if I wanted water or Gatorade. "Both," I exclaimed! The course was well organized. There was a lot of people who made sure you were going the right way and cheering runners on. What I found motivating was the signs that informed runners what mile they are on. It helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. My personal goal was met. When I checked my time online, I did much better than I thought I could've. The results also tell you how well you did within your age division. Now I'm waiting for pictures to be uploaded onto their website. Afterwards, we checked out the exhibitors. There was water, fruit (apples, bananas, and oranges), and bagels provided. I also got some Jelly Belly Sports Beans, SunRype fruit & veggie strip, Zico (Pure Coconut Water), popchips, PowerBar Performance Energy Bar and PowerBar Energy Gel. Sudwerk Brewery was also selling beer. I passed on that. Next year I'm hoping to do the half marathon!

I ran this race in 2012 and 2013, both times opting for the 7-mile distance, since it's still a…read morenice challenge, slightly longer than a normal 10K. Packet pickup is business as usual, on the sidewalk in front of Fleet Feet Davis and you did have options to upgrade shirts from cotton to tech or choose participant medals as well if you didn't already get one (half marathon finishers have their own medal). Parking was tough, considering all the different distances to choose from; the high school lot was full so I parked in a residential stretch of Oak Ave. The route takes you through North Davis Greenbelt, and all runners started together, only to diverge along the course as directed by volunteers, when things start to thin out and you find a good pace. I'm always amazed when the courses meet up again and lo and behold, the half marathon leader (and bike pacer) pass me up on my left. Oh well! I got the black cotton shirt and the participant medal was nicely sized, green/red enamel, yellow glittery ribbon. Wore my bright green Lucky Run women's tech shirt from 2012. A good race, unique in its distance and a nice early way to celebrate St. Pat's!

Octobrewfest is a smaller race that started and ended at Sudwerks. I haven't ran in months, so I…read moreknew it was going to be a struggle. There's 2 miles, 4 miles, or 10k option. It started at 6:00 pm, so it was still hot outside. I hate running in the heat. After crossing the finish line, you're rewarded with a solo cup finisher medal and a cup of beer. There was a band that played music while people hung out as well. One thing that makes this event unique was that they had a beer scented race shirt. I thought it was kind of cool, even though I'm not fond of the smell. Make sure you don't get pulled over wearing the shirt, or you'll have some explaining to do!

This was the 2nd year and I have run both 8 mile races. The medals always rock. Last year was a…read morepacman ghost & this year is a cassette tape. They slightly altered the course this year, it was more of a big square. It made it easier to foresee the finish line but a bit more drab on scenery. The majority of the run was on the frontage road along side the freeway. There was only one band on the course this year but they rocked. More music at different intervals would have been nice. Being cheered on by PacMan ghosts rocks. Thank you to all of the volunteers. There were plenty of water/Gatorade stops. Everyone showed up in neon & leg warmers. We will be back for #3.

I wasn't planning to do this run, but then I found out there is an 8 mile relay option. I'm glad I…read moreran because the finisher medals are shaped like Pacman ghosts- cute and unique. (They're actually acrylic not metal.) Parking was not a problem at Consumnes Oaks High School. There was a gear check, which allowed me to check in my race shirt that I just picked up. It was much more convenient than going back to my car. A costume contest encouraged people to dress up. I spotted a lot of people wearing bright neon clothing. I was the first runner in my 2 person relay team. There isn't a shuttle service but my relay partner's bf drove me back to the start. The relay exchange area is approximately 1.25 miles from the race start/finish area. It would have been faster walking back rather than driving because we went in a big loop and had to park a distance away in the neighboring streets due to street closures for the race. I had an enjoyable time, even though I was slow. I haven't ran a race in 6 months and my finish time reflected that. I guess it was a wakeup call for me to work harder for my next race.

This is quite an epic event for the city of Sacramento. Its know to be the largest Turkey Run in…read morethe country, and it generates 20% of the Sacramento food bank's yearly operating budget. I try to participate in community service at least once a year and on a recommendation from my friend Van, I decided to enroll as a regular volunteer with the Sacramento food bank. I drove to the food bank and signed up for work at the Feed the Hungry run in East Sac. This event was amazing in that I never imagined the community rallying together as I saw today. There were several small business who opened their doors (on the holiday) for this event. I observed coffee houses, bars and restaurants on J street who graciously set up tables with self serve watering stations for the Turkey Trot (5 or 10 K run) participants. As a volunteer I had to stand on a quiet little corner next to a barricade, which blocked traffic from driving on the course. The corner, however, was not quite for long as within 10 minutes after I arrived at my post I saw a large crowd of people wearing red tee shirts cresting the horizon of J street. It was like a wave of red...and it was so exciting to watch. I cheered them on as they swooshed by. I saw participants dressed in tutu's and others pushing baby carriages. Some people dressed up their dogs in red tee shirts so they also showed support for the cause. After the waves of people trotted by I put on my blue latex gloves and slowly and methodically picked up up every piece of trash I could find. When my extra large hefty bag was full my job was done. All in all this was a great way for me to get out of the house and work as a volunteer at this epic event. Perhaps you will join me next year. :)

What a great way to start the day by losing some calories before consuming a few thousand calories…read more This is an awesome event to support your local community and give to the less fortunate on a day that we are to be thankful for everything that we have. I have been participating in the RTFTH since 2011. You can run it or you can walk it; it's great for the whole family. There is a 5k or a 10k to choose from; 10k is typically for runners and typically starts about an hour earlier than the 5k. The race starts at the J Street entrance of Sacramento State and it takes you through the Fab 40s (the most elegant neighborhood in Sacramento) and up H street to the finish line. There are several restroom stations (yes, porta potties) and one water station between the second and third mile. All along the ways, you will see different bands playing and local residents set up I guess you can call it the "RTFTH Tailgating" parties. They would be outside with tables, chairs, friends, and/or their love ones, with breakfast, hot chocolate and/or wine, while cheering every passerby. Everyone is super excited and super nice. The cost is typically about $20 for 17 & under, $40 for adults for individual and about $55 for team participate. There are prizes for the top three runners; for more info, check out their website: http://www.runtofeedthehungry.com/faq/. This event has grown tremendously over the last decade. Before, it may have been nice and safe to bring your pet and small children in a strollers but I highly discourage that. Believe me, I want to bring my fury four legged child too but with the size of the group, it's just safer for everyone not to. With thousands of people, strollers are just hard to maneuver as well for others to get around. Plus, like pets, they sit low to the ground, so people are less likely to see them in time before running into them or slamming on the breaks and other people run into them. Parking: my rookie year I parked inside one of the garages in Sac State...big mistake...huge mistake! It took us hours to get out of Sac State. It's Thanksgiving so many, if not all, businesses will be closed. Best to find street parking or empty business parking lot off Folsom or H Street. Oh, I almost forgot, bring your best Thanksgiving hat and/or outfit!!!

Good if you want to experience the beer festival but not so much if you're here to experience a…read morerace. The race itself was poorly organized and executed. There are a few different distances to choose from: half marathon, 10k, and 5k, and a 1-mile which is differentiated by the bib color. The start times for each are not staggered enough so there is a lot of overlapping between the different distances which all go on the same course at some point. It was really confusing as there were no arrows and no mile markers. Some runners ran the wrong way and ended up doing more miles because the course was not clearly marked. There was a 1 miler that goes around the finish line and the course was to go the opposite way of the finish line; it was really confusing and I almost ran the wrong way to follow them as I finished. There were volunteers out there that would help guide the runners to the correct direction based on the bib. Some volunteers were great in guiding, others not so helpful so it was really confusing on which way to go. I did the half marathon. It's stroller friendly so I ran it with a double stroller. There is a part that is a bit bumpy by the trail next to the DGS building but it was short. I did enjoy the route that this half marathon offered. It was different than the usual course around Sacramento. The course goes towards Drake, Old Sacramento, and Discovery Park. Some areas are a bit iffy so on a regular day, I don't usually run in those areas so it was nice being able to experience it. There is a bit of looping to make up miles. The courses are not closed so they'll be other runners, bikers, and walkers on the course. It would have been nice to have signs out for a special event since there were some aggressive bikers at Discovery Park. There are also no road closures since the race isn't big enough. The race amenities were advertised as way more glamourous than they really are. The customizable bibs just have a blank spot for you to write on. The 7 oz tasting glass was plastic. There's free race photos but I only saw the photographer once at the start line. This is the first race I've done (and I've done many) that did not provide any food or even a water bottle post-race. There was no water at all at the finish and only sparking water if you went in the beer garden. Speaking of water, the aid stations ran out of cups so runners had to waterfall for a gulp of water. This was a first for me. I like their mission of supporting the local beer community and drinking locally but being built around a race, it was not carried out very well. I don't think I'll do this race again unless the weather is good and I'm wanting to do a half marathon with the stroller.

The inaugural DC Wonder Woman Run Series came to Sacramento in September, with future stops in…read moreOakland, San Jose, LA, and San Diego. This year they had 5K and 10K distances (1 vs. 2 loops) but next year they might add the half marathon. Registration was pretty pricey even with a 15% off discount provided through their Facebook/Instagram pages. Included with registration kit were either a WW technical unisex tee or women's tank top, the wrist "cuff" sweatbands, a reusable bag, and later a plastic reusable cup and of course the race bling, coast-sized spinner medal, red and gold. E-mail communications leading up to race day were not frequent, or did not contain much useful information until the Thursday before the Saturday evening race. Packet pickup was held at the same location as the race rather than at a sporting goods or running store, which meant having to use metered parking or what since it was downtown at Capitol Mall. Same parking issue for the race day. Unfortunately it was 90 degrees F that evening, but all the ladies still showed up! I'd done similar runs before with themed costumes such as the Sacramento Santa Run, but it's always fun to see everyone around you en masse dressed alike. To complete the look (only the top and wristbands were provided), I supplemented with some blue running shorts with stars, and Wonder Woman socks and a metal tiara from...wait for it...Amazon, of course. Others' costumes were all-out with capes, lassos, old-school and modern Wonder Women, some other DC characters represented like Superman, Batman, and Flash. 5K and 10K runners started together rather than staggering. Corral at the start was not divided by race pace so a lot of walkers crowded the first 0.5 mile. The race course/route itself was nothing too new for me, from Capital Mall into Old Sacramento then following the river to Miller Park, past Front Street and finding the way back to Capital Mall. The mile markers were the vertical "flag" style rather than A-frames so they could be easily missed. The split between 5K and 10K before the finish line was pretty clear. Sacramento PD were trafficking the route. One pet peeve of mine was when one cop decided to stop the group of runners to let cars/truck through the intersection. Granted, this was only a 5K "fun" run but still timed and it was hot so that was literally a roadblock. Whatif I were going for a personal record? At the end of the race, the awesome medal and a plastic red cup were given to all runners to fill up on water (no single-use plastic bottles, nice!). There were also patriotic cake donuts, bananas, SweetTarts sour strawberry "ropes" candy and many many photo opportunities/backdrops. Step and repeats with logos, Wonder Woman comic book covers, and two live Wonder Woman cosplayers. Race photographers were scarce on course but there was video at one checkpoint and some hanging out in the expo area; free race photo downloads and a certificate afterward available. Some nice sunset shots of the Capitol and Tower Bridge too since it was in the evening. Race results were posted very quickly the next day, and race photo indexing was quick too. Overall, a "super" fun Sacramento 5K to end the summer. Shoutout to Gisele!

The Inaugural Biggest Loser 5K RunWalk ("Get Fit, Get Ready!") race came to Sacramento...West…read moreSacramento, technically. Whether or not you keep up with whatever season of the TV show we're up to these days, you should at LEAST know that people lose hundreds of pounds to win the title. FYI, a ton is like, 2000 pounds, so it wouldn't be right to say they're losing tons of weight unless you consider the group of contestants as a whole. Anyway, instead of just letting America sit on their couches and watch the TV show give tips on eating right and working out, they decided to start organizing races across major U.S. cities, ranging from 5Ks, 10Ks, obstacle/mud courses, and half marathons for REAL PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME to sign up for, participate and have a good time not being afraid of healthy exercise activities. Honestly I hadn't planned on doing this race (I already had Lucky Run in Davis as well as Shamrock'n) BUT my mom just lost 30+ pounds and her first "practice" run was the Elk Grove 5K Fun Run put on by the Running Zone, and this Biggest Loser Race was a very fitting first "official" race for her to do. I had to come out and support...although I probably could have taken it easier. The Race: Biggest Loser RunWalk e-mail newsletter provided discount codes for registration (the one we used was around the New Year's Resolution time) and all FAQs were answered there or on their website. Packet pickup was held at Fleet Feet Sacramento and the technical shirts (INCLUDED with race registration, no upgrade needed) were a wonderful orange color (representing the winning team from this season, the Orange Team) with bright green shamrocks/clovers on them and a prominent one on the back with Fleet Feet Sports emblazoned at center. The race start/finish was at Raley Field. We got there early for parking purposes, and much like I experienced the next day at Shamrock'n, the real bathroom stalls and enclosed stadium upper level were great to keep us out of the cold as we waited for the race to start. It really was a great morning for a run. From outside Raley Field we crossed the Tower Bridge gateway, through a little stretch of Old Sacramento, up the road parallel to I-5S, along the river bike trail, up R Street past the Capitol Mall, and eventually back across the Tower Bridge to finish ON THE FIELD. Live music/bands were great, volunteers enthusiastic with signage and cheer, official race course runner photos were available FREE to download, complete with "Biggest Loser" overlay and high quality, indexed by bib number. Also included in reg was a heavy duty, colored enamel MEDAL for all participants (even the ribbon was custom printed to say "Sacramento" with clovers). Yeah, walking up the bleacher seats from the finish line was a rough "cooldown" but every runner got a banana, pretzels, almonds, etc. divvied up in baggies distributed at the concession windows. Didn't see Dinger but you could also take photos with the winners of the BL season, with the official BL backdrop, the infamous scale from the show's weigh-ins, and more. If this was my first 5K race ever, I would have fallen in love with running (and started with high standards). It was St. Patrick's Day weekend, which means the costumes were all-out and music pumping to set the energetic feel. Hopefully they come back next year, and maybe with more distances to offer!

Always great family fun.this isn't your normal rent a slow putt putt go kart. This is a club where…read moremembers and guest bring their high speed mini race cars that are go karts on roids...they are only inches off the ground which is a good thing because they are fast going through the road course at high speeds. You will see junior drivers from 5 years old all the way to the senior driver of 72 years old. They are all fast and cool to watch. My son races and loves spending our time at this 40 year old slice of history where NASCAR greats such as Jeff Gordon learned their race craft as youngsters. Best family environments build healthy fun times growing up and learning about the mechanics of a race car.

As a blue max member years ago and now long time karter I am really disappointed in this kart club…read more Outside of all of the board drama it's just not that great of a track to race or practice at. The track itself is very bumpy and with different pavement types used. Off track is never mowed and has surprise ankle breaking holes if you find yourself off track. Their cross-over races always run extremely over and fraught with terrible failures in the organizational department. As I recall their club races were also a story of either running way over or being ushered at a breakneck pace to get out of there at 3pm. Their lack of organization affects how well their starts go, post race tech and how enjoyable your time will be racing there.Generally speaking this is a track I wouldn't willingly race at anymore.