I come to this race every year! It's a well run 5K/10K for the serious runner and ru/walkers who…read morejust want to support WeSPARK and get out in nature. The DJ plays great music and always have some sort of entertainment.

What a fun race! Emphasis on "fun" - this is without a doubt a "fun run" but if you go into it not…read moreknowing that it will take some time for you to adjust and figure that part out. The race started after 845A, which I think is extremely late for a race to begin. The original start time of 745A was pushed back an hour but communicated to all runners several days before the race which was helpful. There was a small expo and several food trucks on the back lot the morning of. Parking was free which is a total PLUS! This is one of the first races where I didn't have to pay for registration, parking at bib pick up (Sports Authority Sherman Oaks) and race day parking at the venue. Thank you weSpark and Universal - this was very much appreciated. Now, the run... I would have started the corrals differently, but I'm no race organizer. I didn't like the idea of 5k runners, 5k walkers (some with strollers) starting before 10k runners. This made it a pain in the ass! to push through walls upon walls of walkers and runners. It's also a little dangerous if you ask me because you have charging 10k runners attempting to get through the crowds and having to run around the walls of people on the sides of the road. For those of us running the 10k and needing to loop the course twice, it would have made more sense to send us out of the starting line first so slower runners and walkers were in back of us. It does take more effort to wind in and out of these people, this was the part of the race that was NOT fun. I also thought the course would be more level with one hill - oh no, to my surprise it was much more hilly than I had expected with a few down hills and a couple flat stretches. Running through the sets was really awesome as you can see from many of the awesome pics posted. I'm not a huge Universal fan but the sets were really fun! I'm honestly asking myself if I liked them more than the Disney run. The second time around the course was different, many areas gave way to open roads while there was still some heavy congestion from walkers who were still working on finishing the 5k. This race was similar to Disney in way of many participants stopping mid course and taking pictures and waiting in lines to take pictures with the entertainment. This is fine if it's what they'd like to do - I just think there should be separate lanes for runners and walkers so you don't have people coming to a dead stop in front of you while you are running. It's always discouraging to trek up hills with others walking them and huffing and puffing in front of you, some separation would be appreciated. All in all, this is a fun run for an amazing low registration price benefiting a great cancer support center in the valley. It is totally worth it to run it or walk it, if that's your thing. A great time was had even without a PR :) I did manage to come in 9th place in my age group which wasn't too bad.

It was a awesome and cheerful half marathon, despite the fact that it was postponed because of the…read morefires. Pasadena half it's a yearly run which helps me prepare for LAM. This year it was more ghetto as there was a running club from the valley screaming and drinking alcohol out in the open with out concern for other sober runners, but regardless, a must do run.

This race was acquired by the McCourt Foundation several years ago and became the Rose Bowl Half…read moreMarathon. Everything about the race is the same but a few logistic and planning decisions take away from the overall experience. The bib pick-up process is by far the biggest negative. They don't allow you to pick-up for others and only provide a few locations in Pasadena and Santa Monica. There's no expo so why make everyone pick up their own bib. Or why not provide more locations to make it more convenient for those who don't live in Pasadena/LA? The other complaint is that the only recognition for legacy runners (whose who've run every race since 2016) is a banner at the race. Loyalty runners (2 consecutive races) get a pin. Most other races have more substantive recognition for their loyal runners.

Great track club. I've run with a lot of clubs, and his events are well run, great value, and…read morefriendly. These are low car count, higher quality events than the pack as many cars as possible events. The willow springs event was 8 hours of track time, no run groups, and included top notch instruction (free). Lunch was also included. I'll be back for sure.

Had a great time at my first Fast Toys event at Laguna Seca running my own car. Fast Toys did a…read moregreat job from the informative drivers meeting where all questions were answered to the included lunch. They had a couple of pro drivers to show attendees the racing line at the beginning of the first session. The pros were also out on the track during later sessions for more help and they were available to talk in the pits. The event was well run, casual, but covering everything necessary for a safe fun day. There weren't too many cars, so we got plenty of track time. I nearly wore out a new set of tires and brake pads because I was able to run so many laps. Had a great time and will definitely attend their events in the future and recommend to others.

Myself, son and friends really enjoyed ourselves today…read more I may need another 5 showers and couple bottles of shampoo and conditioner before all of this color is off of me and I'm not sure how long I'll be blowing blue color from my nose but was it all worth it??? F yes! it was :) After finally parking the car around 845A at Dodger Stadium and making our way right to the the very front of the start line to meet our team for the 9A wave, we were ready to get wild, crazy and colorful! We had an amazing morning during the run itself and the finish line party was the BEST! Packet pick up at Sports Authority in Burbank was EXTREMELY slow (I race quite often and have NEVER had to wait in a line so slow moving to pick up bibs/shirts) PARKING was a complete cluster! One of the most asinine piss poor planning disasters I've encountered in quite some time which can really take away some of the excitement leading up to the race but as soon as you are parked and out of the car - you are ready for fun, I suppose... at least we were. The course is around the stadium area, which clocked in at 2.7 miles on mine and my friends Garmin, not 3.1 - so a 5K it really is NOT but I don't think many people are concerned with this aspect since it's a Fun Run and you aren't time chipped. This race is tons of fun! As I had originally suspected, I still believe it's a great race for all ages and fitness levels. My son exclaimed "this is the most fun run I've ever done" :) All in all - I'm very glad this run came to LA! Awesome fun experience :)

First time runner of color here and now a fan! Papa Panaflex has been to a few of these and been…read morewanting me to join him in his adventures of organized fun, so there I went. Now for my organized thoughts: *Save yourself some time and pick up your race packet a day or two in advance. You get a shirt, temporary tattoos, headband, racing number, coupons, and samples. You get your medal after the race. *Bring a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. We just brought towels and still made a mess . Also, bring some wipes! *Wear a fanny pack or jogging belt so you can take pics. I brought a baggie for my phone, but didn't use it. Too cumbersome. *Remember where you parked. It's Dodger Stadium and even though you've probably been a million times, the parking people will direct you to a section you've probably never used. Lot's of runners were wandering around looking all sorts of confused. *After each color station, grab a water bottle at the hydration stations and rinse out your mouth. Unless you like that chalky powder feeling in your mouth, you'll need to rinse and spit. *Treat yourself to Guisados down the hill once you're done!

As of 2018, I've run this half marathon all 9 years since it became part of the Rock n' Roll race…read moreseries. The course has changed throughout the years with the majority of them starting and ending in Downtown LA. This makes the logistics for this race very easy. You can actually take the Metro rail to get to everywhere you need to go and save a few bucks. Currently the expo is at the LA Convention Center. You'll need to pick up your race packet at the expo on Friday or Saturday before the race. They don't allow you to pick up bibs for other people so be sure to plan ahead! Since the race normally takes place around Halloween, it is appropriately themed. That includes the shirt as well as the finisher medals. They have almost always been pretty good designs. They provide post race drinks and snacks in the finisher chute. The post race celebration has been on the top level of the West Lot just next to Live LA. There will be a concert up there. You will be able to pick up your gear bag and enjoy 1 free beer in the beer garden. Make sure to bring your ID if you plan to drink.

The Rock n Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon was pretty good. Picking up your race packets at the…read moreConvention Center was pretty easy. There was lots of parking. Getting your actual packets was FAST. I only had to wait in line behind 1 person. There was PLENTY of volunteers staffing this event so it was easy to get us in and out. The photo-op was pretty cool too. They had an Elvis mask for you to wear.. and pose with other Elvis'. Past the packet pickup - in the expo.. there were lots of vendors..with TONs of free samples to give away. Most of the vendors who were here, were also at the San Francisco Marathon. There was four rows of vendors. It was.. alright. You had an opportunity to register for other RnR events for $15 off, or for next year's RnR LA for $20 off. Now, getting to the race Sunday morning was not too painful. We were dropped off, so I can't really comment on how efficient the shuttle was. From the drop off point, you had a mile to walk to get to the start line. Not sure how everyone else did it, but a lot of people were going in from the back making their way up to their corral. So, if you were in corral 1, you had to walk past all the runners in each corral. Now the race. I think they did a pretty good job with the waves. There weren't really any bottlenecks. A few hills. Big huge mile markers which you couldn't miss. Water and Cytomax every mile or so. And one station (mile 8ish) with Gu. The course was nice. Especially running through Griffith Park. At the end of the race, there was a nice photo opp for runners... on the "red carpet". They also handed out bagels, bananas, oranges, and granola. For liquids, Cytomax and water. Also outside near the Staples Center, there were food trucks! The Dim Sum Truck and I forget what else. There were about four of them. And the beer garden... was not really a beer garden. A little lame. Still, I feel this was a pretty good race. Not too hard, considering my only long run prior the the race was 7 miles a month out. Lots of people dressing up in costumes. I saw the KISS guys and about 4 Elvis'. Also saw a Guitar.. and 3 Disney Princesses! :)

I've been running this course since it was the Santa Monica 5000, and it's still one of my…read morefavorites. There's just something about an oceanside race that never gets old--great energy, beautiful views, and a course that feels both fun and fast. I especially love that the 10K is now part of the Conquer LA Challenge! That adds an extra layer of motivation and makes race day feel even more special. The whole event has such a strong community vibe, whether you're racing hard or just soaking it all in. Only wish? That the LA Marathon would bring its finish line back to Santa Monica. There's nothing quite like ending a race by the ocean

I started on my running journey about a year ago. I initially started to help with losing weight,…read moreand found out I really love the running sport. I'm more of a back of the pack solo runner so I would mostly run on my treadmill. Of course as I got more into running, i started following other people in the running community on social media. Eventually, I decided I wanted to sign up for my first 5K. Living in Los Angeles my whole life, I knew I wanted my first event to be local. I am so happy I signed up for the Santa Monica Classic. It was an amazing event. Running by the beach was beautiful and ending at the pier was amazing. It was great weather and a great course and I could not think of anything more perfect to have done my first 5k with. Now, as I'm doing this review, I'm addicted to the training and running these races. I have done 3 5K's and will be doing my first 10k in 2 months. Then on to half marathons and hopefully a marathon.

Just when we were in the swing of having them back, they're gone again. With the upcoming…read moreconstruction, it was announced there were not going to be anymore races for the foreseeable future here on the West Coast. This was the last race on Feb1 as the 5k and 10k took place the prior days. From what I gather from others, this can take many years to come back. I believe this was a new half marathon course at least new to me since the Star Wars Half days. This course was very refreshing, the stretch of it on Anaheim Blvd, running past the Packing District and the Ducks ice rink. The good thing about the "out and back" parts is seeing if you can spot the "balloon ladies" if it's a concern or maybe friends who run at a different pace or checking out their fits. I appreciated the DJ's and bands out there. They brought the energy! Everything was just so cute with the "It's a Small World Theme" but maybe I'm biased because I happen to love the color purple as in the bib, medal, and long sleeve tech t-shirt. It delighted me to see several runners dressed in this theme because I'm not creative enough to assemble my own costumes. PhotoPass photo opportunities were inside the park and some at the reunion area. These digital photos are included in registration and show up in the app same day. I must say the finish line replica photo op in the reunion area was a time consumer in the hot sun. Powerade was the electrolytes on course. I was wondering how they were able to get the taste and concentration consistent to realize they were being poured from the plastic bottles. Not too much to sample or any freebies at the expo if you compare that with other major race expos. The post-run snacks are not much nor memorable unless you count that nacho-like cheese from the box. IYKYK Yes, you pay a pretty penny just to participate but only you put a value on this experience. I would say if you're a Disney fan and have the means, to just do it one time for the experience but that dream has run out luck on this coast for now.

I did it :D my first half marathon, and I couldn't have picked a more magical way to do it than…read moreRunDisney's Halloween weekend at Disneyland Most of my training happened on the treadmill, which honestly taught me a lot about consistency and mental endurance. I followed the official RunDisney training program from their website and trusted the process--even when life was busy and motivation was low. Race morning was early (very early), but the energy, costumes, music, and Disney magic made every mile worth it. Running through Disneyland in the dark, then heading outside the parks with rolling hills, the heat that I did not prepare for was challenging--but unforgettable. These are the things that really helped me: 1. Enlist a buddy to do it with you. I somehow managed to persuade my oldest son to come with his mama. My son who is in his prime, who at the time just came back from officer training school (boot camp). He was jumping, singing, running circles around me during the race, yelling out motivational pep talks. It was kinda annoying and motivating at the same time. 2. Use the free pacers There are multiple pacing groups, and sticking with one helps you stay calm, consistent, and confident. It really helped to see a whole group pushing through. Being next them reminded me about Dory..."Just keep swimming... Just keep running!" 3. Arrive early + move up in your corral We arrived around 4:15 AM, which gave us time to settle in and get closer to the front of the corral--huge stress reducer. 4. Stay close to the start line if possible We stayed at a hotel near the start, walked over, and later met my hubby near the mall. Less logistics = less stress. 5. Go to the Expo on Day 1 Exclusive merch sells out fast (RIP glow-in-the-dark shoes). The expo is free, fun, and has lots of freebies. Pro tip: go again on the last day for sales. 6. Practice in your costume This is non-negotiable. What feels cute for 10 minutes may not feel cute at mile 9. I practiced in my Ursula costume a handful of times. I saw people ditching parts of their costumes. 7. Hydration is covered Water and electrolytes are provided on course. I didn't need to carry water, but some people prefer to--do what works for you. 8, Know the course You start inside Disneyland, then head outside the parks where the hills show up. Save your energy for those miles. 9. Pictures Make sure your number is visible. Photos come free with it. There a a good number of photo opp in the parks. Unfortunately we couldn't stop since we were the last coral. So we did "passing" video shots. You should practice doing this. 10. Volunteers The volunteers outside of Disney were awesome! Seeing the signs, hearing the encouragement, and grabbing the sweets helped a ton. Soak it in and it will keep you motivated I discovered that I hate running long distance. At the same time I also realized I like doing it at Disney and after the race I told my son lets do the Dopey Challenge next. Where you run the 5k, 10 k and half marathon all in the same weekend. Of course my sweet son replied, "sure thing mom as long as your paying." This race reminded me that you don't have to be perfect--you just have to..... "just keep running, just keep running, running....running". If you're thinking about doing a RunDisney race, especially your first half marathon, do it. Train smart, trust the plan, and soak in every magical mile.

I started cycling in the summer of 2017. In that time I have participated in quite a few organized…read morerides. Bike Walk and Roll was one of my favorites. This event offered a 100/50/25 road bike option along with a 10k walk and a kids ride. It was on the smaller side as far as participants with less than 100 cyclist. The route was majority bike path (60 percent) with the exception of the PCH (40 percent) and mostly flat. The ride was fully supported with 10 fully staffed SAG stations. Since it was a 100 mile turnaround it was 5 on the way out and 5 on the way in. One station offered homemade tacos and massages! Given it's a smaller event they also track the participants. We were asked to call out our numbers as we entered or passed the SAG stops so participants could be tracked. At the end of the event a BBQ was provided. This is a ride I will do again because it was well organized, the route was beautiful, the price was right and everyone involved was helpful and friendly. I would also recommend it to first time century riders or those that have not ridden with large crowds as a less intimidating gateway into what is generally larger events that don't offer as much bike path.