I have run the 5K portion of this race twice now, and it's been great both times. Great community…read moresupport and lots of happy, smiling faces. I love the course, taking you on a tour along the coast and then through downtown Santa Barbara. Mile 2 is slightly uphill and then you turn around and get to run slightly downhill for the last mile, which feels great. All the volunteers were amazing. The after-run festival was nice, best part was free beer at 9 am! ;) I will be repeating this race again in 2024 for sure.

Such a community feeling run! The half marathon was a great way to get a great pump along the…read morebeach! Most of the pasta was so picturesque with only the final few miles in the city. Relatively flat but still 13.1 miles so still pretty brutal. It's a small run but still very organized and had tons of sponsors. The event went off without a hitch and worth a quick trip to Santa Barbara for the weekend to enjoy the city while you are at it! If you are looking for a half to do and don't want to deal with the huge runs around LA, check out this run!

This year is the seventh annual Scarecrow Fest in Santa Ynez Valley. How did I just hear about this…read moreevent?? This was so much fun!! I had a few hours to kill so I wandered into Solvang to window shop. Quickly I noticed the adorable decorations and window displays. What could this be about? At one of the displays I found the information on the ballot sheet. There are over 100 businesses participating in Solvang and surrounding areas in the Santa Ynez Valley. On the ballot sheet is a map to all the participating businesses and organizations so you can be sure to not miss any. Voters can walk around (or drive for further out scarecrow locations) and enjoy all the different scarecrow and holiday displays. Voting categories include Most Danish (cuz it's Solvang after all), Best Photo Opportunity (you are encouraged to take pics with displays when possible and upload to FB or tweet them), Best Use of Business Theme, Most Humorous, Spookiest and Best Use of Recycled Materials. There was an incredible variety of displays showing different strengths, themes and artistic interpretations of Scarecrows. I felt like this was kind of a scavenger hunt as I ran through the streets trying to find all the different scarecrows. Unfortunately I didn't see too many others walking around participating, but I did notice that almost all the tourists (and some locals) were really enjoying the displays. Some of the window displays were difficult to take pictures of because of glare issues. I was in the city early in the day and not all businesses had their scarecrows out at that time, so I noticed a few extra as I was on my way out of the city. Scarecrow Fest this year goes from October 7 - November 7. Ballots need to include a name, email address and zip code for the votes to count. There are ballot boxes throughout the city to drop your completed ballots before the last day. The grand winner will be announced at the Haunted House and Street Fest on October 29th. Category winners will be announced on their website www.syvscarecrows.com at the end of the voting period. This was a ton of fun and a creative way to get visitors to explore the culture and climate of Santa Ynez Valley. I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you are an autumn junkie like me. This is something I will look forward to for many years to come.

I'll write a more in-length review later, but for now…read more.. Super flat out-and-back course which was really nice but at the same time had some not-so-pristine moments (roadkill...stinky water treatment plant...stuff like that). THE MOST AMAZING post-race snack table ever! I mean seriously. Someone posted a picture of it, and it really deserves 6 stars. This race isn't getting 5 stars because: A) having to pay for parking (THANK YOU to the parking gate guy who worked with me when I couldn't pony up the full bill!) B) I had to pay extra to pick up my packet on the morning of. Not sure where the "VIP area" that was included in my $20 extra charge was supposed to be, but, either way I wasn't going to be able to drive from Lancaster to Ventura two days in a row to so the extra $20 was a necessary evil. C) The final mile was a mess. I'm chugging along trying to tell myself to just keep running, but the course at that point was on the beach path where people were just meandering. It was a struggle to stay in the game and keep focused while dodging strollers and random beachgoers. All in all, I might just have to do this race again next year!

Such a great course to run. Whether you're a seasoned runner or this is your first half marathon,…read morethis race is sweet. This is my second time running the Ventura half marathon, the course changed a bit to make it easier at the finished line. Now is mostly all down hill. Process of signing up is quick and easy. They are great at maintaining you in the loop on updates as the date gets closer. Parking at the fairgrounds was so close to the finish line and $5 was a steal. You get a nice shirt, medal, a bag and some protein goodies as your swag bag. Also, Nuun water and honey stinger where provided through out the run (at designated aid stations). Afterwards you can get your free breakfast ( waffles, pineapple, strawberries- just make sure they're not in your teeth before you take a picture like I did ) pretzels and beer, haha. Walk around some of the tents and visit with local businesses. Check out mile 26 for all your running everything. Photo ops, too. Get your BQ at the full marathon.

The Color Run was so much fun!…read more This was my second 5K and there was a lot of people who participated. Parking was a little hectic due to traffic but we easily found a spot in the parking garage in downtown Ventura. Walking over to the race at the fairgrounds was easy. It was exciting to see everyone dressed in crazy colors and costumes. I felt like I was at a mini rave lol It was rough going uphill on the incline in the beginning but a breeze running down the incline towards the middle of the race. We received water bottles halfway and were provided nut bars and beef jerky at the end. I was forewarned by a previous color runner to not breathe when getting tossed and splashed with powder dye throughout the race and it helped because some people were choking on it since it clouded everything. My favorite part was finishing the race at the end where my friends and I joined the crowd at the stage and the DJ was playing dance music. He initiated us to toss our package of dye (that we received at the end of the race) when he dropped the bass and it created a colorful swarm of craziness in the air going with the music. It felt like that exhilarating moment when you go surfing in a wave and it entraps you but you still feel free (even though I've never tried surfing but that's what I imagine it to feel like LOL). Definitely recommend this 5K! :)

My husband and I are looking forward to participating in our first Color Run!…read moreApparently, this is suppose to be the "happiest 5k" ever...so the expectations have been set high! Let's see if they meet expectations tomorrow. :) Just wanted to put in a note here about the communications (primarily email) that have been coming from the organizers of this run; and it's pretty good. I've gotten at least 4+ emails in a span of 1-2 months leading up to this event, so I know what's happening and what to prepare in advance. I'll be back to update my review post-event, to share all the fun we had! (hope I'm not jinxing myself here)

My first Ojai Half…read more Super cool weather. Nice hills and elevations. Not too steep. Gorgeous scenery and I appreciated the great views a lot. It was a combination of straight road,trail and hill running. The CA Highway Patrols were guarding each road for traffic and safety. This was the best part. Awesome medal,shirt and goodie bag. Amazing friendly people and special shout out to the leader of the 2.30 pace for handing me salt pills when left leg cramp attacked me on Mile 11. I could have walked but the salt pills was fast-acting. Lesson: NEVER FORGET TO BRING MUSTARD. Salt pill was an option. But I do recommend mustard. It was not a super crowded event. People were nice and polite. I set a new PR! Will run again next year,it's because I LOVE OJAI and it's Ojai PYXIE Tangerine month!

My first Half...done!…read more And Ojai, it was beautiful! Just north of Los Angeles and east of Santa Barbara--blanketed with outstretched fields of yellow Mustard flowers and nestled within the valleys beneath the rugged Topatopa Mountains--lies this quaint, little Shangri-La of Ventura County. Beginning at Mira Monte Elementary School, the route hops onto Ojai's paved bike trail and slowly meanders southward, following alongside Highway 33 before banking westward onto Santa Ana Blvd. Continuing onto the bike lanes of Santa Ana Rd., the run (around mile 5) parallels Lake Casitas. If it hasn't already done so, about here, your daydreaming should be settling in comfortably. This relaxation of mind will last throughout the entire course as it loops among scene after breathtaking scene of rolling hills and shady trees, punctuated at times by tangerine groves and local vineyards along the way. Too soon--seemingly much too soon--your 13.1 approaches, and before you know it, you're crossing the finish line with a smile. This run was so well organized. Each and every traffic signal along the route was flashing red, the CHP and the Ojai sheriff's department covering each intersection and assisting runners along the bike paths. Even the roads throughout the countryside were monitored by enforcements: cars requiring passage were police-escorted as to ensure runners' safety. The volunteers were amazing as well. Honestly, it seemed like all of Ojai was here in support. Plus water, Gatorade, and Porta Potties were positioned at the all of the aid stations, each about 1.5 miles apart. This run just kept getting better. And then came the medals. I love the medals! My first Half...in beautiful Ojai...done! (My personal goal was to finish within three hours. I did it: 2:46:57!!!) =]

(Half #6, 2015) Now…read moreTHIS is an Elite Sports run I can appreciate. Actually, any course along California's beautiful coastline scores stellar marks in my book. The ocean breeze, salt in the air; the morning sun stretching over the horizon; crashing waves, golden sand, blue skies: all contribute to an energized run. If you've run the Ventura Marathon, Seaside begins in the same area; however, instead of running south along the coast, Seaside takes you north. The course is relatively flat and certainly scenic. The water stations were well-stocked, and gel packs were made available as well. Parking was simple, as well: there's a structure right on the Promenade. Paying $8 will get you an all-day parking pass; however, we received a quick validation from a nearby restaurant, which knocked off $4 from our parking. What's really cool about Elite Sports' races, though, is their "Endurance Challenge": running seven of their Half marathons awards a challenge medal at the year's end. I want that! For more information about the Endurance Challenge, check here: elitesportsca.com/Endura.... And, even cooler, is that Elite Sports' races are included in the CA Half Series (http://calhalfseries.com), which--if you're into Halfs--awards a 10-, 15-, and 20-run series medal at the end of the year. Running seven of Elite Sports' inches you closer to the halfway mark! TIP: If you plan to run any of Elite Sports' or the CA Half Series' races, check out RaceShed (http://raceshed.com); it gives "race for less" discounts and promo codes.

Incredibly picturesque. Easy run, a good half for beginners. When arriving to the seaside itself…read more.. Stunning. Your mind just wanders away adrift on salt spray in the air. Very nice mix of running paths and city streets. Fairly well attended with aid stations. Not many spectators until the very end but a great reception party complete with beer and tacos. What more can you ask for?