I love this race so much! Specifically, it's the course that is ABSOLUTELY perfect for beginners…read moreand advanced runners alike. It's been a few years since my last event here, but it's always a good one. There's ample parking, the grassy field is huge to support all the runners and event staff, like I said the course is the star, and post-race snacks are great!

"Summer Breeze, makes me feel fine..."…read more I've forgotten how great smaller, local races are. Are all Brazen Racing events like this? Because if so, I need to run in some more! I think Ellen L's review really sums up everything I love about this race: Extremely organized, hassle-free bib pickup morning of the race (I got there at 7:45 AM and got my half marathon bib within 2 minutes...if you're doing a different event, however, you may want to get there earlier), free parking at start/finish, the fact that the start is also the finish, perfect weather, no race congestion (even though some parts of the course are narrow, I never had to slow down because of traffic nor did I have trouble passing other runners), free post-race photo downloads (everything is uploaded online so you can download/print yourself), and the best fuel stations and post-race food goodies ever! I was seriously shocked at how much food and goodies there were!!! Ice cream sandwiches? Fig newtons? Cookies? Gummy bears? Bagels? Watermelon? The list could go on, I'm not kidding you!!! If you're looking to PR in any of the 3 distances offered here, this is the course to do it. I do zero hill training and I usually run on a treadmill or on extremely flat terrain. If you're doing the half, the toughest part is the fact that there are only 5 aid stations and the middle three are at the 3, 6.5, and 10ish mile marks. So you definitely need to plan and hydrate/fuel yourself accordingly. I normally don't need water at the pace I was going until the 6 mi mark and some calories at the 9-10 mi mark, but because of the relatively long gaps in between stations, I forced myself to stop to get water at mi 3 and gummy bears at the halfway point. And the planning paid off as I did indeed PR this race! :) In sum, one of the most enjoyable races I've done in recent years and one I'm hoping to continue running in the years to come. A big thank you to all the volunteers helping out at the aid stations and taking photos of us runners!

I'm unable to run in the 2026 race due to an injury. I started the process to defer my entry to…read more2027 before the deadline. The website wouldn't allow the change so I emailed, again this is BEFORE the deadline. I received a response that I could not defer as the deadline had passed. After I described the technical difficulty (again), received the same response.

Livermore Half Marathon is art of the ''Golden State Series'' where if you complete all 3 events…read more(Town's Half Marathon in Oakland and US Half Marathon in San Francisco also) you get an additional medal. It's for that reason that I signed up for this event, you also get Wine sampling after the event but I'm all about the bling. Sign up was easy and if you purchase the 3 event entries together you save a few bucks. as I was a Pacer for the US Half I didn't do this but still make sure you sign up early to get the best rates! This event also sells out so don't wait too long if you want to Run it. The weeks before the event I didn't get any information about the day or packet pick up but it is all located on the website. Packet Pick up: Located at the Performing Arts Bankhead Theater Plaza the day before it was easy to get to but is only from 2-8pm so if you work late or far away you need to plan accordingly. Everything is done by number so you just provide that and they look up your Bibs. As Wine tasting is part of the post race fun you get given a wrist band to prove you're of age to drink but they make you put it on right then so you ''can't give it to someone else''. Kinda silly as I had to walk around with it on for almost a day before the event. T-Shirt is cool but the sizes run large. Course: Lot's of scenery to take in as you go through various parks and Wineries, there are some mild hills but nothing too taxing. Volunteers: Fantastic! The group at mile 11 were so full of energy. Post Run: Chaotic. There were a few bites of food (Banana's, Chips, KIND bars) with drinks of Water, Coconut Water and of course 13 Wineries for those over 21. The medal is kinda cool (doubles up as a coaster but cannot be removed from the lanyard) but not very pleasant to look at, last years way much nicer. A Nice event to do for locals and if you like to collect bling.

This is a great, well run and local run that kicks off EVER year on Thanksgiving morning! It's a…read moreUSAT&F certified 5k that winds thru the scenic streets of Piedmont. The course is closed to all cars for the first 45 minutes of the race which makes it a speedy course for those who finish in 16 minutes or simply a fun and safe course for people and their families or are walking it. The motto is, "MOVE your feet before you eat! "Your registration gets you a chipped time race bib, a stylish tech shirt and a party at the finish line featuring a band, prizes and morning coffee. http://piedmontturkeytrot.com

I participated in the 2016 race. I've done a couple other 5ks as well as a 10k so this wasn't my…read morefirst race. Prices were reasonable. Packet pickup was quick and easy (at the veterans center). However, the hours weren't practical at all (3:00pm-5:30pm, most race pickups are about 9-5). The free bag and water bottle was cool but I would have rather had a medal. The shirts were nice but a tighter material so you couldn't roll up the arms. Lots of snacks before and after the race (samples, bananas, hot cocoa/coffee). Race day parking was easy and free. You can pick up your packet morning of but they wont guarantee your shirt (huh?). There was no line for packet pickup but a huge one for morning of registration. Time tracking for the race was a plus. My biggest complaint is the course. While the neighborhood offers nice scenery, it's a lot of uphill for a fun run. Probably more than half the course is uphill. Very little of the course is flat, it's mostly variations of up and down hill. Also, the road you're running on isn't leveled out, it's dome shaped. This meant if you didn't run down the dead center of the road you were running at an odd angle and disproportionally stressing the joints. Also there were no water stations on this run. Why? This is the only 5k I've ever done that didn't provide water stations; seems like a liability. All in all it's a nice community of people to run with but I'd be hesitant to run that course again in the future.

Event Date: 03/30/2008 This small hometown half marathon was…read morea perfect training ground for my upcoming Santa Cruz run. The course consisted of 13.1 miles of residential streets and valley roads with several rolling hills. The start and finish line was at the San Ramon Dougherty Community Center and organized by the city and local residents. This was its second annual half marathon with nearly 1,000 participants making it a perfect start for first timers and heavyweights like me. This was cool because I was able to work on my pace and breathing without being distracted by elite runners. I was able to stay focus and really concentrate - getting into the zone and testing my limits. I did really well the first six miles. My past injuries didn't resurface. My momentum stayed consistent. And my thoughts of the Santa Cruz Half Marathon were in motion. Once I reached the ninth mile, I started to run out of gas. The fear of fatiguing out was upon me. I took a short pause, fueled up (gel pack), and finished up at 2:35. Not bad considering that this had several tough hills. After crossing the finish line, I was totally surprised that they had finisher medals! OMG! I totally stoked! Moments after the adrenaline faded away I fatigued out and felt a sharp pain on the arch of my right foot. I suffered a minor injury that's going to take my off my feet for three days. Now I got two weeks left before Santa Cruz and a bottle of Motrin to ease the pain. Thanks Omar T. for joining me at this event. This was his first half marathon and he kicked ass. Onward to Santa Cruz my brotha!!! Notes: All flat course. No. Inclines ranged from 15-25. Running shoes: Merrell Overdrive Continuum Timing chips: No Restrooms: There was only one portable at the seven mile marker Water stations: Two. Will do this event again next year? Yes. It's a great warm up to future events, but wear long compressions (spandex). It's cold as hell when you "Run Like the Wind" in San Ramon.

I was very disappointed! This time they were not organized at all! They started late; Parking was…read morehorrible, there were bunch of obnoxious people leading before the race started. And worse of all, I didn't get the T-shirt size that I wanted. I look forward to this event every year. But unfortunately, this year, it wasn't what I was hoping for, at all! And this is not going to stop me from participating next year! Thank you!

This was my first year participating and I thought it was very well organized. I definitely…read moreenjoyed this run more than my past runs in the Bay Area (i.e. Pleasanton Spirit Run and Bear Creek Trail Run). Everything that the past Yelpers said were all true - participants get a nice long sleeve t-shirt, a Christmas tree ornament for the finishers, lots of food and ice cream. Although it was freezing, it didn't stop Cat N. and me from enjoying our ice cream. It was a well deserved treat. =) The course was a flat, paved route around the Bishop Ranch area (think of a big figure 8) and the volunteers at each mile marker would call out your time. Only downfall on this race was that there were no water stops. Nevertheless, I would totally sign up again. P.S. We got free water bottles from Fleet Feet (one of the sponsors).

Fun! It was well organized and attended. Snacks, drinks and coffee before and after. People…read morecalled out time at each mile. There was one drink station, that was enough. I like my shirt and ornament. Nice way to spend the morning. Kids in strollers and dogs on leash are welcome.

I've had great experiences with previous Brazen Racing events in the past, and the Western Pacific…read moreHalf Marathon was no different. Though Brazen Racing organizes trail runs which can be grueling, the Western Pacific was fortunately a mostly fast and flat course. The route began at Quarry Lakes, followed the Alameda Creek Trail, and returned to Quarry Lakes. The path was mostly gravel with some pavement. There wasn't much to look at along Alameda Creek considering the drought we're in, but the lakes and hills of Quarry Lakes were beautiful. Parking for the event was free, and the lots provided ample parking. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to walk over from the parking lot to the start line, which is a few minutes' walk inside the park. If you're aiming for a certain time, there are pace runners you can follow. I didn't follow one myself, but my boyfriend did and found his to be incredibly friendly and supportive. I also saw and passed several pace runners and their group, and they were all so positive and helpful. Thanks to their inspiration, I actually aspire to be a pace runner someday to help others! Race photography was provided by volunteers at several points throughout the race and at the finish line. The quality for some of the photography on the course wasn't very good, but I still appreciate the free photos, which you could find online and attain for free. You just have to search through the tons of pictures they have. It helps to wear colorful clothing that stands out. Brazen Racing's medals are always big and shiny, so that's definitely a plus. At the finish line, they also always have a smorgasbord of food including trail mix, crackers, cookies, pretzels, chips, fruits, cakes, pies, and ice cream. They really know how to make a runner happy! There were also some sponsors giving away bottles of protein drinks and Zico. I'd highly recommend any Brazen Racing event, especially one that's flat like the Western Pacific!

i participated in my 8th brazen event yesterday which took place at quarry lakes in fremont. this…read morerace is titled the "western pacific" b/c the western pacific trail was used to transport gravel for construction of the western section of the transcontinental railroad back in the 1800s when trains were frequently used to transport cargo for longer distances. although trains no longer run along this trail, we, runners, can now haul ass hoping to hit a personal record on these historic, yet very flat trails! for this particular event, there was a choice of 4 distances: 1. full marathon (26.2 miles) 7.30am start 2. half marathon (13.1 miles) 8am start 3. 10k (6.2 miles) 8.30am start 4. 5k (3.1 miles) 8.45am start i chose to run the half marathon since i'd been training hard and going long, and wanted to see if my hard work would pay off and result in personal record. the pros: -GREAT RACE DAY CONDITIONS at the start, around 55 degrees with overcast skies when the gun went off -MARATHON is a certified usa track and field course and can be used to qualify for other marathons such as the boston marathon which requires a time qualification on an officially certified course -STAGGERED START TIMES for each of the 4 events to avoid congestion at the start and along the course. despite some overlaps in some of the course routes, and some narrower sections along the course, i actually never got stuck behind someone or felt congested which was great! -PACERS for both the full and half marathon, holding coloured signs on a stick with estimated finish times and wearing fluorescent coloured shirts to make it easy to follow them -COLOURED FLAGS to mark each mile (a different colour for each race distance to avoid confusion) -FLAT and FAST course on crushed dirt/gravel, with a small portion on paved road -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, handing out medals at the finish line, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked after the race -FREE and EASY PARKING inside the quarry lakes regional park dedicated lots which were right next to start/finish area (note that the free parking was only for those participating in the race, if you came for another event on this day, you still had to pay the $5 entrance fee) -LOTS of PORTA-POTTIES near the start/finish area as well as access to several park restroom structures (wait time was no more than a few minutes pre-race which was great!) -COMPLIMENTARY BAG CHECK near the start/finish line, with volunteers to guard your belongings until after the race. parking was so close to the start that most of us just left our belongings inside our trunks, but it was nice to know that there was another option available just in case. what you get: *choice of PACKET PICK-UP @ sports basement in sunnyvale the two days prior to the race or on site pick up the morning of *BLUE, DRI-FIT RACE TSHIRT with a logo of a steam locomotive to commemorate the western pacific trail (shirt is optional, so if you don't want the shirt, you can save $5 off the registration fee) *FULLY STOCKED aid stations every 1-2 miles with water, electrolytes, gu gel packets, salty snacks...quite an impressive array of offerings for an aid station! *BIG MEDAL with a locomotive, displaying event name and date (option to engrave name and finisher time on back for an additional fee) *AGE GROUP FINISHER MEDAL if you were one of the top 3 finishers in your age group. despite a disappointing finish time, i still ended up placing 3rd in my age group and took home a "bronze" age group medal *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINK, including it's it ice cream sandwiches, chocolate cake, red velvet cake, cheesecake, bagels, peanut butter, nutella, rugelach, goldfish crackers, pretzels, potato chips, trail mix, mini muffins, gummy bears, jelly bellies, cookies, coconut macaroons, water, and electrolyte drink. best part is that the food never ran out! *SPECIAL VENDOR on site sharing free samples....the muscle milk vans were parked near the finish area. the cons: -the half marathon course was slightly long, as my garmin read 13.22 miles for the haffie, which is a bit longer than the official distance of 13.1 miles -the 5k course was measured as a 3.2 mile course, which is slightly longer than the official distance of 3.1 miles (read: harder to pr on this 5k course) -most of the course was not shaded, and since it was sunny with temps in the low 60s by the time i finished, it made for a very hot run -the finishers' chute leading up to the finish arch had a couple of sharp turns on an incline which made it very difficult to sprint to the finish, which many runners like to do although i did not do my best, and certainly did not finish anywhere near a personal best, i still enjoyed this event and thank sam, jasmin, the rest of the brazen staff and volunteers for organizing another fabulous race.

I can't believe no one wrote a review about this annual run! The Rotary Club had a 16th Annual…read morePleasanton Spirit Run on June 21st which happened to land on Father's Day. It was a great time! I broke my PR for my 10K which I was very proud of. I would do this again next year since it benefits Pleasanton schools and it's an easy course! The weather that day was beautiful, too!

Wow, still only a single review?!?!?…read more Father's day, and pop gives the heads up that he's committed me to "something" on this day, just be sure to bring my running shoes. Despite the fact that I was HORRIFICALLY hung over, it's all about pop today, so I suck it up and run. Thank the heavens above he only signed me up for the 5k (there's also a 10k). The course is quick, easy, and fun with one water stop about mid way. If I had a gripe (don't I always?), it would be at the starting line. Damn people, it's a 5k! So many people took off like they were shot out of a cannon, even knocking some people over! It's Father's Day boys and girls - let's just enjoy this one. What was most important was that my dad really enjoyed himself. So much so that he says, "We should make this a tradition every year." Great crowd, great cause (benefiting Pleasanton schools), and an awesome way to start off a day that is going to be filled with the indulgences of food and beer. Just make sure you save to beer indulgences for AFTER the race and not the night before - ugh!

Hhmm.. can't say I was overly impressed with this event on the day…read more Packet pickup the day before was pretty good, a lot more organized then the Fremont event in February yet still needs a little work for next year. Reason being that during registration we had to choose our TShirt: Male / Female in XS, S, M or L. I selected Female XS yet when I went to collect at 1:30pm (pickup was 12-5) they had completely ran out of that size. Whole idea or choosing your size beforehand was so that you get the correct one. Luckily they had XXS and as that was the same size I got for the previous event it actually worked out in my favor but I'm sure it didn't for other runners, especially those that came later in the day. As for the event itself I really think they cheaped out, maybe because double medals were awarded for those that also took part in the Fremont event and most of the money went on getting those made. There are minus stars for: - The guy calling people for their awards didn't really know what he was doing. I came 2nd in my age group yet he called me as being 3rd with somebody else's time (doh) and I overheard others saying that their time was wrong too. All of the timing was done by SVE Timing via chips on the back of our bibs and we were able to check them ourselves on the computer system so I've got no idea how he got it all so wrong. - Limited guys doing the massage. Just 2 guys for over 1,500 people! They were great though and the same people that did the Fremont event. I loved my leg and ass massage by the same person that did it before. - Post race food was sparse. I was among the first to complete the Half and by the time I had a quick restroom break and massage (about 30 minutes total) all that was on offer was Orange slices and half a cold Burrito. I overheard people in the 5k saying that they had Muffins, Donuts and Banana's too. Damn! I could have pulled somebody's arm off for a Banana! I feel bad for those that finished after me and the organizers need to get their priorities right. Those that did 3.1 miles got a feast of all the good stuff where those than done an additional 10 miles got scraps. - Did not receive the ''Branded Chamois Finishers Towel'' that was promised on the website. - I did not see an engraver as advertised. Maybe I completely missed it in my pain filled haze but Hubby and I did do the rounds twice looking for it. As for the race itself it was mainly flat as promised (yay!) yet lot's of it was gravel. I hate running on gravel, the uneven surface doesn't make for easy running then add in all of the dust it's an Asthmatic's (me) nightmare. As suspected running with an existing knee injury and sore foot I didn't place where I did before but I came pretty damn close! Went from 1st to a not too shabby 2nd with being just a few seconds faster. First place beat me by just 50 seconds. Frustration! Race rundown: Start: Hella cold...Let's to this!!! Mile 1: What.. Already? 6:30mins. Good start. Mile 2: Uuurgh gravel *chokes* Mile 3: Woohoo. Endorphins kicked in. Feeling good. Mile 5: Hmmm, Steve should be starting his 5k soon. Somewhere between mile 6 and 7: Ooooh, is that a FroYo shop? Hmm, probably not open for another 4 hours *sigh*. Rough mile 7.5: Ow ow ow knee pain. Mile 8-9: Not a good section of the race for me :( Just passed the 8mile marker my knee buckled beneath me followed by a searing pain, tears and vomit. Luckily the extra Ibuprofen I had with me played their part and I hobbled to mile 9 where I managed to pick up pace thereafter. Roughly 9.5 mile: Damn! Seems my watch timer resets at 1hr. Mile 10: I'm getting too old for this sh*t. Mile 11: ADRENALINE!!! Mile 13: Almost there! Need to pee!! Mile 13.050: Where the feck is the finishing line?? Some nice guy then points me in the right direction. Mile 13.1: Hallefuckinglujah.. where's the restrooms? Shortly followed by me collapsing in pain. Booo. So yeah... an ok event. I probably won't do any more organized by this group. They have a habit of really miss-selling the registration.

I run a handful of races a year, ranging from 5ks, 10ks, and Half Marathons. The boyfriend is an…read moreavid cyclist, but was interested in trying a 5k, so we opted to do the Pleasanton 5k since it was one I hadn't done before. We registered less than a week before the event. The packet pick-up was fairly easy and stress-free. However, when I registered, I signed up for a WOMEN'S MEDIUM t-shirt. Seeing as how they gave the option for men or women, I assumed I would be getting a shirt fitted for women. WRONG. They were unisex cotton t-shirts, so my medium sized shirt was way too big, and they wouldn't let me exchange it for a small. I also wish they would give the option to upgrade to a technical t-shirt for a fee like a lot of other races offer. I run A LOT, so I use those tech shirts A LOT. I never wear those cheap, stiff cotton shirts for anything other than housework. The start times and locations were well organized. There seemed to be plenty of parking as long as you don't wait to show up until the last minute. Bathrooms were relatively plentiful between the port-a-potties and the park bath houses, but the bath houses ran out of toilet paper in the ladies rooms very quickly. The guy at the start line was speaking through a megaphone rather than a mic/loudspeaker, so it was difficult to hear any instruction he was giving. One of my biggest pet peeves in races are those gosh-darn jogging stroller buggy things. I get this is a 'family fun run' and I applaud anyone who won't let kids stop them from exercising, but those stupid strollers are dangerous, and a lot of the people running with them don't seem to know runners etiquette. So if race organizers are going to allow them, they need to have a separate start time for strollers, and they need to be IN THE BACK where they can't run over peoples' feet or cause an accident. Some people did this on their own (thank you!) but others went right up towards the front and created a hazard for those trying to get around. The course was very flat, and the 5k was completely on pavement. This is a super easy run--I set a new 5k PR by a couple of minutes. The volunteers consisted mostly of high school kids who really didn't look too happy to be there. I don't really blame them--If I were 14, I wouldn't want to be up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday to watch people run and direct foot traffic, either. But a little more enthusiasm would have been nice. THE MEDALS ARE CHEAP. I've run some 5ks where they were giving out some really nice medals, but these ones are pretty crappy. I don't know about the Half Marathon medals, but these ones are a thin circle of flimsy metal with a sticker on them rather than any engraving or paint. Nowhere near the "First Class Medals" they advertised. And ditto on what Emmaloousie B. said: Where's my freakin' "Branded Chamois Finishers Towel"?? They did have some good post-race freebies. I know this race is only in its second year, but they still have some work to do. I *may* come back next year for the Half, but I'm not making any promises. Off to the Wildcat 10k.