This was my third time running this half marathon. The course is still amazing. It's flat, goes along the ocean, and the weather has always been gorgeous. The organization and execution of the race was also top notch. Instructions were clear and there was never any question about where we were supposed to be, or where we needed to go. There were more than enough water stations along the course. Why I'm docking a star this year: The welcome expo was so small. I had really talked it up to my friends because in years past, it was huge. They both were looking to buy some merchandise but the selection was almost non-existent. The fire fighters, these guys are a big draw to the event. This year, I only saw 2 or 3 and the line to take a picture with them was a mile long. No champagne? What happened? I was saving that as a surprise for my girlfriends' accomplishment of finishing their first half. They did it, we crossed the finish line and were handed apple cider. It was a let down for me, I had no surprise, only the tale of how we got champagne in the past. The medal is huge and sparkly. This year it features a removable Pandora charm. I will still gladly return for this race, I just felt like it took a step backwards this year. read more

See all

This was my second Half this year/ever so I can only compare it to the Maui one. Pros: 1. They have starting areas by pace so you don't have to worry about being in the way of others who are much faster although we started 5 minutes late so it didn't have an effect on us 2. Tiaras, boas before the finish line and champagne, roses, and firemen at the finish line with your medals 3. Nice heavy medals 4. Beautiful views along the course which is flat! 5. Continuous shuttle buses to and from the race Cons: 1. I wish they told us when they pointed out the gear check area vs. start line that there were bathrooms by both locations. After we checked our gear, we waited for 15 min for the restrooms and rushed to the starting line when there were a bunch there as well 2. Needed more post race snacks as I only saw bagels and banana while the earlier finishers didn't even see the bagels and the later finishers had chocolate chip cookies and they needed a better organization maybe where there is a line for each snack vs. having everyone in one long line. 3. I would have preferred not having the metal barriers that you have to go through after you cross the finish line. Overall fun race to show your girl power!! read more

Divas Half Marathon - San Francisco Bay - Diva Half Marathon Medal - Races & Competitions Near Me

A very fun Half Marathon. Here's my thoughts Plus - At the expo, Green layer were giving out free long sleeves for liking their FB page. I got a pink one, perfect for the chilly start - New this year, tutus were also given out, with tee and bag - boas n tiaras were given out just before the finish line - Medals were given out by half naked fireman n divas were drooling all over them for their photos - The course was relatively flat, so no energy wasted going uphill - plenty of water stations, serving Gatorade too. And plenty of restrooms along the route Minuses - the expo was kinda far to travel to. It started at 4pm on Friday, so I was able to go after work but I wish they had the Diva appreciation at the same time as the expo instead of @ 7pm. Did not want to go back again, so I felt I missed out. - usually expos have lots of samples n goodies to take away but this expo were pretty small in comparison but I'm content with the Greenlayer long sleeve - Have to say, the course was never ending, coz it was kinda boring, the same view for 13.1 miles - My tracker showed I did 13.88 miles instead of 13.1 miles. I hope they reflect the distances more accurately next year. Overall, a really fun girly run, with everyone dressed in pink tutus and boas, great for first half marathoners because it was pretty flat. Great for groups n friends, seen some awesome group photos read more

Divas Half Marathon - San Francisco Bay - My heavy 2015 bling, boa n tiara. Congrats to all those who made it to the finish line! - Races & Competitions Near Me

See all

PINK tshirts....BOAS....TIARAS....RED ROSES....CHAMPAGNE....and a SPARKLY BLINGED out medal.... what am i talking out? no, not a pageant, or a bachelorette party, but this was a party with about 5000 other women from the bay area and outside of california yesterday was the 2nd annual divas half marathon in san francisco, and for the most part, it was a successful event. for this particular event, there was a choice of 2 distances: 1. half marathon (13.1 miles) 2. 5k (3.1 miles) i chose to participate in the half marathon distance since this is my favourite distance to race. pre-registration for the half is $85, which includes all of the below. the pros: *early 7am start to avoid the potential heat in may (and we had an unseasonably hot week leading up to the race, so an early start was much appreciated) *PERFECT race day conditions, mid-high 50s and overcast for a majority of the race with a slight headwind on parts of the race since we were running along the bay trail *flat out-and-back course that originated from burlingame's bayside park, ran through several other parks along the bay, down to the san mateo bridge, and back to the starting point *staggered start times for the half and 5k events to avoid congestion at the start *flags to mark each mile for the half *friendly volunteers directing runners along the course, especially at major turns and the halfway turnaround point, they also handed out fluids at all aid stations along the course and after the finish line what you get: ++packet pick-up @ the divas expo, held at the host hotel, san francisco airport marriott waterfront, on both friday & saturday before the race ++PINK drawstring bag with divas logo (also serves as gear/coat check bag at the start) ++PINK dri-fit, women's cut, v-neck finisher's t-shirt ++boa and tiara station just before the finish line, so you can look your best crossing the finish ++long stem red rose at the finish line, each rose in its own mini-water vial ++glasses of champagne at the finish, or ginger ale for those who prefer the non-alcoholic version, option to keep the souvenir plastic champagne glass with divas logo ++HUGE, blinged out medal on a pink strap with lots of room on the back to engrave name and finisher time the cons: -the recommended parking options were not very good: park at millbrae bart/caltrain station, which is 2.5 miles from the start line, and take a shuttle to the start or park at the host hotel, marriott, if you get there by 5.30am, and walk about a mile to the start (note that parking at marriott will run you about $10, depending on how long you park there) TIP: park in burlingame, along rollins rd or carolan ave, near broadway, and walk across the footbridge to the start line. only a 5-10 min walk depending on how close you park to the footbridge. -course was not very interesting, even though it ran along the bay. for some reason, all of the parks that i ran through seemed very deserted, no playgrounds, soccer fields, or people for that matter. parts of the course ran into residential areas of burlingame and san mateo, which again, were not very interesting. -a good chunk of the course was quite narrow, so if you are running in the middle of the pack, you would likely get stuck/feel congested on certain turns, especially the halfway turnaround point which was extremely narrow. -there was very little entertainment along the way, much less so than was advertised on the official map. the major spectacle that i recall seeing was the chinese dancing dragon around mile 3, which i saw again around mile 10 on the way back. -overall course was a bit long, per my garmin, i ran 13.21 miles instead of the official 13.11 miles, and this is with me running the tangents at each turn (so i assume most participants would have run closer to 13.3 miles running the long way around the course) -mile markers could have been bigger, and a better/brighter colour. short stumps made of black fabric is not the best material, especially on an overcast day as they were hard to see until i got really close to them -no timers at each mile marker/major split. clocks were only seen at the start and finish so we could not guage our progress unless we had our own timing device. -not much variety of food, especially for a half marathon. our only choices were plain bagels (no cream cheese or peanut butter), bananas, and cookies -there was coconut water at the end, but unfortunately they ran out very quickly so not all participants were able to have some -while there was a post-race party, it did not begin until 2pm. and for those of us finishing before 9am, we did not want to stick around for 5 hrs. in short, love the PINK, love the BLINGY MEDAL and the other schwag, but the course itself could use some modifications. would i run it again next year? for the bling, yes. for the course, probably not....it'll be a game time decision. read more

Divas Half Marathon - San Francisco Bay - Races & Competitions Near Me

I was hoping this would be a return to my personal best, this being my 9th half marathon, but I overestimated myself and this race. Low points: It's not you, it's me: I was overdressed for the 70-80 degrees. It's you: No running corrals at all so 5k walkers/runners and half-marathoners were all herded together like cattle. For the majority of the race, I had to weave around groups of walkers walking in trios or quartets before I finally joined fellow slow runners. Poor sound system at starting line so we had no idea when the race began. The aforementioned bathroom situation added about 20-30 minutes to my running time. They ran out of Gatorade at many rest stops. This might not have been so bad if there were an electrolyte stop or other snacks(someone has mentioned Brazen and they are awesome at providing food.) Highlights: I signed up for the hot pink feather boa and the promise of shirtless firemen handing me a long-stem rose. All three were a thumbs up. My fellow runners who chose to be creative especially Diva Mistress and her Fabio lookalike male stripper sidekick with his painted-on sixpack. Hearing the announcer call out my name once I crossed that finish line. I would do it again next year but with teammates. And I will run in shorts! read more

An all women's 1/2 marathon event series that takes place in five different locations. The one I will be participating in is call the Diva's 1/2 Marathon San Francisco Bay. This will be my first 1/2 marathon and I'm so looking forward to it. Participant Perks: Custom Race bib with your name on it. Feathers & boas along the route Roses at the finish line Blinged out finisher medal Party like a rock star after the marathon Diva's 1/2 Marathons Series in: Honolulu San Francisco Bay Myrtle Beach Long Island Puerto Rico read more

Divas Half Marathon - San Francisco Bay - Races & Competitions Near Me

*FUN EVENT BUT THEY COULD'VE BEEN A LITTLE MORE ORGANIZED!!* The inaugural Divas Half Marathon San Francisco Bay was held on Sunday, 5/6/12 and the half marathon was completely SOLD OUT!! There was also a 5K run as well. The course started along the SF Bay in the city of Burlingame going south towards Cayote Point to the San Mateo bridge and back around. The water views were absolutely amazing on this gorgeous day where the temperatures were in the mid 70's - low 80's. The theme of the run was really cute since it focused on both running and being a princess diva. Along with a finisher medal, runners also received a pink boa, tiara, rose, champagne and shirtless hunks at the finish line. Overall, the event was quite successful but did fall short of a 5 star review. Here's why: -The Health & fitness expo only consists of a few booths so there was limited shopping for these running divas. I took my time at the expo and shopped all the booths within 15 minutes. -There were two parking lots for the event. The parking lot that was walking distance to the event was full by 5:30am and the scheduled event start time was not until 7:30am which meant that everyone needed to park in the second lot. -The second lot was located 10 miles away in San Mateo but provided shuttles to the event which took about 20 minutes. -The restroom lines were ridiculously long, averaging about 20 minutes of waiting at the beginning of the event since the half marathon was an all female event. -The half marathon was scheduled to start at 7:30am but didn't actually start until 7:50am. -They started the 5K soon after the half marathoners and markers for the 5K were not clear so I witnessed about ten 10 ladies who missed their turn & kept running with the half marathoners. Even with these "issues," the event was still a lot of fun and I highly recommend it! I'm sure they will be back next year so register early for a guaranteed spot! If you're into running and girl power, this race is for you!! read more

See all

Pink tutu's, boas, tiaras, champagne and shirtless firemen handing me my medal after the race! I'm in! I really did enjoy the Diva Half Marathon for the reasons listed above -- that and the fact that the course is flat as a pancake so is a relatively easy one. Granted, even though it's flat, it's not one to get your PR (personal record) at due to all the slow downs along the way (narrow channeling of people, areas with irregular surfaces so you have to take great care watching your step), but for someone like me who "suddenly" remembered I have a half-marathon to run despite not having ran for over a month, it did feel good to go, have fun, and not entirely kill myself in the process (although I did walk/limp during the last 2 miles while screaming "OH MY GOD! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY LEG?! WHAT IS THIS PAIN THAT I FEEL? IS THIS NATURAL?" LOL! Just kidding. I didn't scream it but I thought it and maybe muttered it from time to time. LOL!). Like the others, I wish I didn't have to pick up my race gear in Burlingame. It was a pain to do and there was nothing interesting at the fair to see (there were just merchants and not much free stuff available and absolutely no games or activities). I also agree that the course is boring. I kept waiting for the breathtaking view of the bay that the Divas website spoke about but you really can't see any of that when running the course. It was actually one of the least interesting courses I've ran on. But the view after the fact was spectacular (I'm referring to the men). Watching hordes of women objectify half-naked men is always entertaining. Diva doesn't allow too much of that, unfortunately, since they only allowed women to take a picture with ONE firefighter before forcing them to move on and clear the area. One event Nazi was even yelling at runners -- angry that the diva runners were lining up for only a couple of men and ignoring the other 2 firefighters (I only saw 4 firefighters there. If there was more, I didn't get to see them. We were shuffled through like cattle so I could have missed it). Well here's a suggestion, Diva Half Marathon, we just ran 13.1 miles: 1) Don't yell at a diva. It doesn't make us feel like divas and always ends badly and 2) Either let us choose our men or allow us to take pictures with ALL men. Don't limit us to one guy only and get mad that we're only lining up for the one we think is hottest. I let the girl that I ran in with choose the firefighter. The firefighter she chose looked eerily similar to a guy (who, believe it or not, was also a firefighter) that I dated when I lived in San Antonio. So I don't know how I feel about getting a trophy photo with a guy that looks like an ex but C'est la vie! Overall though, I had a lot of fun and will definitely run this course again! read more

Divas Half Marathon - San Francisco Bay - You get to take a pic after the race with ONE of the shirtless firemen. May 2015. - Races & Competitions Near Me

If this was your first half ever, you'd LOVE this race. It was okay. I don't think I'll run it again. I'll go back to running See Jane Run race held same day/weekend as Diva. Pros: - Perfect overcast weather until last 3 miles. - Shuttle buses were free and not much of a crowd. - Cute swag - Pink cinch bags, feather boas, tiaras, tutus, tech tee, and a huge medal. - Enough water/Gatorade stations. - Firemen giving out medals at finish line. - Flat race course. - Champagne at end of race. Cons: - Race course was the MOST boring and mundane race that I have run. - Boring scenery and smelly air!! - Lack of fanfare throughout the course to help motivate runners. ( Other halfs that I have done had live bands playing, lots of people cheering, and etc.) - Lacking ambience. - No snacks, GU, jelly beans, gummy bears or anything throughout the course. Be sure to pack your own. - Post race celebration was a bit lackluster. No freebie booths. - Logistics of having to park offsite and shuttle in was inconvenient. - No race day packet pick up. - Post race food was unimpressive. Small bags of pretzels, granola, bananas, and corn/rice cakes. read more

Calling all sexy ladies...this race is definitely for you. Be a Diva! Half marathon of 5K run...your choice! Packet pick up was at the Burlingame Marriot. It sucks that I had to pay for parking but the expo was cool. Of course, I found something to buy. It lacked those "free stuff" you get from other race expos I've been to tho. Race day. I parked at Millbrae Bart (for free until 11:45am) and took the shuttle. I was first on the bus and wondering where the hell is everybody when it's already 5:30? Anyways, the drop for the starting line was a walk. I don't know why they can't have the buses closer. People were coming in late but when they did come the excitement was high. It was fun seeing all the pink colors and amusing costumes for a few. Ohhh and the sun rise too just before race start, against the water backdrop, was breathtaking. They were playing great music and at 7am, off we go. The course is almost pancake flat. My pandora stopped at mile 5 but thankfully there was band music and the water view for entertainment. Water stations were almost at every mile which is always a good reason to stop, drink and then run again. Photo ops were at the starting line, mile 9 and finish. They handed out tiaras and boas just before the finish line. And one final push you reach the finish line with the half naked men waiting to give you your medal. A bottle of cold water first, yes! Then you get bagels, cookies and bananas. Get your rose, take a picture and celebrate with champagne. You get to take home the flute as well. Done. With training or not, you should be proud you finished! This race was fun. I love the pink, the stuff they were giving away and that huge kick ass medal. read more

Consider this race only inaugurated in 2012 I would say it is far better than I have expected. Certainly there are still some area that cries for improvements but I am fairly happy and would most likely return again in 2014 if not later this year for their South Cal race. Area needs to be improved - There are not nearly enough porta-potties at the starting area. It is a WOMEN's race after all and I think they need at least 3 times what they had. The lines were just too crazy long. - Signage for the corrals were not clear enough. The starting area gets too crowded with all the bathroom lines and there were no cleared passage leading to the corrals. - Would be nice if we can get a recycle bag as a perks at the finishing line. It is hard to grab a bagel or banana with water bottle, champagne glass, rose and cookie already in your hand. - Expo is rather small and there weren't a lot of vendors. Things that were done right - Sexy bare chested firefighters heading out medals at the finishing line. Need I say more? Oh...let's not forget about the champagne and roses. - Tiara and feather boa headed to runner right before the finishing line. Wonderful pick me ups and make great photos props. - Pre-race and post-race shuttle ran very frequent with little to no wait at all. Staff was very organized. - A souvenir running shirt that actually fits well and a nice cute oversize medal. Overall Divas SF was a very good race. The course is flat and fast along the beautiful bay trail. It is also very reasonably priced compare to other races of this size. Gotta love all the female oriented perks too. read more

I've run at over 20 half marathons and at least 15 full marathons. I've done the SF Nike Women's marathon and half marathon twice. The DIVAS half marathon is by far one of the best half marathons I've run to date. Even better than the Nike Women's marathon! The expo was eh... so and so, but then again nothing will ever compare to the NYC marathon expo! Parking for the race was easy and free if you parked at the Millbrae BART station. Hop on the race shuttle and within 10 minutes you were being dropped off about 1/2 mile from the race start. After the race, walk back to where you were dropped off and back on the shuttle to the BART station. The course was refreshing and scenic. I thought it would be an out and back Uturn, but there was only a small section of the course where you would see the runners coming back in the opposite direction. The course support was just right with water and gatorade every couple of miles and porta potties at every water stop. The finish line was great! Water, FRESH bagels, bananas (a little too freckled for my taste), Zico water, oatmeal and raisin cookies. The medal is AWESOME! One of my favorites so far. I will definitely do this race again next year! read more

REVIEW FOR "5K" RACE ONLY (there was no page for the 5k) Avoid this race! The 5K was actually 2.9 miles, people forced you to put cheap feathery boas on at the end of the race that dyed my skin PINK for the day, and there was no one to answer some pre-race questions I had. Never mind the rude answers I finally did get from their staff. You have to pick up your packet in Burlingame - they make it sound like you HAVE to pick up your packet to participate - nope - it's just so you can get a cheap shirt and "tutu." I put it in quotes because mine fell apart during the race. I called them to ask what charities and the percentage of my fee went to them and was met with the answer "we donate to various breast cancer charities." 501(c)3 charities? Pro-breast cancer charities? What a vague and disingenuous answer. This race feels like a Vegas-gone-bad cheap version of bad Magic Mike movie. Ew! read more

A run for Divas? yes I'm in! I have run this fun run twice and both times have been so much fun! Not only does it encourage you to get in shape it, it has such a positive diva spirit about it! From the number pick up to the medal, you will have a great time! This year I actually ran solo and saw my friend at the end. Super fun and glad I did it! read more

The expo was ok. The lines for the porta potties was crazy, and I think would have been shorter had someone told everyone waiting that there was another 10 at the starting line. The start was awful, I was running but due to the lack of communication and the inability to hear the loud speaker I started with the 1/2 marathon instead of the 5k. This would have been ok had there been any signs for where the 5kers were supposed to turn around. Unfortunatly there were none and I continued on to mile 5, where I found someone with a map so I could turn around, extending my run a solid 3 more miles. Originally I had signed up for the 1/2 marathon but down graded because I hadn't trained properly. While it was nice to get some extra miles in I was planning on a PR that didn't happen. Next year I recommend signs at the turn around not just people telling you which I heard was how people new to turn around. The race was fine otherwise, next year no matter what distance I do, I'll make sure I'm paying attention to the mileage so I don't make the same mistake. read more

Great event! This is our 3rd year being part of the Diva Run and we will be back next year. Well organized and thought out. They are very accommodating to our large group and super easy and fun to work with. Go divas!!! read more

See all

First off, let me say that I'm a little biased because this was just a mile from my house, so everything was super super easy and convenient for me. Would I run it again? yes, but only because it's close to my house. Other than that, probably not. PRE RACE COMMUNICATION Very good. All of the information they sent us was very accurate and didn't leave me with any questions. PACKET PICKUP / Expo This is one of the reasons I've lowered the race a star. First, they didn't have day of pick up, so if you didn't live close like me, it could've meant an extra trip to the area. Also, another downside is that they charged for parking to go pick up the packet. Uhh what? After that, the expo was fine. I never really stick around for them, but there was a quick line to get the bibs. SWAG: To be honest, the shirt sucks. It's pretty ugly and poor quality, one of the worst shirts I've gotten at a race. Will definitely not wear. Other than that, we only got a (cheap) reusable bag and nothing else. No samples or anything that I'm used to getting. THE COURSE The course was okay, no super exciting scenery (like SF races), but it didn't really feel boring either. I was near the front of the pack for most of the race, so I didn't experience congestion issues like some people mentioned. POST RACE Like everyone else said, the fire fighters at the end were great. I do wish that they had photographers so you could take pictures with them, though. I don't run with my phone, and it was hard to get back to that area (due to some weird gating) so I couldn't go back and take a picture with them. The food was pretty standard, no hot food like pancakes though. Bag pick up was quick. I didn't stick around for the post party, so not much else to comment on this either. read more

First time running this 5k and I have mixed emotions about this race! LOVED: -the schwag: backpack & tech shirt pre-race and a crown, awesome medal, boa, tutu, champagne, snacks at end of race -the sea of pink - "girl power" galore. If you're looking for a fun run with a group of your girlfriends this would be it! -the weather. Bayside trail is right along the coast so you get the breeze; although at 7am it was a bit chilly and I had to do a last minute outfit change. -the early 7am start. Get it done so you have the rest of the day with your girlfriends. HATED: -the expo. not too many vendors with samples or freebies. only reason why I stayed longer was because I got stuck talking to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Dept. They're hiring if anyone is interested! :) -expo was at the Marriot where they charged for parking -no bib race day pick up so that meant having to take an extra trip to the expo or stressing to coordinate with someone to pick up your bib for you - location was inconvenient for out of towners due to parking. There was no on site parking and most people had to park at the Milbrae Bart Station and take a shuttle to the event. We ended up staying at the Holiday Inn down the street which was perfect since it was a short walk to the starting line. -BORING! Only entertainment on the trail was a tent for a radio station playing music -although the course is flat this is not a course to PR at! There was an area where there was gravel and very narrow. I saw girls trip and there was a lot of weaving of runners trying to not get stuck behind a walker (know your race etiquette! If you're going to walk stay on the right side of the trail, please!!) -too flat...hills excite me! -the medal at the end was supposed to be given by "hot" shirtless firefighters. I was expecting Channing Tatum or Tyson Beckford HOT so I was pretty disappointed. Got my medal and bounced! Not sure where the area was at where the other firefighters were but the ladies helping give out the medals were saying there was another area to go to. So, maybe I missed out....who knows. Although I had a lot of fun, it just wasn't the best. The only reason why I ran this was to support my friend's first 5k (which she did great considering she was sick!) and I'm hoping this was fun enough for her to continue running in these type of events! read more

See all

This was my 2nd half marathon in 6 months. My first was the Tinkerbell Half in Disneyland, so I knew this run wouldn't compare to the Tinkerbell, but my daughter and I were doing this together. After all, it is a woman's run. So as excited as we were for the run, it was a HUGE disappointment. 1) the pre-party...very confusing and chaotic. We stood in multiple lines to get our race shirts, that we planned to wear for the run. We kept getting told to go to another line. 2) the organization didn't have any M, L or XL there, apparently a mix up with the printing company...REALLY?! so I was told to write my name and address on a piece of paper and a shirt would be mailed to me. OK 3) the organization gave me a voucher to use at their vendor for 50% any item, GREAT. However, every woman that needed a M, L or XL was there trying to get a shirt to wear in the run. I was a lucky one, but it was a jacket not a shirt. UGHHH 4) after about a month, I emailed the organization to find out about my race shirt, I was told they didn't have my name on a list, so I had to be verified that I registered...are you kidding me? 5) another month goes by and I reach out to them again, the response...waiting to get delivery 6) now I am starting to lose patience with them, I email and tweet at them. I ask about my race shirt... will I get it or will you refund some of my registration fee since it included a race shirt and I didn't get it. Imaging my surprise when I don't get a response. Conclusion.....4 months after the race I finally received the shirt. My daughter and I will NEVER do one of their runs again. Great bonding time for us, we beat our time at the Tinkerbell Half Marathon. read more

Amazing race and race experience. The medal is huge. The girl power is evident wherever you look! The course is great. Whether you're new to running or an experienced runner, you will enjoy this race. The end is the best...having your medal placed around your neck by a ripped, topless firefighter...and they're all cute! The post race snacks are good, the champagne is ok for huge post race party. Definitely not a race to miss! read more

I ran the 5K last year, and I ran the half marathon this year. I had so much fun both times!! It's a great race to do, especially for beginners to a 5K or a half marathon. The course is pretty flat for both. It's also a great race to run with friends and family. Lots of portable bathrooms at the start/finish line. The medals for the 5K and the half marathon are huge and pretty; the 5K medal is a smaller version of the half marathon medal. The hot firemen at the finish line handing out the medals are a nice touch too. There is also food and drink at the finish line too.....water, coconut juice, bagels, pastries, champagne, and a rose for each finisher. read more

I really REALLY wanted to love this race. But, after the 2nd year doing it, I still don't. Pros: it's girly, fun, and you see shritless guys at the finish line handing out medals. The medals are pretty good quality. Cons: Where do I begin? First off, the course is not the greatest. At parts, you have to run in a single file line, as the course is through a narrow pathway. Last year, there was a major problem with t-shirt sizing. More than half of the participants complained, causing the organizers to send out new shirts- 6 months later. Some of my friends never even received theirs. Their shirt sizing is super small- so be sure to go up a size (or 3...). This year, all finishers were corraled into a long line to take photographs. None of my friends wanted photographs, but there was NO WAY to avoid it. It took us 20 minutes to get through this line in order to get our post-race snacks. What the heck? Last year, they offered way more post-race snacks, this year was lacking. We paid $25 entry fee for 2013. We paid $50 for 2014. We paid twice as much, and got half as much. (we did the 5k). I wanted Diva to be my first half marathon... so glad I've decided against it. It would be a nightmare. Is it worth it? No. It's not. Will I ever be doing this race again? No. My money will be going to better organized races- like Rock'n'Roll or Brazen. read more

They do deserve a two star because the medal is fantastic and the course isn't hilly. Other then that... the host hotel/expo was terrible, so make sure you have what you might need because they don't have it and the hotel could careless if you do or not. The course had no aid stations only water/Gatorade and really the finish was kind of boring. The pictures and people make it fun, other then that it's a small and really not that great run. If so again for the medal but know not to stay at the host hotel unless it changes, and what to expect. read more

This was only my second half marathon so I can only compare it to the Tinkerbell Half and other races such as Bay to Breakers and Wharf to Wharf and 10Ks I have done. That said, I expected a lot more. Upsides: It was a fast, flat course which was nice. Well organized bib pick up, took under a minute. Nice view. Had a great time doing it with my friend for her first time. Mariott was a great host hotel. Like the tech shirt. Met lots of really nice women along the way. Boas, tiaras, rose, firemen, and champagne are a nice touch. Pink Divas gear bag is cute (in contrast, Disney gave out ginormous unwieldy plastic bags). Finishers Medal is really cute with the crown and pink bling. Downsides: Very limited Expo with very limited race merchandise. My friend wanted a sticker for her car and I wanted a hat, neither of which were available. We went to every vendor and were out of there in 15 minutes. A lot of the course was narrow and there were SO many walkers that my friend and I frequently ended up running on the gravel alongside the path in order to be able to run. We did a LOT of weaving and saying "excuse me please!". Very little observance of the "walkers to the right" etiquette. We couldn't find any pacers in the corrals and didn't see any along the race, either we missed them or they were not easily identified (or didn't exist). There were not nearly enough port a potties at the start so the lines were probably 50 women deep for each one. We decided to wait until the potties at Mile 2. There were 3 potties, again a huge line. Many women were using the bushes. After that I can't even remember when the next time was that we saw a potty...I think maybe the restrooms at the playground we passed somewhere around Mile 4 or 5? There was very little entertainment or motivation along the route. We counted two sound systems (which were actually playing great music), a Chinese dragon/drum group, and one very meager cheer squad from a local high school. The mile markers were black and maybe 6 feet tall so you couldn't see them until you were right up on them...some flags or balloons would have helped, or bigger markers, or maybe not black backgrounds? They didn't have any clocks along the route (Tink half did and that was a good way to check running app against clock time). We never saw a first aid tent (Tink had at least two maybe more stations with bandaids, Glide, Vaseline, etc). When we got to the finish, my friend got a cute metal tiara that fit an adult whereas I got a tiny plastic piece of junk that my daughter's American Girl doll is now wearing, that is how small it was. Also they were out of champagne flutes and were handing out bubbly in plastic high balls. My friend really wanted a flute as a souvenier so we retrieved some discarded ones. We were very surprised they wouldn't have plenty of tiaras and flutes on hand since they are not city specific and it's a series so the organizers could always ship unused product to the next event, no? Overall, would participate again if local, wouldn't spend the money to fly out of town for this series. read more

Ladies, if you're considering a half-marathon, this is the race to run. This was my fourth half-marathon, and my favorite one hands down. Pros: -pre-race, they gave us very clear instructions about where to park and where not to park. We parked at the Expo center in San Mateo, and there was a shuttle bus waiting to take us to the race sight. It was around a 10 minute bus ride to the starting line. -the start went off without any problems. There was lots of loud music and cheering and we started off in great spirits. -the race is just the right combination of silliness and athleticism. Lots and lots of women dressed in pink, many wearing tutus, some with their hair dyed pink. It was fun without being eye-rolling or obnoxious -the course is flat with nice scenery and cool breezes. It's mostly along a paved trail, but many stretches had a narrow dirt track along the side of the pavement that was much nicer on the joints -the trails are closed to the public. Thank you! This is a huge luxury. In all the other local races I've run, we had to share the trails with recreational runners and bikers. -there were plenty of water stations that are well-manned -tiaras and boas are handed out right before the finish line. I was afraid this would cause a log-jam, but this wasn't the case. There were plenty of volunteers who were able to hand everything out without making people slow down. -finishers are immediately welcomed with water, a medal, a rose, and champagne. To the reviewer who complained that she didn't like the cup that the champagne was served in -- really? Who even notices something like that? -the guys who handed out the roses were gorgeous! -there was lots and lots of food at the finish line -the shuttle buses that took us back to the parking lot ran really smoothly. I think we had to wait 3 minutes for a bus. Compare this to most races where you have to wait, seriously, an hour or two. Cons: -?? Haven't thought of any yet. Thank you so much for putting on such an amazing race. I ran the Nike Women's Half Marathon last fall, and it was miserable. Nike has a lot to learn from you guys. read more

I live less than a mile away from the start of this Diva event and I was unaware that this existed until this year. I was very excited about the Woman-Centric, Girl Power race and enjoyed myself but feel that there is great room for improvement. As I reviewed the results from this year, I saw that only 70 people ran from Burlingame. Advertising locally could improve engagement from the neighboring cities which would improve sponsorship and improve offerings for virtual goody bag.. Pros: 1. Beautiful, Flat and easy course (half marathon) 2. Cool T-shirt that looked and felt good 3. Lot's of bathrooms everywhere. They were ready for all of the ladies! 4. The medal was solid and nice 5. Everything was Pink, Pink and Pink! Cons: 1. Tiara's and Boa's (which I loved) were handed out 500 feet before the finish line when I was trying to finish strong, Kind of broke my stride and they were for the photo ops AFTER the finish line. 2. No after race festival!. LAME, LAME and LAME. Would have been nice for there to be something for the kids and some food trucks. It just kind of felt flat, like "ok, you just ran 13.1 miles, now grab your stuff and go celebrate elsewhere". Not impressed. Would I do it again? Absolutely, I just hope that the organizers read these comments and make improvements to better the experience. read more

My first half marathon so I was nervous and anxious but excited all at the same time. The views are beautiful, but the God awful smell in Burlingame made me sick, add that to the hot sun and 13.1 miles, needless to say I was pretty nauseous at the end. Had to breathe through my mouth a lot to avoid getting sick from the smell. The goodie bags were emply except for the bib and shirt, I guess because the expo the day before held everything that would normally be in the goodie bag. Parking was not too bad and the event itself was great. They sort of ran out of water in the middle which if you can imagine was not good. The so called 'bag check' was the most disorganized. Such a long wait for our bags, they should have had a strategy rather than two long lines. Wasn't til an hour later they decided to organize the lines based on your bib number...well, duh! I didn't even get to try the food. Brazen races are more organized but it was defnitely a great experience. read more