As with any Brazen event this was a great course to run. Beautiful views of the bay, a few hills,…read moremainly trail and with lot's of aid stations along the way. I hadn't ran this course before and seeing other reviewers mention the hills I was quite excited at some hill running but then looking at the course map the hills really are not all that big, at least for someone like myself who is an incline Runner. That said they were enjoyable and should you not be experienced at these sorts of inclines then yes, they will slow you. The Half Marathon course took you around the same loop twice, good in a way because this let's you know exactly what you're in for the second time around so that you're prepared. The start of the trail took you though the marshes on paved track which then gave way to gravel, rocks and sand so my advice is make sure you have the correct shoes. Road shoes will not fare well here! As I said, the course was very scenic and the volunteers at the aid stations were great with having Water and GU gels ready while also guiding runners in the right direction. As with any other Brazen event this also had a 5k and 10k option too which at one point had us all running together in both directions of the trail, please please please adhere to the ''Runners code'' - stick to the right and be courteous to those who wish to pass. There were many photographers all along the course which are not by some expensive company that will then charge you ridiculous amounts per image after the event, Photo's are FREE!! I lost count of how many photographers I saw but there were at least 5 in various stages around the course. Post race also has lot's going on - A huge spread of food with everything from Potato chips and Cookies to Pie, Bagels, Fruit and even It's It! Ice Cream sandwiches. Medals are given to every finisher and additional medals for those who place in their age group (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/coyote-hills-half-marathon-fremont#bhr5Rw041gAb3txd2gvL7g) Engraving of medals can be done in site for a $10 fee. The parking situation was a bit of a bummer. I didn't know until after I signed up that there was no parking at the park itself. Brazen provide shuttles from the local University a couple of miles away. They had 8 shuttles and as my Husband comes with me I didn't know if they would let him on the shuttle too seeing as he wasn't running. With that in mind we decided to take out bicycles along and Cycle into the event and back. This worked out very well for us in the end as after the run the lines to get back were huge! Something to keep in mind for future years. So how did I do? With my Knee injury still a little funky I amazingly PR'd! On a trail! I was running in 2nd place female for a while until the damn downhill got me and I ended up finishing 4th overall female and 2nd in my age group. Yay! The lady that finished before me was just a minute faster and the same age. Broke my 1st place streak but with a new PR under my belt and a few awesome photo bomb pictures (sorry I ruined your pictures fellow runners) I can't be mad, I had a great run and chatted with some cool people along the course.

I brain farted badly for this race…read more Signing up, I thought the "Coyote Hills" part of the name was just to be cute. I doubted there would be coyotes, so I doubted there would be hills. Couldn't have been more wrong! There were definitely hills. Short ones, long ones, gradual ones, steep ones. Towards the end of the half marathon course, there was a short steep upwards climb. I nearly had to put my hands on the ground to lift myself up this climb, but I resisted in favor of keeping my hands clean. After this, the home stretch was another steep downhill slope that had me and other runners slowing down to finish safely. Since this is a trail run, much of the course was on unpaved dirt roads meandering along the coast. My once-black now-brown shoes can attest to this. The path was often rocky and sometimes uneven. The course was well-marked with bright pink ribbons and signs to follow. There's about a two-mile switchback halfway through the course, and the half marathon is two laps of the same course. Though the landscape was dry and barren this time of year, I could still see the beauty in the bay and hills. I especially appreciated the serenity of the park, even choosing to run my second half without music to enjoy the peace in nature. Race photography is provided by volunteers. Downside is that none of the photos are tagged or organized. Upside is that you get free high res photos. Just need to browse through them to find yours! Parking is at Devry University two miles away. Shuttle buses transport runners between parking and the event. Lines for the shuttle are long, so be sure to arrive early to make it to the start in time! An abundance of rewards await at the finish. The finisher's medal is the biggest and heaviest one I've gotten thus far, and the food spread is the best I've seen at any race. On top of the usual bagels and bananas, there's a variety of fruits, baked goods, cakes, pies, and ice cream bars. Higher effort can often lead to greater pleasure. That was definitely the case here, as this was one of the most grueling yet rewarding races I've done. This is not for people looking to set a PR or run a flat course, but I would recommend it to those looking to deviate from road runs and challenge themselves with a difficult but doable trail run.

E-Soccer or Exceptional Children Soccer is an all-volunteer run program that teaches soccer to…read morechildren aged 5 and up in an inclusive environment. Dedicated to empowering both typical and special needs children of all abilities to reach their full athletic and social potential, E-Soccer's methodology promotes leadership, social, character, and athletic development for each child. Each individual E-Soccer group consists of a head coach, assistant head coach, and a combination of personal or junior coaches as needed. It is offered free of charge for all families and operates from private donations.

Can't say enough how amazing this program is. The coaches have genuine hearts for the kids and the…read moreenvironment could not be more excepting. I strongly recommend getting involved here.

A fun, challenging run that benefits the local high school…read more I'm pretty surprised to see I'm the first person to rate this run. The Los Gatos Dammit run is a great local run and it has been going on for 37 years. It's a favorite with local runners - it starts at Los Gatos High School on the track and you run up and down the Lexington Dam along the Lost Gatos creek trail. Between miles 2 and 3 it is an intense climb but then it is a fun downhill from there. A few reasons why I like this race. For one, it benefits the upkeep of the Los Gatos High School track, I know a lot of local runners use the track for training so this is a good way to give back. The trail is fun, scenic and challenging. The race is very well organized and clearly marked so no chance of getting lost on the trail. They also give a lot of awards, 5 different age divisions for men and women and a finishers ribbon for all. Good, basic snack of fruit, cookies and bagels at the end. I like that the tshirt is optional, you can choose not to get a shirt with registration or pay the extra $20 to get a shirt.

I decided to do this run(first time in 12 +) . My goal was…read moreto run the entire race and not have to stop during the uphills... I wasn't the fastest, but i ran the entire race. The biggest disappointment was that I paid extra money for a shirt, only to find out after the race that they didn't have my size or the next size smaller... If I paid for a shirt my size, how do they run out of it. I don't plan on doing this race again.

We have had an absolutely incredible experience at the Academy of Fencing Masters…read more The coaching staff here is simply amazing. During busy tournament weekends, they do a phenomenal job coordinating strip coaching. Even while juggling multiple events at the same time, they never miss a beat. What I appreciate most is that they take the time to actively mentor the kids both on and off the strip. They are always right there to keep the kids' spirits up whenever they are feeling down after a tough bout. Another huge advantage of AFM is the size and depth of their classes. They have enough fencers in each age group to ensure the kids get to practice against a wide variety of fencing styles. Because of this, every group class feels like a mini competition, which is fantastic for their development, all while the coaches ensure they are still focused on learning and applying targeted techniques. Beyond the exceptional coaching and training environment, the club itself is highly organized and incredibly responsive. Communication is clear, and you never feel left in the dark as a parent. What truly makes AFM special, however, is the welcoming atmosphere. It feels less like just a training facility and more like a tight-knit community. Everyone is incredibly friendly, and both the kids and the parents are building lifelong friendships here. Above all, it is so apparent that the staff genuinely wants their students to succeed and grow as athletes and individuals. You can tell they care deeply about the kids' personal development, rather than just focusing on medal counts. If you are looking for a supportive, organized, and truly dedicated fencing club for your child, I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Sharing an update as AFM has continued to be a great place for both my kids to grow - not only as…read moreathletes - but also as students of discipline, hard work, respect, and courage. The club is well-managed with several excellent coaches who are former Olympians, world champions, and also encouraging, kind & FUN! While AFM is a large club, the owners Irina and Igor are always available to talk 1:1 with parents. They work hard to increase every family's knowledge of fencing and how to support your child, while also building a community of the fencers and families. This has been a great choice for us!

Fantastic summer camp. Well organized, great team with engaged and enthusiastic councilors. Most…read morecouncilors were campers themselves and want to come back.

My son and daughter just finished their second summer at Decathlon and asked me to sign them up now…read morefor next year. They come hope buzzing every day with stories to tell and play dates they want arranged with their new friends. The counselors and JC's are fantastic and I love the way they spread around the weekly awards to recognize as many kids as possible. The only problem is the kids don't want to go on summer vacation anymore - they're happy to stay in Decathlon all summer long. Keep up the great work! Alan Campion

A great twist on the usual 5/10k. It's fun to enjoy the bay, lit up by the harvest moon and glow…read morestick necklaces. Pros: -T shirts are long sleeved. This past year they were super soft and yellow. -Hobee's always provides coffee cake and oranges. Nom, nom, nom. -Bring glow in the dark necklaces & bracelets! One vendor provides them for free, but they do run out early in the evening. -Dogs and strollers are permitted on the walk. Cons: -If it's a warm evening, you'll need bug spray! -The start of the race always gets bottle necked. -You might have to park far, far away if you arrive later for one of the runs. The parking situation improved for me the last couple of years, but I always walk. -There was a freak thunderstorm that came out of no where in 2011. Can't really fault the organizers for that one.

The Palo Alto Moonlight Run is an annual event held near the City of Palo Alto Baylands Athletic…read moreCenter. It is usually run in Late September or Early October and coincides with a full moon. As you can guess, it is run at night, under dark conditions, only by the light of the moon. There are actually 3 parts of the event: a 5k Walk, a 5K run, and a 10k run. Plenty of families and amateurs participate, and the gathering is more than just a race. There are a lot of booths and other smaller festivities going on in the nearby baseball field hosted by sponsors of the event. The run itself goes around the Palo Alto Baylands area, including around the local airport. This is a very fun event, though probably not for the hyper-competitive runner, as the trails are narrow, and since people are running in the darkness, you have to be careful not to trip over things. Exercise caution in the early parts of the race when the crowd is bunched up. A lot of kids run the event (and they often beat me...), and times are accurate and computerized. It is run like an official race, but I advise not to take it too seriously. I like running the 5k, but may upgrade to the 10k next time. Aside from that, it is a unique and fun event. I rate it highly because it has a pretty dedicated following, has something to offer for multiple people, has local flavor, and is pretty neat to run in the dark. Hope to see you out there!

My first "run" ever! Total success and total fun…read more The event was really well done. Parking wasn't so bad because parking lot had plenty of space. The drive was the worse, though. The event was majority filled with kids as kids run free. Nevertheless, there were still an older crowd. Including in your $20 registration is your number and a color packet. Even before the event, colors were thrown everywhere. There's two options, Day (5pm) and Night (8pm) run. There really wasn't any difference between the times. I would suggest going the Day time because it got really hard to see as 6pm rolled. 5k went by fast. As they had a couple rest stations (water break and color stations). I was pretty excited whenever a color station was coming close. Boxes of color out free for grab! At the finish line, you are rewarded with some nice EDM music. It would be cool if they actually had a famous DJ there. Overall, good vibes everywhere. Lots and lots of kids though. Although I walked 90% of the time, still a fun race :)

I was in the SF Color Run last year, so I knew exactly what to expect at the San Jose Color Run in…read moredowntown San Jose! It was just as great, maybe even better than the one in SF! 1. Downtown streets were BLOCKED OFF especially for the this event, so tons of space for running/walking. Track was visually appealing since it was on the roads and it felt like I was also getting a tour of Downtown SJ. 2. Color Stations weren't visible, while you were going through the track so it was exciting to know it could happen any minute now. 3. Very sunny this year, so the colors were so pretty in pictures. Tons of professional photographers throughout the track to stalk for photos. 4. The crowd seems very enthusiastic. Some teams like to be themed, and I've seen mad scientist and royalty themes. For me, I just like to have a pretty tutu. Also, at the end of the run, there was a concert-like stage and crowd to do color bombing. Food trucks were there and also a stall for the partnering charity was there. This year it was the American Diabetes Association. Very glad they gave us the option to start a fundraising page JUST for donations directly for the charity. Unsure how each Color Run "partners" with other charities and distributes profit, but just go for the experience. The Color Run is definitely something to enjoy with friends and family, sober or otherwise.

This is a total waste of money and time. The group lessons are 30mins with around four to five…read morekids. Class usually begin couple minutes late and end couple minutes early. So each kid only learns for about 5 minutes. The coach is not even teaching anything. She just hold the kid in the water and let them free kick one by one. For the rest of the time they just stand on the stairs and shake in the cold air. The water is also extremely muddy and dirty. They don't take any kind of cleaning procedures. People can wear their sneakers and other shoes from outside into the pool area and you can imagine the water gets very dirty. Oh remember when you sign up, they don't put a end date on the lesson, so they can automatically bill you every month. If you want to cancel, you can only get 50% refund for the following month. DO MOT RECOMMEND!!

They are so good, my child was afraid of the water, but after a few classes with the instructors,…read morehe's come out of his shell and now loves swimming. They do not rush the kids and have a very gentle way of getting them to learn to love swimming, which is exactly what my family was looking for. We stayed with him during the class just a few feet away and found this was helpful when we first were building the courage to swim. But now our presence is unnecessary. I highly recommend giving them a try.