It's a good thing I was too lazy to drive to Folsom on Saturday for packet pick-up. I read that it…read morewas a disaster. On race day, the wait was less than a minute. I love the shirt- greenish blue with an owl on it. The start and finish line was at Rodeo Park. Runners cross four bridges (Willow Creek Bridge, Old Railroad Car Bridge, Hazel Avenue Bridge, and Walker Bridge) on the course that circles Lake Natoma. Trolls lurk under the four bridges but I didn't see any when I crossed my bridge. Many runners dress in costume, with the best Halloween outfit earning an award. I'm not sure what the award was or how they determine who has the best outfit. I did the three-person half marathon relay. The relay legs are 3.7 miles, 4.1 miles and 5.3 miles. I lucked out by doing the first leg. Runners in the first leg run through the historic district of Folsom (downhill) and onto a bike trail. While on the bike trail, there was a deer that ran past us. I thought it was a wolf at first. Yes, I have an overactive imagination. My relay exchange point was a little past the first bridge. The course was scenic but I didn't like the small elevation changes. I can't complain too much though, since the person doing the last leg not only has to do the most mileage but they also have to run uphill toward the end of the run. There wasn't a shuttle service for relay runners, so I was a little worried about that. The three of us shuttled each other back and forth. It was easier than I thought it was going to be, and the directions that were given to us were clear. After crossing the finish line, runners can refuel with water, fruits (apples, bananas, oranges), Power Bar Energy Blasts, and a variety of muffins (Entenmann's Little Bites, Otis Spunkmeyer, and Uncle Wally's). I would like to make one suggestion- individual times for each person in the relay!

My first time running this race, and didn't look at the course when I signed up. The last mile is…read morea switchback fight to the finish, with a net elevation gain of about 150 ft. if I'm not mistaken. Not an easy race, but certainly not as hard as the ones in san francisco. This race takes place on Halloween or the Sunday before it I believe. There are four bridges that you cross as you run the race and there are "trolls" and other dressed up people rooting for you as you cross them. It isn't as large as some of the other races in Sacramento (think CIM) but there's still a lot of participants. The crowd support is less than other races due to the fact that most of the race goes along the bike trail and Lake Natoma, not allowing access for people to cheer. I suppose the only thing I didn't like about the race is the fact that the wave start was confusing. The announcer didn't announce the waves and to this day I'm not sure if I started of with the first wave or the second wave. Finishers get a medal and a shirt, and the usual goodies. Overall: pretty race, challenging course, confusing start, nice shirt. I'd run it again.

It's a very well organized race that takes you through Folsom to downtown Sacramento right in front…read moreof the State Capitol. It's all road running and a lot of crowds cheering throughout the streets. It's also a Boston Qualifier and attracts a lot of fast runners to the "fastest course on the West". There are rolling hills starting after mile 1. The last "big" one up a bridge is at mile 20 and then it's a flat 5 miles through downtown. It's a net-downhill course but I'm not sure if I really felt that since the rolling hills really made me work for it. I also liked how they closed both sides of the streets so the road was wide to run. I love the expos. They have CIM clothes, gels, and other running gear. I got a shirt and Asics was offering free screen printing with an Asics purchase and had a few prints to choose from. I chose the one that said "CIM finisher". It was nice for them to offer this but the person who did mine put it on slanted so double check their work. The expo was on Friday and Saturday. I went on Saturday and a lot of the smaller sizes were sold out for the clothes. If you're in one of the more popular sizes and plan on getting some clothes, I recommend going there the day the expo opens on Friday. It's a point-to-point run so the finish line is 26.2 miles away from the start. Runners are not allowed to go to the start line directly and must take a shuttle. There area a few shuttles to choose from based on your location. I took the shuttle from Downtown Sacramento. The shuttles are school buses so nothing fancy but they are heated. I got there at 4:12 am and got on my bus at 4:28 am. At the start line, there is a convenience store that is open and mile long porta-potties. Since the shuttles depart early and everyone is just waiting around until the start at 7 am, I would recommend layering with clothes to peel off and leave to donate. You're just wandering and waiting from 5 am - 7 am out in the cold. I was really impressed with the aid stations. They were plentiful and well stocked. There are 17 aid stations, all with water, electrolytes, medical and porta-potties. 3 of those aid stations had gels and chews. The caffeine gels had too much caffeine for me of 100 mg so I brought my own caffeinated gels. They also have non-caffeinated gels so make sure to ask and double check if you prefer one over the other because it's not that clear when they give it to you sometimes. I started training in August. For 2024, the race began at 42 degrees and was upper 50's when I finished. The air quality wasn't that great in parts of Sacramento but was fine in Folsom.

This race cuts the county in half and prevents travel from one side of the river to the other,…read morewithout either driving all the way downtown and crossing on the freeway or using highway 49 and going around Folsom Lake. It needs to be rerouted. The bike trail, La Riviera Dr., American River Dr. anything but the route it has now.

It was super organized and fun. Was a great experience. Went and completed it with friends.read more

So we just finished our spartan weekend , and we are now literally sitting in our car stuck in a…read moredisorganized , jam packed, and non moving traffic line ! I have blisters on nearly every toe and I can feel them oozing. I have some real nice large bruises forming on both my knees, legs , elbows, arms and back. I'm covered in mud and dirt and grass. It's in my hair , my ears, between my teeth, under my nails , seriously just all over ! But guess what? I paid for this !!!! That being said , the Spartan race is a fun and challenging event best experienced with a team of your best pals! The race courses itself is well organized with varying degrees of difficulty throughout. Spartan organizers love to test people's upper body strength and your willingness to jump into cold muddy waters ! There are lots of walls to jump over ,bucket of heavy rocks to carry over hills, barb wire crawls that go that seem to on forever , miles of hills full of pot holes , rocks. and slippery mud to climb ! Fun right ! Well it is when you're with your friends . And even if you are doing it alone , everyone participating is so friendly and helpful. There is always someone around to give you a boost when you need it . It's the Spartan way ! The many volunteers that help out with registration and checking in are really supportive and guides you in the right direction if you're lost. My favorite volunteers are one that hangs the medal on your neck after you cross the finish line. That moment feels so good ! My second favorite are the people handing out bananas and water at the end of the race! The Spartan festival grounds is always high energy and positive. Overall they are well organized... except the parking situation. The need more traffic directors to get people out after the race . Anyway , Bring ID for registration. Bring cash for bag check ins. Lots of port a pottys on the grounds . Always check Groupon for spartan deals . Don't forget to stretch before and after your race . Have fun Spartans. AROo!

The Color Run sounds like a good and fun idea but in reality I was severely let down. I do numerous…read moreRun's every year from 5k to Marathon's and Mud Runs so when I saw this event I signed my Husband and myself up as just a bit of fun. I guess it may have been more so if there was a huge group of us. We didn't get all that colorful despite going through 4 color zones. First Yellow, then Orange, Blue and finally Pink. - Parking for the event was not specified in any of the emails. Luckily we know Sacramento fairly well so we found our own street parking which cost a total of $2.50. There was event parking in a nearby structure but were charging $8. - Packet pickup on the day was quick yet when we went to our bib numbers on we found there were no pins. Seems the majority of the packets had been missed out so we then had to line up again and hang around while volunteers scrambled to find them. - Wave times mean nothing. We signed up for the 9am wave and got to the start line at 8:20 only to find hundreds of people ahead of us and waves going roughly every 10 minutes. We worked out that if we stayed where we were then we wouldn't start until way after 10am and as we were on a limited time schedule we had to push our way forward just to make sure we got started on time. - The event should be The Color Walk. Very few people Ran, groups of walking people spread over the entire width of the 'track' making it almost impossible to pass even after the event staff said that walkers on the left and runners on the right. The color zones also came to a complete stand still where people were found to be laying and rolling about on the ground to get more color on them. Yeah.. cleaver move, the color haze made it very difficult to see and you're sprawled out where people are walking and then get angry when someone trips over you. - There was meant to be an air blower but I didn't see one. + Post run snacks were nice. We had Zico Coconut water and KIND bars. + The guys at the start line getting people ready to start were fun and throwing goodies into the crowd for people (Beach balls, Frisbee's ect). TIPS: * Wear something you don't mind getting trashed. They say that color doesn't completely come out of some clothing (the TShirt you get in your entry pack), I found it this not to be true but I guess it really depends on the color and how much there is. * Wear glasses and take something to cover your mouth when going through the color zone. If you have sensitive eyes - wear goggles. Despite me covering my eyes as best I could I had a nasty reaction - Itchy, sore, red, puffy eyes still 2 days later. * If you have blonde hair coat it in Coconut oil before the race to help avoid staining. I've seen some shocking pictures of the damage done (check Google). Better yet wear a cap. * The colors go through your clothing and stain your skin! The Blue and Orange did to me anyway. Lot's of people say that Baby Oil get's the color out - they lie. I found that using conventional shampoo works very well. It contains sodium laureth sulfate which basically strips the hair of all of it's natural oils and color. I figured ''If it does that to hair what else could it do''?. So the day before the run I went to Target and bought a bottle of Suave that cost a little over $1. Simply put a bit on an old face cloth, add water and rub like crazy. It washed the color away in no time leaving me no longer looking like an Umpa Lumpa / Smurf Hybrid. At the end pf the day, I'm glad I did this event because it's another one to knock off my bucket list and at least now I know not to do another one unless I'm in a Wine induced happy state and with a group of my best girlfriends. Only then do I think it might actually be worth doing.

Colored cornstarch and sweat make for a disaster…read more.. In theory this race sounds fun. In actuality, this race wasn't that great. I think if I was in a mimosa induced haze, it might have been much, MUCH more fun :/ Tell me to come at 8AM, say you are going to release waves at 8:30PM...don't leave the start line until 10AMish...not okay! The set-up of the color sections was almost how they described them. They noted that if you run through the middle this was the least color-getting section, however, they had people standing in the middle spewing color. Which I don't really mind...just an FYI if anything. It was fun, albeit the crazy amount of lacking in runner's etiquette. I know this isn't for speed, but walking a 5K can be tedious and is way too boring for me. When you mix a huge crowd and a large mass of people who don't know how to walk properly, you get the hot mess that was the Color Run. Sorry to sound so Patty the Pessimist, but it was just not up to my standards. The races around town have set high standards, so I expect a bit more organization from the fun run. Yes, I acknowledge this one is untimed and more for the atmosphere, but it still should have the basic qualities of a fun run. I can't believe some people paid $50 for this...no way Jose! It was a really cool sight, to be running a few blocks and look up and see a huge color cloud ahead of you - yellow, orange, pink, blue, the color finish. The end was pretty epic, an enormous color cloud rave, without the drugs! A great family event...but beware, a lady might breast-feed her (what some might consider too old) child in the midst of 150,000 people. Just one of the interesting sights you might encounter if this races comes back to the 9-1-sickness... Good in theory, below average in actuality!

I recently found out that running marathons can be listed on Yelp lol so I'mma start a page for…read morethis one! Santa Hustle is an annual December marathon that occurs in several cities across the nation and the one here in Roseville is the only one held in California. Santa Hustles are charity-driven and in 2024 this particular one supported Stand Up Placer, which assists and empowers Placer County survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. I've been wanting to try doing a 5K run and thought this one fit the bill especially because of how organized the website is in terms of information (course maps, parking, etc.). Same-day check-in was a breeze. Not too crowded either; there was a good proportion of half marathoners, running 5Kers, and walking 5Kers. There's also a kid's dash that starts earlier than the other courses. 5k route is pretty no-frills but easy to navigate. There's one water station about a little over a mile into the route. There was supposed to be also a cookie stop at mile 2 but it ended up being at course finish lol. I parked at the Oak Street parking lot, which is across the garage parking (another place you could park at). This particular parking lot got pretty full by 7:30 am.

I honestly don't like writing negative reviews, but I have tried to get in contact with this…read morecompany several times over the past year. I ran my first half marathon in 20 years last winter in Roseville with the Santa hustle race series. At the beginning of the race, someone came on the loudspeaker to let the participants know that "a grinch" had stolen the race signs, but "not to worry, someone would be there" to lead us the whole way through. Unfortunately, I ran most of the race alone, hoping I was going the right way. I'll spare you the details but, essentially, I started out pretty slow and got caught up with the 5K racers. I realized when I saw the finish line! I frantically tried to find my way back to the half marathon course, but I couldn't find anyone to help me get back on track. Luckily, for me, a local woman knew the course and helped me find the entrance. I then ran the entire half marathon, and then some, anxious and wondering if I was going the right way. The water stations were abandoned, the signs were inconsistent and sparse, and I ended up getting very lost, running an extra mile, and having to have my sister-in-law pick me up in a random neighborhood. Mind you, I was running at about a 12 to 13 minute pace. It's just that I started off too slow and got separated from the pack. Lesson learned, but the Santa hustle organizers were of no assistance when I was trying to make sure I was going where I needed to. There were many cross crossing trails in the back hills of Roseville, and were it not for a random runner here or there, I might have gotten off track much sooner than I did. As I mentioned, I've reached out on several occasions to let the organizers know about my experience. I asked them if this happened to anybody else, because I can't imagine I was the only one. After the first few times of getting no response, I asked for a refund. Nothing back from them. Basically I would've settled for an apology. This was pretty traumatizing for me. So if you're looking for a fun winter race this holiday season, I would look elsewhere. Getting lost in trails and hills in the middle of nowhere Roseville really sucks. What sucks even more is the total lack of accountability on the part of the Santa Hustle Folks.

This was the 2nd year and I have run both 8 mile races. The medals always rock. Last year was a…read morepacman ghost & this year is a cassette tape. They slightly altered the course this year, it was more of a big square. It made it easier to foresee the finish line but a bit more drab on scenery. The majority of the run was on the frontage road along side the freeway. There was only one band on the course this year but they rocked. More music at different intervals would have been nice. Being cheered on by PacMan ghosts rocks. Thank you to all of the volunteers. There were plenty of water/Gatorade stops. Everyone showed up in neon & leg warmers. We will be back for #3.

I wasn't planning to do this run, but then I found out there is an 8 mile relay option. I'm glad I…read moreran because the finisher medals are shaped like Pacman ghosts- cute and unique. (They're actually acrylic not metal.) Parking was not a problem at Consumnes Oaks High School. There was a gear check, which allowed me to check in my race shirt that I just picked up. It was much more convenient than going back to my car. A costume contest encouraged people to dress up. I spotted a lot of people wearing bright neon clothing. I was the first runner in my 2 person relay team. There isn't a shuttle service but my relay partner's bf drove me back to the start. The relay exchange area is approximately 1.25 miles from the race start/finish area. It would have been faster walking back rather than driving because we went in a big loop and had to park a distance away in the neighboring streets due to street closures for the race. I had an enjoyable time, even though I was slow. I haven't ran a race in 6 months and my finish time reflected that. I guess it was a wakeup call for me to work harder for my next race.

The Inaugural Biggest Loser 5K RunWalk ("Get Fit, Get Ready!") race came to Sacramento...West…read moreSacramento, technically. Whether or not you keep up with whatever season of the TV show we're up to these days, you should at LEAST know that people lose hundreds of pounds to win the title. FYI, a ton is like, 2000 pounds, so it wouldn't be right to say they're losing tons of weight unless you consider the group of contestants as a whole. Anyway, instead of just letting America sit on their couches and watch the TV show give tips on eating right and working out, they decided to start organizing races across major U.S. cities, ranging from 5Ks, 10Ks, obstacle/mud courses, and half marathons for REAL PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME to sign up for, participate and have a good time not being afraid of healthy exercise activities. Honestly I hadn't planned on doing this race (I already had Lucky Run in Davis as well as Shamrock'n) BUT my mom just lost 30+ pounds and her first "practice" run was the Elk Grove 5K Fun Run put on by the Running Zone, and this Biggest Loser Race was a very fitting first "official" race for her to do. I had to come out and support...although I probably could have taken it easier. The Race: Biggest Loser RunWalk e-mail newsletter provided discount codes for registration (the one we used was around the New Year's Resolution time) and all FAQs were answered there or on their website. Packet pickup was held at Fleet Feet Sacramento and the technical shirts (INCLUDED with race registration, no upgrade needed) were a wonderful orange color (representing the winning team from this season, the Orange Team) with bright green shamrocks/clovers on them and a prominent one on the back with Fleet Feet Sports emblazoned at center. The race start/finish was at Raley Field. We got there early for parking purposes, and much like I experienced the next day at Shamrock'n, the real bathroom stalls and enclosed stadium upper level were great to keep us out of the cold as we waited for the race to start. It really was a great morning for a run. From outside Raley Field we crossed the Tower Bridge gateway, through a little stretch of Old Sacramento, up the road parallel to I-5S, along the river bike trail, up R Street past the Capitol Mall, and eventually back across the Tower Bridge to finish ON THE FIELD. Live music/bands were great, volunteers enthusiastic with signage and cheer, official race course runner photos were available FREE to download, complete with "Biggest Loser" overlay and high quality, indexed by bib number. Also included in reg was a heavy duty, colored enamel MEDAL for all participants (even the ribbon was custom printed to say "Sacramento" with clovers). Yeah, walking up the bleacher seats from the finish line was a rough "cooldown" but every runner got a banana, pretzels, almonds, etc. divvied up in baggies distributed at the concession windows. Didn't see Dinger but you could also take photos with the winners of the BL season, with the official BL backdrop, the infamous scale from the show's weigh-ins, and more. If this was my first 5K race ever, I would have fallen in love with running (and started with high standards). It was St. Patrick's Day weekend, which means the costumes were all-out and music pumping to set the energetic feel. Hopefully they come back next year, and maybe with more distances to offer!

Fun 5k with fellow Yelp buddies (Regina W and Joey B)…read more I wish the run time started earlier, echoing Regina's sentiments, it got HELLA hot on the course. Earlier start means less heat. The course itself was okay, they hills and dirt track made it interesting. Two water stations, the last one needed better staffing, they had people waiting for water, not good for those trying to keep time. Overall, it was pretty fun. Getting FroYo was easy, you choose your flavor and toppings from the slip attached to your race bib and present it at the station. I wish I had gotten a fruit flavor versus the cupcake flavor, too rich after a run! Swag was nice, the hat will be useful for camping since it's incredibly lightweight.