This was my first organized run of any kind, so I don't have much to compare it to. But it was…read moredefinitely well-organized and fun, and I think it was slaaammin' success in its inaugural year! 10 Yay Area universities are compete for points, earned based on the number of people registered and whether they do the 10K or the 5K. This year probably 80% of runners were Cal-affiliated (Go Bears!). It also benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The operations were based out of Sports Basement near Crissy Field, where parking was nice and plentiful. Before the run there is an active life expo inside the store, where you can check out various company's products and get yo bib, timing chip, and a free Rival10 tee! Running late as usual, I got there 5 minutes before the 9am takeoff and they were still really accommodating. The trail goes right underneath the *Golden Gate Bridge* and then hugs the coast. (Map hurr: http://www.rival10.com/faq.html#thecourse). The whole thing is as flat as a pancake, and this morning it wasn't too cold or windy. It was nice to dog/people watch as I jogged along the knee-sparing asphalt/dirt trail. The only disappointment was when I finished the first loop for 5K thinking I had somehow completed 10K without my legs screaming bloody murder, then having the realization I had to do it all over again. Know that feeling? Yeah. I should have known I hadn't heard enough songs on the iPod yet. :P Normal setup: cones, mile markers, volunteer water boys/girls and cheerleaders. The announcer was cool; when I went around for the second loop I heard, "aaaand here is CHRISTINE, number 541, from CAL, going for 10K!" and people cheered. It felt nice. lol. The perks: the t-shirt, free drinks, pizza, beer, energy bars, chapstick, Heavenly keychains and lift ticket discounts. I picked up a whole case of some energy drink that I hope tastes good so I can use it for running/studying. You also get 15% off at Sports Basement on the day of the race. If your stride is crazy and you can, like, go 15:00 for 5K, you just might win some goodies from Heavenly. The registration process and logistics on the day-of were eeeasy peasy. There's not really a phone number to reach the organization, and all of it is done through the internet, but almost all questions are answered in the FAQ. In short, I'm tired, I'm spent, but I'm glad I did my first 10K (WAHOO!) and I would totally recommend this one to anybody who's eligible to race!

This was a super fun experience! I actually volunteered to help with the race and ended up running…read morethe 5k as well. I thought the whole idea was well planned and every piece of the morning flowed. I was amazed to see so many people attend and be happy about running in a 9 am race, which is actually a late start. The day could not have been more perfect, one could not plan a more amazing day weather wise. The best part is that the Organization is small, Family run and local Bay Area people just trying to make it in a Huge Market of Running Event Planners.... I am all about Thinking Global and acting Local! The most amazing part, it was all advertised on the internet! So Green......

First off, I'm not a runner. I do not run for recreation or fitness, I prefer other cardio with…read morechoreography. Having set that premise, this was my FIRST half marathon and I finished sub 2 hours! I ran it with my ultramarathoner friends and it was a wonderful experience. Great support from the locals throughout the route. Weather was overcast and cool. We came early for parking which is free on Sunday. Gear check had the most amazing volunteers and even when the organization system failed, they still had smiles on their faces. Please come and create your own adventure.

Review #3001 Cross…read morecountry meets are good---running for 30 minutes---1 hour etc Cross country is good..running with groups is good..because humans have to run This generation---YMCA 5k Turkey Chase! Berkeley was nice to visit---it's always a positive place--weather is good---fall is nice---campus is grand---fun to run and be out in a community

What a fun way to start the year and kick start your new years fitness goals. The run is through…read morethe golden park, down ocean beach and back. I completed the 10k for the first time with friends. I would say the run can be a challenge, there is uphill going back to the park. I run golden gate but if you are used to flat running it can be an adjustment. One critique was the water stations seemed to be poorly stationed out. There were plenty of water during the first few miles but then we couldn't find water for the last end, which is when you need it ! But everyone was friendly and the after hot chocolate was .

A huge race thank goodness they started tying the start lines with the 5K people starting a good 45…read moreminutes to an hour before the 10 and 15 K. There is a cut off for speed with 15 minute mile being the slowest so I'm gonna have to hustle if you're a walker I don't know if it is worth it to do the VIP we did. We just got a little grocery bag with some chocolate and coupons in it at the packet pick up and then on the day we suppose we were to get a hot breakfast and a turkey sausage we wanted to have bananas. Regular people were getting but they ran out. I don't know that I would ever do the VIP again unless it was raining and then it's totally worth it.

***4.5 stars***…read more awesome inaugural event that celebrates the spirit of the woman! although i did not have the opportunity to run this inaugural race in palo alto, i did spend time volunteering before the event, checking-in runners, assigning race bibs, handing out goodie bags and tshirts, as well as after the event, handing out water bottles and congratulating runners as they crossed the finish line. volunteering is, in itself, extremely rewarding as you are giving your time and energy to a cause knowing that you will not be receiving anything in return. for me, i got the best thing, which was that warm, happy feeling inside, that i did something good, and that i made people happy. the actual course started at the trail head to the palo alto baylands nature preserve, a beautiful part of the peninsula where many runners, walkers, and bikers can be found on any given day. the course is flat, with a few small inclines, and combines packed gravel/dirt and paved asphalt surfaces. sadly, this trail will close for the next two years due to renovation, but we were lucky to be given this last opportunity to participate in an event here. as a runner, if you registered for this event, you received the following: *woman-cut tank top (different from the usual tshirt that most races give out, the tank was very cute and very feminine) *yellow reusable bag with a small zippered compartment inside (great for groceries!) after crossing the finish line, there was a "night market" which offered: *post race food, including sandwiches, greek yogurt, luna bars, water, electrolyte drink *a "bubbly bar" for participants over 21, with a choice of bellini or mimosa...nothing beats a glass of champagne after a hard workout! *free table massage *free manicure or polish change *"esprit de she" apparel for sale *cocktail lounge style tables and decor my only concern about this event was the parking. as a volunteer, i came very early and had no problems finding parking, but those who came later in the day, even those who arrived an hour before the start of the event, struggled to find parking, as we volunteers had to answer many questions about where participants could park, whether a particular lot was legal or not. overall, it was a wonderful turnout for this event and the organizers did a terrific job in organizing this event. i hope they have this event again next year, and i hope to be on the other side of the timing mats next time, as a participant. congratulations to everyone who crossed the finish line today! power to the she!

The Palo Alto Esprit De She 5k was an awesome 5k run! I felt the warmth of girl power just being…read morethere with all of those women! They had a ton of girlie booths (manicure/massage/girls on the run) in addition to the usual sports drinks and energy bar setups which are typical of running events. That really made this one special for me! My friend and I finished in time to enjoy the sandwiches that they had out. They fed us well and gave us two drink tickets. We loved the wine and mimosas! It was one of the better spreads that I've seen at a running event. The Athleta tanks fit nicely and the event was well organized. I look forward to running this again. POWER THE THE SHE!

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.

I've done both Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail guided hikes: one an 8 mile, another a 13 mile hike with…read morea volunteer docent. Both you need to register online and get up early to hike with them. First time was Sun 6/28/15 meeting at 9:30am, and out & back hike 8 miles. We meet near the Cemetery Gate and was lead into the gate with the docent. There wasn't a bathroom right away, had to hike about 2 miles in and then vault toilets along the trail. Trail was pretty flat, but there was a few hills to climb. Lots of trees, and lunch was a bit further from the Five Points junction, there was a picnic table and vault toilet. The view was of Pilarcitos Reservoir which was nice to see. 2nd time hiking was Sat 7/25/15 met the leader at 8:35am for 9am start and we parked and waited to see if others that signed up were going to show up. We were the only ones so we got a private tour. There was vault toilet at the Skyline Quarry parking lot. We had one car at the Skyline Quarry and drove another car to Portola Gate the start of the hike. That's in San Bruno. There is no bathroom at Portola Gate. Lots of uphill at Sweeney Ridge, then on an un-marked trail that leads to the Fifield-Cahill Ridge Trail gate. Leader had keys. Once in we had the whole place to ourselves besides Rangers that were there. Saw a few snakes, a lizard, some birds, end of hike saw a family of deer. Pretty foggy in the morning, but cleared up at the lunch spot Five Points. After lunch saw much of the same views from previous hike, until we past the 2 mile marker, then we saw a huge tree forest that was cool, and views of Crystal Springs Reservoir was awesome. If you're a hiker it might be worth doing either the 8 or 13 mile hike. Glad I went to both. Maybe one day the SFPUC will let us hike it without docents. Website: http://sfwater.org/index.aspx?page=147

Free run every first thursday from April to October!…read more I went to the one last week and it was alot of fun. The check-in points were spreadout enough that you can easily wog (walk/jog) to all of them within the hour. And its fun seeing other woggers and helping each other out to locate the spots. They make it very easy by sending you a map before hand, and provide bracelets for each runner so you can get your virtual raffle tickets at each check-in. Each stop will have a smiling volunteer, as well as marked signs telling you where to go. Lots of parking at this location. Lots of helpful vendors with free samples and swag before the run. Big outdoor area that is perfect for calling out raffle winners, drinking free beer, and grabbing any free stuff thrown your way. Got ourselves some cool knee supports and massage balls. There's also alot of good food spots nearby, for a post-workout dinner. Everything was a great experience overall. They run a similar event at all their stores, so find one located close to you !

Not 5 stars because responses to emails sent to their general email box were lacking. Also,…read morebecause they place all risk on the racers - "In case of a disaster including, but not limited to flooding, tornadoes, terrorism, CitySolve Urban Race will decide whether or not to cancel the event based on the safety of participants and staff. In the event of a cancelation, refunds will NOT be issued; risk is assumed by all participants. However, participants will have the option to transfer registration to a different 2013 race." But the June 8th race in Boston did take place, despite a damp start. For a quicker registration, a packet pick up was scheduled the evening before the race, but alternatively the packets could be picked up the morning of the race - for our 11:30am scheduled start, registration was from 10am - 11am. Packets were pretty basic, and consisted of team numbers, a rules sheet, and a waiver that all team members had to sign. Several teams put in great effort for the costume contest; we did not. Then the race began, not with a shot, but with a multiple choice question to lead us to a nearby intersection where one of the CitySolve volunteers were waiting to hand out the clues sheets. Rules were simple - Transportation was limited to our feet and public transportation (for Boston, that meant the T). We were allowed to ask folks for help and to use technology, such as our phones (whether to phone a friend, or as a smartphone to research online). Teams were required to stay together with a requisite photograph of the entire team at each checkpoint. We were allowed (in fact encouraged) to solve 9 out of the 10 clues, and were provided with the opportunity to take 4 photos worth -5 minutes apiece. Penalties were significant; 30 minutes for each wrong checkpoint and each photo that did not include the entire team. With the awards ceremony scheduled for 3pm we basically had 3.5 hours to make it to the finish line with all checkpoints accounted for. We made it! And with time to spare! As we weren't being particularly competitive, we hit all 10 clues and then some (aka all 4 bonuses plus; not that we could get additional credit for the pluses). Sure, the winning team finished in about 1.5 hours (how in the world did they do that??? It took us nearly half an hour just to figure out the clues!), but we still beat out over half the competition. After reaching the finish line, with our time marked, we were given questionaires to complete and to hand back in trade for a T-shirt, and our photos were checked, and we were done. Ah... PS - register early for a discount. PPS - as a gift from one of the sponsors, my team had the pleasure of racing for free. PPPs - If we can race, you can too!

I had a wonderful time at CitySolve Urban Race Boston yesterday…read more My team of 3 had a great time solving the 10 scavenger hunt clues, then running all over the city to take pictures and do the required activities. Smart phones are allowed in the race, but the cool thing is the clues are written so the answers aren't immediately googleable. For example the 1st clue for the Boston race involved translating English to French, and then using the numbers on the spaces under your translation answer, to write the corresponding letters in other spaces to come up with the name of the location you needed to go to. There are bonus photos you can take to have time taken off your final finishing time, however you need to keep in mind that if taking those photos take longer than the time you're earning, you're not earning anything. It was a great day, and it corresponded with Pride weekend in Boston, so some teams, including my own, ended up running across the street through the Pride parade to get to our next location. Winners of the race usually finish within 1 1/2 hours and everyone must be back by 4 1/2 hours after the race starts. My team didn't win, but we felt competitive anyway. (Edit: The race results were posted the Tuesday after the race, and my team came in 8th out of 69 teams! Pretty sweet!) There are also prizes given out for best tweet & best costume. I loved getting to see Boston in a new way through this race, and my husband has already agreed to sign up again when CitySolve comes back to Boston. Thank you to Yelp for waving the registration fees for our team, as part of a contest for the Yelp Elite program! The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Boston volunteered at the event to check us in at the start & finish, and managing activities on the route. They were wonderfully helpful & friendly!