Abetterworldrunning.com promotes and emphasizes a very relaxed and easy-going, personal racing…read moreexperience. And it is! Sure, their events are somewhat informal, but they're fun and very affordable. I mean, the 5K alone was practically half the cost of most registrations: only $18.00! Included: goodie bags (without the bag), the usual bananas, gels, waters, etc., and a sparkling finisher medal (one for everyone.) Offering no special awards or t-shirts, this eco-friendly, fun-run "fiesta" is then able to keep costs low, and I can definitely appreciate that! Winding alongside Crescent Bay Park, this flat, looped course begins on the beach's walking path and--just north of the Santa Monica Pier--eventually merges onto the Marvin Braude Bike Trail (http://www.yelp.com/biz/marvin-braude-bike-trail-los-angeles?hrid=NI7M1spp6udTsNyqFK3IzQ) before turning around and heading back again. Of course, you'll be sharing the road with other sun worshippers making their own morning pilgrimages, but that's another reason why A Better World Running's events are kept pretty intimate--100 to 150 runners at most--so as to not congest the walkways and bike paths with respect to other pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. Metered parking on a Sunday morning isn't clocked until 9am, and since the run begins at 7am, available spots are in abundance. Check-in and bib pick-up are in the cul-de-sac below Ocean Ave., so park directly upon Ocean, and walk down to the beach. The run is not chip-timed. Instead, official times and places are recorded manually, and results are posted on A Better World Running's website later the same day. (I use my GPS watch anyway.) A list of upcoming runs is also on the website, and for regular participants, every 5th race is free! Added, all pictures that the event photographer takes are free to download on their Facebook page; and, finally, a portion of the event's proceeds are donated to The Noakes Foundation, ECHO, and Kandar Kids. So you see, there's not much to not like. What I liked is that it was an easy, early morning workout at the beach...and I received another medal! =] My 5K time: 29:52. Calories burnt: 469.

Definitely my second favorite 10K(second to Firecracker Run) Amazing elevations,crowd,beach view…read moreand course! I love it although there is no medal but the shirt was pretty with a beautiful MB pier portrait. New PR with one full bladder break at mile 2. I wasn't prepared for the fast rising temperature at all. I would run this again!

This is a Manhattan Beach tradition that began in 1978 when a few local residents decided to put…read moretogether a race for MB. It is always held on the Saturday morning of the annual Hometown Fair (early October) and is the one road race I really look forward to every year. Having grown up in MB, this is easily my favorite run all year. There are 2 starting lines, one on Ardmore and the other on Valley (I prefer the south starting area). It's a very festive starting area with a great band comprised of senior citizens playing live music. The start time is 7:30 and both starting groups merge around the police station. You run through several different MB neighborhoods after a brief run through the downtown area on Highland, and the streets are lined with local residents cheering you on. This is really nice because I quickly get bored after anything longer than 3 miles and the constant stimuli is a welcome attention grabber. There are a couple of rock bands playing throughout the course, and one band that plays calypso music at around the halfway point. I even see my 10th grade biology teacher at the same spot every year! (Did I mention this is my favorite race?) Overall, this is a well organized and fun race, especially if you live or grew up in the area. It is fairly flat with a couple of small hills in the beginning and one moderate incline at around mile 4.5, going past the National Guard Armory on Bell Ave and up Rosecrans. It's worth the effort, though, because the last mile or so is fast and flat on the Strand as you finish right by the Manhattan Beach Pier. The only thing that could be improved is registering for this race. There is no race day registration, so if you think you may not be able to attend until last minute and were thinking of just signing up at the race, it is not an option. You can register online but that deadline is a week before race day. Lastly, you can register in person but it is only at the MB Village Runner location. It would be nice if they let you register at the other Village Runner in Redondo Beach. Having said that, it's still not enough to make me take off a star. Note: this course appears to be just a touch too long. My Nike running app's GPS consistently measures it at 10,075 meters (6.26 miles).

Flat course with some elevations along Knob Hill and back to the Riviera. Easy but not the cold…read moreweather and strong wind that morning of St. Patrick's Day. I could tell that runners ran harder than usual because i myself felt it even with a good one-mile warm up right before the race. Not complaining as I love these difficulties and challenges. Sponsored by Village Runners,this is just one of their many races throughout the year. Well-attended by fun-loving and fitness-oriented children and adults. There was a costume contest,too! Various vendors were there and i have discovered RX bars and Harmless Coconut Water. Bagels and fruits were served after the race. Overall,it was worth the race price but minus the medal!

This is such a great well-organized event and I am highly recommending it to all who loves races…read morefor fun and challenge. The course was easy. There was a light elevation along Esplanade which was really enjoyable. There was no medal. That's the only thing just because I am a medal whore. But a nice July 4th thirt and some freebies from UCLA were good enough and the help we have rendered to the beneficiaries. There were so many participants and it was a fun run for many. The elites were fun to watch too! This is an annual event by Village Runner and presented by UCLA Health.

What a great way to start your 4th of July morning. I have run this race with my family the last…read more12+ years! The 2015 race marked the 22nd Annual 4th of July 5K and Firecracker Dash, which always starts at 8:00am. If you sign up early they have discounted rates, but the day of the race costs around $40. All participants receive a 4th of July Run t-shirt. There is chip timing, with age division awards and cash prizes for the top three overall male and female runners in the 5k run. All kids dash finishers receive medals too - which always makes everyone happy! The course is primarily along the beautiful Pacific Ocean, and it has very few moderate hills, so it's a fast course. This is a fun race, I've seen dogs, jogging strollers, skateboards, rollerblades, and lots of patriotic costumes, we ALWAYS come wearing a lot of red, white, and blue. Show your patriotism and support the South Bay.

Great place to bring the family. Great rides, games and food. All sorts of different food. They…read morealso have vendors if you would like to buy all sorts of items. From clothes, decorative orchids, and a lot of other things. Get the value tickets. 30 tickets for $20. Nice way to spend the afternoon or night. This fair comes around once a year. Usually after Labor Day (Friday, Saturday & Sunday).

This is a great place to visit.. they usually hold this the weekend after labor day.. they have…read morecarnival rides, carnival games, vendors, entertainment and the best part.. food! And for being a fair the prices are all reasonable, $5 for 3 delicious carne asada tacos or funnel cake, $8.50 for a plate of 2 ribs, quarter chicken, baked beans and corn on the cob? You can't beat it! I will definitely be back next year.. it is a great place to go to and the attendees and employees are all extremely nice and friendly!

Look up to experience this facility, as it was the place where you can use the restroom. First time…read moreI've ever seen the indoor cycling facility. This is a great place for a multitude of sports. They have some basketball courts and volleyball courts in numerous weightlifting stations throughout. We can't wait to go back to try our luck on the track. It is interesting to see it up close and see the tall corners.

OKAY, so far, this place is a jack of all trades, but only on the factor that I go here during the…read moreweekends, but it's reasonable and not the businesses fault. As a volleyball player, the open gym here is good but at times its not worth it, for a while the courts are usually dusty and the court grip is alright, any pair of shoes will withstand it. However, since its drop in play, sometimes there isn't much competition, on some occasions it would be packed to the brim with other volleyball players from surrounding schools like carson, jordan, san pedro, cabrillo, cams, etc. But on most occasions its usually empty with not many people. If you plan on going here with friends, have them tell other friends or set something up with people to go here and play volleyball.

Just finished the Color Run 5K this morning. This is an untimed (no clock) run, starting at Dignity…read moreHealth Sports Park, and runs around there and on part of the campus at CSU Dominguez Hills. I ran it with my son (we took about three steps together at the start before he took off and finished WAY before me ). If you are a "serious runner", know that this event is very low key. Lots of families, first time runners, strollers. I appreciate people getting out and doing an active event like this, but if you are looking for a "race" and some of the other elements of competitive races, it's not the same. I did okay, my pace was better than earlier this week, so I am happy. I realized I like running with the community - it made it fun. I also felt more confident during this run, although it was hot. The course itself was varied and interesting - I liked running through Dignity Health Park and also through the building that houses the new Velodrome (there was a cyclist on it when I went through). They had one water station (bottled) and many restrooms along the way. The color powder is thrown at you maybe every half mile or so - different colors each time, but lots of blue/green powder used. I wore sunglasses and put my color run microfiber over my face when I ran through, and made sure my mouth was closed. You also run through a foam/bubble section at the very end. No joke, it does get everywhere! After the race, there was powder even under my shirt and through two layers of socks. Good tip to bring a towel and maybe a change of clothes for after. There were lots of freebies and vendors on site for the duration of the event. I would say some runners enjoyed that part the most! There was also a beer garden for 21+...just across from the starting line, some runners hit the beer garden FIRST and THEN started their run! Parking is $20 and we got there early (like 7am) so no issues - parked close to the starting line. My goal is to keep going - what should I run next?

This is true definition of fun run…read more Color Run Los Angeles was held in Stubhub Center in Carson. Race began at 9am and waves of runners begin every few minutes until 9:45. There's lots of food trucks and vendors here. I registered online ahead of time and paid $35 plus $15 shipping of my goodies which includes my bib number, 'HAPPY' tattoo, and headband. There were lots of goodies thrown into the crowd at the starting line. The course begins at the parking lot and you run around the stubhub center. I ran a lap on the track course, through arenas and such. Colored powder is thrown at you during the run. There were two water stations during the run. At the finish line, you get a medal and a bag of color run powder so you can throw some more after the race. There's no clock anywhere so you have to keep track of your own time. There was also free neutrogena face mask (battery operated) which was free ($40 value). I also got a free bag of bath salt. There is free tattoo booth and it was a lot of fun. Funnest race ever and will register next time.

The summer free concert season is in progress. Concerts in…read morethe park are held during July (after the 4th) & August, on Wednesdays at 7pm, during which time the little park is packed to capacity. After 3pm on concert days, people stake out their spaces on the lawn with blankets. Then they return later, with picnic dinners. It's a local tradition for many people to bring quite elaborate picnic dinners, I observed. And it seemed as though everyone knew everyone else as they happily chatted with their neighbors & friends while waiting for the music to begin. If you drive to the concerts, you must arrive early to snag a parking space close to the site because there's limited parking (no meters) in the quiet residential neighborhood surrounding the library and adjacent park space. And be prepared to carry your chairs, etc. up and down the hills, because the Malaga Cove neighborhood, like most of PVE, is all about hills. Although the library closes at 5pm, restrooms were open. And there will be a hat passed around to collect donations to help cover concert costs. I arrived more than an hour early last night and used the time to walk around the area looking at the free-roaming peacocks that are plentiful in upper Malaga. I even spotted a mama peacock with babies the size of cornish game hens. It was the first time I've seen baby peacocks smaller than chickens, but by the time I got my camera ready the mother flew up into a tree & the babies ran into thick foliage. Dang. I was so focused on camera-hunting peacocks that, by the time 7pm rolled around, I was lucky to find a spot to stand at the back of the park. Having brought no friends, no blanket, no chair, and no food, I felt a bit like a party-crasher. That being said, it always feels like a privilege to be in such a beautiful place, with or without a concert.

Went to the outdoor concert tonight for the first time. The music was great, the setting was…read moregreat, the partial view of the sunset over the ocean was great. All great except one thing - the lack of restrooms. Maybe I wouldn't have minded quite so much that there was only ONE stall (shared both men and women) for about FIVE HUNDRED people had it not been for the fact that before the concert someone made an announcement about all the available bathrooms. The other so-called available bathrooms were all locked up tight. Anyway, it's all wonderful, just make sure you go before you leave home and limit your beverage intake when there. Or be prepared to miss about 30 minutes of the concert to wait in line.