My wife started training with Virginia in the circuit class and she liked it so much she signed up…read morefor an individual session. I saw how much she enjoyed the sessions mentioning that it was a really smart and effective way to work out. I eventually joined her and we signed up for the partner workouts. I had recently injured my knee and was looking for a good but safe workout and Virginia made sure that I got a complete workout while recovering from my knee injury. The sessions were only a half hour long but we always felt like we got a great and complete workout!

I started with Virginia in December of 2013 and I highly recommend her!! She customized workouts to…read moremy needs, ensuring they not only challenge me, but are fun. My level of physical fitness, balance and coordination have all greatly improved, I've lost weight and I feel great!!!

I've done a lot of races in my lifetime. This little 5k has great heart. The amount of community…read moresupport is incredible. So many people were out there cheering us on but in addition to that, there were tables of water bottles, goodies to eat, sprinklers to run through, a bubble machine and musical performances! The event is timed (chip on your bib). If you sign up early, registration is pretty inexpensive and it includes a shirt. No medals but it's for a good cause (education). There is also a little festival at the end with lots of vendors and there is also the weekly farmers market next door. I would definitely do this race again next year. So much fun!

Raises money for schools…read more Quick easy ~3.1 mile run through Willow Glen neighborhood. Great vendors and fresh cut fruit and fresh made pancakes. Wonderful people, food, and purpose.. Online registration is super fast and easy. When you're done, hit Cafe San Jose or Bill's and get a mimosa! Enough said-

2 races ago I paid cash and they didn't have my $5 change. They asked if they could give it to me…read moreafter the race and of course I agreed. Last race there was a long line to register (they process registrations slowly). After 20 minutes of waiting, I got it the front of the line and they told me I was $5 short (fair enough) but time before the race start was running down. I asked if I could give them the extra $5 after the race. SAME EXACT GUY as the previous year refused. Made me run all the way back to my car to get $5 right before the start. That by itself is fair, but they are hypocrites to ask me to make an accommodation that they wouldn't make themselves. They have our names, address, phone number, etc. on the registration - it's not like someone who owes money can is bail on a city event. money.

Race fans: IT's flat,fast,organized and Fun!…read more medals for top three in age categories.( my son came in 10th overall his running friend came in FIRST overall about 725 runners-694 registered! Medals for all kid participants in kids run (my son won this). If you live by Cupertino I recommend Very well organized-just not one of the cheapest races around!~ It was "closed" as in full-but the race director made an exception for my 10 year old who beat all but 7 runners in the 5k then turned around and beat all the kids in the kids run 25 minutes later!~ Thanks Greg!~ It was fun!~

a couple of my running buddies had participated in this event in previous years and said great…read morethings about it, so i decided to give it a try. in addition to the usual foot races, there was also a carnival for kids at the finish line and all proceeds would benefit education for underprivileged children. i'm definitely a fan of an event that focuses on kids! for this particular event, there was a choice of 3 distances: 1. half marathon (13.1 miles) 2. 10k (6.2 miles) 3. 5k (3.1 miles) i signed up for the half marathon since i had a good experience running a half at hellyer park/coyote creek trail last year. the pros: -VERY REASONABLE race fees, $30 for the 5k, $35 for the 10k, $60 for the half if you register during the regular registration period. add $5 for late registration and $10 for day of the event (if not sold out). -FREE and EASY PARKING at hellyer county park. the organizers were kind enough to include the usual $6 parking fee with registration so we didn't have to queue up and pay at the main gate. just tell the ranger you're there for the vibha race and they give you a dashboard ticket for the day. -CLEAR MILE MARKERS for each race distance, in both miles and kilometres. seeing kilometres was definitely a first for me since i've only ever raced in the u.s. and all markers are done in miles. -ACCURATELY MEASURED DISTANCE, as my garmin read 13.09 miles upon crossing the finish line which is pretty much spot on with the official half marathon race distance of 13.1 miles. yes, i ran the tangents which is probably why i came up slightly under, shaving seconds off my finish time! -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked after the race. i especially appreciated one of the aid station volunteers who told me to just throw my cup on the ground and go on with the race and that she'd pick it up after me! that was helpful as i saved some time! -LOTS of PORTA-POTTIES near the parking and start/finish areas. there wasn't even a line just before the start of the half marathon and i don't think i saw anyone else using these after i finished. what you get: *choice of PACKET PICKUP for bib, tshirt and goody bag at sunnyvale sports basement 2 days before the race or road runner sports in campbell the day before the race. for those who couldn't attend either, they could arrive to the race early and pick up their packets on site. *white, cotton, FINISHER'S SHIRT with a colourful vibha dream mile logo *navy blue, drawstring GOODY BAG filled with discounts to local retailers *several AID STATIONS with volunteers handing out cups of water, there were at least 7 aid stations that i counted for the half marathon which was more than sufficient and very much appreciated on this very warm day. *customised VIBHA DREAM MILE MEDAL for each half marathon finisher - nice perk considering we paid almost twice as much as those who ran the shorter distances. *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINKS, including assorted bagels, peanut butter, fruit preserves, cream cheese, sliced bread, bananas, water, coffee, and tea. there was also a line for a full plate of indian food! i skipped this line since it was quite long by the time i got there. *SPONSORS including sweet tomatoes and ginny bakes passing out muffins, cookies, and granola bars at the finish area. *AUTOMATED EMAILS with your starting time, split at the turnaround point, and official finish time. gotta love technology! the cons: -since the aid stations were not listed on the website, nor were they marked on the course maps, i had to ask 4 or 5 volunteers before someone could tell me where exactly the water & aid stations were. even though the 5th volunteer (after doing some digging herself) told me that the stations were at miles 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, she was wrong as this is not where they were. based on my garmin, the stations were located at approximately 1.6, 2.9, 4.5, 6, 7.9, 9.4, 11, 12.3 miles, respectively. it was a bit challenging to time my water and electrolyte intake since these did not match what the volunteer told me, and i also had to think/calculate the aid stations after the half marathon turnaround point. i think it would be helpful to list these aid stations on the map for future runnings of this event. -this course was also not very scenic. although we ran through hellyer county park/coyote creek trail, i basically saw one tree after another, after another. -around mile 11, the half marathon course merged with the 10k course, and around mile 12, all three courses merged together which created quite a bit of congestion especially on such a narrow trail. i was pleased with my strong finish, as i managed to pass quite a few runners in the second half, and wound up placing 4th in my age group (missing the podium by 25 seconds) and 8th female in the half marathon. thank you to vibha for putting on such a well organized event!

Overall a good event. The group that organizes the event does it as a fundraiser for charity so…read moreit's not something they professionally do. These guys put some race organizer companies to shame. Enough parking (from what I observed), easy to get to, nice shaded trail, enough water stops, and everyone is super friendly. Not a course that's easy to PR on due to the fact that it's on (paved) trails and has some good little up and down rollers. The reason I didn't give it 5/5 was just that due to it being on a trail the course gets really crowded. I did the 10k and after a mile it starts to thin out, but then by the time you reach the turnaround for the race that's when the 5k people start their race. So on the way back it's really crowded and many people, mostly kids, are on the wrong side of the trail. I hope none of them got ran over by some people on the downhills but I had to many time run off the side of the trail since people's heads weren't up. Would be hard to fix this issue but overall a great event. This was the 2nd time I did this race and I hope to be back.

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 was Reciprocal Energy Fitness's inaugural 5K/10K fitness fun runs…read more We were a small gathering of enthusiastic athletes on an early Sunday morning. Both races started in Gill Park in Milpitas and worked their way through part of the Berryessa Creek Trail and looped back to Gill Park. Great times were had by all. Proceeds benefited both the Milpitas Teen Recreation and American Diabetes Association. Registration fees included: tech t's and race bib Plenty of after race food: water, oranges, and muffins. This was not a huge event but the fun, excitement and enthusiasm was just as rockin as any other big racing event.

this group meets every week, tues @ 6.15pm and sun @ 9am…read more it's a good running group, but they use the same route every week, so it can feel repetitive. distance is runner's choice: you can run up to 6 miles each way on the san tomas aquino creek trail, and back to the store....so 12 miles total. you can turnaround at any point in time to shorten the route. pace-wise, since the group is so large, it's hard to tell, since members leave at different times (some arrive earlier and leave early, some arrive later and leave later). chances are, you'll find someone who runs/walks your pace. a few pitfalls: *no water along the trail, so bring your own esp if you're running long (store has a water fountain) *no bathrooms on the trail, but plenty inside the store *trail isn't marked with mile markers at the end of the run, there is a large bin of snacks, gu gels, sports beans, etc. each runner is entitled to any 2 items from this bin after the run. incentives: **there is a monthly drawing for a $25 sports basement gift card. 3 winners are chosen from the raffle box, so when you run with the group, fill out a raffle entry. **since last year, they've started mileage award incentives. after your run, write the # of miles you ran next to your name. awards are given for the following total miles (cumulatively, not per run): #50 Miles - Run Group Technical T-Shirt #100 Miles - Running Socks #250 Miles - $10 Gift Card to Sports Basement #500 Miles - $25 Gift Card to Sports Basement #1000 Miles - Special 1,000 Miles Sports Basement Run Group Member Item so far, i've earned a run group technical t-shirt, which is a dri-fit, dark green, short sleeve shirt. very breathable and comfortable to wear during a run.

I've been running with the Sports Basement Run Group twice now. It's really motivating to run with…read moreother people and everyone is very friendly. Everyone runs in a group for the first mile until you hit the San Tomas Creek Trail, chats about the races they're signing up for, goals they're setting, etc. Then people take off based on their ability level. A couple runners do 10+ miles at a very fast pace, but most are in the 4-8 mile range. Some do intense interval workouts, others are just slow and steady. There are about 10-15 people who do the Tuesday night runs right now. It sounds like a slightly larger Sunday crowd. I'd imagine the numbers thin out in the winter though. Here is a description from Mike Gibson who sends out a weekly email to a distribution list (if you want to get the emails, just sign up at the store): "We now officially have 2 run groups. We meet every Sunday morning at 9AM at the store AND Tuesdays at 615 PM... rain or shine. We step off shortly after that. Attached is a copy of the route that we go. Some people run 1 mile, some run 10, it's entirely up to you as well as the pace. Everyone generally starts together, but some people are naturally faster than others and take off, but feel free to run whatever pace is most comfortable for you. We do this to promote fitness and the sport of running! Upon your return you are entitled to 2 FREE snacks from our nutrition department... 2 bars, 2 drinks, a bar and a drink, a bar and a gu (individual items, not whole boxes!), just make sure you get it "snacked out" at our register. Aside from that, you get to enter you name into a monthly raffle for a $75 gift certificate, if you come 4 times in a month then you get 4 entries for that month!" I definitely recommend this group to people who need a little motivation to get their runs in for the week. It's not the most beautiful place in the world to run but chatting with others is enough distraction.

This is the 2019 run on a super wet day. Rain just let up a minute ago. It's a comin' back!…read more I almost didn't come, but decided I'd could always back out if Mother Nature proved too playful with the category 2 storm today. A small but enthusiastic crowd is here today. I think I'm one of the most heavily clothed participant here. I come from a family that fully believes in layers. We are like onions in that respect. The layers of shirts and sweaters are unending.

i had heard of this event in the past, and even coached a friend for the 5k, but never had a chance…read moreto participate myself since i always had a conflicting race or training run on super bowl sunday. i cleared my schedule this year since i had heard good things about this race and wanted to run this portion of the lower guadalupe river trail. for this particular event, there was a choice of 2 distances: 1. 10k (6.2 miles) 2. 5k (3.1 miles) i signed up for the 10k so that i could burn more calories, since i knew that i'd be pigging out at a super bowl party later that afternoon! the pros: -REASONABLE race fees, $40 for the 5k and $45 for the 10k if you register during the early bird period -takes place at ARENA GREEN, just outside downtown san jose, next to the lower guadalupe river trailhead and just off highway 87. -CLEAR MILE MARKERS for both both 5k & 10k, as well as marker & volunteer at the respective turnaround points (to ensure you don't run further than you signed up for!) -ACCURATELY MEASURED DISTANCE, as my garmin read 6.22 miles immediately after crossing the finish line which is pretty much spot on with the official 10k race distance of 6.2 miles. -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS assisting at the registration/information booths, handing out water at aid stations along the course, and handing out snacks at the refreshments' tables post-race. -FREE and EASY PARKING in multiple parking areas, all within a 1/2 mile from the start/finish area. i actually got lucky and found street parking a block from the start! -PORTA-POTTIES at the start/finish area, along with portable hand washing stations with soap, water and paper towels. -COMPLIMENTARY BAG CHECK at the finish area with volunteers to guard your bags until after the race -VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY, perfect for families, small children, and strollers what you get: *choice of PACKET PICKUP @ the guadalupe river park conservancy, wednesday-friday prior to the race, or on site pick up the morning of. *green, technical FINISHER'S SHIRT *several AID STATIONS with volunteers handing out cups of water *POST-RACE FOOD & DRINKS, including tortilla chips, guacamole, clementines and water *custom FINISHER MEDAL for each participant *official RESULTS posted online the afternoon following the race *RACE PHOTOS posted online within 48 hrs of the race bonuses for top finishers: *customized guadalupe conservancy beer glasses for the top 3 men and top 3 women in each age group for both distances. since i was 2nd in my age group, i got to take home one of these beer glasses and partake in the post-race awards ceremony. the cons: -both 5k & 10k courses were out and back, and had a slight uphill on the return trip as well as strong headwind. not the race organizer's fault, but this definitely made for a tougher finish (and difficulty in negative-splitting) for all runners. -this course was not very scenic since we ran next to san jose airport for most of the race. only a small portion was in the guadalupe river park, but there wasn't anything interesting to see. -i ran the 10k, and was one of the earliest finishers, but by the time i got to the refreshments' table, they had run out of tortilla chips! tons of guacamole left, but no tortilla chips!?!?! -wish they had more carbs available, maybe bagels or muffins or granola bars, since those who ran the 10k would need a bit more sustenance after a longer effort. thank you, to on your mark events, for putting on this terrific event, and to the guadalupe river park conservancy for being the title sponsor!