+++review #2300+++…read more another 100 reviews, another race to rave about! i'd heard of this race many years, had friends and clients who raved about this event, esp for their swag, specifically, the jersey designed race tshirt. i figure i should sign up and see what all the fuss was about! the race took place at santa clara university, on a closed course, so we didn't have to deal with vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, pets. however, the course was a bit narrow, so i remember having to bob and weave through some crowds at a few points along the course. the 5k was a single loop of the campus, and surrounding areas, the 10k was simply double the 5k. both were flat, with the slightest uphill at one section, but otherwise, flat and fast, perfect for a fast finishing time! the amenities were very nice: +free parking at santa clara university, parking garage +onsite bib pickup +light green, jersey style tshirt +heart shaped medal +extra medal for age group winners +prizes for overall winners +fig bars and water at finish line +warmup stretches pre-race, with energizing music +post-race entertainment and music since i was the first overall female, finishing the 10k in 44:42, i took home 2 medals, and a sports basement gift card...super sweet! my only criticism would be that both courses were too short. as a serious runner and run coach, i like my race distances to be exact. the 10k came out to be 5.88mi (should be 6.21) and my friends who ran the 5k got around 2.95mi (instead of 3.11), so most folks, including myself, ended up running faster than we would have had the distances been accurate. overall, a very well organized, family friendly event that i would recommend for any runner who enjoys a friendly neighborhood 5k or 10k.

A very well organized race. Starts at the SAP Center and ends at Santana Row. The course is…read moremostly flat, you run under a few overpasses. I did enjoy running through San Jose, a good way to see the city. They were very strict with the corral starts. This was my first time doing this race, so I'm guessing the rain probably limited the crowds lining the streets. I did enjoy the 8K distance, something different. Finishing on Santana Row was cool as you could smell breakfast cooking as the restaurants were opening. The shuttles back were great, well organized, comfortable, and quick. I can see why this event is so popular!!

Registration: Super…read moreeasy. I got the $39 opening special. Email updates get a little tedious after a while and I ended up getting 2 or 3 of the same thing in the 2 weeks before the event. Packet Pick up: I really wish they had day of pick up as I live over an hours drive away and had to make the trek to San Jose twice in one weekend. That said it was really easy to get my packet, you just needed to know your bib number and they check it against your name. The TShirts are pretty cool and something I will actually wear. Course: Nice and flat. Nice addition to have the different ''miles'' (Veteran / Mariachi). The mile markers were not completely accurate though (yup.. the serious Runner in me notices these things). Mile 2 was actually 1.1mi and mile 3 was just 0.9mi. The event started right on time as planned and without any hitches however I do think that some kind of enforcement of the waves has to be done. Upon coming to the start line there was no one checking bibs. I was put in wave 1 for my sub 8 min mile pace and standing at the start with about a dozen people deep in front of me I noticed a lot of the people around me were wearing bibs marked waves 2, 3 and even 4. Once we started it was also made clear that some people placed in wave 1 really should not have been there. I had to zig zag around people that were not going the correct pace for the wave. Had I been out to PR I would have been really pissed off. Post Race: I didn't experience the ''hearding'' that people had mentioned in previous years but I guess that could have been down to the fact I was one of the first 90 people to finish. There was some walk to the end to get our bibs but nothing major. The post race food was really lame and looking at the pictures from previous years I was expecting to get more than what I did - a bottle of Water, Apple and some Fruit chews. NO BANANA! Really? That gives me the sads. It's common knowledge that Runners eat Banana's. The occasional Orange slice, yes. Apples No. Unless they're in some form of Pastry (Mmmm, Carbs). The medal is also pretty cool, it can be removed from the lanyard and used as a bottle opener and overall I am glad I can now mark this event off of my Running Bucket List but I doubt I will do it again. Way too far to come for what it is. Additional: This event is 1 or 3 of the ''Run the Bay'' series challenge where if you complete all 3 events you get an additional medal.Other 2 events are the Across The Bay (12k or 5k) in San Francisco and Let's Go 510 in Berkeley. Personal shyt: Time: 34:54 / 6:58 min mile. I intended to do a moderate 45:00 / 9 min mile and for the first half mile I was well on track but then some dude with a stroller ran past me. That's never happened to me before and I didn't like it (I now know how my poor husband feels. lol). So I had to speed up to my comfortable ''Aaah yeah, It's on!'' pace. Competitive much? Place: 90th out of 5,000+ and 18th Female. BOOM! -Crazy Runner Girl.

So much fun! Whether it's a date or family fun, it's so worth it. The lazy river is one of my favs!…read moreHighly recommend!

This is a ride I enjoy to go on during the park. Beware the hours from from 11am to 6pm on most of…read morethe days. It can go to 8pm in the summer months, but it does have a specific opening and closing hours usuall at 11am. The best time to go is usually in the morning or at night when the line is a walk on. In the afternoon, the line can be an hour long easily but that is when it is the hottest. This ride is a hit or miss when getting wet. You get wet the most when people use the geysers to soak you. There is parts where you get bumped hard on the edges and then when you hit the wave you will get wet as well and your shoes soaked. I have not gotton drenched yet on the ride. You do dry off fast which is great. I believe they have dryers for $5 dollars as well.

Down by the Bay 5k and Tot Trot is a unique running event for the whole family! The 5k allows…read morerunners, walkers, and strollers! As a regular 5k fun run runner, it is a nice low key operation that is truly enjoyable. The kid's run (Tot Trot) is a great intro race for new and developing little runners. It is not timed and is all about earning that pride as they cross the finish line. Down by the Bay 5k is put on by parent volunteers and benefits MVPNS (Mountain View Parent Nursery School). MVPNS is a wonderful non-profit organization that offers a co-op, play-based preschool program. This fundraiser allows the spirit and dedication of the fantastic teachers and parents of MVPNS to continue to nurture the curiosity within their children. To learn more, check out the website at downbythebay5k.org!

I am writing this review as a volunteer, and not as a runner. This race was adorable! I loved…read morewatching people run in their Halloween costumes. The best was the dad who pushed a stroller while he ran in an inflatable Sumo wrestler costume. In 2014, the inaugural run was held at Shoreline Park in Mountain View. This year, it'll be held at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale on Sunday, November 1st. It is really great for active families, but I also met serious runners. At least one was training for a marathon. The proceeds benefit Mountain View Parent Nursery School (MVPNS), which relocated over the summer of 2015. My son and I attend this wonderful preschool, as do many of the families who participated last year. But this event also attracts families and runners who do not attend MVPNS. It was so inspirational to watch toddlers and preschoolers run in the tot trot. They did so well, and were so proud of themselves. They also received cute Down by the Bay 5K necklaces at the finish line. There was water and plenty of free food for everyone. Race packet pick-up's were held at the Sunnyvale Sports Basement. Packets included coupons, race bibs, and adult t-shirts. Kids' t-shirts, reusable bags, and raffle were sold at the race packet pick-up and the 5K run. This year, there will also be vendor booths giving out free samples, providing free demonstrations, and selling food and non-food items. There will also be a family activity area with face painting and other activities. Needless to say, we anticipate a much bigger turn out this year!

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.

Awesome ride! The charge in my opinion is worth it. it kinda feels like you're falling when you…read moredrop for a bit but then it's really fun!

If your wife is a chicken who doesn't like the idea of hang gliding from a 153 ft drop, you…read moreunfortunately have to pay a higher per person fee to ride this flight inside Great America, than if you had two riders. After being hoisted to the full height, you are instructed to pull the cord that releases you into the free fall. Personally I would have preferred being surprised, rather than pulling the cord myself. It was a really smooth glide and the view was great. It is definitely a fun ride and I recommend everyone go on it. Just sucks that you have to pay for it even after you've already paid to be inside the park.

I have had the last 2 weeks off work for the holidays so I had time to focus on myself and the…read moreoutdoors. This trail can be as long as you want it to be meaning it keeps going to the end of the rainbow. The trail is paved and pretty leveled so it is easy on the knees. The views aren't bad but in the hotter months the odor can get pretty foul.

This is a awesome trail for sure. Running from its Northern junction with the Baylands Park Trail…read moreall the way to Homestead Road. The paved trail runs you past some Bay Area Landmarks including Levi's Stadium, Great America and Intel. The trail is paved for its entire length and as a huge plus most of its street crossings are underpasses thus you can bike its 4.6 mile length without stopping. Its is a prime commute path so there are a fair number of bikes moving at speed. Several of the underpasses do not have rails and dip pretty close to the river so caution should be the first order of the day. It can also get quite slippery. By the end of 2018 they have extended the trail by almost a mile on West side. This may not sound like its a huge deal, but the trail used to end at El Camino Real. However, this busy North to South thoroughfare had no bike lanes, tons of traffic, and crowded sidewalks. Further westerly travel up San Thomas Expressway was almost as bad. However, the new trail extension deadens at Homestead Road which does have bike lanes and makes going North or South much safer for bikes. Hopefully the path will continue its westward march! Trail: Paved Suitable For: Hiking, Mountain Bikes, and Road Bikes Services: None Length: 5.4 miles

I absolutely loved this trail I did the Lisa Killough it was 0.2 miles which was perfect because I…read morealready walked so much earlier in the day but my friend begged me and to my surprise all the loops are under 0.5 miles! The sun was setting it was about 66 degrees. The parking lot had lots of parking! And there is cell service which is great.

I love how easy this hike was! It's dog friendly (cat too) and easy for children to do…read more I normally don't like open space trails just because being exposed to the sun is not something I enjoy so much with hiking. However, since I was bringing my dog and my cat (first time), I wanted to make sure it was an easy trail for both of them. My Shiba Inu is 8, with developing arthritis, so this was an easy and short trail for her to do. Took us about an hour to complete the loop that we were on. If you need a break, there's two benches available to take a break at with a pretty nice view. If your dog is a squirrel chaser, I would not recommend this trail at all. There were so many squirrels!! Luckily for me, I had a good hold of my dog, but if she was a much larger breed, she'd probably pulled me left and right and would take me forever to get her back. So yes, I would not recommend this trail for dogs who get overly excited when seeing squirrels. Unless you're strong enough to hold them back every minute because I saw 2-10 squirrels every second ..not exaggerating. Out of respect for other Hikers who are afraid of dogs, pet is required to be on leash at all time. Waste bag is provided by park at the entrance of trail. Mountain biking is not allowed but I saw a lot of people with their bikes still. Some even on the trail. But they were respectful to hikers that day. So I'm not complaining. The drive up was super easy also! I'll be returning a few more times this year since my dog loved it very much.