This was my first time running the Santa Hustle. I found out about it through Groupon and decided…read moreto throw in one last race for the year. Packet pick-up: Nice and easy at the Buena Park Mall. You got your bib on one side of the table and went to the other to get your sweater. They warned people that the sweaters ran small and let people try them on. I thought about getting a small and there was no way I could fit in it. Goodies: They gave you a bear and a hat. I did not wear them while I ran. My goal was to try and place in the top 3 to earn a medal for the 5k. Participation medals were not given out. Plus the beard ran a little small. It was fun seeing everybody wearing their red outfits. Race: There was a 5k and half marathon. They need to be a little more clear on the start. Some 5k folks started because it seemed like they were supposed to go and it was for the half marathon race or 10k, it's been a while. You got to run out of the parking lot, into Knotts, back out onto the street and into the parking lot. It was cool to run into Knotts. They had chips and candy at the end with water. I'm used to bagels and bananas, and aside from that there wasn't much else. There were some booths, but not as many as other races. Cool things: They brought out two reindeers, so that was fun. Weather: Cold! For CA it was cold. It was below 60, so I had a hard time warming up.

This was my second 5K in several months and this one was pretty fun. The Santa Hustle had 2…read moreoptions, a 5K and a half marathon. Half marathoners received a special medal and a voucher for free admission to Knotts Berry Farm. I really wanted a medal, but knew there was no way I could do a half marathon. A 5K is just my speed, especially the fun run variety, where there's a silly theme and people come with friends and family to just have s good time. A word to the organizers...consider giving the 5K people a medal too...even if it's smaller. I'd gladly pay more for the entrance fee to get a medal! Back to the event itself...things I liked: it was very well organized. I liked the emails sent out by the organizers spelling out the details of the event (i.e., parking map, packet pick up map, etc.). I opted to pick up my packet the day before to avoid the crowd the day of. It was an easy process and took about 5 minutes. I loved the dri-fit hoodie that I got with my packet. Very high quality and super cute. The only "bad" thing about the hoodie was that it ran very small. I ordered a women's large and it fit more like a medium. My friend's hoodie ended up being too small for her so she couldn't use it and ended up giving it to her daughter. You also received a Santa hat and beard to go with your hoodie. Like the hoodie, the hat was small (or maybe my head is just way too big?). In any case, I had to use an extra Santa hat I had at home which fit better. Not a big deal but just be aware of the size issues here! Other positives: Parking was free and painless. All the volunteers working the event were friendly and would cheer you on as you made your way through the course. They generously gave out choc chip cookies, M and M's, water, and powerade as we sweated away...which is a total exaggeration. We didn't break a sweat at all as we leisurely strolled the entire 3 plus miles. That's the fun thing about this type of run...you can stroll, run, sprint, whatever. At the finish line, we were handed bottled water and a granola bar. Oh, and I really enjoyed the holiday music playing throughout the course. The volume was just perfect and helped get us in the holiday spirit. Some mild disappointments: I wish the after party was on site. Instead it was offsite at a Farrell's restaurant. It was sort of anticlimactic to finish and not be able to immediately gather with fellow Santas to celebrate, cheer and dance. The other 5K I did a few months ago had an onsite after party with a dj, stage and music and it really made a difference in keeping the excitement going for a bit longer. Also the start line prep was sort of uneventful as well. They just had an announcer guy telling us when to line up, when the thing was starting, etc. At the other 5K I did, the start line area was sort of a mini event, with music, several guys throwing swag out to the crowd, getting everyone fired up and excited. I have to say, these pre- and post- run details make a huge difference in the overall fun factor. I still had loads of fun, though. Happy Holidays!

Hey Adventurers!!…read more Booked a canyoneering guided trip in the San Gabriel Mountatins this month and it was amazing. Gear was top notch, guides Sandra and Summer were super informed, and the repels were fun! The adventure started with a hike, and 6 repels later we were smiling ear to ear and wishing there was another 100 ft waterfall to repel. Really can't believe we were so lucky to find this trip which was easy to schedule and go on. Our lives were literally in their hands and I couldn't have felt safer!

I love you guys!!! You are the best!!! Cant wait to go up to the mountain again:)…read moreRose Broghamer

My review is for the marathon:…read more What a great, small race. There were probably 200 people combined in the marathon and half marathon. The course started on the Santa Ana River Trail just outside of Riverdale Park in Anaheim and went along the trail almost until the 22 fwy. The runners turned around and came back along the same path where the half marathoners finished inside Riverdale Park and the marathoners continued along the trail until just past Yorba Linda Regional Park and then turned around to head toward the finish at Riverdale Park. There were plenty of signs directing runners where to park (at a lot adjacent to Kaiser hospital) which is great when you're not familiar with the area and it's still in the dark of early morning. There was an ample amount of porta potties at the start as well as public park restrooms (those had a longer line). They had a Don Francisco truck handing out free, hot coffee (it was chilly on race morning) and I saw some other snacks out there too at some of the sponsor tables. A girl from a local yoga studio led a 10 minute warm up stretch before we were lined up on the trail and the Star Spangled Banner was sung. The race started just a couple minutes after 7am. There were water stations at almost every mile and mile markers throughout the course. Max Muscle Enduromax was offered as the electrolyte drink at different intervals and they were handing out Clif Shots at several stations as well. There was another station handing out pretzel and orange slices as well. All of the volunteers were extremely friendly and many of them cheered when they saw an approaching runner or walker. There were lots of cyclists on the path and recreational users but there was plenty of room for everyone. The Santa Ana River Trail is really scenic with lots of foliage, Canadian Geese, birds, Egrets and mallard ducks in the water. There really wasn't any shade so a summer run along the trail would be very hot. At around mile 20 there was a great musician greeting runners. The run was really beautiful and serene but if you're someone who needs lots of spectators and likes to run in a big pack, this isn't the race for you. At around mile 22, I was all alone. I didn't see another runner behind or in front of me for atleast a mile so I enjoyed the zen of the run. I was greeted at the finish line with a couple dozen spectators cheering and was draped with a space blanket and had a medal hung around my neck by some of the friendliest volunteers with the nicest smiles. The announcer read each finisher's name and hometown as they approached the finish which always pumps me up. There was an ample amount of post race food: water, bananas, Clif Bars, homemade cookies (yum!), Martinelli's apple juice and passionfruit apple juice, and bagels. They had a local massage business giving free massages (I really wanted one but I felt guilty asking someone to rub my sweat drenched, smelly back and legs). Max Muscle was handing out samples and Yorba Linda water district gave away plastic water bottles. They were updating the results about every 15 minutes. I was 1st place female 35-40 so I earned an extra medal (sweet!) and I earned a new PR! It was a glorious day! The marathon finisher's medal was HUGE and it's soooo nice. It might be my favorite medal I've earned so far. The tech shirt was a very nice white, long sleeve with Canadian geese on the front. I'd gladly come back and run this race again next year. The race was very well organized and volunteers were wonderful! Finish time: 4:23:51

2nd year for this event. Well organized, very helpful staff and a lot of fun. This years event at…read moreapproximately 500 runners well up from last year and seems to be growing very quickly. My time was 43:12 I didn't win, but I wasn't last. So get up off the sofa and let's go, pass on the left! :-)

Myself, son and friends really enjoyed ourselves today…read more I may need another 5 showers and couple bottles of shampoo and conditioner before all of this color is off of me and I'm not sure how long I'll be blowing blue color from my nose but was it all worth it??? F yes! it was :) After finally parking the car around 845A at Dodger Stadium and making our way right to the the very front of the start line to meet our team for the 9A wave, we were ready to get wild, crazy and colorful! We had an amazing morning during the run itself and the finish line party was the BEST! Packet pick up at Sports Authority in Burbank was EXTREMELY slow (I race quite often and have NEVER had to wait in a line so slow moving to pick up bibs/shirts) PARKING was a complete cluster! One of the most asinine piss poor planning disasters I've encountered in quite some time which can really take away some of the excitement leading up to the race but as soon as you are parked and out of the car - you are ready for fun, I suppose... at least we were. The course is around the stadium area, which clocked in at 2.7 miles on mine and my friends Garmin, not 3.1 - so a 5K it really is NOT but I don't think many people are concerned with this aspect since it's a Fun Run and you aren't time chipped. This race is tons of fun! As I had originally suspected, I still believe it's a great race for all ages and fitness levels. My son exclaimed "this is the most fun run I've ever done" :) All in all - I'm very glad this run came to LA! Awesome fun experience :)

First time runner of color here and now a fan! Papa Panaflex has been to a few of these and been…read morewanting me to join him in his adventures of organized fun, so there I went. Now for my organized thoughts: *Save yourself some time and pick up your race packet a day or two in advance. You get a shirt, temporary tattoos, headband, racing number, coupons, and samples. You get your medal after the race. *Bring a change of clothes and shoes for the ride home. We just brought towels and still made a mess . Also, bring some wipes! *Wear a fanny pack or jogging belt so you can take pics. I brought a baggie for my phone, but didn't use it. Too cumbersome. *Remember where you parked. It's Dodger Stadium and even though you've probably been a million times, the parking people will direct you to a section you've probably never used. Lot's of runners were wandering around looking all sorts of confused. *After each color station, grab a water bottle at the hydration stations and rinse out your mouth. Unless you like that chalky powder feeling in your mouth, you'll need to rinse and spit. *Treat yourself to Guisados down the hill once you're done!

What an amazing experience!!!…read more Got there bright an early to cheer on the extraordinary athletes in the mornings triathlon event!!! I found my yelp people and we soon headed towards the water where the first event was getting ready to start. The first group to dive in the water was the young men's group followed by the young female group. It was very heartwarming seeing the smiles on the athletes faces as the crowd cheered for them when they passed us by. Next, was the walk to get their bikes and they were soon off for their 11 mile bike ride! yikes!! They looked so determined and focused that it was inspirational!!! The final event was to run to the finish line. I was lucky enough to see the first US men and women to finish the event. USA men was first and USA women came in second place. I was very impressed with Costa Rica cause a lot of their men and women where one of the first ones to finish the race!! I was really happy to be apart of the Special Olympics 2015 even if I was just a crazy enthusiastic fan!! I did get tieried eyed a couple of times because I know they worked so hard to get here and they deserved to be cheered to the fullest!!!

Well organized, small event, only about 100 or so triathletes…read more Fun course, 0.5 mile swim in Alamitos Beach, 11 mile bike ride near Queen Mary (2 loops), 3 mile run along the beach (1 loop). Parking $10, lot opens at 4:30 am. 5:30 am when Registration opens 7:00 am start time of waves. Only 2 waves, 1 for men (less than 49) and the other for females (and men over 50+). Timing chip was huge. Kim Kilgroe was there racing that day! Awards ceremony at the end, all proceeds benefit Special Olympics.

This is quite a very late review. This event happened on August 3, 2013. Created by the Runner's…read moreCircle and Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council, this was such a great 5K run with over 200 participants that benefited SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans). I have enjoyed this race because it was challenging. The downhills and uphills were awesome. A cute medal and tshirt were our rewards for participating. There was somehow a mini-fiesta afterwards but we did not stay. I will do such race again.

I did it :D my first half marathon, and I couldn't have picked a more magical way to do it than…read moreRunDisney's Halloween weekend at Disneyland Most of my training happened on the treadmill, which honestly taught me a lot about consistency and mental endurance. I followed the official RunDisney training program from their website and trusted the process--even when life was busy and motivation was low. Race morning was early (very early), but the energy, costumes, music, and Disney magic made every mile worth it. Running through Disneyland in the dark, then heading outside the parks with rolling hills, the heat that I did not prepare for was challenging--but unforgettable. These are the things that really helped me: 1. Enlist a buddy to do it with you. I somehow managed to persuade my oldest son to come with his mama. My son who is in his prime, who at the time just came back from officer training school (boot camp). He was jumping, singing, running circles around me during the race, yelling out motivational pep talks. It was kinda annoying and motivating at the same time. 2. Use the free pacers There are multiple pacing groups, and sticking with one helps you stay calm, consistent, and confident. It really helped to see a whole group pushing through. Being next them reminded me about Dory..."Just keep swimming... Just keep running!" 3. Arrive early + move up in your corral We arrived around 4:15 AM, which gave us time to settle in and get closer to the front of the corral--huge stress reducer. 4. Stay close to the start line if possible We stayed at a hotel near the start, walked over, and later met my hubby near the mall. Less logistics = less stress. 5. Go to the Expo on Day 1 Exclusive merch sells out fast (RIP glow-in-the-dark shoes). The expo is free, fun, and has lots of freebies. Pro tip: go again on the last day for sales. 6. Practice in your costume This is non-negotiable. What feels cute for 10 minutes may not feel cute at mile 9. I practiced in my Ursula costume a handful of times. I saw people ditching parts of their costumes. 7. Hydration is covered Water and electrolytes are provided on course. I didn't need to carry water, but some people prefer to--do what works for you. 8, Know the course You start inside Disneyland, then head outside the parks where the hills show up. Save your energy for those miles. 9. Pictures Make sure your number is visible. Photos come free with it. There a a good number of photo opp in the parks. Unfortunately we couldn't stop since we were the last coral. So we did "passing" video shots. You should practice doing this. 10. Volunteers The volunteers outside of Disney were awesome! Seeing the signs, hearing the encouragement, and grabbing the sweets helped a ton. Soak it in and it will keep you motivated I discovered that I hate running long distance. At the same time I also realized I like doing it at Disney and after the race I told my son lets do the Dopey Challenge next. Where you run the 5k, 10 k and half marathon all in the same weekend. Of course my sweet son replied, "sure thing mom as long as your paying." This race reminded me that you don't have to be perfect--you just have to..... "just keep running, just keep running, running....running". If you're thinking about doing a RunDisney race, especially your first half marathon, do it. Train smart, trust the plan, and soak in every magical mile.

Just when we were in the swing of having them back, they're gone again. With the upcoming…read moreconstruction, it was announced there were not going to be anymore races for the foreseeable future here on the West Coast. This was the last race on Feb1 as the 5k and 10k took place the prior days. From what I gather from others, this can take many years to come back. I believe this was a new half marathon course at least new to me since the Star Wars Half days. This course was very refreshing, the stretch of it on Anaheim Blvd, running past the Packing District and the Ducks ice rink. The good thing about the "out and back" parts is seeing if you can spot the "balloon ladies" if it's a concern or maybe friends who run at a different pace or checking out their fits. I appreciated the DJ's and bands out there. They brought the energy! Everything was just so cute with the "It's a Small World Theme" but maybe I'm biased because I happen to love the color purple as in the bib, medal, and long sleeve tech t-shirt. It delighted me to see several runners dressed in this theme because I'm not creative enough to assemble my own costumes. PhotoPass photo opportunities were inside the park and some at the reunion area. These digital photos are included in registration and show up in the app same day. I must say the finish line replica photo op in the reunion area was a time consumer in the hot sun. Powerade was the electrolytes on course. I was wondering how they were able to get the taste and concentration consistent to realize they were being poured from the plastic bottles. Not too much to sample or any freebies at the expo if you compare that with other major race expos. The post-run snacks are not much nor memorable unless you count that nacho-like cheese from the box. IYKYK Yes, you pay a pretty penny just to participate but only you put a value on this experience. I would say if you're a Disney fan and have the means, to just do it one time for the experience but that dream has run out luck on this coast for now.

The Long Beach Marathon organizers are disingenuous and duplicitous. For the longest time they…read moretold Bike Tour participants to hold on because registration was coming but they intentionally deceived all the faithful Bike Tour participants for the last twenty years who rode faithfully every year! It's sad that they pulled the rug from beneath us by not telling the truth!

I'm writing as a spectator. I love/hate Long Beach, but just know the parking here is nuts on a…read moreregular day. I parked at the court structure off Magnolia and Ocean and walked to International Tower which is about a 15 minute walk. Look at the course map at least a day in advance and get here at 5 am to get a decent parking spot otherwise you're walking a couple blocks. Things to bring as a spectator supporting the runners: sunblock (even if it starts off cloudy, it always gets super sunny at some point), water, a sign, a cow bell or air horn, SNACKS! My sister ran the half marathon and said that they don't really provide snacks along the route and that regular citizens were out there handing runners water, shots, shot blocks, nuts, etc. Another thing to bring is some sort of totem or sign that your person can see and find you in a crowd with. Last thing is a battery pack or charger. I forgot mine in my car and my phone died whilst tracking my sister using Find my iPhone. I reconvened with my other sister after the race and people were parked crazy like on a normal day in Long Beach. One truck was parked at an angle facing the corner of an intersection. I know it's a thing at night if there's no parking on the street you can park in a red zone out here and just move your car first thing in the morning. Seems like that was the vibe still for the marathon. Not saying you won't get towed, but a lot of people were parked in loading zones, passenger loading and unloading (my sister parked in front of a church loading zone and miraculously did not get towed), etc. Park at your own risk, I paid $15 for parking at the court house for peace of mind but it's not unusual to see people parked in any available spot that's not a designated spot.