I love/hate this race. The course is awesome -- scenic and challenging-- but the scenic finish line make the logistics a complete nightmare. It's a pain in the arse to pick up your packet because of traffic and parking in the village of La Jolla. It's a pain in the arse to get to the start because of parking and traffic at the Fairgrounds. Finally, it's a pain in the arse to get back out of La Jolla once you finish. read more

The La Jolla Half is a great half marathon course. It was the first and only half marathon course I ever ran so I guess I have nothing to compare to. I have heard that this course is pretty tough for first-timers but I made it okay. Okay enough to do it again in 2012! I love this race though because it's in the spring - not too hot and not too cold - and its right along the ocean. BEAUTIFUL. Tips: giant hill at mile 6 and one more killer one at mile 12. I walked them, but a lot of people run it like a BAMF. Anyway, you may feel like you need to die when you're running but remember, pain is temporary! and it's all mental :) and if that guy behind you is still going, why are you stopping?! AND HOW BADASS IS IT TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS YOU RAN 13 MILES. read more

Great course! After reading and hearing all of the stories about how ridiculous those hills are, I was very, very afraid. But you know what? Race day came and those hills were not a problem. I mean, they were hard, but nothing insane. Ran up both of them no problem. I thought this course was fairly well organized. Love the tech tees and the finisher medal. Transportation was also not a problem for me. I parked on Girard early in the AM and walked over to the cove to take the bus. When I finished the half, I easily walked to my car and drove home. No problems at all. I would HIGHLY recommend parking at the cove and shuttling to the start! Baggage was also pretty easy once I figured it out. It isn't really mentioned, but you get a colored plastic bag based on your bib number and you put your stuff in it, write you number on it, and they take it to the finish for you. Simple. They give this bag to you at the start of the race. The only negatives about this race: -Package pickup at RRS. Why in the world do they keep having it here, where there is no parking? I got there right when it opened, and there was no parking and traffic backed up on the 52 before the convoy exit. What?! Insane. -lack of spectators. There practically are none, but I appreciated the groups that were at the start of the Princess st/Torrey pines hill at the very end. Also to the guy who was stuck on traffic on torrey pines that rolled his windows down and blasted eye of the tiger. We all needed that! -finishing area. The area is PACKED at the end. I mean shoulder to shoulder packed. No room to have fun and enjoy the view, because you just want to leave that sardine-packed area. Overall, fun course. Don't be afraid of those hills! read more

Half Marathon #4 in 2015 for me. The challenge for the SD Triple Crown continues ! Alright lets start with the expo. Honestly after reading here on yelp the horror stories and what a pain race bib & packet pick up was in past years I was not looking forward to it.The half assed expo held @ Road Runner sports had me a little peeved already.So fast forward to this past Friday I get there at 2:15 ish. Sure enough there was a traffic line getting into the parking lot.I'll give road runner sports a little credit they were organized and had employees directing traffic in the parking lots.Since I'm somewhat of a vet now @ these races my best advice in attending any race expo is get in & out. Pick up your race bib, packet, and free shirt and get out of there.Race shirt is pretty disappointing design wise compared to 2014's design.Also not a good sign when the shirt label says "Designed in San Francisco" "Made in Vietnam".Lol. Race day. Again I had read on here and heard from friends who ran this race in the past years what a pain it can be getting out of La Jolla after the race. So I didn't bother getting up early and finding a spot to park in La Jolla.My game plan was this: left my house at 5:30AM and got dropped off @ the Del Mar Fairgrounds where the race started.Tip: Wake up, leave and get there early. If you aren't on the 5 freeway before 6AM expect to be stuck in traffic trying to exit Via De La Valle. The race it's self is a mostly beautiful course but there are some parts of Del Mar, Torrey Pines, and La Jolla neighborhoods which are pretty boring. Crowd support was great with local families & children giving support & along the course. There were no middle school or high school cheering squads or bands on the course.Torrey Pines state reserve climb at mile 6 at this point is pretty well known by now. Lots of people including myself walked most of that part of the race.I also knew about the last killer climb at mile 12 @ El Paseo Grande hill and man that for me was the hardest part of the race. Post race La Jolla cove was packed and was literally elbow to elbow with other finishers on some areas. I got my finisher medal, post race brown snack bag with the usual stuff: banana, protein par, etc.I didn't stick around because it again it was just so damn crowded and I wanted to get out of there to eat real food and enjoy the rest of my Sunday.I hopped on one of the free charted buses back to the Del Mar Fairgrounds and honestly wow I'm so glad I did this. Bus atmosphere was great: cool air conditioned bus, leather seats and mini tables with cup holder. So yeah I really didn't mind the 45 minute to hour bus ride back.Also most people were nice to talk to on the ride, talking about how they thought this race was, if it was their first time doing this race, and what other races they had done or plan to do in the future.Other people I saw just knockout and took a nap on the ride back.The ride back takes this long due to the congested traffic getting out of La Jolla. Would I do this race again: Maybe and more likely not for a long time. I say that because once I complete the SD triple crown this year. It's going to be hard for me to find motivation to sign up for this race again and deal with hills on this race course. Race #2 of the SD Triple Crown complete & in the books. read more

La Jolla Half Marathon - 2 down and AFC to go for the SD triple crown. - Races & Competitions Near Me

Going for that TRI SERIES and wanting that TRIPLE CROWN MEDAL! The La Jolla Half is my third marathon along with the Carlsbad Half and SF Nike Women's Half. And I must say this was definitely the hardest. The hill at mile 5 and mile 12 are BRUTAL. However, I also felt really accomplished at the end. The scenery was beautiful and just like every other half marathon, I loved the energy of everyone around me. Overall, definitely a challenge, would definitely think twice about doing it again but enjoyed it and proud for finishing it! read more

One of the best courses I've run (I've run only 4 including this, so I might not be the best judge; I've done the SF Half, Long Beach, and Surf City/Huntington Beach). It's challenging, but rewarding, and the scenery is just beautiful. You begin at the Del Mar fairgrounds, head down the beach until you reach Torrey Pines Reserve and go up the "hill of death." From there, you get a run down Torrey Pines parallel to UCSD, then down to the La Jolla Cove. Now, you may be wondering why I gave it 3 stars. Plain and simple, it's clear that the course organizers simply don't put in the effort for this one. For one, the Saturday race Expo is just plain terrible; they have very few vendors, and, as was apparent by the long-line for people who didn't receive the "confirmation postcard," it was very disorganized. The race itself is also poorly run: water stations are few and far between, and get this, they fill up trashcans with hose water and dip cups into it. Yea, not even kidding. Anyway, all in all, I'd definitely run this again (will likely do it again next year to get Triple-Crown), but this certainly was one of the worst in terms of organization and professionalism. 5 stars for the course, -2 for terrible hosts. read more

La Jolla half marathon is my favorite half marathon course. the course is beautiful and it's during april, making it an ideal month to run it. obviously this is a smaller half marathon (max 7500) so don't expect the abundance of swag or excess seen in other half marathons. however this race is well organized and a gem in itself. Hill-wise, this half marathon is actually tougher (in my opinion) than those in san francisco. so be careful! either train for the hills, or walk them (which i see most people do). water station wise- there will be more than you need. swag wise: road runner sports and ultima are the two that stood out to me. the expo is smaller, but has everything you really need to see at an expo. If you come from the usual fanfare of bigger half marathons, la jolla half might seem disappointing to you. but if you look past the swag - this is a beautiful course and a great half marathon in it's own right. if you love beauitful courses- this course is for you! read more

Enjoyable and scenic half, but super hilly! The hill of death causes even seasoned runners to walk. Mile 10 is a sweet downhill run!

I definitely redeemed myself from the last time I ran this so I've updated my rating to 4 star! I guess it goes to show you that if you train for a race, it pays off. LOL Expo - The Expo was held in Del Mar at the Hilton hotel right next to the start line. It was nice that it gave people from out of town an idea of where to go for the start. I dropped by Saturday afternoon and the expo was packed. I picked up my bib, my shirt, and browsed the vendors. The San Diego Craft Classic was there promoting their July race. Run for beer anyone? They even had free beer at their table. LOL. Also, got to try a phenomenal acai bowl from Sambazon. That was probably my favorite vendor of the day. Saw vendors from Nuun, CycleBar (a new cycling gym opening up in Hillcrest), KT tape, and a few other companies. Pre-race - The organizers sent out an email telling us that we could either park at the start line or at the finish line and shuttle over. I chose to park at the finish line. This also meant that I had to wake up earlier to catch the shuttle. The shuttle supposedly leaves at 5:30 am and they tell you to be in line by that time so I, of course, panic, and make it there by 5 am. I made it onto the first shuttle that left meaning that you can probably arrive by 5:30 and still be on time. Parking wasn't an issue at the finish line and as long as you're willing to walk a little, you'll be fine. Race time - I was placed in wave 4, with an expected finish time of around 2:10. If you want to follow the 2:00 pacer, make sure to put your finish time at 2:00! LOL. I wanted to follow the 2:00 pacer and didn't see him in my wave. I was so sad. Anyway, the race started on time and each wave is released fairly quickly. You start by looping around Del Mar fairgrounds and then hit your first hill after your first mile. Note that this course is pretty hilly and that if you choose to run this, it will challenge you, but you'll come out of this race feeling like a champion. There are 4 hills to watch out for. The first occurs after mile 1. The second comes at mile 3. After the 2nd hill, you run down a very scenic path and get a view of the biggest hill with an 400 something feet increase in elevation comes at mile 5.5. As you view the hill, make sure to give yourself a pep talk! I did. Your mental and physical game have to be strong when tackling this hill. The hill lasts for a few miles with dips in between before you start to descend again around mile 10. Be wary of mile 12! There is one more hill that you must face and that is probably the most challenging one of all because it's at the end of the race. I knew it was coming and I was still not mentally prepared for it. Post race - You get your medal, a goodie bag with lots of refueling items, and lots of liquids. There are a ton of vendors, musical entertainment, and there's a beer garden. Oh and if you're trying to complete the Triple Crown Challenge (La Jolla half is #2 of the series), there are photo opps where you can hold signs that say you're Triple Crown Bound! Woo! The entire race is overall, very scenic. You run through a state reserve, along the beach, and finish right next to the coast. I will admit that the race itself is very challenging, but that's what makes it all the more rewarding when you cross that finish line. read more

This half marathon is pretty damn close to my favorite half marathon. The only reason it isn't is that it is friggin hard. Not only do you run up Torrey Pines hill you have to save plenty of energy to run up La Jolla Parkway (some of you may know as Ardath road) to Prospect... which is at mile 12. There is a time limit of 3.5 hours and I heard that if you dont finish in the specified time frame, you dont get a medal (sucky!!!) But I live this race because of the variability of the landscape. it makes my race go by so much faster although I run reaaallly slow. There are you run around the fairgrounds, then through the neighborhoods of del mar, then along torrey pines beach, then up torrey pines hill/state park, then along the golf course, then UCSD, then down the hill then la jolla shores, then up to prospect then into the park area. All are fun things to look at, and NO back tracking!! Bonus: Beer garden at the end! Area for improvement: I wish they offered a tech tee. This race sells out early so don't wait around. Especially if you want to be eligible for the triple crown. I think you need to sign up at least 2 months in advance. Parking also is a pain in the ass. Since the start is in a different location than the finish, you have to either take a shuttle from La Jolla to Del Mar before the race (and they threaten that the last bus leaves at 5:30 am) OR you can take a shuttle from La Jolla to Del Mar at the end of the race. Both suck, taking the shuttle in the morning means that you could be cold and standing around for a loooong time waiting to start. BUT taking the shuttle after the race blows because there is a loong as line to take a shuttle (depending on when you finish and you know how hard la jolla is to get in and out of on Saturday (let alone several charter buses)? Best bet is to have a friend park in La jolla and someone else drive up to del mar so you can take your time getting to the race. the car parked up in La Jolla can drive the person up to del mar. really it will save like 2 hours out of your day and your body might not hate you as much, but still expect it to hate you just a little. read more

there were hills on this run. most importantly. around the mile ten mark. and if you're not that smart. the one on mile twelve got you too. yeah. that little one whooped everyones ass. not me. though. when you look at the map. you be like. damn. that's a climb on mile six. but i be like. pshhh. whatever. my ass did lunges for this sh*t. anyways. mile ten was downhill. and steep. that sh*t was hell on your quads. you feel like you should be going down that hill. as fast as you can. but really. the toll it takes on you quads are tremendous. n00bs get caught slipping. it was a lot like a drive-by shooting in a prius. you be like. f*ck. i didn't hear you coming. then. bang. dead. people were flying past me on this hill. i kept it nice and steady. and when it started to flatten out. i was like hey. then passed a mother*cker. so my theory on the mile twelve hill being so hard. is for those that went flying down the mile ten hill. yeah. sucka. you burnt out your sh*t. now i got your wallet. your keys. and your girl. you'd think this would be a gorgeous run. but it was only ok. the scenery was nice. but it just didn't hold my attention. especially when compared to the carlsbad run. why compare it to the carlsbad. well because this run is part of the triple crown series. packet pickup was easy. i really don't care about the expo. parking on race day. lol. my ass did it right. got dropped off at the start. got picked up in the end. all in all. this was a nice run. difficult. but i'm sure there are harder ones out there to do. would i do it again. yeah. sure. why not. read more

Difficulty Level of Course: HELLA Hard (no, that is not "what she said", this course is crazy challenging!) okay, let me pull it back a bit. 11 miles of this course are actually fairly easy & if a half marathon was only 11 miles you'd be set. but the 2 miles that i left out is actually what makes this race! if you don't already know, its 2 miles of climbing Mt. Everest ( & no, i am not over exaggerating!) yes, a majority of this course is in fact beautiful (views of the ocean, stroll thru the inappropriately rich neighborhoods of del mar & la jolla). but i didnt pay $75+ to look at real estate, i paid to run a race. when i got to Mile 5 1/2, at the bottom of Torrey Pines Park hill, i seriously thought about stopping, buying a pack of cigarettes, & calling someone to come pick me up. this hill is a daunting task; there is not ONE POINT of this uphill climb where youre not going up in elevation. i seriously felt like i was ready to tip over at any point because the hill is so steep ( i coulda sworn i saw a 737 plane fly by next to us). instead of running, i did like everyone else around me & started walking, nay, crawling up this beast. the worst part is when you reach the top of this hill, you still have half the course to run! maybe part of my frustration with this course is due in part because of my lack of training, lack of commitment, & overconfidence -- this course KICKED the s*** out of me. if you put in the time & effort to truly prepare for this beast of a hill, it'll probably be a lot more enjoyable for you. the folks who organize the Triple Crown (Carlsbad Half + La Jolla Half + America's Finest City Half) make you earn your medal with this race! want to feel like you accomplished something in your life? run the La Jolla Half Marathon. read more

Since one of our friend was doing the half marathon, while we wanted to wait and cheer her, we decided to do the 5k. This is one of the well organized event. I participated in OC Marathon/5k, but in OC 5k, you have to pay to park to pick up the bib, and you have to pay again the next day to park when you go to run. (10$ each), which is ridiculous. But La Jolla one is super chill. there is plenty of parking on the day of bib pickup , next to hiltons. the bib pickup itself was super easy. the next day they warned us about the downtown parking situation, so we got there early, and found the place where the buses were taking people to either half marathon startline, or the 5k start line. it was very efficient. the Run itself was nice, with hills. TOns of volunteers. there was only one water stop for 5k, which i was expecting. but with all the hills i wish there were atleast one more. the beer garden had plenty of beers for us. the lines werent that long. even tho about 5000+ people ran this race. Only reason i give them 4 star is for the expensive 5k price, there arent any medals for 5k. but oh well, i guess they do the 5k just to keep people entertained, but their focus is half marathon. so if you want to do half do this, if you want to do 5k, check out the carlsbad 5000. the best! read more

I'll be the first to tell you that this race worked me. I mean it ate me up, twisted me into a ball and spit me out hurting, calling for my mama. I'm not gonna say that I did terribly bad or good on the pavement but I felt battered once I crossed the finish line. All those brutal hills...WTF! I'm accustomed to hills and training with some elevation in my workouts but never in a race environment. I hate having someone pass me up especially knowing that I should be able to smoke em but this race was my kryptonite. And yes, I know that I should embrace defeat but fuck that! I ain't doing this run ever ever EVER again! IMHO, this was the ugliest medal I've ever received and the shirt was even worse! The scenery was nice when we ran past the ocean, but once the water was outta sight...the pain in my quads resurfaced and reminded me exactly how many more miles I had to run...too damn many! I'm glad some people like race especially since it's been around 80's but this guy isn't. read more

Hills, hills, and more hills! This was one of the most beautiful and challenging half marathons I have ran to date. I would advise staying at the Hilton Del Mar directly across the street from the race start and the location for the expo. I had a great race experience and the hotel was awesome. The race was well organized, tons of water and hydration spots, restrooms, and volunteers. Racing near the coast line did have its advantages where we enjoyed cool ocean breezes and you can get lost in the views. read more

First the disclaimer: I injured myself back in February as I was starting to incorporate some serious hill training into my work out routine. Note to self, running up and down the Torrey Pines Hill three times a week is not a good idea, when you have a history of knee injuries. Following I did pretty much stop running all together the two months leading up to this, but had promised myself I would run the triple crown this year. As such, I was under no illusion of doing well in this race, just wanted to finish within the 3h time limit and more importantly uninjured. This mind set made it a lot more relaxing race than any I have done before. Given the previous reviews, I expected this to be a wholly unorganized event but found every aspect of this race to be flawless. Apparently a new organizer has taken over this year. Bip Pickup at Roadrunners was a relatively easy in and out, the T-shirts were nice tech shirts. The race start was exceptionally well organized. I parked at the fair grounds: Got there at 6.30 and parking at that time did not take long (5 min). Hung out in the car for a while, since it was cool in the morning. At 7.10 I headed over to the start line (5 min walk). There were 6 clearly marked waves and pace runners holding up signs were perfectly positioned in these waves. At 7.30 sharp the race begun with a new wave crossing the start line about every 2.5 min, meaning that everyone was underway at 7.45. Heading down Jimmy Durante and Villa de la Valle for the first 2 miles, there was plenty of space, since these streets were closed entirely. No crowding here unlike in many other races. The first hill came just after mile 3 and without any training, I knew I was in for a tough race. Luckily aid stations were well positioned at every mile throughout the race with plenty of ultima and water available. Just after 5 miles starts the Torrey Pines Hill, the real toughy of the race. Photographers were positioned at two spots just up from the foot of the hill to give runners the incentive to keep running rather than walking from the get-go. I run just past them and then walked, and so did almost everyone else around me, it seemed. Once on top, there are still some rolling hills to master before heading down hill La Jolla Shores drive, the most beautiful part of the race. Then past the beach and at this point you realize your are within reach of the finish line except there is one last hill to master. Nice thing is that the last half mile or so are down hill allowing most everyone to have a strong finish. The medal was not bad, better than last years AFC medal, but who cares about medals anyway. After finishing I was tempted to get into the beer tent, but decided that it would be more conducive for my aching body to get back to the car and home on the couch. I got in line for a shuttle back to fairgrounds. The line was long, but the shuttles were frequent and within10 min or so I was on board. The shuttle driver was awesome, running deep yellow lights to get us back to the fairgrounds in minimum time. The ride took a good 30 min. Back at the car, it took a while to exit the lot, about 15 min or so. All in all this course is beautiful, in my mind even nicer than the Carlsbad half. On the downside, there is less crowd support than at the Carlsbad half, and no music or entertainment anywhere along the way. In those two aspects Carlsbad has La Jolla beat, but I must admit that I was positively surprised by this race, and perhaps next year with proper training I might do it again. read more

2012 was the 3rd time I ran this and it'll probably be the last. La Jolla is a gorgeous area to run in San Diego County, but the organization of this race is horrible. I've run over a dozen half-marathons in California and this ranks near the bottom of my list. To begin with the Expo left much to be desired. It's really not worth sticking around for after you get your bib and t-shirt. The beginning of the race is completely unorganized. There were supposed to be two waves, however that never happened. With over 6,000 runners there's no reason why they can't have well-marked waves and multiple wave starts instead of a herding of cows. Having Pacers would have been nice, but it's not my biggest complaint. I thought there could have been a few more water stations. And certainly MANY MANY more port-a-potties. Frequently the volunteers didn't seem motivated to be there and were unorganized themselves. I can't tell you how many times I about plowed through a volunteer because they were in the middle of the courseway unneccesarily. Additionally (though I am a slower runner) I didn't understand why aid stations were literally tossing water cups and overturning water tables when there were still several hundred runners coming through the course. What a waste of hydration! I don't recall this from previous years, but the Ultima used this year tasted awful. It was some bogus cotton-candy flavor that was terrible and was sure to turn your stomach. I don't know what's wrong with the normal red or lemon flavor. Part of the course (mile 11) was altered this year and wasn't clearly marked. Although it's nice to run along the beach it's annoying to constantly dodge surfers and lifeguards as they crowd the course. Furthermore, I thought that some of the police officers monitoring the course could have actually taken their job more seriously. For instance, around mile 11 or 12 there were a pack of kids that came roaring downhill on their skateboards in the middle of the courseway. I watched a police officer just stare at them and not say anything. Furthermore, I didn't appreciate that cyclists were constantly zipping past me and nearly knocking me over as they went about their Sunday morning long ride. I'm perfectly ok with the cyclists that are part of the Half-Marathon staff and are monitoring things and making sure no one needs medical attention. I'm talking about the Lance Armstrong wanna-bes. I thought this course was supposed to be dedicated to people RUNNING the half-marathon. It was hazardous to allow this to happen. Probably something that was most upsetting (and I had not experienced in the '09 or '10 races) was that times over 3 hours were not posted anywhere. It was as if anyone who completed the course in over 3 hours wasn't even acknowledged. Yeah maybe we're not gazelles but at least we busted our tail to the best of our ability for 13.1 miles. Why aren't we being recognized for that? I paid my darn money and I deserve to have a finishing time. Thought not necessarily something that would deter me from a race was the beer garden. Upon trying to enter (yes I'm over 21) my girlfriend and I were both denied being told it was "closed". Yet when we walked past it, they were still pouring dozens of beer. In fact the table had cups and cups of beer sitting waiting to be consumed. If the sponsors of Bud Light are literally still pouring the beer, why am I being told the beer garden is closed? read more

This run is amazing. It is physically and mentally tough, but out of 9 half marathons I felt the most amazing crossing this finish line. I was worried because while I do run I am not amazing at it. I would recommend no matter what your fitness level is to run this half. When I signed up for the triple crown, I almost didn't go through with it because of this race. I went in with the mindset I would never do this run again. However I am pumped and can't wait to do it again in 2018! read more

This was the hardest race I've ran in my book of half marathons. Hills, more hills and believe it or not, another hill. It was a gorgeous course to participate in. Will I do it again? Heck no. This race, I concord and defeated the hills and for that reason it's going on my not to do list. Check! This race did come with a joy, two actually. First, my boyfriend purposed at mile nine just after the biggest hill with my family nearby. and second, I finish. read more

this was my second half marathon. for the most part i really enjoyed it. pros: -fantastic route with great scenery. -pretty easy to get to the start area. we got off on del mar heights and came up on jimmy durante. no traffic issues at all. i got dropped off. may have been more difficult if i had to park. -challenging course. this may be a con for some. but it's definitely more interesting than the average race. cons: -minimal support. no one really cheering you on until the last mile. -terrible race expo in a difficult to access area this is not an easy race. the hills are brutal. you're slightly uphill all through del mar. the torrey pines hill is a monster. but the last hill in mile 13 was the one that reduced many people to a walk. don't make this your first half marathon. i'll probably do it again as a local. but it's not something i'd travel for. read more

Believe it or not, this was my first half marathon ever and I completed it in 2 hrs 19 mins. In short, it's tough but you can do it. I think most runners practice else where and show up for this half marathon on race day. If so, this is a tall order. You have to practice on this route at least 4 weeks leading to the race if not more. This will help you familiarize the route, build a good strategy and eventually execute it. My strategy was simple....I have to be at Torrey Pines within an hour. As long as I do that, I knew I could complete the race walking/running if need be and still make it under 3 hours which is the cut off time. I climbed the entire hill walking to conserve energy and later accelerate. I was well on schedule to finishing the race in under 2:10 had I not twisted my knee on the La Jolla Shores going down hill. Practice, pace yourself, get confident and you can do it! read more

The organization left something to be desired. First off, why is there a post card required to pick up your bib? Can't they send you an email with the same information? Or how about posting an alphabetical list at the expo site? I had to wait in line for about half an hour because I didn't get a post card. It turns out, it was returned to sender for some unknown reason, but they had it there at the expo. Then on race day, you have to wait in line for a while to get on a bus. If there are 3 or 4 buses available, why wouldn't you load all of them at once? They were loading one bus at a time with a queue of buses and a long line of people. Logistics seem to be hard for the organizers. The race itself was actually pretty good, though. It has a tough climb around mile 6 (Torey Pines area). The downhill afterwards was pretty good, though, allowing me to go faster. But then mile 12 had a hill that didn't look bad on paper, but it was hard in reality. Also one mile marker was off (mile 7?). At first I thought I had accidentally stopped my GPS watch, but follow on mile markers matched my watch. If I enter again next year, it'll be for the course, not the organization. For the record, I've run only two other half marathons (silver strand and carlsbad), and they seemed to be better organized. read more

This is the second time I've done this half, I first did it 4 years ago. The course is tough, Torrey Pines isn't an easy hill. It's a very scenic race. They did improve the T-shirt situation. Yay! They did a decent job of water stations every mile or two, and mile markers were ok. I heard a few people comment that they missed them. Rather than putting a small sign on the ground where only people closest to the sign can see, how about putting it higher so it's visible to everyone? The first year I did this run I got stuck in a cattle call right across the finish line. A bunch of hot sweaty tired thirsty runners waiting in line to be freed. I noticed they moved the gates out further, but I couldn't figure how to get out of the holding pen, and where the water and snacks were. Apparently only in one place on the right at the finish, and if you missed it, too bad, you can't go back and you can't have any water. I found an orange slice somewhere, but otherwise I coudn't get my hands on anything to drink. I hear there were pastries and acai drinks. I saw no such treat. I finished in the top half of the runners so hopefully they didn't run out. Come on. you know you have over 6,000 runners, if you're only planning to provide water for the first one or two thousand runners, maybe you should advertise that. Beverages and snacks only provided for the first hour and a half. Everyone else, you're too slow and deserve to be dehydrated. Or they could make it into a bonus: refreshment treasure hunt! See if you can find the water! Biggest gripe though? The packet pickup the day before. It's ridiculous. The expo is useless unless you're dying to buy a 13.1 sticker or pick up some $55 compression socks.. The first time I did this race my bib was mailed to me. This year that option wasn't available. Why not give people the option? How hard can it be to put a stamp on it and put it in the mail? I'll pay the extra $5 it costs to pay someone to put the stamp on it. Also this year the run seemed fantastically more crowded than it did four years ago. The course was jam-packed with runners, up unil the very last mile I was playing frogger, trying to figure out where I can thread my way between people. It was impossible to maintain a consistent pace with so many people crammed on to the course. It's extra fun when you're sardined in like that and people are spitting and blowing snot rockets. Someone is bound to get hit. Between how congested the course was and the packet pickup, I think I'd rather opt for a smaller half next time. The packet pickup is such a waste of time. read more

This is my 3rd half marathon and my first La Jolla in my quest of my first Triple Crown medal. Let's talk race first: This course definitely makes Carlsbad look like a cake walk in parts. THE HILL...you know which one...is brutal. i think if you trained it better than i did you would be ok...but the slight hill at mile 12 is just plain mean. Who does that!!!! I feel very bad for the people who needed medical attention and for the people who had heart attacks. Pretty scenic and all in all i think a challenging but doable course. Not to scare anyone!! It was quite muggy thru del mar and so the trip down into torrey pines with the breeze was welcome. I thought the water stations were slightly far apart but since i brought a hydration belt i didn't notice it too much but i had been warned about this from people who had run it in previous years. All the other stuff...things that were not impressive for my $65 entry fee T-shirts-ugly....need a face lift! Expo-wow...bad! not only were there so few vendors....no goodie bags, and it was by far in the worst possible location ever. no parking, nightmare getting in and out.....crazy Wave starts not marked...just herded in like cattle. not enough porta potties...waited like 20 minutes to use the restroom. Food at the finish was horrible....this is a tough race and all you have is bananas and oranges....carbs people! sugar!! my friend's boyfriend was going to be sick and she asked the volunteers for a mini muffin and they flat out told her no...those are for volunteers. sorry..the race isnt about the volunteers, it's about the racers. i'm sure they will not pass out if they have one less mini muffin. all in all a good experience...not sure if i'll be back next year.... we will see!! read more

I know there are some serious hills on this race course, but the views are outstanding. I've run La Jolla in 2009 and 2010 and both years were great (I heard that 2008 was dreadfully hot). Well organized pre-race packet pickup, nice race start (race track), and beautiful race finish. My one nitpick is that it can be a little tough finding friends and family at the end of the race in downtown La Jolla, so agree to meet somewhere away from the finish, perhaps up on the main road away from the water. read more

Pre-race: 1 star - the "haven't received the postcard"s, the extra lines you need to wait etc etc are ridiculous, it's LJ, we are a rich neighborhood, and this is year after year... needs major fix. And also, for a neighborhood race, surprising no perks/discounts apply to LJ residents for the race. Race: 5 stars - even when I was at the general start area, it was difficult to guess where the actual start line is, needs more signs that direct general public dispersed in a huge lot. Otherwise, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL race. The stretch just before the Torrey Pines park by Del Mar beach, the crazy hills, the stretch on LJ shores; and more crazy hills, the water and banana stations throughout, the extremely crowded finish area. Such a blast, and satisfying race to have finishes. Nicely designed medals, nice t-shirts. On average 3 stars it is, as it took the same hours for me to finish a half and to merely obtain my bib. read more

I've run many half marathons in the past, but this is my first time running the La Jolla. Although this is a very beautiful race, the organizers do not handle the logistics well at all. Packet pick-up is a bit of a nightmare trying to get that many people in and out of downtown La Jolla, and the location of the 'expo' should be moved to a location with easier access. The 'expo' itself was also very small considering the size of the race. Also, the race is simply over-sold. There are far too many people on the course and unless you're up front, the course is extremely crowded and a mass-start doesn't suit this race at all. Also, water stations were far too spaced out early in the race. Just a couple of the many problems with this race. If this were a young race, you could forgive the organizers for not having everything figured out yet, but this year was the 30th running, so I don't hold out any hope of improvement in the future. If you want a beautiful race along the coast, run the Carlsbad half instead. read more

This is one challenging race, hills after another while running through the Del Mar/La Jolla coast. There were plenty of volunteers assiting at the water stations. They didn't pass out goos and slice organes as compared to the Carlsbad race. There's a beer garden at the end of the finish line. read more

I agree with all the good things already said and also the bad; have the organizers seen all this feedback? They could make things so much better if they did, and acted upon it. The T shirts are great so that is one change for the better (but $60 it wasn't, this year) So, the main things that I think could be better EXPO-have it in Del Mar?? Much easier to park at the fairgrounds than it is in La Jolla. Waves- on such a congested event (I kept expecting it to thin out, it never did) the wave system used in Carlsbad is even more desirable. Today, I stood in the right place, as instructed, and then spent the first 5 miles overtaking slower runners, which made keeping an even pace hard and probably extended the distance I ran much more than it should have. Please, if you want to have a nice easy jog and chat to your friends, don't go right at the front and then run 4 abreast down some tiny back road in Del Mar with thousands of faster people stuck behind you. Whoever these people who stand at the side and cheer are; YOU ROCK. Love you guys, thanks for making things more fun for everyone; your support really makes a big difference. yet somehow my time was way slower than my last race. I am putting faith in the course being way harder. I tried my best! read more

Decent race. The shirt was kinda plain, but not that exciting. Medal was pretty good but again not my favorite! I did really enjoy the majority of the course especially the hill. Quite challenging course so don't expect to PR. read more

Good half marathon if you want a challenge. Steep up hills and steep down hills. The hills at the end are worst than the big Torrey Pines hill. The shirt for 2013 is not that great, but the medal is nice. I was glad to see a lot of police/security presence on the course and at the finish line. I'm going for the triple crown this year, so I had to run the La Jolla Half. I will not be running it again, the down hills are way to hard on my knees. read more

Great course, but lousy race support. There was NO nutrition. Additionally, the sports drink was Ultima which is a zero calorie sports drink. Obviously, they didn't put an athlete in charge of nutrition. I was not surprised to see people passing out towards the end of the race. If you are paying to do a race, the least they can do is provide GU and Gatorade. read more

Much, much improved in 2014 and 2013 over prior years in terms of organization. Always a wonderful course. Would have appreciate more frequent mile markers. read more

I did this one in 2014, it was my very first half marathon. It was a great experience and you really can beat the views. The ONLY reason it's 4 stars is that hill at the end. I expected to suffer at Torrey pines but that last bit in la jolla was where I wasn't sure if I would ever see my family again!!!.... Just kidding GO RUN THE RUN read more

2nd time running the La Jolla Half. I prefer to park at the finish in La Jolla and then shuttle over to the start at the Del Mar race tracks. The street parking can be a bit tricky. I've heard people say there are $3 or $5 parking garages tucked here and there, but I've been lucky the last two times I've done this race. The shuttle services are reasonably organized and fast. At the start site they have water and check-in, but no snacks/food so bring your own. The race itself is one of my favorites. The entire course itself is not flat. There's the Torrey Pines hill that everyone talks about, but the rest of the course is also gently sloping and definitely not boring. You do go through a few residential areas to reach La Jolla, and then a lot of gorgeous view of the ocean. Although I didn't use the services, from what I observed, the port-a-potties were well-provided. The stations had only water and hydration fluids (no food or anything extra). And at the end of the race the bags have a banana, pretzel, and a fiber bar (maybe... my friend didn't get one in his). I'm kind of disappointed that this year, when I went on Saturday to pick up my bib, they had already run out of XS shirts. When you register, you fill out your size... how did my size already get taken up? There's also a spelling error on the back. I like the medal design better this year vs. last year, but it felt and sounded a bit cheaper. Maybe I've been spoiled because Carlsbad is such a huge event and there were bands on the trail (and tequila too), but La Jolla this year felt a bit deader this year than it did last year in terms of effort put in by the organizers. The route itself is still amazing. Next up, the AFC ... :) read more

What a challenge! This is not a half marathon for those who want a simple 13.1 fun run. There are a number of hills. Torrey Pines Rd from the beach being the most notorious of them all. You do gain some of the time back going down (i was running up the hills at one point at a 9:30 pace and then down the hills at around 5:15). The view of the beach was AMAZING! The finish line was ok, but it lacked the perks of a Rock N Roll event. The water and juiced up water stations were plenty and since im usually one of the first 150-200 finishers there is usually a ton of water....sorry guys in the back for taking a coupe of water cups at some of the stations....I think the Cliffshots should have been at the bottom of Torrey Pines hill (luckily i had one in my picket i guzzled down when i didnt see a Cliff station at the bottom of the hill) The metals were nice, and the race felt even more meaningful since this was my first race (and the first for many others) since the Boston situation. I am even more determined now to qualify for Boston 2014 or 2015. I got to see some of my fellow rival runners and friends, which is always a good thing. Overall, had a great experience at this race! (1:35:42 time) read more

Gi-normous hills. The Torrey Pines hill at around mile 5.5 is the steepest long uphill of any half marathon in San Diego, so if you like a hill challenge, this is the race for you! There are also other hills, so you won't be disappointed if need additional punishment. Point to point course is good. read more

Lots of reviews here are from years ago, whining about issues that have been addressed. Except for the hills - they're tough, but that's what you're signing up for. I've done it for the past three years (and way back in 98), and I love it. Well organized waves at the start - there's no substantial delay getting going once you cross the timer line. Shirts are high quality, with great designs. Water and sports drinks every mile with tons of volunteers exuding positive energy along with liquids. The course is really beautiful, and the weather is ideal in April in SD. Packet pickup in Del Mar is a hassle, but you can spend $20 to get your bib at the starting line instead (my one complaint - just make that $10). And, traffic getting off I-5 North is brutal - it's 2 minutes without traffic, but a half hour on race day. Go one exit further and take streets back to save 20 minutes. Buses to start after race are plentiful and nice. Beer garden at end thanks to Ballast Point is organized, but just one beer (might be my fault after abusing the open taps in 98 - sorry about that). read more

This was my very first half marathon...everyone I told this to said "what are you crazy making La Jolla your first half marathon?????"---when I do it I do it all out!!! It was a BEAUTIFUL course--the ocean views are amazing---I could have done without the couple of turns in Del Mar that brought us through a back alley ( a back alley in Del Mar though haha) with speed bumps and all. THE HILL---oh the hill at Torrey Pines---how I thought i had trained for you---HAH! you must go into it knowing you will not gain any speed on the most brutal climb ever, but you will make it up on the downhill past the golf course and after UCSD behind the aquarium---I love my downhill recovery times!!! Definitely stop at every hydration station and get at least a couple sips to wet your whistle; arrive very early to use the porta-potties or bathrooms; and don't get frustrated on THE HILL or the other hill at mile 12---yeah thanks for adding that little gem in at the end---I was actually more fearful going down the old cracked concrete into the cove---thought I would fall into the crevice. Parking stinks---carpool or get dropped off; the expo stinks too, and the post race goodies are well, ok but nothing fancy----definitely hit up Burger Lounge or one of the other great La Jolla eateries after the race---heck isn't that why we run?so we can eat whatever we want???! read more

What a GORGEOUS stretch of scenery! I woke up the morning of the race and had half a mind to go back to sleep given the hilly reputation and my lack of training. But I'd already completed the Carlsbad half, so the thought of the triple crown helped me crawl out of bed... and I'm so glad I did. The course was beautiful almost 100% of the way, and the weather was perfect. The massive hill is killer, but I walked it and enjoyed the Torrey Pines reserve. The last baby hill at mile 12 is sooooo difficult though! It's only a slight incline but by then you definitely want to to just get to mile 13. Loved that it ended at the cove (absolutely beautiful) and really enjoyed the good beer at the all you can drink beer garden! Unfortunately there is minimal crowd support, and hardly any free swag at the expo :( Parking is a massive headache of course in downtown La Jolla, but I think it was worth it. My favorite race for the Triple Crown! read more