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

I used to participate every year when there was still a marathon and the race started and ended at…read morethe Point Fermin Lighthouse. I returned in 2018 because it was now part of the Lexus LaceUp Running Series. Currently, the distances that they offer are 5k, 10k, and half marathon. I ran the half marathon. The race now starts and ends at the Pelican Cove Park just West of the Terranea Resort. *Parking* For parking, they have 3 locations: Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, Salvation Army College, and Point Vicente Interpretive Center. Each of the locations are close enough to walk, but they'll have shuttles going around to pick-up and drop-off people. *Course* It was beautiful and just as hilly as I remembered it to be! Most of course was kept in the residential area about a stone's throw from the ocean just off of the main Palos Verdes Dr. Be sure to do your hill training or else be prepared to suffer! They even have a short steep section just after mile 10 that was a timed hill challenge. The fastest male and female will each win $500. Overall it was a well organized race. Although the race had a few quirks such as confusing separate starting lines, I liked the improvements that they've made with this race. The packet pick-up was quick and they had plenty of portapotties. Gear check was a bit chaotic as they were swamped with runners dropping off bags all at the same time. One of the bright spots with these Lexus LaceUp races was the post race food from the food trucks! That was some good quality food all included in your race registration!

If you are a new half marathon runner don't do this one first :) if you want to run a marathon or…read morehalf marathon thats a little more challenging this is for you! I ran the 2010 event, it was my third half marathon ever. I will do it again next year. It's gorgeous, my bum and legs are still feeling the hills. They had yummy coffee and fruit at the start and finsh, and it had a very intimate feel. The parking was a bitch. The restroom line was long. That didn't matter though because i loved the run! Must add this to your run list. See you there in 2011!

Got this run through zozi ..thanks for the active life and cheaper runs…read more No fee for parking. Score!!! Pretty easy packet pickup. Look up your number sign and go. Was able to exchange my tech shirt for a smaller size. The 'packet' pickup was a breeze. So cool!!!! :) Can't wait for tonight. 3.1 miles of glowing madness, a huge screen, and edc like type of music? Sign me up again! The only thing is that - if you're a walker - can we stay in a single file so people can pass through? There were places where it was easy to pass and not have to say excuse me, then there were the trail parts where walkers were blocking people. AND there should be a wave for runners, joggers, woggers (walk/jog) and walkers. There were people who were just walkers, which is fine. :) Just be courteous of those behind ya that want to jog :)

What a fun way to gather a group of friends and RUN for 3.1 miles!! The Firefly Run is truly unique…read morein the sense that it's occurs at night, there's fun & motivating electronic music playing all night, and runners are dressed like fireflies! No really....there are runners that are dressed in wings, glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets, wigs, neon this and neon that. It's a party run!!! Hosted at the Home Depot Center in the city of Carson, for my first 5K, this was very exciting! The entire event was extremely organized. From the parking attendants, to finding your name, filling out waivers, getting your bib number, free t-shirt, and all other materials that you may have bought. There were plenty of visible volunteers that were more than eager to help you out in case you were blinded by all the neon lights and giant LED screen....Anyways....Pre-Registration occurred online but if you wanted to register that night, there was an area designated for that. The course starts in the parking lot and guides you all around the Home Depot Center. The highlight of it all was being able to run through the stadium where the LA Galaxy play. The light shines down on the field and kind of created this magical ambience. Many runners stopped to take Instagram selfies. After all the runners cross the finish line, the fun doesn't stop there. There's a costume contest that's actually pretty cool because you get to see all the creative and kooky things that people come up with. Prize was a Go Pro!!! What am I going to dress up as next Firefly Run?????? The ONLY thing that sucked was the food vendors ripping you off after the run. TEN DOLLARS for 3 tacos and a soda??? TEN DOLLARS for a small tray of carne asada fries??? I'd rather load up on 10 bananas that they pass out for free after you cross the finish line!!! Other than that, I had the most fun running with my Team Scrambled Legs. I got the best of everything...a good run, good music, good company. A great way to spend a Friday night. When's the next 5K? Sign me up!!!!

Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run Review…read more The Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run remains one of the more enjoyable holiday races on the Westside, largely due to its course and setting. Course: The course is a strong point. Running through iconic stretches of Venice and Santa Monica on open streets gives the race a distinctly local feel and makes it accessible to both serious runners and casual participants. Start Line: The start in Santa Monica near the ocean is a great venue. It feels organized, spacious, and sets a positive tone for the race. Finish Line: Finishing under the Venice sign at Windward Plaza is genuinely iconic and one of the better finish line backdrops in Los Angeles road racing. Value: The entry fee feels fair for what's delivered. You get a solid course, good logistics, and a well-established event. Event Communications: Communication leading up to race day was timely, clear, and professional. No issues here. Medal: The medal is nice and thoughtfully designed without a clasp, which I personally appreciate. That said, the 2024 medal was stronger than the 2025 version and had a more refined design. Customer Service: Nothing noteworthy, which in this case is a positive. The event runs smoothly and without friction. Expo / Finish Line Experience: I don't recall a formal expo. If the start area functions as one, it's underwhelming. The finish line festivities also felt sparse, with limited sponsor presence or interactive elements. There's room to improve the post-race experience. Merchandise: Nothing of note. Shirt / Swag: The standout was the 2023 zip-up hoodie, which was high quality and something I've worn regularly since. The shirts from the past two years leaned heavily into novelty holiday themes and felt more like kitschy giveaways. I didn't take the 2025 shirt at bib pickup and wouldn't wear it. Overall: A well-run race with an excellent course and iconic bookends. With some investment in the finish line experience, sponsor activation, and more timeless apparel design, it could elevate from a solid holiday tradition to a standout annual event.

Nice job event organizers!!! Cut off all the roads to our hotel so we can't get a ride to the…read moreairport!!! Well done!! What a charlie-foxtrot

Bottom Line: An awesome triathlon…read more I have had the chance to participate in this event a few times now and it was bigger than I thought it was going to be. Very professionally run but still relatively casual and fun. The venues for all three portions is awesome. The bike leg is longer than most other Tri's that I have done so it definitely benefits bikers, at least for the sprint. Great expo afterwards, lots of community support... I highly recommend this event!!

From the owner: Carpinteria is a beautiful beach town on the Central Coast located between Santa Barbara and…read moreVentura. The Carpinteria Beach, known as the "World's Safest Beach," is very special and has been rated the #1 swimming beach in California, due mostly to its Southern exposure and its protection by the Channel Islands. Swimmers will usually enjoy small surf and the absence of riptides at our unique beach. The bike course, an open course and large loop, travels along the foothills offering some spectacular ocean views. Both the olympic and sprint courses offer the participant a challenging ride, although the sprint course is also very well suited for the novice triathlete. The run course, also an open course, winds through some quaint Carpinteria neighborhoods and is mostly a flat loop course. The Carpinteria Triathlon is a benefit event for the City's Parks & Recreation youth programs. Proceeds will help to provide scholarships and additional equipment for programs such as Junior Lifeguards and our ocean recreation programs. This event is USA Triathlon Sanctioned.

Mia is amazing! She makes running fun, is very knowledgeable, is organized and not to mention…read moreextremely fast. Her runs are always planned out in advance so you know exactly what you are going to be doing so you can prepare yourself as needed. I have been a runner for a long time now and Mia has been able to teach me a lot (esp. around nutrition, warming up, interval training) regardless about how to train properly. I highly recommend working with MIA regardless of your performance level. And lastly she is just an awesome human and you will want to hangout with so there is that too :)

Mia has changed my perspective on running and greatly improved my form and output. I used to run…read moresolely because it would help me stay fitter, but I dreaded it every time. Mia attracts an energy to her group workouts that makes you want to work harder and also are a great time. Historically I would just static run, but she brings a different flavor by mixing in hills and intervals and both short and long distance runs. This training has shaved minutes (yes, minutes) off of my running pace and has also changed my relationship with running. I don't believe I could have gotten here on my own - Mia knows how to push you just hard enough to improve you week after week. If you are looking for a great workout with someone who knows what they're doing and a great community, M.I.A Fitness is the place to go.

Horrible event. Disorganized and total lack of communication other than irrelevant social media…read morepostings. They canceled the 5k yesterday, leaving everyone to presume that the half would be canceled as well. We had until 3 pm to pick up our bibs, and they didn't give an option to have them mailed out. Sometime after the bib pick-up was closed, they announced that the race was on. They then announced that we could pick up bibs the day of, for an extra $25 on top of the $200 already spent. This has never happened before in my 20 years of running. To be clear, this was not about the weather. This storm was a known event well in advance of the race. It was about the lack of communication, decision making, organization, and leadership. Recommend Malibu Moves. DON'T DO RUNMALIBU.

Lack of organization. I missed my husband's finish because of the shuttle. I spent in the line more…read morethan 1 hour and couldn't support my loved one at this moment. If you don't allow people to get the place by themselves, you have at least to organize a proper transfer for everyone. Disappointed!

Came here second time and found the most pleasant and knowledgeable sales person, Matthew…read more Will definitely recommend this little great store.

Mt. San Antonio College, for its 2nd annual run, added a 10K this year!…read more This time dedicating their race to the City of Hope, the Mt. SAC Run does it again! Just as fun-filled and action-packed as last year's race, this course begins atop Grand Ave. as an easy downhill, embarks upon the twisting trails of Mt. SAC's Cross Country Course at Snow Creek, and finishes at the Mt. SAC Stadium as part of the "Day of Champions" during the world-famous Mt. SAC Relays! Yes, you'll receive an awesome Run Mt. SAC tech shirt, as you would expect; but your race registration also includes, by the way, free admission to the Relays, arguably the largest Track and Field Competition in the World! Over 13,500 competitors compete for over three weekends at Mt. SAC's Stadium, a place where 20 World Records and hundreds of National Records have been set. This stadium's also been the site of three U.S. Olympic Trials! It's got clout! And get this: Upon finishing your 5K or 10K run, you'll receive an actual Mt. SAC Relays medal, the same as the Relay's competitors are awarded! And to make your run complete, the stadium's Olympic Torch burns bright, awaiting any and all who wish to snap a few shots!