Run For The Parks was put on by LARPD to benefit new trail improvements and other upkeep for…read moreLivermore parks. It took place on 4/14/13 on a gorgeous Spring day and started at Wente Vineyards. This was a smaller race with probabaly around 300 runners. The course was great as it ran through Sycamore Grove park and Wetmore Road. It was professionally timed and your entry fee included a cotton tee. There were a few aid stations along the way with water and friendly volunteers. The etiquette of the other runners was not so great compared to other races I have ran. I was elbowed by another female runner while trying to pass her on a hill. That is just plain rude. Also, walkers were taking up the path by walking 3 accross which I did not appreciate. Other than that it was fun race with easy parking. It was nice to have people cheering you on at the finish line and announcing the winners at the end. I thought it was kind of a bummer that only the top three in each age group received an award. I felt like all finishers should have gotten something. The medals were ok, not like Brazen Racings medals though. I am not sure if I would run it again. Brazen puts on great races!

I just think the trail needs work! I'm willing to Volinteer time to paint that black stuff in the…read morecracks! New bathrooms are great and I enjoyed the nice ride.

Distance: Half Marathon…read more + Easy sign up. + On the day packet pick up. + Low registration fees. + Medals for all finishers. + Beautiful course. + Multiple distances available. - Not enough signage for the course. - No 1st, 2nd and 3rd in age group awards. (Not that I was Running for that but would have been nice). - Post Race refreshments kind of ''eh''. Dry Bagels, Apples and Oranges slices with Granola bars. NO BANANA!! :( I signed up for this last minute to pace with a friend that was Running for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) and really glad I did as the course was beautiful and a nice one to round off the season. I wasn't Running for time but to prove to myself I can show restraint and not have to PR or place in my age group every time I run. Funny that even restraining myself from Running flat out ''balls to the wall'' I still placed first in my age group and 3rd overall. Yahoo! This old shortie still has it. A great run that is fairly small in size, all of the volunteers were really nice and encouraging, especially the Ladies at around the 12 mile mark. A race I would consider doing again next year. If you want to donate to this Charity and my friends fundraiser (greatly appreciated if you do) you can do so here: http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?fr_id=3882&pg=personal&px=8476668

The course for the Race to the Flagpole half marathon is about 45% an out-and-back, which only…read morerunners of the half did, and about 45% the 10K course. The start and finish areas are in Livermore's Independence Park; all runners do the same first and last 3/4 mile or so. On leaving Independence Park runners follow a trail that takes them to Sycamore Grove Park. 10K runners enter it for their run, while half marathon runners pass it by, taking trails paralleling roads through hundreds of acres of vineyards, up into the hills east of Livermore. The trail is twofold - paved trail paralleled by packed dirt trail (watch for equine "landmines"). "Up into hills" means climbing. None are super steep, but it's 2-3 miles of mostly uphill, with some short flat or downhill stretches between individual hills. And then back down again, turning into Sycamore Grove Park to do the 10K course. The 10K course is an elongated figure-8 using trails in the park. These run past vineyards, through oak, eucalyptus, and (surprise!) sycamore groves, past an olive orchard, alongside and over a creek. To me, this, the 10K course, was the more beautiful part of a generally beautiful course. Most of the trail was dirt access road, with perhaps 3/4 of a mile of paved trail (with a packed dirt shoulder). The terrain is mostly gently rolling, with one short hill well worth calling a hill. * Overall, race organization and production were very well done. There were aspects that could be improved, and aspects that were nicer than I expected from a small, local, charity race (two Livermore area high schools' athletic programs). * Easy registration with no service fee tacked onto the registration price, nice for the budget. * Speaking of budget, the $45 registration fee is really low! * This was the first race I've been in (more than 30) that did not send a race instructions email. Much of what is typically in such emails - parking, check-in - was on the mail-in registration form, but I registered online. I found it the day before the race. Race instructions can be an email or a webpage, but if the latter, it should be easy to find. * The course maps are a bit klutzy, a map of the out-and-back section of half marathon, and a map for the 10K, with text showing where half runners go onto the 10K course. Not very user-friendly. There were no elevation profile charts. * Parking was free. The lot got pretty full half or a full hour before start time. * Packet pick-up was race day only, and getting bibs and T-shirts were separate steps. Both were quick for me, and I didn't see a line for either. * There was a color guard from the local VFW post and a singer who led the "Star Spangled Banner". * Both start and finish were chip-timed. * Course marking was OK. There were quite a few stationary course monitors, and quite a few, very helpful, monitors on bicycle. Going astray required being inattentive (which I was at one point; I was corrected within 20 yards by a nearby monitor). A few chalk markings or traffic cones to indicate, "Don't go this way," would improve this. * Aid stations were water only, and there were quite a few. I probably passed water stations 8 times (some twice). I think I heard sloshing sounds as I walked somewhere around mile 10 or 11. * I was the last to finish the half, and when I did there were no food tables or food. On the other hand, well-laden food tables had been in the area before the start, and I had availed myself of some. Having food available to the very end would have been nice, but only 54 did the half marathon. So I have no problem with the lack of food tables at the very end. * By the time I finished they had also run out of finisher's medals. The person in charge apologized profusely, explained, and got my bib number. I was told to expect a medal in the mail in 2-3 weeks. They had received MANY more late and race day registrations than anticipated. I have no problem AT ALL with this consequence of a community supporting a charity race beyond the expectations of the race planners! T-shirt: Light gray cotton T with the race logo (runners approaching a sycamore tree with an American flag in the background, very attractive), race name, year, and distances on the front, and sponsors' logos on the back. Finisher's medal: I looked at the finisher's medal, briefly, before race start. It's an off-the-shelf medallion with laurel leaves circling a center with a printed insert. Goodies: Before race start I saw coffee, bottled water, cut up bagels with cream cheese, muffins, fruit strips, cereal bars, cut up oranges, and uncut Fuji apples. Because there were no elevation profiles I did not prepare for this race as I might have, knowing it was fairly hilly. Just past mile 1 I saw far enough ahead to throttle back a little and finish with a time that had me appropriately satisfied and tired. The 2015 Race to the Flagpole was mostly well-organized, with a beautiful course. I would consider doing this race again.

I will start out by explaining the need for better communication amongst the participants prior to…read morerace day. We registered through snail mail to avoid the processing fees, and a week later my check was cashed and that was the only way I knew they received my payment and registration! No email to confirm, so I had to email to verify a few weeks before the event that we were registered. It took a few days to get a response and when I did I was informed in fact we were not registered! I emailed back confirmig the date my check was cashed, then reply was sent back saying our registration was misplaced but they found it. Whew! But no other information is provided prior to race day, and that's frustrating to first timers as myself. Day of Event: I will say the preparation for race day was much more organized. We arrived at 5:45am and everything was practically set up, easy to retrieve your bib with plenty of friendly volunteers. I had to ask around a lot where to go, what to do, it was our first sprint triathlon, but everyone was helpful. There is a pre race speech given by past participants who were very informative and motivating! 400 yard swim: They break you up into age and male/females. Which I liked, easier to swim next to my fellow women especially when you may be in really close proximity. I hit a few people with my arms and legs but everyone was really friendly to my apolgies. The water at Shadow Cliffs I will have to say is DISGUSTING! Seriously, just walking to the starting point of the swim, makes me gag thinking about it. Gooeuy, seaweed type algae in between your toes that goes up past your knees when you step in it! The visibility in the water is zero, but the swim not bad physcially. 3 booeys that form a sqaure with the shoreline and easy to see. I had been training a lot in a lap pool and did one one open water swim, and was prepared for this portion of the triathlon. 11 mile bike: LOVED this route! A few hills, but overall a nice flat ride with pretty views of wine courntry in Livermore/Pleasanton. Traffic is blocked off and we get the road mostly to ourselves. 3 mile run: This was torture for me, it was hot, and there were a few more hills than I expected. But water is provided along the trail, it switched back a lot, but try to follow the chalked in arrows and you will be Ok. The finish line MC was awesome, saying your name and where you are from loud and clear with enthusiasm! I finished in 1hr 32 mins, I timed myself on my watch, but for $15 extra you can request a timing chip. I didn't make my goal of 1.5 hours but was pretty close, and didn't train too much, mostly only for the swimming portion. A check off my bucketlist, and it's local so have to be appreciative to OnYourMark Events to continuing this tradation of Sprint Triathlons in the area. Just wish for better communication and a better swimming location!

I completed the July 2018 Tri for Fun as my first triathlon and it was a great experience. I can't…read moreimagine a better sprint distance triathlon for the first timer and/or beginner. The event was well organized, well staffed, had plenty friendly volunteers, and was chipped timed. Post race results and pics were made available immediately after the event and showed your times in each of the 3 disciplines and the 2 transitions. Very useful info for future events and training. The water was warmer than most pools and I never felt cold while swimming in just shorts. Check-in was quick and easy and the morning participant meeting was informative and clarified any questions you might have about the course. Easy parking and decently clean bathrooms. Great event and highly recommended. Liked it so much, I am planning on doing the August event and this time with my wife.

It is an out and back swim in the warm Shadow Lakes and a fun and scenic rolling bike and a two…read moreloop 10K on mostly trails with one major incline and some rolling hills. very well organized race and a ton of fun, nice job USA productions! I look forward to racing again next year.

Hmm Yelp is kind of a weird place to write a race review but whatever, here goes…read more I'm not a serious triathlete just someone who enjoys the sport for fun and to say I finished a race so this review is going to come from that perspective. I thought this race was really fun! The lake was clean and pretty warm actually, while still being wetsuit legal and not too hot. The 1.5k swim course takes you around almost the entire lake, which made me feel like a real champ. The 40k bike course was really enjoyable. I'm from the east coast and am used to really flat bike courses so when I moved to SF this was a bit of a challenge. This one had a nice climb from mile 10 - 12 but otherwise was pretty simple. For someone like me this was just enough of a challenge to feel like I really did something without so many hills that I felt miserable. (Like I said, serious athletes may not have found this challenging enough, but I enjoyed it.) The 10k run was mostly on a trail which was great since I have knee problems. It's a 5k loop so you do it twice, which isn't super exciting, but I kind of liked knowing what to expect the second time around. Last year I raced the Folsom Long Course Triathlon which is also put on by USA Productions and had quite a few complaints about the level of support. But this race seemed well supported, so they really redeemed themselves in my eyes. Plus, it's pretty close to SF which is nice when traveling for a race. Into it!

Event Date: 03/30/2008 This small hometown half marathon was…read morea perfect training ground for my upcoming Santa Cruz run. The course consisted of 13.1 miles of residential streets and valley roads with several rolling hills. The start and finish line was at the San Ramon Dougherty Community Center and organized by the city and local residents. This was its second annual half marathon with nearly 1,000 participants making it a perfect start for first timers and heavyweights like me. This was cool because I was able to work on my pace and breathing without being distracted by elite runners. I was able to stay focus and really concentrate - getting into the zone and testing my limits. I did really well the first six miles. My past injuries didn't resurface. My momentum stayed consistent. And my thoughts of the Santa Cruz Half Marathon were in motion. Once I reached the ninth mile, I started to run out of gas. The fear of fatiguing out was upon me. I took a short pause, fueled up (gel pack), and finished up at 2:35. Not bad considering that this had several tough hills. After crossing the finish line, I was totally surprised that they had finisher medals! OMG! I totally stoked! Moments after the adrenaline faded away I fatigued out and felt a sharp pain on the arch of my right foot. I suffered a minor injury that's going to take my off my feet for three days. Now I got two weeks left before Santa Cruz and a bottle of Motrin to ease the pain. Thanks Omar T. for joining me at this event. This was his first half marathon and he kicked ass. Onward to Santa Cruz my brotha!!! Notes: All flat course. No. Inclines ranged from 15-25. Running shoes: Merrell Overdrive Continuum Timing chips: No Restrooms: There was only one portable at the seven mile marker Water stations: Two. Will do this event again next year? Yes. It's a great warm up to future events, but wear long compressions (spandex). It's cold as hell when you "Run Like the Wind" in San Ramon.

I was very disappointed! This time they were not organized at all! They started late; Parking was…read morehorrible, there were bunch of obnoxious people leading before the race started. And worse of all, I didn't get the T-shirt size that I wanted. I look forward to this event every year. But unfortunately, this year, it wasn't what I was hoping for, at all! And this is not going to stop me from participating next year! Thank you!

Hhmm.. can't say I was overly impressed with this event on the day…read more Packet pickup the day before was pretty good, a lot more organized then the Fremont event in February yet still needs a little work for next year. Reason being that during registration we had to choose our TShirt: Male / Female in XS, S, M or L. I selected Female XS yet when I went to collect at 1:30pm (pickup was 12-5) they had completely ran out of that size. Whole idea or choosing your size beforehand was so that you get the correct one. Luckily they had XXS and as that was the same size I got for the previous event it actually worked out in my favor but I'm sure it didn't for other runners, especially those that came later in the day. As for the event itself I really think they cheaped out, maybe because double medals were awarded for those that also took part in the Fremont event and most of the money went on getting those made. There are minus stars for: - The guy calling people for their awards didn't really know what he was doing. I came 2nd in my age group yet he called me as being 3rd with somebody else's time (doh) and I overheard others saying that their time was wrong too. All of the timing was done by SVE Timing via chips on the back of our bibs and we were able to check them ourselves on the computer system so I've got no idea how he got it all so wrong. - Limited guys doing the massage. Just 2 guys for over 1,500 people! They were great though and the same people that did the Fremont event. I loved my leg and ass massage by the same person that did it before. - Post race food was sparse. I was among the first to complete the Half and by the time I had a quick restroom break and massage (about 30 minutes total) all that was on offer was Orange slices and half a cold Burrito. I overheard people in the 5k saying that they had Muffins, Donuts and Banana's too. Damn! I could have pulled somebody's arm off for a Banana! I feel bad for those that finished after me and the organizers need to get their priorities right. Those that did 3.1 miles got a feast of all the good stuff where those than done an additional 10 miles got scraps. - Did not receive the ''Branded Chamois Finishers Towel'' that was promised on the website. - I did not see an engraver as advertised. Maybe I completely missed it in my pain filled haze but Hubby and I did do the rounds twice looking for it. As for the race itself it was mainly flat as promised (yay!) yet lot's of it was gravel. I hate running on gravel, the uneven surface doesn't make for easy running then add in all of the dust it's an Asthmatic's (me) nightmare. As suspected running with an existing knee injury and sore foot I didn't place where I did before but I came pretty damn close! Went from 1st to a not too shabby 2nd with being just a few seconds faster. First place beat me by just 50 seconds. Frustration! Race rundown: Start: Hella cold...Let's to this!!! Mile 1: What.. Already? 6:30mins. Good start. Mile 2: Uuurgh gravel *chokes* Mile 3: Woohoo. Endorphins kicked in. Feeling good. Mile 5: Hmmm, Steve should be starting his 5k soon. Somewhere between mile 6 and 7: Ooooh, is that a FroYo shop? Hmm, probably not open for another 4 hours *sigh*. Rough mile 7.5: Ow ow ow knee pain. Mile 8-9: Not a good section of the race for me :( Just passed the 8mile marker my knee buckled beneath me followed by a searing pain, tears and vomit. Luckily the extra Ibuprofen I had with me played their part and I hobbled to mile 9 where I managed to pick up pace thereafter. Roughly 9.5 mile: Damn! Seems my watch timer resets at 1hr. Mile 10: I'm getting too old for this sh*t. Mile 11: ADRENALINE!!! Mile 13: Almost there! Need to pee!! Mile 13.050: Where the feck is the finishing line?? Some nice guy then points me in the right direction. Mile 13.1: Hallefuckinglujah.. where's the restrooms? Shortly followed by me collapsing in pain. Booo. So yeah... an ok event. I probably won't do any more organized by this group. They have a habit of really miss-selling the registration.

I run a handful of races a year, ranging from 5ks, 10ks, and Half Marathons. The boyfriend is an…read moreavid cyclist, but was interested in trying a 5k, so we opted to do the Pleasanton 5k since it was one I hadn't done before. We registered less than a week before the event. The packet pick-up was fairly easy and stress-free. However, when I registered, I signed up for a WOMEN'S MEDIUM t-shirt. Seeing as how they gave the option for men or women, I assumed I would be getting a shirt fitted for women. WRONG. They were unisex cotton t-shirts, so my medium sized shirt was way too big, and they wouldn't let me exchange it for a small. I also wish they would give the option to upgrade to a technical t-shirt for a fee like a lot of other races offer. I run A LOT, so I use those tech shirts A LOT. I never wear those cheap, stiff cotton shirts for anything other than housework. The start times and locations were well organized. There seemed to be plenty of parking as long as you don't wait to show up until the last minute. Bathrooms were relatively plentiful between the port-a-potties and the park bath houses, but the bath houses ran out of toilet paper in the ladies rooms very quickly. The guy at the start line was speaking through a megaphone rather than a mic/loudspeaker, so it was difficult to hear any instruction he was giving. One of my biggest pet peeves in races are those gosh-darn jogging stroller buggy things. I get this is a 'family fun run' and I applaud anyone who won't let kids stop them from exercising, but those stupid strollers are dangerous, and a lot of the people running with them don't seem to know runners etiquette. So if race organizers are going to allow them, they need to have a separate start time for strollers, and they need to be IN THE BACK where they can't run over peoples' feet or cause an accident. Some people did this on their own (thank you!) but others went right up towards the front and created a hazard for those trying to get around. The course was very flat, and the 5k was completely on pavement. This is a super easy run--I set a new 5k PR by a couple of minutes. The volunteers consisted mostly of high school kids who really didn't look too happy to be there. I don't really blame them--If I were 14, I wouldn't want to be up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday to watch people run and direct foot traffic, either. But a little more enthusiasm would have been nice. THE MEDALS ARE CHEAP. I've run some 5ks where they were giving out some really nice medals, but these ones are pretty crappy. I don't know about the Half Marathon medals, but these ones are a thin circle of flimsy metal with a sticker on them rather than any engraving or paint. Nowhere near the "First Class Medals" they advertised. And ditto on what Emmaloousie B. said: Where's my freakin' "Branded Chamois Finishers Towel"?? They did have some good post-race freebies. I know this race is only in its second year, but they still have some work to do. I *may* come back next year for the Half, but I'm not making any promises. Off to the Wildcat 10k.

Zero integrity. They moved the venue 2 hours away from the…read moreoriginal venue, which apparently doesn't qualify for a refund. The right thing to do is offer a refund since THEY DROPPED THE BALL, the contract (lack of contract). They announced the the change just weeks before the event, and they new months in advance. What a scam. Do not recommend.

As others have recently posted, they can change the location only a few weeks from the race date to…read moreessentially anywhere they want, and don't consider it a cancellation, which means they won't offer refunds. Very shady business practice and they don't respond to their own customer service link with questions/requests for explanations. PA race moved 2 hours farther away, which is ridiculous so close to the start date, especially if you have an earlier morning wave start time. For what you pay to enter these races, it says a lot about the organization's priorities when they pull this kind of bait and switch. Only in it for the money, zero effort at customer service. I won't register for another race with this group and strongly urge anyone considering it to read the negative reviews first. Buyer beware!