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The Long Beach marathon is another great local So Cal race weekend with a few different race options. Saturday they have the aquarium of the pacific 5k, Sunday the Full marathon, a 20 mile bike tour, and the half marathon. With the different race options you can combine 2 events for the weekend and earn a bonus combo medal, running the 5k Saturday and any other event Sunday is what most people go with for the combo challenge. I opted to go with the early morning bike tour, then finished up with the Half marathon right after. The bike tour is cool because you get to see a lot of the full marathon course that you don't see when your running the half marathon. Overall the event has a good set up, the Long Beach convention center and aquarium of the pacific are all in the same area so most of the parking if relatively close to the start line and festival area. Only possible downside is the weather. The event is usually in the first weekend of October. For most places that's usually fall weather, here in So Cal we still get surprise summers where it's 60° at the start of the race then two hours late at 9am is 85 degrees without a cloud in sight so keep that in mind as race day approaches.
This was my 12th 1/2 marathon and I was excited to run another local race. The packet pick up was easy on that Friday. You could pre pay for day of race parking, which was nice! As a runner, I wasn't a fan of this course. The race started 20 minutes late, so it pushed back when we started our run. It was a late start and we were running in the heat. Once you got to mile 7, you could see the finish of the race and it was a teaser. There wasn't enough water or medic spots on the course and that to me was not good at all. There were a few people who collapsed during the race and medics were not close by. There weren't any mile marker signs after mile 7 until we got to mile 12. That to me was not good at all. I'm so thankful my partner was at mile 12 to give me water because I was in desperate need of some H2O. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this race to new runners. As a seasoned runner, I was disappointed in the organization of the race. I hope they can take my feedback and make the race better in the future.
My running buddy, Arianna, and I did the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in October 2018, on her birthday. Neither of us had run more than six-ish miles because we were busy in school and pretty relaxed about training, so this was a challenge. But, the race is set up awesome and we pretty much ran the whole time: it was really fun! They had energy gu/water stations/toilets every couple of miles for the whole race. My favorite part was towards the beginning, when the whole race runs on a L.A. freeway! It felt like we were a bunch of little cars on the ramps. That was surreal, and it was funny that we were going about the speed that I normally drive on those ramps! Overall, if I was to do another marathon, I would want it to be like this one: flat, along a beach, really organized, and fun!
The JetBlue Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon are some of my favorite races to run. Maybe it's because I don't have to travel to participate and can actually walk to the start/finish from home. I've ran both the full and half marathons and I must say that the half is much better. Race day is very busy and quite festive. It always seems to run smoothly considering there are three events to launch, including the full, the half and the 20 mike bike tour. There are multiple combos that you can join to earn extra medals, so be sure to check those out and make it a weekend in Long Beach. The full marathon course needs a makeover because it gets extremely boring due to the lack of crowd support and it gets pretty warm as you travel away from the ocean on your way to CSULB. I would like to see an earlier start time for the half marathon. To me, 7:30 is a pretty late start for the half marathon because the October weather in Long Beach is very unpredictable and can vary between the low 70s to the high 90s and above. The expo bib pick up process is pretty organized and begins on Friday. The vendor area is packed full with booths of the usual suspects found in race expos but is poorly laid out with a lot of wasted space and a line for parking passes that snakes through the already tight aisles. The medals for all of the distances and combos are usually done very well, although I don't get the Halloweenish looking medals for 2018. Good try, but no!
The organizers should be given credit for dealing with the incredible heat wave by allowing the half marathoners the option to start at 6:00am with the full marathoners, instead of the 7:30am start. And appreciation and sympathies to the full marathoners for sharing the course and having to endure the brunt of the heat. From the results, 70% (about 7,000) of the half marathoners took advantage of the early start. If not for the early start, most of the runners will be finishing in temperatures in the 80s and 90s. For me, the race weekend didn't really go in accordance to plan. First I signed up the boys for the kids run and didn't realize the event was held the day before the race Then we tried to check into our hotel to realize our reservation was at another hotel 7 miles away so we canceled our stay. Then on race morning, I woke up 45 minutes late. What saved the day was the pre-purchased parking spot at the Expo. The directions to parking took me off the 710 freeway just as the marathon traffic was backing up on the freeway. I didn't hit any traffic until a few blocks from the structure and made it to the starting line with plenty time to spare. (I strongly recommend buying the parking at the Expo for all who plan to drive in). The Expo was typical but I like the shirt much better this year. The $15 parking for the Expo was a rip off though. And there wasn't much schwag in the schwag bag. As for the race, it was well managed considering the last minute changes. I found the water stations frequent and amply staffed. The course was roomy with just a few bottlenecks. Where the full and half marathon courses diverge, the signage was good and there was someone staffed to give further directions. But if there's one thing I hate about the course (and I'm not alone), it is the beach boardwalk path from miles 7 - 10. Yes, it is along the beach but it's basically a straight 3 mile grind, completely exposed. At this point of the course I'm starting to feel some discomfort and the monotony of the section is almost unbearable. This year, the timing was that we were staring into the sun the whole way. I wish the organizers can reduce the boardwalk portion of the race. At the finish, the last couple of hundred yards of downhill is greatly appreciated. This year they handed out coconut water, banana, water, smoothie, and some chips and bars. There are food trucks for those looking for more filling grub. The scene is pretty festive with many family and friends there to support the runners. I look forward to running this race in the future - maybe may attempt a full at some point.
I've run this marathon in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, and now 2014. The course has changed very little in those years. It is considered a pretty fast course. If you're looking to set a PR, you might want to consider this race. My least favorite part of the course is the section on the beach bike path. It's several miles of hard concrete and just beats the heck out of your legs and lower back. One improvement to the course over the recent years was the addition of the loop around Cal State Long Beach. The campus does have a pretty good incline, but there's people cheering you on and it's followed by a huge downhill as you leave the campus. The final two miles to the finish line is pretty flat, but a bit challenging for the full marathoners as they rejoin with the half marathoners and it's just a big mess. It's not that enjoyable having to dodge people after covering 24 miles. Although it's a pretty well organized marathon, this marathon was never one that struck me as a must-run race. There's just not that much to see in Long Beach. There's the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary. They usually give race participants a discount for a visit to the aquarium. I mainly returned the last three years for two reasons. Number one, it became a part of the Beach Cities Marathon Challenge with included the OC and Surf City Marathons. Number two, they also have the Beach Bum Club for runners that run Long Beach for at least 3 consecutive years with new additional perks at the 6 and 10 year marks. I guess that's a good way to keep you coming back year after year. The expo and race packet pickup is always well organized. For the last couple of years, they have been taking last minute late registrations at the expo. Just a note to save a few bucks... you can find free 2 hr parking at a couple of parking structures just a few blocks north of the convention center on 3rd or 5th Street.
I blame the addiction. My friend told me about the CA Dreamin' series, the awesome gold plated medal, the jacket, and I just couldn't help myself so I signed up. It was the 25th anniversary of this race, my 10th race, and the final race in the CA' Dreamin' series. Go me! The race expo was great. It was held at the Long Beach convention center. Parking was a flat $10 fee and there was plenty of space to check out the vendors and walk around. This event also offered a pre-planned parking lot. We were too late parking at the convention center so we bought parking for $10 at a lot that was 2 miles away. This was fine before the start of the race but a huge mistake at the end. It's hard to walk 2 miles after you've just run 13. Yikes. I don't really care for the race shirt. Blue and gray are horrible colors but wow, the race medal was fantastic. The course was flat and fast but most of it was on cement along the beach while the view is nice; it's pretty bad for your knees. There was plenty of spectator support, pre-race goodies, and post race food trucks! That was awesome. I've never seen so much course support. The med trucks at the start line didn't have any meds which I thought was odd but by the time I got started I was fine. This is a great first timer race. I'm not sure I'll run it again because I don't like to repeat events but you never know.
I just finished my 7th half marathon since 2002 and completed 1 full marathon in 2009 and I have to say that this year was probably one of the best managed years so far, especially given the growing amount of people who are participating. Last year was a bit chaotic, but they got rid of that ridiculous single file bridge and UPS took over the bag check in. The expo was also much more efficient compared to prior years. I have to agree that the goodie bags aren't as good as in the past though. They seem to be more about advertisements rather than free samples. As for the race itself, it has gotten much better since they started the race in waves. I didn't experience any bottlenecks as some of the other posters. The course itself cannot get any better, the entire half marathon runs along the ocean for the most part so it's flat and you have a nice ocean breeze. The marathon runs to Long Beach State and there are a few hills and is mostly residential. I felt bad for them this year because it got pretty hot this year. There are water stations every mile and Powerade stations every other mile. There was a GU station at mile 10. And of course, the best part is the complimentary Michelob Ultra. The line for that was a bit crazy, maybe they can work on that for next year. They have had the same band play the last 8 years and they are pretty good and entertaining. If you are thinking of doing your first half marathon, I would definitely recommend this course.
This was the last half-marathon needed for my boyfriend and I to complete the Beach City Challenge. It was a great race to end off on as the course was relatively flat with a nice view of Long Beach. Passed by The Queen Mary twice and there was a boat spouting water which was my favorite thing to look at. We completed the half marathon in a timely matter and avoided the heat...we were really lucky that it wasn't hot. Toward the last few miles the sun would peak in and out of the clouds. In comparison, this race didn't have as much goodies during the race with only one station with the energy gels. I really wanted gummies but there weren't any. There was plenty of water and this other drink (similar to Gatorade but a worse taste) so I didn't have a problem staying hydrated. Saw some bikers in their race while running and there are distinct signs for the split between the half and full marathon. Parking for the race is at the Long Beach convention center for $15 (unless you find free parking). The convention for bib pick-ups was also help at the convention center and you can also pay the $15 for parking unless you choose to park at a metered stall nearby which will end up being cheaper. The map of the course on the website is low quality and hard to read. The medal this year was SUPER CUTE showcasing The Queen Mary. The beer after the race was Ultra beer in a 8 oz cup...so much smaller than the other races. Overall I would recommend this race!
(Fine number 9, y'all) Let's take care of a little business up front, capisce? 1) Yes, you'll need to attend the expo in order to retrieve your bib. It's at the Long Beach Convention Center itself, so unless you want to find free parking somewhere and then walk, you'll be parking in the Convention Center lot. Of course, it'll cost you: $10, no matter how long your visit. While at the expo, purchase a parking pass. It'll make things easier...kind of...(see #2). 2) Get there early! Seriously, just getting off of the freeway and trying to nudge yourself--inch by painful inch--toward whatever paid parking you've opted for is crazy! There were lines upon lines of cars! Luckily, I hadn't driven alone: I was simply dropped off, while my beautiful chauffeur--she's so supportive--navigated around the "autopic" nightmare; parked in our pre-paid, designated lot; and met up with me afterward. That behind us, the race itself... Long Beach ICB Marathon, I applaud you! A standing ovation is certainly in order here. Your celebrated, 30th anniversary welcomed over 18,500 participants! Beginning and ending in beautiful downtown Long Beach, coursing along sandy shorelines as the morning sun stretches beyond palm-treed silhouettes, winding about droves upon droves of cheering families and friends, this run was nothing less than memorable! And the sparkling, sea-shelled medal? It's my favorite to date! But let's not forget... Should you find the determination to conquer the "Beach Cities Challenge," Long Beach's ICB Marathon is part of the trifecta! If run consecutively with LB's ICB, the Surf City Marathon and the OC Marathon complete the series, and an awesome-looking medal commemorating your accomplishment will be yours...and mine! My Half pace, always improving, even if only in tiny increments: 11:28 My time: 2:30:21 (Boston, I'm coming for ya!)
1 month ago
2 years ago
I have no idea how or why anyone would give this run a low star rating? It's a run that takes place outside and in the elements... they can't control nature but yet some people on here have to complain about the time of year and the weather. From reading the comments if they have it earlier, it'll be too hot-if they have it later in the year it'll be too cold. I've run this three times now and each time has been great. The volunteers, the police, event staff, vendors, etc. have been nothing but incredible. This year I think they sold out and it looks like 2025 is sold out already too. If it was bad, I don't think they'd sell out like that. Either way, I can't wait to get back out there October of 2025. Thank you LB Marathon for having a great and organized event. No wonder you've been doing this 40 years strong now. read more
1 year ago
The Long Beach marathon is another great local So Cal race weekend with a few different race options. Saturday they have the aquarium of the pacific 5k, Sunday the Full marathon, a 20 mile bike tour, and the half marathon. With the different race options you can combine 2 events for the weekend and earn a bonus combo medal, running the 5k Saturday and any other event Sunday is what most people go with for the combo challenge. I opted to go with the early morning bike tour, then finished up with the Half marathon right after. The bike tour is cool because you get to see a lot of the full marathon course that you don't see when your running the half marathon. Overall the event has a good set up, the Long Beach convention center and aquarium of the pacific are all in the same area so most of the parking if relatively close to the start line and festival area. Only possible downside is the weather. The event is usually in the first weekend of October. For most places that's usually fall weather, here in So Cal we still get surprise summers where it's 60° at the start of the race then two hours late at 9am is 85 degrees without a cloud in sight so keep that in mind as race day approaches. read more
11 months ago
1 year ago
This was my 12th 1/2 marathon and I was excited to run another local race. The packet pick up was easy on that Friday. You could pre pay for day of race parking, which was nice! As a runner, I wasn't a fan of this course. The race started 20 minutes late, so it pushed back when we started our run. It was a late start and we were running in the heat. Once you got to mile 7, you could see the finish of the race and it was a teaser. There wasn't enough water or medic spots on the course and that to me was not good at all. There were a few people who collapsed during the race and medics were not close by. There weren't any mile marker signs after mile 7 until we got to mile 12. That to me was not good at all. I'm so thankful my partner was at mile 12 to give me water because I was in desperate need of some H2O. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this race to new runners. As a seasoned runner, I was disappointed in the organization of the race. I hope they can take my feedback and make the race better in the future. read more
My running buddy, Arianna, and I did the JetBlue Long Beach Marathon in October 2018, on her birthday. Neither of us had run more than six-ish miles because we were busy in school and pretty relaxed about training, so this was a challenge. But, the race is set up awesome and we pretty much ran the whole time: it was really fun! They had energy gu/water stations/toilets every couple of miles for the whole race. My favorite part was towards the beginning, when the whole race runs on a L.A. freeway! It felt like we were a bunch of little cars on the ramps. That was surreal, and it was funny that we were going about the speed that I normally drive on those ramps! Overall, if I was to do another marathon, I would want it to be like this one: flat, along a beach, really organized, and fun! read more
8 years ago
The JetBlue Long Beach Marathon and Half Marathon are some of my favorite races to run. Maybe it's because I don't have to travel to participate and can actually walk to the start/finish from home. I've ran both the full and half marathons and I must say that the half is much better. Race day is very busy and quite festive. It always seems to run smoothly considering there are three events to launch, including the full, the half and the 20 mike bike tour. There are multiple combos that you can join to earn extra medals, so be sure to check those out and make it a weekend in Long Beach. The full marathon course needs a makeover because it gets extremely boring due to the lack of crowd support and it gets pretty warm as you travel away from the ocean on your way to CSULB. I would like to see an earlier start time for the half marathon. To me, 7:30 is a pretty late start for the half marathon because the October weather in Long Beach is very unpredictable and can vary between the low 70s to the high 90s and above. The expo bib pick up process is pretty organized and begins on Friday. The vendor area is packed full with booths of the usual suspects found in race expos but is poorly laid out with a lot of wasted space and a line for parking passes that snakes through the already tight aisles. The medals for all of the distances and combos are usually done very well, although I don't get the Halloweenish looking medals for 2018. Good try, but no! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
The organizers should be given credit for dealing with the incredible heat wave by allowing the half marathoners the option to start at 6:00am with the full marathoners, instead of the 7:30am start. And appreciation and sympathies to the full marathoners for sharing the course and having to endure the brunt of the heat. From the results, 70% (about 7,000) of the half marathoners took advantage of the early start. If not for the early start, most of the runners will be finishing in temperatures in the 80s and 90s. For me, the race weekend didn't really go in accordance to plan. First I signed up the boys for the kids run and didn't realize the event was held the day before the race Then we tried to check into our hotel to realize our reservation was at another hotel 7 miles away so we canceled our stay. Then on race morning, I woke up 45 minutes late. What saved the day was the pre-purchased parking spot at the Expo. The directions to parking took me off the 710 freeway just as the marathon traffic was backing up on the freeway. I didn't hit any traffic until a few blocks from the structure and made it to the starting line with plenty time to spare. (I strongly recommend buying the parking at the Expo for all who plan to drive in). The Expo was typical but I like the shirt much better this year. The $15 parking for the Expo was a rip off though. And there wasn't much schwag in the schwag bag. As for the race, it was well managed considering the last minute changes. I found the water stations frequent and amply staffed. The course was roomy with just a few bottlenecks. Where the full and half marathon courses diverge, the signage was good and there was someone staffed to give further directions. But if there's one thing I hate about the course (and I'm not alone), it is the beach boardwalk path from miles 7 - 10. Yes, it is along the beach but it's basically a straight 3 mile grind, completely exposed. At this point of the course I'm starting to feel some discomfort and the monotony of the section is almost unbearable. This year, the timing was that we were staring into the sun the whole way. I wish the organizers can reduce the boardwalk portion of the race. At the finish, the last couple of hundred yards of downhill is greatly appreciated. This year they handed out coconut water, banana, water, smoothie, and some chips and bars. There are food trucks for those looking for more filling grub. The scene is pretty festive with many family and friends there to support the runners. I look forward to running this race in the future - maybe may attempt a full at some point. read more
13 years ago
I've run this marathon in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, and now 2014. The course has changed very little in those years. It is considered a pretty fast course. If you're looking to set a PR, you might want to consider this race. My least favorite part of the course is the section on the beach bike path. It's several miles of hard concrete and just beats the heck out of your legs and lower back. One improvement to the course over the recent years was the addition of the loop around Cal State Long Beach. The campus does have a pretty good incline, but there's people cheering you on and it's followed by a huge downhill as you leave the campus. The final two miles to the finish line is pretty flat, but a bit challenging for the full marathoners as they rejoin with the half marathoners and it's just a big mess. It's not that enjoyable having to dodge people after covering 24 miles. Although it's a pretty well organized marathon, this marathon was never one that struck me as a must-run race. There's just not that much to see in Long Beach. There's the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Queen Mary. They usually give race participants a discount for a visit to the aquarium. I mainly returned the last three years for two reasons. Number one, it became a part of the Beach Cities Marathon Challenge with included the OC and Surf City Marathons. Number two, they also have the Beach Bum Club for runners that run Long Beach for at least 3 consecutive years with new additional perks at the 6 and 10 year marks. I guess that's a good way to keep you coming back year after year. The expo and race packet pickup is always well organized. For the last couple of years, they have been taking last minute late registrations at the expo. Just a note to save a few bucks... you can find free 2 hr parking at a couple of parking structures just a few blocks north of the convention center on 3rd or 5th Street. read more
16 years ago
I blame the addiction. My friend told me about the CA Dreamin' series, the awesome gold plated medal, the jacket, and I just couldn't help myself so I signed up. It was the 25th anniversary of this race, my 10th race, and the final race in the CA' Dreamin' series. Go me! The race expo was great. It was held at the Long Beach convention center. Parking was a flat $10 fee and there was plenty of space to check out the vendors and walk around. This event also offered a pre-planned parking lot. We were too late parking at the convention center so we bought parking for $10 at a lot that was 2 miles away. This was fine before the start of the race but a huge mistake at the end. It's hard to walk 2 miles after you've just run 13. Yikes. I don't really care for the race shirt. Blue and gray are horrible colors but wow, the race medal was fantastic. The course was flat and fast but most of it was on cement along the beach while the view is nice; it's pretty bad for your knees. There was plenty of spectator support, pre-race goodies, and post race food trucks! That was awesome. I've never seen so much course support. The med trucks at the start line didn't have any meds which I thought was odd but by the time I got started I was fine. This is a great first timer race. I'm not sure I'll run it again because I don't like to repeat events but you never know. read more
I just finished my 7th half marathon since 2002 and completed 1 full marathon in 2009 and I have to say that this year was probably one of the best managed years so far, especially given the growing amount of people who are participating. Last year was a bit chaotic, but they got rid of that ridiculous single file bridge and UPS took over the bag check in. The expo was also much more efficient compared to prior years. I have to agree that the goodie bags aren't as good as in the past though. They seem to be more about advertisements rather than free samples. As for the race itself, it has gotten much better since they started the race in waves. I didn't experience any bottlenecks as some of the other posters. The course itself cannot get any better, the entire half marathon runs along the ocean for the most part so it's flat and you have a nice ocean breeze. The marathon runs to Long Beach State and there are a few hills and is mostly residential. I felt bad for them this year because it got pretty hot this year. There are water stations every mile and Powerade stations every other mile. There was a GU station at mile 10. And of course, the best part is the complimentary Michelob Ultra. The line for that was a bit crazy, maybe they can work on that for next year. They have had the same band play the last 8 years and they are pretty good and entertaining. If you are thinking of doing your first half marathon, I would definitely recommend this course. read more
9 years ago
This was the last half-marathon needed for my boyfriend and I to complete the Beach City Challenge. It was a great race to end off on as the course was relatively flat with a nice view of Long Beach. Passed by The Queen Mary twice and there was a boat spouting water which was my favorite thing to look at. We completed the half marathon in a timely matter and avoided the heat...we were really lucky that it wasn't hot. Toward the last few miles the sun would peak in and out of the clouds. In comparison, this race didn't have as much goodies during the race with only one station with the energy gels. I really wanted gummies but there weren't any. There was plenty of water and this other drink (similar to Gatorade but a worse taste) so I didn't have a problem staying hydrated. Saw some bikers in their race while running and there are distinct signs for the split between the half and full marathon. Parking for the race is at the Long Beach convention center for $15 (unless you find free parking). The convention for bib pick-ups was also help at the convention center and you can also pay the $15 for parking unless you choose to park at a metered stall nearby which will end up being cheaper. The map of the course on the website is low quality and hard to read. The medal this year was SUPER CUTE showcasing The Queen Mary. The beer after the race was Ultra beer in a 8 oz cup...so much smaller than the other races. Overall I would recommend this race! read more
(Fine number 9, y'all) Let's take care of a little business up front, capisce? 1) Yes, you'll need to attend the expo in order to retrieve your bib. It's at the Long Beach Convention Center itself, so unless you want to find free parking somewhere and then walk, you'll be parking in the Convention Center lot. Of course, it'll cost you: $10, no matter how long your visit. While at the expo, purchase a parking pass. It'll make things easier...kind of...(see #2). 2) Get there early! Seriously, just getting off of the freeway and trying to nudge yourself--inch by painful inch--toward whatever paid parking you've opted for is crazy! There were lines upon lines of cars! Luckily, I hadn't driven alone: I was simply dropped off, while my beautiful chauffeur--she's so supportive--navigated around the "autopic" nightmare; parked in our pre-paid, designated lot; and met up with me afterward. That behind us, the race itself... Long Beach ICB Marathon, I applaud you! A standing ovation is certainly in order here. Your celebrated, 30th anniversary welcomed over 18,500 participants! Beginning and ending in beautiful downtown Long Beach, coursing along sandy shorelines as the morning sun stretches beyond palm-treed silhouettes, winding about droves upon droves of cheering families and friends, this run was nothing less than memorable! And the sparkling, sea-shelled medal? It's my favorite to date! But let's not forget... Should you find the determination to conquer the "Beach Cities Challenge," Long Beach's ICB Marathon is part of the trifecta! If run consecutively with LB's ICB, the Surf City Marathon and the OC Marathon complete the series, and an awesome-looking medal commemorating your accomplishment will be yours...and mine! My Half pace, always improving, even if only in tiny increments: 11:28 My time: 2:30:21 (Boston, I'm coming for ya!) read more
Got nothing to do on a Sunday? Lemme see. Why not run a half marathon? In 100+ degree weather? Great idea. Super. Now for those who wanna run early, might as well get a hotel room for the night before. Unless you relish the idea of waking up super early so you don't get stuck in traffic on the 710 and subsequently miss the start time. First few miles are OK, not too scenic till you reach the 4th mile. A few stores in the area so you can go buy yourself some cool/cold beverage since all they've been handing out is warm water. Even at the finish line, the drinks handed out were all lukewarm. Blech. Not to sound ungrateful, by the way. Thanks to the volunteers and residents who stood under the sweltering heat to cheer and hand us water. ESPECIALLY the ones with ice cubes. You guys saved my life. The view is really nice from mile 5 to mile 9; all sea and sand. I would've enjoyed the whole run had the weather been more forgiving. By mile 8, I was looking for beer or anything to make me forget how miserable and hot I felt. And yes, I am aware beer would've dehydrated me even more but anything to take my mind off of the heat. After mile 10, I heard trumpets blaring. The heavens opened and a ray of light shone down. On 7-11 by Ocean and 11th. Slurpee anyone? Dammit, yes. Add a banana on there please. A round of Z-pac, prednisone, promethazine with codeine and almost two weeks later I'm still nursing a cough so I don't see myself running this half marathon again. Unless my memory decides to play tricks next year and make me remember fondly about this whole experience. Let's see. read more
After finding out about the CA Dreamin' Series a couple years ago at the Disneyland Half Marathon Expo, I made it a goal to grab that huge, ugly CA-shaped medal for myself! And what is a better way to start my series than to run the 25th anniversary of the LB Marathon/Half Marathon? I am a total sucker for all these anniversary races b/c I know they always make the medals a little extra special. I know, I know...running shouldn't be about the bling, but they sure are motivators to me! So my friend and I arrived at 4:42 to our assigned lot. We got lost for 5 minutes trying to find the entrance, but in the end, we made it in one piece. Yes, getting to LB 2.5 hours before the start time sounds a little nuts, but it's definitely worth it if you don't like sitting in traffic. When we got there, there weren't that many people which made using the port-o-potties super easy. I hate that they didn't come with any source of lighting so I was extra careful before I sat down. -shudder- The 13.1 miles felt like forever to me because for about a couple miles I ran on hard cement. It hurt my knees so badly, but I fought back mentally and kept on truckin'. Something I like to do is pick out a target and try to beat that person. Another motivator is...people with B.O. Trust me, when you are running behind or next to a large, hairy, sweaty dude whose stench and sweat drops makes you want to throw up over and over you will find the energy within and run like an elite. For me, there was this ONE guy who ran like a zombie that kept creeping up behind me. I smelled him before I saw him and knew I had to lose him. Well, that took a while to do, but I managed to leave him in my dust at Mile 11. After getting my medal, I stood in a short line to have my picture taken with the 25th anniversary sand sculpture. What sucks was that when I asked one of the two photographers to take a picture using my personal camera, I was shot down. OUCH! I wish I had finished with someone I knew so they could have taken a picture for me. Oh well. Anyway, I broke my PR from my previous races and was very pleased. Today, I feel perfectly fine with the exception of random tightness in my hips. They should go away by the end of the evening. I liked that after the run, we were given a bunch of goodies to replenish our energy. There were these chocolate flavored protein balls that tasted really, really good. Anyone know what they are called? Oh yah, Bubba Gump gave out free lunches to all the finishers! Some people got the chicken salad, while others got the shrimp or salmon lunch. By the time I finished, only the salad was left. That was OK though since it was FREE! Mmm, what a pleasant surprise! Among other freebies were cupcakes, bananas, bagels, Clif energy drinks, Gotein drinks, water, and sample sized energy bars. I took a little of each except for the cupcakes and bagels. I love freebies! =] I'm not sure I would run LB again just b/c of the cement boardwalk and the hill towards the end of the race, but the course was definitely nice. There is just something about running parallel to the water that does it for me. I wish I had taken more pictures with my camera!! read more
** Marathon ** I picked Long Beach Marathon 2012 for my 2nd marathon, since it's a relatively popular local race, reasonably priced, and about half a year between LA (my 1st, and possibly 3rd), which would give me time to rest and re-train without risking burn-out. PRE-RACE EXPO The expo was held at the Long Beach Convention Center. Parking cost $10, but I found free, non-metered street parking and walked (You're running 26.2 miles! I think you can walk a mile or less to the expo). There are meters close by, as well. I went on Friday right at 12 pm. Check your e-mail for your bib number and write it down in advance, to save yourself the trouble of looking it up at the expo. The volunteers have the bibs organized by number, so you must know the number before picking it up. The shirt fits (yay!), and I liked the reusable drawstring backpack. The goodie bag is a crappy virtual one filled with ads though, and I wasn't too impressed by the vendors... but I did buy things. All in all, even with spending a lot of time walking the floor, I was out of there in 45 minutes. RACE DAY I woke at 3 am, and was in the LBC by 4:30 am. The run starts at 7 am, so yes, I was very early... and reaped the benefits! No traffic on the 710 or in downtown, and no trouble finding street parking (free on Sundays - thanks for the tip, Yelpers). Rest in your car and enjoy the free entertainment at this ungodly hour when cars start queuing up by 5:30 am, bad drivers run over curbs, a cute stray kitty chases a possum in the dirty streets, and a cyclist accidentally hits a cone with the caddy carrying his poor child. Or get extra sleep and come late with everyone else, your choice. :) There are 7 corrals, self-seeded, which are clearly marked if you show up on time. However, they may not be properly placed within the crowd once the beginning corrals take off and the remaining corrals move forward - one lady stuck in my Wave (5) was angry that she wasn't in Wave 4. Come timely, or else deal with it. I noticed that a lot of people don't place themselves correctly anyway (or else just don't pace). My wave started 10 minutes later than scheduled. The half-marathon course is scenic, decently flat overall, and yes, probably 80% ocean views as billed in their advertising. The marathon is not. I got a little bored running some of those streets, especially on the way to/from CSULB (Miles 14-17, 20-24). Miles 1-10 (or so) are concurrent with the half-marathon. Crowded! I wasn't the biggest fan of the narrow bike trail along the beach in Miles 7-9. Pretty, yes, but congested, and easy to get stuck behind walkers/slower runners. I unfortunately weaved more than I intended to, which contributed to my running a 26.54 mile marathon. After 10 miles, I feared I would miss "The Split" for the marathon course; but never fear! It's clearly marked, with numerous half-marathoners funneled into a narrow path and a guy perched in a booth overhead presumably making sure people go where they should. It felt A LOT emptier after the split, and the rest of the marathon felt more like a small local race, which I LOVED. I rarely had course congestion problems after this. Due to the out-and-back, you may see all the elite runners on Mile 23, and can be creepy like me and stare in absolute awe of their amazingness. Miles 11-15 flew by for me since I was still feeling strong... but by 16 I didn't feel like pushing for a PR, so I decided not to kill myself. Good thing, because... CSULB (Miles 17-19) began to feel a bit like torture for me. Who said this was a flat race again? I wondered if the course was really hilly, or if fatigue had just enlarged the size and monstrosity of the hills in my internal struggle to persevere. Either way, the course has potentially tiring, rolling hills if you haven't saved your legs and aren't expecting them (don't be like me; research or preview the course beforehand). I was feeling slightly defeated at the bottom of a hill around Mile 23 (the chalk on the ground told me to "suck it up"), until my support crew showed up with my favorite Starbucks beverage. :) So I think it's mostly a mental battle. Oh, and the traffic cop stopped me for like 15(?) seconds for cross-traffic at 7th street. :( However, the last 0.2 miles are super downhill and a great motivational finish! What makes this 4 stars instead of 3: - The volunteers and local crowd support are AWESOME. I love you all for your generosity. Thank you. I wish I could be so cool. - Well-organized! e.g. The post-race snacks are given to you in a bag at the finish line. So quick and convenient! - Kool 'N Fit! However, my greatest success today is: I successfully still have yet to use to a porta potty in my life. There are real bathrooms stationed on course (I think around 5 miles, 9.5 miles, and 13) if you need, though they're beach bathrooms so I don't know if they're much cleaner. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/231174098 read more
A little over a year ago, I would have laughed at the thought of running a 10K, let alone a half marathon. But, I guess I've changed. Earlier this past summer, I was ready to graduate from running 5k's and was looking for a good 10K to run. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any to my liking. So, in the midst of my research and spontaneity, I decided to sign up for the Long Beach half marathon since it worked out best time wise. I figure two months was sufficient timing to challenge myself and train for the big bad 13.1 miles. While waiting for my wave to start, I looked around and was stunned to see the plethora of different individuals prepping up for their bike/walk/run event. You have the elders, adults, children, families, parents with strollers, etc. Almost immediately, any butterflies or fear of not being able to finish dissipates and all I could feel was excitement. 13.1 miles of supporting crowds, live bands, and a beautiful scenic journey with 18,000+ individuals running for a cause, themselves, or simply for fun is definitely an experience worth repeating. Various emotions came across me as I passed through the miles. Inspired, frustrated, encouraged, and relieved. The first third of the run was great. The energy was high and the flow was constant. However, by the next third of the segment, the blisters and aches started kicking in. By mile eight, I was struggling due to my aching Achilles tendon and had to spend most of the mile walking. Then came along magic mile nine. From nine on, the pains numbed out and I was able to run again. Anytime moments of disparity came back, cheering spectators would erases those feelings away. The encouragements definitely boasted my stamina and even made me want to encourage the other runners! Quick tips: 1. Definitely plan on arriving 1-1.5 hrs early. Once you get into Long Beach, traffic and parking is insane! My coworker and I were definitely lucky to get parking in a structure behind the Convention Center without doing prepaid parking. 2. Stretch, stretch, stretch! Before, midway, and after! 3. Take advantage of the first-aid stops!! Stop by real quick to bandage up any blisters, wrap up a knee, get a quick relief spray, or a dollop of Vaseline (there ain't no shame to chub rub!!) Thanks to all the supporters for cheering us on and congrats to all the participants!! read more
I really enjoyed this race. Have avoided it in the past due to the possible heat waves but decided to take a chance this year and it was cooler but still got toasty. Expo/bib pick up was fairly easy and it's held at the LB Convention Center. Lots of vendors, samples and a great way to connect with the local running community. You will be assigned a bib number at pick up and they will scan a barcode from your confirmation email onto your bib which makes checkin very efficient...no standing in line by last names or numbers...you can stand in any line! I hope more races adopt this system. Getting to the race on the morning of took way more time and required way more patience and was actually kind of stressful getting into the Pike Garage. This is not the fault of the marathon itself but just be mentally prepared for along line of cars trying to get in. Three lanes of traffic, coming from both directions trying to merge into one garage entrance lane isn't exactly a good way to start the morning. Do make sure to purchase pre-paid parking at the Expo btw. The Half Marathon course starts at the Shoreline Village area them winds itself through Downtown, along the beach path near Rosie's Dog Beach and back. Plenty of water stations, porta potties and friendly volunteers along the way too! Crossing the finish line was a great feeling and I liked the finish area as it gave you space to stretch out and relax. Seems like lots of runners return every year for this race and I can see why...great course, great community and nicely organized. read more
12 years ago
Round 2 of the LB Half marathon... Of course, I only sign up for races just for the medal, the shirt, and the free stuff at the expo. But the expo, the second time around was not as a giving as the previous year. Sure some of the vendors gave away some chips, bars and a few 5 hour drinks, but I guess the regular electrolyte vendors weren't there this time around in 2012. Another perk for signing up for the marathon is a free ticket to the aquarium. Now that's a great deal especially if you're making a trek to LB, and you don't want to just waste your time at the expo and do nothing else. So going to the aquarium after the expo is the best way to spend your day before the race itself. You can probably do it after the race too, if you choose to do so. Just show your bib to the booth and you get a free ticket. And it's not like they check your name off, so theoretically you can go more than once to the aquarium. Parking - At the expo (Fri, Sat) you can either park at the convention itself for $10, or do the nearby street parking at a max of 2 hours or they have some nearby parking lots for just $5. But parking on race day itself (Sun), I recommend parking around 3rd or 4th street by Long Beach Blvd. It's free all day on Sunday, so get there early to claim your spot. It's only like a half mile away from the start/finish line. Course and goodies - for 2 years in a row, the relatively late start (7am) allows for more time to run in the hot sun. I've seen a lot folks dehydrate, passout, etc so this course is not ideal if you want to do a PR. They did have sufficient number of hydration stations and a Gu station at mile 10. There are few "hills" but they're located early on in the race. The last 5k of the race is probably the fastest you'll get to go since it is pretty much the straightaway on Ocean Blvd. So you can either hit the wall or go for the gold. Also, I did notice 2 years in a row that my GPS is clocking 13.2 miles instead of 13.1 miles for the course. Maybe it's because of the wavy course along the beach that adds the 0.1 miles. Post race - Nice looking medal, plenty of nutrition handed out in 2012, including some nice refreshing C2O coconut water. And yes, the free beer garden does help out as well. The UPS guys were very professional with the gear check bags and check in/out was pretty quick and efficient. Note to self - 1:37:17 in 2012. read more
Ran the full marathon on October 11th and was pretty pumped since I had heard great things about the long beach run but I have to say I was really disappointed. The fitness expo that ran on Friday and Saturday was a bust. They did not have a lot of vendors or sales on races. It was mostly an opportunity for people to buy overpriced merchandise. I was expecting more vendors to be present with giveaways and health and fitness information. The beginning of the course took us through the back end of long beach right around were you can catch the 710 Hwy entrance, not a pleasant view needless to say. It wasn't until the 6th mile that we finally had some scenic views of DTLB. Course ran through a large portion of residential houses. The "parade" was not a "parade" at all. Race did not attract a lot of spectators and "cheering" fans were rare through the entire race. I will have to say that there a few nice families and individuals handing out water, oranges and bananas!!! Thank you folks!!!!! those cheers and refreshing fruit really kept me going! They opted to do sports gels this year rather than the traditional orange slices and bananas (I was disappointed about that part). I was far too tired after running 26.2 miles to stick around for the festival so don't have much to say about that. Overall three stars for how organized it was with laying out the course prior to race day and getting information out. They did have plenty of water and porter potties but did not have a very scenic view, cheering crowd/finishing parade was nearly non-existent. Won't be running it again. read more
11 years ago
This was my first half marathon. I ran a lot of 5ks and 10ks and wanted to prove I could do a half. I don't need to prove I can do a full, I'm good. My birthday was a few days away, so this was my birthday gift to myself, health. I thankfully did it last year because this year I was diagnosed and have gone through surgery for breast cancer. I'm still recovering, so a half marathon would not have worked this year. Packet pick-up: You have to go the expo the day before to get your packet at the convention center. I hate paying for parking. That's my one gripe with any race, I've already paid, don't make me pay for parking. Thankfully I found one on the street and just had to put in a buck or two. Expo: The expo is nice. I was having some strained muscles so went to the KT Tape booth to get taped up. If you want any running pack, socks, hats, anything with funny running sayings, you're at the right spot. Parking: I read that parking could be a pain so I got there early, paid the parking and had quite a bit of time to kill. I'd rather be there and park and stretch vs. getting stressed out trying to get off the freeway. Course: The course is pretty flat, that are a few places where you do run on an incline, like on the 710 freeway. I can't remember the exact things we passed by, but you do run near the Queen Mary, on the freeway, on the path by the sand, so that can get difficult because it's a sidewalk path. There were some people just leisurely walking. Hello, people are running, get off the path! There were people along the way cheering. It's nice because towards the last few miles I wanted to walk but I told myself I didn't do all that training to run, jog it, but don't walk it. End of the course: The end is a little squishy. Once you get through you get your medal, a blanket if you choose to take one, take a photo, and then they corral you out of the gated area. Trying to find your family can get difficult especially when you're winded. They had a Cliff bar that they gave out, but that made me feel sick. Medal: It was a nice seashell, and the shirts were white as well. It's a nice shirt, but white tends to get dirty. read more
11 years ago
At last - my third and final race as part of the Beach Cities Challenge. When I signed up, I was definitely not expecting near record temperatures in... October. Thank you to the race organizers who allowed half marathon runners the option of starting at 6am (versus the scheduled 7:30 start time). Aside from the roasting heat, the logistics of the race were pretty simple. In order to avoid the requirement of attending the Expo, I paid for VIP packet pickup (well worth $25 to grab my number at the race itself) and arrived at the Convention Center lot very early (4:45am) to be sure I could find parking. Since the half marathon participants could start at the same time as the full marathon runners, it got pretty crowded at the start line. Despite repeated requests from the announcers to 'self corral' and give the full marathon runners priority, I didn't see many people doing this. I was running the half and was just happy to start early, so I placed myself pretty far back in the pack. Still, the start was a traffic jam of runners, joggers, walkers and people texting. Seriously. Rude. The course was mostly flat, with some nice views of the Queen Mary and a couple of fun bridge crossings. The section along the boardwalk (running right into the sun) was not my favorite, but you can't beat an ocean view. Yes, it was hot. Really hot. No, the water/Nunn drinks weren't cold. However, the volunteers were doing their best to accommodate the large number of runners and I appreciate that they were there. I also appreciated my cold beer at the finish line. Best of all, I finally got my hands on that ginormous shiny heavy beautiful shell medal. Mine. If I'm feeling crazy, I may sign up for the Beach Cities Challenge again next year. Maybe. read more
12 years ago
This is for the full marathon course! Long Beach was my first half marathon last year, and I went all the way this year and it was my first full marathon as well! I enjoy the half marathon course more than I do the full marathon course. This is more of a local race, so there are not that many people who participate in the full marathon. There were something like 15,000 half marathon participants and only 2,700 marathon finishers. That being said, the course can get lonely at some points in the marathon. There's a lot of supporters on Ocean for the half marathon, where most of it takes place. There is still a lot for the marathon but there's so much dead space on the full course. The expo was organized very well. Same as last year. It's a great expo and they have so many booths! I spent an hour/hour and a half in the expo just exploring all of the merchandise and booths. Grab the free samples and try out the clif gel shots if you haven't already been using them. They are what is offered during the race and at the expo, Clif provides samples of each flavor so you know what to get. Give yourself a little extra time to explore the expo. The design team this year was fantastic. I'm not sure if they just got really inspired with the 30th anniversary or if they hired a new team/person, but the medals, shirt, and merchandise were awesome! The medal is by far my favorite medal I've earned and I am in love with the race shirt. Even the official merchandise available for purchase this year had great designs. For the marathon, there were ample aid stations and they never ran out of water or powerade. A big thank you goes out to the volunteers because they were awesome! Everyone was on top of it and really looking to help out the runners. I'd suggest parking in the convention center parking lot for $10. It was easy to get in and it was also easy leaving the structure. I definitely recommend this race. It's a great first time race as well as a smaller sized local race. Easy parking, getting to and from the race, and well organized. The price is right also. I registered early and paid $100 for the marathon. Nowadays, I feel like that's a steal. Check it out and support Long Beach! read more
This was a great course and overall an awesome 1/2 marathon! I ran it with ease and thought the event was planned well. Some of the other runners explained that it was the first time the full and half marathon had staggered start times. I can only imagine how crowded the start line was prior to this year! I think the waves got started at a slower pace than many of the runners would have liked (my only complaint). We stood there for about 15 minutes waiting to takeoff (I was in the 2:15 pace). Once we finally got to go it was smooth sailing. The porta-pots at every mile and the volunteers at the water stations were a nice convenience. Running past the Queen Mary and the railroad tracks was a sweet warmup to the icing on the cake, running by the ocean! I have never ran in a race along the ocean and now I might never want to again. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous for about 4 miles! The weather was perfect too! The finish line corral moved at a quick pace. I think that's important since everyone who ran was excited to reunite with their loved ones. I didn't stick around for the after race festivities, but it looked really well organized. Oh and the Health & Fitness Expo was great too. We tried several energy drinks/protein bars and I learned about other races in California that I hope to run someday. I also purchased a Flipbelt and I love it! www.flipbelt.com I wish I lived closer because I'd love to complete the Beach Cities Challenge. It might be time to consider moving.... read more
8 years ago
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11 years ago
