***3.5 stars*** i…read moreparticipated in the inaugural summer scamper in 2011, as well as the following year, but have not been able to work this event into my schedule the past two years. this year, i signed up early, with my run group, as we decided to participate and support lucille packard children's hospital together as a team. i love that this event focuses on kids, and even has a kids run in addition to the main distances. for this particular event, there was a choice of 2 distances: 1. 10k (6.2 miles) 2. 5k (3.1 miles) children between the ages of 3 and 10 had their own kids' fun run, broken down as such: 1. ages 3-4, 200 yard run 2. ages 5-6, 400 yard run 3. ages 7-8, 600 yard run 4. ages 9-10, half mile run the pros: +VERY REASONABLE race fees, $30 for the 5k and $35 for the 10k. since my group was registered as a team, i saved an additional $5 on registration. +FREE and EASY PARKING on stanford's campus, in the lot directly across the street from the registration and finish line festival area (which was just a couple minutes walk from the start line) +FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, flagging runners to ensure that we stayed on course, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked at the post-race festival area. +LOTS of PORTA-POTTIES by the start/finish line as well as the festival area. we also had access to the proper restrooms at the stanford track which was where the kids' races took place. what you get: *choice of BIB AND TSHIRT PICKUP at campbell sports basement two days before the race or fleet feet sports menlo park the day before the race. for those who couldn't attend either, they could pick up their bib and shirt at the registration tent the morning of the race. *teal, DRI FIT FINISHER'S SHIRT with a white summer scamper logo *VIRTUAL GOODY BAG, emailed to all registered participants the week of the race, with discounts to local retailers *several AID STATIONS with volunteers handing out cups of water *customised SUMMER SCAMPER MEDAL for each child who crossed the finish line at the kids' race. these were super cute and i know that all of the kids loved these special medals that were made exclusively for them! *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINKS, including assorted bagels, bananas, oranges, KIND bars, and water. *SPONSORS including lyfe kitchen, farm hill, kind water, kombucha, offering samples of their food, including chocolate chip cookies, mango salsa, kale salad, date bars, flavoured water, and kombucha shots. *lots of FINISH LINE FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES, including games, more food, and opportunities to win prizes from local sponsors the cons: -race started 5 minutes late. both the 5k and 10k were supposed to start at 8am sharp, but they did not begin announcements until this time which delayed the start til 8:05am. -courses were not marked properly. when comparing the official 5k course from the website to the course charted out by my garmin watch, the routes did not match and i could see that one section was missed, shortening the course by roughly 0.27 miles, which is about 9% of the distance for a 5k. my friends who ran the 10k with a garmin system reported that they ran about 5.75 miles, almost 1/2 mile short of the official 6.2 miles for a 10k. -i only saw the mile 1 marker along the course, but nothing beyond that....it made me wonder whether this was intentional or perhaps i just didn't see the mile 2 and mile 3 markers. -there were lots of short, sharp turns along both courses, making it necessary to slow down frequently -although i was given the small size tshirt that i signed up for, the shirts were all unisex, and mine was far too big for me. it was even too big for my husband who normally wears a small or medium sized tshirt. it would have been nice to offer both a women's cut shirt and men's cut shirt for proper fitting. -no finisher medals for 5k & 10k participants, only the kids' races since the course was marked short, i ended up with a terrific 5k finish time, one that i knew was not possible given my current running abilities. i still ended up finishing 2nd in my age group, and 12th female, which surprised me considering the fact that nearly 2000 participated in the 5k, with more than half of these being women. i did not walk away with an additional medal or prize since there were only awards for the top 3 overall men and women per distance, and winner for each age group. but i still enjoyed the awards ceremony since the announcer did a good job and many teams and kiddies took photos on stage after. overall, a well-organized event, but i hope they make the necessary corrections to both the 5k and 10k courses for next year so that the distances are as accurate as possible.

Participated with a team of seven friends in the second annual Packard Summer Scamper this past…read moreweek! It was my first race, and I commend the volunteers, staff, and organizers for having a very smooth and well-organized race, making it quite enjoyable! Signing up, registration, packet pick-up, and pre-race communications were all seamless, and the course was well-marked and had plenty of volunteers showing us the turns. I only have two minor quibbles - first, there was a last minute change in course from what had been posted. Granted, it was a very minor change and was due to construction closing off some paths, but this made the course non-USATF certified, and probably a tiny bit shorter than 10K. Second, the spacing of the two water stations on the 10K wasn't great - the first one was pretty close to the beginning, and there was a significant distance between that one and the second (and final) water station. A more even spacing would be beneficial. Overall, though, the race was a ton of fun - the post-race expo was also tremendously organized, with plenty of food, vendors, etc. The 5K and 10K were staggered (and run on different courses, for the most part) so there wasn't great congestion, and they also have fun runs for kids. The run is very welcomgin for runners or walkers of all levels - there were walkers, runners, and even people with strollers there! Something for everyone, and the event supports a good cause!

My first bike race I've watched. My good friend/neighbor/other husband is really into racing this…read moreyear and I went to cheer him on this past Saturday. I had a great time. :-) Highlights: - Short race: his category did 12 laps and it only lasted about 30 minutes--enough time to keep interested and excited with it. - Criterium race (they do laps of a specified short course): liked that even if I stayed in the same place, I could see my friend go by once a lap to see how he's doing and cheer every few minutes. - In downtown Los Gatos: starts in a neighborhood just a few blocks from the main Santa Cruz avenue. Beautiful neighborhood and atmosphere to watch a race with nice people too. Afterwards we were able to stroll around and get something to eat. - Old school kid's lemonade stands: cute little girls selling 25 cent lemonades in Disney's movie Cars Dixie cups--who doesn't love that! :-) - Variety of skill levels: from beginner to pro, from kids ages 4-9, to juniors ages 10-18, to adults... Nice to see the kids starting out and the experienced riders breeze past us. - Perfect weather: sunny but not too warm, not windy. Lowlights (my flip side to highlights): - My friend didn't do as well as he wanted because he was part of a collision on the top of the hill so he was a bit bummed, but I thought he did great!!! I think it's amazing to even try something like this. I sure couldn't even make it one time around! - Hard to find my friend in the race at first: with 100 people all wearing jerseys it took a few laps for me to spot him. I'd like to be back again next year when he races in it again. :-)

This was my third time running this half marathon. The course is still amazing. It's flat, goes…read morealong the ocean, and the weather has always been gorgeous. The organization and execution of the race was also top notch. Instructions were clear and there was never any question about where we were supposed to be, or where we needed to go. There were more than enough water stations along the course. Why I'm docking a star this year: The welcome expo was so small. I had really talked it up to my friends because in years past, it was huge. They both were looking to buy some merchandise but the selection was almost non-existent. The fire fighters, these guys are a big draw to the event. This year, I only saw 2 or 3 and the line to take a picture with them was a mile long. No champagne? What happened? I was saving that as a surprise for my girlfriends' accomplishment of finishing their first half. They did it, we crossed the finish line and were handed apple cider. It was a let down for me, I had no surprise, only the tale of how we got champagne in the past. The medal is huge and sparkly. This year it features a removable Pandora charm. I will still gladly return for this race, I just felt like it took a step backwards this year.

This was my second Half this year/ever so I can only compare it to the Maui one…read more Pros: 1. They have starting areas by pace so you don't have to worry about being in the way of others who are much faster although we started 5 minutes late so it didn't have an effect on us 2. Tiaras, boas before the finish line and champagne, roses, and firemen at the finish line with your medals 3. Nice heavy medals 4. Beautiful views along the course which is flat! 5. Continuous shuttle buses to and from the race Cons: 1. I wish they told us when they pointed out the gear check area vs. start line that there were bathrooms by both locations. After we checked our gear, we waited for 15 min for the restrooms and rushed to the starting line when there were a bunch there as well 2. Needed more post race snacks as I only saw bagels and banana while the earlier finishers didn't even see the bagels and the later finishers had chocolate chip cookies and they needed a better organization maybe where there is a line for each snack vs. having everyone in one long line. 3. I would have preferred not having the metal barriers that you have to go through after you cross the finish line. Overall fun race to show your girl power!!

i ran this event in fall 2010, and it was also my 1st time running the los gatos creek trail…read more really beautiful park and trail, with gorgeous views of nature. there are 2 distances to choose from: 5mi and half marathon (13.1mi), and you can run or walk either of these courses, provided you finish within the time limitation set by the race director. i ran the 5mi course, which had gentle rolling hills. i was told that the half marathon was much more challenging, with some steep hill climbs. the pros: *pre-race party @ lululemon santana row the day before with: ***community yoga class ***bib & tshirt pickup (note this is a lululemon dri-fit tshirt) ***pre-race pasta dinner *beautiful scenic course *aid stations every couple of miles *lots of volunteers helping out and cheering *finisher's medal for all participants *lots of post-race food & drinks, including bagels, chips, fruit, and hot soup *lululemon merchandise for sale the cons: -must pay $6 for parking -very few restrooms & porta-potties -no chip timing, results by gun time only overall, i really liked this event and would participate again. **note this year's event takes place sept 3, 2012

2024 Excellent experience! This is the Third San Jose Shamrock run I've been on. Unfortunately I…read moremissed 2023. It is well organized. Great energy and not overly crowded. Beautiful day as well, just a bit of a chill in the morning, but the run warms you up quickly. If you missed this year, come again next year. It is held usually the weekend during or around Saint Patrick's Day. Highly recommended!

This was a great first annual race in DT SJ. The sign up, communications, bib mailing and route…read morewere perfect. The only annoying piece which I still don't get, whyyyyyyy would you give out shirts in European sizes?! We wouldn't have known unless we actually looked at the tag and the volunteer told us. We pay money for the race, the shirt and medal. If you want free marketing with the shirt like every other race, can you get normal US sizing? Unless you're a twig, a women bigger than a small has to get a men's shirt. Would have loved the green vneck in the women's, but I'm not a twig. The men's shirts were white, but short and also meant for children. Overall, nice first year, but good grief with shirts. lol Yeah - free Guinness at the end, but no clue where to go for it. The kid volunteers aren't helpful with actually directing people. I get it, they're there for school credits. Hopefully the shirts get better next near.

I've had great experiences with previous Brazen Racing events in the past, and the Western Pacific…read moreHalf Marathon was no different. Though Brazen Racing organizes trail runs which can be grueling, the Western Pacific was fortunately a mostly fast and flat course. The route began at Quarry Lakes, followed the Alameda Creek Trail, and returned to Quarry Lakes. The path was mostly gravel with some pavement. There wasn't much to look at along Alameda Creek considering the drought we're in, but the lakes and hills of Quarry Lakes were beautiful. Parking for the event was free, and the lots provided ample parking. Just be sure to give yourself enough time to walk over from the parking lot to the start line, which is a few minutes' walk inside the park. If you're aiming for a certain time, there are pace runners you can follow. I didn't follow one myself, but my boyfriend did and found his to be incredibly friendly and supportive. I also saw and passed several pace runners and their group, and they were all so positive and helpful. Thanks to their inspiration, I actually aspire to be a pace runner someday to help others! Race photography was provided by volunteers at several points throughout the race and at the finish line. The quality for some of the photography on the course wasn't very good, but I still appreciate the free photos, which you could find online and attain for free. You just have to search through the tons of pictures they have. It helps to wear colorful clothing that stands out. Brazen Racing's medals are always big and shiny, so that's definitely a plus. At the finish line, they also always have a smorgasbord of food including trail mix, crackers, cookies, pretzels, chips, fruits, cakes, pies, and ice cream. They really know how to make a runner happy! There were also some sponsors giving away bottles of protein drinks and Zico. I'd highly recommend any Brazen Racing event, especially one that's flat like the Western Pacific!

i participated in my 8th brazen event yesterday which took place at quarry lakes in fremont. this…read morerace is titled the "western pacific" b/c the western pacific trail was used to transport gravel for construction of the western section of the transcontinental railroad back in the 1800s when trains were frequently used to transport cargo for longer distances. although trains no longer run along this trail, we, runners, can now haul ass hoping to hit a personal record on these historic, yet very flat trails! for this particular event, there was a choice of 4 distances: 1. full marathon (26.2 miles) 7.30am start 2. half marathon (13.1 miles) 8am start 3. 10k (6.2 miles) 8.30am start 4. 5k (3.1 miles) 8.45am start i chose to run the half marathon since i'd been training hard and going long, and wanted to see if my hard work would pay off and result in personal record. the pros: -GREAT RACE DAY CONDITIONS at the start, around 55 degrees with overcast skies when the gun went off -MARATHON is a certified usa track and field course and can be used to qualify for other marathons such as the boston marathon which requires a time qualification on an officially certified course -STAGGERED START TIMES for each of the 4 events to avoid congestion at the start and along the course. despite some overlaps in some of the course routes, and some narrower sections along the course, i actually never got stuck behind someone or felt congested which was great! -PACERS for both the full and half marathon, holding coloured signs on a stick with estimated finish times and wearing fluorescent coloured shirts to make it easy to follow them -COLOURED FLAGS to mark each mile (a different colour for each race distance to avoid confusion) -FLAT and FAST course on crushed dirt/gravel, with a small portion on paved road -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, handing out medals at the finish line, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked after the race -FREE and EASY PARKING inside the quarry lakes regional park dedicated lots which were right next to start/finish area (note that the free parking was only for those participating in the race, if you came for another event on this day, you still had to pay the $5 entrance fee) -LOTS of PORTA-POTTIES near the start/finish area as well as access to several park restroom structures (wait time was no more than a few minutes pre-race which was great!) -COMPLIMENTARY BAG CHECK near the start/finish line, with volunteers to guard your belongings until after the race. parking was so close to the start that most of us just left our belongings inside our trunks, but it was nice to know that there was another option available just in case. what you get: *choice of PACKET PICK-UP @ sports basement in sunnyvale the two days prior to the race or on site pick up the morning of *BLUE, DRI-FIT RACE TSHIRT with a logo of a steam locomotive to commemorate the western pacific trail (shirt is optional, so if you don't want the shirt, you can save $5 off the registration fee) *FULLY STOCKED aid stations every 1-2 miles with water, electrolytes, gu gel packets, salty snacks...quite an impressive array of offerings for an aid station! *BIG MEDAL with a locomotive, displaying event name and date (option to engrave name and finisher time on back for an additional fee) *AGE GROUP FINISHER MEDAL if you were one of the top 3 finishers in your age group. despite a disappointing finish time, i still ended up placing 3rd in my age group and took home a "bronze" age group medal *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINK, including it's it ice cream sandwiches, chocolate cake, red velvet cake, cheesecake, bagels, peanut butter, nutella, rugelach, goldfish crackers, pretzels, potato chips, trail mix, mini muffins, gummy bears, jelly bellies, cookies, coconut macaroons, water, and electrolyte drink. best part is that the food never ran out! *SPECIAL VENDOR on site sharing free samples....the muscle milk vans were parked near the finish area. the cons: -the half marathon course was slightly long, as my garmin read 13.22 miles for the haffie, which is a bit longer than the official distance of 13.1 miles -the 5k course was measured as a 3.2 mile course, which is slightly longer than the official distance of 3.1 miles (read: harder to pr on this 5k course) -most of the course was not shaded, and since it was sunny with temps in the low 60s by the time i finished, it made for a very hot run -the finishers' chute leading up to the finish arch had a couple of sharp turns on an incline which made it very difficult to sprint to the finish, which many runners like to do although i did not do my best, and certainly did not finish anywhere near a personal best, i still enjoyed this event and thank sam, jasmin, the rest of the brazen staff and volunteers for organizing another fabulous race.

yesterday was the inaugural monster dash in san jose, so when i first heard about this event over…read morethe summer, i was eager to sign up for this new event. knowing that it would take place in hellyer county park along the coyote creek trail was another plus as i'd run a few races in this area in the past and enjoyed the events. for this event, participants had 3 distances to choose from: half marathon (13.1 miles) 10k (6.2 miles) 5k (3.1 miles) i chose the half since i'd never run a half along the coyote creek trail and was interested in running something new. the pros: +FAIR REGISTRATION PRICES only $45 for the half since i signed up almost as soon as registration opened and applied a 10% sports basement discount. early bird prices for the 10k and 5k were $40 and $35, respectively, before any additional discounts were applied. +BIB AND TSHIRT pickup the day before at sports basement in campbell +SHORT SLEEVE DRI-FIT SHIRT with the "Monster Dash" logo, which was a cute green and purple monster. i appreciated that they had both men's/unisex fit and women's cut available. +CLEAR MILE MARKER signage at every mile, with different colour signs for each distance so that runners knew where the turnarounds were, or if we overshot! turnaround so that we would not run longer than the specified distance! +STAGGERED start times, 8am for the half, 9am for the 10k, and 9.10am for the 5k to avoid congestion +CHALLENGING COURSE in my opinion, as the half had several turns, and gentle rolling inclines, enough to force you to pace yourself so as to not run out of steam toward the end! +TONS of AID STATIONS throughout the course, i counted at least 10 along the half course, which averages one station every 1.3 miles. +PLENTIFUL RESTROOMS in the form of official park restrooms and porta-potties at the start/finish area. since this was a small event, i never had to wait in line to do my business which was great! +VARIETY OF POST-RACE REFRESHMENTS, which included orange slices, bananas, KIND bars, clif kid z-bars, lara bars, and trail mix. +CUPS of water available at the finish. props to the organizers for not giving out bottled water and using recyclable paper cups! +LOTS OF FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS assisting with bib pickup and registration pre-race, manning the aid stations on the course, directing traffic at forks in the trail, and handing out medals at the finish line. +COSTUME CONTEST post-race, which featured many very creative costumes like rainbow trolls, bacon and eggs, various super heroes, and women who made their costumes out of plastic shopping bags! +FINISHERS' CERTIFICATES for the top 3 men and women per age group, per distance. i finished 2nd female, and 2nd in my age group, so i walked away with a colourful green and purple certificate. the cons: -paying $6 for parking inside hellyer county park -the distance for the half course was short, as i got 12.95 miles on my garmin. i like to run the tangents, which technically should allow me to get to 13.1 if measured accurately, but i was definitely short. while my time was faster, the average pace was about the same as i'd run for my other haffies this year. -last minute changes to the half course, and by last minute, i mean an email at 4am the morning of the race to let us know that there was some construction along the northern part of the trail and therefore the course would run along the southern portion of the trail. after spending the evening before studying the map and memorizing the water stations, i had to throw all that out and go into the race without knowing exactly where the stations were. -since this was a TINY race, i was told 350 total registrants (for all 3 distances) at the packet pickup, i was actually running alone for most of the half marathon. as of today, results show only 53 finishers for the half, which explains why i was running solo after the first couple miles. despite the last minute changes to the course, i give props to the race organizers for scrambling so quickly to re-mark the course, re-shuffle the aid stations, and re-organize volunteers to allow this event to run smoothly. i did appreciate the volunteer in a bright costume at the half marathon turnaround point directing everyone to turn around. BIG THANK YOUs to the race organizer, marnie oshan for successfully putting on this family-friendly event. and THANK YOU to all the kids (i'm assuming high school ages kids) who came out at the crack of dawn to man aid stations and hand out water along the course. i know that i called out at a few of you to come closer to hand me water as i neared the aid station, so thank you for doing this! i also noticed that as i missed tossing my cup into the trash can while whizzing by, but on the return route, that cup had been picked up, so THANK YOU for picking up that cup due to my poor aim. overall, a well-organized event, so thank you moshan productions! i look forward to participating in another one of your events in the future!

We did this run on 2014 and looking forward for one this year! ..it was a great run that my…read morechildren and I enjoyed. It was fun to see alot of people in costumes too. Great time!

Post Race Update:…read more 3.5 stars This is is a first time event they still need to work out a few of the kinks. PROS: ~ Late 11am race start so you can sleep in. ~ All you can drink beer for you and your buddies that cheered you on at the finish line. ~ Free Chipotle burrito to eat post race or pick up a fresh one a few days later. CONS: ~ Race started 5 minutes late ~ Course was a bit confusing. When runners were coming back in they had to cross paths with the slower running still going out on the course. It got a little hairy with dodging people. ~ In the very beginning of the course you have to cross an intersection. Police actually stopped runners and let cars through. Not cool! I'd do it again next year as long as they made a few adjustments. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just signed up for this race. It doesn't start at the usual 8am but instead allows you to sleep in have some breakfast, read the paper, and then make your way to the start line by 11:00am. What's even better..... by the time you finish the race, it's lunch time and you get a free Chipotle Burrito and beer from Gordon Biersch. There's a 5k and 10k distance course that take you along Guadalupe River Park Trail. This event is kid-friendly and family fun. Check it out..... I'll update after I cross the finish line.