The Darth Vader medal was really all i came for this year…read more i participated in the 2012 run in SF and had crossed it off my runner's bucket list... until i rec'vd email newsletters about the 2013 run and mock up designs for the medal... Darth Vader... really?? ok, sure.. why not! **if you've participated in an Awesome 80s Run event before, then you know their medals are made with quality and pure awesomness!** This time i opted to participate in the run closer to home... Pasadena, CA. the location was perfect... Rose Bowl loop, a trail i was familiar with. the pasadena run didn't seem as big as last year's SF run... Getting to the venue was smooth... no traffic (we arrived around 7:30am) and parking was a breeze. Although, parking is $10... wish they can include this in the registration fee so participants don't feel obligated to incur anymore cost. the course was ideal... loop around the rose bowl. plenty of space for runners and walkers to share the road. thankfully it was early enough in the day that it wasn't too hot. there was a slight breeze during some areas of the course that helped out greatly. there were a couple bands along the route to boost the 80s spirits... good times! costumes were entertaining. i was a Rogue Squadron pilot and my bf was a Stormtrooper. we saw many star wars themed costumes... very awesome... as well as other 80s related costumes. great seeing everyone's creativity and spirit come together!

Like the other reviews said this isn't any type of competitive race where you should expect to have…read morea PR for your 5 or 10k time. It's a themed fun run so expect a ton of people walking, pushing strollers, & walking dogs on the course. The event is fun if you're doing it with a group of friends & taking pictures with other people & their costumes but as fair as a race there could be some improvements. Since the course goes around the rosebowl/golf course it would be better to start the 5k first so you don't get stuck trying to go around more people that are walking during the 10k, & starting the race on time. The 10k was suppose to be at 8:15 am, & the 5k at 8:30. We went to line up for the 5k and the 10k was still waiting to go. Both races were started 15 minutes behind schedule. The race packet pick up was pretty easy the day of the race they gave well over an hour before the races started for everyone to get their bibs that couldn't make it out to Pasadena the Friday before the race. They have chipped timing now, at the end of the race you return the time chip from your shoe for your finishers medal. Besides the late start of the race & trying to go around all the walkers during the race the only other problem was trying to get out of the parking lot. The race course go around the parking lot so if you're trying to leave while the race is still going to wait for about 20 minutes. If the medal for next year is cool enough & my friends want to run it again I'd probably do the race again. One of the cool things about this event is they don't have periods where they continue to raise the price of the race. It's the same price until it sells out & they have a lot of different promo codes that you can use to save $3-$10 on registration.

Paid for a group of three for the best package and it was worth it. 2 hour workout and laughing had…read moreall of us sleeping good

Back here again! Kiddo still having so much fun. Staff, Ash, Beau, Ryan still amazing!read more

What a lovely race! Descanso Gardens may be the most beautiful setting for a 5K/10K ever. The route…read moreweaves its way through the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, then through the Camellia and Oak Forests, then finishing through the California Native Garden and the Oak Woodland. For all you die-hard runners out there, this is a chip-timed race with bibs and an accurately measured 5 or 10 kilometer course. This might be a great race to score your first win because it's relatively small; the number of elite runners was miniscule. For all you folks that just want to support a good cause (the gorgeous Descanso Gardens!) and have a nice stroll, you could not ask for a more lovely setting. Atmosphere: Running in one of the most lovely gardens anywhere. Can't beat it! Due to the dense canopy provided by the native oak trees, Descanso Gardens usually feels about 10 degrees cooler than the weather says it will be. It was very cool when we started and I needed a jacket. Course: Loop course: twice equals 5K, four times equals 10K. Seems really easy at first then the steep hill behind the Boddy House gets ya. I ran nowhere near my personal best but it surely was beautiful. Amenities: One water stop, bagels/bananas/oranges and a water bottle at the finish. Swag: A nice Earth Day Run T-shirt, a cute medal, and a coupon for one free admission to Descanso Gardens (expires Dec. 2016). Staff: absolutely lovely! A nice squad of volunteers checked us in and cheered us along the way. Price: $45 but it's for a very good cause. Parking: FREE!

I participated in the Pasadena Sprint Triathlon today, and I had a blast! I hope this review helps…read moreothers considering this race-- as a first time triathlon participant, I was extremely nervous and didn't know what to expect! This triathlon is in reverse order: run/bike/swim. The run consists of one loop around the Rose Bowl (5k), bike consists of three loops around (10k), and the swim is located at the Aquatics Center (150m). Logistics: 5 stars! It is very well organized! Because the crowds aren't that large (this year was approx 750 in the triathlon itself), same day pick up is definitely doable. There are signs everywhere along the course and people directing you to transition areas. There are a couple of swim and race clinics that the event hosts ahead of time in Jan and Feb, but I wasn't able to go. Free parking at the Rose Bowl! Plenty of spectator spots at the start of the race, along the race course, and in the spectator stands at the pool. You can get body marked after you set your stuff up by one of the event staff. Course: 5 stars! The Rose Bowl has a mild incline along the west side (clockwise) and descends along the side of Brookside Clubhouse. It is well paved road as well. The run and bike were very well delineated. I recommend not listening to music during the bike as there will be people passing / you passing others so we can hear each other for safety. The course is a bit congested in the uphill portion especially during biking. For the swim, the aquatics pool is utilized 50m length wise and split into four large lanes. You jump in feet first and snake around to get 150m. It is inevitable that you get splashed in the face bother others or get lightly brushed by their feet, given the nature of the race, but I still found it easy to navigate from end to end. No one was really treading water or hanging on the wall when I was swimming. We all moved along! You and with a fast walk up the ramp out of the pool. Bathrooms/water: Three stars... public restrooms near the parks and no port a potties. Lines are LONG for the women's. One water station on the Rose Bowl course. Transition area: 4.5 stars! Get here a bit early to find a place to rack your bike. Given that it is a smaller race, it wasn't hard to find my bike during the transitions, and I still found a spot even tho all the rows were taken. I just had a bag of my belongings that I placed on the ground, but I saw that others had their towels, goggles, swim caps laid out. It was generally very safe. I appreciated how during the bike and swim transition someone was always there to tell you what to do ("helmet on! Walk your bike!"). As a first timer, that was so helpful. The fast walk/jog to the pool was about 1 min...? Depending on the person. It was a bit muddy and sandy on the grassy area leading to the pool. There is a shoe drop off area before you enter the pool, and it was easy to find my shoes afterwards. Expo: Three stars... the pre and post race expo were meh. Not a lot of swag or food. They passed out bananas and energy drinks, but that was it. I was hoping for more swag! Cost: Three stars... I bought my registration in December; with the mandatory triathlon day pass, came to be $140 ish. There is early bird pricing for $100-110 prior to the extra fees. Swag: Two stars... a plain unisex cotton T shirt. All in all, a super beginner friendly sprint triathlon. Highly recommend for anyone wanting a challenging yet fun experience!

A fun triathlon to do for beginners but even seasoned triathletes will also participate. It was my…read more2nd time this year and was definitely fun.

Probably the perfect 5k race for beginners and some what competitive runners. The venue is so big…read moreeverything is located in the same area. The parking lot (which is free for the race) is right by the start line for the race & right across from the race track so it's an easy 5 minute walk once you leave the post race festival area to get back to your car. They have about five different starting wave with the pace time clearly marked so the first few competing waves don't have to worry about going around walkers or anyone with strollers. Each wave starts about every 5 minutes so the run isn't too crowded either. I'm addition to finish medals, shirts, and free goodies from the vendors at the post race festival they also have top 3 division awards for multiple age groups. They have packets pick up at the mall next to the track the day before the race, and early race day bib pick up and hour and a half before the race. The day of the 5k you also get free admission to the track for the horse race later in the day with your race bib as well as a ticket for a future horse race later in the year. The post race event has a beer garden sponsored by Golden Road brewery in 2023, each runner got 2 free beers. The post race festival was family friendly as well with a few carnival rides, I'm not sure if those rides are always at the park or just there for opening day.

yes ! This is one of my favorite 5ks in the Arcadia Area. Easy parking, Free tickets to one of the…read moreraces, and they also have a festival of rides you can choose to do, but my favorite portion of this 5k is the BEER GARDEN ! last years was awesome cannot wait for this years!

Good Afternoon form sunny Los Angeles , its about 1348hours over here and I wanted to give a review…read moreon my first LA BIG 5K it was a fun and beautiful route , I unfortunately did not race it but walked it as I had the LA Marathon that next morning . So I would say from the walk it was a very nice route a little hilly here and there but not anything too wild. The only thing that is wild is the parking if you decide to sleep in and try to get to the dodger stadium around 530-6am and after just sacrifice and come early and sleep in your car!

I have ran this 5k 4 times because of the "double play" medal given after LAM. (I'm a sucker for…read moremedals) I've never had an issue with parking and getting into the stadium. There are plenty of clean porta pottys and water along the route. The route is mostly road but there are some trails after the 1 mile and there are hills. You start at Dodgers stadium, go around Elysian park and end back at the stadium.

A two-day event combining bike rides, dog walks, kiddie walks, and regular ol' walks/runs. I…read moreparticipated in the 10k about three years prior during the Year of the Rabbit and again a couple weeks ago for the Horse. Many folks enjoy returning yearly for the full 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Lots of vendors in the festival area, including local school programs, community clubs, electrolyte packs, chewy vitamins, Yakult, and street food with grilled and chilled offerings. Parking the day of is no joke, as traffic is limited near the race start. I had to head up to the hilly residential areas for a spot. Lion dance and firecrackers were set for the 5k at 8am, while the 10k started about 45 minutes after. Even though it's been three years since I ran this, I still remember the hills. Sometimes I'd be Kate Bush-ing it while other times taking a much-needed breather. Passing through Elysian Park and grazing the edge of Dodger Stadium, there will eventually be a downward slope along with one or two more uphill battles before heading back to Chinatown. The finisher medal matches the shirt design of a horse with antlers that burns, burns, burns in a ring of fire. In addition, we get an apple, a banana, a bag of chips, a bottle of water, and if you're early enough some of Ohtani's Syncron. Alas! it had all but ran out by the time I reached the finish line. Overall, it's a fun run with good vibes from fellow runners and the local community.

Firecracker 10K & 5K is such an incredible annual event and a true community favorite. What makes…read moreit even more special is that the proceeds go back into the local community, which is something I genuinely appreciate and support. That's actually what originally got me into participating -- knowing it benefits the area makes it so much more meaningful. It's truly a family event. There's something for everyone -- a cycling event, 5K, 10K, kids' run, and even a dog-friendly event. The energy is always positive, well-organized, and welcoming for all fitness levels. It has become a family favorite for us, and we look forward to it every year. Highly recommend getting involved -- whether you're racing, riding, walking, or just cheering others on.