come back number 4 (4 stars) The route was slightly changed, and all for the better. Great start, but would've liked an earlier start, and great route. This year the finish was at the beach, much better than last year. Due to the problems at the Port of Long Beach, the medals were not delivered on time, and we were told that they'd be mailed to us. Oh well ... Already registered to run 2015 read more

Santa Barbara International Marathon - Santa Barbara International Marathon 2014 - Races & Competitions Near Me - Goleta, California

**Review for the 2017 half marathon** Is there a spot for negative stars? It was so poorly organized it honestly felt like someone had just forgot they were organizing a race. So many red flags: The bib pick-up had a location change the day before that wasn't posted on their website. There was no signage or parking available unless you went into the residential neighborhood or paid the city fees. The expo prior to the event had one booth and the DJ was not provided an electrical outlet so they had to bring in a back up generator. They then did not have enough volunteers for water stations along the 13.1 mile path and did not set up any bathrooms. The bathrooms they did provide were right at the starting line and there was no one talking to participants about where to line up or any communication when the race was running late, leaving about 300 participants standing at the starting line for an hour before the police cancelled the race. The organizers apologized on Facebook yesterday but considering registration fees were around $85-115 this disorganization is unacceptable. This gives other half marathons a bad rap and I hope the organizing company refunds the participant fees and is not allowed to organize in SB again. read more

5 stars... 1. Star for superb organization, from online race entry to the finish line party 2 Stars for the 7 million water stops along the way 3 Stars for a beautiful course, and clean air 4 Stars for opening up the freaking gym for the marathoners to stay nice and cozy in an hour before the race! and 5 full stars for the amaizng volunteers that made that race so gosh damn magical... I WILL BE BACK read more

My experience with this race got off to a shaky start when I had trouble getting my husband registered with the "military discount". On the Active website, there was just one question - "Are you active military?" Well, he isn't...so I said no. When I brought it up to race director Rusty Snow on the race's Facebook page that the registration was confusing, he just told me he was sorry I missed the discount when registering. When I pressed on the issue because other former military folks were also not getting the discount, I was verbally hassled on the FB page by Rusty's friends. WTH? All I was trying to do was make sure all of the veterans were getting their registration discount. Anyway...my husband and I flew in from Dallas, TX. I'm a UCSB alum ('93), so the area is pretty familiar to me. I will agree the expo wasn't anything to write home about, but it's a small race so it didn't bug me too much...my expectations were pretty low. I did think the race shirts were pretty chintzy, given how great they looked last year. I asked a woman at the "information desk" at which bus area at UCSB we'd be meeting the shuttles (there are two, BTW), she simply quoted the website to me which just said "the bus rotunda". Okay. We did drive as much of the course as we could beforehand, so we knew going in how far off the elevation chart was from the website. The elevation chart shows the course as pretty much being all downhill the first 6 miles. Wrong. It's downhill, then uphill, then downhill. Makes a difference. Like Shannon N., I was appalled at what a complete clusterfu&k the shuttle situation was at UCSB. We were there at 6 AM and didn't board a bus until 6:55 AM...and, there were literally hundreds of people behind us waiting for a seat on one of the two paltry buses they had chartered for the event. It didn't help matters that cute little college girls who had no idea what they were doing were coordinating the bus effort on campus. Acting giddy and stupid and clueless may work when school is in session, but no one around me was amused. By the time we got to the Page Youth Center, we had just barely enough time to go to the bathroom and drop our bags before the race started. They did delay the start 15 minutes and we were lucky we got to start "on time". I was highly annoyed there wasn't a single water station until 3.6 miles in, and even at that one there was maybe half a table of cups of water with just a tiny amount of water in each cup. The lady pouring the water (only two people there, NICE) kept getting interrupted by running/racing friends stopping to give her hugs. I thought that was really inappropriate, because a ton of people were coming through and there wasn't enough water. Another gripe about the aid stations - while the people were friendly, the electrolyte beverage and water were mixed at the stations, so I had to yell at people working to find out what they had. The cups were the same, so it was very confusing to find what I was looking for. Probably the weirdest thing was after I finished the big hill on Cliff Drive...I was walking (hey, I was tired) and a young woman in a reflective vest came out onto the course next to me and proceeded to jog along with me to the next aid station. I'm not sure if these folks were told to do that if they saw someone walking? I wasn't in distress...I was just walking. It was strange. I didn't feel like socializing, and I wasn't in any physical trouble. Finally...the finish line. After running over 2 hours in the sun and warm temps, all I wanted was a bottle of water...and I HAD TO HUNT FOR ONE. Seriously? There needed to be a person handing me a bottle of water at the same time someone handed me my medal. I shouldn't have to walk a quarter of the way around the track with what seemed like 5,000 other people just to get some damn water. Seems like the entire run, all I was trying to do was get some water. And finally...the nail in the coffin...the shuttle bus back to UCSB. The woman driving the bus didn't seem to know what she was supposed to do, or where she was supposed to go. It didn't help that half the people on our bus were trying to get her to drop them off at the start line, where I guess they had left their cars. Next time, have the drivers announce before they leave that they are going to UCSB and UCSB only. Short story, long...I won't run this again. While I had a great run, it was far from a great race. Rusty Snow et. al. really need to work on the challenges that come with running a race of this scale. read more

I can echo others reviews in that I was a bit disappointed with this marathon experience this year. 1. Having to wait 1 1/.2 hours for a shuttle bus to the starting line at 6 a.m. is unacceptable. It looks like there were not enough buses hired trying to shuttle 5,000 + runners from the designated parking lot at UCSB. It was very cold and none of us were prepared to stand out there for that long. Once the buses finally did bring us to the starting line, 1 hour after the half marathon started, we had to walk to the starting line. This would have been no big deal normally, but the starting line was already being packed up. A little sad when you are looking forward to feeding off of other runners and the crowd for motivation before a big race. 2. Since we starting late, the first water stop at 3.3 miles was OUT OF WATER! Yes, the first aid station didn't have anything. We were told to run to the next aid station, which was at 4.5 miles. This is unacceptable for a international marathon not to have enough water at all aid stations; especially since several hundred of us had to start the race late and did not have any water for several hours at this point. The aid stations did not have enough electrolyte drink either. It would have been nice to have the aid stations closer together at the beginning of the race also. 3. The mile markers were not calculated currently. I had to set the GPS; as I knew the time along the race was not going to be correct, given that we had a late start. We really ran 13.5 miles, instead of the 13.1. Mile markers were not spaced out for a true mile and some were spaced out further than a mile. Not sure how this happened, but it made for an even longer race without enough hydration :( 4. Also,it is nice to have the thermal blanket at the finish line; not sure if you ran out or not. It's nice to help regulate the body temp after running hard for that long. 5. We stayed at a host hotel where a shuttle was supposed to be provided. The hotel staff didn't know the shuttle schedule or time of pick up or drop off. Would have been nice if some of these critical details were mentioned, especially to the host hotels. I didn't really care that much about the expo, like other reviewers. I have been to smaller races where there has not been an expo at all. I agree there was a lack of information from the volunteers though about race details. However, I really enjoyed the course and the volunteers along the way. Coming from out of town, I was really looking forward to this race and I was extremely disappointed. It sounds like you were better organized in the past and I wish I participated one of those years. This is one race, sadly I will not recommend to my running friends and I will never participate in again. I also wish that I could get a refund on our racing fees :( Did not enjoy the complete disorganization or lack of resources for the runners. read more

Yes, the marathon was cancelled last minute in 2015. It happens. Refunds were offered for 2016 and the last email sent out stated those refunds would go out in June. It's now June, and still no refund. Races often don't have refunds. However, if that is the case in this situation, they should never have been offered in the first place. I'm hoping that they'll prove me wrong and send out a refund, 7 months later. read more

* Review for the half marathon * Bottom Line: A really fun half! I have done this one a few times and it's always been awesome. I haven't run it in a few years so I missed whatever snafu happen last time but every year that i have run it, it's been awesome! The festivities at the end are always fun...and those cookies!! I need to get back to training so I can run it again! read more

A bit disappointed with the whole experience....first of all, the expo was quite pitiful.....barley any vendors and a true lack of information for the race. And as for race day, the race started over 15 minutes late, with little reason why. Also, the race only had three waves of runners which is too few given the courses which resulted in a very slow start for the first six miles.......with that sad the race ended well with a view of the ocean at last....a little more scenery and a bit more organize would make it a perfect race! read more

I ran this race back in 2014 (my third marathon): The route - 4 stars - the first half is running through neighborhoods and honestly isn't scenic at all. The payoff comes at the end when you get the coastal view which is great. Fuel and aid - 1 star - marathons in southern California should NOT begin later than 7:30am. This is far too late. The heat got to be an issue, saw several people passing out half way through the race. Also, how do you NOT have food/snacks at the starting line??? They need to take some of the good given out after the race and move it to the starting line. The starting line is out in the middle of nowhere so you will be unable to buy any. Expo - 2 stars - just not much there... send me my bib in the mail and spare me the trip. Swag - The shirt was cheap and oddly fitting - I just gave it to goodwill. Medals were not even available on race day! Friendly advice to race promoters - please please please get with the people who put on the Big Sur Marathon (or most other Marathons for that matter) and benchmark their standards. read more

I have ran 3 marathons so far. First one was San Francisco Women's Marathon (NIke) and the second being the L.A. Marathon. This month I ran the Santa Barbara International Veterans Marathon and I have to say I was pretty disappointed with it. The reasons: 1. They only provided water. Yes, you may think that that is all they should provide and perhaps I've been spoiled by the other marathons. BUT REALLY!!! Do they not understand what it means to run a marathon?! You run for hours on end and all they provide is water. No snacks except this clif shot goop crap. I say crap! No gatorade. NO GATORADE. Your energy wanes and you just hope against hope that one of your friends or family members is in one of the upcoming miles!!!! 2. The web tracker didn't work. Why advertise and email us about this web tracking system that when the day comes doesn't work. My family and friends were not able to track me in order to cheer me on or provide me any snacks and drinks! 3. When my family members asked volunteers or workers about the marathon to direct them to a certain mile (becauase once again the website didn't work and when they would try to close up on the map it would blur) no one knew anything. 4. There were barely any people present. Most of the marathon there were rarely any groups of people or individuals cheering us on. This is one of the reasons that I was disappointed because when you feel you're just about to give up those cheers really do come in handy. But honestly, I think this was also due to the fact that most spectators didn't know where to go! SO DISAPPOINTED. BUT!! If you do like to be on your own with only your own food and drinks when you run long distances, this marathon is for you. read more

This year 1/2 Marathon was awful. I couldn't believe the lack of organization. I would have preferred getting an email stating the race is cancelled. You will expect water stations every mile. But they only had 3 water stations. It's a complete joke. Sad!!! Don't count on me to ever come back to run in this race. read more

It would have been better if organizers cancelled the marathon and just told everyone you were keeping the money instead of promising a refund for a last minute cancellation and then NEVER REFUNDING PEOPLE'S MONEY. It's not like it takes time or money to train for a marathon... And then to continue to email me to run the race this year. WHAT A JOKE read more

This review is for the half marathon from November 2014. After reading about the scenic beauty of the Santa Barbara Veteran's Day Half in Runner's World, my mother-in-law booked us a trip for a race vacation in sunny California. I feel we were mislead about the scenery of this race... We started out in Goleta and ran by some suburbia. A few gas stations and grocery stores. Then onto a bike path that was kinda-sorta near water, but not really. At least it had shade? Then out onto a seriously slanted road for a few miles. Up a big hill. Finally, pretty beach! Apart from the lackluster race course, the whole event seemed rather poorly organized. The organizers handed us a slip of paper at the expo saying the medals were stuck on a boat, promising us they'd mail them. It's over 2 months later and I still haven't received mine. Signage was lacking before, during and after the race. Shuttles were inefficient. We waited forty-five minutes plus in a big open parking lot on the pavement with no seats or shade to get the shuttle back to our hotel. The finish line celebration left a lot to be desired. Don't think I'll be making an annual vacation of this one. read more

Race cancelled last minute. Still waiting for my refund from the entry fee I paid in July 2015. Unprofessional.

This race was a sh*^ show from the beginning. We arrived at the expo to find that the medals have not arrived and are stuck on a ship. They will be mailed to us when they arrive. *added cost?* I had been registered for this run for almost a year. I'm pretty sure they had enough time to get them ordered. The second surprise was the t-shirt, not tech shirt, that was too small. I ordered a medium and this shirt was a size too small and made in China. From the arm holes to the neck and everything in between. Who orders a regular cotton t-shirt for people who've registered for a marathon? While we were disappointed with what we'd found out already, more disappointment was to come. The expo had hardly anything, and the place that actually had tech shirts had a limited supply. Not sure why that was considering the expo was only 1 day and we arrived about 15 min. after it opened. Very poor planning all around. Now, race day.....We get to the UCSB campus and park the car. The volunteers arrive and tell us we need a pass to park there and they give us one. We ask if we are in the right spot for the marathon pick-up. The volunteer tells us we are not and are supposed to be in Lot 10. All the signs into the campus told us this was the lot. So, the volunteer decides to double check. Good thing he did because we were in the right spot. We lock up the car and head over to where the buses are supposed to be. A ton of buses arrive, we start to load and someone asks if this was the marathon bus. The driver said where he was going, which happened to be the half marathon starting point. No one knew where the marathon buses were. So, we stood outside shivering while it was figured out. We were supposed to start heading out at 5:15, I believe we boarded the correct bus at 5:45. We arrive at the start and were able to go into the gym to warm up. The fly over before the start of the race was nice. The weather was unusually warm and there were not enough aid stations. When you know it's going to be warmer than expected, you get more water/fluid out on the course. I saw 2 people being loaded into ambulances. This was not good. The last mile, the tribute to Veterans, was well lined with flags and was by far the best part of the course. The course doesn't give you many opportunities for ocean views until the end of the race. The finish line festivities were lacking as well. There just wasn't much there. This was my 5th marathon and one I would never do again. One of the gals I run with ran this and it was her 25th marathon, (Boston 5 times and NY 3 times). She said this was by far the worst organized marathon ever. For being in their 6th year, they should have better knowledge of what it takes to put on a marathon, especially a Boston Qualifier. I will stick to Huntington Beach and the Surf City marathon. I love the shirts, the medals, expo, atmosphere and organization. Save your money and choose a more organized race! read more

Really good experience at this marathon. It was my 4th full marathon. The support was great. The course was beautiful. Super organized. Brutal hill at mile 24. So it's not an easy course (so beware!) They had PLENTY of aid stations. Water and gu brew were being served during the 2011 edition. Plus it's Santa Barbara. And the weather, you couldn't beat it. 60's. I would do this one again. read more

Of all the races I've run (I'm now at 8 half marathons in the last 2 years, and numerous 5k's and 10k's), Santa Barbara 1/2 is probably my least favorite. And I live in Santa Barbara!! I'd much rather travel out of the city for other races. For several reasons: 1) Tiny little finishers medal. Now don't get me wrong, I love a good course as much as anyone and know it's not always about the bling, but a dinky little medal for the price you pay is just just a little sad. And it's the exact same medal from the previous year. 2) Organization- it's kind of a clusterf$%#. Especially the finishers village. It would be great if it was a little better organized. The beginning of the race wasn't much better. There wasn't any gun, or horn or announcement or anything. All of the sudden we were running without warning. Kinda weird. 3) The price. It's expensive for what you get...which is nothing. No goody bag, no swag, no samples. Did I mention a dinky medal? Only a shirt. I got better goodies from the She Is Beautiful 5k/10k race and paid a quarter of what I paid with this event. Those girls really do a great job! 4) The course. Now for Santa Barbara, I'm so surprised that the only part of the course that is even remotely pretty to look at is the very last mile. With all the natural beauty here, couldn't they come up with a better course? The Goleta bike path is no bueno. Especially for how long that stretch lasts...run thru Hope Ranch! Or montecito, or even other parts of SB. It would benefit so much from this. This is the one main complaint I hear from other runners. They wish it had a better course. Now I hate to harp on this race because I love SB. And hence why I feel like it could be soooo much better. They should take notes from surrounding races. The Santa Barbara Wine Country Half was AMAZING. So beautiful, lots of pre and post race goodies. Wonderful start line organization. Etc. The She Is Beautiful 10k is fabulous. They give you so much back and put on such a fun event. Even the gigantic 20,000+ races in LA & Orange County are more fun when compared to this one (even tho they are crazy slammed with people and lines are long) because at least you feel like you are participating in an event...and not just a regular Saturday morning run. I really hope the race organizers improve this event. I won't be running this one again until they do. Not worth my paycheck unfortunately :/ read more

I still haven't received my refund for the 2015 race that they cancelled either. I cannot get ahold of anyone - I've sent numerous emails. This company is so dishonest and I will never sign up for a race through them again. DON'T SIGN UP!! read more

Terrific marathon. Small, feels very 'local', but with excellent support at water stations, nutrition, etc. All of the benefits of a large race without the crowds, lines and hassles. Best of all is that before the race the 881 marathoners pretty much all fit into the HS gymn, so it was a comfortable experience. There were plenty of porta potties, and even indoor bathrooms available - rare at larger events! Good communication before and during race day. Race expo was small-ish but lively. Logistics were all smooth. Beautiful course, mostly flat with one hill (inconveniently placed at mile 23.5, but it's not that long). The best part was the end - running down towards the ocean and into oceanside La Playa stadium... Then a mile or so stroll back to most downtown hotels... Great job by the organizers and I'd love to do it again!! read more

I signed up for the Santa Barbara Marathon last year, 2015. The race was canceled last minute. I was promised a refund, which was supposed to be issued in July of 2016 (IT SHOULD NOT TAKE A YEAR TO RECEIVE YOUR REFUND). It is now August of 2016 and I have still not received my refund. I also have contacted the race staff AND ACTIVE.com and have not heard back from anyone. This is absolutely ridiculous and unprofessional. Do not sign up for this race. read more

This Marathon was not well organized, no enough water stations, no warm up,no photographers alone the route other than two close to the finish line, no results as of Sunday 13,2016. Very bad experience will never register again!! read more

What an absolute joke of an organization. My wife signed up for the full marathon months in advance and trained hard to prepare for it. Three and a half weeks prior to the race, they send out an email informing everyone that the full marathon has been cancelled. So not only do they cancel the race on such short notice (after everyone has booked travel arrangements), but they offer no explanation for it, aside from stating that production costs were too high and participation was too low. So, they punish the runners for their lack of ability to successfully run a business. On top of that, they offer a full refund, but they're going to wait at least two months before giving us our money back. Or, if we prefer, they're kind enough to allow us to register for the half marathon, for full price of course. Or, better yet, they allow us the option to transfer the money to next year's race - which I'm sure definitely won't get cancelled. Pure incompetence by whoever runs this organization. read more

Unfortunately the full marathon was canceled (boo hoo!), but the new half marathon starting at UCSB should be spectacular. I've run many marathons and half marathons, and I'm beyond excited for the upcoming Santa Barbara International Half Marathon. I'm pretty sure all the negative reviews are friends of the guy promoting his own alternate marathon or half marathon. Running in Santa Barbara is as good as it gets, and the folks in charge of this race are awesome people trying their best. The new half marathon point to point course will rock! read more

Absolutely THE worst event (athletic or non athletic) in which I have ever participated, no question. Agree with other poor reviews. The shuttle dropped us off 3 miles from the start of the race in a Vons parking lot (I was there at 545 AM). I had to run 3 miles to the start against the traffic, drop off my bag, then start my run the other way. The organizers are either supremely inexperienced or absolutely apathetic. Several attempts to reach them after the race have fallen on deaf ears. Scenery ok but similar views can be seen anywhere along the pacific coast to Malibu. Skip it, absolutely not worth the time read more

From start to finish I had a wonderful experience. The organizers didn't have enough busses to get all the runners to the start on time, but when I contacted them they apologized and assured me these were growing pains and have taken steps to assure that would never happen again. Incredible support all over the course and over 80 police officers out there in the beauty of SB. The last two miles were incredible with World War II fighter jets flying over head as well as the "Veteran's Mile" with over 150 flags lining both sides of the street celebrating Veterans Day!! Just loved it and will be back! read more

I am still waiting for my finishers medal! It is now December 15th! the race was November 8th! Really??? 1. Flew in from Boston MA just for the race after reading about the beautiful views-not! ran on a trail through backyards for most of it. 2.The race shirts-huh? Cheap! Get a better race shirt at a local fundraiser 5k 3. The write up states "run through lemon and avocado groves" I am not a fast runner so I could not have missed them!! 4. Noticed most of the other reviews gave 2 stars-how generous of them! I want a refund! read more

Some pretty disorganized aspects to this race (shuttle service, mile markers, finish line refreshments) and the race directors were unresponsive. Otherwise it was fine. read more

Awful!! They canceled the Marathon 3 weeks before the event. Complete disregard for the training and preparation the runners go through for MONTHS to run a marathon. Also, they refuse to reimburse until 2016, I will be disputing with my credit card company. Shame on the event coordinator!! read more

Never again! I ran 4 races this year and this was the worse race I've ever done. No organization, shirts were crap, I still haven't received my finishers medal and it was SO expensive. The course was nice but not worth it. I will never do this race again. I just feel bad for my friends who came from out of state to run this crap race. read more

Has anyone figured out how to get a refund?!?! I spent over $300 on the 2015 marathon relay, which I was supposed to get refunded by June 2016, and like everyone else, still have not received it? I've called the race director many times and left voicemails...never received a call back, and my husband emailed the FAQ page. A woman initially responded back to him asking if he would like to run the 2016 race, and when my husband emailed back saying he would prefer to get a refund because we're unavailable to make the event, we never heard back from the woman again. I get that races don't normally provide refunds, but it's not our fault they canceled the event. Does anyone know if there is a class action lawsuit in the works since they stole money from a lot of people? read more

Nothing like it used to be. Cluster at the start and lots of people couldn't even get to the line in time due to poor transportation. No swag bag, sponsor filled shirt was just ugly...Yikes. At least it was a PB time wise. read more

I love the Santa Barbara Marathon! Take Amtrak to Goleta on Friday, walk to restaurant and hotel, load up on carbs with a glass of red wine, share a cab ride with other runners to Dos Pueblos High School on Saturday morning, pick up your bib and timing chip (yes, no need to attend the expo!), meet lots of friendly happy people, warm up inside the gym, check your gear, listen to the national anthem and watch WWII fighter jets fly over. About 1,200 runners, laid back atmosphere, flat course (except mile 23), roads are completely closed off and good run support (bring your own energy gels though!). The last two miles are spectacular - ocean views, volunteers hand out American flags and finish in the Santa Barbara City College stadium. Then shower on the beach, grab a beer on the pier and take Amtrak home from Santa Barbara on Saturday afternoon. Spend Sunday with the family - perfect weekend! read more

Where is my refund? This is absolutely terrible. I've sent over a dozen emails and not one single person has responded. You are so unprofessional it makes me sick. Why even offer the refund if you clearly aren't going to do it? DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS RACE. read more

Just wanted to say I'm local to the Santa Barbara area (Goleta to be exact). I ran the half marathon last year and I ran the full this year. Since I'm native to the area, I didn't expect much of the running route as it goes through areas that I frequent. The one component of the race that worried me was the weather. Rain was in the forecast for Friday and Saturday (race day) and the winds were pretty gusty the few days leading up to the race. Come race day, the weather could not have been more perfect. Temps were a little higher than I expected but still good running weather, there were gusty winds but thankfully it was a tail wind most of the race and it "pushed" runners from behind. I was grateful for that! Much of the organization of the marathon seemed to go down a notch this year. The expo admittedly was not as great as last year -- there seemed to be more vendors and a more vibrant atmosphere. The bibs were of cheaper quality (it's just a bib, but still), the tech shirt from last year was worlds better in terms of looks and quality. They were trying to be "green" this year so they didn't have a goodie bag -- which IMO kind of sucked. It didn't bother me much that I had to bring my own bag to the race, but last there were more goodies. As for the race itself, unlike previous posters, I felt the water stations were evenly placed. I didn't use the stations as much in the beginning of the race, but towards the middle and later parts of the course, the stations were predictably placed so I could plan when I wanted to drink. The cliff shot stations were placed at strategic points in the race (mile 9 and 17 IIRC), I personally carried 2 shots and replenished my load when I got to the stations. I will say that the fluid stations were extremely confusing. I ran up to one station expecting a fluid drink but got water instead. I was pretty disappointed by this, but in my stead I brushed it off and continued running. Vonlunteers at some fluid stations were better about letting runners know what kind of drink they had in their hands. This was my first full marathon and I honestly have to say the course was tough! It definitely is as much a mental game as it is physical. For me especially, since I knew the layout of the course, I was constantly pacing myself for the course conditions to come. The "big hill" between mile 23 and 24 was expected and I decreased my pace to almost a fast-walk -- it wasn't as bad as I thought but it was still killer. They should really have a water station right at the top there, but you still have to run a little longer to get to the next station. The finish line was AWESOME! Running the last 1.2 miles, I sprinted through row of flags. Once I got to the stadium my friends were there to cheer me on. It was a great feeling. I got to the end of the stadium and there were volunteers there ready to give me my medal, another handed me a water bottle, and there were others with ice bags ready to wrap them around parts of your body that were the most sore. I thought the finish line was the best part of the race. Being local, this race is always going to be tempting to run. I can't say much for those who travel long distances. But I will say the weather conditions are always going to be excellent, the organization of the race seems to be up and down from year to year, but I think overall -- a smaller race like this might be more favorable depending on they type of runner you are. read more

I'll be the first to admit that the hills throughout the course and especially towards the end caught me completely unprepared. I have to agree with Jolie F. that the expo was pitiful. Maybe I'm just used to the larger races, but the vendors and samples were lacking. No goodie bag with samples? No tote bag period? The tech shirts was ok in that it was and Asics branded shirt with a tasteful logo. The back was covered with all the sponsors, something that the other three races I ran didn't. The course was scenic for about half the course. Rolling hills amid orchards, mountains in the background, peek a boo ocean views. However, a lot of it was through sleepy neighborhoods, a bike trail (which at least they closed off, unlike parts of Surf City). Smelling horse manure behind the equestrian center wasn't my favorite part either. Running into the stadium is nice, makes you feel like a pro. The volunteers on the course couldn't have been better with the cheering. The aid stations could have been a little more predictable though. The FLUID (electrolyte brew) was weak and sporadic on the course. Even with the water stations, had them every mile for a while, then would skip a mile randomly. Granted that's something you can plan ahead for, but one less detail for you to worry about. Isn't that partly what the $130 entry fee's for? The end was quite anticlimactic as they're trying to be a plastic bag free race. Consequently, you're picking the post race snacks off a table, and trying to stuff them into your pocket as you're trying to find your loved ones and get out of the way. Nice in theory, but total fail in practice in my opinion. read more