If you've run Huntington Beach at all, you know the drill, I'm sure: you'll be running along the…read morebeach's pedestrian/bike path, so you'll be sharing the road. And that's cool. I mean, part of the fun in running at the beach is the social aspect: there are a lot of strollers, walkers, surfers, joggers, other runners, beachcombers, kids, and bicyclists. Everyone's outside enjoying the sunshine, making for a great day at the beach. Running the Tiki Beach 5k or 10k, the ocean breeze in your hair, is great fun and a perfect opportunity to get some exercise. There are grass skirts that you can add-on to your registration fee for $5 (or you can bring one of your own.) There are Tiki Beach shirts included in your registration, and a great-looking tiki medal is awarded to all finishers! Get off your couch! =]

I've run almost the same route for another race, but I would say Caren Ware Events blew that other…read moreone out of the water! Super organized & filled with lots of activity, vendors, energizing warm up, & an awesome banana pancake breakfast! Part of the reason I started running is because of the running community and organizations that put together these fun events that benefit such great causes. Free parking off of Warner & PCH if you arrive before 6:30 AM (beach parking) or right at 7am in the lot right behind Jack in the Box. Will definitely run another CWE race in the future!

The 119th annual Hungtington Beach 4th of July Block Party will run from Friday June 30th - Tuesday…read moreJuly 4th 2023. The very first celebration was started way back in 1904, just a few years before the city became incorporated. And since then, this holiday weekend event brings about 1/2 million guests to the party from all around OC, and LA. The first day starts off with a band staged at the corner of Main Street and PCH. This section of the street will be blocked off, with signs along the intersecting streets alerting more street closures in the following days. Over the weekend there will be a parade, a 5K run and the fireworks show on the 4th of course. There will be lots of venders and food trucks, and then the bands. It's definitely a great way to celebrate the 4th at this beach block party.

Situated a really nice shopping complex There are a lot of seats so if you forget to book ahead of…read moretime, you can get situated pretty easy. It's set up to host events so if you wanna commission your own event you have all that you need here. There are competitions which can be very fun and a learning experience. They take seriousness with administration, providing a fair race for all and you are driving "with equal machinery" It's also a great experience for people who never tried driving a race car or are kind of unsure about going go karting. This is a slightly step up from that as you're learning, different sports cars and race cars. You can have the option of choosing certain cars and tracks if you're a veteran looking to practice times with a close enough set up to your car if you do hot laps If you get the premium membership that they offer you could do Iracing but you need to pay for your own membership for that separately so that you can access it but if you just want to do nice half hour or more drive that's also good as well

We celebrated a birthday here with a group of 8 and had an absolute blast! We spent two hours…read moreracing Grid Life, and the experience exceeded our expectations. The simulators and equipment were excellent, everything worked flawlessly, and it felt incredibly immersive. The staff was friendly, patient, and very helpful in getting everyone set up and making sure we had a great time throughout the session. Whether you're a serious sim racer or just looking for a fun group activity, this place is a fantastic choice. We'll definitely be back. Highly recommend!

Daughter wanted to go here and it was a bad choice. Unless you are into Pokémon or Japanese Anime,…read morethere was nothing to do here. Only 2 cherry blossom trees survived the spring before the festival so that was a bust. There were food booths but they were not that great of choice of food so we didn't get anything. The grounds were wet still from the rain so walking around was a little comber some. It was a nice sunny day but not a great day for this festival. Needs a change of how it is run Lastly, the traffic is terrible when trying to find parking. It was a zoo and I was surprised nobody got run over in the parking lot.

The OC Cherry Blossom Festival event features a variety of live performances and activities both…read moretraditional and contemporary, including taiko drumming, minyo, classical dance, gagaku music, origami, ikebana, cosplay contests, anime characters, and more.⁣ My boys had fun in the craft area. We had a few face stencils. My son had a bat on his face and I got cherry blossoms on my hand. We saw traditional Japanese tea for $5 near the garden section. Plenty of tables to sit at and enjoy the event. There was a variety of traditional and Japanese street food to try in one place. I had the Tokyo Yakisiba spicy noodles with egg and it was so good (it was worth the wait). You can see Happy Man cooking the food and spreading his happiness. Shake Ramen was a different kind of way to eat ramen and it was so tasty. The fried Oreos from drizzle were so addicting and melted in your mouth . It was nice to see everyone coming out to support OCCBFest since this was the first time in 3 years. Entrance was free and parking was free, plus free entertainment. The Orange County Cherry Blossom Festival has been inspired by and helped to fund an international student exchange program between Huntington Beach and its sister city, Anjo, Japan.

Just when we were in the swing of having them back, they're gone again. With the upcoming…read moreconstruction, it was announced there were not going to be anymore races for the foreseeable future here on the West Coast. This was the last race on Feb1 as the 5k and 10k took place the prior days. From what I gather from others, this can take many years to come back. I believe this was a new half marathon course at least new to me since the Star Wars Half days. This course was very refreshing, the stretch of it on Anaheim Blvd, running past the Packing District and the Ducks ice rink. The good thing about the "out and back" parts is seeing if you can spot the "balloon ladies" if it's a concern or maybe friends who run at a different pace or checking out their fits. I appreciated the DJ's and bands out there. They brought the energy! Everything was just so cute with the "It's a Small World Theme" but maybe I'm biased because I happen to love the color purple as in the bib, medal, and long sleeve tech t-shirt. It delighted me to see several runners dressed in this theme because I'm not creative enough to assemble my own costumes. PhotoPass photo opportunities were inside the park and some at the reunion area. These digital photos are included in registration and show up in the app same day. I must say the finish line replica photo op in the reunion area was a time consumer in the hot sun. Powerade was the electrolytes on course. I was wondering how they were able to get the taste and concentration consistent to realize they were being poured from the plastic bottles. Not too much to sample or any freebies at the expo if you compare that with other major race expos. The post-run snacks are not much nor memorable unless you count that nacho-like cheese from the box. IYKYK Yes, you pay a pretty penny just to participate but only you put a value on this experience. I would say if you're a Disney fan and have the means, to just do it one time for the experience but that dream has run out luck on this coast for now.

I did it :D my first half marathon, and I couldn't have picked a more magical way to do it than…read moreRunDisney's Halloween weekend at Disneyland Most of my training happened on the treadmill, which honestly taught me a lot about consistency and mental endurance. I followed the official RunDisney training program from their website and trusted the process--even when life was busy and motivation was low. Race morning was early (very early), but the energy, costumes, music, and Disney magic made every mile worth it. Running through Disneyland in the dark, then heading outside the parks with rolling hills, the heat that I did not prepare for was challenging--but unforgettable. These are the things that really helped me: 1. Enlist a buddy to do it with you. I somehow managed to persuade my oldest son to come with his mama. My son who is in his prime, who at the time just came back from officer training school (boot camp). He was jumping, singing, running circles around me during the race, yelling out motivational pep talks. It was kinda annoying and motivating at the same time. 2. Use the free pacers There are multiple pacing groups, and sticking with one helps you stay calm, consistent, and confident. It really helped to see a whole group pushing through. Being next them reminded me about Dory..."Just keep swimming... Just keep running!" 3. Arrive early + move up in your corral We arrived around 4:15 AM, which gave us time to settle in and get closer to the front of the corral--huge stress reducer. 4. Stay close to the start line if possible We stayed at a hotel near the start, walked over, and later met my hubby near the mall. Less logistics = less stress. 5. Go to the Expo on Day 1 Exclusive merch sells out fast (RIP glow-in-the-dark shoes). The expo is free, fun, and has lots of freebies. Pro tip: go again on the last day for sales. 6. Practice in your costume This is non-negotiable. What feels cute for 10 minutes may not feel cute at mile 9. I practiced in my Ursula costume a handful of times. I saw people ditching parts of their costumes. 7. Hydration is covered Water and electrolytes are provided on course. I didn't need to carry water, but some people prefer to--do what works for you. 8, Know the course You start inside Disneyland, then head outside the parks where the hills show up. Save your energy for those miles. 9. Pictures Make sure your number is visible. Photos come free with it. There a a good number of photo opp in the parks. Unfortunately we couldn't stop since we were the last coral. So we did "passing" video shots. You should practice doing this. 10. Volunteers The volunteers outside of Disney were awesome! Seeing the signs, hearing the encouragement, and grabbing the sweets helped a ton. Soak it in and it will keep you motivated I discovered that I hate running long distance. At the same time I also realized I like doing it at Disney and after the race I told my son lets do the Dopey Challenge next. Where you run the 5k, 10 k and half marathon all in the same weekend. Of course my sweet son replied, "sure thing mom as long as your paying." This race reminded me that you don't have to be perfect--you just have to..... "just keep running, just keep running, running....running". If you're thinking about doing a RunDisney race, especially your first half marathon, do it. Train smart, trust the plan, and soak in every magical mile.

I love the races organized by A Better World Running. I am on my 5th race with them and I love the…read moreorganizers because you can tell they care about providing a running venue that it is affordable for runners who want to keep motivated about running. I like the fact that the races are small because you get to meet other runners and you motivate one another. I like the fact that they offer races in multiple locations. I also like the fact that some races are on Saturdays. Plus, there is not need to make an extra trip to pick up your bib. The photos are free and results are updated the same day as the race. I have previously ran many popular races with thousands of participants and I no longer enjoy running with the multitudes anymore. Instead, I prefer small races where you can really enjoy a race for the pure joy of running and making new friends. Thank you A Better World Running for providing an affordable venue for runners to stay motivated to run! Yazmin Ranger

Great race company. Positive energy. Their medals are the best compared some of the others. They…read morehost races all over SoCal. If you want an affordable race, sign up with ABWR.

The Rancho 5K, having now concluded its 3rd annual race, is a great way to get some of my students…read moreinto the running game. This year the course, instead of at Rancho Alamitos, was at Bolsa Grande, another one of our district's amazing high schools. The proceeds benefit Rancho's Track & Field team, and I am in complete support of that. In fact, it was not only nice to see some of my former students running, but many of them were volunteering as well, encouraging runners along the route and handing out medals at the finish. In either case, their being involved (and getting up extra early on a Saturday) was much appreciated and worthy of applause. Whether running or walking--students, family members, and teachers alike--came out pumped up and ready to run. An event that promises continued growth and popularity, the Rancho 5K is one race that I am always happy to attend. Go Vaqueros!

Well run event for a great cause. The first 2 were held at the high school, however due to…read moremodernization construction they have moved the venue. Last year it was at the Bolsa HS Track and this year it will be held at mile square park at the Forrest structure. Sign ups are up and early registration like in the past means discounts. This year Tom will be adding on an additional aspect utilizing Crowdrise to sign up and raise money for the kids. I'll be running again this year hope you will to. https://www.crowdrise.com/RanchoTrack5k