This is a USATF certified, hilly 5k course that runs through the picturesque town of Piedmont. This…read moreis one of the only closed course races around that has a spot for families/walkers and four legged friends. This race offers something for everyone. A speedy start for those who are going to run it under 20 minutes, a challenging course for the weekend warrior or a great stroll with your family and friends. Street parking is free and easy. Race shirts are high quality wicking fabric, timing provided by race roster. Snacks and prizes post race. https://raceroster.com/events/2018/18942/2018-piedmont-turkey-trot

Wow! It seriously amazes me what both my mind and body can achieve. I entered this run simply with…read morethe intent to complete just because it was different to the usual flat Half Marathon's. With an injured knee I didn't expect to even place but ended up walking away with another 1st place medal under my belt. Happy Days! This event was 3 different races: Half Marathon - Very Challenging 10 Km - Challenging 5 Km - Easy Registration: I registered online which was pretty easy, however due to the time on their website being set forward by a few hours I was charged more than I should have been. It's no big deal though as it wasn't a huge amount, just something to keep in mind for future events. Packet pickup was available the day before or on the day, I opted for on the day and upon arrival discovered it was a fraction under 1 mile from the parking so before I had even started the event I had done almost 3 miles. The Course: The Half Marathon course was indeed a challenge. Not so much the incline's and decline's but the course. With the exception of about 2% of it which was tarmac road it was all dirt, rocks, sand and mud so being very agile was a must. One wrong step and you could seriously injure yourself and on some parts of the trail end up falling down the side of the Mountain into a ditch (There is no real definition of a Mountain but given the height many will class Castle Rock as one as it reaches almost 3,000 feet). This run confirmed something to me and that was I seem to excel at uphill running, downhill however is not my friend. With the uneven surface and loose rocks downhill is a real challenge not to loose your footing. Teamed with a knee injury the impact was incredibly painful in some parts. My advice - don't play the bad ass if you have an injury. Around mile 6 was when it hit me, the track became very narrow and went from uphill to very steep downhill and took you off into woodland where you were going over rocks, tree stumps and vine. I honestly thought I might have to pull out at the next aid station and had to limp for around 2 miles until the Aspirin kicked in letting a couple of people overtake me. The views were however worth it. From the top of Castle Rock you could see for miles, it really was breathtaking in more ways than one. Aid Stations: There were just 2 for the entire course and were located at 2.6 and 7.1 miles stocked with water, sports drink, snacks (Cookies, Chips, Trail Mix ect) and energy gels. Post Race: Post race awards were given for various age groups along with drinks and snacks for everybody to refuel. Drinks included Soda (no Diet or Zero. Boo!), Sports drink and chilled water with snacks of Cinnamon Rolls, Brownies, Chips, Trail Mix, Candy, Cookies and Orange slices. Nothing really took my fancy and it would have been nice to have some Banana's for everybody as they're both my pre and post run snack of choice. I could have probably fought somebody' for a Banana and chilled glass of Milk or Bowl of Greek Yogurt, instead I had to wait until I got home. T-Shirts: These are quite nice, I did like the Red color but would have loved a Pink one like last years. II'm just not sure of the quality as once I finished the run I noticed that mixed with sweat (I know.. sexy, right?) the color had ran and turned the white straps of my Camelbak pink to match the rest of it. Would I do this race again? Hell yeah! It was a good event, well organised and clearly marked out.

I have been attending the Celebrity golf events for a few years now. Each year gets better and…read morebetter! See you in Sept!!!

We went to compete, volunteer, and cheer in 2011. Last year was just competing and cheering. I'd…read moresay we have a pretty good idea of how this triathlon holds up to others and it's terrific. Things of note to racers: - The race talk is important. - Pay attention when they tell you about the currents. They're not kidding! - There's a bagpiper at the start of the race (LOVE!). - They sang the national anthem. - There's carpeting leading in and out of the water so that racers don't hurt their feet on stones. - Some parts of the course are confusing. The bike and run involve a few loops and are sometimes biking/running along side one another. It's not always clear which way bikes should go and which way runners should go. - Both the bike and run start and end near a challenging hill. Things to note for volunteers: - Although there's a sign-up online, it's not necessary to do so. You can volunteer where needed the day of the race. - The volunteers are SUPPOSED to have specific time slots, but I witnessed several volunteers who were never given relief and felt compelled to stay MUCH longer than they agreed. Things to note for people cheering: - Be careful not to walk on the course. There are many places where it seems okay to stand or walk where it's not. - Since everything starts and ends close to the transition area, it's convenient to set up camp in a single location and cheer on your racers. - You should bring snacks and drinks as there isn't a whole lot available at the race. Not to say that there's nothing. Just not much. - Cell phone reception is spotty. We had three different carriers between us and none of us had a consistent signal. There were times when we didn't have signal at all.

2013 was the 4th annual Concord Police Association's July 4th "Stars and Stripes" 5K. I am so glad…read morethat I chose a hometown event that supports the Monument Crisis Center (http://www.yelp.com/biz/monument-crisis-center-concord) for my first 5K! The event was well coordinated with good communication by the planners before and after. It was especially nice that we could pick up our bibs and such the day before. The volunteers, of which there seemed to be a ton, were all extremely supportive and helpful. Since the course goes mostly through neighborhoods (with streets closed) it was also nice to see so many people outside their homes, cheering everyone on. A special gratitude shout out to the family who were standing outside their house at the top of a big hill on the route, pumping disco hits and offering to hose us down. You, my fellow Concordians, are wonderful people. After completing the 5K, we stayed in Todos Santos Plaza, grabbed our usual spot on the patio at EJ Phair and enjoyed the parade. One area for possible improvement... The event continues to grow each year (there were over 600 people registered this year) so it would be nice if they added wave times to pace out the participants, especially to get the runners in front of the walkers. I'm looking forward to participating again next year!

At the end of every 5k my husband and I hold hands as we run through the finish line. (Ok, I know,…read moreI know...cheezy...but I love it.) This was the first 5k my husband and I have run where our names were called as we crossed the finish line together. It was so cool to here the announcer say: "And here come Amy and Casey (P) from Concord". We met our goal of completing another 5k, once we'd only registered for the day before. I found out about the 5k in my hometown a few days before it was to take place. I didn't mind paying the higher entry fee (it was still only $30) but it did mean we couldn't pay $7 extra for the nicer, non-cotton shirts. We did still get a goody bag filled with tons of great stuff! Thanks to all the nice sponsors. The CPD organized this event. If you missed the online registration deadline, you could still register in person at the police department the day before the event. I sent my husband to do this and he said it was an easy process. On the morning of the 8am run (Happy 4th of July), we parked at Todos Santos Plaza and listened to the clear voice of the announcer over the loud speaker. We even saw the A's mascot: Stomper!! Then 3-2-1.... we were off! We ran a mostly flat course around Concord near the downtown plaza, high school, and John Muir hospital. A BART driver honked and waved at us as the train flew by. It was so much fun. The water station volunteers were friendly and many of the police men and women that stood with volunteers around the course cheered us on. We walked and ran and enjoyed watching the families around us. A 40 minute finish wasn't very competitive, but we were just there to have fun. Some people brought dogs, which were not allowed. And we also saw lots of strollers, which were allowed. So it was definitely a family event, and the no-dog rule wasn't really enforced. Saw some kids on scooters as well. After the run we bought breakfast for a $5 per plate donation for two pancakes and two sausages and a juice. A parade followed the 5k at 10 am, so we had to wait around a while for that to start, but it was nice out and we talked with other runners and families. Thanks CPD for helping to organize this event. We heart Concord.

I'm a huge fan of the shorter Zoom races that Coastal Trail Runs puts on. The majority of their…read moreraces are on gravel, crushed rock or dirt trail and my joints are so grateful! Also, the races are typically more low key than other options ...so parking, registration lines, and race traffic are never issues. And the noise level is minimal... other races commonly have music volumes that are uncomfortably loud. Check them out!

I've run a couple of their races. The 12 hour New Years run was well organized. I wasn't a huge fan…read moreof the ankle bracelet trackers that just look like you're on house arrest. The Zombie Half Marathon has some great views of SF and goes along the coast nearly the entire time. The signage was mediocre and I felt lost more than a couple times. Every time there's a fork in the road they seem to just put a sign in the middle of the fork which is just confusing. In addition, there were long stretches through residential areas that were barely marked. While this wasn't the worst trail marking job I've seen, its definitely not the best. Also not a huge fan of their shirt designs.

Ran this race over 20 times. It's a fun way to celebrate Chinese New Year and the YMCA…read moreorganization. But my one complaint is with the new policy change by the MUNI system. They allowed a bus to come down just before the race. Everyone had to clear the way. Than as a runner, traffic police were stopping runners to allow traffic to clear. As a fast runner in training to PR, this is not what we paid for. It may be a fundraiser for walkers only if they keep up this policy. Art 62yrs

This is the run that I do for the children. Not like, on behalf of children of the world, but the…read morechildren out on the course with me. I, apparently, serve as the person they don't want to fall behind. Stride-wise, I take after my grandma. She would have a nice hearty start and a slow but steady jog after about a mile. I don't really train, so that is my running style. There are a lot of kids on this run. And it is my goal to keep up with them. They, apparently, try to make sure I don't. If you like to see kids best an old gal while also helping raise money for the local YMCA, this is your run. Super festive, scenic, and very cool lunar new year themed medals upon finishing.

The 12 hour long party aka the Dirty Dozen. If you're a fan of being active and sharing time…read morewalking or running, this may be the event for you. I signed up for the 6 hour version of the dirty dozen which is a 12 hour long endurance event hosted by Brazen race series. Participants are invited to create teams of up to 3 in visuals to take on completing laps on the designated course; teams with the most laps completed within the given time limit, are awarded prizes in their ranking order, the typical 1st through 3rd place. The event is well organized, well marked and well supported for the full duration, complete with plenty of food, music at the main exchange point/ staging area and a delicious meal at the end of your specific race. Participants bring in pop up tents, chairs and whatever you may need to feel comfortable while you wait for your turn as most participants are a part of a team and complete the 3, 6 or 12 hour event relay style. My friends and I signed up as we have friends in our running group who shared how much fun they had when they participated and they were not wrong. We were well supported with fuel for the course as they served a variety of traditional products like energy gels, energy chews and bananas but they also offered real food like pancakes in the morning, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fig newtons, salty treats oranges, water, energy drinks...the options seemed endless. When we were done with our six hour race, a beautiful catered lunch was served which included bbq meats, salads, cornbread Mac n cheese, lots of options of drinks, as well as chips, desserts including it's it ice cream sandwiches. The spread was the best I've ever seen as I'm used to running marathons and only being offered chocolate milk, a banana and maybe if we are lucky, an additional sponsor offer additional samples of products they want to promote to runners . This was amazing! The course was beautiful as it took you through some beautiful trails in a eucalyptus grove as well as waterfront views . When we were done, we were already talking about next year's plan. We are hooked and look forward to future events.

Overall a really pleasant race in the Bay with gorgeous views of SF, the Golden Gate Bridge, Angel…read moreIsland, and more. It's one of the better-organized races with very frequent water stations. It felt like there was one every 10 minutes or so with plenty of electrolytes and Gu. A sprinkling of friendly supporters that take you through the stunning views of the Bay and a neighborhood tour of some really nice houses. It's a nice-sized race where you have runners around you but it doesn't feel crowded. The Tiburon Half Marathon also has the sharpest race t-shirt I've gotten in all the Bay area races. Be warned though that there are a couple of very serious inclines that take the air out of you. That and the 7am start-time is pretty early if you're traveling in but you'll appreciate it since the sun comes on strong around 8-ish.