I'll write a more in-length review later, but for now... Super flat out-and-back course which was really nice but at the same time had some not-so-pristine moments (roadkill...stinky water treatment plant...stuff like that). THE MOST AMAZING post-race snack table ever! I mean seriously. Someone posted a picture of it, and it really deserves 6 stars. This race isn't getting 5 stars because: A) having to pay for parking (THANK YOU to the parking gate guy who worked with me when I couldn't pony up the full bill!) B) I had to pay extra to pick up my packet on the morning of. Not sure where the "VIP area" that was included in my $20 extra charge was supposed to be, but, either way I wasn't going to be able to drive from Lancaster to Ventura two days in a row to so the extra $20 was a necessary evil. C) The final mile was a mess. I'm chugging along trying to tell myself to just keep running, but the course at that point was on the beach path where people were just meandering. It was a struggle to stay in the game and keep focused while dodging strollers and random beachgoers. All in all, I might just have to do this race again next year! read more

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Such a great course to run. Whether you're a seasoned runner or this is your first half marathon, this race is sweet. This is my second time running the Ventura half marathon, the course changed a bit to make it easier at the finished line. Now is mostly all down hill. Process of signing up is quick and easy. They are great at maintaining you in the loop on updates as the date gets closer. Parking at the fairgrounds was so close to the finish line and $5 was a steal. You get a nice shirt, medal, a bag and some protein goodies as your swag bag. Also, Nuun water and honey stinger where provided through out the run (at designated aid stations). Afterwards you can get your free breakfast ( waffles, pineapple, strawberries- just make sure they're not in your teeth before you take a picture like I did ) pretzels and beer, haha. Walk around some of the tents and visit with local businesses. Check out mile 26 for all your running everything. Photo ops, too. Get your BQ at the full marathon. read more

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Hello, number 7! For a chance to snag one of Ventura Marathon's tubular wave medals alone, I ran! (Call me shallow.) I mean, Ventura is beautiful, alluring, you know? Running alongside the sandy coast, next to the ocean--well, close to the ocean, anyway--is as refreshing of a run as you can ask for. And since I am from Central California to begin with--a place where the pace is a bit slower, the culture a bit more relaxed, perhaps--the temporary reprieve from the cityscape is warmly welcomed. Noteworthy: 1. If you're from out-of-town, like I am, you're probably skipping out on the expo. That means that you'll probably be wanting to pick up your packet the morning of the race. That's fine, but there is an extra fee for that. 2. Parking is a cinch. There are plenty of parking lots, identified as such via Ventura Marathon participant emails. I, however, did not park directly next to the beach, where many of the cars were heading. Instead, I parked on the east side of the 101, in the lots and structures wedged in by the various hipster bars, funky thrift shops, brasseries, and coffee houses. It was also about 5:30am when I arrived. (I didn't even have to pay!) 3. You'll love the eco-friendly Virtual Goodie Bag!: upcoming discounts and promo codes for the 2015 New Year's Race, Santa to the Sea, The Hollywood Half, and the Temecula Wine Country Half, to name just a few. Who doesn't appreciate saving money? For Ventura's scenic 13.1, I'd run again...easily. Getting back to the beach, getting some sun, getting away from the hustle (if only for a few hours or so), and running... read more

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BORING RUN. My 11 of 12 races in 2016. 11th medal in 7 months. That was the only thing exciting about this race. I shouldn't have to continue a yelp review because I would assume boring would sum up everything. I was expecting running at the beach front smelling salty ocean air, instead, I was running through side roads between crop beds and the aroma of MANURE. THE EXPO. It was held at the pier. Parking wasn't bad. Expo was small - there were random booths but none like you see at the bigger expos selling things you'd actually need at a race (blocks and chews, socks, bras, running essentials). I was happy that they bundled everything together in a bag but when I got to my hotel and opened up my bad there were NO pins for the bib. So inconvenient. THE RACE. Gray, no winds, and muggy/humid. Before I run a race I never bother to study the course, I want to get a surprise. I sure received a surprise... I was under the impression signing up that this would be a beach run. Well, it's not. 0.25 miles (if even) at the beginning and end of the race you will have a view of the beach but 90% of the time you don't see Ventura. First 2 miles we ran through a neighborhood neighboring the beach, squished in a tiny lane so residences can drive in and out. After that we turn onto a main road that passes vegetation crop beds and piles of manure. AND roadkill. I was complete bored to death with the scene. I can hear the electricity powering through the power lines next to the road. There were water stations every 1.5 miles and a few cheer stations - which was nice. But seeing a port-a-potty in good distance of each other can be painful when your bladder is screaming to be released. Since there's crop beds around there wasn't any trusted bushes to do an emergency pop-a-squat. The course was really boring and I'm likely not to sign up for this run again. THE AFTERMATH. The finish line was the start line - at the beach next to the pier. Didn't stay long, no reason. You finish, receive your medal, and pick up your goodies to eat. It was nice to enjoy the goods at the beach. There was a small music stage but the music they were playing wasn't musically inclined to my eardrums. Until the next review... read more

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Although this is titled as the Ventura Marathon, they offered other distances like a quick mile run, 5K, kids race and a half marathon. This was my first half marathon since there are no extreme hills like the Great Race. It's pretty much downhill and flat. You start in Ojai and go through the running trails down to Mission Park in Ventura. The course support was awesome with water/Nuun/Honey Stinger almost every other mile. There were two port-a-potties at each aid station. The course is well maintained and marked with a few bumps. There were groups of people cheering us on every few miles which was really nice and uplifting. The Race Joy app was very helpful because my husband was able to see where I was on the course and it had my estimated finish time at every mile. Packet pickup was a bit difficult since I showed up right at opening time on the first day and they weren't ready. We kinda snuck in once we saw a few people getting their bibs. Also, I know people parked at the fairgrounds and got bussed in but I was able to get dropped off at the start. Overall, if you're in search of your first half marathon, this is a great start. Finishing my first 13.1 mile race was definitely motivating to sign up for another! See y'all at Santa to the Sea! read more

The Route and the Condition: Starting 2017, Ventura Marathon shares a large portion of route with Mountain to Beach Marathon. M2B holds in the spring time. Ventura holds in the fall. Ventura Marathon loops around Ojai for 1.5 laps with about 9 miles distance before entering the narrower bike path. With this arrangement, there were no crowded condition after you entered the narrower bike path. This is a better arrangement in comparing with M2B. The route is mainly downhill. The first 9 miles around Ojai have a few uphill miles. Close to the end of the route, there were a few miles without shade. We were very lucky to have a normal weather on the day of the event in 2017. The temperature was high 70s and low 80s. The next day, the entire southern California reached 100 degree at noon time. The Organization: The shuttle bus in the morning was smooth as the bus station was next to Ventura Fairground parking lot. There were plenty of parking available in the fairground parking lot with $5.00 parking fee. If you have extra time, it is not hard to find a free street parking nearby. There were a number of pacers. However, the pacing time are not 3:30; 3:45; 4:00 as we commonly see. I did not understand how the pacer has a time of 3:27; 3:42, etc. There were plenty of aid stations. The placement of water in front of Gatorade or otherwise were randomly arranged in different stations. A few stations stocked with cliff shots or cliff candies. There were volunteers guided the traffic in all traffic intersections. However, I did see a car accident near an intersection we passed by; not runners involved, though. The party with a live band at the finish area were excellent and fun. The organizers provide sorted out photos to runners. The photos are free of charge if you don't need high resolution photos. The Spectators: Not many spectators. Ventura is a small town. The route is mainly bike path. read more

This is a Boston Qualifier race! A flat race that runs through the back roads of Ventura, Oxnard, to Port Hueneme & back to Ventura. The only "hill" you will encounter is the bridge on Channel Islands Blvd for the full marathon only. The half marathon is completely flat. As a local who knows this route fairly well & have done both the half marathon (2016) & full marathon (2013) I rank this race as one of my top favorites (locally). As for friends who are from out of town, from their thoughts, I'd think they'd give this race a 3 or 4 stars. Let's face it, they promote the whole "beach" thing running from pier to pier, but what others do not know, we actually run past the 805 fields. What Oxnard is known for... our crops & fields. We unfortunately don't go through strawberry fields cause that's the South side of Oxnard. So the complaints would come from the smell of the fields, which isn't pleasant huffing & puffing through a long run. It doesn't last that long though. Throughout the years the route has changed but always starts & finishes at the Ventura Pier. So this is a loop, run out & back race so you get to see the back roads of Ventura & Oxnard twice. * Packet Pick Up/Beach Festival Party: Located at the Ventura Pier where the start line & festival is at. Why not cruise through the beach party? It's free! It's right on the edge of the Ventura Pier where majority of events happen. Since I know the area fairly well, this was the smoothest packet pick up I've ever been through. - Parked in downtown (free all day parking a few blocks down California Street) & walked to the Promenade. - Find the sign with your bib number sent to you via email or they have the option to search your bib number at another booth. - Show your ID (If you're picking up for someone else, they require a copy of their ID & I just showed it through a picture on my phone.) - Get your bib & goody bag. Don't forget the safety pins! - For 2016's race they included a tech t-shirt, hat, flyers, ads, coupons, & snacks. Beach festival had food trucks, booths promoting/advertising gear, snacks, & other races. They also had a stage & bands playing. Beer!! Can't forget the beer! Their beer is from MadeWest which is one of our local breweries in Ventura! * Pacer: I was 2016's 2:30 half marathon pacer. What's a pacer? A pacer helps you finish a race in a specific time. In other words, we will make it to the finish line before or right on 2 hours & 30 minutes, never over! So the pacer before me was 2:15 & after me was 2:45. We're all a good 15 minutes apart. This race was paced by Beast Pacing for both the full marathon & half marathon. Runners usually have a time goal to beat or aim for, which helps them keep track of where they're at in the middle of the race. We are relied on because it sets the pace for the race as well. Every pacer has to have ran a faster pace than what they're assigned or it's supposed to be an "easy" run knowing we will make it. Main goal is to hit the time we're assigned. Did I make it this year? Yes! 2:29:05. Met several people aiming for PR's, first timers, & most of them went ahead towards the end. Josh Spiker always does a superb job every year! He is the race director & has hosted many other local races & events. If the race is through him, I guarantee you a fun & eventful race. read more

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INFINITY STARS! Once again, Josh and his staff did a magnificent job organizing this event. It's on my top fave halves so far. I have not gone to the Expo, but the ease of maneuvering through the bib pick-up and resolving any race issues was flawless (according to my friends). Post race is the best part of this race, IMO. You are showered with food (fruits, fruit in a cup, cold water, coconut water, bananas, pineapple, pretzels, bagels, granola bars). Along the boardwalk, there are food trucks and vendors available. Medal is very useful... like last year, it had the bottle opener portion. ;) The tech shirt is also top quality material. Ventura Marathon is definitely one race to put on your bucket list! read more

As a seasoned half marathoner with roughly 50 half marathons under my belt, I wasn't very impressed with the race course. The race was well organized and even offered race day pick up which is great but I'm not a fan of out and back races. I also hoped the race was going to have ocean views not merely running down a street parallel to the freeway. The flat course might be attractive to anyone wanting to achieve a personal record. read more

Ventura Marathon - Cute shirt but ugly color. Loved the medal. - Races & Competitions Near Me

As far as inaugural races go this one was very well organized. The race expo was a bit of a let down. They only had a couple of vendors and no freebies ... wah wah. There is also no day of bib pick up, which is kind of a bummer for people traveling to the race. Well, correction, you can pay an extra $20 and enjoy the convenience of rolling in the day of the race to pick your number up. The race was pretty small, with only about 800 participants in the half and less then that for the full. At around 6:30 am a group of 5k'ers took off and I think there were only like 30 people in that pack. The course itself was pretty dang flat, I mean like the flattest course I've ever run...ever. It went from the Ventura pier to Oxnard on Harbor Blvd. There were water stations throughout the course, I think I counted four during the half. No GU shots or Cliff reps anywhere on the course though...again...wah wah. The course has you running past what I could only guess is a water treatment plant. And let me tell you, I think that the rotten egg smell made me PR. I wanted to run away from that treatment plant as fast as I possibly could. The halfers turned back around at mile 7 to enjoy the same views we just ran through. Most of it is pretty scenic. You run through the Ventura residential streets, estuary, and strawberry fields ... and yes ... the water treatment plant. The last mile you actually get to run on the beach's bike path and runners have a gorgeous view of the ocean, which is about the only time you get to see the ocean other then the start of the race. The finish is a bit awkward and narrow but I guess it makes you increase your speed. The inaugural medal was super cute. It's the Ventura Pier sign doubling as a bottle opener. Aaaand it has a velcro tab to open and close the lanyard, I'm guessing in case you want to hang it up. The finish line had a whole bunch of goodies. Probably one of the best goodies line I've seen. Overall, this is a great flat course for first timers and a pretty cool one for veteran racers who are looking to do a weekender. read more

Ventura Marathon - Finish line goodies: bananas, bagels, cliff bars, chocolate chip cookies, Starbucks fraps, and much more... - Races & Competitions Near Me

This was my 1st marathon but I've run quite a few half marathons. The race has a really nice 'small event' friendly atmosphere. The Expo was small but well organised and I picked up my bib in seconds. The start was on time and there was a really good atmosphere. The early start was essential because of the heat. Some reviewers have commented that it's not that scenic, and I suppose that is true- although starting and finishing by the beach is nice. Crowds are quite thin and because of the low runner numbers there were long stretches where I found myself almost running alone, but personally I didn't mind that. The aid stations were plentiful and the volunteers were friendly and enthusiastic. For me, what really sets this race apart is how they've considered the details from a participants perspective: I loved that you could vote on the design of the tech shirt and the medal in the run up to the race. A free app that worked well and best of all: plenty of free photos posted direct to your Facebook. That saves quite a bit of money compared to some races. They've obviously really worked on the overall branding and theme of the event: everything looked good and it ends up having quite a memorable, distinctive feel. I'm still using the reusable shopping bag six months on and it reminds me of the race every time. Also, they really work on making the medal unique. Some notes on the most important thing: the actual race- mostly fast and flat. It's a 'there and back' which I don't mind at all. Because the numbers are quite low you probably won't get caught in bunches or bottlenecks. Traffic control and marshalling were really good. Yes, too hot but it's California in September so that's kinda predictable. The race finish was well organised with excellent food and drinks, and a large well staffed medical area (I needed to have both knees ice-wrapped and the staff were very good). The end of the race festival was relaxed fun: bands and a beer garden and some complementary massages if you didn't mind a bit of a wait. Ventura itself is a lovely little sea-side town. Plenty of hotels within walking distance of the start line and lots of nice bars and restaurants to explore after the race. Overall this is a small but well organised, very friendly, distinctive and fun marathon. I'd give it 5 stars if it was just a touch more scenic but I'd highly recommend and especially for any first time runners. read more

This review is for the half marathon (long overdue but better late than never). For a 2nd year race, this event is VERY good! Seriously, many race organizers could take a lesson from Ventura. Super job! Since this is a fairly small race (less than 2,000 people), everything is pretty scaled down. Well, almost everything. Expo .... outside by the pier. Beautiful area. Not much of an Expo but a really fun vibe ... a couple of beer vendors and a band with a lot of people dancing and having a great time. Parking .... both at Expo and race morning was pretty easy. Event advertised a lot of parking at the nearby Fairground. For the Expo, I was able to park pretty easily on the street by the pier. Race morning, my strategy is always the same -- I park a few blocks away. I consider it race warm-up / recovery walk. No issues with traffic that way. In this case, I parked at the Courthouse. It was practically empty and free. Course .... first of all, I'm ALWAYS a fan of races that start/finish in the same spot. Shuttles suck. This is a very simple out/back course that runs mostly along the coastline ... some neighborhood areas at the beginning and end .... and a really pretty section along the Harbor. Only drawback was the few miles around the turnaround point mid-way ... that section was pretty non-scenic and boring ... especially since there was little crowd support at that end. The course map says this race has a elevation of 49.64 ft. I don't know where that 50 ft was cause this course is as flat as a pancake (and frankly, 50' is a blip). Considering the field of runners is small, this is a GOOD RACE to PR! (which was my hope but I was running on a bit of a bum knee so ... that wasn't in the cards for me) Post race .... as other reviews have stated, WOW! The food was great. TONS of fresh fruit, bagels, etc. I've never seen a food spread quite like this one. Very well done. Those are the "pros" ... now to the "cons": Though the food was great ... there was ZERO monitoring of who was taking the food. And the finish chute was non-existent. The finish line dumped right into the crowd of waiting friends and family. And those folks had no qualms about taking food, either. And with how crowded it was at the end, it also made getting to the food a bit of a chore. I emailed the Race Director after this race and he said that is something the are going to fix this year. They need a finish chute that gives the runners some space. Other than that, if you like race photos ... again because this race is still very young ... they didn't have MarathonFoto or anything like that. And though the photos were "free" ... good luck searching thru thousands of them to find YOUR photos. They said it was sorted by finish time but .... to this day, I was never able to find a single photo of mine (and my bib was clearly in the right spot). Overall, major thumb's up to Ventura Marathon! With a few minor tweaks, I could give this 5-stars. I'm definitely a fan, though. read more

2015 race Course is billed as scenic and flat. I won't argue with the flat but if scenery is what you desire, this marathon is not for you. The only scenery to be had on this is at the marathon turn around point at Point Hueneme Beach and perhaps coming back and being able to see the mountains in the far far distance. I did get a laugh on the 3:03 Pacer who appeared to falter around the 15-18 mile mark and then came bolting past me at a sub 6 minute pace around mile 25-26. Needless to say his 'group' was unable to keep up. Negatives -not scenic -boring medal (Bike event had a good one!) -aid stations (only two with nutrition) -distance issue with 1/2 marathon (.5 miles off!) -finish line amenities lacking **small tent, little shade **no recovery drinks (gatoraide or chocolate milk) -Photographs, although free require you to share all your facebook information with pic2go (a foreign company)to obtain. GOOD POINTS -Fantastic organization in many aspects **police and traffic support was TOP NOTCH! **Organization at the finish line was great and kept people moving in an orderly direction **Information was clear on website **Parking location and information was clear and convenient **Marathon distance was spot on -Free marathon photos (at the cost of your privacy) -Volunteers were enthusiastic -Expo was pretty good and had some children's activities on Saturday. -Ventura and Oxnard are friendly and fun communities. read more

Very good organization this year. Sadly, it was very toasty. Good and fast out and back course. I was very happy that I only grab the half given the weather, but hope to return and run the full. Expo needs some more running related vendors, but there was a nice adidas tent. A fantastic smart smaller marathon, would highly recommend. PS have run a few marathons and half marathons. read more

I'll rate this one just "ok". I've done several beach Half Marathons and this was my least favorite. Pros: Awesome swag!! Well organized, perfect race day weather, friendly people. Good flat course for a PR. Cons: Lots of road kill on backstreets (EWWWWW!!), boring, our 2:15 pacers were waaaay off, so that was frustrating. It was ok, but I probably won't do it again. read more

I'm a bit conflicted on this one. I participated in both the century bike ride as well as the marathon. The marathon would probably get 4 stars, the bike ride 1.5-2 stars (5 stars for the course itself, 1 star for the rest). I'll start with the bike ride, as it was first. I signed up to do the century ride a few weeks before the marathon as part of their "Beast Man Challenge." I believe this was the first year they offered the challenge. The organization for the bike ride was very poor, especially since I paid $90 to register for it (which is in line with/higher than other, larger cycling events). First, there was no real starting line or starting time. In general, I think it's poor form to charge people $90 for a ride and not even bother to set up a start line or have volunteers tell you where to go. Secondly, we paid money and had a bib with a timing chip, but the race was un-timed. That's not a huge deal, I suppose, except that it does make me wonder what we were paying for at all if there's no start or finish line and no timing and very little support from either police or volunteers along the route. The course itself? Gorgeous and wonderful. It's a bit challenging, especially around Ojai with some heavy climbs, but the course really is just absolutely lovely. The course was marked, but marginally. They had several turning points that were not well marked, as well as having some areas where they had the same color arrows pointing different directions, and at UCSB there was a part where the course forked with no directional arrows whatsoever. Same issue toward the finish with arrows pointing in conflicting directions, and of course, no volunteers directing people where to go. Lastly, aid stations were poorly stocked and poorly spaced. The first aid station was very early into the bike ride, then there wasn't a second one for 30 miles. Some of the aid stations didn't even have things like floor pumps, which I thought was not very helpful for riders. One of the aid stations was off the course and was so poorly marked that many riders missed it altogether. The aid station with food of substance wasn't until mile 80 or so, which seemed like a poor logistical choice. The medal was great, though. Still, I think this event seemed like a tacked on moneymaker without commensurate planning to make it a truly great event. This ride has the potential to be so much bigger and better - I can't imagine a more scenic course in CA. Lastly, there was no police support at all which is atypical for an organized long ride. If I had paid $50 for this, my expectations would be lower, but I would suggest the organizers participate in other cycling events and see the difference. I did the Tehachapi Gran Fondo two weeks later and the difference was night and day. Not only was it a less expensive race, there were fully stocked, more frequent and better stocked aid stations, a formal start and finish line, a finish line festival, and constant police presence to ensure rider safety. The marathon itself was good, but somewhat unmemorable. It's a smaller race, so runners should temper their expectations for lots of crowd support because it isn't there. The course is quite flat and under good weather conditions should be a nice candidate for a PR. It was quite hot this year, but I can't hold that against the race. The course isn't very scenic for much of it, and the out and back nature may be boring for some. Be prepared for a lot of sun exposure and dress appropriately for that. With all that said, the race started on time and went smoothly (although the half marathon course apparently was improperly measured and was about a half mile long). The marathon had tons of volunteers and aid stations - in contrast to the bike ride, the organization of this event was very evident. Bib pickup was quick and easy as well. The expo is a little blah, but that's typical of small races. The other thing that bugged me is that for the Beast Man challenge (century ride and full marathon), volunteers didn't seem to be aware of it and we never got the brick we were supposed to get for competing it. I emailed the race organizer and was told they weren't able to get what they wanted for finishers of the challenge (which isn't a huge deal, except that even now weeks following the event the website still gives inaccurate information about what finishers will receive). I was also told a week and a half ago I'd be mailed my tile for completing the challenge, and it still hasn't arrived (UPDATE: It did eventually arrive). Again, these aren't huge issues taken alone, but in conjunction with one another and given that I paid a lot to do these two events, it does bother me. I paid $200 for the events I participated in that weekend, so I do expect a certain degree of professionalism which just doesn't seem to be there - yet. Maybe it's just growing pains? read more

First year running this race, and I LOVED it! The pacers had odd times to help you get to the finish under your goal time. Our pacer was friendly and talkative, as a pacer should be. The race was a slight downhill all the way to the beach (with the exception of a few hills in the beginning), and it made running feel easier but not jarring, like steep downhill courses can feel. A large portion of the course was on a walking path off the road and covered with trees. My family came to see me, and it was easy for them to follow along the course and see me at many points during the race. The one huge downfall was that they needed something besides Nuun to drink. I only saw food at one aid station (maybe I was not paying attention when they handed out more), and it was a baking tray full of gummies. I brought my own, so I didn't grab any. But I'd never seen them dispersed that way for a road race -- germs and sweaty hands! And they had cliff bars. Marathons should not serve Nuun instead of a drink with calories. It got hot at the end of the race and we lost our shade, but by that time, you just hold on as tight as you can for the finish! Great medals, great post-race food, and you can walk into the ocean for an ice bath after the run. read more