My first half marathon ever...and it was a GREAT experience. I don't like to run with music too…read moremuch so I need nice scenery to motivate me and this course did just that. Not only that, since it's near halloween people come decked out in costume and running which made it also fun and entertaining to see. Water stations every 1.5 miles along with port-a-potties were just one of the major bonuses of how organized this race was. Organizers also had bus to shuttle runners to and from start/finish. At the finish line get ready to eat, drink, and mingle. Everyone was having a good time and families even reunited to celebrate. Very fun atmosphere. I even opted to go to the finisher's party at Clos Du Bois which was very nice. There was lunch provided along with two glasses of wine. Great time all around. I'm already looking forward to going to another one. BONUS: I thought it was adorable our medal is actually multipurpose with a wine stopper and cork screw on it. awesome...

OMG - this was so fun! Since it was Halloween, lots of runners ran in costume (including me... I…read morewas Wonder Woman). We started in the dark, under a spotlight, but then the sun began to rise over the vineyards as we set off for our 13.1 miles. I got lots of encouragement through the entire race from Wonder Woman fans, which I really needed to keep my energies going. For those intrepid wine tasters, one of the wineries on the route was offering a tasting at mile six. Lots of runners were lining up, otherwise, I would have been in there too! At the end of the race, you get lots of whooping and yelling as spectators give you their love as you cross the finish line (I finished in 1 hour 56 minutes). The best part of all is going to the wine expo after the race. You're exhausted, sweaty, and floating on an endorphin high, proudly wearing your flashy medal on your neck. You then get an engraved keepsake wine glass and start sipping tastings from around 30 wineries. Who needs Gatorade! By 9:30am, I had run 13.1 miles, gotten rave reviews for my Wonder Woman costume, was wearing a freaking cool medal, and had a wine buzz. A nice way to start Halloween. I'll be doing this again next year!

Definitely one of my fave 5k runs that I've done in NorCal so far! First off, the crowd here seems…read moremuch more lively than the ones at most of the other events that I've attended lol. Even many people were actually sporting the given branded tech athletic shirt.....loyalists here! As for the 5k run experience itself, a good chunk of other runners were destroyed by the steady but long slight incline that's less than a mile from the starting line lol. I continued running and with me being a slow runner I was a bit surprised that only a handful of people passed me after that first incline (course is out-and-back so net downhill closer towards the finish line). 5k course is purely running through downtown and the adjacent neighborhood. Overall wouldn't say that it's the best beginner 5k running course, but of course you can walk the whole way and still get a good workout!

Fun marathon and fundraising for the local educational system. Lots of people come out and it's a…read morebig event in downtown Petaluma that's been going on for 10 years. Come see Clo and enjoy a run for all levels. Moooove as fast as you like!

I did my very first tandem skydive at NorCal Skydiving 18 years ago. Last July, I came back with my…read moredaughter and I did my second tandem, she did her first--and we immediately fell in love with skydiving & knew we wanted more. One month later, we did another jump at NorCal and expressed our desire to continue. Tyler & Jim explained the process of getting licensed and by then we knew there was no turning back. We started our AFF classes because we knew skydiving was something we wanted to keep doing... and we wanted to get licensed to jump alone. Tyler and everyone at NorCal Skydiving have been absolutely incredible. From day one, they've been supportive, motivational, and genuinely encouraging. Safety is clearly a top priority, and the team is always honest, fair, and professional while still making the entire experience fun and empowering. This is the kind of place that makes you believe in yourself and pushes you--safely and responsibly--to do things you never thought you could. I truly cannot recommend NorCal Skydiving enough. If you're even thinking about skydiving, this is where you want to be!!!

We spent the day at NorCal Skydiving yesterday celebrating my mom's 85th birthday -- yes, her 85th…read more(and not even her first jump -- she also went at 80!). About a dozen of us jumped together, while other friends and family came along to cheer us on. It was truly one of the best family outings ever. The weather was perfect, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun, and the entire staff made the day unforgettable. From start to finish, every instructor and team member was not only highly professional and experienced, but also welcoming, funny, and able to put even the most nervous among us completely at ease. They took the time to check in with each of us about our comfort levels and gave us the choice to either soar gently like a bird or try out some more daring stunts -- always safe, but always exciting. I want to give a special shout-out to Tyler, my instructor, who made my first jump feel natural, safe, and completely exhilarating. Also to Jim, who wasn't working that day but hung out with us, shared amazing stories, and made us feel like part of the NorCal Skydiving family. What a pleasure to meet him! I honestly didn't know what to expect and thought I'd be terrified once I was up in the plane, but instead my fears disappeared and I was able to embrace the entire experience. The mix of freedom, serenity, and sheer accomplishment is something I'll never forget. If you've ever thought about skydiving, do it -- and do it here. NorCal Skydiving gave us one of the best days of our lives. I can't recommend them highly enough and I will definitely be back.

Mountain Family Circle puts on the best race in Northern California…read more There is a Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k distance available for all ages. There is no time limit for any of the races. The Marathon is a Boston Qualifier race. The overall number of participants for all 3 races is kept to a much smaller field than you will see elsewhere. Dogs are allowed to participate in any of the 3 distances along with their human counterparts. This race is a community event and it shows. The aid stations along the course are themed and staffed by fantastic volunteers that cheer for all the runners. The course is picturesque and mostly flat. My dog and I have run the Half Marathon the last 2 years and intend to keep coming back year after year in support of such a great cause.

Mountain Circle Family Services puts on an amazing fundraiser with their annual Running with the…read moreBears Races. I've participated as a racer in both the marathon and half-marathon distances. The race course is picturesque and the support is unmatched by any other race I've done. Water stops hosted by community groups and a hoedown like no other add to the many other reasons why this is an amazing race and event. When you run this race, you become a part of something larger. A family of individuals sprinkled across the globe. You will get support well before you show up to pick-up your packet. Although this is a small town race, the various course options ensure there is something for everyone and racers of ALL calibers. Those who are looking for a challenge will definitely find one here if they go looking. Did I mention this is a Boston qualifier? If you are thinking about running a race, think no more, do this one. But hurry up and get your registration in. They tend to book up fast.

Event Date: 03/30/2008 This small hometown half marathon was…read morea perfect training ground for my upcoming Santa Cruz run. The course consisted of 13.1 miles of residential streets and valley roads with several rolling hills. The start and finish line was at the San Ramon Dougherty Community Center and organized by the city and local residents. This was its second annual half marathon with nearly 1,000 participants making it a perfect start for first timers and heavyweights like me. This was cool because I was able to work on my pace and breathing without being distracted by elite runners. I was able to stay focus and really concentrate - getting into the zone and testing my limits. I did really well the first six miles. My past injuries didn't resurface. My momentum stayed consistent. And my thoughts of the Santa Cruz Half Marathon were in motion. Once I reached the ninth mile, I started to run out of gas. The fear of fatiguing out was upon me. I took a short pause, fueled up (gel pack), and finished up at 2:35. Not bad considering that this had several tough hills. After crossing the finish line, I was totally surprised that they had finisher medals! OMG! I totally stoked! Moments after the adrenaline faded away I fatigued out and felt a sharp pain on the arch of my right foot. I suffered a minor injury that's going to take my off my feet for three days. Now I got two weeks left before Santa Cruz and a bottle of Motrin to ease the pain. Thanks Omar T. for joining me at this event. This was his first half marathon and he kicked ass. Onward to Santa Cruz my brotha!!! Notes: All flat course. No. Inclines ranged from 15-25. Running shoes: Merrell Overdrive Continuum Timing chips: No Restrooms: There was only one portable at the seven mile marker Water stations: Two. Will do this event again next year? Yes. It's a great warm up to future events, but wear long compressions (spandex). It's cold as hell when you "Run Like the Wind" in San Ramon.

I was very disappointed! This time they were not organized at all! They started late; Parking was…read morehorrible, there were bunch of obnoxious people leading before the race started. And worse of all, I didn't get the T-shirt size that I wanted. I look forward to this event every year. But unfortunately, this year, it wasn't what I was hoping for, at all! And this is not going to stop me from participating next year! Thank you!

This is my very first Brazen Race and trail 1/2 marathon. It was awesome!…read more Brazen did a great job organizing the event from registration to the post race celebration. All the details were thought out. The 5K was entirely on paved trails, while the 10K and half marathon were about 50% paved trails and 50% fire trails. The 5K and 10K were out and back courses, while the half marathon for 2011 looped Lake Chabot. The half marathon was not for the faint of hearts. My GPS showed elevation climbs over 2,500ft! Every mile of the 1/2 marathon was a challenge. Especially mile 3 on the Live Oak trail. Intense incline for over a mile! Mile 8 was almost a free fall with a vertical descent for over a 1/4 mile. And finally, Mile 9 which ran along the dry river bed single track. After an intense course, it was nice to finish with great recovery food (fruits, bagels, pastries, IT-IT's ice cream and cheesecake!) Love the well designed dry-fit tee and finishers' metal. I will wear both proudly!

Despite having run in several races (10k, 10mi, and half marathon) over the past 18 months, I…read moredecided to try my first 5k at the Bad Bass. Brazen Racing has become my favorite race company, since they put on such organized races with great swag. This one was no different. Everything is on time and well-marked. As with any race, I'd suggest getting here early, that way you have time to park, get your packet, etc. The 5k had probably the fewest number of people who signed up, compared to the 10k and half marathon distances. Just so you know, the 10k and 5k distances were "just over" 6.2 & 3.1 miles (call them "ultra" 10k and 5k, if you will, haha). Once again, post-race refreshments were great, with bagels, granola, candy, all types of fruit, etc.

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.

It took over an hour for me to get to the race. The Richards Blvd S exit was congested and the last…read moremile took about half an hour itself. I've never encountered this problem before at other races. I barely made it to the race on time. Actually, I had a few minutes left to spare since the race started a little late. The race was set to start at 7:00 PM. It wasn't much of a moonlight run for those of us that did the 5K or 10K. The sun was beaming brightly in my face. With the summer heat, there weren't enough water stations. What I loved most about this race were the glow-in-the-dark t-shirts. I would consider doing this race again, if I ever get myself to the half marathon level because the finisher medals were awesome and also glowed-in-the-dark.

I signed up for this event two days before and was actually shocked that it was in the mid-to-low…read more90s at 7pm when we started running! Running in that kind of heat is exhausting! There were about 1500 people for the half marathon (based on bib numbers) - but it seemed like such a huge crowd. The route goes through Davis neighborhoods and on a lot of trails over campuses and parks. A few citizens were friendly enough to stand out front with hoses to spray willing runners (I wish there were more nice people doing that!). Despite the heat and my body not being happy with it, I stuck it out for my worst half marathon time ever. I also met a LOT of nice dogs (I decided to stop for at least two cups of gatorade at every station and pet every dog on the way, plus walking 2 miles with an ankle cramp and stopping twice for toilets - finished in 2:05). The event was run pretty smoothly - they had official timing spots all throughout the route - and there were some great sponsors - Zico was there once again with their awesome coconut water, and I had a great big chunk of the heart of a watermelon at the snack tent (yum!). I kind of wanted to get the ladies cap sleeve blue and white shirt but didn't see it on sale anywhere! I like running later in the day (instead of the usual 7am) and I like warmer temperatures but I'm not sure I'm up for low 90s again, that was exhausting!

Cars pulling boats on a soapy track. Picking bits of fiberglass out of your mullet. I don't think…read moreit can get any better.

Enjoyed the whole experience. The announcer makes it fun and the excitement is there. The…read morecheeseburger at the concession was really good and the people at the Lions beer booth were all so friendly. A really nice night out. I would recommend it for families with kids age 7 and above and couples.