I tip my hat to the runners who showed up for the 2008 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon…read more Not only are they good runners, but evidently they are good drivers as well. When 30,000 people converge on a four block radius and all you get is a 4 car pileup near the freeway exit... then I call that a success! I know they say to get there early, but I think my plan of getting there late really worked. I got to ride the shuttle with only 2 other passengers, and I walked right into the porta potty, since all of the corrals had already pushed toward the starting line. Of course, there is a downside to arriving late. The only bananas that were left were quite green, and the peel was resisting my efforts, and winning. It was a little chilly, but I had the foresight to bring an oversized garbage bag (unused) to wear. From what I could tell, I was the only member of 'Team Hefty'. 13.1 miles of rubber hitting asphalt goodness. To the douchebag who hawked more than one huge loogie on the course... dude, while I'm impressed at your expectorant's effectiveness, next time, move a few feet to the edge and spew off the course. The best part about this marathon was the amount of support. I counted about 13 high school cheer or spirit teams whooping it up for us. Is it just me, or are high school girls more alluring than they were, say 20 or so years ago? Makes me wish I was back in high school. No, not as the creepy janitor guy who just happens to show up in the ladies room with a mop & bucket after you close the stall door, but as the questionably straight cheer mascot. Around mile 8, a fetching young lady approached me to say that she had been using me to keep pace with. That was quite a motivator, and I pushed myself even harder, until I remembered the scene in True Grit where John Wayne pushes his horse too hard, and it crashes to the ground in a glorious cloud of dust. I finished and passed a food table as I made my way to the exit. I grabbed two Dole Fruit & Yogurt cups. It wasnt until I opened it, that I realized that its gelatinous form would be hard to eat without a spoon... so I went for the toothpaste method. I'm sure it was all over my face. I got a cool colored medal. Cant wait to wear it to work tomorrow, shouting out: "Jeffey say - Go For Gold!" For those who don't know, this is the event that Yelp-mate Ivonne B was training me for. Some might call me a hero, for finishing 13.1, but I'm no hero. No, that title is reserved for my friend Phil and his wife Lissa... or Yelp's own Jenn X, who ran the full 26.2. They are the true heros of the marathon world. I'm just a squirrel trying to bust a nut. In the days preceeding the event, a handful of people said that this was going to be the greatest memorable occassion ever. Maybe I just dont get it, or maybe I'm just bitter. But as Homer would say... [sickly sweet] Oh, look at me! I feel so special being a part of this transcendental event! I'm the Magical Man from Happy-Land, in a gumdrop house on Lollipop Lane! [leaves the room, slamming the door] [pokes his head back in] Oh, by the way, I was being sarcastic. [closes the door]

I returned for my second year to RNR AZ. This year, I opted to do the remix challenge with the 5K…read moreon Saturday and the half on Sunday. The expo was large again, and in the Phoenix convention center, right off the light rail. I opted to stay in Tempe because the 5K and Half Marathon start and finish lines were all there and my only trip to Phoenix would be for the expo. The 5K starts adjacent to Tempe Beach park and ends in Tempe Beach park. We walked there, but there was ample parking for those who drove. The course is quick and scenic and has the same finish as the half marathon, giving us a preview of the next day. Even with the short distance, participants get a tech tee, medal, one water stop and one band on course and refreshments and a finish concert. The half course was fairly similar to last year (a few tweaks due to construction, I think?) The half and 10K start together on the ASU campus (while the full marathon starts in Phoenix). Plenty of parking for those who drive, but beware of road closures. We caught an uber over and it was difficult to get there. PF Changs is no longer a sponsor as of 2016, so no horses at the start, or dragon running on the course :( The course wanders through Tempe into Scottsdale, and ending at Tempe Beach park. I had a bit of a rough race (recovering from an injury), but still had a positive experience. Bands on a pretty regular basis, well staffed hydration stops. The one frustrating thing is that on some sections of the course, we had the inner lanes of the road with traffic on the outermost lane on both sides. I understand this averts full road closures, but the problem is if you need to pull over and stretch, you need to watch for traffic. Huge finish area at Tempe Beach Park. The medals from 2015-2018 will connect to make a super medal, so I guess I'm in for the whole shebang now!

Did you know : The oldest documented turkey trot, a…read morestill-ongoing annual event in Buffalo, New York dates to 1896. This year I decided to create new traditions and participated in my first Turkey Trot! It is a family friendly race that features 5K & 10K scenic routes through downtown Phoenix with no out and backs. There is also a tot trot for the littlest members of your family and a 1 mile gobbler dash for those that want something shorter on Thanksgiving morning. The event was well organized and fun for the whole family. Looking forward to future trots!

I love this race. I've done the 10K for the past three years and it's a great day for running. This…read moreyear it began on time and they had two "water" stations with pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce. I didn't try either cuz I didn't want to stop for it so no input on their taste. The course was similar in that the 10K is two 5K loops, so basically I had to pass the finish line and make a left to loop the course and finish, which was tough. The weather is always great during this time of year and the crowds are plentiful but not overwhelming. The one complaint is the post race food; they had water and yogurt which was fine but then they had trays of animal crackers and other cookies, it was weird. Wish they had bananas and oranges. Turkey trots take place all over the valley on Thanksgiving but I love running through Downtown Phoenix and I will continue to participate. Definitely recommend this race as it is family friendly, plenty of parking, and good vibes.

How did I not know about PHOESTIVUS!? My cousin asked to tag along over the weekend. We arrived a…read morelittle after 5 PM. Of course downtown was busy however we were able to find street side parking close by. This is the best place to get all your holiday shopping and to support all your local vendors/ artists! There's a mix of 170 vendors. We also enjoyed the food trucks! We snacked on popcorn, papusas, and tamales. Yummy! Everything we ate was very delicious. I'd come back again next holiday! Very festive and dog friendly.

Neat market, it takes up a whole block. All local valley vendors from Goodyear to Chandler. Food,…read morejewelry, vintage goods, soap, plants, art, and more. The Yeti wonders and you can take a photo with him, there's a hip Santa you can also take a photo with. You can air your grievances, and what you're grateful about. There was a glass making demonstration from a studio. There was live jazzy music which I loved. Overall, a nice holiday market. There is street parking, metered parking, and a parking garage nearby. It's dog friendly and there's vendors catering to dog products as well.

What an awesome day! I felt so empowered by all of the girls, women and the men who were showing…read moresupport! This was my first 5k and it was so fun...everyone who participated got a metro and that was such a reassuring gesture to the girls...weather your first or last you didn't give up!

Very cool event through local schools, teaching girls the fun, social support, and physical…read morebenefits of athletics. The event keys in our young ladies. There is an announcer, silent auction in support of the charity, anchor vendors with SWAG, and lots of girls enjoying things, together. Only knock is that the silent auction isn't much value.

Was invited to watch the Suns-Warriors last In-Game NBA Matchup since I was in town and since the…read moreGolden State Warriors won the match over the LA Clippers 2 days prior. A relative is a Season-Ticket holder so I was invited to watch what would be my 2nd NBA game ever watched, LOL! Since I'm a Warriors fan, it was a dream come true. Plus a friend flew in from Hawaii just to see the match so we were both in Heaven!! I was so giddy when we arrived and in anticipation of the game. We had Valet parking and went thru a door and downstairs to the upscale & bougie Annexus Social Club. Big screens all over, free drinks and a nice buffet ranging from Sushi, Oysters, Prawns, Lobster, Crab Claws, Pastas, Charcuterie Boards, Desserts, Fruit/Salads, Popcorn & Snack area w/Canned drinks to bring to the arena. I was too excited to eat but did order some Rum & Cokes that I was able to bring to the floor. I was told to leave at the 2-minute mark before the half and before the game was over so we could hit the bathroom, bar, for more food and to get a table if not at the bar. At gametime, I found my seats and was on the 2nd row on the Warriors side(YAY!!!) below the basket! Dream come true and found myself just amazed, watching the team just feet away, saw myself on the Jumbotron and later on my friends and relatives said they saw me on TV during a closeup with the ref & Suns' player, LOL!! Seats were ample and we got free Suns t-shirts which were laid out on our seat-backs. Ambiance, food, experience even the bathrooms were well-kept. Valet parking helped vs. trying to get out of a large parking lot. Stellar experience and Jasmine, our bartender!!

PHX Arena is truly such an amazing experience. First off, the workers are so kind and attentive. It…read morewas hard to navigate the entrance I needed to enter through, but everyone was nice and patient when asking for help and directions. The arena is by far the most clean I've ever seen. It's so lively and the entertainment is always great. The lighting is perfect and the monitors and screens are visible and clear. The sound and announcements were a bit low, but maybe that varies depending on the location of your seats. The food was tremendous. My party had access to the Annexus Social Club, which if you are able to, it's worth the hype. Just hope to get invited into the RaRa Room one time! My party ubered but from previous experiences, onsite garages and surrounding garage/area parking is available, easy and convenient. Overall, a 10/10 experience and I can't wait to go attend more events and games here in the future!

This is the Valley's version of San Diego Comic-Con. It got its start over twenty years ago as a…read moresmall one-day event that celebrated all things that we love about comic books, science fiction/fantasy, film/television and pop culture. Since those early days, this event has grown to a three-day event that is now held at the Phoenix Convention Center. It gets bigger every year and more and more celebrities are added to the event. I have been to a number of these Phoenix Fan Fusion events over the years and enjoy seeing the cosplay outfits that people come up with. This event was once called Phoenix Comicon before San Diego Comic-Con threatened a lawsuit. So now they are called Phoenix Fan Fusion. I have been to a couple of San Comic-Cons in the past and have always been overwhelmed with how large that event is. It is the granddaddy of all of these comic events. Phoenix Fan Fusion has made a name for itself and has really grown to be a very large event with record number of crowds each year. I am not a big collector, but I do enjoy walking around the merch area and seeing all of the cool things people are selling. The cosplay outfits are so creative and fun to see. Maybe one year I will wear one of my own - who knows. I grew up a lover of comic books and I am a huge fan of Sci-Fi and fantasy movies. This event brings me back to my childhood. I also enjoy attending the celebrity panels. I am not really into autographs as the prices are way too high for me. But I occasionally will participate in the some of the photo-ops if there is an actor whose work I appreciate. I have a couple of friends who are big comic book fans that I like to go with. The recent MCU and DC movies have really made the comic book genre a big thing these days. When I was a kid, I got teased for being a Star Wars and comic book fan. Now it is cool to be a nerd like I was. How times have changed. Overall, Phoenix Fan Fusion is a good time if you are a fan and appreciate pop culture. The lines and autograph and photo op prices are insane, so I mostly go for panels and to people watch.

Omg-- how much fun is Phoenix Fan Fusion, aka comicon!!! I only went for one day, and it popped me…read moreout, but I loved the different panels, seeing all the awesome cosplay, and the huge merchandise area! I am kicking myself for not coming home with a real Labubu, although I did get a pretty cool 3d plastic Labubu. I'm fact, I got quite a few things--you can go broke shopping at comicon!

Pros *Large venue with tons of space for courts and fans…read more Players have good serving space and high, unobstructed ceilings. *Well organized pools and brackets *Affordable nearby food and delivery options for the teams like Chick Fil-A and Zookz toasted sandwiches. Cons *Nets between many of the courts are too saggy (old?) so balls get past and interfere with other games. Very irritating for something so avoidable. *Way too expensive to watch your kid. Went to SCVA Tournament in Vegas with NO charge to watch so we took kids with us. We spent more tourism dollars there as a result. But at the Festival, expect to shell out $50 per person to watch your daughter/family member play and only little kids (5 and under) are free. It feels like blackmail.

I was hesitant about attending this volleyball tournament because there was a the SCVA Summer…read moreSoiree in Anaheim which was closer to my home. However, I am glad that we went to the tournament as it was fairly well organized and my daughter's team had a blast at the tournament. I will say that it was mainly because of the parents on the team, but I will give a little love to the tournament. The tournament has several divisions, so if you're team is so-so, expect to get your butts kicked at least the first two days. Scores and schedules are updated fairly quickly, and so you'll know your schedule right away if you have the AES Express app. By day three, the teams/pools will be much more competitive. That said, expect the last two days to be longer because the teams are more evenly matched. Thus, expect the matches to go three games. We were in the AM pools, so we were expected to finish by 1pm, but actually finished by 2pm. We made it to the finals of our division, so we finished by 3 pm on the last day. God forbid you are in the PM pool as you may not finish until past 8 or 9. If you are flying, I recommend you flying out on Monday if you can afford it, so that you won't stress about getting out of the convention center and to your flight on time. My main gripe about this tournament was the referees. They weren't bad, but many of them seemed to be in such a hurry. I guess referees are paid by matches completed and not by hour. We were in the 12's division and so the girls naturally make mistakes due to their age and maturity level. Some referees were so impatient and even bypassed making sure things were done correctly and let egregious mistakes made by the scorekeepers to go in order to "finish" on time. That effected a couple of our match results. One referee actually called a delay of game call on one of the girls from another team which stunned both the coach, the girl, and all the parents because honestly, I haven't seen that call made in like ten years--and these are 12 year old girls, so you would think they would get a little leniency. The other small complaint is the price of the souvenir shirts and clothing. I mean $60 for an ugly tie-dyed hoodie with the festival logo on it. A few of my daughter's teammates bought one, but my daughter isn't so sentimental, so she didn't care for it. Thank God! Speaking of Phoenix, the heat is oppressive, but it's cold inside the Convention Center. Everything in Phoenix is relatively easy to get to. What they call traffic in Phoenix is nothing in comparison to LA traffic. I didn't see much of Phoenix as we didn't venture far from our hotel once matches were done for the day. Although, I did appreciate the Southwestern and Hispanic themed artwork that was sprinkled across the city. We hit a Cheesecake Factory, CPK, Rustler's Roost, and a lot of fast food takeout for our dinner options. For me, this was the perfect storm for a great experience. Wonderful team spirit, wonderful parent participation, great coach, lots of playing time for all the girls, and well planned itinerary created for us. I don't know if I would have my daughter participate in this tournament again if given a choice because there is no guarantee that we will have the same conditions as this year. I, officially, can cross it off my bucket list though. Cheers!

As Jew in the Isreal army, I visited America for first time week last. Handsome young man named…read moreMatt helped me buy first kart but i end up buying six more. Good deal, he promise me play Mario Kart together if I do. i crash into small child and they go hospital but still fun. Next time I in America, I visit again.

Went here not knowing a lot about kart racing and not even from the area. But wanted to talk to…read moresomeone who was knowledgeable about it. The owner took a hr out of his day to answer any and all of my questions. Definitely recommend!!

I love the the opportunity granted to local artists. The event runs from 1st street to 7th street…read more It's a fun way to get your steps in! The vendors are all along the main road of Roosevelt, as well as the side roads. There's food music, beverage, art, and more! I love it. Parking can be a pain, so I advise you to ride share or expect to pay for parking.

Very crowded with a lot of kids. Hard to see any booths. Many of the shops were not open or no…read morelonger there. The art museum was nice but won't return to the streets portion again. Unfortunate because it used to be so filled with different artist and unique people.