Yay. My first ''race'' since I completely jacked my Knee up 4 months ago! Ok, so it wasn't my usual…read moreHalf Marathon but still fun nonetheless and a great event to celebrate my Birthday. The event organizers did a really good job and setting this event up and getting the word out with lot's of residents of Mountain House getting involved with delivering flyers, myself included. Packet pick up the Friday before was a breeze and with entry we also got ourselves a nice Tech shirt. Sadly the shirts come up huge. I went for the smallest Woman's size possible (a Small) and It's so big I could fit two of me in it. I usually go for XXS or XS so it would be nice to have those sizes as option for future years. Race day was well organized if a little behind schedule. The turnout was pretty impressive with around 250 people taking part with people coming from all over the East Bay to take part, lot's of which were ''serious'' Runners like myself. The course was a great choice of location - on my beloved Mountain House Creek Trail and was marked out with arrows. However, at the end of the trail around mile 1.80 was a little confusing as there were two sets of arrows and I went following the wrong ones, going off course and having to double back on myself (Boo. Lost some time there). One Aid station was placed along the course along with 2 groups of singers at various points to encourage people and singing Christmas Carols. Post race had lot's going on - Refreshments supplied by some of the local businesses (Hot Chocolate, Coffee, Fruit and Bagels), someone dressed as Santa on hand for photo ops and a couple of the sponsors. Home Team Pest Defense were giving out Water Bottles for finishers and lollipop rings and Prime Nutrition giving out goodies in return for Burpees / Push Up Combos - 15 got you a water bottle and 25 got you a T-Shirt. Naturally I carried on my workout and did 25 for the T-Shirt. All finishers also got a medal and additional ones given to age group winners, which most of the age groups were a whopping 10years! * Personal experience * After jacking up my Knee 4 months ago and being in Therapy and resting since then I wasn't all that confident in Running but with a Taped and Braced Knee I went for it as an early Birthday present to myself. The race went really quickly and I placed 1st in my age group and 2nd out of all the Women. Woohoo! I missed out on 1st Woman by like 5 seconds but kudos to the lady that beat me, she put up a good race. This injured oldie just isn't as fast anymore. This was the first ever Jingle All The Way Run for Mountain House and really was a great start to what I hope will be a yearly tradition. It was great to get out and meet the community as well as a few of the people from the Mountain House Running Club I recently became part of. Happy Holidays!

This run is a nonprofit event that benefits local schools. Approximately 180 people ran in 2015,…read moremaking it a great race to focus on running instead of the logistical headaches that larger events bring. The course starts at Central Park with a northerly departure down Central Parkway. The course makes an abrupt U-turn into a sidewalk bottleneck that prevents passing. The course then opens up as it follows the creek and its surrounding open area uphill to the southwest. The grade is slight but after a quick start, holding pace through the third kilometer is a challenge. The race finishes with a descent down the grade on the opposite side of the creek for an easy finish. Information on the race (e.g., map, start location) was difficult to find in advance, doubly so as someone else registered me. The event website wouldn't take my safety waiver and I was unable to generate a barcode for my daughter. This created some concern that was alleviated the next day, as the race is small enough that one can simply pick everything up in the morning. I'll be running this again next year. BELOW is a URL to 2015 times: http://app.lap.io/event/2015-jingle-all-the-way/results

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!

We attended the Sail Grand Prix final day in SF this past Sunday, the race stadium located at the…read moreYacht Club Peninsula. Got the cheaper waterfront reserve tickets which was more than sufficient to have a great view and a good time. Doors opened at 1pm with a long line that stretched all the way to the street (near Palace of Fine Arts, which is also where they offered event parking for a fee), but the line actually went fast and took us about 20 minutes to the security check and entry point on the pier. Before showtime, guests could grab food and drinks (they had several food vendors like Respectable Bird, Izzy's chicken/salmon teriyaki, Bonito Poke, as well as bar tents for beverages), or purchase event merchandise (we customized a SailGP hat with paint). Bleacher seating was plentiful and right along the water, where attendees could enjoy house music playing through the speakers, a bit of trivia and event clips showing on the giant screens near the bleachers, and wind surfers on foilboards performing tricks for the crowd on the water. Race times were from 2:30-4:00pm, and even though team USA was not one of the top teams, many fans in the crowd waved their US flags (which they gave out for free) and cheered in delight from the stands. The competition and race details were explained thoroughly and shown on the screen, helpful for inexperienced viewers. But it was fun just watching the F50 foiling catamarans racing on the water, and rooting for different countries. In the end, Spain defeated the Aussies who had done so well the first two races of the day, and took home the championship trophy along with $2 million in prize money. Definitely a unique experience and even more exciting if you like competitions and/or water sports, the announcers providing great commentary as well. And the event was very well organized, the sound and picture quality of the big screens and speakers allowed all attendees and viewers a pleasant experience, entertainment value was high, clean and sufficient porta potties meant no waiting for restrooms, and communication prior to the event date, about parking options and what to expect, was clear and professional.

This was a great event!! And although I had a lot of fun there a definitely a few things I wished I…read moreknew but now I know for next time. 1) it can get very cold in the evening. Bring layers and blankets. Especially for the little ones 2) the bleachers get freezing and my butt felt frozen. Bring something to sit on. 3) this is family friendly. I brought my 3 month old HOWEVER BRING EAR MUFFS. at first I was like.. "these cars aren't that loud" and then a string of cars came that were insanely loud. 4) they do have a stand with snacks and beer. All in all it was very entertaining and we will continue to be going each sat.

I'd steer clear of eating anything that's not factory sealed due to the amount of black mold I saw…read morein the men's bathroom that's adjoining the main area where they prep/store/cook & serve food.

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.

***4.5 stars*** i…read moredon't normally trek all the way out to east bay to run races, especially an event that is 40+ miles away from home, but since i was going with a group of friends and we planned to make it an all day event in livermore's wine country, with running, brunching, and wine tasting, i said "why the heck not?" also, the proceeds from this event benefit the livermore-pleasanton firefighters foundation, which supports injured and fallen firefighters, burn foundation and local charities in the tri valley area. definitely a worthy case to run/walk for! for this particular event, there was a choice of 2 distances: 1. 10k (6.2 miles) 2. 5k (3.1 miles) i originally planned to run the 10k, but later downgraded to the 5k b/c i didn't want to tire myself out for the rest of the day's festivities. note that i was able to change distances simply by calling the phone number for on your mark events, the official race organizer, and telling someone what change i wished to make. easy peasy! the pros: -VERY REASONABLE race fees, $30 for the 5k and $35 for the 10k if you register during the early bird period -takes place at WENTE VINEYARDS in livermore, a beautiful vineyard with lots of scenery, definitely a unique venue for a race -CLEAR MILE MARKERS for each race distance, in different colours so that participants could differentiate the 5k vs 10k -ACCURATELY MEASURED DISTANCE, as my garmin read 3.12 miles upon crossing the finish line which is pretty much spot on with the official 5k race distance of 3.1 miles. my friends who ran the 10k informed me that they calculated exactly 6.2 miles, which again, is spot on with the official race distance. -FORGIVING TERRAIN as most of the course took place on crushed dirt, gravel, or grass, which is easier on the joints! -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked after the race. i especially appreciated that every volunteer i asked a question to knew the answer, so they prepped well for race day! -FREE and EASY PARKING just inside the main gates of the vineyard and along the street -SWANKY, CLEAN PORTA-POTTIES near the parking and start/finish areas. OMG, i've never experienced such nice porta-toilets before! these individual stalls had very secure locks on the doors, FLUSHABLE toilets, liquid soap, clean running water, and paper towels. i was very impressed by the quality of these portable restrooms supplied for us runners! -COMPLIMENTARY BAG CHECK at the finish area tent (a couple minutes away from the parking and start/finish line) with volunteers to guard your bags until after the race what you get: *choice of PACKET PICKUP @ fleet feet sports in pleasanton the two days prior to the race or on site pick up the morning of. since my friends and i live in south bay, all of us arrived early for on site pickup and experienced no wait. *white, cotton, FINISHER'S SHIRT with a colourful hook & ladder race logo *GOODIE BAG filled with race schwag, a chap stick, pin, id holder, pen, key ring, discounts to local retailers. the actual bag was a reusable safeway organics bag which was very pretty. *several AID STATIONS with volunteers handing out cups of water *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINKS, including chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, mini clif bars, bags of salted pretzels, assorted muffins, jelly beans, apples, bananas, zico coconut water, coffee, and water *COMPLIMENTARY CHAIR MASSAGE, compliments of massage envy, underneath the finisher's tent (in the shade!) although i didn't have time to take advantage of this, it was definitely a nice perk! bonuses for top finishers: *a white, dri-fit shirt for the first 20 men and 20 women to cross the finish line in each distance (this is based on order of finish, not chip time) *customized finishers' medals for the top 3 men and top 3 women in each age group *a bottle of wine for the winner in each male/female age group the cons: -it was a HOT day in the tri-valley wine country, already well over 60 when the gun went off and nearly 70 when most of us finished, without a cloud in the sky or even a gentle breeze to keep us cool -the 5k course had quite a few sharp turns, with some portions on tall, thick grass, which made it difficult to accelerate -this course was also not very scenic. although we ran through sycamore park, we didn't actually see much other than trees and grass. although i was dying from the heat, i still managed to finish with a pretty good 5k time, my second best ever, placing 7th overall female, and earning the bonus dri-fit shirt, and second in my age group, earning a customized event medal. i was definitely a happy camper heading home! thank you, to on your mark events, for putting on this terrific event!

I enjoyed this local race. We did the 10k and it was my first and only trail run. The course is not…read morethrough the wineries as I initially expected, but through the trails near Wente Vineyards. Though the website says the course is fairly flat, there are a couple of steep hills, so steep you have to walk. And judging by the top finisher's times, it is not the easiest course. I remember wanting to quit after mile 3 and asking myself why was I doing this. This race benefits the firefighters of Livermore, and there were plenty of firefighter volunteers and racers. Now there's a perk for you single running ladies, come out and take pleasure in some eye candy! It's a fairly small race, probably just a few hundred. The aid stations, and post race food were good. Also, each racer is given a raffle ticket at the finish line so your chance of winning something is pretty good. My brother in law ended up winning a free round of golf for two at Wente golf course. This race isn't chipped timed which I didn't like but a well organized event and I would do again in the future.

Great course along the Embarcadero. Flat and fast, and the last two miles of the 12K are on comfy…read moregravel along the beach at Chrissy Field. Not the fastest or most serious running crowd. With the upside of low stress and less formality around registration, slightly disorganized start corral, etc. A little pricey at $75 for 12K on the day of. About 2,400 runners, so way more sane than Bay to Breakers. The other B2B is more competitive and more fun, but you can't beat the course and Marina Green is 15 degrees warmer than the OB end of Golden Gate Park, which makes for a more enjoyable post-race scene for runners.

Decided to do the sf original run series which includes 4 iconic runs of SF…read moreBay to breakers SF marathon The giants race and lastly Glide bridge to Bridge Relatively nice run by the Embarcadero to fisherman's wharf and aquatic park, then go up hill towards fort mason and then down hill all the way to Crissy field Marina to the finish line for the 5k run. The expo and after race concert are there too. PROS I liked this run, great views and scenery. The Glide booth had tons of giveaways. The lady there was piling the floss pick into my bag, there were also notepads, tee shirts and earphones. Also had my photo taken by Glide and photo can be seen online. Picked up my signed poster from the artist of the poster for the run at the Dignity health booth. Was happy to pick up my SF series medal and tee shirt at the booths. Shuttles were announced clearly for the return to downtown. The race started at 9 and the weather was way too hot to run. Would prefer an earlier start time like 8 or 8.30am to avoid the heat. CONS Wish they had some mile markers along the way, so i can pace myself and give it my all at the last mile but I did not know when that was, because there was no signage. Unlike other runs, there weren't a lot of food. I managed to get a protein milkshake, water, banana, tangerine and nuts. I guess it's better than nothing. Was disappointed not to get a medal for this run. Would have been nice to have the SF series medal as a bonus for doing all four, as well as a medal for the bridge to bridge run...disappointed. Even though bridge to bridge, it's not literally, because the race ends on the marina but you do get to see both the Bay bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. The material of the tee was cotton, not the same dri fit material of previous races. Overall, a great run to end the SF series. But should give out finishers medal anyway.

This is my first time participating for them. I heard so much great stuff about them but I think…read morethe passed ones were probably bette (location wise). I've enjoyed myself. You get a free shirt, a medal and a cup of wine when you finish. They also hand out free bananas before you start. There's a restroom close by not a port-o-potty. My bestfriend did one before this and she said the location was better because there was a bus that took them to the actual place to do the run/walk by the winery. This one is cool too. You also can get a mimosa or wine before the run for $5. It's a nice place to hang out with friends and do something on a Saturday morning for a good cause because I know they donate for the breast cancer awareness. I wouldn't mind doing it again. There's also a $10 parking fee. They don't give out a wine cup/glass that they say they do anymore (bummer)

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!