Volunteered for this event. Will definitely do this again. Great weather and had a great time.read more

This is my second time running the Urban Cow half marathon. It's my favorite race in Sacramento…read more The course if relatively flat so it's a great race to PR. The weather in October also makes great weather to run in. The course is at William Land Park through the neighborhoods to downtown. The turn around point is in Old Sacramento with the relay trade off by the Crocker Art Musuem. Water station is every 2 miles. There is water and Gatorade at every station. Gatorade is the powder mixture. I did notice that some of stations had very bland Gatorade while others had really potent ones. There is plenty of neighborhood parking that is in close proximity to the race line. Packet pick up is at Fleet Feet in downtown Sac. I registered early so I got a tote and a tech vneck shirt. Race packet pick up goodies were really scarce. This year was a bag of instant coffee. Random much? Post-race food is limited as well. This year only had chocolate milk, donut holes, Larabars, and strawberries. This race is really decked out in the cow theme. Even the medals are cowbells!

I do several mud runs a year, and this one was one of the best. It would have been a little better…read moreif they wet the parking area to reduce the dust storms, but the obstacle course was great, and well planned out. I plan on doing this one again when it rolls around. Next time I'll be sure to bring my little one.

This is the closest thing I get to a rave. The event was held at Cal Expo. Like many other cars, I…read moreparked on the streets to avoid the $10 fee. It's a fun run, so it was untimed. You can even purchase beer at the run. The race was held at 8:00 pm, but didn't really start until 8:30ish since they were waiting for the sun to go down. Afterwards, they had people cross the start line in waves to prevent overcrowding on the course. I think I was in the last wave and we didn't start until 9:00. The course consisted of lights and techno music but parts of the course were dark and quiet. It felt like we went off course towards the end because it wasn't well marked, but we were able to figure it out. There was also an after-party in a building. Even though it was cool seeing people dressed up, I wouldn't do this run again. It was the priciest run I've done so far.

The Electric Run was basically a 5k rave held at Cal Expo. With all the flashing lights,…read moreglow-in-the-dark everything, neon and black light, techno and house music blaring, you couldn't help but get caught up in the dizzying atmosphere. It was a lot of fun. First start time was at 8pm. But since there were 10,000 participants, my team's start was around 8:45pm. While we were waiting for our official countdown, the m.c.'s were throwing down some free stuff into the brightly colored crowd. I caught an LED ring. Totally awesome! Then we were off...into the darkness! What happenned to all the lighted arches and pillars? Where were the speakers blasting the music? I was expecting more of the route to be lit up in some way. And it was, but only at a few certain points along the way. Nothing as grand as I had hoped for. For a $50 reg fee, I guess I did expect more lights and music along the way. But it was cool enough, and just to look back at everyone behind me in their glow-in-the-dark attire was such a fantasmic sight. I really recommend this run to anyone who likes to have fun, and doesn't consider this a real "run". It's all about creativity, costumes, and bright lights. The route had us going through the parking lot, over bridges, through tunnels, and into buildings. There were plenty of background set ups for photo ops. One weird thing was that I didn't see any "official" finish line. Did I miss it? We just kinda ended up in an open space, in front of the building where the after-party was being held. It was a bit anti-climactic for a finish line. We didn't dare set foot into the sweaty mess of the after-party, although, if you're into that sort of stuff, it did look pretty wild. Can't wait for next year's run. GIves me plenty of time to start working on that glow-in-the-dark body suit!

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!

#1 for a reason Absolutely the very best in the business…read moreLeading Edge makes the difference in your results

If you wanna party in the fast lane, this is the place. They will make your engine so fast you…read moremight bend the steering wheel backwards.

It was super organized and fun. Was a great experience. Went and completed it with friends.read more

So we just finished our spartan weekend , and we are now literally sitting in our car stuck in a…read moredisorganized , jam packed, and non moving traffic line ! I have blisters on nearly every toe and I can feel them oozing. I have some real nice large bruises forming on both my knees, legs , elbows, arms and back. I'm covered in mud and dirt and grass. It's in my hair , my ears, between my teeth, under my nails , seriously just all over ! But guess what? I paid for this !!!! That being said , the Spartan race is a fun and challenging event best experienced with a team of your best pals! The race courses itself is well organized with varying degrees of difficulty throughout. Spartan organizers love to test people's upper body strength and your willingness to jump into cold muddy waters ! There are lots of walls to jump over ,bucket of heavy rocks to carry over hills, barb wire crawls that go that seem to on forever , miles of hills full of pot holes , rocks. and slippery mud to climb ! Fun right ! Well it is when you're with your friends . And even if you are doing it alone , everyone participating is so friendly and helpful. There is always someone around to give you a boost when you need it . It's the Spartan way ! The many volunteers that help out with registration and checking in are really supportive and guides you in the right direction if you're lost. My favorite volunteers are one that hangs the medal on your neck after you cross the finish line. That moment feels so good ! My second favorite are the people handing out bananas and water at the end of the race! The Spartan festival grounds is always high energy and positive. Overall they are well organized... except the parking situation. The need more traffic directors to get people out after the race . Anyway , Bring ID for registration. Bring cash for bag check ins. Lots of port a pottys on the grounds . Always check Groupon for spartan deals . Don't forget to stretch before and after your race . Have fun Spartans. AROo!

** Review 800. Following my trend of each 100 being a Running event **…read more Run like you're being chased!! That's my motto when Running Marathon's and it really is no different in this event. 3.1 miles, 8-10 obstacles and mud pits and around 700 Zombies chasing you. The object is to make it through the entire course without being ''infected''. Each runner is given 3 life belts which the ''Zombie's'' are to grab. If you make it over the finishing line with at least one Congratulations, You survived!! This event you could either register as a Zombie or a Runner. I signed up as a Runner while Hubby as a Zombie (bless him, he's not quite as fast and agile as I am). Packet Pick Up: Fast and easy. Not sure if everybody was supposed to get the $20 Uber credit but my Husband got one and I didn't. Hubby also didn't get his Water bottle he was supposed to get as a Zombie (being out in the sun for 2hrs they are much needed!) Volunteers: Great! Very encouraging and upbeat. One showed great concern when he thought I was bleeding.. turned out it was just fake blood from one of the Zombies. Zombies: Great for the most part. There were a lot of people that took it very seriously dressing up for the occasion and staying in character throughout. However, despite the DJ announcing almost every 15 minutes that no physical contact was to be had (Zombies with Humans while trying to get their life belts and vice versa) a couple of female Zombies decided to tag team me - one grabbing hold of my arm while the other took 2 of my life belts before I got away. So not cool. Zombies had their make up and blood done prior to the event which was fairly speedy. The make up artists did a great job. "Woah.. That's one fast Human!" Overheard by a Zombie dude as I dodged and sprinted past him while his friend chased me up the dirt ramp. Location: I've done run's at the Raceway before and it's an ok location. This run was originally scheduled for somewhere else and was moved to here. I think this effected the course. The Course: It was fun but a little disappointing after the location switch up. I was looking forward to the section where they were due to set up a street scene with car wrecks ect. With the location change it was turned into more of a mud run with Zombies as it was the same course used for Mud Factor and Dirty girl with much the same obstacles. Still fun though. Personal experience: As I was just there with my Husband and he was a Zombie I was running most of the course solo which made me an easy target for the Zombies (always safety in numbers people!) I had a great time, especially at the obstacles and I was pretty pleased that I made it to the end with a life belt in tact and bagged myself the ''Survivor" title. Good to know that should the Living Dead style apocalypse ever happen I will fair pretty well. Will definitely do this event, maybe as a Zombie next time.

This event was really good and lots of fun. Many people were crushed when the original Run For Your…read moreLives closed up shop, but The Zombie Run took the flag and ran with it, keeping the zombie runs alive! Apologies for the puns... honestly not intended. This event wasn't quite as good as the Run For Your Lives run, only because it didn't take place in the hills and woods like the 2013 Run For Your Lives run did. Really, that is the only thing preventing the 5 star rating. The terrain was too flat, but the race organizers did a great job working to overcome that. Honestly, we were just really spoiled by the 2013 run location. I'd love to see them use the Oasis off-road race track near Clearlake, CA again in the future. That said, this event had bigger and muddier obstacles which were awesome. We especially enjoyed the big rope walls, rope tresses, spider web, mud pits and barbed wire mud puddles. I just wish they still had the buildings you ran through in the Run For Your Lives run, and the electrical wire. It was a little too light on the zombies, but there were still many great "Ohcrapohcraphohcraphohcraph" moments where you had to sprint as fast as you could to get away. The zombies who were working this day did a great job and really made the race fun. They had great costumes, make up and were really in character. I saw several who were also "Good guy Greg" zombies - they made it a challenge for the runners, but didn't obsess over getting as many flags as they could. They made the runners work for it, but would let them by if they could tell the runner was giving it their best effort. A small minority of zombies did cheesy things like grabbing flags when runners fell and were obviously hurt - but hey - its the apocalypse right? Otherwise I can't express enough appreciation for Human Movement management keeping the "real, good" national zombie run alive. Thanks guys - your hard work gives us something to train for year round, because we all know running sucks unless you've got a reason. Like being chased by a horde of zombies. Awesome.

Never pictured myself running 3 miles drenched in mud and lake water...but it happened at the…read moreMerrell's Down and Dirty obstacle race this past weekend at the Folsom Lake State Recreation center. If you drive a Subaru, you get a VIP parking pass which entitles you to park near the race area. I received an email stating that if you drive your Subaru, parking would be free. This was NOT the case and we forked over $12! UGH. I picked up my race packet that morning, which included my bib number, a sample sized Larabar, Merrell's Down and Dirty tech shirt and cap and a trial sized Paul Mitchell shampoo bottle. I noticed several people opted to participate in the brick division, by carrying a backpack of bricks through the courses. Much respect to them! Several others had full blown costumes like superheroes or Halloween themed outfits. This race puts you up to the ultimate challenge - a 3.1 mile test of physical endurance and strength by completing over 10 obstacles. These included climbing over walls, scaling a 24 foot cargo net, jumping over logs, crawling through mud pits, carrying sandbags and trekking through the lake. The biggest challenge was conquering "heartbreak hill" and walking up it was tough! My quads started burning after the first half mile going up the hill and walking down wasn't any easier! Thank goodness they had water stations at every mile. I received a Merrell Down and Dirty Dog tag for completing the course. Photo ops were available right next to the finish line and at the 'Mud hand print' mural. To rinse off, we went through an inflatable Subaru car wash station, but it wasn't effective. A hose station was nearby and people worked in teams to wash the mud off each other. Make sure to bring black plastic garbage bags for the car ride home, towels and extra clothes! A charity group also went around to see if participants wanted to donate their shoes toward homeless families. The race partners with Operation Gratitude, who sends care packages to U.S service members overseas. Thumbs up for this race! A few battlewounds - scrapes on my knees and splinters from the cargo net rope (Mental note to wear gloves next time) but was well worth it for a great cause and fun time!

The 2020 Running of the Elk (ROTE) originally had new routes planned centralized at Elk Grove's new…read moreDistrict56 Civic Center area. I had signed up in February for the 5K race initially scheduled for Sunday, April 5th to mark my 6-month return to Orangetheory and also my company wellness program would cover registration costs. Around mid-March, the race organizers had decided to reschedule the race to Sunday, June 21st (Father's Day) due to COVID-19 and avoiding large groups from coming together. On June 1st, the 2020 ROTE was converted to a Virtual Run. Proceeds still benefitted the Elk Grove Youth Sports Foundation and most expenses were prepaid (shirts, bibs, medals) so all that you had to do was sign up, run/walk your distance (Kids 1 Mile, 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon race) on or before Friday, July 31st. Run anytime and anywhere you choose. Proof of completion (virtual participation finish time) submitted through Google Form (no GPS, proof via Strava, etc. required, sort of an honor system) and encouraged to tag any photos on social media as #ROTEVirtual2020. On Saturday, August 8th, volunteers set up at Fleet Feet Elk Grove from 11am-3pm the Post Run Celebration to pick up the microfiber technical shirt (cotton for kids), really awesome finisher's medal, and swag bag. If you placed in your age division you got an additional medal, standings published for those entrants who submitted. This part went smoothly and was pretty convenient, not much different from packet pickup at a normal race, or a vendor/expo booth. I've done a few virtual races before (pre-pandemic) to support non-local organizations or if they had a cool race theme/swag. The hardest part was actually lacing up and running outdoors with a mask (pre-fires) after slacking on fitness routines during this weird time. My last actual race was the Elk Grove Gobble Wobble 5K on Thanksgiving Day -- the December Running of the Elves got rained out and I also did that virtually/remotely, so this may be the new norm for the rest of the year. #runningisnotcanceled

Running of the Elk is a small local race in Elk Grove. There's a 5k, 10k, half marathon and a kids…read morerun. The 10k and half marathon starts at the same time and the 5k starts afterwards. The 10k and half marathon run on the same route for a few miles and eventually splits up. I did the half marathon. It's a very family friendly event and I saw a lot of families doing 10ks and even half marathons together! Kids these days are so fit. I highly recommend to carry water with you during the race. For the first time during one of my half marathons, I ran out of water. There's not that many water stations. This route does not have much shade and it's in spring so it can get warm. The water station only has water and Gatorade, no food. The Gatorade was kind of diluted but it was better than nothing. The course starts at Long Leaf Drive, through the Automall, neighborhoods, streets, and trails. This is my first time running in Elk Grove. The course had so much variety that enabled me to explore Elk Grove on foot. It's a beautiful city. I would definitely do this half marathon again! The First Aid station is mobile-- There are bikers who ride back and forth through the course carrying a first aid kit. The finisher area made up for the lack of fuel stations and limited water stations during the course. They serve pancakes here! There's plenty of refreshments from fruit, Gatorade, granola bars, to bagels. The kids area has a bounce house, popcorn, and cotton candy. Kaiser also has complimentary massages. The wait is long so put your name down as soon as you finish.