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.

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.

The 3rd Annual Polar Run and dunk - 2014. A 5k Run around Eagle Lakes resort followed by a ''dunk''…read morein the lake. What a fun way to start the New Year! Included in the registration is a T-Shirt and post race party complete with Champagne toast and various other Hot Drinks, Bonfire to warm up and party with Music and awards ceremony. * Personal experience: * Woohooo! First Runner over the finishing line! Uh yeah... rocked it. Coming off a severe Knee injury I am pretty darn pleased with my result, a long way off my PR but 3 months of no Running really damages your time. The event was fun. For the most part the course was well marked out with the exception of one part where I went off track and had to double back on myself. Thanx to the guy behind me that shouted me in the right direction! The course was gravel and mud with a few inclines and declines but nothing major and the views of the lakes was beautiful. Shame my Asthma was playing up and I was concentrating too hard on my breathing to appreciate it more. This was a timed event but there seemed to be a few problems with timing as instead of chips on the back of each bib it was all done by stopwatch and the ''official'' times given did not match what my Garmin told me. Hubby who was waiting for me at the finishing line said that one of the stopwatches broke meaning time was added. Boo. Post race there was Champagne, Cider, Tea and Coffee with Cookies and Orange slices for Runners and a bonfire to warm up after the optional lake ''dunk''. Happy 2014 everybody!

What happened to the Los Gatos Dammit run? This used to be a regular run of mine every year back…read morein high school. Let's bring it back!!

A fun, challenging run that benefits the local high school…read more I'm pretty surprised to see I'm the first person to rate this run. The Los Gatos Dammit run is a great local run and it has been going on for 37 years. It's a favorite with local runners - it starts at Los Gatos High School on the track and you run up and down the Lexington Dam along the Lost Gatos creek trail. Between miles 2 and 3 it is an intense climb but then it is a fun downhill from there. A few reasons why I like this race. For one, it benefits the upkeep of the Los Gatos High School track, I know a lot of local runners use the track for training so this is a good way to give back. The trail is fun, scenic and challenging. The race is very well organized and clearly marked so no chance of getting lost on the trail. They also give a lot of awards, 5 different age divisions for men and women and a finishers ribbon for all. Good, basic snack of fruit, cookies and bagels at the end. I like that the tshirt is optional, you can choose not to get a shirt with registration or pay the extra $20 to get a shirt.

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

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.

+++review #2200+++…read more this was my first in person race for the year, and the first time this was was held in person since 2019! the beneficiary for this race was the stanford center for inherited cardiovascular disease, an organization that raises awareness and does research for i.c.d. i had the pleasure of meeting terra, the race director, when i volunteered at the race packet pickup the day before the race. as a long-time runner, i love to be able to give back by volunteering at race festivities and meeting the other runners. packet pickup was hosted by sports basement and went quite smoothly. race day weather was near perfect, parking was free & easy (stanford track parking lot, about a block and a half from the start line). there were restrooms at the track house as well as portapotties near the start line...fortunately i never had to wait very long (or at all) to use the facilities! the race started a few minutes late since they were waiting for officials to confirm the course was clear and safe for us runners...nbd, i just spent a few more minutes stretching and mentally preparing myself. i had actually trained hard for the 10k, but clearly didn't run enough hills b/c there were plenty in the first half, especially miles 2 & 3, and i definitely slowed down with each passing hill. fortunately, the second half was mostly downhill so i was able to pick up speed and pass many runners here. unfortunately, the 10k & 5k courses merged around 4 1/2 miles in, so i was forced to come to an abrupt stop, which was a bit frustrating since i was cruising and wanting to finish strong. i kept yelling out, passing, 10k runner coming thru, hoping that the slower folks, walkers, strollers, kids would move aside for those of us running. as i approached the finish, i noticed on my timing device that the course was short, as i had only run 5.85mi instead of 6.2mi (10k), so this was a bit disappointing. i heard that the 5k course was very close to 3.1mi so that was encouraging to hear. after crossing the finish line, i grabbed my finisher's medal and continued to walk for a few minutes so that i could catch my breath and let my heart rate come down. upon entering the finish area, i was able to grab a bottle of water and a pack of fig bars. i guess they were tight on resources since each runner could only have exactly 1 bottle of water and 1 pack of fig bars. there were no other refreshments post race. there were quite a few vendors & sponsors on site which was great to see..i always like to learn about who supports a race, and this was such a great cause to raise funds for and race for. for the future, i'd love to see the course marked accurately to a true 10k (6.2mi) and some more refreshments at the end. but otherwise, this was a great event and i had lots of fun participating with my friends.

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!

Is this where I can meet my husband? In San Francisco?…read more Ode to pancakes and virgin bloody mary's..as well as my prize medal for running the presidio 5k that also is offered by SF Marathon...even this year..thanks for telling me these tips the hard way. Running is a nice way to socialize and meet people in a new city or old city.. As long as you can practice for the real thing. As long as you bring your kids...as long as you forgot to get married. Don't forget to wake up after your hangover and head over to brunch in San Francisco CA bro--kay?

Picture perfect views on the course, fun after party at the finish line all in the name of charity,…read morewhat more could you ask for?! The guardsmen have been hosting this race for some time and every year ( this was my 9th) it gets better and better! Pros: well organized and supported course Well staffed aid stations and awesome volunteers Race day packet pick up Staggered race times for each race Cocktails and breakfast at the finish line Newly upgraded race finisher shirts ; no more cotton Proceeds go to fund activities for underprivileged youth Great music and party atmosphere post race Beautiful, scenic course Cons: Tough to get into your own groove/pace as the stretch on the bridge is crowded. Bottlenecks when connecting from the northbound to southbound side of the bridge As you can see, the pros outweigh the cons, I am looking forward to my 10th year and many more in the future. Thank you guardsmen for hosting an A+ event.

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!