(Half #7, 2015) From…read morealmost 5000 feet up, amidst and atop the beautiful Sierras and the local foothills of Auberry, lie increasingly scenic and awe-inspiring views of the blanketing valleys below, beautifully green and heavily spring-abundant. The roads, lined with pines, meander and curl, making their way closer and closer to the mountain floor. The air, chilled from a snowfall the evening before, is clean, crisp, and still. And I ran it! This isn't just a Half; it's a Heavenly Half. And it's truly one of the most beautiful courses that I've run to date. Added, the route is almost entirely downhill, point to point, beginning in front of Cressman's General Store on Hwy 168--forget trying to find cell service--and ending at Auberry Elementary School off Auberry Road. Soul 2 Sole has paid so much attention to the running aesthetic that I quite possibly won't be able to fully appreciate anything less from this moment onward. Yes, I was THAT amazed! "Heavenly" blue skies and majestically brilliant, silver-lined clouds: and He said to Moses, "Climb the mountain to God." But what's even better is that Soul 2 Sole has a three-race challenge, all of which are part of the CA Half & Full Marathon Series: it begins with Auberry's "Heavenly Half"; moves on to Exeter's "One Hell of a Half" during the fiery, August heat; and finishes with "Judgement Day" in Bakersfield. Complete the trio, and you'll receive the following: * Soul Half Marathon Series Jacket ** Wall Medal Holder for your bling *** Soul Series Mega Medal **** VIP Treatment at Judgment Day Half The swag for the Heavenly Half was amazing just the same: * Early registrants received Insulated Event Coffee Mugs and Runner's Hats. ** Very cool Finisher Medals and Heavenly Half Stadium Blankets for everyone. *** A tasty, hot breakfast served with Top O' The Morn Chocolate Milk. This race was awesome. If you decide to run it, wait until the Heavenly Half--a race that sells out quickly, limited to only 1,250 participants--when it commences in March. To complete the Challenge means doing so in the same calendar year. And the series challenge medal...it's said to be legendary!

I love this event. Never missed one. This is a great course. However, the last one that we did on…read more03 18 2018 was pretty challenging though. Temperature was very low, road conditions were tough, black ice was there for at least the first 7 miles which forced me to stop numerous times as I refused to take these falls on black ice. I will still come back. Always. :)

Lack of concessions compared to previous years. Full garbages not emptied through out the weekend…read more No toilet paper in 1/2 the bathroom stalls.

My husband surprised me this morning and said he bought tickets... it started at 9am but we got…read morethere at 12pm (We had plenty of time to see lots of races but finding parking was not that easy (especially Sunday the last day of the races). Anyhow we had such a great time and my first time there, I can't wait to go back next year and we're gonna plan it earlier as there lots to do... getting good parking for one, getting to meet the racers up close and personal with the race cars, not to mention all the vendors (lots) and food vendors + beer vendors everywhere... (didn't get a chance to see if they sold any other other alcohol-beverages as I don't drink beer) but... A really great time & great family fun!

OMG. This was the first time I ever did a run and I got the privilege to do it with two of my big…read moregirls and man it was awesome . We got VIP shirts which let us start the race earlier then rest which was cool. Mind you as you read this, I am not a runner. During the run, there were certain areas where they threw colored powder on you. Yes, it goes everywhere. When the race was over, they moved us to the stage area where there was a DJ. Which was awesome. He threw many things at the audience. Awesome race. Though, there was over 10,000 runners they raise a lot of money for children with cancers. Would I do it again yes in a heart beat! All I can say this is a memory I won't forget. Why, you ask? Because I did something out of my comfort zone and cuz I did it with 2 out of 5 girls (yes my daughters)

So many things wrong with this run. Not enough personnel along course. Cones and ribbon routinely…read moretipped over or taken away. Runners should have started first as they were a hazard in the dark. I question whether it was a 5K, my time was way too good. Only two black light powder stations and they were a mess of smell and dust. Parking lot needed attendants. The Hollywood Bowl lot is better and it is the worst ever, except for this. Water bottles a mistake, people left them littering everywhere and only one trash can. Hopefully no baseball games were scheduled for Sunday morning. The event organizers focus seemed to be on music.

This was my very first triathlon and it was fantastic!…read more 1. Race is very organized. Volunteers are spectacular and clearly know what's going on. Post race BBQ was delicious. 2. Location is BEAUTIFUL. I can't believe I had never been to Bass Lake until this past weekend for the triathlon. This little gem is tucked away near Oakhurst, just south of Yosemite. 3. Course is challenging but scenic. You are at an elevation with rolling hills for the run and bike portion. The lake temperature is perfect. I can't wait for next year! Thanks to everyone that was a part of the Bass Lake Triathlon!

I LOVE love LOVE this race! It has something for everyone....ultra marathon, regular marathon, two…read moredifferent half marathons that you can enter into as a walker or runner, and even one that you can split in half and do as a team relay (two person). The accompanying events (a fitness expo and after race amenities) are awesome....as is the organization (plenty of port-o-potties, water stations, etc). And with each racer receiving a shirt, and finishers receiving sweat shirts, medals, brownie sundaes, breakfast, massages, and a trip to the wine/beer garden after (I'm always too tired to enjoy this), this is one of the most swag-rich races in the state. Of course, having it in my own "backyard" doesn't hurt. I've done the race twice in the past, and look forward to bettering my time next year, and the year after that!

Two Cities Eye-Q Marathon and a Half was the most exciting marathon in California yet. Dean…read moreKarnazes was a phenomenal speaker and motivator. It was definitely a treat to have him as our guest speaker. I don't think many of us know or understand his accomplishments. The man is legendary. Overall, I thought the course was fairly flat and fast. It's a small race ( 200-250 Ultra, 400-450 Full, 3800 Halfs, and many many relays. (6,000 runners / walkers with 1,500 volunteers) This marathon is quite new to Fresno. This was just its 3rd running, so you can imagine how many newbies are here. I don't mind it but I'd wish they knew common etiquette. I do, however give kudos to all who have tried running, supported, and volunteered for this event. Without it, it would be meaningless. I was impressed on how well it was run, although, I felt some of the organizer could of done better. I also really appreciated that the marathon only cost $90 ($75 half, $65half relay) and had the best swag. I got a long sleeve black / blue technical shirt, a racing cap, a finisher's medal and a sweatshirt! Not to mention all the goodies after the race... Definitely, a recommendation to all new runner due to course, it's not challenging at all unless you do the Ultra. My advice- train better (w/ a pace setter, a team), smarter with technology, , mentally, physically, emotionally, and diligently. Slow and steady wins the race. "Drive less, run more, and save the planet for tomorrow." - Stanley K For other marathons throughout California, check out: http://www.halfmarathons.net/race_calendar_california.html OR around the world: http://www.halfmarathons.net/ For a good read: pick up The Courage to Run - "A guide to running for your life" by John " The Penquin" Bingham ( Great for anyone starting off ) or: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen ( Ideal for intermediate ) Are you 50 miles in 50 days...ready? :) Hoorah! Good Luck! And please don't think Fresno suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), because most days, we don't! :)

(Half #23, 2015)…read more Running Sole 2 Soul's Challenge series was easily my favorite set in 2015. Beginning with Auberry's Heavenly Half: "From almost 5000 feet up, amidst and atop the beautiful Sierras and the local foothills of Auberry, lie increasingly scenic and awe-inspiring views of the blanketing valleys below, beautifully green and heavily spring-abundant. The roads, lined with pines, meander and curl, making their way closer and closer to the mountain floor. The air, chilled from a snowfall the evening before, is clean, crisp, and still" (http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-heavenly-half-marathon-shaver-lake?ylist=run-fatboy-run-buena-park-5). Followed by Exeter's One Hell of a Half: "Well, hell, it was only about 95°F at peak, still incredibly hot and not a cloud in the sky; but it wasn't as bad as it could have been, I guess. By around 10am, the temperature had just reached the low 80's. But I'm telling you, those two hills--those upward climbs beneath the relentlessly beating sun--took their toll" (http://www.yelp.com/biz/hell-of-a-half-marathon-exeter?ylist=run-fatboy-run-buena-park-5). And ending at Bakersfield's Judgment Day Half: Starting at Lake Ming and running along the bluffs of Bakersfield, the winding course continues past Bakersfield College and then hits the flat streets of downtown, ending with an exciting Kern County Museum finish! Truthfully, Judgment doesn't have the beauty of Heavenly nor the grit of Hell, but it's still a finish that for months I had been planning for and looking forward to. Besides bragging rights, the Series offers the best swag: HEAVENLY: The Heavenly Half finisher's medal, a long-sleeved Heavenly Half Tech Shirt, Insulated Event Coffee Mugs and Runner's Hats, Heavenly Half Stadium Blankets for everyone, and a tasty, Hot Breakfast served with Top O' The Morn Chocolate Milk. HELL: A Hell of a Half tech tank, the Hell of a Half finisher's medal, Spenco Sandals ($50 Value), Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle, a Running Visor (for those who sign up early), Hot Breakfast at the finish line, Disposable Chip Timing, and Personalized Race Bibs. JUDGMENT: The Judgment Day finisher's medal, Judgment Day Hooded Sweatshirt, Soul Series Medal (it's HUGE!), Custom Head Buff Covering, Fluid Performance Drink, Hot Breakfast at the finish line, Disposable Chip Timing, and Personalized Race Bibs. It took a lot of planning and a lot of driving, but this challenge was definitely worth it.

This was one of the location races I wanted to check off my bucket list, and it did not disappoint…read more Who wouldn't love visiting and running through beautiful Yosemite to Bass Lake. We stayed at the Best Western Plus st Oakhurst and caught the shuttle in the morning about a 10 minute walk away, that took us to the start line. We started timely and the course was beautiful. I would say the first 5 miles were the hardest because I did not train for trail running, but I wasn't trying to PR so I was just taking my time and enjoying the scenery. All in all, if you love location races, I would definitely recommend this race. The only thing I would have done different was to go to the expo a little later in the day. I arrived pretty much when they opened and some of the vendors were not set up yet. No food vendors were up and no smore's section was set up yet. I saw some of the vendors arriving as I was leaving.

Getting there: To get to the start line, we had to drive to…read moreYosemite High School and get shuttled to the start line, which took about an hour via shuttle. No, you are not able to drive to the start. Experience: This was my first half, or even race in general and it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Our wave time was at 6:00 AM I believe and from our campsite as bass lake, we were 30 mins away from Yosemite High School, where shuttles take racers to the start line. The shuttles were over an hour late causing us to miss our start time. At first we thought this was going to be a big deal, but when we arrived to the start we realized it didn't matter. We were able to finish the race in about 3 hours and 30 minutes, beating the sweep time of 4 hours. Tips: - Get to the shuttles early. It takes an hour to get to the start and parking gets crazy at the high school. Plus, the shuttles were not on time.

I've been attending the Kawanis Special Olympics Trout Derby for almost as long as they have held…read moreit at Wishon and it only gets better. Frank, Orin , Kelly and the rest of the gang are always very helpful and well organized. I look forward to fishing their Derby every year and will be there as long as I can make it up the Mountain. David Cook, Fresno, CA.

From the owner: The Kiwanis Special Olympics Trout Fishing Derby is a Fund Raiser to benefit Special Olympics.read more