The Long Beach Marathon organizers are disingenuous and duplicitous. For the longest time they…read moretold Bike Tour participants to hold on because registration was coming but they intentionally deceived all the faithful Bike Tour participants for the last twenty years who rode faithfully every year! It's sad that they pulled the rug from beneath us by not telling the truth!

I'm writing as a spectator. I love/hate Long Beach, but just know the parking here is nuts on a…read moreregular day. I parked at the court structure off Magnolia and Ocean and walked to International Tower which is about a 15 minute walk. Look at the course map at least a day in advance and get here at 5 am to get a decent parking spot otherwise you're walking a couple blocks. Things to bring as a spectator supporting the runners: sunblock (even if it starts off cloudy, it always gets super sunny at some point), water, a sign, a cow bell or air horn, SNACKS! My sister ran the half marathon and said that they don't really provide snacks along the route and that regular citizens were out there handing runners water, shots, shot blocks, nuts, etc. Another thing to bring is some sort of totem or sign that your person can see and find you in a crowd with. Last thing is a battery pack or charger. I forgot mine in my car and my phone died whilst tracking my sister using Find my iPhone. I reconvened with my other sister after the race and people were parked crazy like on a normal day in Long Beach. One truck was parked at an angle facing the corner of an intersection. I know it's a thing at night if there's no parking on the street you can park in a red zone out here and just move your car first thing in the morning. Seems like that was the vibe still for the marathon. Not saying you won't get towed, but a lot of people were parked in loading zones, passenger loading and unloading (my sister parked in front of a church loading zone and miraculously did not get towed), etc. Park at your own risk, I paid $15 for parking at the court house for peace of mind but it's not unusual to see people parked in any available spot that's not a designated spot.

Yet another "A Better World Running" race!…read more The Summer Sensation 10K/Half/Marathon is off Ocean Blvd. and Bay Shore Ave. in Long Beach. To make things even easier, check-in and the starting line neighbor the metered parking lot. And since you'll be running early, parking is a cinch. Abetterworldrunning.com promotes and emphasizes a very relaxed and easy-going, personal racing experience. And it is! Sure, their events are somewhat informal, but they're fun and very affordable. I mean, the 10K alone was practically half the cost of most registrations: only $22.00! Included: goodie bags (without the bag, just goodies); the usual bananas, gels, waters, etc.; and a sparkling, congratulatory finisher medal (one for everyone!) Offering no special awards or t-shirts, this eco-friendly, fun run is then able to keep costs at a minimum. Of course, on this run, you'll be sharing the beach path with other sun worshippers making their own morning pilgrimages, but that's another reason why A Better World Running's events are kept pretty intimate--100 to 150 runners at most--so as to relieve congestion among other pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. So bring your shades, some sunscreen, and a positive attitude. The run is not chip-timed. Instead, official times and places are recorded manually, and results are posted on A Better World Running's website later the same day. (I use my GPS watch anyway.) A list of upcoming runs is also on the website, and for regular participants, every 5th race is free! Added, all pictures snapped by the event photographer are free to download on their Facebook page; and, finally, a portion of the event's proceeds are donated to The Noakes Foundation, ECHO, and Kandar Kids. What's not to like, right? What I liked is that it was an easy, early morning workout at the beach...and I received another medal! On this run, I dragged my friend Ben along with me. It was his first 10K, so instead of worrying about my own time, I ran/walked with him at a pace that he felt comfortable. (However, I pushed!) He's pretty proud of himself. Good job, man! Our 10K time: 1:29:08

Probably the perfect 5k race for beginners and some what competitive runners. The venue is so big…read moreeverything is located in the same area. The parking lot (which is free for the race) is right by the start line for the race & right across from the race track so it's an easy 5 minute walk once you leave the post race festival area to get back to your car. They have about five different starting wave with the pace time clearly marked so the first few competing waves don't have to worry about going around walkers or anyone with strollers. Each wave starts about every 5 minutes so the run isn't too crowded either. I'm addition to finish medals, shirts, and free goodies from the vendors at the post race festival they also have top 3 division awards for multiple age groups. They have packets pick up at the mall next to the track the day before the race, and early race day bib pick up and hour and a half before the race. The day of the 5k you also get free admission to the track for the horse race later in the day with your race bib as well as a ticket for a future horse race later in the year. The post race event has a beer garden sponsored by Golden Road brewery in 2023, each runner got 2 free beers. The post race festival was family friendly as well with a few carnival rides, I'm not sure if those rides are always at the park or just there for opening day.

yes ! This is one of my favorite 5ks in the Arcadia Area. Easy parking, Free tickets to one of the…read moreraces, and they also have a festival of rides you can choose to do, but my favorite portion of this 5k is the BEER GARDEN ! last years was awesome cannot wait for this years!

It was a awesome and cheerful half marathon, despite the fact that it was postponed because of the…read morefires. Pasadena half it's a yearly run which helps me prepare for LAM. This year it was more ghetto as there was a running club from the valley screaming and drinking alcohol out in the open with out concern for other sober runners, but regardless, a must do run.

This race was acquired by the McCourt Foundation several years ago and became the Rose Bowl Half…read moreMarathon. Everything about the race is the same but a few logistic and planning decisions take away from the overall experience. The bib pick-up process is by far the biggest negative. They don't allow you to pick-up for others and only provide a few locations in Pasadena and Santa Monica. There's no expo so why make everyone pick up their own bib. Or why not provide more locations to make it more convenient for those who don't live in Pasadena/LA? The other complaint is that the only recognition for legacy runners (whose who've run every race since 2016) is a banner at the race. Loyalty runners (2 consecutive races) get a pin. Most other races have more substantive recognition for their loyal runners.

Update for 2021 This…read morerace was unable to take place on their usual June date but was pushed to October 30 this year. Costumes were encouraged so that made it fun. They held a costume contest after the race. Excitingly they have a new start/finish line on Daisy Ave just blocks from the old spot, with the set up in the parking lot behind the real estate company and LB Beer Lab. If you stopped by the Lab on Friday at bib pickup and day of race, the beer was $5. I found it easy to find parking in the neighborhood. The 10k started 10 minutes late but was not a big deal as the weather was perfect for running. It's so small of an event that there's plenty of room at the start line. The course takes you along the river path 2 separate times. The star of the post-race refreshments of course was the Buono's pizza. A few days after the race, my bananas are still in the process of ripening. It's a shame no ripe bananas were in sight after the run and the cut up green bananas likely went to the trash because they were impossible to enjoy. I asked for a few of the uncut bananas to take home. The hydration they gave us at the end was Pocari Sweat which I have never had. After some research, I learned this is a Japanese brand; the equivalent of our Gatorade. This is a clear liquid so thinking you're hydrating with water to be hit with sweetness was a surprise. Looking at the label we discovered it has 31 grams of sugar, yikes! Since I like this community race so much I'm already signed up for June 2022 at the cheapest price. I see for 2022, they're doing a half marathon distance in addition to 10 mile, 5k, 5k stroller, 10k and the kids races.

Lbcc helped out. River run on the Westside of Long Beach This day there will be a lot of people…read moreout making the run old and young no matter what what age you are it's great location run nice and cool in Wrigley in River run. This is a cool run that you can take who's nice nice scenery learn to the Wrigley area. He will enjoy the rain. Also you're doing it for normally cost to.

I did it :D my first half marathon, and I couldn't have picked a more magical way to do it than…read moreRunDisney's Halloween weekend at Disneyland Most of my training happened on the treadmill, which honestly taught me a lot about consistency and mental endurance. I followed the official RunDisney training program from their website and trusted the process--even when life was busy and motivation was low. Race morning was early (very early), but the energy, costumes, music, and Disney magic made every mile worth it. Running through Disneyland in the dark, then heading outside the parks with rolling hills, the heat that I did not prepare for was challenging--but unforgettable. These are the things that really helped me: 1. Enlist a buddy to do it with you. I somehow managed to persuade my oldest son to come with his mama. My son who is in his prime, who at the time just came back from officer training school (boot camp). He was jumping, singing, running circles around me during the race, yelling out motivational pep talks. It was kinda annoying and motivating at the same time. 2. Use the free pacers There are multiple pacing groups, and sticking with one helps you stay calm, consistent, and confident. It really helped to see a whole group pushing through. Being next them reminded me about Dory..."Just keep swimming... Just keep running!" 3. Arrive early + move up in your corral We arrived around 4:15 AM, which gave us time to settle in and get closer to the front of the corral--huge stress reducer. 4. Stay close to the start line if possible We stayed at a hotel near the start, walked over, and later met my hubby near the mall. Less logistics = less stress. 5. Go to the Expo on Day 1 Exclusive merch sells out fast (RIP glow-in-the-dark shoes). The expo is free, fun, and has lots of freebies. Pro tip: go again on the last day for sales. 6. Practice in your costume This is non-negotiable. What feels cute for 10 minutes may not feel cute at mile 9. I practiced in my Ursula costume a handful of times. I saw people ditching parts of their costumes. 7. Hydration is covered Water and electrolytes are provided on course. I didn't need to carry water, but some people prefer to--do what works for you. 8, Know the course You start inside Disneyland, then head outside the parks where the hills show up. Save your energy for those miles. 9. Pictures Make sure your number is visible. Photos come free with it. There a a good number of photo opp in the parks. Unfortunately we couldn't stop since we were the last coral. So we did "passing" video shots. You should practice doing this. 10. Volunteers The volunteers outside of Disney were awesome! Seeing the signs, hearing the encouragement, and grabbing the sweets helped a ton. Soak it in and it will keep you motivated I discovered that I hate running long distance. At the same time I also realized I like doing it at Disney and after the race I told my son lets do the Dopey Challenge next. Where you run the 5k, 10 k and half marathon all in the same weekend. Of course my sweet son replied, "sure thing mom as long as your paying." This race reminded me that you don't have to be perfect--you just have to..... "just keep running, just keep running, running....running". If you're thinking about doing a RunDisney race, especially your first half marathon, do it. Train smart, trust the plan, and soak in every magical mile.

Just when we were in the swing of having them back, they're gone again. With the upcoming…read moreconstruction, it was announced there were not going to be anymore races for the foreseeable future here on the West Coast. This was the last race on Feb1 as the 5k and 10k took place the prior days. From what I gather from others, this can take many years to come back. I believe this was a new half marathon course at least new to me since the Star Wars Half days. This course was very refreshing, the stretch of it on Anaheim Blvd, running past the Packing District and the Ducks ice rink. The good thing about the "out and back" parts is seeing if you can spot the "balloon ladies" if it's a concern or maybe friends who run at a different pace or checking out their fits. I appreciated the DJ's and bands out there. They brought the energy! Everything was just so cute with the "It's a Small World Theme" but maybe I'm biased because I happen to love the color purple as in the bib, medal, and long sleeve tech t-shirt. It delighted me to see several runners dressed in this theme because I'm not creative enough to assemble my own costumes. PhotoPass photo opportunities were inside the park and some at the reunion area. These digital photos are included in registration and show up in the app same day. I must say the finish line replica photo op in the reunion area was a time consumer in the hot sun. Powerade was the electrolytes on course. I was wondering how they were able to get the taste and concentration consistent to realize they were being poured from the plastic bottles. Not too much to sample or any freebies at the expo if you compare that with other major race expos. The post-run snacks are not much nor memorable unless you count that nacho-like cheese from the box. IYKYK Yes, you pay a pretty penny just to participate but only you put a value on this experience. I would say if you're a Disney fan and have the means, to just do it one time for the experience but that dream has run out luck on this coast for now.

The entire 13.1 miles I kept thinking about President Palmer saying "You're in good hands". Damn…read more24 and catchy Allstate slogan. Free beer, free pizza, and free massage at the end of the race? I'm IN! Sadly all we ended up getting was a can of beer, the pizza was out, and we missed out on the massage. Oh well, I didn't need those pizza anyway after burning all those calories. We had two options for parking; either the Santa Monica lot or the Venice lot. We parked in the Venice lot and the walk to the start of the race was actually pretty far away. Jogging there gave us a good warm up I guess. The event was pretty well organized. They had bag check in and pickup signs everywhere. They had plenty of photographers everywhere. And they had plenty of water booths, porta-potties, as well as security everywhere. As for the running portion, it was alright. Parts of the race was really nice as you ran along the shore. Sadly, of all the times, LA suddenly decides to have a cold snap and record lows in temperature! Throughout the race, about every two miles, there are water / Gatorade stations and porta-potties. And at certain mileage points, there are either DJ's playing music, live bands performing, or groups of people cheering. At one of the turns there was a group of cheerleaders doing pyramids, pretty cool! And at another part there was a group of people playing giant drums, also very cool. The first half of the race was quite okay, but the second half became freezing as you're sprinting mostly downhill. It really sucked right before that downhill portion though because it was all up hill for a couple of miles before the loop back down. The worst part was that the road was very deceiving into making you think that it was going to loop soon.. and you end up going a good handful of miles before it actually does. Sigh.. Overall its a nice race, on a nice course, with good organization. The medal at the end is pretty neat, and I really liked the free t-shirt you got at the packet pickup. I was really sad about the pizza running out though, since I was starving by the time I was done.

Awesome Half Marathon Event (4 stars)…read more The half marathon event was an awesome event. -online registration was quick and easy -confirmation came right away -email information came regularly -bib pick up was a little downer -start line was conveniently located on Venice Beach -route was easily marked with lots of police escorts -great support from the water stations -nice bands along the way to entertain -finish line was nicely located downhill -lots of shuttle buses to return to the start line -AWESOME Medal Yay for my finish at 1:58, and I definitely plan to return next year Give the option for bib pick up in the morning of the race.

Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run Review…read more The Santa Monica-Venice Christmas Run remains one of the more enjoyable holiday races on the Westside, largely due to its course and setting. Course: The course is a strong point. Running through iconic stretches of Venice and Santa Monica on open streets gives the race a distinctly local feel and makes it accessible to both serious runners and casual participants. Start Line: The start in Santa Monica near the ocean is a great venue. It feels organized, spacious, and sets a positive tone for the race. Finish Line: Finishing under the Venice sign at Windward Plaza is genuinely iconic and one of the better finish line backdrops in Los Angeles road racing. Value: The entry fee feels fair for what's delivered. You get a solid course, good logistics, and a well-established event. Event Communications: Communication leading up to race day was timely, clear, and professional. No issues here. Medal: The medal is nice and thoughtfully designed without a clasp, which I personally appreciate. That said, the 2024 medal was stronger than the 2025 version and had a more refined design. Customer Service: Nothing noteworthy, which in this case is a positive. The event runs smoothly and without friction. Expo / Finish Line Experience: I don't recall a formal expo. If the start area functions as one, it's underwhelming. The finish line festivities also felt sparse, with limited sponsor presence or interactive elements. There's room to improve the post-race experience. Merchandise: Nothing of note. Shirt / Swag: The standout was the 2023 zip-up hoodie, which was high quality and something I've worn regularly since. The shirts from the past two years leaned heavily into novelty holiday themes and felt more like kitschy giveaways. I didn't take the 2025 shirt at bib pickup and wouldn't wear it. Overall: A well-run race with an excellent course and iconic bookends. With some investment in the finish line experience, sponsor activation, and more timeless apparel design, it could elevate from a solid holiday tradition to a standout annual event.

Nice job event organizers!!! Cut off all the roads to our hotel so we can't get a ride to the…read moreairport!!! Well done!! What a charlie-foxtrot