+++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.

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.

This place is awesome! I go t to meet a nice guy who raced me which I had no idea that we were! The…read moreworkers are nice and friendly!

Where do I begin... called a total of 3 times to clarify information and possible scenarios before…read moredriving up 2-3 hours to celebrate a buddies birthday and have some fun. Unfortunately we only had 7 so we couldn't do the 8 person reservation. I called to get info about wait times (I understand that they can't give me an exact estimate so I told them give me worse case scenario) and I was advised that the group of 7 could have some long wait times so we opted to just come up with 3 of us. Upon arrival, place was dead other than 2-3 staff members within sight. We asked the individual behind the counter some basic questions being first timers at that location, we ended up purchasing 2 races and we received 1 for free because it was Tuesday and that was just a deal they had. After they took our money they said "well it could be about 30 minutes until you all race" which we responded saying that it's totally fine we will hangout thank you. Well since we had 30 minutes to kill why not buy some arcade credits and mess around (very mediocre arcade at best). After we purchased arcade credits, about 15 minutes went buy another employee came up to us to let us know that if we wanted to race we would have to wait till about 4:45-5pm because a group rented out the facility and there's just nothing they can do. Keep in mind when we purchased our races, 2:23pm to be exact, we got told 30 minutes. Somehow between multiple phone calls to confirm before the long drive and the day of upon arrival purchasing our races not a single individual let us know about this possible booking. ALSO no we did not show up before this group event, they were already there. Which in their defense the employee giving us a refund said "well we are not allowed to tell people about bookings". Great totally understandable I run a business my self and I understand private information etc. however the lying of race times, letting us wait for a bit and following up with "if you don't take the refund we will give you 2 extra races" well thanks but I find it hard to believe we got the full reasoning behind the situation... also to add more context, no we weren't those customers causing issues, being overly loud, or causing any sort of issues. Civilized beings and in return got a pretty S*** end of the stick. K1 speed its self is great but this location is ran by some individuals that have zero interest in making the experience rememberable. K1s slogan "Arrive and Drive" they have printed on their business cards left out crucial information. Arrive and drive past. Keep your money and spend it with a business that will give you the proper attention. Not asking to be treated like royalty. Just some common decency.

Wow I'm really surprised no one has yelped about this 5k in Palo Alto considering this was their…read more8th Annual run. Running of the Bulls 5k Fun Run is a cute concept where they have elite runners dressed up in bull/cow outfits and they have a delayed start and end up running with you on the 5k. The more you pass the more chances you had at getting a prize. This race was inspired bull-running in Pamplona, Spain. This year's Bulls 5k event is a fundraiser for A Foundation Building Strength. Last year it was for Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Its great that they have a different charity to support every year it seems. Its a very small race and the idea stands with you get what you pay for. Registration is 25 bucks and 30 bucks on race day. I was able to save 5 bucks by using a code which makes my funds go straight to my fundraising for Team Challenge which is raising money towards Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Packet pickup was that morning at 8AM. The race started at 9am. Let me tell that rain ruins everything! This year's race was on Mother's Day and it was just pouring. When the race started the rain went away but the damage was done with wet and slick roads and huge puddles that got my pants and shoes soaked! With our registration we got a unisex t shirt with the logo and sponsors on and a goodie bag filled with 2 fliers- one for Boot Camp for Moms and for another race coming up in Mountain View and a sample of Gu. So yeah not much there. No timing chip although you got to see how much time had passed by the end. So it obviously may not be super accurate to your time but it was fine. There was also a photographer snapping photos at the finish line so I hope they post those up. I love getting pictures from races in action. You started at the parking lot of the high school, went on a trail by the school, in the Palo Alto neighborhood, and finished on the track. Def a nice neighborhood for sure. Not enough volunteers to direct you where to go but enough to not get lost. I love when there are more people cheering! No water stations and even in the end I didn't see one.. only a station with a long line of people waiting for the sponsored drink. I most likely wouldn't be doing this one again but glad I got a run in before Mother's Day brunch, even if it was in the rain.

Fun family run, not too many runners. It was fun trying to weave through all the puddles on the…read morepath but a fellow runner fell onto me yanking out my ear buds and dropping my MP3 :( Overall, its a great run for not so serious runners...like myself I couldn't help but to laugh when the runners dressed as bulls and cows would race by saying "good job!"

A very well organized race. Starts at the SAP Center and ends at Santana Row. The course is…read moremostly flat, you run under a few overpasses. I did enjoy running through San Jose, a good way to see the city. They were very strict with the corral starts. This was my first time doing this race, so I'm guessing the rain probably limited the crowds lining the streets. I did enjoy the 8K distance, something different. Finishing on Santana Row was cool as you could smell breakfast cooking as the restaurants were opening. The shuttles back were great, well organized, comfortable, and quick. I can see why this event is so popular!!

Registration: Super…read moreeasy. I got the $39 opening special. Email updates get a little tedious after a while and I ended up getting 2 or 3 of the same thing in the 2 weeks before the event. Packet Pick up: I really wish they had day of pick up as I live over an hours drive away and had to make the trek to San Jose twice in one weekend. That said it was really easy to get my packet, you just needed to know your bib number and they check it against your name. The TShirts are pretty cool and something I will actually wear. Course: Nice and flat. Nice addition to have the different ''miles'' (Veteran / Mariachi). The mile markers were not completely accurate though (yup.. the serious Runner in me notices these things). Mile 2 was actually 1.1mi and mile 3 was just 0.9mi. The event started right on time as planned and without any hitches however I do think that some kind of enforcement of the waves has to be done. Upon coming to the start line there was no one checking bibs. I was put in wave 1 for my sub 8 min mile pace and standing at the start with about a dozen people deep in front of me I noticed a lot of the people around me were wearing bibs marked waves 2, 3 and even 4. Once we started it was also made clear that some people placed in wave 1 really should not have been there. I had to zig zag around people that were not going the correct pace for the wave. Had I been out to PR I would have been really pissed off. Post Race: I didn't experience the ''hearding'' that people had mentioned in previous years but I guess that could have been down to the fact I was one of the first 90 people to finish. There was some walk to the end to get our bibs but nothing major. The post race food was really lame and looking at the pictures from previous years I was expecting to get more than what I did - a bottle of Water, Apple and some Fruit chews. NO BANANA! Really? That gives me the sads. It's common knowledge that Runners eat Banana's. The occasional Orange slice, yes. Apples No. Unless they're in some form of Pastry (Mmmm, Carbs). The medal is also pretty cool, it can be removed from the lanyard and used as a bottle opener and overall I am glad I can now mark this event off of my Running Bucket List but I doubt I will do it again. Way too far to come for what it is. Additional: This event is 1 or 3 of the ''Run the Bay'' series challenge where if you complete all 3 events you get an additional medal.Other 2 events are the Across The Bay (12k or 5k) in San Francisco and Let's Go 510 in Berkeley. Personal shyt: Time: 34:54 / 6:58 min mile. I intended to do a moderate 45:00 / 9 min mile and for the first half mile I was well on track but then some dude with a stroller ran past me. That's never happened to me before and I didn't like it (I now know how my poor husband feels. lol). So I had to speed up to my comfortable ''Aaah yeah, It's on!'' pace. Competitive much? Place: 90th out of 5,000+ and 18th Female. BOOM! -Crazy Runner Girl.

Today I ran my first ever race in the Santa Cruz 5k and I feel absolutely accomplished. My friends…read morehad convinced me to sign up for this race since I told them a horror story of attempting to catch a train in Japan and being out of breath during the ten-minute pursuit. Granted that was a flight or fight (the 2 hour walk home) situation so it's a bit different, but nonetheless, I signed up. As a first time racer, I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience. The Santa Cruz Half website was easy to navigate and sign-up, and very affordable. I paid about $35 for my 5k registration back in January and felt it was a very good deal considering what I was getting in the end: - BOMB medal that really shows off the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and beach - Awesome t-shirt that you get after the run - Since this was coupled with a half, we had an amazing breakfast spread afterwards of not only bagels and fruit, but pancakes and sausages too. The yelp foodie in me was screaming YASSSS - Gorgeous views alongside West Cliff as you began your run on the boardwalk and end on the beach Everyone on staff was super friendly, the registration was easy, and it was an absolute joy being able to run my first race here. I was even able to run its entirety without stopping and that in itself is an accomplishment for me. If you're worried about starting to race/run, this is a great 5k to start. Outside of the minimal lactate built up in your legs, the views of the Monterey Bay are stunning and soon enough you'll forget you're even in a race and enjoy the moment.

My first time running this particular 10K footrace, and such beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean…read morefrom West Cliff Drive! This is a fairly smooth race as there aren't so many ups and downs in the course itself. You'll finish at Cowell Beach where energy drinks, food, t-shirts, and some vendors await you. For those doing the Half-Marathon, a medal is included in your race fees. You'll want to get to the event as early as possible because parking fills up quickly especially on the streets and often there are plenty of traffic jams about 30 minutes before the race starts. Given the opportunity, I would consider doing this race again in 2013!

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

Down by the Bay 5k and Tot Trot is a unique running event for the whole family! The 5k allows…read morerunners, walkers, and strollers! As a regular 5k fun run runner, it is a nice low key operation that is truly enjoyable. The kid's run (Tot Trot) is a great intro race for new and developing little runners. It is not timed and is all about earning that pride as they cross the finish line. Down by the Bay 5k is put on by parent volunteers and benefits MVPNS (Mountain View Parent Nursery School). MVPNS is a wonderful non-profit organization that offers a co-op, play-based preschool program. This fundraiser allows the spirit and dedication of the fantastic teachers and parents of MVPNS to continue to nurture the curiosity within their children. To learn more, check out the website at downbythebay5k.org!

I am writing this review as a volunteer, and not as a runner. This race was adorable! I loved…read morewatching people run in their Halloween costumes. The best was the dad who pushed a stroller while he ran in an inflatable Sumo wrestler costume. In 2014, the inaugural run was held at Shoreline Park in Mountain View. This year, it'll be held at Baylands Park in Sunnyvale on Sunday, November 1st. It is really great for active families, but I also met serious runners. At least one was training for a marathon. The proceeds benefit Mountain View Parent Nursery School (MVPNS), which relocated over the summer of 2015. My son and I attend this wonderful preschool, as do many of the families who participated last year. But this event also attracts families and runners who do not attend MVPNS. It was so inspirational to watch toddlers and preschoolers run in the tot trot. They did so well, and were so proud of themselves. They also received cute Down by the Bay 5K necklaces at the finish line. There was water and plenty of free food for everyone. Race packet pick-up's were held at the Sunnyvale Sports Basement. Packets included coupons, race bibs, and adult t-shirts. Kids' t-shirts, reusable bags, and raffle were sold at the race packet pick-up and the 5K run. This year, there will also be vendor booths giving out free samples, providing free demonstrations, and selling food and non-food items. There will also be a family activity area with face painting and other activities. Needless to say, we anticipate a much bigger turn out this year!

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!

The Palo Alto Moonlight Run is an annual event held near the City of Palo Alto Baylands Athletic…read moreCenter. It is usually run in Late September or Early October and coincides with a full moon. As you can guess, it is run at night, under dark conditions, only by the light of the moon. There are actually 3 parts of the event: a 5k Walk, a 5K run, and a 10k run. Plenty of families and amateurs participate, and the gathering is more than just a race. There are a lot of booths and other smaller festivities going on in the nearby baseball field hosted by sponsors of the event. The run itself goes around the Palo Alto Baylands area, including around the local airport. This is a very fun event, though probably not for the hyper-competitive runner, as the trails are narrow, and since people are running in the darkness, you have to be careful not to trip over things. Exercise caution in the early parts of the race when the crowd is bunched up. A lot of kids run the event (and they often beat me...), and times are accurate and computerized. It is run like an official race, but I advise not to take it too seriously. I like running the 5k, but may upgrade to the 10k next time. Aside from that, it is a unique and fun event. I rate it highly because it has a pretty dedicated following, has something to offer for multiple people, has local flavor, and is pretty neat to run in the dark. Hope to see you out there!

A great twist on the usual 5/10k. It's fun to enjoy the bay, lit up by the harvest moon and glow…read morestick necklaces. Pros: -T shirts are long sleeved. This past year they were super soft and yellow. -Hobee's always provides coffee cake and oranges. Nom, nom, nom. -Bring glow in the dark necklaces & bracelets! One vendor provides them for free, but they do run out early in the evening. -Dogs and strollers are permitted on the walk. Cons: -If it's a warm evening, you'll need bug spray! -The start of the race always gets bottle necked. -You might have to park far, far away if you arrive later for one of the runs. The parking situation improved for me the last couple of years, but I always walk. -There was a freak thunderstorm that came out of no where in 2011. Can't really fault the organizers for that one.