***4.5 stars*** i…read moredon't normally trek all the way out to east bay to run races, especially an event that is 40+ miles away from home, but since i was going with a group of friends and we planned to make it an all day event in livermore's wine country, with running, brunching, and wine tasting, i said "why the heck not?" also, the proceeds from this event benefit the livermore-pleasanton firefighters foundation, which supports injured and fallen firefighters, burn foundation and local charities in the tri valley area. definitely a worthy case to run/walk for! for this particular event, there was a choice of 2 distances: 1. 10k (6.2 miles) 2. 5k (3.1 miles) i originally planned to run the 10k, but later downgraded to the 5k b/c i didn't want to tire myself out for the rest of the day's festivities. note that i was able to change distances simply by calling the phone number for on your mark events, the official race organizer, and telling someone what change i wished to make. easy peasy! the pros: -VERY REASONABLE race fees, $30 for the 5k and $35 for the 10k if you register during the early bird period -takes place at WENTE VINEYARDS in livermore, a beautiful vineyard with lots of scenery, definitely a unique venue for a race -CLEAR MILE MARKERS for each race distance, in different colours so that participants could differentiate the 5k vs 10k -ACCURATELY MEASURED DISTANCE, as my garmin read 3.12 miles upon crossing the finish line which is pretty much spot on with the official 5k race distance of 3.1 miles. my friends who ran the 10k informed me that they calculated exactly 6.2 miles, which again, is spot on with the official race distance. -FORGIVING TERRAIN as most of the course took place on crushed dirt, gravel, or grass, which is easier on the joints! -FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, and keeping the refreshments' tables well stocked after the race. i especially appreciated that every volunteer i asked a question to knew the answer, so they prepped well for race day! -FREE and EASY PARKING just inside the main gates of the vineyard and along the street -SWANKY, CLEAN PORTA-POTTIES near the parking and start/finish areas. OMG, i've never experienced such nice porta-toilets before! these individual stalls had very secure locks on the doors, FLUSHABLE toilets, liquid soap, clean running water, and paper towels. i was very impressed by the quality of these portable restrooms supplied for us runners! -COMPLIMENTARY BAG CHECK at the finish area tent (a couple minutes away from the parking and start/finish line) with volunteers to guard your bags until after the race what you get: *choice of PACKET PICKUP @ fleet feet sports in pleasanton the two days prior to the race or on site pick up the morning of. since my friends and i live in south bay, all of us arrived early for on site pickup and experienced no wait. *white, cotton, FINISHER'S SHIRT with a colourful hook & ladder race logo *GOODIE BAG filled with race schwag, a chap stick, pin, id holder, pen, key ring, discounts to local retailers. the actual bag was a reusable safeway organics bag which was very pretty. *several AID STATIONS with volunteers handing out cups of water *TONS of POST-RACE FOOD & DRINKS, including chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, mini clif bars, bags of salted pretzels, assorted muffins, jelly beans, apples, bananas, zico coconut water, coffee, and water *COMPLIMENTARY CHAIR MASSAGE, compliments of massage envy, underneath the finisher's tent (in the shade!) although i didn't have time to take advantage of this, it was definitely a nice perk! bonuses for top finishers: *a white, dri-fit shirt for the first 20 men and 20 women to cross the finish line in each distance (this is based on order of finish, not chip time) *customized finishers' medals for the top 3 men and top 3 women in each age group *a bottle of wine for the winner in each male/female age group the cons: -it was a HOT day in the tri-valley wine country, already well over 60 when the gun went off and nearly 70 when most of us finished, without a cloud in the sky or even a gentle breeze to keep us cool -the 5k course had quite a few sharp turns, with some portions on tall, thick grass, which made it difficult to accelerate -this course was also not very scenic. although we ran through sycamore park, we didn't actually see much other than trees and grass. although i was dying from the heat, i still managed to finish with a pretty good 5k time, my second best ever, placing 7th overall female, and earning the bonus dri-fit shirt, and second in my age group, earning a customized event medal. i was definitely a happy camper heading home! thank you, to on your mark events, for putting on this terrific event!

I enjoyed this local race. We did the 10k and it was my first and only trail run. The course is not…read morethrough the wineries as I initially expected, but through the trails near Wente Vineyards. Though the website says the course is fairly flat, there are a couple of steep hills, so steep you have to walk. And judging by the top finisher's times, it is not the easiest course. I remember wanting to quit after mile 3 and asking myself why was I doing this. This race benefits the firefighters of Livermore, and there were plenty of firefighter volunteers and racers. Now there's a perk for you single running ladies, come out and take pleasure in some eye candy! It's a fairly small race, probably just a few hundred. The aid stations, and post race food were good. Also, each racer is given a raffle ticket at the finish line so your chance of winning something is pretty good. My brother in law ended up winning a free round of golf for two at Wente golf course. This race isn't chipped timed which I didn't like but a well organized event and I would do again in the future.

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

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!

I'm unable to run in the 2026 race due to an injury. I started the process to defer my entry to…read more2027 before the deadline. The website wouldn't allow the change so I emailed, again this is BEFORE the deadline. I received a response that I could not defer as the deadline had passed. After I described the technical difficulty (again), received the same response.

Livermore Half Marathon is art of the ''Golden State Series'' where if you complete all 3 events…read more(Town's Half Marathon in Oakland and US Half Marathon in San Francisco also) you get an additional medal. It's for that reason that I signed up for this event, you also get Wine sampling after the event but I'm all about the bling. Sign up was easy and if you purchase the 3 event entries together you save a few bucks. as I was a Pacer for the US Half I didn't do this but still make sure you sign up early to get the best rates! This event also sells out so don't wait too long if you want to Run it. The weeks before the event I didn't get any information about the day or packet pick up but it is all located on the website. Packet Pick up: Located at the Performing Arts Bankhead Theater Plaza the day before it was easy to get to but is only from 2-8pm so if you work late or far away you need to plan accordingly. Everything is done by number so you just provide that and they look up your Bibs. As Wine tasting is part of the post race fun you get given a wrist band to prove you're of age to drink but they make you put it on right then so you ''can't give it to someone else''. Kinda silly as I had to walk around with it on for almost a day before the event. T-Shirt is cool but the sizes run large. Course: Lot's of scenery to take in as you go through various parks and Wineries, there are some mild hills but nothing too taxing. Volunteers: Fantastic! The group at mile 11 were so full of energy. Post Run: Chaotic. There were a few bites of food (Banana's, Chips, KIND bars) with drinks of Water, Coconut Water and of course 13 Wineries for those over 21. The medal is kinda cool (doubles up as a coaster but cannot be removed from the lanyard) but not very pleasant to look at, last years way much nicer. A Nice event to do for locals and if you like to collect bling.

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!

Getting together for a great cause benefits everyone. As a participant, I felt good that I was able…read moreto contribute and have fun at the same time. I did not come here expecting a good workout because I was here last year. Long lines greeted me as I walked through the gate. Unlike last year, lines were not segregated based on the first letter of your last name. Unlike last year, registration went digital; I find the process work flow incredibly inefficient. I was in line for over 20 minutes. No lines whatsoever for obtaining your "Dirty Girl" shirt. Everyone crowded around which left volunteers at the table oblivious to who is next and so forth. I got my # at registration check-in and now I have my shirt, but where are the pins? At another table!!! The pins should be at registration or at the shirt table. Checking in my gear and chocolate bundt cake went w/ ease and I am happy that I went through 3 security checkpoints to make sure I grabbed my personal belongings, not anyone else's. I did not utilize the "free beer" ticket but yes, you get a free beer after the "race". Waves start every 15 minutes. Nobody checks to make sure you belong in the wave or not. It was too crowded that my friend and I waited at each "obstacle" which is very irritating. I know this isn't a competition however, give me a challenge, yo. My friend and I were the only ones that were running, BTW. I faced my fear and climbed the rope/fence thing. I am petrified of heights but w/ some encouragement from my friend and because I did not want to look like a pansy, I did it. The slide wasn't fun - I got scared and someone pushed Emmalouise! At the bottom was fun because we tripped and almost fell. Portable restrooms available though I did not use it. I did change and somewhat wiped myself in the wheelchair accessible portable potty because it is bigger. Good thing I have wipes and hand sanitizer on me at all times otherwise I would have taken my chance and change in the back of a tent. If you donate your shoes (after the run), you get a free pair of slippers. I did not use the shower facility nor did I enjoy carnival-like foods - I hate to admit that everything smelled delicious though but seeing as how I worked out to Insanity and P90X prior to this, I was hungry but wanted something on the healthier side. The best part about this event was that I got a chance to hangout w/ one of my best friends. Her husband, Steve followed us throughout the course to take pictures and videos. She told me the surprise he got for her as a birthday present and I in turn told her about Craig. She was one of the few that warned me that my previous relationship wasn't balanced. After reading emails about my newfound relationship and hearing me talk about him in person, she said, "He's the one for you". Exchanged baked goods is the ritual. She baked me chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, and quadruple chocolate brownies. I baked them my chocolate bundt cake. The exchange made it all worth it after the race, haha.

Having done this event last year I was somewhat disappointed with this one for a few reasons:…read more - Didn't seem as well organized. - Over sold the entry spots - Did away with 2 of the best obstacles from last year. Myself and Tram did this event together for the second year running and where I did have a fun time I mainly put that down to the great company I was in. Firstly packet / bib pickup lines were long. Last year was a simple 2 minute wait in line but this year required stopping at 3 different tents to collect everything- 1st just for your number, 2nd for your TShirt and the 3rd for pins to attach your number to your shirt. It would have made a lot more sense to do all of this at one station and increase the amount of lines. Bag check was easy and I did like that when collecting your items after the race there were multiple volunteers checking that you have got your own bag and not someone else's which is reassuring. As for the race itself, waves go every 15 minutes but they don't check you are in the correct one so in theory you can go whenever you want so if you turn up late there's no fear of missing out. The course was fun, definitely not a workout in my eyes but a relaxed jog with a few obstacles in between. For a ''mud run'' I don't think there was enough of it though, it was well past the first mile before we even encountered our first mud pit. There were lines at each obstacle too which meant a lot of waiting around, one of them we were waiting for about 20 minutes so the event was definitely over sold. The event is raising money for a great cause which I appreciate and understand the organizers are trying to raise as much money as possible but when it starts to affect the experience of attendees there's a problem. The last wave goes at 1pm and given the amount of people I think having them go later (maybe until 4pm) would be a huge improvement. Maybe even have it as a 2 day event to make maximum money for the charity. There was post race refreshments available - hot dogs, burgers ect and each participant got a token for a free Beer which neither Tram nor I used. The portable restrooms were on site but pretty nasty even by 10am. None had tissues (lucky I had wipes and stuff in my bag) and water to wash your hands was almost completely out too. The shoe donation station was near the changing area and this year you were given a pair of Flip Flops for donating. They take each pair, clean them up and give them to people in need. As for the ''showers''. Definitely an experience. This is one thing they did improve on from last year. Instead of a few little spurts of water where you couldn't wash more than your feet and calves there were dozens of hose pipes. Yes, the water was again freezing but at least I didn't leave the event with mud in every crevice! I did have a good time but glad for the LivingSocial ($65 for entry for 2 instead of the $100 each!) and not sure if I will do it next year.

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!

+++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.