(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. :)

I ran this half marathon in 2019. It was one of the better organized races that I've run. The race…read morepacket pick-up was conveniently located at The Village. The venue was really small so there was a line getting inside, but once you've made it inside and it's your turn, it doesn't take too long. They have several different pre-race shuttle pick-up locations throughout Mammoth Lakes to transport you to the starting area. They have maps at packet pick-up to help you decide on which one to take. They hand out mylar blankets at the starting area next to where the shuttles drop you off. The course is pretty hilly, so make sure to do your hill training. Also if you can, get up to Mammoth as early as possible so you can get acclimated to the thinner air. Despite the difficulty, the course offers a lot of great scenery all throughout the race! They have a lot of post race goodies waiting for you once you've reached the finish line. They also have computers for you to look up your results.

(15th Half, 2015)…read more Running the High Sierras is simply stunning! The race begins at Horseshoe Lake, nearly 9,000 ft. above sea level. Runners are shuttled from all partnering hotels--we stayed at the Sierra Nevada Resort, just feet from the finish line--and from Mammoth High School's parking lot. The weather is pretty chilly in downtown Mammoth Lakes, but up at Horseshoe, it's easily 10 degrees cooler. (Thankfully, I'd worn compression pants and a long-sleeved tech.) If you're planning this run, consider layers. After about a mile in, the route loops around Mary Lake, a beautiful mile-two inclusion, early risers trout fishing, enjoying the crisp morning air, and applauding runners onward. By mile nine, the tree-lined paths, meandering streams, and picturesque bridges of Inyo National Forest add to this breathtaking run--and I do mean that literally. (I'd never run at such high elevation before. Sometimes it was difficult to get a deep breath!) Nevertheless, this race was awesome, and it just kept getting better and better! I'd run Mammoth's Half as part of the San Diego/Mammoth Challenge--completing the San Diego Half Marathon in March and the Mammoth Half Marathon in the same calendar year. Certainly, it's a lengthy drive from Orange County to Mammoth Lakes, but the medals for finishing Mammoth's Half and for completing the Challenge are dynamite! Easily, these awards are some of my favorites, and I'll look forward to running the Challenge again.

Local race track at the Madera Fairgrounds. We've been going there for years. Last night was the…read moreHarvest Classic. Sprint cars and super modified cars. The concession stand has been closed (disrepair?) but there were two food trucks to satisfy the cravings. Bring a stadium cushion, those bleachers get hard.

Everything went well! The employees at the speedway were amazing. The food vendors were amazing…read more. It was my grandson's first race and he was the only racer, that was a little disappointing, but we were still excited!!! can't wait for the next one

(Half #19, 2015) The…read morename says it all! It was a half marathon, and--paired with heat and two mighty hills--it was hell! 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. You've no one to blame but yourself, though. You knew what you were getting into. Nevertheless, I'd come prepared: I purchased a hydration pack, slipped on a pair of shades, and hit the road just moments before the sun had risen above the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The swag is awesome, by the way: * Gender specific tech shirt ** "Hell of a Half" Finisher's Medal (finishers only) *** Spenco Sandals ($50 Value) **** Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle ***** Running Visor (for those who sign up early) ****** Hot breakfast at the finish line ******* Disposable Chip Timing ******** Personalized Race Bibs (early registrants) And that's not all. If you've decided to challenge yourself in Exeter, you'll certainly want to have registered for Sole2Soul's Race Series: along with running "Hell of a Half," you'll also want to run the "Heavenly Half" in Auberry and end with the "Judgment Day" Half in Bakersfield. Completing all three races in the same calendar year offers even more awards: ***** Soul Series Medal **** Soul Series Jacket *** VIP treatment at "Judgment Day" ** Name announced as a Series Finisher at "Judgment Day" * Race Medal Holder I've run to date both Heaven and Hell. Judgment Day is around the corner! And I have to say that this series, Sole2Soul's--has easily been one of my definite favorites.

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!

Opening day/night of The Big Fresno Fair (note you must have a clear bag now instead of a purse or…read morebackpack, but they'll give you a tiny complimentary one if you don't have one). I'm missing the horse racing though (as they don't have horse racing this year). I really enjoyed that part of the fair so hopefully they'll bring it back next year. IDK? I'm here tonight to see Joan Jett in concert. So far spent, $20 parking,$15 entrance fee, $11 for a plastic cup of J. Lohr Cab and $15 for a Corn Dog. & $9 for Elote corn... Oh, and I ran into Jack Sparrow ;D

Took the boys with me this year, as my eldest daughter ventures off with her friends on the rides…read more My daughter sends me a video of some girls fighting in line to go on a ride. Of course anything for the kids because for them price isn't a concern. They enjoyed every moment of it just being out and about with the scene. I helped myself to some local whipped honey and bee pollen. The corn dog and curly fries brick was about $25 and the grilled corn was $7. The sea lion show attracted many people and a lady going around with bubbles had the kids jumping with joy, my toddler enjoyed both. If you look past the food, there's still much to enjoy. I just got food items that my kids would enjoy. I'll be going to the RnB Concert this week so we will see how that goes, I kind of scoped if there was any new vendors. I think I'll just be going for the usual smoked turkey leg and sticky cinnamon roll:)

Despite the heat (100 degrees) we found a nice shady area overlooking the lake at Woodward Park in…read moreFresno CA. We haven't gone to a festival since we were in graduate school at UC Berkeley and Stanford. It was beautiful! Being outside in nature, watching Canadian Honkers, various kinds of ducks and other birds fly was a real treat! The music was great! We loved observing children, young and older adults. Everyone brought their blankets, chairs and pillows. We felt like we were in the 70's again. Everyone looked beautiful. It was a really good vibe. The event was very organized and guided us through the different phases of the event. There were food stands and trucks as well as other places to buy merchandise from the festival. Approximately two or three thousand attendees attended the event. People were friendly and everyone interacted, took time to create their lanterns. Some played cards or drew pictures or wrote why the wanted to make a lantern. Lastly, the best part was to place your lanterns in the lake. A beautiful, peaceful place to gather together, express and interact and enjoy in a beautiful setting. Wonderful!

What a great experience to get to do this with my sister, niece and nephew! I've always wanted to…read moredo something like this ever since I seen the Disney movie Tangled. Despite the 100 weather. It did not feel as hot around 7pm. Parking was really hard to find. You really have to come early to get a closer parking, so walking was a bit of a distance. Check-in was easy and there was time set aside for people who wanted to share their story. They had food and shop vendors for this event. Definitely recommend wearing some tennis shoes because of the dirt area and a lot of grass area was already take for those that came super early. Would love to do this again next year and take my son next time.