Rock 'n' Roll San Diego

Rock 'n' Roll San Diego

Rock 'n' Roll San Diego

( 68 reviews )
97% of reviewers recommend this race
  • San Diego,
    California,
    United States
  • June
  • 3 miles/5K, 5 miles/8K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon, 26.2 miles/Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Marc

Katy, Texas, United States
7 32
2016
"Love this race"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Marc 's thoughts:

I've raced several marathons and this one is at the top of the list for fun.
The expo is at the convention center in downtown San Diego which can be reached by walking, taxi, trolley you name it. There is lots taking place on the waterfront area making for plenty of things to do in the area.

At the expo you can purchase bus tickets from Horton Plaza (mall downtown) to the race start line. We did this and were glad. The line is long so you need to be patient but it's well organized and moves quickly. There were some people who didn't wait and tried to walk fast to the start which is on the edge of Balboa Park at a much higher elevation. We saw them just arriving as we pulled up on the bus right to the start corrals.

Like most Rock n' Roll expos there are is plenty to see and do at the expo so plan to spend some time there.

Race morning we walked from our hotel to the mall for the bus. Easy walk just follow all the other people if your not familiar with the area.

At the start there is a large grass area with lots of bathrooms setup. The lines are long but they do move at a good pace. We found that if you walk around you could find some with shorter lines. I guess everyone lined up at the first area they see but they are setup all the way to the start line.

The race isn't very flat. It actually has some very hefty downhills and climbs. Some in the beginning and a very long climb at the end. You run from Balboa Park through North Park, Normal Heights (highest elevation area) and Hillcrest this is where you approach the steepest and longest downhill as you head to historic Old Town. You then stay relatively flat as you run around mission bay with a steady incline through mission valley. At this point you enter the interstate 163 and have a mile long hill with a 220 ft elevation change. They actually divert traffic in a major road and give you the entire southbound direction to run on. After that it’s a steady downhill through Balboa Park again and finishing downtown.

Now this is one of the most interesting marathons I've run from a spectator standpoint. As you run through North Park, Normal heights and Hillcrest the community really gets involved with their own aid stations setup outside their homes with music, bands, martinis (yes you read that right and for the runners) and other craziness. The vibe is great. There are also two traffic boxes where they change the route every 2 mins or so and redirect the runners to the opposite side of the block while sending cars and city busses the other way. It worked surprisingly well.

The only two areas that don't have a heavy presents of spectators is around the first section of mission bay and while running on the 163. This is mostly I think because there isn't any easy access by cars or walking.

The finish is awesome. It's downhill so you look great and fast no mater how tired you are. They then have lots of food and drinks for you immediately after the finish where you then head down to the waterfront on the edge of Little Italy for live music, jacket pickup and additional free stuff.

I would do this race again in a heartbeat.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Latest reviews

Loading Reviews...