I have mixed feelings about this race. I really loved that it was held on the beach and the post-race party was fun and family-friendly. I found free parking fairly easy along the street and the race began at 8 am. The packet pick-up line was minimal and all of the volunteers were really friendly and helpful. They also offered a free pancake breakfast post-race along with a raffle, live band, fitness demos, bounce house, face painting, several vendors, food options for purchase, and a medal ceremony. The scenery was great as the race began and ended near the Imperial Beach Pier in southern San Diego.
Now, what I didn't like: medals were only offered to those who placed in the top 3 of each category - which I understand (not everyone gets a trophy); however, the race price ranged from $25-35 and I usually expect a medal for that price. I will add that they offered a military discount for both active duty and spouses which I thought was amazing!
I also wasn't a fan of the terrain. I have run beach races before and this particular beach was slanted and full of rocks so you really had to watch your step so that you didn't trip. And my biggest issue was that it was only 2.39 miles- not 3.1! This is a huge pet peeve of mine. There was clearly some kind of miscommunication along the way as the course was not properly measured. I feel that if I am going to pay $25 for a 5k - I expect a 5k! I'm giving the organizers a bit of a break since this was their inaugural race, so hopefully next year's event will run a bit more smoothly. It kind of dulled my sparkle a bit, but the overall event was fun and it was a beautiful day with friends! Checkout my full review along with pictures on my blog at theswagmama.com!