I was really excited to run this race because it is always fun to run outside of your home town. However, after my experience at this Rock ‘n Roll race, I will probably not return to run this race next year.

After running the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll and seeing the expo there, I had high hopes for Los Angeles. Finding the expo was the first challenge for me. The Los Angeles Comic Con took up the majority of the Convention Center, and there weren’t any signs to point you to the correct space for bib pick-up. Luckily, a kind security guard (he third person we had to ask) was able to point us in the correct direction.

Packet pick-up itself was quick and easy, once you found the place. The actual expo was a disappointment. There were barely any booths there. The Rock ‘n Roll gift shops took up 3/4 of the expo space and there wasn’t much to see or do. I walked through the whole expo in 10 minutes, max.

The next morning, it was time to trek to the start line. I appreciate how quick it was to get to the race via foot from my hotel. Because of this, I didn’t have to deal with parking, so I have my much say on that aspect.

The start line itself was organized well. The corral numbers and pacers were easy to spot amongst the crowd. The only issue I had with the starting ceremony was the audio issue. I had a corral number near the back; I couldn’t hear the National Anthem being sung and I couldn’t tell the race actually started. This isn’t a significant issue, but I feel it detracts from the whole race experience.

Once the race started and I was able to start running, I was excited to run the streets of Los Angeles. The course itself was two long out-and-backs that went through business districts with nothing exciting to see. I felt the streets were fairly crowded due to being split in half to create the out-and-back course, which caused me to lose my pace group. There were a few areas where the road conditions weren’t the best, but I expected this as we were running in a busy metropolitan area. The last half of the race had significant hills, so make sure you’re prepared!

Throughout the course there were an adequate number of aid stations and the volunteers were cheerful. There weren’t as many spectators along the way as there are at other races, but the girl singing in that military band made up for everything with her rockin’ vocals.

Once nearing the finish line, the crowd of spectators grew and provided the extra energy needed to complete the race. It was cool to finish right next to the Staples Center. After passing the finish line, there were plenty of snacks being handed out. (It would have been nice to have an available bag to store everything in until people could reach the gear check, but c’est la vie.) The medal was angel wings surrounding the LA cityscape, which was neat.

The actual post-race festival was okay. There were a few more booths and another gift shop. The performers were random and I hadn’t heard of them. Not many people were sticking around to listen to them as the space in front of the stage was empty. I figured since it was LA they could have gotten someone a little more known/better, but oh well. I only stuck around for 5 or so minutes before heading out.

Overall, I can finally say I ran the streets of Los Angeles, but I won’t run this race again unless I get a free pass or a significant discount. I’d rather try a different Los Angeles area race with a better course.