Registration- Super easy online registration. The site really walks you through each step, so there’s no confusion. I googled a promotion code, their ambassadors are chosen pretty early so there’s usually a code floating around.

Race Communication- A lot of promotional emails, but as the race date drew near the email became more informative and detailed. My started out in my spam box until I moved them, so it’s important to check!

Expo- The expo was held in the San Diego Convention Center, right in the downtown area. Parking for the expo was kind of a nightmare- be sure to bring cash for the garages and quarters or a card for the meters because there’s no free parking unless you’re willing to walk a ways and parallel park on a street spot downtown. The expo itself was really well organized, also, the merch is AMAZING! They sold shirts with each racer’s full name on them! Super fun, I’d never seen anything like it so I bought one!

Bib pick up- Bib pick up was at the entrance to the expo, just be sure to have your ID at the ready to keep the lines moving quickly.

Race morning- I ended up getting an AirBnB down the street from the race. I still drove and got there extra early to find free street parking (the race was on a Sunday, so most everywhere was free but it did fill up pretty quick). I’d say the earlier the better, for parking’s sake. The race started and ended a couple of blocks apart, so you have a choice to park on the street close to the finish or between the two points if you’re early!

This race did not go well in the beginning, because they gave up trying to send us off in waves. Marathoners and half marathoners start together (which makes the first six miles or so very hectic). Once the half-marathoners veer off onto their own course at about 9 miles, things finally settle down and there’s less people. But it really is a battle those first miles trying to find space.

The course- The course is advertised as relatively flat and fast, but I found it to be much more difficult than I had imagined. The hills (exits from the freeway) come pretty late in the race when you’re already beat. Nothing you can’t handle, even if you didn’t train specifically for a hilly race, just know they’re there, and they’re coming for you when you’re most tired.

Aid stations- There were aid stations about every mile, I didn’t carry any hydration and I don’t think I needed to. Some of the later stations also had food (the pretzels and bananas were AMAZING!!).

Finish- Several photographers are there to capture the moment you cross, you’re handed you medal and they move you very quickly away from the finish. You’re given a whole bunch of snacks and drinks, you can get you muscles wrapped in ice (a total game changer, I LOVED IT!) but you have to walk quite a ways to get past the barricades to your family or even away from the race.