• Los Angeles,
    California,
    United States
  • May
  • 3 miles/5K
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

Ciara Doll

Los Angeles, California, United States
18 41
2019
"Debut Running Universal Event"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Ciara Doll's thoughts:

Running Universal is a race series of 5ks (and now 10ks) through the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and back lot. The race has a relaxed, silly spirit with fun opportunities for character photos, unique sights and a welcoming vibe. If you're a serious runner, this race isn't for you!

Pre-Run:
Registration online was very simple, but if you aren't used to this type of theme park-style run, be prepared to shell out WAY more than you would for a typical 5k. There are various tiers of registration, with the most basic starting at around $75 and including: shirt, medal, pin, drawstring bag, race registration and parking. Higher tiers offer perks such as a VIP post-race breakfast and park tickets. They have a bib pick up at Universal's City Walk the day before, or you can pick up on race morning. I chose to do it the day of and there was no wait -- very easy! Parking is also a breeze thanks to the massive lots adjacent to the park! My only complaint here: they needed more signs directing runners to race day pickup, as it was a bit hidden and I had to ask multiple officials where it was (hint -- unless they change it, they place it in the Jurassic Park-ing structure!)

The Race:
This race had no corrals, so runners and walkers of various speeds were placed into a giant corral that was released in waves. This was a bit frustrating because the waves were released in very small batches, meaning that there was a LOT of time standing around waiting to start. This course is deceivingly easy. The park is built within the mountains, so prepare for lots of hills! The race begins at the park gates, weaving through the upper lot to pass by the Walking Dead and Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attractions before moving into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. After exiting the theme park portion behind Waterworld, you follow a majority of the path that the Studio Tour takes, passing by sets like the Bates Motel, War of the Worlds, and the Grinch. Along the way there were numerous character photo stops featuring Gru, the girls, and multiple minions before you finish in the middle of City Walk. The first half on the upper lot and into the early portion of the tour route is either flat or downhill, however, what goes down has to come back up in this case, because the latter half was an long uphill climb!

Post-Race:
Professional photographers take photos of you along the course that are available for purchase once you finish. If you're like me and don't need/want unflattering photos of you mid-run, the course officials will take character photos of you with your smartphone, so make sure it's charged up! Once you finish, you'll be greeted with a beautiful (and large) medal, bottled water, snacks, and more minion photo ops with you shiny new hardware!

Tips:
- If you're picking up your packet the day of the race, arrive early because you may get lost and don't want to end up rushing to the starting line!
- This race is walker friendly, so don't fear the hills if this is your first 5k, but with that said, prepare for a real workout to climb back up to the finish line!
- Stop and enjoy the views! This race is so much to see characters and get a look at parts of the studio that most people don't get to see! Also, in all honestly you paid a lot of money for this event, so get that bang for your buck and take advantage of everything they offer!
- If you're out to really pound the pavement, get to the corrals early and stay toward the front, otherwise you may get held up with the slower runners/walkers. If you're a slower runner or walker, stay toward the back of the pack to avoid being trampled!
- Some parts of this course are a bit narrow, so always watch out for runners coming up to pass you, or if you're passing someone else.
- If you plan to stop for a photo, make sure you signal that you're stopping and get over to the side of the road safety -- do not stop in the middle of the path or sharply dart to the side. (This is a general courtesy rule to keep in mind for all races!)

Final Thoughts:
Overall this is a fun race that recreates the same theme park energy and silly atmosphere of RunDisney races and provides a rare experience to see behind the scenes of this mega studio! The themes of this race change each time, so it's a perfect opportunity to come back and run here again!

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