Latest reviews by Elizabeth Bain

(2015)
"One and Done, but worth doing once!"
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Have you ever tried to run in the sand? Not the wet, hard, compacted stuff by the water, but the looser, squishy stuff away from the water. Right, I hadn't either--until this weekend. Hey, it seemed like a good idea, it's the only mile I've run where I got a medal for running a mile, and combined with the half marathon on Sunday it earned me a Remix Challenge medal. Not that I'm all about the bling (okay, I'm a lot about the bling).

While they don't want to encourage people to take advantage of it, there is race day bib pick-up, in part because people coming in from out of town may have a hard time arriving in time for the expo on Friday. The nearest commercial airport, Norfolk, doesn't exactly have a ton of flights from all points west coast (and it took me over 8 hours to get here). So don't abuse it, folks--only use it if you need it.

While some people complained that it made no sense to force everyone to enter the beach at the 17th street boardwalk when the start was at 20th, the logistics of this made perfect sense. Trying to herd the hordes in through 20th and then into a corral would have been a nightmare, since the first wave of folks were finishing before the last wave were let go.

Turns out running on sand is harder than I thought. I'd figured sand on my feet, and chose to run barefoot to avoid the sand-in-socks thing (which I hate). I'd also figured on sand being squishy. I hadn't considered the amount of lateral movement, the sand kick-up from other runners, and the amount of salt that would accumulate on my glasses. I was happy for the overcast day (no shade at the beach) and for the pre-race rain that made the sand wet-ish so it wasn't as dusty as it could have been. If I were to do this race again, I'd take a Buff to wear over my nose/mouth, and lab goggles to wear over my glasses.

It took me almost twice as long as I'd anticipated to run the Mile in the Sand. I loved the crowds cheering in the last finishers, who fought hard to earn the sand dollar medal. I'm not sure I'd do this race again, just because I dislike being sandy and salty (I'm not a beach person). It was fun to go though, and especially to go with a local who knew pretty much every local running.
For some more pictures and more about my experience, check out http://www.trainwithbain.com/mile-in-the-sand-2015/

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(2015)
"I Run for Pizza (aka Football Kickoff) 5k"
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I registered for this event the night before it took place. The Running Zone staff were friendly and accommodating--even responded to my tweet right away after I found the race--and registration took no time at all. There was even a spare shirt in the right size for me (though there was an option to go without the shirt too). This race is part of a series Running Zone manages; they are the same people who bring you the Space Coast series. There wasn't an expo, but the store has a window and designated area for registration and packet pickup. Pre-race swag included a waterproof stuff box on a string (the kind you'd use for swimming to protect your ID), information about future races, and discounts and BOGOs for nearby businesses. I liked that what was included was relevant to the race; if I lived nearby, I would definitely have used the discounts and the race registration forms.

Access to the race was super easy, as it started/finished at a large outdoor shopping area. I was a little confused because I drove in on a route that had some of the race cones already set out, and I wasn't sure if they were for directing traffic. Fortunately everyone else seemed to have more clues, so I just followed them. There was more than enough parking for everyone who wanted to run, walk, volunteer, or watch.

The aid stations had water, and were well-stocked and attended. Everyone associated with this race was so freakin' friendly! There were a lot of course volunteers directing traffic along the course, which was entirely paved and very flat. I found the course fairly scenic even though it was around a mall, because I live in California where everything is brown and crispy, while everything I ran past was lush and green. There were some ponds and Florida birds (egrets or some kind of water bird).

One fun aspect of this race: the start/finish line was lined with cheerleaders from the program the race supports. Since it was football-kickoff-themed, lots of people were wearing shirts from their favorite teams.

Post-race swag included a free Bondi Band for each runner, smoothie samples, and a veritable pizza buffet. There was also regular runner food (oranges, bagels, etc.). In addition to the post-race swag, downloads of the event photos are free. (Prints are available at a great discount.) The finish line had a party atmosphere, with the Running Zone mascot lizard hugging kids and such. I had to leave before the awards ceremony, but there was a band-shell type stage set up for that and for announcements.

Overall, I had a great time at this race. If I lived within driving distance--Orlando is only like an hour away--I'd be running all of the Running Zone races.

For more pictures, check out my blog review: http://www.trainwithbain.com/irunforpizza/

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(2015)
"Small town 4th of July celebration"
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R.A.C.E. is a Ralph Appezzato Charity Event. Also proceeds from the event benefit the Midway Shelter for Abused Women and Children in Alameda, CA. It is a small event, run by a small team of volunteers, on a day when everyone else in town is either staking out spots to watch the parade or actually in the parade.

There is no expo. The event is not chip-timed. Race-day registration starts at 7:30, but like all races it really helps with planning if you pre-register. Runners pick up their running tags--a small tear-off with a hole in it, used in manually timed races--and t-shirts starting at 7:30, and the race begins at 9:00. When I arrived at 8:45 there was a long line, but the Boy Scout and parent volunteers processed things quickly and efficiently--I think I waited 5 minutes. There are cotton t-shirts for the first 400 people to register (next year they are upping it to 500), with sizes on a first-come, first-served basis. (It helps with ordering if you pre-register early and select a size.) While I would have liked to pick up my shirt after the race, it was not that bad to hold it during the race--a few people wore theirs, but I already had on a sports bra and a tank top, and didn't think another layer was a good idea in the stickiness--I was planning to wash it before wearing anyway, and since it was a bit humid and hot I used it to wipe the sweat out of my eyes.

The course starts on Park Street, a few blocks in from the start of the parade, and follows the parade route. (Park Street is the heart of Alameda's super-cuteness, with boutiques and restaurants and local ice cream.) Several coffee shops were open early to cater to the pre-parade crowd, there were mobile carts with vendors selling ice cream and snacks, and one cafe had a cronut stand. The course runs down Park Street, turns on Otis Drive (running between residential areas and South Shore), turns on Grand to arrive on Central, and follows Central down to Webster, where the finish line is.

The course is on streets every Alamedan drives all the time, so it isn't that exciting in terms of regular scenery; it is, however, a brilliant way to keep costs low for a charity race--use streets that are already closed for another purpose. Alameda is the kind of town where people set out their parade chairs the night before, and kids set up lemonade stands where you can get ice cold lemonade for $1. What the route lacks in natural/urban interest, it makes up for with all the people. The lucky folks who live along the parade route come out in full force. Some families have a complete brunch set up in the front yard, others have sun shelters over folding chairs, some bring out the dining room chairs. I saw kids with pom-poms, families with cow bells, people decked out in red, white, and blue outfits that would only be socially acceptable on a holiday occasion.

Course support consists of the police escorts and volunteers helping to keep the streets clear for the parade. There is water (served up by the local Boy Scout troop) at the end of the course. This is a point-to-point course (not a full loop). Some people stayed on Webster to watch the parade, and others walked home. Some were picked up by car on adjacent streets. I walked Lincoln back to Park, which has the advantage of being the staging road for the parade--I got a preview of many of the floats, bands, and cars.

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(2015)
"Gorgeous views, huge hearts, and fast winners!"
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Disclosure: I am a BibRave Pro and received a free entry to the Foothill 5k Challenge in exchange for helping to promote and review the race. After the race I felt VERY lucky to have had this opportunity. Now, on to the review!

Frankly, I am really surprised the field for this race was so small. There were about 300 people. I don't know what the event permit would have allowed, but I would love to see that double for next year because the scenery is gorgeous, the event is seamless and low-key, and the cause is a really good one. Seriously, if you're within driving distance and you don't go, you're robbing yourself. (I count myself lucky that I happened to be in town.)

(By the way...If you are not familiar with Back On My Feet--the beneficiary of this event--open another tab and use your Google-fu to read about the great work they do. Running really does change lives, whether you are a kid, a suburban housewife, a college student, or even experiencing homelessness. It's a universal tribe.)

I had no idea what to expect, other than the elevation gain (which, frankly, kinda scared the snot out of me, a not-fast, not-technical runner). Since the race website actively stated it was okay to hike the course as long as you were courteous and appropriately self-seeded, that was my plan.

Parking that is right next to the sports complex is limited, and I got the very last spot. There was plenty of overflow parking just a short walk away though, and I didn't hear anyone complaining. (If you're local and can carpool, I would recommend it--then you can rock-paper-scissors for who the designated driver is for the after party!) The complex is pretty big, but it was apparent where to go. After entering the initial paved area, there were chalk arrows and labels directing runners where to go.

There was a packet pickup opportunity the day before the race (hosted by race sponsor Run With Us, which I totally want to check out on my next LA trip) and I think a decent number of locals went to that. I didn't, because I was in town for a conference and I had classes all day, so I went to the day-of packet pickup line. Initially it seemed long, but the volunteers dished up bibs and shirts pretty swiftly so I didn't spend much time waiting. There were plenty of shirts, and when the size I selected didn't look quite right, I was able to swap out for a different size, no problem. There was also a race-day registration option that some people took. They didn't really wait in line either. I had plenty of time to walk back to my car to stash the shirt and stuff bag, and put my bib on.

The corral was 100% self-seeded. Since I knew I was going to walk/hike and not do much running (plus I wanted to stop and snap pictures for my blog), I hopped in at the back. As more people entered, I just kept on moving back! There were people of every age, shape, and body type. There were plenty of super-fast runners, and there were plenty of people hiking/walking. Prior to letting the corrals go, the announcer and race director gave some general safety tips (careful on the single-file areas, announce your passing) and some course-specific ones (in the area with two-way traffic, stay LEFT). Because a decent part of the course was single-track, the corral was started in three waves.

To my delight, not only did the self-seeded corral work perfectly, everyone I run around, or who ran around me, or who I otherwise observed, had absolutely delightful running manners. Most people around me were carrying a water bottle, and no one threw it on the trail. People called ahead before passing, and were polite and said "thank you." When we got to the two-way-street part, runners actually did what they were instructed to do. (Bad runner manners are a total pet peeve of mine, so this was pretty awesome.)

The views were absolutely gorgeous. After running a brief flat, the course headed onto the trail. Despite my initial apprehension about the elevation gain, it really wasn't bad. Think rolling hills--some up, a little down, repeat--until the final ascent. Sure, I wasn't trying to run it (which was a good thing, since I'd taken a High-X class with Gabby Reece and my thighs were toast), but it wasn't terrible in terms of difficulty. I stopped to snap a picture now and then, but I also stopped to admire the view. I'm not the most coordinated of runners, and trails are bumpyish, so I tend to look down quite a bit while running/walking. The views were so beautiful. I stopped to read the historical plaque about the town too.

While there were not a ton of places to park an aid station, there was an access road right at the apex, and race volunteers had trucked in a few cases of water bottles. At the starting line we had all been encouraged to pre-hydrate (there were bottles of water and cups of Gatorade), and to take a water bottle with us. Since I hadn't packed a hydration kit, I took a bottle with me and had almost drained it by the time I hit the top, so I was glad to swap it for a full one.

There were also volunteers along the course at intervals to check on the runners, point out rough patches, and direct the two-way traffic. Those volunteers had to hike or run up to their stations, which makes them extra awesome volunteers, in my eyes.

After I hit the top and got back down again, I passed the finish line aid station and chugged some Gatorade and grabbed another bottle of water. Sponsor Bimbo had a tent with bagels, and there were so many bagels that runners were encouraged to take a bag of six. (I don't turn down free food.) I watched the low-key awards ceremony, and though I'll never run a course like that in 20 minutes I admired those who did--both younger and older. After a stretch with some of the YogaWorks team (another race sponsor), a decent chunk of the runners headed to the after party at Golden Road Brewing.

Since I don't know the area, I did ask my iPhone where Golden Road was, but it was unnecessary--I could have just followed all the cars leaving the parking lot. Golden Road offered a discount on their brews, and donated 15% of the proceeds to Back On My Feet. They also have a delicious brunch menu with good vegetarian and vegan options.

The event also included a raffle. I bought tickets and hoped not to win, since the very cool prizes on offer were not anything I actually need. I stuffed myself silly, enjoyed some hard cider, and did a presto-change-o in the bathroom thanks to planning ahead and the invention of the Shower Pill wipe. (I had a flight out of Burbank that afternoon, but no opportunity for a shower...and manners demand I don't go onto an airplane with a post-race sweaty stink!).

I saw a lot of people with BOMF shirts from this event and other past events, and when I wrote my blog review (which you can read at http://www.trainwithbain.com/foothill-5k-challenge-2015/) several people tweeted that they'd seen shirts or done events supporting their local BOMF chapter.

If you live in LA, or need an excuse to go there--this could be just one morning of a weekend trip--this is a great event, race it or stroll it.

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(2015)
"Favorite Rock 'n' Roll Tour Stop"
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I am biased because I 100% LOVE Portland. Part of why I love the new course--this is my second time running the race (the first was 2013) and the course shifted a bit since then--is that it runs right through Irvington where I lived for six years. Rock 'n' Roll tries to keep some of the novelty of Portland involved in this race, including this year's use of the old PDX carpeting at the finish line and as part of the medal ribbon and shirt designs. (The PDX carpet was/is famous, but an updated version is currently being installed. I thought this was a brilliant use of it.)

The course is mostly flat, but not entirely since Portland is known as Bridgetown for a reason. (You've got to go up to cross the bridge.) The race course does a decent job of showing off different parts of the city, which is important because the neighborhoods developed as little mini-cities and each has a distinct character.

This year's medal had a bottle opener, but the opener was on the back. In theory, a good idea, since Portland is also known for craft brewing (despite Michelob Ultra's sponsorship of the entire Rock 'n' Roll race series). An F for execution, however, as the sharper edge of the opener caught many people's shirts and made holes and pulls. I put some Go Tape on the back of mine, which prevented this.

The expo was an average size for a Rock 'n' Roll race; not huge like Los Angeles, not tiny like Pasadena.

Parking and access was all but idiot-proof, so long as you didn't try to drive on closed streets. I parked two blocks from the parkway, at an on-street meter. There were multiple pre-pay garages, and public transit as well. (You could also taxi, Uber, etc. from easy parking a little further away.)

I'll be back to this race, and not just because I love Portland. 2013 was my half marathon PR, and this year I chose to walk the course with one of my friends who is local (since I never see her). When I finished the event (3 hours plus some) the bands were still playing--and continued to play for another half hour or so. There was plenty of finisher food and water and Gatorade waiting for me at the chute. Happy to return in 2016!

To see more pictures (including the famous PDX carpet), check out my blog review: http://www.trainwithbain.com/rock-n-roll-portland-2015/

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