This is a family-friendly non-timed fun run held at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. I registered early and only paid $10 which included a tech t-shirt and a custom bib. Packet pick-up is available either the evening before or the morning of the event. Someone else picked up my packet and it went pretty smoothly.
I arrived later than usual to the event so I got stuck in a long parking line. I do wish that there had been more communication between the parking attendants regarding the parking situation, but I now know to arrive a bit earlier to get a better spot. I ended up parking about half mile away in a church parking lot, it wasn't a bad warmup but I did arrive a few minutes late to the race (good thing it wasn't timed). The race course had some flat parts mixed with a few hills. But the most amazing part is that you get to run through various Olympic training areas plus you get a gorgeous view of the mountains.
At one point you get to run on the running track - which felt like running on a cloud! They had a bounce house towards the end of the course which is awesome for the littles! After the run, we received water and fruit and the option for a $5 pancake breakfast. Then you could head up to visit the vendor tables, see the torch (with the flame!), get an autographed poster by actual Olympians, enter the raffle, visit the gift shop and bike museum, and visit with some Sea World animals including a photo op with Shamu!
The sponsors also passed out some swag and the DJ played some pumping music. Photos were available for purchase a few days after the event. Overall this was a great event supporting the local community and I couldn't pass up an opportunity to run where amazing athletes have trained! I think it would have been even sweeter if they had offered medals and maybe just charged a bit more for the event. Also, hopefully they work out the parking situation in the future. Checkout my blog for more pics from this event!

This is a fun, chip-timed race held in Mission Beach on the hard, packed sand. Packet pick-up was the day before at Movin Shoes in Pacific Beach. Here, I picked up my bib number, swag bag and t-shirt. They were also offering a discount on merchandise purchased this day. The race has an early start time to account for low tide, but parking was very easy as this was a pretty small event.
Since the event is held on the beach, there is obvious beautiful scenery and it's always peaceful to run along the beach. Water/Gatorade was offered at the halfway mark and there were some friendly volunteers along the way for support.
We were met at the finish line with a medal and snacks. Awards were given to the first-place finishers in each age category. There was a DJ pumping music and Zumba instructor along with a few vendors that kept the energy levels high. We were given coupons for a free margarita at Café Coyote in Old Town. I really enjoyed this race and I recommend doing it with a couple of friends to make it even more enjoyable. It's a small race and run on packed sand, so you could possibly PR here (not many participants, so less zig-zagging).
I do have a few suggestions: 1. Add the location/date to the finisher medal. 2. Offer margaritas immediately after the race or from a restaurant within walking distance of the event (Old Town is a 10 minute drive). 3. Offer women's and men's sizes in the tank tops or inform the participants that the shirts run a bit large. I would do this race again because I enjoy running on the beach and I love margaritas! ;)

I cannot say enough great things about this event! The 10k course is mostly flat and paved and runs along Fiesta Island in Mission Bay. Packet pick-up ( which includes a bib and t-shirt) has two options: either at Woodstock Pizza in PB the night before or the morning of the race. Parking is mostly street parking so the later you arrive, the further away you will have to park. This year I registered with my team (Stroller Warriors) and since we had so many members, we were offered two tents including tables, chairs and snacks. This made the day even more awesome because it gave us all a place to meet up before and after the race.

Water is offered along the course, however, there wasn't much course photography. After the race, we received medals and lots of snacks, beverages and swag! The event has so many vendors, as well as kids' activities with a bounce house. There is also a beer/wine garden where you receive one free drink and there is a live band to keep the energy flowing. Also, this event is well priced- I paid less than $30 for the 10k. However, fundraising and donating is encouraged since the race benefits autistic children and military families. I also like that there is a separate stroller division for timing and awards purposes, which just shows how much they really want this to be a family friendly event.

All of the volunteers and venders were super friendly and engaged with all of the kids in attendance. At one point, I lost my medal and one of the volunteers gave me a new one with no questions asked. It totally made my day! Most importantly, the event supports a great cause which is what drew me to this race to begin with. Overall, great course, great people, great price, great swag, and amazing cause! Two thumbs up!

This was a super fun Super Run! Definitely family friendly and geared towards children. Bib (and cape - yes, you get a cape!) pick-up was the day before at Road Runner Sports - however, it was a bit chaotic and slightly unorganized since there were so many participants. The event was held downtown near the Embarcadero and Seaport Village, so parking is always slightly difficult in this area. The race itself was pretty crowded - like really, really crowded - and it was a pretty narrow pathway most of the course.

So this is definitely a fun, non-timed event, non-competitive race. It's something that you would want to do with family and friends and make a fun day out of it. There were times that it was so crowded that you couldn't even really run - walking was the only option. There were a few volunteers along the course cheering everyone on and directing all of the participants in the right direction.

Since it was held near the Marina, there of course was some beautiful scenery! Beautiful weather and plenty to see while you were running (or walking...or jogging) along the way! After the race, there were a few vendors and fun Bounce House for the kids to jump in as well as the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile! The swag included a cape and a medal and there was plenty of water and fruit post-race. I found this race on Living Social, so I paid less than $20 and I feel that this was a reasonable price for this type of race. Again, consider doing this race for fun only - you will not be PR'ing here! Dress up in costume, grab your kids and some friends and come out to have a great time!

This was advertised as a fun race that includes a huge after-party - Mardi Gras style. While the race was well organized and the course was mostly flat with nice scenery at Hospitality Point; the post-race festivities were a little underwhelming. Packet pick-up was the day before at Sports Authority where you received your bib, jester hat, and a coupon to use in-store that day. There was the option to purchase a t-shirt for $10, but I opted out. Race day parking was pretty easy - free and fairly close to the start line. The venue was a little smaller than I had expected -since this was advertised as such a huge celebration - and there were only two port-a-potties in addition to two single stall bathrooms. As you can imagine, the bathroom lines were a bit long. The race itself is an out-and-back with volunteers at the halfway mark handing out water, feather boas, and beads. This is near Mission Bay, so of course it's always nice to run along the water. There was a DJ that tried to get the party going, but unfortunately the energy levels didn't get as high as I had hoped. There was post-race water, bananas, and bagels as well as a few vendors and a New Orleans Cuisine Food Truck (food sold separately). The cost of the 5k was $40 (I did however find a promo code), but I am originally from Southern Mississippi so I really did this race to get a taste of home. Overall, I enjoyed the course and the medal is beautiful; however, I am not sure I would do this race again unless they make the post-race festivities a bit more lively. Perhaps a beer section (this is Mardi Gras after all) or offer some activities/bounce houses for the kids.