Latest reviews by Carolyn Gardner

(2019)
"Hands down, Carlsbad 5000 is the best Race Day in SoCal!"
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This unique 5k event is definitely a race EVERYONE should add to their running bucket list.

The event is run in waves, so in reality there are 7 different races that take place. The morning kicks off with Masters race, (separate race for men and women), followed by races for those 39 & under, then a "Party People" run/walk, and it all caps off with an elite mens and women's dash to the finish line. Once you run your race, kick back, enjoy the Southern California scenery and watch others race their way to the finish line.

Pros:
I love that the races are run in waves. Even though this is a huge race I never felt crowded in my wave group.
New ownership this year did not disappoint. Everyone from the volunteers, to the announcers to Meb hanging out at the start and finish line brought the most positive energy.
The course is beautiful, running along the ocean and through downtown Carlsbad.
The post race party is a blast, you are even given two drink coupons for a great local beer.
Since I ran an early race I was able to easily find a spot to hang out with my friends all morning and cheer other races. Stay until the elite race, I promise it is so worth it!
Free race photos, that were beautiful picturesque locations.
This year they added a packet pick up party the day before. I didn't attend but it looked like a lot of fun including a meet and greet with Meb Keflezighi.

Cons:
There is not assigned parking, so you have to find a spot on a residential street. This can take a while so plan ahead.
While it is a "fast" course the reality is there are a few rolling hills.
There was a bottle of Gatorade given to racers in the finish line chute, however the bottle was sealed on the inside and was so hard to open.

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(2018)
"Party at the Pier"
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With ocean front views this race is always a winner. I love this race and add it to my calendar every year. It is part of the LA marathon Conqur Challenge so it draws a big crowd of athletes, but It still has that hometown feel. Starting in the park, running out and back along Ocean Ave then ending at the Santa Monica Pier, it’s one of the best 5ks in LA.

Pros:
Fast course with plenty of room for loads of runners
Great view
Nice medal & race shirt
Tons of port-o-potties at the start
Post race party on the pier is a blast (you even get a bag of veggies/fruit)
Great race to cheer other runners since it’s an out and back course

Cons:
Parking near the start is difficult. Parking near the finish is better, just to allow plenty of time to walk to the start.
Not alot of crowd support.
Expo is more like a neighborhood health fair and is challenging to park for. (Come early and pick up your packet on race day)

If you live in the LA area I can’t recommend this one enough.

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(2018)
"Grab your lady gang and head to Carlsbad "
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Grab your best running friends and bring them to Carlsbad for this race! This unquie yet fast race is one everyone in SoCal should be doing.

Pros:
Fast course!
The race is done in age bracket waves so allows for plenty of room for everyone on the course without any bottle necks.
My favorite part of this race is that you can watch your friends in other age brackets run before or after you do, stick around for the last race...the elites.
Great crowd support and beautiful scenery
Post race party is a blast!

Cons:
Parking is a nightmare, plan plenty of time to find street parking. (and by plenty I mean a lot)
No gear check and if you have to park a mile or so away that is annoying.
There are train tracks that run through the course and a slight chance you may have to wait for a train. The race management works hard to time the wave starts so that this doesn’t happen, but they do warn you it could.

I love this race and can’t wait to do it again next year and hopefully will walk away with a PR.

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(2017)
"Running with a side of wine"
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Finish line wine and vineyard views..I didn't need my arm twisted to run this event.

Santa Barbara wine country half is a beautiful yet hilly course with a post race wine tasting party.
This running event takes place just north of Santa Barbara in the Santa Ynez valley deep the heart of wine country. The first half of the race is definitely uphill with a peak at about 7 miles on "corkscrew hill". The reward for reaching that peak is a killer vineyard view and a mostly downhill course to the finish.
Once you reach the finish line, grab your wine glass and head for the post race party. There are wine tastings, beer tastings and a nice park area to lounge in. This is a perfect race to run with friends but keep in mind, the post race party can get a bit congested.

What did I like:
**Loved the views!!
**The hosting towns were quiet accommodating to the running tourists. Its a very quaint area of California and definitely one I'll head back to. (The local coffee shop opened early for runners and were so patient with everyone needing their morning fix)
**I really liked the post race party, even though it got crowed it was fun and loved tasting so many wines.
**Packet pick up was seamless, there was even a race day pick up option (for an additional fee).
**Since it was a point to point race, shuttles were available to the start line and seem to run very consistently.
**Aid stations were well stocked.
**Free race day photos.

What did I wish was different:
**Post race traffic was packed, wish there was an easier way to navigate out of the area in a car.
**Would have been better if they expanded the wine tasting area to a larger space to accommodate the amount of runners.
**Not really a complaint, but this is definitely a route with rolling hills so make sure you are well prepared.

Overall I loved this race and will definitely be back next year to run with friends....and drink more wine.

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(2017)
"Sweet ride through San Diego"
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Hot Chocolate San Diego has won me over!

This is the first time I have run a Ram Racing event outside of Chicago (where they are headquartered) so I wasn't sure how the event management would be. Result..I had a blast!

Let me start by saying this course is pretty hilly, so you should either to plan for that challenge or do what I did and run it as a fun run with friends, then you can walk the hills with no guilt :) The 15k route takes you through downtown San Diego and all around Balboa Park which is the perfect backdrop for a spring race. I ran this race with a group of friends and we had such a great time catching up while stopping at the sweet stations for all the treats.

What did I like about this event:
**Packet mailing. While I love a good expo, I couldn't get to the expo so I took advantage of the option to mail. I got my bib and goodie bag a week before, which was so much easier than driving two hours for an expo.
**Tons of volunteer support. They were so prepared for the crowds that I had no line at gear check, or post race goodies. The aid stations were very well stocked with so many volunteers who genuinely seemed like they were having a blast.
**Race swag. Very nice medal and a killer hoodie. I will wear this hoodie everywhere!
**Nuun hydration. Nuun was on the course which meant the world to me.
**Post race party. Plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the chocolate spread. There was music and each runner received a tub of goodies with chocolate to dip the goodies in. My group was able to hang out there for a while very comfortably.
**Free race photos. What was even better, we received those photos hours after the race!
**Sweet Stations. On the course there were about 3 places you could stop and get a sweet treat..either marshmallows or chocolate. Of course we stopped at all of them.

What could have been better:
**Start corrals. I was supposed to be in the first corral, but it was too packed so we had to move back. There didn't seem to be much coordination of the corrals at the start.
**Parking. There were parking lots in the area, but all were at a cost. Street parking was pretty tight so I had to park in paid lot.

Overall I had such a good time at this event. It definitely a fun race for friends or challenging enough to get a good workout. It will be on my yearly calendar for many years to come.

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