This was the first ever LA Dodgers Foundation 5K and it could not have gone better in this runners opinion. The packet pick up was on Saturday, September 20 at the stadium and you had the option of watching the away game on the big screens in the stadium if you chose. With your packet pickup you got your race shirt, bib, timing chip, Dodger player bobblehead and a backpack! I personally couldn't make it down there Saturday so I opted for the morning of packet pick up. Race day packet pickup was from 6:30-8am (race started at 8:30). I got there about 6:50 and got my bib/timing chip/shirt/bobble head almost immediately. Gemini Timing had sent everyone an email a couple of days prior with our bib numbers so we didn't need to look it up at the packet pick up.
Before the race, they had music going and if you were a spectator, you could go in the stadium and sit in the bleachers and watch the race on the screens.
The race started almost right on time (which I LOVED, as I get antsy and just want to go!). The only thing I didn't like, and this is just because I hate hills, is that the biggest hill was right after the very first turn, about 1/4 mile in. But what goes up, must come down so it was all good. The race pretty much ran us around the perimeter of the parking lot and off onto the emergency road for less than 1/4 mile right about mile 2.
The post race goodies were great (apples/bananas/water) and then we got to do a victory lap on the field inside the stadium, which was a real treat.
All in all, I thought this was a GREAT race and I am looking forward to doing it again next year!

Last month I ran my very first runDisney race and I loved every minute of it. Since this was a full weekend of races (5k on Friday, 10k on Saturday and 1/2 Marathon on Sunday) they had the expo Thursday/Friday/Saturday in the Disneyland Hotel Convention Center. Everything you could think of for running, they had. Packet pickup was easy. Got a running shirt, my bib, safety pins and even some after race goodies and my corral placement.
The one and only complaint I had was the complete cluster that was the corral area. Even if you got to your corral early and were in the front-people who did not get into the corral were let in front of you as they moved us forward. But thats the one and only thing that I didn't like.
As soon as they let us go and we were off-it was 13.1 miles of people yelling for you and cheering you on. I knew that running through Disneyland and California Adventure would be great, but I figured that running through Anaheim at 6am there wouldn't be much crowd support. Boy was I wrong. Every street was lined with people, high school bands and even at one point, a car show! It was great.
Running through Angels Stadium was cool-with the stands being full of Boy and Girl Scouts.
And the finish was great. I got my medal quickly, was given a cooling towel, tons of snacks and medical was there almost right away with ice for anyone who needed it.
All in all, a great race!