Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego 1/2 Marathon

This was my first ½ marathon so I went into this experience with a fresh set of eyes not knowing how things were before. Overall I would say that this was a great first experience.
Course:
The course itself was comfortable yet slightly challenging to someone like me that is new to this. I was able to walk the entire course and was never crowded or pushed around by runners trying to get by. This made my anxiety level remain fairly low the entire time.
Bands:
There were quite a few bands that played throughout the course. There were DJ’s as well that were set up in parking lots and home owners in the neighborhoods that we went through with sound systems in their yards, on their roofs, and in their windows. It was pretty fun to see so many residence out having a good time and cheering us on.
Water Stations:
In my honest opinion, there were not enough of them. There were three times I thought I was going to quit but then turned that corner and there were tables and tables of water. They were about every 2 – 4 miles. For seasoned runners that may be fine. For a newbie like me… if I had not carried my own water and sports beans with me, I would never have made it. There were people handing out oranges, watermelon and other fruit and candy, but that went quick with the runners that were ahead of the slower people. I only know this because when I came walking up, they were cleaning all the trash. LOL.
Bathrooms:
As someone who goes to the bathroom A LOT, this was a major concern for me. I saw in previous years reviews that there were complaints that there were not enough bathroom stops along the route. From what I recall, there were just enough. I think that if there were maybe 3 more bathroom stations on the ½ marathon route, it would have been perfect. I ended up stopping twice. There was one time that I thought I would have to stop and use a bush but was able to hold it just a bit longer and made it. BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER!!! I feel bad for female runners/​walkers that get to the bathroom stations later in the race. They are pretty wiped out. Just to remind you… BRING YOUR OWN!
Before the race even started there were so many people waiting to use the bathrooms. This is to be expected. There were quite a few port-​o-​potties. Not sure where they could have even fit more if they were able. One thing I would suggest is to head to the bathrooms towards the starting line as the corrals are being released. There were no lines. You could walk right in and handle your business.
Before the race:
It was nice to have water, bagels and bananas there for you to take to get carb’d up and hydrated before you started your race.
Parking/​Getting to the Starting Line:
My friend and I went to the health fair the day before and picked up all of our paper work and walked around. There is a section inside where you can purchase a parking pass and wrist bands for the shuttle. MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS! It was $ 20 for two people. Parking is at the convention center, then you walk across the street and down the street about ¼ mile and there is a line where the shuttles pick you up. This was so nice! Be ready for lots of warm bodies and lots of morning breath. The drive was about 10 – 15 minutes to get to the starting line. When you finish, you walk around Petco Park and just cross the street again and you are back at the convention center. Getting out only took us about 10 minutes. We were quickly back on the freeway and heading home. We did not stay after for the concert.
Finish Line:
As soon as you cross the finish line you are handed your medal. I wasn’t expecting something so nice. There are volunteers everywhere handing out water, chocolate milk, power bars, bananas, bagels, gatorade, and other stuff. Everything is pretty spread out so that nothing really bottle necks and you are falling over people trying to find a place to go fall down and rest.
Temp:
I thought that the early start was great since it meant you would be under the cloud layer for 90% of the race. It was cold before you got started. I carried a light back pack and was able to put my friends wind breaker in it and was not bothered by it at all during my race. Towards the end when the sun starts peeking through the clouds, it does get pretty warm. We both ended up sun burnt. MAKE SURE YOU WEAR SUN SCREEN!!!
All in all I had a really great time. It was the hardest thing I have ever physically done. I want to train harder and try it again. I completed the course in 4 hours 4 minutes. I think that it was pretty well organized. I had no issues finding where I needed to go. There are more than enough volunteers to assist you with anything that you need. There were trucks to check in your stuff but i did not use those so I am not sure how good or bad they were. I did see them all lined up at the finish line so that you could get your stuff when you finished.
Looking forward to next time. :)

I ran the half this year and thought it was OK. Although Rock and Roll events are pricey, you can count on an organized event for tens of thousands of runners. An organized, stress-​free event is what I look for most in races these days.
Once inside the Expo, things were smooth. Parking at the convention center is $ 15 and took some time to get in. I was impressed with separate baggies for pins and for a zip tie to attach your bib number to your bag for check.
We got to the race via trolley and had about a 15 minute walk to the start. The start area was organized with plenty of port a potties. The start corrals were organized also. The finish was a little crowded, but our group was able to reunite after the race without any difficulty.
The course is not one that I prefer because it mainly went through neighborhoods and nothing was that memorable about it. Also, if you like a course with many turns and small rollers, this course is for you. The best part of the course is that the last 5K is pretty much all downhill.
It would be very likely I would run the full again, but it would be unlikely that I would run the half again unless I needed to fit in another half at the end of the spring race season.

My third year on this course!
This year I opted to do the remix challenge with the inaugural 5K. I also took the train down from LA, which was a great decision.
5K
Same start line in Balboa Park. I liked that this event brought more people into the race. One of my friends was running the half, but also did the 5K with her elementary school aged son.
Full start line set up even for this short distance. My friend and I had bought bananas the night before just to have a little something in the belly, but they were handing them out before the race, too. Good to know for next time :)
We had a great send off and headed north on 6^th before turning around and heading back along the side of Balboa Park and then taking a short loop in the park to complete our 3.1 miles.
There was one cheer squad and one water stop along this route.
We came into the finish line with lots of music and medals waiting for us. Tons of snacks, including power bars, bottles of water and a few other items. A fun cover band was playing at the finish.
It was a nice way to warm up for the Sunday half and fun to be in the fitness community.
Expo
RNR San Diego definitely has one of the best race expos of all the locations. The San Diego Convention Center has gotten INSANE about parking. In 2013 it was $ 10, in 2014, it was $ 15. This year it was $ 20. Since we had taken the train down, we walked and took über everywhere. We ended up hitting the expo twice… once on Friday to get our bibs (but it was about to close) and once on Saturday when our other friend arrived and we could check out the booths. All of my favorites were there and I was able to pick up more Sparkly Soul headbands and a new muscle kneader from the Stick. Don’t drive here if you can avoid it.
Half Marathon
The course felt slightly different than the last two years, but not dramatically so. My favorite part are the two turns through Hillcrest (at about mile 1 and again near the end of the race). The crowd support there is so much fun.
While the half course isn’t super exciting, the crowd support is phenomenal, especially in residential areas. So many people set up their own makeshift aid stations including beer, tequila shots, iced coffee, pretzels, spray downs with a hose, whiskey shots, etc. I can’t remember them all, but they kept me smiling.
The organized course support (water/​gatorade/​gu and medical tents) were all well staffed.
The only nit this year was the road construction that significantly narrowed the course just before the finisher chute, which made it hard to go all out.
Cute medals, cute shirts and a run to remember. Excited to see you next year!

Looking for an early summer race, and an excuse for a weekend in SD with the family, signed up for the 5k — ½ marathon remix challenge.
I bought my shuttle ticket in advance for race morning but with the line stretching from the back of Petco to the Omni entrance, kept walking to the start. The streets were packed with like-​minded runners and found it was a great way to get the muscles warmed up.
This being my first RnR event, wasn’t sure what to expect so was pretty open minded about this race, either good or bad.
As I was treating this as a training run, went to corral 12 which was right in the middle. Still surprised at the amount of walkers who were in this, and lower numbered, corrals but that’s a problem with all events without marshaled entries.
I did like the spacing of the corrals and with each one given their own sendoff, felt it gave everyone running the feeling the start was just for their group.
The course wasn’t bad with a mix of commercial and residential streets but nothing overly exciting. I did like the tunnel near the end with the lights and EDM which gave people a push to the end.
With an event of this size, the course was always packed. Always. It never opened up, people to battle at water stations throughout the course and as it went on, we’re dodging more people than being able to hold your line.
The finish area was packed but did like how the runners had a chance to get water and food before joining the «general population.» Part two of the finish festival was at Petco which felt busier than a Padres game but got enough free Suja to cover my entry fees!
I wouldn’t make this a destination race or one that I’d specifically train for but if the cost was right and it fit into the schedule, would possibly consider again.

I’m really a fan of larger races because I feed off of the energy of large groups of people. Smaller races are just lacking the energy and atmosphere I’m looking for. If you’re like me, then this is definitely a race you should try. Although there were tens of thousands of people running, I found it to be very well organized. I easily found my corral and had no problem finding family members after the fact.
As for the course, if I’m not mistaken, they changed they half marathon course either this year or last year. It used to take a smiliar route to the full marathon, but not goes back through mostly residential areas. As someone who now lives in San Diego (in one of the neighborhoods we went through), I found the course to be very lackluster. Other than when you go downtown, I don’t really feel like you get to SEE or experience what San Diego has to offer. As a tourist coming to run this race, I would have been very disappointed to hardly see any really big attractions.
Other than that, I liked that the course was not too hilly (made it easier to get a good time). There were lots of water and aid stations. More bands next year would be nicer (I’ve heard from a few people that there were more bands in past years, but I guess they cut back this year for some reason).

This was my first RnR event and what better place to start than its hometown. This year they introduced the 5k to the event that occurs on Saturday. Finshers for the 5k are given a really sweet medal too. If runners complete both the Saturday run and one of the Sunday runs, finishers will get a third medal on top of the two medals.
The 5k had the same start as the half at the outskirts of Balboa Park. The majority of it happened on 6^th street, starting at Palm, turning around at Pennsylvania, back down to Hawthorne, and then turning into the park. The course itself was definitely not flat and had a few areas with good inclines and declines. I just thought the 5k would have gone more into the park.
I also did the half marathon that took place on Sunday, and it mainly toured University Heights, Normal Heights, and North Park. It cuts back into Balboa and finally just outside of Petco Park. The course was generally flat, had a small hill, and several downhill sections. There hit a point for about half to ¾ of a mile that had a steady decline and was definitely taking a toll on my knees. The neighborhoods, volunteers, spectators, runners, and everyone else were highly supportive of everyone that was running which definitely helps the challenge of finishing that 13.1 miles.
Nothing feels better than accomplishing such feat!

Half Marathon #7 in 2015 and #9 overall.
Alright so I finally got around to running the original EPIC summer race that started the Rock N Roll Marathon Series way back in 1998.
Expo: I got there pretty early about an hour after the expo started at 11:30AM on Friday. Since I know San Diego like the back of my hand I found a parking lot down the street from the Marriot hotel on 2^nd & J St. and paid $ 10 for the whole day. Which was decent because by the time I left the expo the same parking lot price had gone up to $ 25 to park there. This expo was really AWESOME from vendors, freebies, swag, contests to sign up, events for family and friends etc. But what really made this memorable was that during a Q&A session competitor group selected me as one of the few people to come on stage and ask Meb Keflezighi a question. This guy is such an inspiration & idol to myself and so many other people, that I’ll never forget that moment.
Saturday 5K Race: Yes I signed up for this because of the remix challenge which this was the inaugural race for RnR SD. I drove down the morning for this race and parked in the Presidents way & Inspiration Point parking lot, so yes it was a bit of a walk to the starting line area. I wish there were signs telling people the parking lot right behind the Speckles organ pavilion was open because that would have been a shorter walk to the starting line area. The course was a simple loop back course which started at 6^th ave & Quince and went past the SD hall of champions and finished where you started. I’ll give competitor group credit the had a live band performing after this 5K race & Michelob Ultra beer garden post race.
Sunday Half Marathon: Alright so I knew how big this race was with close to 30,000 combined runners for the full & half there was no way I was bothering driving to Downtown SD and having to pay at a lot or chance it with searching for a free parking meter. So I paid a $ 8 round trip coaster ticket and caught the coaster in Sorrento Valley which dropped us off in Old Town and we had a free bus shuttle to the starting line area. The only downside was that I had to wake up hella early and be at the Sorrento Valley coaster station by 4:41AM, the crazy thing was the morning of the race I got to Sorrento Valley park & ride at 4:38AM which is about ¾th of a mile down the street, so yeah I had to book it and got my pre race morning warm up sprint in… lol.
Pre race morning for the half marathon was pretty simple since I had plenty of time to kill, the half marathon was scheduled to start @ 6:50AM and I was there by 5:30AM.I got lucky the week before the race and happen to be @ Movin shoes in Encinitas and they hooked me up with a Brooks VIP port e potty which was so much nicer & roomier compared to the standard stinky port e potty’s.Gear check in was simple and the lines weren’t long at all.
Now for the race and course itself. I’ll be honest and say I liked going through downtown, Hillcrest, university. I just didn’t like the last leg of the race where you had a hill to climb at mile 11 through 12 passing by Morley field and Balboa Naval Medical hospital. Honestly yes this race is not scenic and does not showcase San Diego’s awesome beaches, but at the same time I don’t see how competitor group could adjust and incorporate that into the course for the half or full marathon. I mean if people are looking for that type of half marathon they should sign up for the La Jolla Half held in April or Carlsbad Half held in January.
Post race the finish line area just behind Petco Park was a little cramped for my liking especially with all the family & friends being around the reunion post race section. I wish competitor group would have organized it better and give more space to runners finishing the half or full marathon. Gear pick up was easy and it was off to Petco Park to reunite with friends who ran the race, pick up my extra bling for completing the remix challenge, and to relax on the field at Petco park while enjoying a few beers and watching a free live concert done by O.A.R.
So yes 3 days, 2 races, and 3x the bling for me really was a EPIC SUMMER run here in my hometown.
Would I do this race again. Heck ya and it will be a race that I do annually and maybe next year I’ll be brave enough to do the full marathon.
Race # 2 for the Rock N Roll Cali Combo complete !!!
Stay classy San Diego.

I’m still in pain from yesterday’s Marathon. I completed ½ with my friend — i wouldn’t have been able to finish w/​o my dear friend & runner in crime, Donna.
Neither of us trained for the Marathon & we’re paying for it now –sore & i cant feel my legs.
Anyways … the marathon is very motivating — seeing runners older, younger, handicapped, fit, etc. along with neighbors, cheerleaders, supporters cheering you on.
I wanted to give up after the 7^th mile — my left leg was cramping bad — i got teary eyed — but there was this lady next to me in her 80’s that inspired me — she was jogging and having fun. If she can do it — WE CAN ALL DO IT.
I like the path they created this year… mainly all flat roads and only one small up hill.
The first one i did 7 years ago was torture — then again i never ran or trained for it lol (my poor legs/​body)
Congrats to all the runners, joggers, walkers, bikers, etc! you all did great!
Its very rewarding.

I ran the RnR San Diego in 2014 with my brother. There are lots of fun aspects with this race. The start line had lots of energy, especially for it being so early in the morning. It was a wave start that was very organized for such a large event.
You run through so many parts of San Diego, and even see the Coronado bridge towards the end when you have 1 – 2 miles to go. The tunnel at the very end. Love the techno set up with the lights and the DJ rocking it. That gave me an extra push as I neared the finish line.
While the weather is almost always perfect, the 2^nd half of the course was a bit tough as the sun started to come down on us. I commented to my brother at mile 6, «As long as those clouds hold up and block the sun, we’ll be all good» Sure enough, five minutes later the sun comes blazing through. Last time I open my mouth.
The finish line outside of Petco was loud, and the goodies were the standard snacks you get. What’s also cool about this run is that you can go to so many different restaurants just a few blocks away to eat right afterwards. Saw the after party concert for about 30 minutes before we called it a day.
Besides the weather getting warm as the race went on, it was a very fun and energetic course. I would do it all over again in 2015

BIB-​PICKUP, LIKE COMIC-​CON, BUT FOR RUNNERS
Bib pickup was at the convention center. It felt like Comic-​Con but for runners — minus the overweight men dressed up as Superman, so-​called «nerdy» girls who’s never seen Star Wars dress up as Princess Leia, involuntarily having your body pressed up against complete strangers who have not bathed in the past couple days, and stampedes over free t-​shirts and buttons. Anyway, there were variety of booths giving away free snacks, stuff to try, stuff to buy, and tons of photo ops. There was even a rodeo shoe ride! lol. It was a plentiful and well-​organized bib-​pick up. I did pick up some «San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon» exclusives. I wonder if I can earn some extra cash and eBay any of ‘em? Hah. jk.
LET’S GET HYPHY, OR NOT
I have never done a Rock ‘n Roll race, but I knew it was a big deal. I was amazed with the amount of participants and support throughout the run. The run itself wasn’t too bad, but the route sucked. People travel to participate in this race; I expected more. The race should have highlighted the scenic spots of San Diego. People that were not from San Diego probably think San Diego is a dump or something, especially when the course takes you through some of the homeless camps.
I hated how the race started off by Balboa Park, and ended by Petco Park. I am not a fan of races that start and end in different places. Plus, none of the bus transportation was free — so plan accordingly, and purchase prior if you want to take advantage of the bus transportation before or after the race.
ROCK STAR
As soon as you finish, you are adorned with tons of post-​race snacks, and more photo ops. I don’t think I have ever had this many opportunities to take a picture at a race. Once you pass the finishing chute, OMG everything and everyone was everywhere! There was nowhere to sit, and all I wanted to do was to enjoy my chocolate milk. I did the San Diego Half and Hot Chocolate Run in March this year (2014) — which were both in downtown San Diego, but the way they set up stations, and booths were better. Everything else about the race was very organized, so I was a bit surprised to deal with this after the race.
SUJA
Hidden within Tailgate Parking lot was a Suja Booth, the sponsors of the race. Being the Asian klepto I am (jk), I was able to snag a couple bottles and enjoy them at the free concert at Petco Park. They were trying to get rid of their stash, so I took as many as I could carry like everyone else. Lol. Oh, and the concert was okay. I’m not hip, I don’t know who Aloe Blacc is… but I did enjoy the Suja. :)
Overall, the race was okay. I expected more for such a big run, especially for my hometown. I’m not sure if I’m going to participate in it again next year, but we will see.

One minute I’m at work talking to my boy about running and next thing I know we’re training for the RnR ½ Marathon. We trained for about 3 months. On avg. we ran about 6 to 8 miles 3x a week. Our longest run was 13 miles… Once!
Race day was prefect! The weather was nice. Not too hot or cold. Just right for running.
I thought the event was well organized. The course wasn’t too bad. Mostly flat with a few small hills. Nothing too serious. A few areas got crowded due to ppl walking but that didn’t bother me. I had one mission and that was finishing. Which I did in 2hrs 28sec… Not bad for my 1^st Half Marathon! Maybe next year I’ll do a full.

This was my 2^nd half marathon ever (within 4 months!!!) and it was pretty cool. The expo was pretty cool which was held at the SD Convention Center. There were plenty of vendors that offered many goodies. The route was pretty cool… you go through different neighborhoods, suburbs, businesses… it was pretty nice. However, it was pretty hilly, which I was not prepared for! So for you future runners, make sure you train hills!
The bands at each mile was pretty cool, and there were plenty of water/​snack stations to rejuvenate yourself. The finish line at Petco Park was very exciting to end the run at, as there are many people cheering you on and the finish line itself was huge and decorative. Loved the free milk and snacks at the end! The medal is pretty awesome! Overall, it was a fun run in Sunny San Diego.

Organization: 5 stars.
Course: 3 stars.
Post-​race Entertainment: 5 stars
It’s nice to run this race knowing it was right here in San Diego where the Rock ‘n’ Roll series originated. Before I found that out, I had no interest until the special «Cali Combo» medal was announced. It takes running 3 of the 4 RnR’s in Cali to earn this glittery bear of a medal.
Having arrived in SD on Saturday afternoon, we didn’t have much time to peruse the expo but I did get to see the Brooks rodeo shoe for the first time. It’s like a mechanical bull, except it’s a shoe! I also learned what Suja, the main sponsor, was when the reps were trying to get rid of the last of the free bottles. Honestly, I’ve never heard or noticed this brand of organic juice before but after doing some research, I learned they are founded and based out of San Diego.
The tech shirt was red this year. I would have appreciated a different color since it was also red for San Francisco’s. The LA shirt better not be red!
*Tip for expo parking: Park at Horton Plaza and get validated at the machine for 3 hours FREE parking.
The course was not very scenic although we did get a far away view of the Coronado Bridge.
I did appreciate the support in the neighborhoods; being sprayed a couple of times with hoses, Jolly Rancher candy being handed out, and a bowl of pretzels. From being gloomy in the morning but not at all cold, it eventually became sunny San Diego. The weather got warm and I definitely do not do well in the heat. I was grateful for a case of water that was put out and I gladly took a bottle with me.
The alphabet reunion area was split in 2, opposite sides if the finish line.
Post-​race party and beer garden was inside of Petco Park where the sounds of Aloe Blacc were enjoyed. Seems like everybody was having a good time up in there all. Aloe has some great upbeat music that got everybody moving and «you can tell everybody», he’s the man.
Some wonderful things about this race is that even though I didn’t get to see him, Meb Keflezighi, winner of the Boston Marathon was present and paced the head of the half marathon pack. Harriette Thompson, 91 years old, made news for breaking the U.S. record for her age group.

2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon.
By far, one of the more enjoyable RnRs I have ran. This is my 4^th this year and 8^th overall :)
There are a ton of people & tons of fun. There were a few fruit and candy stations that I believed were provided by businesses or from private viewers, which was great to have that extra energy. Personal I wasn’t prepared for the San Diego heat, but made me be extra aware of staying hydrated.
Overall I enjoyed the different music genres and fruits/​snacks stands. The expo was great and well diverse vendor booths. Also as a Tour Pass holder, I got to meet Meb! :)

I signed up for the 2014 RnR Half Marathon about a month ago. I had planned on doing just this San Diego race, but found out that registration was about $ 150 this close to the event. Doing a double take, I bought the RnR Tour Pass 3-​pack. This gives me 3 races for $ 200. So…$ 67 per race? With the potential to earn 6 medals in the RnR series? DONE!
This is my first Rock n Roll event, so I don’t have any other RnR events to compare it to. The course is relatively flat and takes you from Balboa Park and through a variety of neighborhoods such as Hillcrest, North Park, University Heights and Normal Heights, before looping back to the Balboa neighborhood and ending in the East Village at Petco Park. The residents of the residential neighborhoods that we ran through were amazingly supportive. When the sun came out, folks offered to spray runners down with water to keep cool. I also saw an assortment of food/​drink offerings like: bacon, fruit, beer, melons, etc. The crowd support was awesome!
RnR SD is probably the largest running event. With over 26,000 participants, it wasn’t surprising how packed it was. There were extremely long lines at the port-​o-​potties and scores of people trying to find their corral. If you ever plan on doing this race, be sure to get there early!
Next time around, I may do the full marathon. Maybe then I’ll enjoy the scenic ocean views that San Diego has to offer. In the meantime… up next in the RnR series — San Jose Half in October! #idowhatvalsays

Hilly! Rolling hills for 13.1 miles! Loved flying down the downhills. My legs are feeling it this morning though. Great time of year to run it as it’s not too hot but it is humid right by the water. Jugglers and folks passing out jello shots along the way. Haha! No thank you on the jello shot but I’ll have one afterwards. I was happy to be sprayed down with water around mile 10. Finish time 1:54. Out of the 18 half marathons I’ve run this is by far one of my favorites! Very organized. Great live bands along the course!

My first half marathon ever! Crossed that off my bucket list. Phew. My knees are definitely feeling that 13.1 miles right now.
For such a large race, I’d consider this a really organized race. The directions to the parking lots and the shuttles were clear. Their suggested arrival times made getting there so much smoother and I don’t think there were any hiccups from when we left our apartments to leaving Petco Park. We left our apartments around 3:45 am and got to the parking lot around 4:30 am. We just had to walk across the bridge to get to the shuttles. Got to the starting line around 5 am. On a side note, bring a jacket to wear! It is cold in the morning. Then as it gets closer to the starting time, chuck it in your gear bag and get your gear bag checked in. Around 5 am, there aren’t lines to use the porta potties so use them then! As it gets closer to the starting time, the lines are really long.
I was griping about how early I had to get there, but looking back on it, I’m glad I did. It made everything a lot less stressful knowing that I was already there and prepared. Bagels, water, and bananas were up for grabs in the morning. The start went off without a hitch for each of the corrals. Note that the further down in corrals you are, the more likely you are to be mixed in with other corrals since they remove the cut off lines for each corral. It’s not a big deal though.
Community support was amazing. So many signs to keep you smiling and to the community that were offering little snacks to keep us going, thank you! I love gummi bears and around mile 9, I definitely needed them. I’m sure my time would have been a lot slower had there not been this great of a turn out. The bands along the route also made it entertaining.
Finishing was such a great feeling. It was easy getting our medals and getting our picture taken. I grabbed all the liquids and food I could get and made my way to the meeting spot our group had picked before the race began. I had no problem finding my friends afterwards even though it was crowded.
Thank you to all the staff and volunteers that made this race so memorable. I love my new shiny medal and all the free food and drinks I got afterwards.
Chip time: 2:08:37
Pace: 9:50 min/​mile

This was my first RnR event of 2014. I’m giving 4 stars mainly based on the organization to size factor of this event.
I selected San Diego to use as one of my races on my RnR Tour Pass Half 3 Pack because it’s not too far from home and travel cost are able to remain low since airfare isn’t required; although Kudos to Alaska Air for their discount code to runners.
I also figured the weather would be pretty nice, which it was. This is one of the first half marathons I’ve been at the starting line during the 6A hour and not been super cold. It was around 66 degrees (which is actually fairly warm to me, for running) but we had a great cloud cover until the last couple miles of the race, when the weather may have been closer to 70 degrees, which I was then thankful I would not be running in much longer.
I thought I heard there would be 40k runners, if that was indeed the case — this must go down as the most organized RnR event I’ve ever participated in.
The full marathon started at 615A and the half at 645A. I chose not to über or shuttle from the W Hotel I was staying at to the start line on 6^th near Balboa Park instead my boyfriend drove me. I thought for sure I’d have to walk for several blocks to get anywhere near my corral (2), not the case at all. He was able to drive me one block from the start line and I was near corral 6 as I walked up.
The corrals were very easily identifiable with signage and not crowded at all. I was so close to corral 1 I kept thinking I’d see Meb, but didn’t go on the hunt for him. I was pretty ecstatic even knowing I was within just a few feet of him pacing the 1:30 half after just winning Boston.
The course itself was ok. I felt it was a bit boring, with very little to look at and certainly not the most scenic RnR course. The elevation varied slightly, there were plenty of water stations (which I don’t tend to use since I have my running pack with bottles), course entertainment etc.
The finish line was also very organized for an event of this scale. Coming in right at 1:50:14 (sad I know, not my best time — I should have tapered a bit more last week) I was able to see the winner of the full marathon pass by me a few minutes before I came through the finish.
The finisher medals are very nice! It was super easy to find my boyfriend at the family meet up spots that are alphabetically ordered.
I’m not sure if I’d register to run in this race again but I felt it was a great choice to use on of my 3 Pack runs on (I’ll use my other two on RnR Seattle and RnR Vancouver in Oct.)
Great race, and very organized expo at the San Diego convention center.

This is the first year I ran the new course its entirety. Last year I ran the 2^nd half of the relay. Now knowing the entire course, it’s an improvement to the prior course 2 years which most of it was on the 163 freeway and Morena Blvd. However, the course still lacked the beautiful scenic SD spirit!
The various up and coming neighborhoods were cool and all, but if I was a visitor coming from abroad, I would like to see beaches!!! We were no where in site of beaches — just houses mostly. Pretty disappointed.
On mile 4, I was super excited to see the chalk writing on the roads. One of the messages was GO MARIA C. in North Park. Ummmm, what?! What that for me??? That seriously gave me a boost.
Overall the course was definitely PR-​able. Unfortunately, I’m still recovering from 2 injuries (fractured foot and torn hip labrum), which prevented me from running at my peak. I think I was most excited for any downhill. Some of the course got a little crowded, especially mile 10ish heading back into downtown and towards the finish line. By mile 11, I was pretty spent since it started getting super hot and the sun was just burning my shoulders.
If the course changes, then I’ll probably sign up for next year; otherwise I may just have to defer it next year.
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STATS:
Unofficial 2:15

My first ever half marathon and PR’d it!
5 Stars: Because it benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
5 Stars: Because it’s in America’s Finest City
5 Stars: Because it’s well organized
5 Stars: My first half and completed it with friends
For my very first Rock n Roll Half Marathon, I came here semi-​prepared. Even though I have a place here in Daygo, it made more sense to stay at a nearby hotel to avoid the traffic. So, getting here and traffic is not on my complaint list for this half. But you’ll still want to get in early to check in your gear, stretch, hydrate, and use the potty.
Groups are placed in corrals based on estimated run times, which makes the whole cattle prod process organized considering that there’s 30,000+ runners/​walkers. You wait while each corral is called put. Then it’s your turn and it’s off to the races.
This year’s SD RnR starts off at 6^th & Quince, followed by a run through North Park, through Balboa Park, and eventually to PetCo Park. Because it takes me some time to warm up, I found miles 1 – 4 my toughest. In fact, I had to walk my first 2 miles. Miles 5 – 11 was easier for me and even though I was tempted to sprint, I stayed with my game plan and kept on a 12.5 minute pace. Mile 11 is where I began to cramp up, but knew I was close. Once I hit mile 12, it took me less than 11 minutes to hit the finish. Not saying this is fast, but it’s a huge accomplishment for me. I do have to point out that I did stop twice during my run. Once at a Carl’s Jr and the second time at a Burger King. Both were for quick bathroom breaks because the Porto-Potty’s had long lines.
Once you cross the finish line, volunteers are welcoming you with smiles, congrats, and your lovely medal. Now that it’s over, it’s time to relax and eat.
Overall, for my first half marathon, I’m glad it was in my hometown of San Diego. I still can’t believe just 4 months ago I struggled to just walk one mile. Now, I just completed 13.1. The pain I’m feeling now will eventually go away, the memories will last a lifetime. Thank you Rock n Roll for holding this event for a great cause. Special thanks to Terri R for inspiring me and motivating me. 1OAK!!! Thank you Alicia R for all those early Saturday’s training and for getting me to sign up for this event. And to all the friends, family, and Unilocal buds that cheered me on, you guys are the best!