Father Joe’s Thanksgiving Day 5K

November 28, 2019 · San Diego, CA

Distance: 5K

. Course starts and finishes in beautiful Balboa Park. Free Parking.. 8 a.m. start, fast 5K course. Medals presented to top three finishers in each age group (5-year increments). All participants receive a quality long-sleeve event T-shirt. Free Continental breakfast provided. Free Beer garden with the Bill Magee Blues Band. Wheelchairs, pets and baby strollers welcome. Sorry, no roller blades, scooters or bikes. No retractable dog leashes allowed

Click here for registration information

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Review

For a race that is really a family friendly “do-good feel good” race — they do a GREAT job of making sure all the expected race day quality is still there for safety, timing, organizing. Great blues band to listen to afterwards and YES order a pie from the Academy kitchens for your holiday meal.
Agree that the start is chaotic. Keep working on separating the walkers and strollers from the runners — but hey — be Thankful you are healthy and out there on such a beautiful course.

Review

So glad they revised the course this year! Great water stops as well. The BIGGEST thing they need to solve, and it’s easy (I’m a race director so I know), is to corral the walkers/dogs groups/strollers in the back. Instead they have one sign that says timed or untamed, WAY up in the front. Well since this race back loads, even if you are timed, you can’t get up to the front. Pre-race communication and clearly marked corrals (CHEAP) would go a long way in letting folks get out faster and not have to dodge families walking dogs. Took me 20 minutes to cross the mats at the start – definitely not a PR day with the way they line participants up.