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Submitted by Scott Devine
June 2, 2014
Review
Started back in 1998, the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half Marathon is the inaugural race in the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” series of races owned by Competitor Group, Inc. That race series has grown considerably since then and is truly international, currently with 28 races slated on the calendar. But San Diego is their flagship race and attracts almost 30,000 runners (and spectators) to the Southern tip of California each June.This year’s race again featured both the full marathon (16,850 finishers) and half marathon distances (5285 finishers) with an optional relay in the half marathon distance. Having run the half marathon back in 2010, I was anxious to re-visit San Diego (a beautiful city) and take a crack at the full 26.2.
REGISTRATION/PACKET PICK-UP
As many runners know, costs for races in the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” series tend to be on the expensive side, so it’s best to register as early as possible. The Rock ‘n’ Roll series does offer discounts, such as the regular “$13 off on the 13th of the month,” so be sure to check Facebook and other social media (as well as their website) for savings. Another interesting (and more recent trend) for the Rock ‘n’ Roll series is the introduction of “Tour passes” and the “Tourpass 3-pack.” I opted for the 3-pack and for $199 (plus an additional fee) I got three domestic races of my choice. I chose San Diego, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. If you run numerous races in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series, it’s worth checking out.
As for packet pick-up, the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon utilizes the convention center, which is easily accessible and located on the water near the Gaslamp District. In another month and a half the convention center will be overflowing with fanboys as it hosts the annual San Diego ComicCon, but it’s perfectly suited for the race Expo. Parking on site was a pricey $15, so if you don’t mind walking, you can find cheaper rates at parking meters and lots along the Gaslamp District (it’s also a worthwhile chance to check out the local sights). The expo itself is definitely one of the bigger and better ones out there, featuring a large variety of vendors showing off their latest goods. It was quick and easy to pick up your bib and T-shirt, giving you plenty of time to wander about the expo sampling the samples and to pick up some good runner’s swag.
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
With the race basically being a point-to-point affair, it takes a little planning to decide how you want to get to your destination. Since the race starts at a park on Sixth avenue, parking is hard to come by. Your best bet is to park at Qualcomm Stadium (or another lot away from downtown) and take the trolley ($6 for a day pass) to Fifth Street. I caught the “special line” trolley near my hotel that took us to the trolley stop nearest the start line and had the chance to chat up fellow runners en route. You other option is to pick a hotel near the start and hoof it. Either way, expect a bit of a walk to get to the start (consider it a warm-up). Since the race finishes near Petco Park, you can have your friends/family opt to meet you down there (just be sure they’re aware of congestion and road closures).
T-SHIRT/MEDALS
The San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon featured a single shirt for the marathon/half marathon distances. This year’s shirt was red and designed by Brooks and fit pretty true to size. The race medal featured Petco Park as well as some of San Diego’s classic architecture. While the shape and size of the medals were uniform across the two distances, each race featured a different color scheme. The full marathon was primarily green and orange with a blue ribbon, while the half marathon utilized yellow and blue along with a yellow ribbon. It’s a nice medal, but I’ve seen better from Rock ‘n’ Roll in other races. I also liked the colors on the half marathon medal more than the full. I guess it felt more “San Diego” (if you get my drift). Oh and for those people who plan to run numerous races in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series, remember you are eligible to earn additional medals in their “Heavy Medal” series. You can check the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” series website for details. Note: even if you get a Tourpass or Tourpass 3-pack, you still need to register for the heavy medal program separately in order to qualify (a bit of an oversight on Rock ‘n’ Roll’s part).
COURSE
As mentioned before, the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon/Half is a point-to-point race with both distances starting in the park at Sixth Street and ending near Petco Park. Unlike most other races that feature different distances, the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll has an almost entirely different course for the full marathon than it does for the half. The races both share the first two or so miles before splitting and then the full marathon doesn’t connect to the half marathon course until the last few miles. If you want to know more about the half marathon course, please check with one of the other reviews for more specifics as I’ll concentrate on the full course.
Unfortunately, for all of it’s positives, The San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon’s biggest glaring weakness is its course. If a marathon is supposed to “represent” a city, it should really give you the feel of the city. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles (and plenty of others) present courses that take you near city landmarks or and through well-known neighborhoods. I did not feel like I was seeing the best of what San Diego has to offer. While we ran past Petco Park early on and did a stint through little Italy, the course felt more like it was just trying to meet the 26.2 mile requirement as opposed to tapping into the heart of the city. It would have been great to run along near the water (which we didn’t) or through more downtown streets. Instead, we spent a lot of the race running parallel to the freeway, going through nondescript city neighborhoods, along bike paths and then spending several miles running on the 163 freeway.
In addition, we didn’t always have the street to ourselves as traffic was flowing in the opposite direction and we were herded onto one half of the street. At one point we were basically pushed onto the bike path and had to decide whether to navigate that or jump onto the curb. Also, at one point the runners had to duck under the tape barricade as all of us somehow ended up on the opposite side of the barricade (it seemed to be set up a little askew). For a big city race, this was definitely NOT indicative of a major race. I love the city of San Diego, but this course does not do it justice. And for a “flagship” race, the Rock ‘n’ Roll series should be able to do better.
I do know the course for the race was changed in 2010 and then again in 2013 to its current configuration. Well, it desperately needs to be changed again.
COURSE SERVICES
Another bit of a letdown here.
The Rock ‘n’ Roll series prides itself on bringing music to the masses by offering up bands throughout the course. It’s a nice idea on paper that doesn’t always pan out so well in practice. Runners were treated to local bands throughout the marathon, although the quality of the groups varied greatly. I did enjoy the musical interlude (I took my headphones off whenever I approached a live band) but this little treat also backfired at one point. During the mile-long killer hill at the 20-mile mark, runners saw a sign that said the “mile of music.” So I figured we’d have a great group or groups to help us power up that large incline. Nope. Instead, runners were treated to an unmanned truck with some speakers loaded on the back blaring DJ music. Woo-hoo. If you’re touting yourself as the “Rock ‘n’ Roll” series let’s get some more “real” music out there.
Again this is the Rock ‘n’ Roll series crown jewel race, so you figured it’d be overflowing with support. Not so much. Early on during the race there were plenty of water stations and gatorade stations… Gu was also available at intervals along the course. But the services seemed to be in shorter supply in the later stages of the race (and basically non-existent during that uncomfortable stretch on the freeway). And while I didn’t need them during the race, there did also seem to be a shortage of porta potties along the course. I will definitely give kudos to whoever came up with the idea of handing out cold water sponges… this happened twice in the second half of the race and was a welcome touch. Medical services were fortunately present throughout the race with numerous tents, cyclists and “running guards” checking up on racers. I also saw a few EMTs whipping around on electric scooter contraptions… I briefly considered grabbing one and whizzing to the finish line.
Mile markers were present and properly marked off (a problem for some other races) and each mile marker did have an accompanying digital display (although the glaring sun made some of them hard to read). One bit of a personal gripe has to do with Rock ‘n’ Roll’s runner tracking. We’ve come to expect runner tracking at all but the smallest races, but it seems wrong to charge runners $5 so their friends/family can receive text updates… especially when most races do it for FREE. And if you’re going to charge me $5, then the service should be top notch. The last runner update was at the 20-mile mark, which is almost 45 min- 1 hour from the finish. Since most of us have friends or family waiting on us, how about a text at the 40K or 25 mile mark to give them a heads-up that we’re almost there and they should start looking at the finish line to see us. Seems like R ‘n’ R dropped the ball on this one.
FINISH LINE SERVICES/POST PARTY
Now for all of its shortcomings course wise, the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon does know how to throw a party. The finish line was stocked with plenty of treats for runners (gatorade, chocolate milk, fruit, cold water and snacks). I just wish they gave us a bag to gather our goodies. Oh, and also present were the ice cold/soaking wet hand towels which feel like a bit of heaven after pounding pavement for 26.2 miles. Gear check was fairly well organized and there was a decent area for runners to re-unite with their family/friends. And for those who wanted to hang around afterward, there was a cool concert playing over by Petco Park. Unfortunately, the timing of the show seemed to favor the half-marathon runners so us full marathon runners either need to get considerably faster or get a friend to tape it.
RECOMMENDATION
Sure, not every marathon is going to be a grand slam event, but I do have to say that I was a bit disappointed with the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. If this was a new event or a smaller race, I would have easily forgiven some of its shortcomings. But this race is the cornerstone of the Rock ‘n’ Roll series. They’ve got plenty of experience in putting on races (so kinks should be worked out) and the prices they charge should help guarantee an A-level experience in ever part of the marathon. Unfortunately, the weak course layout gives me pause about running the full marathon here again. I really like visiting San Diego and welcome any opportunity to head south and check it out (even worth dealing with that icky traffic on the I-5). But the gang at Competitor Group really needs to take another crack at that full marathon course. Perhaps the half marathon is the way to go as the course may be the better of the two and at least I’ll finish in time for the concert at the end.
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Submitted by KarenBee
June 4, 2013
Review
Rock n’ Roll SD Marathon or 25 Miles and A Hell of a Hill
EXPO:
I planned to arrive right at 11 on Friday and I had to wait in a long line but only because I was early the expo wasn’t open yet! I parked at the convention center-it was $10 but I mainly just wanted the convenience of getting in and out without circling looking for street parking. I thought the pick-up process was organized, easy to navigate. I liked the expo offerings (free granola!) and the retail line went quickly to buy a t-shirt.
PARKING:
Rather than hassle with public transportation or having to walk to the start, I opted to purchase the parking pass. It went perfectly smooth, I got right into the parking structure and walked to my shuttle and boarded without having to wait. Granted, it was 4 a.m. And now I was at a dark Balboa Park with 2 hours to kill! It was fine, I made a friend.
RACE DAY:
Weather was perfect, nice cloud cover and even a little sprinkling.
The porta potty lines were long but they told us to expect that. The gear check was easy. I found my corral and jumped in, no problems.
This was my first marathon so I don’t have many courses to compare to but I felt this one was challenging. To me there were lots of hills and then The Biggie, the 163 Monster at Mile 20. It was an extremely taxing push up the hill, it took out many of the runners alongside me who slowed to a walk. My take on it was: We don’t sign up for a marathon expecting things to be easy. A girl just before the hill was holding a sign that read: “It’s a hill, get over it” and that became my mantra as I powered through. They had motivational signs up on the hill and a band in the middle for inspiration and it felt great cresting the top to see people applauding on the bridge overhead.
It was all downhill from there and those last five miles felt breezy.There was a steep decline into the finish line that made you feel like you were really booking!
I loved the little pockets of spectators along the route, Hillcrest was lively although I thought the people along Friars were the best. I felt like the people along the route were truly pulling for everyone, even strangers, which was so encouraging. It’s amazing how far a smile or thumbs up from a stranger can go. My favorite part was when the course narrowed going up Washington and both sides were lined with cheerleaders with pom poms! Awesome.
SUPPORT/AID
The medics seemed to be super-attentive for people that needed help. The volunteers were great quickly getting runners water, Gu, Gatorade, wet sponges, salt and what I think were gobs of vaseline?
And in light of Boston, I felt very safe.
POST-RACE
Medal, bagels,Gatorade, fruit, water, wet towels all at the ready! Easy to find my family in the meeting area. My family was saying how messy the finish looked with towels and trash strewn everywhere but I honestly was too tired to notice. The Furs sounded great inside the park but I didn’t partake.
I had a great time and would do it again! Be prepared for that hill!
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Submitted by aca
June 3, 2013
Review
COST: It’s purely a personal beef that much of the high registration fee goes to the post-race festivities that I skip and to live bands some of whose only talent seems to be loud, distorted-sound amplifiers. Still, the cost is not terribly out of line with other marathons with fewer “frills” and the best part of the marathon – a running tour of San Diego – is part of what you’re paying for.
PACKET-PICK-UP/EXPO: Very well organized and fast, but with the notable drawback of being situated at the Convention Center which is in a highly congested part of town on Saturday. After struggling with congested traffic to get near the Center, we found parking about 1/2 mile away so it worked well for me because my wife was able to wait. The Expo itself had many nice vendors and displays, though predictably congested as I went in the afternoon. Swag bag was fine – personally I don’t really get excited one way or the other about such stuff; it’s not why I’m running.
PRE-RACE/START LINE: My wife dropped me off 3 blocks from the start line – very easy. I heard some people complaining about the public transportation – which in my experience is always problematic. In the corral I also heard some complaints about long porta-potty lines, but I had used one at the south end of the park where the lines were much shorter (5-10 minutes). The potties near the start were ridiculously crowded – I suspect many runners were just unaware there were shorter lines nearby. I liked the booths near the start line with bananas and bagels, but I don’t think most runners eat immediately before a race. I’d have preferred water instead.
START: Corral system was well organized with access points to each corral right up until the start – a very nice feature. Start went smoothly. While not important, the singer for the national anthem sounded awful.
COURSE: Overall I loved the course as it toured most of urban San Diego including downtown, Gaslamp district, Little Italy, Old Town, Mission Bay and Balboa Park. Really nice. The narrow pathway through Mission Bay was a bit tricky when encountering stopped or walking runners (seriously, why do so many runners not have the basic courtesy of moving off to the side when walking?) One notable aspect of the course is that the first half is mostly downhill while the second half is mostly uphill until about mile 23. In particular the 163 freeway at mile 20 is a brutal hill. I inflamed a hip ligament on the very long banked onramp preceding the 163 hill. Banked roads are a real danger on any course and especially bad after 19 miles when you’re muscle strength is compromised. Overall a challenging and largely scenic course.
SUPPORT: Plentiful and well-stocked/well-organized water and gatorade and GU stations that remained open even for slower runners like me.
CROWDS/BANDS: I really enjoyed the enthusiastic crowds along the route. The live bands ranged from excellent (loved Todo Mundo and the mariachi band in Old Town – great ambiance!) to mediocre/pathetic, with about one-half of them leaning toward the latter category.
SPECTATOR ACCESS: One real gripe is that it was difficult to figure out from the materials suitable spectator viewing areas for friends/family because of the complex road-closure network. It’d be a very nice feature if the organizers could provide a map highlighting access roads to the marathon route.
FINISH/POST-RACE: Not as nice as some, but overally good. Nice selection of tasty treats and goodies afterward. I did not attend the Petco Park festivities so I have no comment on that.
OVERALL: “I’d do it again”, which I suppose is the most relevant praise one can give.
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Submitted by megonein60
June 2, 2013
Review
I participated in the 2013 Rock and Roll San Diego Half Marathon and while it had its share of hiccups and frustrations, it was a race I would absolutely sign up for again.
Packet pickup was relatively smooth and hassle free. It was extremely crowded but the facilities at the convention center were more than adequate to accommodate the expo and runners.
Transportation the morning of the race, however, did not go entirely according to plans. R&R encouraged locals to take the trolley to the race so I took the recommendation. I arrived at 5am at the Old Town trolley station. The first trolley came through and the doors did not open since it was already completely packed by the time it arrived at the Old Town Station. There was still time and we assumed they were running them more often so we waited patiently for the next. The next didn’t arrive for another 15 minutes (which is similar to their normal operating days – not sufficient for a huge event) Once again the trolley was completely full and only about a dozen people were able to squeeze themselves in. At that point, panic set in for all of us….we realized if the next trolley was at capacity we would have a high likelihood of missing our start.
Thankfully within minutes we were directed to shuttle buses that R&R seemed to have secured and scrambled to compensate for the lack of space on the trolley system. Our bus driver was amazing and assured all of us that he would get us as close as possible to the start line and cut out the mile walk we would have dealt with if we had taken the trolley. True to his word, he even went through one barricaded road to get us as close as possible to the start.
Gear check was smooth and efficient. There did seem to be a huge lack of bathrooms at the start line. I waited 22 minutes to use one and many of the marathoners ended up leaving the line to make it back to their corral. They were upset that they would have to rely on finding a bathroom on the route rather than finding one beforehand.
The corrals and start was very smooth. I was in corral 10 and felt that I moved through the start line much faster than some of the smaller races I have participated in. My only complaint was how many people severely overestimated their athletic ability. My corral was due to finish in 2:00-2:10 and during the first two miles there were tons of people that were already stopping or unexpectedly slowing down to a walk with thousands of runners behind them. If you have to take a walking break at mile two, chances are you probably should have started much further back. It was annoying and dangerous at times with so many runners funneled into a small space.
I personally loved the route. It was very residential but it played well into the great sense camaraderie that I felt throughout all of R&R. Unquestionably, the spectators made this race. There were some handing out tequila shots (no I did not partake – but did consider), glasses of beer, fruit, pretzels and boundless cheers and encouragement. In a few areas, residents were playing their own stereos or guitars to add to the ambiance. I loved that there was really never a time that you did not have someone to hold your attention…whether it was one of the bands, the cheerleaders, the spectators or random people who would exchange humorous one liners as you ran by. LOVED that it felt like the entire city was coming out to watch you run.
The aid stations were sub par and hard to access. I cannot believe they only offered water/Gatorade on one side of the route. With so many participants, it seems that it would have made sense to have tables on both sides. A few times I would turn the corner and realize that the aid station was across the road. So you either had to swim sideways through a bunch of runners or skip it and hope that you were on the right side for the next one. I had a hydration belt with me so I was able to supplement when needed, but it was very frustrating that some of them were so difficult to access. I finished at 2 hrs and the aid station at mile 12 was already out of Gatorade at that point.
Besides the sub par aid stations and the initial groups of people that stopped/walked right after the start line, I really enjoyed the race itself. The music, the incredible spectators and the sense of camaraderie was absolutely incredible. I don’t know if it’s because I forgot my ipod or just the race itself but I have never interacted with so many other runners and spectators during a race. The atmosphere was exactly what I envisioned when I signed up for a R&R.
The finish was extremely busy and they seemed to be having a difficult time getting the runners to move through the secured area. I was surprised that we didn’t actually finish inside Petco Park (and many others mentioned the same thing) It was still a great finish but was not communicated well on the pre race information.
Once again, retrieving our gear went without a hitch and the trolley ride back to the Old Town station was uneventful and had plenty of room.
To summarize. This is a BIG race….so it has some of the headaches of a large race (especially the bathroom situation) I can only speak for the Trolley system but even though it was at full capacity, R&R race officials seemed to immediately come up with a Plan B that eliminated the stress for us.
It is an expensive race but in my opinion you get what you pay for – which is the experience itself. I felt engaged with other runners and spectators the entire time. While the route itself wasn’t all that interesting, the atmosphere compensated for it completely (where else can you be offered shots of tequila at mile 5?)
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Submitted by tennishog
December 2, 2012
Review
I agree with Jim. Finishing aboard MCRD was the way to end the race. The price seems to be fairly unreasonable though the pre-race accommodations were pretty good and the post-race was average. The start was fairly easy although the corrals helped. Plenty of water/aid stations along the way as well as bands. I have to say the last 4-5 miles of the race were boring and that is really the point in a marathon where you need something to take your mind off what you’re feeling (usually that you are hurting and wondering why in the world you even entered a marathon!). Certainly, there can be something done about that especially as those are the hardest miles to run and the temperature and sun are taking their toll. Finally, the initial response at the finish line was great, but then, after resting and relaxing, the worst and agonizing part of the race began…getting in line and waiting for a shuttle bus to take you to your car. You are already stiff as a board and having to wait an hour plus for the shuttle was cruel and unusual. I figure if you paid that much money for the race the least they could do is provide better shuttles. Getting your own race gear in your pre-sealed bag was a plus and a nice touch…that was one of the easiest parts of the race. Overall, I would do this race again particularly since I live in San Diego, but if I was traveling from out-of-town, I don’t think the race would attract me back.
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Submitted by cherylames
June 4, 2012
Review
My husband and I ran in the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon and had a lot of fun at this event! Packet pick-up was easy. The expo took place at the San Diego Convention Center and we went down there the Friday before the race. Maybe because we went on a Friday, but it wasn’t so bad navigating through the expo. I suspect more people waited until Saturday to go. The shirt they gave out this year was a light blue, beach design and was really nice. I would wear this shirt even when I’m not working out. They had a lot of vendors there and a lot of things to see and do. We had a great time at the expo.
The morning of the race was hectic and a little stressful. There was no way to get to the start line unless you took the trolley or a shuttle or got dropped off. Cars couldn’t get to the start line so even if you got dropped off, you still had a mile or two to walk. We took the trolley and made it to downtown at 5:40. The earliest the trolley started from my area was 5:15. There was no way to get to downtown any earlier. After walking a couple of miles we were finally at the staging area by 6:00. The race started at 6:15 and the lines for the porta-potties were endless! I was in coral 25 and by the time I finished using the restroom they had already released coral 18! My friends actually missed their corals (1 and 10) and had to fall back to coral 28 because they were stuck in long lines for the restrooms. My husband was in coral 7 and only had time to drop off his bag at gear check and couldn’t use the restroom. If you’re putting together a race with 30,000 runners, I think you should have more restrooms. At a glance, it looked like they only had about
a hundred there.
The course itself was fun. Half and full marathoners ran together for the first four miles. It wound through beautiful Balboa Park and then onto the 163 freeway. They closed off both sides of the freeway for half marathoners on one side and full marathoners on the other side. The freeway itself was tough on the ankles as it tilted from one side to the other all throughout. At one point all you could see were runners all around you and runners overhead on a bridge overpass. It was surreal. How often can you say you ran on the highway anyway? It was pretty cool. After getting off the 163 you exited onto Friars Road and ran past hundreds of spectators cheering you on. Course support was plentiful and there was enough water/gatorade stations. They also handed out Gu and salt at one of the stops.
The race finally wound down onto Sea World Drive for the home stretch. There were tons of spectators all along the last mile and the energy was exciting. The only thing I wish they could have done was make the finish line a straight shot down the road. Instead, you turned into the Sea World parking lot and zig zagged through to the finish line. When we finally saw the finish line there was only about fifty yards left of the course. Personally, I like seeing it down the road because it gets me psyched up and I usually sprint that last leg.
Post-race, they had about a dozen people handing out medals a few feet away from the finish line. I was so out of it that I walked right past them thinking there would be more further down, but I was wrong. I had to turn back around and walk to the finish line to get my medal. The volunteers handing out medals were standing off to the sides so if you got caught in a crowd you wouldn’t have seen them anyway. Post-race refreshments were plentiful. They had electrolyte drinks, chocolate milk, bagels, bananas, yogurt, chips, jamba juice, Snickers Marathon bars . . . Vons was even there at the end of finish line village handing out reusable bags for you to carry all your snacks in. I think that was a nice touch. Better than trying to carry everything in your arms and dropping everything along the way.
Shuttles to get back to the trolley station ran smoothly. We didn’t wait long to get on a bus and traffic wasn’t too bad.
Overall, it was a great event, except for getting to the staging area and the obsenely long lines at the porta-potties. Maybe next year they could push the start time back a little to give people time to get there. We were at the mercy of the trolley schedule so there was no way to get there any earlier. The trolley was one of the suggested forms of transportation by RnR. The course was nice and pretty much flat throughout and the volunteers were all full of positive energy.
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Submitted by The Bear
June 4, 2012
Review
It was my first and last rock & roll. I do a lot of marathons. I did not like the price. The expo took for ever to get to. There were a lot of vendors ast the expo. The course was so, so boring. Portions of it were actually on the freeway. I was not impressed at all. I can not say I like any part of the race. I love to run too. I can’t believe we did not run near the water. We were in San Diego! Wait, there was one part that was around a boring lagoon at the end. The only good part was Seaworld afterward, and I was only off my PR time by 1 minute. Maybe if the course was not so boring I would have run faster. I almost fell a sleep (it was that boring.) I will not do this one again.
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Submitted by Derek Abbey
February 8, 2012
Review
Rock n Roll is a failing product. Save your money and run a race where they care about the runners and not the money. At one time this was a great race, but it has gone down hill. The course was better in the past. No organization at the end. Odd for a canned product. There are plenty of other runs in San Diego and Southern California to run that are more fun and care about the product they put out there. I’ve run 15-16 Rock n Roll races, this one twice. They are steadily going downhill.
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Submitted by Jim Wenzell
February 8, 2012
Review
I ran the marathon in 2010. The price then was reasonable ($95) but went up to something like $160 the next year. The old course that ended at the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot was much better. The course in 2010 was terrible. The last 4 miles were around Fiesta Island, a barren island with hardly any people and no bands. It didn’t help that I bonked at mile 21! The finish was at the parking lot at Sea World. It was hot and we were left to “recover” on a sweltering asphalt parking lot. I was 47 years old and could not get in the beer tent without my ID. The lines to get on the shuttles were over an hour long. I will never run it again. Get to the start very early. We left P.B. more than 90 minutes before the start and ended up having to run up the long hill to get to the start and still missed our wave. Just an overall bad experience.
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