I did the Karhu 5K affiliated with the 13.1. I was very disappointed.
1. Race was billed as being in Santa Monica, but actually took place at Dockweiler Beach near El Segundo, which is a pain to access.
2. There weren’t any chip mats in place at the start line, so everyone ended up with the clock time–and if you’ve raced, you know that clock time might be several minutes off, due to the large numbers of people crossing the start line.
3. No split times were provided for the 5K.
4. No clock at the finish for the 5K.
5. 5Kers were given bibs that included personalized gear check tags…but gear check was NOT provided for the 5K at all. Considering that it was a point to point course–not out and back–this was really an issue.
6. They made it clear that the 5K was the ugly stepsister: in addition to the above, there was no goody bag. The T-shirt was a yucky looking white thing that didn’t even match the race title. Despite advertising the medals all over their website, they didn’t make it clear that there was nothing given them out to the 5K. The swag doesn’t make the race by any means, but still.
The course was flat and fast, that much I will give it, but it also went right by a sewage plant, which sort of negated a lot of the appeal.