This was my first time running the Carlsbad Half Marathon as my family and I just moved here. I really enjoyed the race.
We went to the expo on Friday to avoid the crowds on Saturday. We got there right at 2:00 when it started. Everything was well-organized and went smoothly. There were a lot of people there already so it was busy and took a while, but that’s nothing new for a race.
Getting to the race on race morning was fine. We got there kind of early and there was plenty of parking at the mall. The mall actually opened and we were able to use the bathroom inside (a nice perk for a race!). Though we did have to use the port-o-potties right before the race start. There was quite a line even though there were plenty of bathrooms.
Getting into the start line is my only complaint. When races block off the starting line and only allow runners to enter at specific areas, there are bottle necks and it’s annoying. I hate being herded into the start line.
The course of the race is nice. Running along the beach in January is pretty unbeatable for this former East Coast girl. All the aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were great.
I didn’t really stick around for the post-race festivities, so I can’t say much about that. I do know there was an issue with the gear check, but I didn’t check any gear so I can’t speak to that either!
Overall this was a well-organized race. I would do the half again.