Truthfully I don’t even know where to begin here. I’ve run a race a month for almost one year now and have never experienced anything quite as horrific as this particular race. To say it was a monumental disaster would truly be an understatement. My girlfriend and I chose to say at the HOST hotel to insure we would avoid any possible traffic delays, etc. We were up at 3:30AM and in the line with hundreds of other guests awaiting shuttle service by 4:00–some folks came as far as Wyoming to participate in this race. The first shuttle arrived over a half hour late. At 5:30 when everyone became antsy, we contacted the front desk. They had absolutely no information for the myriad guests hovering in their lobby awaiting shuttle service. By 6ish, a second shuttle finally arrived (supposedly after getting lost and dropping runners off a mile from the start line) and crammed us unsafely onto a bus in a last ditch attempt to get as many of us to the start line as possible. They left at least 2 more busloads of guests behind. Our arrival was met with no one to direct us and, in fact, they began the race without waiting for hundreds of runners. They even began to dismantle the start line and had no one around to check our bags so we could run late! Whoever organized this event did not plan it well, execute it well, nor did they even bother to communicate with their host hotel, the guests, or the shuttle service. They owe hundreds of people a formal apology and a refund ASAP. This was the most disorganized event I’ve ever attempted to be a part of. Shame on the Hollywood Half organizers!
