This event consists of numerous different races over two days (Saturday and Sunday) and includes a bike ride, 5K, and 10K. This was my second year participating and I ran the 10K. If you like steep hills, this race is for you!
Expo/Packet Pick Up: I took the Gold Line to Chinatown Station and walked a block west to the expo on Saturday. I arrived around 11AM. Packet pickup was easy and there were tons of helpful volunteers to assist you. I got a nice top handle backpack with the year of the snake logo on it and a t-shirt. The t-shirt was a soft cotton and I made sure I got a medium this year since I got a small last year and it was on the small side. The goodie bag had some future race ads, some healthcare products (lotion, etc.), and some brown rice. Race entries featured a carbo-load “meal”, which consisted of a medium sized box of chicken chow mein and a fortune cookie. The expo was small with a few free samples. There were also local food establishments selling food. Entertainment was provided by local performing arts groups.
Course: The 5K started at 8AM and the 10K started at 8:30AM. There were thousands of runners/walkers there. The 10K started several minutes late and it took a while to cross the start. Fortunately, the race was chip timed. The first mile was slow because there were no wave starts and there were dozens of walkers, runners with strollers, and runners with dogs lined up near the front. The course was extremely hilly from about miles 2-4. Water stations were set up about every other mile, which was very nice, given the hilly terrain and warm weather. Mile markers were placed at every mile and were very easy to see. The views from the top of Elysian Park were amazing. There were hundreds of spectators cheering you on near the start and finish areas.
Finish Line: At the finish line, each finisher received a very small medal. From there, you are provided with water bottles, PowerBar chews, bagels, bananas, pistachios, and almonds. I got back on the Gold Line and headed home. The gear check was fast and simple. Very nice, but only provided to those who presented their Metro card.
Final Thoughts: I don’t think I’ll run the 10K again, but I’ll definitely be back next year for the 5K. The hills on the 10K were jThis was my first year participating in this event and I ran the 10K. This event also included a triathlon, a roller skating race, a 5K, and a 10K.