Live Ultimate 5K
Feb. 16th, 2013 07:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
runthiswayOverview: A 5/10K race through downtown Santa Monica, parallel to the ocean. This was the first West Coast run for Live Ultimate, who are developing a series of races after successful events in Florida.
The race was well designed, well executed and for the most part, a fun event.
When: February 10, 2013.
Where: Santa Monica. The race began on Barnard Way right near the beach at Ocean Park and ended next to the Santa Monica Pier.
Course access: Santa Monica is very well connected. The race start was a short walk from several Big Blue Bus lines, including the 3. The finish line and festival were right in the heart of Santa Monica and near numerous buses, including most of the Big Blue Bus lines and several key Metro buses to Downtown LA and the Pacific Palisades, including the 534, 704 and 733.
Why: The race benefited the No Kid Hungry initiative to end child hunger.
_____________
Number of Participants: About 1800, pretty evenly split between the 5K and 10K.
Course: A flat run through Main Street and Ocean. The streets were totally cleared for the runners, and it was a rare treat to experience Santa Monica's main thoroughfares without cars and buses. The turnaround for the 5K was very well marked, and a volunteer was giving instructions next to the large sign that told the runners which way to go.
Chip timing: Yes, by Gemini, with shoe tags. No split times were given but there was a clock at the finish line.
Shirt: A gray cotton t-shirt. They had both women's and men's cut shirts. The RD boasted that the shirts were very soft, and that wasn't an exaggeration. My only gripe with the shirts is that the women's cut had a pink logo. *eyeroll* Not all women love pink and not all women's items have to have pink, okay? I took a men's shirt in protest.
Swag: They used one of those useless "virtual gift bags" *eyeroll* but the race medal was very unique and fun.
Expo: On the boardwalk at the Santa Monica Pier. It was a five-minute hike from the finish line. The race directors claimed breakfast would be served but it wasn't; there were just a lot of vendors offering freebies. Many 10K runners found that bagels, oranges, water, etc. was gone by the time they finished.
Also, Live Ultimate did not offer runners even small samples of their drinks - they sold them. I'm sorry, that is crass.
Would I Run this Race Again: Yes. It didn't knock my socks off but it was a perfectly nice race.
The race was well designed, well executed and for the most part, a fun event.
When: February 10, 2013.
Where: Santa Monica. The race began on Barnard Way right near the beach at Ocean Park and ended next to the Santa Monica Pier.
Course access: Santa Monica is very well connected. The race start was a short walk from several Big Blue Bus lines, including the 3. The finish line and festival were right in the heart of Santa Monica and near numerous buses, including most of the Big Blue Bus lines and several key Metro buses to Downtown LA and the Pacific Palisades, including the 534, 704 and 733.
Why: The race benefited the No Kid Hungry initiative to end child hunger.
_____________
Number of Participants: About 1800, pretty evenly split between the 5K and 10K.
Course: A flat run through Main Street and Ocean. The streets were totally cleared for the runners, and it was a rare treat to experience Santa Monica's main thoroughfares without cars and buses. The turnaround for the 5K was very well marked, and a volunteer was giving instructions next to the large sign that told the runners which way to go.
Chip timing: Yes, by Gemini, with shoe tags. No split times were given but there was a clock at the finish line.
Shirt: A gray cotton t-shirt. They had both women's and men's cut shirts. The RD boasted that the shirts were very soft, and that wasn't an exaggeration. My only gripe with the shirts is that the women's cut had a pink logo. *eyeroll* Not all women love pink and not all women's items have to have pink, okay? I took a men's shirt in protest.
Swag: They used one of those useless "virtual gift bags" *eyeroll* but the race medal was very unique and fun.
Expo: On the boardwalk at the Santa Monica Pier. It was a five-minute hike from the finish line. The race directors claimed breakfast would be served but it wasn't; there were just a lot of vendors offering freebies. Many 10K runners found that bagels, oranges, water, etc. was gone by the time they finished.
Also, Live Ultimate did not offer runners even small samples of their drinks - they sold them. I'm sorry, that is crass.
Would I Run this Race Again: Yes. It didn't knock my socks off but it was a perfectly nice race.