Memorial Day 5K for Veterans 2016
Sep. 11th, 2016 02:27 pmOverview: A Memorial Day race benefiting veterans.
When: May 30, 2016.
Where: West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Campus. This race is actually one of only a few still permitted to take place at WLAVAC. About a year and a half ago, the campus was closed to all activities except those that directly benefit veterans. As a result, some races that had taken place on the campus for many years, such as the LA Cancer Challenge, were forced to find new courses.
Course access: Walking distance from buses on Wilshire Blvd, including the Metro Rapid 720.
Why: New Directions for Veterans, which assists homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area with several different programs designed to address their needs.
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Number of Participants: 321 finishers in the 5K.
Pre-race: Packet pickup was available before the race; everything was fast and painless.
Course: Around the older part of the WLAVC, past the administrative buildings and parkland. Unlike other races I've done at the campus, this one did not cross Wilshire to the more "modern" and active part of the facility; it stayed in the older section. Participants did the same loop twice. It was slightly hilly, but not too bad.
Post-Race: Water and fruit.
Chip timing: Bib tags by Chronotrack.
Shirt: Dark blue cotton t-shirts. Unfortunately, they seemed to fun out of sizes very quickly.
Swag: A medal with a satin Stars-and-Stripes motif and a pair of black combat boots.
Expo: This 5K actually had an expo that outdid some much larger races' events. Among the most welcome booths were one giving away lots of free coffee and another giving away whimsical plastic ducks. There were several booths advertising products and services for veterans.
Would I Run this Race Again: Yes.
When: May 30, 2016.
Where: West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Campus. This race is actually one of only a few still permitted to take place at WLAVAC. About a year and a half ago, the campus was closed to all activities except those that directly benefit veterans. As a result, some races that had taken place on the campus for many years, such as the LA Cancer Challenge, were forced to find new courses.
Course access: Walking distance from buses on Wilshire Blvd, including the Metro Rapid 720.
Why: New Directions for Veterans, which assists homeless veterans in the Los Angeles area with several different programs designed to address their needs.
_____________
Number of Participants: 321 finishers in the 5K.
Pre-race: Packet pickup was available before the race; everything was fast and painless.
Course: Around the older part of the WLAVC, past the administrative buildings and parkland. Unlike other races I've done at the campus, this one did not cross Wilshire to the more "modern" and active part of the facility; it stayed in the older section. Participants did the same loop twice. It was slightly hilly, but not too bad.
Post-Race: Water and fruit.
Chip timing: Bib tags by Chronotrack.
Shirt: Dark blue cotton t-shirts. Unfortunately, they seemed to fun out of sizes very quickly.
Swag: A medal with a satin Stars-and-Stripes motif and a pair of black combat boots.
Expo: This 5K actually had an expo that outdid some much larger races' events. Among the most welcome booths were one giving away lots of free coffee and another giving away whimsical plastic ducks. There were several booths advertising products and services for veterans.
Would I Run this Race Again: Yes.
