Carlsbad Marathon & Half

This was my first half marathon and it was a well organized event. Flat course, lots of water stations, Gu samples on the course and lots of post race recovery food. Lots of fans cheering along the route and the bands that volunteered were amazing! Kudos to all the event staff and volunteers that executed this race. Nice job!

First half marathon!
This was a great race to run my first half and I definitely recommend.
The start/​end of the race is at the Carlsbad mall, so there is plenty of parking. There are people directing traffic, so getting isn’t too bad. Unfortunately there are only Porta potty available as the mall closed, but there are a ton of them.
The course was very nice. Overall it was pretty flat, but some some small hills. The course was awesome, you run through Carlsbad Village and along the coast. There are so many people out cheering and supporting runners. There were also maybe 2 or 3 bands playing and others playing music. The crowd definitely helped and there seemed to be people all along the entire course.
There were a lot of water stations along the route. Some stations with sport drinks and a couple offering GU.
The beginning of the race was pretty cold, but definitely gets warmer. Great set up and race overall!

Review for 2016 full marathon: this was my first marathon. There’s not too many full marathons in San Diego, so I decided to sign up for this one!
Positives: I liked the training program that was linked to the website. The expo/​bib pick up was easy and organized. The parking was at a mall, so that was easy and fine but we also got there super early. So many porta potties, so waiting in line wasn’t an issue. The shirt is awesome and the jacket (for the full) is amazing!!! Super cute and not corny at all. The water stations were well equipped with volunteers. I appreciated the mile markers and free pace groups (pace runner held a sign with the projected finish times). The course was pretty. Photography was good. I loved the separate finish for marathons and half marathoners. I loved the chocolate milk, waters, and bananas at the end. It wasn’t that bad or hectic leAving the area either. I already wanna do it again next year!
Only negative: the live tracking was totally off. My poor husband went on a wild goose chase to find me and cheer for me. According to the tracker, it said I was going 8 minute miles by mile 3. Haha. I wish. So, he hustled to a spot and ended up missing me. I thought I’d see him so that I could give him a layer of my clothing (I got hot). I ended up having to toss my under armour shirt. Boo.
Still, great experience!

I’ll make this super quick.
Pros:
The race is awesome! First off, it’s in January, so it’s not scorching hot (unlike the AFC ½). Second, unlike actual San Diego, there isn’t an organized event here every single weekend, so community support is super high. Other than the San Diego Rock ‘N Roll, this was my favorite race as far as spectator support goes. Trust me, around mile 9 (in the half marathon), you’re looking for some motivation. My friends easily spotted me around mile 11, and that was fun!
Cons:
Expo is in Carlsbad. It’s pretty clear how many San Diego residents do this race, and having to drive out to Carlsbad on a Friday during rush hour is torture.
Parking lot. You think the mall parking lot and all those free spots are a total jackpot… until after the race. It took me over and hour to get out of there. They NEED to have people directing traffic.
Carlsbad will be my first full marathon in January. I’m glad I’ve done the half, because it was such a great race, I feel confident I will find the full to be worth it.

I ran the half-​marathon back in January. This was my second half-​marathon. A few weeks before race day, I got a respiratory infection that lasted for a month. So, basically I ran this race while sick (DISCLAIMER: I do not recommend running while sick because it is very dangerous and worst case scenario I could have had a heart attack, but I was stubborn and I already paid for it so I insisted on running it.). Despite not feeling well, I still ran at a decent pace and had a great time. This is a flat, FAST course, and I hate to think how great my time would have been if I had been at my optimal health.
Pros:
–You run along the beach and it’s BEAUTIFUL.
–Very fast course. You will probably PR.
–Pretty flat course. It’s actually not even very challenging if you’ve done other halfs before.
–Good community support. Lots of fun signs and bands to pump you up.
–There are pacing groups if you are into that thing
–1^st leg of the SD Triple Crown
Cons:
–It tends to be a little more serious on the course as far as the runners go. I felt like everyone was there to PR and they were very serious about it. I tend to like more laid back, fun races, but to each their own.
–Swag bag was lacking. The tech shirt was okay. I’m not into long-​sleeves so that was a bit of a letdown. Not really any good coupons either.
Overall, I loved this race. Despite being sick, I had fun because it was an enjoyable, beautiful run. I recommend this course especially for anyone trying to PR a half. I previously said I would never run this again because I hated training during the holidays, but I’m already thinking about signing up for next year because I enjoyed it so much.

I ran this race last January. This was my 6^th half marathon. I really love running near the beach. This was close to home and the course was along the ocean. I read the great reviews and decided to do it… so glad I did. Although running through neighborhoods at the beginning and end of the race (out and back race) wasn’t very exciting to me, most of the course along the ocean was beautiful and really enjoyable.
I picked up my race packet the day before. The expo wasn’t very big but it was easy to get around. Parking and bib/​packet pick up was a breeze.
Morning of the race, I arrived at the Plaza Camino Real Mall in Carlsbad which is just off the freeway. You can park at the mall parking lot for free which is great and there is a lot of parking. There’s a 24 Hour Fitness gym there so since I had membership, I was able to use the rest room there. Staff didn’t seem to mind and were welcoming.
Start line was walking distance from the parking lot. I have to say that I do not like cold weather and the temperature when I arrived in Carlsbad about 5:30am was 48 degrees! But I wore the beautiful race souvenir long sleeved tech tee which helped. But even better was that there was a big white tent where it seemed like all the runners were hanging out at. And it was nice and warm in there… yippee! I was relieved and a happy camper. It was still a little chilly when we headed out to the start line but after running about a half a mile, I was fine.
Race course had us running through neighborhoods and some businesses… kind of boring but then you reach the ocean and it’s just breathtaking. The smell of the ocean and the cool breeze is just refreshing. The race is limited to 8,000 runners (much better than 20,000+). The course does have some gentle rolling hills.
It was a breeze to drive out of the parking lot and hop right onto the freeway as well. Lots of conveniences at this race. I love the medal! I don’t like to run the same race twice but I may be doing this one again!

Half Marathon #3 for me.
This was my first half & race to start 2015 and my story will sound crazy.
I had just come back from a 3 week long vacation in the Philippines and spent Christmas and New Years there. I got back to SD on 1 – 16 and the race was 2 days away on the 18^th. So yes I was still jet lagged and didn’t train enough and how I wanted to for this race.
I went to the expo on Saturday and it was alright. None of the vendors there had anything that really interested me and there was hardly any free samples of products at the expo. I was in & out in about 10 minutes after getting my race bib and free long sleeved shirt.
Race day I got to the Westfield shopping mall early and parking at the mall was pretty easy. I just hung out in the tent where the expo was held and met some nice people from the SD FILAM Tri team who were also running the race. One thing that bugged me though was the lack of heater vents in the expo tent. It was pretty cold before the race started.
The race itself was a bit of a challenge with the rolling hills and yes also mainly of the condition I came into the race. I still had to push through both physically & mentally to complete the first leg of the SD Triple Crown. I really enjoyed the views of the beach on the course, the neighborhoods we passed through. Also the local crowd support was awesome.
I love the finisher medal that we got at the end of the race.
Yes this race will be one that I do on a yearly basis.
Race #1 for SD Triple Crown complete…

In Motion Events is the supplier of the signature apparel for this event. I had an issue with the jacket I purchased at the expo. I emailed in motion and within 24 hrs they responded to an issue I had with my jacket and have a new jacket in the mail for me. What great customer service and response times. The entire Carlsbad experience is incredible. The race Divine. Just need to keep the bathrooms stocked with toilet paper.

First race of the triple crown challenge DONE.
The half itself was great. It’s amazing how a few hills here and there can tire you out so quickly though. Mile 1 — 3 had quite a few hills. Nothing too steep, but I remember thinking that this would be difficult on the way back, which is really was. The run next to the beach was breathtaking. It was really nice to just run alongside the ocean and not have to worry about anything except maybe pacing.
The expo was okay. It wasn’t as large as I had expected, but my expectations were rather high. My last two half marathons were the Rock N Roll and the Nike Women’s, which are huge in comparison to the Carlsbad.
The technical tee they gave us was cool. I’m not a technical tee kind of gal, but it was nice that they gave us a long sleeve. It was my first. I use these shirts to sleep in and technical tees are just not my favorite material.
All in all, it was a good race. There was a lot of entertainment at the finish line and I was just happy to be done with it. Loved the brown bags they gave us with all the snacks.

Half #3, 2015!
I love this run!
It’s a moderately flat, out-​and-​back course, shouldering yet another one of Southern California’s picturesque beaches – surfers surfing, dog walkers walking… Meandering first through Carlsbad Village – so quaint and laid back – the race continues south along the Pacific Coast Highway, passing alongside the Buena Vista Lagoon as it makes its way toward the rising sun stretching over the horizon. It’s beautiful! Actually, it’s difficult to keep pace, as I’m wanting to snap picture after picture during my run. It’s okay, though. It’s peaceful, and you’ll not really be looking for the race to end too soon. Enjoy the morning!
This race in particular, by the way, is also the beginning of a super cool trifecta: A trio of Southern California halfs have formed an alliance, creating a Half Marathon Triple Crown award, which honors participants who finish all three half marathons in the same calendar year. (I’ve specifically planned my 2015 halfs to meet this challenge. I want that Triple Crown medal!) The downside, I suppose, is that if you miss the Carlsbad, you’d have to wait until the following year to chase the Crown. If I hadn’t made this year’s Carlsbad – and I had to miss Disney’s inaugural Star Wars Marathon to do so – I would have passed on the remaining two: the La Jolla Half Marathon and America’s Finest City Half Marathon. Nevertheless…
The parking is free – always a plus! – since the race begins and ends at the Westfield Mall. (This is also where the expo awaits you.) However, if you decide to opt out of driving down to Carlsbad just for the packet pick-​up, you’ll be paying an extra $ 20 to pick up your shirt – a sweet, long-​sleeve tech – and bib on the morning of the race. It’s kind of a drag, but parking for free makes up for it, I guess; and the fact that any and all spectators may easily applaud your finish (parking parallels the finish line) is also a thumbs up.
Thank you to all of Carlsbad Village for cheering the runners on. Having you all there makes for an even more eventful morning! =]

This was my only second half, so I can only compare it to silverstrand. But I thought it was a really good event, top to bottom.
The expo and bib pick up was held the 2 days prior to race day, and at the race site. So this meant driving up to Carlsbad just to pick up the bib. I couldn’t go on Saturday, so I went on Friday, which meant being in traffic. Let’s just say it sucked. When I got there, the big white tent was easy to spot. Went inside and picked up my bib no problem, and walked around at the expo. They had a good amount of vendors, which was pretty nice.
Race day, we got there at 6:30, so we had a little over an hour to relax, stretch, warm up, use the restroom and get ready. Finding parking wasn’t hard, Westfield Carlbsad has plenty of spaces. Just that you have to walk a little bit to the event area. There were plenty of porter potties available, so that was a good thing. Around 7:00, not many people were using them, then when it came to around 7:30, lines were ridiculously long. So I suggest using the restroom as early as possible.
The actual race went really well. Mostly flat ground, some hills, but nothing too extreme. The race path was clearly marked for both half and full runners. There were more than enough water stations along the run, and plenty of stations with energy packs as well. What I really liked were all the people cheering on the side of the road holding up their posters and yelling encouragement. Literally, every 30 feet, there were people there cheering you on, most of them with hilarious signs, and you couldn’t help smiling. I loved it. The scenery of the pacific ocean was another plus!
After the race, all the volunteers were kind and friendly. And there were plenty of snacks and drinks for recovery, bananas, chocolate milk, water, a brown bag with energy bars, and more snack bars. Getting out of the lot was fairly easy for us, but we left around 11:30am, after resting and stretching. This was probably after the peak time of people getting out, so if you have nowhere urgent to be after, stay a while and rest, and wait for the rush to die down a bit.
Overall, great race, will do it again!

I love this course! Ive ran this course for the past 5 years and it’s a great race during the month of January. The weather is always perfect. Whether the sun is out, or it’s overcast… It’s possibly my favorite half marathon course in all of SD.
Get your bib early because it WILL sell out by October! The great thing is if you miss the deadline, you can transfer a bib for 20 $. Something most races do not allow you to do!

First run of the year, and my first half marathon. My feelings were mixed, and let’s not forget my pre-​existing injured left knee.
THE GOOD 1 — The run starts at the Carlsbad Mall. Traffic can be bad, but you pretty much get a parking spot without the hassle of finding one, or even paying for one. They direct you where to park old school Disneyland style, and you are set. If you are able to walk after the run, then you can go to the mall. I grew up in South San Diego, and I had no idea this mall even existed. Lol.
THE BAD 1 — Unlike most of my other runs, they did not e-​mail any information about the race, when the race was coming up and expo information! I know I should have just «went to the website,» but every race I’ve done so far would send out reminders prior. Anyway, I missed the expo, and I picked up my gear on the day of the race.
THE BAD 2 — They did not mention anything on their «website» about paying any fees about gear pick-​up on the day of, so that was another $ 20 out of my pocket. Bah.
THE BAD 3 — Almost every staff member that I interacted with was rude! Bib-​lady was rude. T-​shirt lady was rude. Booth people were rude. Random ladies walking around trying to hurry people to the start line were rude. They kept trying to rush me, would not allow me to change into my race shirt and nearly making me run with all my belongings (ie sweater, extra shirt and mesh bag.) I was soooo upset! I refused to run 13.1 miles with a bag, so I ignored the bitter, volunteer bullies and still changed my shirt and checked-​in my gear. Surprisingly the gear check-​in teenie boppers were nice.
THE GOOD 2 — Overall, the course was easy and flat. TONS of spectators for support. I was amazed with the amount of water, Gatorade, and gel stations this run had. At first I was refusing everything, but after mile 8, the stations warmed up to me and I ended up stopping at every station. Lol.
THE GOOD 3 — I tried to be a gangster runner, and attempt to run the whole thing with my messed-​up left knee, but I had to give up and walk at mile 12. Another runner (who also had a prior injury) saw me attempting to run again but advised me to take it easy. We ended up walking, talking and bonding for the last mile. (It also kinda exceeded my expected time… but its okay) He was a nice guy, and we even took a finisher photo together! Lol! To tell you the truth, if it weren’t for that random guy… I would have rated this run worse because of the lack of support at the start, but I had a good finish, and that’s what made up for it.
Triple Crown 2014, you will be mine! :)

The Tri-​City Medical Carlsbad Half was my first half for 2014. The event was well organized from start to finish. Registration costs start at around $ 75 and goes up as time approaches closer to the race.
Packet pick-​up and expo was held in a big white tent, located out by Sears. There was plenty of parking between Sears and Macys. The parking closer to where the tent is pretty chaotic. Oh, and watch out for kids smoking weed at the far ends of the lot. Uhm.yeah.
Packet pick-​up was fairly easy. The expo was pretty small. It only took me 10 minutes to walk through. The only thing I was sad about was that I didn’t have cash for a small bag of kettlecorn. I *heart* kettlecorn.
Race day for me started at zero-dark-o’clock. I arrived around the time the full marathoners did and avoided all the later incoming traffic. I had more than an hour to kill before the start of the race. If you didn’t bring your own cup of coffee, you’re kinda screwed. There are no coffee shops in the immediate vicinity. I had a sad face. It would have helped with dealing with the cold. =P (Hint: someone set up a coffee cart!)
The run itself was great. The views were scenic and there was plenty of race day support. Not bad for my first running event for 2014. There were only 2 things that I didn’t like about this event:
1) If you finished your race between the 3^rd and 4^th hour, those big trucks come in and start cleaning out the port-​o-​potties. Does that mean I can’t use the bathroom?
2) Good luck in trying to get out of the parking lot. I sat in my car for a good 45 minutes, before attempting to leave. Then, it took me another 15 minutes to make it over to a major stoplight and hit a freeway.
Otherwise, it’s a beautiful race! Gosh, I love living in San Diego.

Very well organized race from beginning to end!
Pre-​race:
Loved how the parking is directly adjacent to the actual race and expo.
Expo got too crowded… they should consider having some of the vendors outdoors or have a bigger tent. It was hard to maneuver through folks and strollers without bumping into them.
Loved how there’s a semi-​heated area and seating/​stretching area for runners — «thank you for pampering us».
There are an ample number of restrooms for all, so only had a short wait right before the race.
Race:
Great scenery (gorgeous coastal view) and lots of support from volunteers and spectators.
Gu & water stations were abundant.
Post-​race:
SUPER loved the Sambazon & Coconut Water freebies — definitely two of my top addictions.
I wish the medal was nicer.
Volunteers were super nice. They «ask» you to move along away from the finishers’ area instead of yelling at you. =)
GOOD TO KNOW SHTUFF:
1) Although the parking area is huge and can accommodate most of the runners/​guests… you can still get stuck in traffic especially after the race. Almost missed my football!
2) Very cold in the AM; And, when the sun came up… it got super warm! So wear layers!

Decided to welcome the new year with this half marathon! The course itself was perfect… I wasn’t so stoked on it being an out-​and-​back course but realized most of it was right next to the gorgeous coast, it was 95% flat, and parking was a breeze. so I shut my trap after that! Weather conditions were pristine, bib pick-​up went smoothly (although there was hardly any free swag):), the course support/​water stations were plentiful, although at one station they ran out of cups. This would definitely be the race for PR, but unfortunately for me, winter = no training and stuffing my face with Christmas cookies andddd I ended up running with what I thought was a stomach bug but ended up culminating into the flu after the race (yay).
Besides my disappointing time, I still had fun (especially at mile 11 when my feet cramped up & decided ‘what the hell, I’m not PR’ing’ and accepted a beer from a nice family who set up a booth).
I would still have to say the Rock n Roll is my favorite bc of the massive crowd support, however this is an AWESOME race, especially for beginners. ¹⁄₃ done, the 2014 Triple Crown will be mine!

What a great way to kick off the Triple Crown!
The race itself was an out and back course… which seems like it would be boring but running along the coast was amazing!!! So gorgeous!
There was also great course support. Water at every mile… Clif shots around mile 4 and 10 (for the half-​marathoners) and of course the strangers that took time out of their day to make signs and cheer us on! There were also a few live bands playing throughout the course.
Parking the morning of was a breeze! The mall offered plenty of space and made walking to the start line — short and sweet.

My 1^st Half! Always will have a special place in my heart. Don’t listen to this people that say this one is a «fast flat course.» Nope! More like rolling hills from mile 1!
The expo was huge and well organized and I loved that it was at the mall so there was plenty of room for parking both at the expo and the race. The problem was though that we had to go all the way to Carlsbad two different dates.
The corral start helped because there was no bottle necking in the start. The crowd was amazing. Hysterical signs along the way. «Run now, poop later!»
And they had chocolate milk at the finish. Score! The medals were beautiful too. They handed us bags at the finish with a banana, clif bar and did I mention chocolate milk?!
Not sure I would do it again but only because there are so many great Halfs in San Diego!

This is the first of the series for the Triple Crown.
I must admit for a large event it was like a well-​oiled machine from the start. I am not sure if I remember correctly, this is the only race that you are required to drive to the actual site of the event and not to Roadrunner sports to pick up your race bib. Is it a good thing? I am not sure since it was a drive from where I am coming from. We were able to explore the merchandise after the bib pick-​up. Everything was under this huge tent so we were not exposed to the elements (not that it was hot or cold at 70 plus degree weather).
The start of the race was on time, we were released in waves according to the time we put down when we first registered. There were water in almost every mile and some entertainment along the way. I would not say the course was flat but the incline was pretty reasonable. Now if I could only train better so that I won’t run out of steam at mile 10.
After the running 13.1 miles I am ready to relax. At the finish line we were given our medal and a bag with a banana and some bars. I did like the chocolate milk at the finish line, it was refreshing but I do with that they had water near the end.
Overall it was a nice experience and I am looking forward to next year.

I think the Carlsbad Half Marathon is a great race to do. It was my first half marathon race in 2006 but unfortunately, I haven’t been back to participate… until today. While I’ve spectated several times, my preference is to do races in warmer temperatures. =) And of course, the wet weather this morning was all the more reason for this to be a great rule of thumb for me to follow more closely.
The expo /​packet pick-​up was decent and they got you in and out pretty quickly. The vendors seem to be the same at every single expo so there wasn’t anything new that I felt I needed to have. I do have to hand it to the official Carlsbad race merchandisers because the shirts, sweatshirts and the jackets were pretty cool. I only picked up a visor but was tempted to get a sweatshirt.
As far as the race itself… prepare to face a few hills peppered throughout the course but take my word for it — they’re not too difficult to tackle. I love running along the coast and I don’t think anyone can complain about the scenery. This year, I thought the medal was pretty lame (
). They seemed to focus on the ribbon and not the design of the medal which was disappointing. It just had Carlsbad 2013 on it. No distance, date etc. It again was all on the ribbon.
As always, the volunteers were awesome. The race could not happen without all these people.