Conquer The Bridge

This year, 2015, was my very first year participating. I thought it was pretty well organized. The course was easier than I thought It would be (being that I’m pretty out of shape lately and haven’t run in an 8 K event in many years), but it was very scenic and fun. I took several pictures. I was happy with this event and plan to do again next year.
One drawback was that there wasn’t much water provided on the course. Apparently that is due to the Caltrans rules, not the organizer’s fault.
Another quibble was that I didn’t like the design of the finisher medals. They were rectangle this year and reminded me of dog tags. Minor quibble, though.
To get to the event, I took the LADOT commuter bus route 142 from Long Beach (downtown) to San Pedro (6^th & Harbor). That worked out fantastic. Since the bridge was closed in the morning, the bus went on detour but the trip was still only a half hour, then later on when the bridge was reopened, the bus was able to go over the bridge on the return trip. That was really cool, so I’ll definitely will be taking LADOT again next year instead of trying to drive over and find parking. I noticed several of my fellow Long Beach folks did the same thing.

this labor day was my first tine doing the race i was so excited i even got more excited and pumped up when i got there seeing all the people waiting to starts the race iam not a runner so i walked and ran only when it was down hill and the last strech to the finish line of course i had to stop to take pix it was a great experience would do it again wasnt hard at all everyone cheers you on at the end you get to see your time and get your medal they also offer you slices of oranges and bananas, water. anyone could do it young, old, non athletes

Labor Day 2014 started off great… beautiful coastal morning, sun shining, and a nice and light cool breeze. I decided to register for this race for myself and two kids, as a way to bond and hopefully start a tradition of us finishing races together. We live in San Pedro, so thankfully there was no real commute. From our house, we got there in less than 10 minutes.
The parking was great. We parked in the lot shared by The Grinder and a hotel. On our way to park, we noticed that many people parked either at meters on the street and in lots or parked in the same lot that we did. We arrived at 7ish and there was already a significant amount of people there. The atmosphere was great so early in the morning. People were excited, friendly, and chatting it up with those they knew and strangers, alike.
The organizers got on the loud speakers and gave us all instructions, which I felt was helpful for all of us who had never done it before. The race promptly started at 8:05 and off we went. Of course there were full on olympic track stars there who took off and spanked us all. I did a combination of running and walking. I’m just now coming back after a long hiatus of physical therapy and reconditioning, so I didn’t want to re-​injure myself. In all honesty, there were way more walkers than runners. The majority of people seemed to be focusing on finishing, period, not necessarily winning. It was nice because there were people from all walks of life out there, all fitness levels, etc. There was even a woman out there with what I am guessing to be cerebral palsy, crutches and all, but she was doing it and we all cheered her on!
The race was nice starting off. We began right in front of The Grinder at Harbor and 5^th St. That initial climb up the start of the bridge had my cheeks quivering at the anticipation of the real hill that was coming. And I don’t mean the cheeks on my face. Climbing that hill seemed eternally long… what helped to get over it was the slight cool breeze and the spectacular views. There was no water station or port-​a-​potties on the initial «going up» side. It would have been nice to at least have a water station, because I was dehydrated by the time I got to the water station on the other side. We even said that it would have been nice to have a second water station at the shaded underpass. Climbing back up on the otherside was a serious challenge. By then, it was getting really hot and that nice cool breeze that we cherished earlier was gone. I dont think I was ever as excited than to see that big blue arch coming up. We wanted to collapse in the grass along with others, but we were afraid that we may never get up again.
At the finish line, they have timers set up to see how long it took you and we all received finishers medals. That was exciting and the kids were very happy to get a medal. We quickly went and grabbed water and they had oranges and cut up bananas for us. I was looking forward to the oranges, but they had just run out as we stepped up to the table. No problem. We noshed on the bananas and drank water.
In all, if you asked me if I would do this again as I walked up that hill, I’d say HELL NO!!! After all, 5.3 miles is no joke, especially when it’s hot, but now that I finished, yes I’d probably do it again. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I suggest preparing by going for long walks or runs if that’s your thing, and include some hill training, so that you dont struggle too much on the inclines. :)

I ran this for the first time in 2013. My team had such a great time we are doing it again in 2014. It’s a great course and very cool to be running across this bridge we drive all the time. It’s a 6% grade and the long incline makes it challenging. There were port-​a-​potties and water at the midway point last year. If you need water sooner than 2.6 miles you need to bring your own. Lots of convenient parking near the start, if you aren’t a runner don’t worry, hundreds of people walk this for the views at the top of the bridge.

Did it. Half marathon over the Vincent Thomas Bridge. And I’m not too sure I’ll ever do it again.
I’m a Pedro girl at heart, so I couldn’t refuse a chance to run over the Vincent Thomas Bridge during Conquer the Bridge’s 2011 race. It was an over and back just over 5 miles. In 2013, they offered their first half marathon. I’d sworn I’d never run anything over a 10K again, but I couldn’t pass this up so I went for it. And it was brutal (for a non-​runner like me) but since I’ve done a few marathons, I feel I’ve got enough clout to give input.
Don’t worry about the bridge incline. It’s such a gorgeous view you will enjoy every second of the rare opportunity, taking pictures, chatting with other runners, and it’s a good excuse to walk for a bit since you can run on the down slope. However, due to Caltrans nixing water stations on or anywhere near the bridge, they are sparse. Just be prepared, bring your own if you can’t walk a mile without a sip. The volunteers who come out to cheer the runners on are the best. There isn’t another soul out there on that stretch of concrete, so smiling faces are a welcome sight after trudging along by your lonesome for miles.
And that’s what happened to me on the half marathon. There were huge gaps between me and the runners in front and behind me, so I spent almost half the race alone. And being alone on that course is… not comforting. The course took us out to the end of Pier 400… the very end. And along the way I spotted lots of concrete, dead seagulls, took in wafts of chemicals/​gasoline, and saw even more concrete. I love the half marathon concept for Conquer the Bridge, but I really hope they change the course so that the bulk of it traverses through Pedro. The Port has put in so many bike paths & greenspace, it’s a shame to not take advantage of it. Also, passing through neighborhoods (some of them very historic) and involving the residents as spectators/​cheerleaders would be fantastic!

This year, 2013, was my first year running the Conquer the Bridge 5.3 mile run in San Pedro. The race takes place every Labor Day. This year was the first year they added a half marathon to the mix, as well. Next year, I might have to try for the half!
The course is more challenging that what I imagined. The inclines are long and gradual as you climb up the Vincent Thomas Bridge. You cross the bridge twice — there and back. The temperatures were in the 80’s also proving a challenge. Challenge is good, though. I like challenge. It makes you stronger. I was proud to say I ran the entire race. On the long gradual inclines of the bridge, the majority of people start walking. Do not do this. Push yourself and conquer the bridge!
I highly recommend this race to anyone in the LA area for Labor Day. The start time was 8:05 AM so you are finished running by 9 AM. Afterwards, head over to the San Pedro Fish Market for breakfast followed by a tour of the USS Iowa. The USS Iowa tour is 50% off to all runners who show their race bibs.
My time was 48:56. 9:14 min/​miles… going for under 9 min miles in my next race!

Unlike Jamie, I did it in 63 minutes, I know I can do it much faster, but I’ve been stressed and distracted so I have not been training much. Oh well! It was an awesome race and there was good fruits and stuff at the end. I love sliced oranges! This was my first year, and the bridge was a massive hill and very tough.

The bridge is tough. Fun and exciting to run knowing they close it down once a year just for us. View is pretty awesome when you’re not huffing and puffing with your head down. I was late and started off with the walkers. Next time, I’m not going to do that… too much work getting past them. I finished in 57 minutes.