Santa Clarita Half Marathon Recap

FOUR WEEKS TO GO!!!!!!!!!!

Here’s what some people say about this race:

This is a great race. The start of race is at the Mall, so there is plenty of parking. Access from the 5 FWY to parking lot is also fast and efficient. A big plus is that there is access to Hyatt Hotel’s convention hall bathrooms before the race starts, which is definitely an upgrade waiting in a long line in the cold for portable toilets. There are water stations every mile, and the volunteers that are working are plenty enthusiastic. Size-wise, it’s definitely smaller than Long Beach, Surf City and other SoCal Marathons. This means everyone starts at once, and the course is definitely not crowded.The Course winds it’s way thru some commercial areas before spending several miles on a trial besides the dry riverbed. There are a few minor hills, but nothing major, a pretty fast course. Santa Clarita is a well-planned city, which is well highlighted in the course. The PA announcer at the end of the race was one of the more enthusiastic announcers I’ve heard. He made sure every racer got their due applause by the crowd, especially the seniors. Finally, the tech T-Shirts included are not loaded with ads like other races, so that’s plus. Overall, one of the best half marathons in SoCal, both operationally as well as the overall race experience.

One of my favorite half marathon experiences. The parking was easy and it was easy to get to the start line. The Hyatt restrooms near the start line were a big plus. The course was mostly flat. Somehow, impossibly, it felt like there was more downhill than uphill. Maybe this is because the uphills were very gradual, while the downhills were a little steeper. Anyway, the course felt fast and energizing. The spectator support was a little sparse, but this was compensated by the fact that the course was mostly narrow and the runners energized each other. The spectator support that was out there was much appreciated — especially the cheerful kids and a dude playing guitar outside his apartment. The water and gatorade stations were excellent. You know what else was great? The “Whole Foods Market Recovery Zone” didn’t interfere unduly with my ability to get to my car.

This is my second time running the half-marathon here and I loved it!!! A little rain at the beginning was encouraging but it got really hot after mile 8 😦 Great water and gatorade stations throughout the course and visible mile marks. It can get lonely on the trail but its also very relaxing. If you feed on the fans energy, this is probably not the race for you….lol

This was the 2nd time I have run this race. Last year I hit a new PR on this course. The half marathon had about 1300 people start the race. The race is run on some city streets but mostly on the Santa Clarita Trail, which is a paved path that runs along the dry river bed. Lots of course support and spectators cheering you on. Post race food and drink is average. All in all, a fun race to run…very hometown feel.