The start line was between a park and a produce stand on Victoria Avenue, developed in the 1890s and now a historic, scenic parkway known for its beautiful medians with diverse trees and plants. We did the 10k course, my goal was to run with my husband and son. Our wedding was 18 years ago at that exact location. We ran right across the spot where we said our vows. It was "California cold," which means it was in the low 40s. Luckily the winds weren't too bad. It was dry and there was great visibility, not a cloud in the sky.
Course description and evaluation of event logistics
The course ran down Victoria briefly, down Jackson and into the Citrus State Historic Park. Miles 2 and 3 went all through the park, it was hilly and there were some off-road segments through the orange groves. Miles 4, 5, and 6 were on the roads, and we had scenic views of snow-capped mountains in the distance and palm tree-lined streets. The way the 5k, 10k, and half-marathon courses diverged and converged was so smooth. There were plenty of signs and volunteers to help runners find their way. The timing of when each race started made a lot of sense.
How did you train for the event
This week is a taper week for me on my journey to the LA Marathon. I have been training for 18 weeks, with 8 weeks to go. I had no time or pace goals, my goal was to stay together with my family, which we pretty much did.
Gear and Nutrition
I started out wearing a tank top, jacket and hoodie on top, with long tight pants and sweatpants on bottom. I had a headband covering my ears and gloves before the race started. Just before race start, I took off the hoodie, and gloves. By mile 3, I had taken off the sweatpants. Around mile 4, I took off the headband and put on a trucker hat. Honestly, we had a lot of snacks since we were running with the stroller, which also gave us a place to put our clothes that we were shedding. We ate popcorn and an apple around mile 2. They gave us gatorade, water, and orange slices. I think there were two or three fuel stops.
Specific experiences
There was a marching band in the orange groves around mile 2 or 3 and another band at mile 6. The last one was key because the last mile was a straightaway but due to elevation changes we couldn't see the finish line archway. But I knew it must be close because of the music. It was so fun and motivating.
Finish and associated emotion
My son sprinted across the finish line. We were about 5 or 10 minutes late to the kids race, so it was hard to figure out how to navigate that. If we do it again, we'll know. The kids race didn’t have a published course map and we weren't the only parents who were confused. But there's a packed dirt or gravel path that winds around the perimeter of the park, which the kids were expected to navigate. I think it would have been good for older kids. I didn't expect this but my kid ran the first 3 miles of the 10k and the last mile too. By the time of the kids race, he didn’t have much gas left in the tank. It was cute and I'll know for next time.
Overall evaluation of the event
There were enough port-a-potties. Bib pickup was easy. The finish line festival served fresh-squeezed orange juice, which was amazing. There were actually a lot of booths and tables set up to hang. We don't drink anymore, but they did offer a free beer for those who would want it. There was music, some recovery tables, and it was really nice. The event was so nostalgic for me, not only because of our wedding venue, but also because I was in a cycling club when I lived in Riverside. We did our time trial on those streets and I visualize that experience every time I run a magic mile. Nearly every route we biked went along Victoria Avenue at some point because it is such a wide, gorgeous boulevard with a bike lane. I have so many great memories of spending time walking or biking on it. 10/10 highly recommend and would do it again. 100% of the proceeds go to local high school cross-country programs, so the race feeds directly back into the running community. Good vibes.
