2010 Inaugural RnR Los Angeles Half Marathon Review. Event date: 10/24/10.

Pre-Race Shuttles.
Hopped on 1 of the pre-race shuttles outside the Los Angeles Convention Center to the start area.  The race is a point to point one, starting in Griffith Park.

I didn't miss the bus.  :)

Pre-Race.
Ran into a fellow Half Marathon Crazy.

Dave and Me

Dave also does lots of marathons.  He is famous for being the Paul Frank Marathon Maniac / Half Fanatic because of his choice of Paul Frank shirts.  He also loves lululemon.

The Race.
Corrals - Not bad.  I got in and didn't feel squished or trampled over.

The Start - Wave starts.  It was about 1-2 minutes wait per wave to prevent crowding on the course.

Getting closer to The Start.

Mile 1 - Went by the LA Zoo.

LA Zoo.  Hopefully, no dangerous animals on the loose.

Mile 2 - I noticed my legs felt tired.  I have had a busy October leading up to this event.  For October, I was in the following:

1. RnR San Jose 1/2
2. Chicago Marathon
3. Rocky Ridge 5k (hiking)
4. Nike Women's 1/2

I know...  What was I thinking signing up for all these events?

Mile 3 - I was positive my legs were telling to me that they want to slow down and then some.

Mile 4 - My legs didn't feel as tired, but I noticed I was "stuck" with Mr. Spitter.  Gross!

Mile 5 - The Salt Packet Mile.  At first from a distance, I thought it was confetti on the ground up ahead.  When I got closer, I realized someone must have spilled a large commercial bag of salt packets.

Still stuck with Mr. Spitter.  He is still spitting now and then.  I have no idea why anyone would keep on spitting that often.

Mile 6 - Long up hill slog up an over the Hyperion Ave bridge, I believe.  At the bottom of the hill, there were some taiko drummers.

Taiko drummers.

I lost Mr. Spitter during the up hill slog.

Mile 8 - The hills just kept on coming.  At one point, we turned off Silver Lake and onto W. Sunset Bouvlevard.

Mile 9 - It started out up hill.  We then made it to Echo Park Lake.

Echo Park Lake.

Mile 10 - Look up in the sky....  It's a bird..  It's a plane.  No wait...

It's a giant Brooks guitar dude.

And, just when you think you are done with hills, there's another one several blocks long.

Mile 11 - Getting closer to downtown.

Going downhill towards downtown LA.

Though there weren't many crowds in downtown LA during the weekends, the tall buildings does provide some nice shade.

Mile 13 - Finally!!!

The red carpet Finish.

By the Numbers.

1. Gamin failed.  I had checked its charge the night before.  It was fine.  I try to turn it on this morning.  It wouldn't turn on.
2. Chip:  2:50:44  (Odd as it sounds:  When I was wogging along, this event felt like the Nike Women's Half Marathon I did just last week.  Sure enough, I finished within 1 minute of the time I had finished at the NWM 1/2.)
3. Calories:  1,500 estimated gross calories

What I thought of the event?
Pros:
Another well done RnR event.

Cons:
The event was hillier than I had expected.

Would I recommend the event?
Yes, except to those that don't like hills.


Would I do this one again?
Yes.  But, it's not high on my list of redo events.

Post Event.
Concert Headliner:  Neon Trees played at the Nokia Theater / LA Live Plaza just across the Staples Center.  I briefly passed thru.  The music wasn't bad.  I wished I could have stayed a bit longer.

Neon Trees perform outside at the Nokia Theater / LA Live Plaza.

Special Thanks.
A BIG thanks to the awesome and hardworking volunteers.  Thank you!!!