Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Half Marathon to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador) and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
It was a beautiful autumn weekend in San Diego when I arrived for the Kaiser Permanente Thrive Half Marathon the day before the race. First stop was packet pick-up at the awe-inspiring Road Runner Sports storefront, which was a runner’s paradise for clothes, shoes, and all the other running essentials. Packet pick-up was streamlined and all volunteers were very friendly, which continued on the race course the following day!
After my packet was secured, I decided to finally visit the San Diego Zoo, which has always been on my list of places to visit. This was a good opportunity to stretch a bit after the long car ride from Vegas as I didn’t want to be stiff going into race morning. Following the zoo, it was time to check in to the hotel and grab some vital pre-race carbs! I opted for Thai food as it’s not only one of my favorite cuisines, it’s a somewhat healthier way to get carbs ahead of a race.
Race morning was chilly, but the sunrise was absolutely gorgeous. I wasn’t sure of the drop-off situation, so I ended up arriving about an hour before the race started. The start and finish was in the Vacation Isle in Mission Bay park along the water. There were plenty of port-a-potties and they actually had park restrooms, which I opted to use. The race was staged by how fast runners anticipated they would be, which was nice because it can be very frustrating to start running only to almost run over someone who is walking. I have nothing against people who walk the course, however I do believe runners/walkers should be respectful of their peers and line-up further back.
I opted for the “fit 8-9/min mile” group and after a couple waves we were off to the races! We wrapped underneath a bridge and made our first climb up the bridge, which was one of only a few inclines on the course. Unfortunately my feet felt numb from the cold for the first 3 miles, which was odd as I’ve races in cooler temps before. Thankfully I was able to keep a pretty steady pace during that time. I was unfamiliar with the course and potential elevation gains, so I tried to keep a reasonable pace throughout the race. Most of the race was relatively flat and followed the inlet bay, winding through some neighborhoods and a few different parks. Crowd support was mostly concentrated at the start/finish line, including the final push up the bridge at mile 12.
After crossing the finish line, I received my medal and some light recovery snacks and drinks. There was a classic rock cover band performing, which I loved! If I had more time, I would have definitely stayed around for a bit to listen to them, but I had a long drive back to Vegas ahead of me. The bay was a beautiful backdrop for the start/finish line and provided a wonderful photo-opt for the important finish line and medal pics. If you are a serious competitor (which I am not!) this race also provides prize money to the top finishers, a nice extra incentive! My prize for the race was the half marathon medal, which is hefty and has a beautiful design. While the prize money and medals are wonderful, perhaps the best part of this specific race is the fact that it benefits Make-A-Wish San Diego while also promoting an active, healthy lifestyle.
If you are looking for a quick and flat course that gives back to the community in Southern California, this is your race!
Run.Ink.Repeat 