See Jane Run Womens Half Marathon & 5k - Alameda Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

naomi n.
san mateo, CA

  (06-06-2010)

"I love the retail store so I had high expectations of this event.

The registration and pre-race communication was very good. If you registered as a team, you got a discount at the retail store, which is what I did.

We were to go to one of the 3 Bay Area stores in the days leading up to the race to pick up our race bib and goody bag, however, we had to pick up the timing chip on the day of the event.

I loved the stuff in the goody bag, but the shirt ran very small. Its really cute, but I can't wear it to run in.

The morning of the race the lines to the parking lot were backed up, but that was only because there was a kiosk where each car had to pay a $5 parking fee (this was communicated to us beforehand). The line wasn't as bad as it looked and I found parking with no problems.

It was about a half mile to the race area (which was also communicated beforehand). When I got there, it didn\'t look very crowded, which was great - no porta potty lines. I couldn\'t find the tent to pick up the timing chip; when I asked, I found out that I was in the Finishing area, and the Starting area was further down. No signage telling anyone this.

The Starting Area was a mess. Same-day-registration and chip pick-up lines were the same. It was not organized well. Luckily, the line I was in (alphabetically) was relatively short so once I found it, it didn\'t take long.

The bag check line was obscenely long and moved slowly. I only brought a bag because they had the race expo AFTER the race so I needed my wallet in case I wanted to buy anything. The time creeped closer to the half-marathon start time and the half-marathoners were starting to panic.

The 5K course itself was lovely. Started out in streets, then ran along the bay shore. It was really, really hot, but otherwise, a nice and flat course.

Since it was a women\'s only race, most of the spectators were men, who just stood there and didn\'t cheer. Even coming down the finish shoot, there was no excitement or cheering.

And the distance was 3.21, not 3.1.

After the race, I had to wait in line for almost 30 minutes to get my bag from bag check. When I got to the front of the line, they couldn't find my bag. It took another 20 minutes before they finally located it.

Being a race organized by women, for women, I thought it would be organized much more efficiently than it was. They should have had the expo the day before, and then not allow same day registration. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2010

Heidi H.
Sparks, NV

  (03-10-2010)

"I had a great time at this race - not crowded, fun participants. Only complaint is the bridge went up right when we got there & had to wait, hard to do when heading towards the end of the race. Want to do it again, but conflicts with Reno-Tahoe Odyssey weekend. Maybe Boise!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Julianne P.
San Francisco Bay Area, CA

  (09-28-2009)

"Nicely organized 5K event. Pretty location that would have been prettier had it been a sunny day, but still lots of fun. Parking was a bear; get there early, and find a location off the main drag. Expect to walk fairly far to get to the park.

Yes, there were long lines for the bathroom, but they did go pretty quickly, and there were quite a few portapotties.

Loved the pre-race warmup. Swag was excellent! (Hmmm...now that I think of it, there was better swag at their 5K than at their triathlon I just completed...although they probably can't do champagne at the regional park after the tri.)"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Sandra .
San Francisco, CA

  (08-18-2009)

"Start: There were not nearly enough porta potties at the start. Horrendous lines! It was also a little cooler than expected at the start so take some layers. I'd recommend arriving early to get a street parking spot.

Course: Fairly fast, but some long gradual inclines and also inclines to get up over a little bridge twice.

Swag: Great tech tee and little pendant necklace medal."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Keri D.
Palo Alto, CA

  (08-04-2009)

"I CANNOT wait to run the half marathon next year! I did not hear about it until a month before the race which was not enough time to prepare for the half, but I loved the atmosphere and course so much, I am already starting to train for next year's half marathon! It was not too hot out and the course along the water was great. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Jen G.
Pittsburg, CA

  (08-04-2009)

"I had a great time at this race! It was my first half marathon and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it... OK, except the parts where I was in pain. :) The course was gorgeous for the most part (the only uninspiring part was through the office park, but sometimes that's a necessity) and the views of San Francisco and the bay were amazing. I loved the champagne flute filled with chocolate and the free glass of champagne at the finish! The crowd and volunteer support was top-notch, and the mini-store with vendor booths was a great idea as well. I would definitely run this race again and recommend it to all women who want a fantastic race experience.

Another plus - everyone gets a medal! Even the 5K finishers! How many races ever give 5K participants anything as snazzy as a medal?"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Tara M.
Walnut Creek, CA

  (08-04-2009)

"
This was my very 1st half marathon and I think it's the perfect race for those just getting into endurance running. It's an all women's half marathon and is fairly small. Parking and getting to the start line is very easy. The energy at this race was great from the get go and really pumped me up.

The course winds through Alameda and you get nice views of the bay and SF. There weren't a ton of spectators, but a lot of family members were out on the course cheering everyone along. There is a part of the course that winds through a business park, which is the only un-scenic portion of the course.

My favorite part of this race is the post-race set-up. They had many vendors and you even got to sip some champagne :) Overall, I would highly recommend this race to beginners and experienced runners. I will definitely be doing this race again!
"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Suzy C.
Alameda, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"Super fun race. The pre-race warm up was a hoot. Course is beautiful, although there was quite a stretch of boring business park area in the middle. I guess it was necessary to log in the full 13.1 miles. The stretches along the water are really gorgeous.

Not a whole lot of crowd support except at the beginning and end, but the energy of the runners themselves made up for it! Great to run with a bunch of women, and the vibe was really about having a good time. Race was well-organized and lots of good food at the end! "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Katharine V.
Oakland, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"Fast, flat 5K course, enthusiastic participants. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Stephanie P.
Oakland, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"Second year I've done this 1/2 marathon, and it is a really good time. The course is nice and flat, with views of the water along the way. I'll definitely continue to participate. Some pieces of criticism: the entry fee nearly doubled over the course of a year from $50 to $95, and it did seem like the "extras" were inexplicably reduced. Example: Year 1 you got a cute necklace for participating, Year 2 a funky "medal." The chocolate and champagne were higher quality the first year too. These are not the reasons I run a race, just the fun extras, but if race organizers nearly double the cost, runners should expect more, not less for their money. (Esp when SJR was very forthcoming that the number of participants doubled, meaning a lot more revenue on their side!) Also, it would be great to have a little more support leading up to the finish line--families and racers who had already finished were ambling onto the last 1/2 mile of the course, and I know I lost time dodging people with strollers, etc... Some volunteers directing people away from that last stretch would be appreciated. Nit-picking side, it's a great time and I would recommend it for any women who want to start racing as a way to build confidence and fitness!"

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009

Brittney G.
Danville, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"I LOVED this race. Can I just tell you that you know it is a women's race when there are bathrooms upon bathrooms for the first few miles of the race!! There were plenty of water stops along the way, and every single one had GU and at least one had another organic energy gel (sorry, I don't remember the name). I have normally seen gels at maybe 1 or 2 stops along a course, not at all stops. I thought that was great. All of the volunteers I came in contact with were wonderful, and the shirt we received with our packet is super cute. I most definitely will run this again next year! The day before the race, there was a pasta party at the SJR in Oakland, and a coach was there to give us info and answer any and all of the questions we had. Best of all, the pasta, salad, and breadsticks were FREE!! : ) Ladies, if you are contemplating doing this as your first (or even your 40th) 5K or half marathon, I would highly recommend it. Everyone is just there to have fun, and it is a race that is not at all intimidating. Oh my gosh! I almost forgot to write about those ladies who did the warm up! It was a lot of fun, and the mc of the whoel thing was really funny. So, even though I didn't have nearly enough coordination to do the warm up (think jazzercise, step class or something)gracefully, I still had fun watching the ladies (with their lovely warm up attire ; )) and listening the girl with the microphone. Ok, if you weren't there, this probably isn't making any sense, so I guess you'll just have to go see them next year!!

Ok, I really think this is the last part of my review - We got an awesome champagne glass with the race's logo and year on it! They were out of champagne by the time I got to the finish. I am VERY slow, so I don't blame them for being out of champagne, but they did have some yummy wine I so very happily drank from my champagne glass!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Anna E.
San Francisco, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"Thought this was a great 5K and a nice course. Heard the half marathon was pretty flat and a great (although foggy) view!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Yael E.
Oakland, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"The course is nice and flat and usually pretty foggy/cool this time of the day/year. It was my first half marathon and I had a great time! The race t-shirt actually FITS and it's adorable. I wore it with pride while running my first MARATHON. I can't wait to do it again next year!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Mindy S.
Moraga, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"I have to say - this is fast becoming my favorite spring race. I actually hope it doesn't become too popular. Everything about it was fantastic - but especially for those who live locally. Great start time, fun flat course along the water, fantastic shwag and FOOD. Keep it up See Jane Run...you'll have my entry fee every year!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Whitney S.
Sunnyvale, CA

  (08-03-2009)

"totally beautiful, totally fabulous race. not huge crowd support, but the feeling of taking part of this race with TONS of awesome women makes up for it... you don't need a great crowd when you feel like you're in the middle of a big party with all the other runners."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009