I love the IronGirl race series. I love that it's a race for women and girls. It's not that I want to see men excluded, but there just aren't enough activities that encourage young girls to run and play. In a world that constantly tells women to be thinner it's great to see a race that encourages young women to be more healthy and fit.
Plus, IronGirl has the best swag. This year they gave way: insulated lunch bags, nice technical shirts, shopper bags, full size bath products, nutrition bars, stuffed animals. I wasn't even trying to collect freebies; they were pretty much chasing you down to give you stuff. There's a catered post race breakfast. And of course, there were finishers medals. You know that I'm all about the finisher's medal - I run for the bling.
It's with a heavy heart I have to say anything bad about this race. However, the course was really rotten this year. The race was in Del Mar and Solana Beach, two lovely coastal towns slightly north of San Diego. The race started at the Del Mar thoroughbred race track which is about 500 yards from the Pacific Ocean. This is an overview of the 6 mile/10K course:
Mile 1: Loop around the parking lot.
Mile 2, 3: Loop on the streets on the perimeter of the parking lot
Mile 4: Highway 101
Mile 4.5, 5, 6: Perimeter of the parking lot and redux of the first parking lot loop.
So yes, the race was well less than a mile from the beautiful Pacific Ocean and we spent 90% of the race running around the parking lot. A race that went along the coast and I never saw the ocean or sand or a surfer dude in his sexy wetsuit. That's craziness!
Yup I ran this one last year (this was actually my very first 5k) and it was the same route. I agree; it could be a little more scenic. Love the swag though; sounds like some good stuff this year!
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