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Marathon Details - Palos Verdes Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > CA > San Pedro > Palos Verdes Marathon

Palos Verdes Marathon

Palos Verdes Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

San Pedro, CA USA

May 14, 2011

http://www.w2promotions.com/public/eventdetail.php?ActiveID=2003635

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Contact Information

Name:	Walt Walston
Address:	W2 Promotions, Inc. 1666 Ashland Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90405
Phone Number:	(310) 828-4123
Fax Number:	(310) 450-6159
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (83)

Course 4.4

Organization 4.0

Spectators 2.7

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Number of comments: 83 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]

S. R. from Los Angeles (5/21/2012) "Tough but Beautiful Course-Organizational Glitches" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Race was limited to a half marathon which historically has been the most popular distance. I did the race in 2010 and loved it. They moved it last year and added shuttle logistics. No trouble getting there, but waited on the side of the road for over an to get out. Sun came out while we were standing there with tired runners & screaming babies (hard to tell who was fussier). Course is very hilly and beautiful. PAVEMENT WAS AMAZING- they must not allow potholes in those towns! Police support was excellent. Volunteers were great. Fix the logistics and I'd do it again.
a. b. from United State (6/19/2011) "PALOS VERDES MARATHON" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Palos Verdes 05.14.11 Community marathon it is but for a great charitable cause. You can register the morning of the race. The views of the Pacific Ocean are the only high point outside of the HILLS HILLS HILLS and more HILLS. A little drizzle during the marathon was bearable. Mental toughness is required as you past the finish line three times before it is actually your finish. Running back through the original starting line is no fun. It felt more like a long run around some neighborhoods rather than a marathon. Water stops has minimal water and even less electrolyte drinks. They use the old school chips. Less than 1 foot after crossing the finish line, you are expected to stop suddenly so they can collect the chips. A practice long run at best.
R. D. from Ventura County, California (5/22/2011) "Catered to the Half - Marathoners" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 First time running this course. Hilly as advertised. Loop course, marathon runners ran the course twice which made a difficult course both physically and mentally challenging. Beautiful scenery, mansions on the right and gorgeous ocean and cliffs on the left. Weather was perfectovercast and drizzly. Course support was goodwater, gatorade, energy gels and bananas. All the runners started at the same time. Half marathoners outnumbered the marathoners I would say 10:2. So after some of the halfers were done, it got very lonely on the road for the rest of us marathoners. That didn't really bother me that much. Going in , I treated this race, with its degree of difficulty, as a long training run. I was not running for time. I did finish respectably at 4:40ish but was disappointed at the finish line. I got my medal and my white cotton 'finisher' shirt and a water bottle, but that's pretty much it. Since most of the half runners already finished, the staff were already starting to pack up. No finish line 'expo' to speak of. Some volunteers were there handing out left over bananas and coconut juice and a few energy bars. Small,low-key race geared for the half marathon runners. Even the cops manning the intersection at mile 24 or so, who I thought saw me running, but let the cross-traffic go so I had to stop a minute or so, until he realized, I was still running the darn race. Not a PR race for sure. All in all, a good marathon to those who are up for the challenge. Kiwanis should aptly rename this race: 'Palos Verdes Half Marathon, 5K... and Marathon too'.
Juno Cespedes from La Verne, CA (5/18/2011) "Flatliner you mean" (about: 2011) 2 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Wonderful people who organized this worthy marathon (45 and counting).They had everything that mega sponsor marathons provide: adequate hydrate stations and plenty of happy volunteers (hooray for them). However, because never being in Palos Verdes, I bought into the website description of 'flat course, fast time.' Never did I feel one mile to go on like if it were 2. The course was made up of rolling hills throughout the neighborhood. Sure, there were flat area but not enough to relieve you from the pounding of these waves run course. I thought to raise my white flag and quit. I didn't but it left me humble and f**** I was forced to walk the last 3 miles to finish line. I will comeback and wrestle this beast again with better result.
S. H. from Long Beach, CA (5/16/2011) "Hour Long Wait for Shuttle = OUTRAGEOUS!!!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I have run Palos Verdes Half Marathon for the past 8 or 9 years. In 2011 the course changed with a start/finish at Terranea Resort. Overall the course was lovely and somewhat less difficult than the old course. However there was no event parking at the start/finish and all participants were required to park remotely and take shuttles. No issue with the start; however I finished the race at 10:15 am and proceeded straight to the line for shuttles and I did not board a bus until 11:30 am!!! Thousands of cold participants, friends and family huddled, shivering in the long line and as time dragged on all we could talk about was how ridiculous it was that we had to wait so long for the bus!!! This completely ruined my experience of this race. Even more shocking because the race organizer, W2 Promotions, has been putting on races for years. I know that W2 Promotions will receive hundreds of complaints about the shuttle fiasco which is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!!! The race fees doubled this year - from about $35-$40 for Half Marathon to $75, I assumed because of additional costs for the shuttles but the race did not provide adequate shuttles for the number of participants so I did not get a fair return on my race entry fee. I will NOT run this race or recommend it to anyone!
S. S. from Redondo Beach (5/14/2011) "Go Back To Old Course" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I've run the half almost every year for the last 8 years. Please bring back the old course. It had the advantage of having lots of on-street parking close to the start/end. You could pretty much show up close to the start time and still be able to find parking within a 10-minute walk. The new course requires that you be shuttled to/from a parking lot at least 3 miles from the start/end. This would be fine except that there were not enough shuttles. Most people had to wait in a long line for something like 30 or 40 minutes while soaked in sweat and drizzle. This would be fine if it had been hot outside, but it was not. It was probably in the high 50s. The course itself was not significantly better than the old course and in fact was somewhat worse because it no longer passed by the Trump golf course.
M. W. from Irvine, CA (7/6/2010) "So Pretty, Palos Verdes" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The course was challenging with many rolling hills, but it was well worth it, as it went through some awesome areas to see some great sights! Organization was pretty good, although there was not much of a pre- or post-race party, and there was no gear check. Also, the medal and bib weren't too spectacular. Spectators were few and far between on the course, but those who were there were very supportive and helpful. Overall, a good race - relatively low-key and enjoyable.
L. T. from Culver City, CA (5/19/2010) "Will run this race again" (about: 2010) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I like the PV Marathon because it's a small(-town) race (no more than 350 people run the marathon and the rest are half marathoners); therefore it's not stressful at all (unlike Long Beach or LA, where the parking is a lot more difficult and getting to/from the race site is maddening.) Fewer people and more hills means most people there are dedicated runners who take running seriously (unlike at other races, where I've seen people yakking on the phones, texting, and making sudden stops or turns without any regards for runners behind them.) Here are things I like about the Palos Verdes Marathon: 1. As mentioned above: fewer people, so slower runners won't block your way. The road is wide open for you. 2. Easy to find parking: if you get there early enough, you'll be able to find parking, say, less than a hundred feet from the start/finish line. Parking is also free. There is plenty of free parking around there. 3. The marathoners get to start 30 minutes before the half-marathoners, so no one is tripping over anyone since it is not crowded at all. Most marathoners start at the same time (no chip time here, just gun time for everyone - they will manually scan your chip with a scan gun just like at Costco or Home Depot when you get to the finish line). 4. There was plenty of Gatorade, PowerBar gel, bananas, and water every few miles or so. 5. Spectators and volunteers are friendly and helpful (even though there are not a lot of spectators.) 6. Easy registration: race day registration and bib pick-up. 7. Beautiful seascape. Hilly course but that makes it more fun (and challenging). What I don't like about the PV Marathon: 1. The turns/splits on the course are sometimes confusing with no clear markings (and the fact that the course has some loops that makes it even more confusing). There were a few times where that the cops there had to point the runners to the right directions. We would have been lost without them. 2. At some points on the course we had to run alongside cars on the highway. There is a part of the route that the road for runners got too narrow; runners could only run in single file, so it was harder for you to pass other runners.
R. M. from Los Angeles, CA (5/17/2010) "Great first marathon for me" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Got to run through beautiful Palos Verdes. Ocean views the entire way. Volunteers were all great, and very enthusiastic. Size was perfect - not too many people. at the end of the race, I could only see about a dozen people - almost felt a little surreal, like I was just out for a run. Only major complaint is that the run is 13 miles in, and 13 miles back, mostly on the same route. Miles 10-14 run through a clearly expensive but boring suburban neighborhood (people were all nice, though). On the flip side, it's REALLY nice that you didn't have to take a shuttle.
P. H. from Ontario, California (5/17/2010) "Tempting views, torturous hills" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The hills are never-ending, but the views are just breathtaking. I ran this only two weeks after OC and am I glad that I did! The course was so incredible! The support was great and plentiful. There weren't many spectators, but the many police about were very supportive and helpful. There were a few scary moments on the way back when the running lane was very narrow. A young gal tried to pass me. If I hadn't swept my arm out and grabbed her, she would have been struck down by a car going way too fast. Five hours in, the barricades became so few and narrow, that some stretches were quite dangerous. You've just got to care for the runners till the end unless you have a time cutoff, which this race didn't. I loved the small-town, friendly feel of the race. I will do it again!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 > ]



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S. R. from Los Angeles (5/21/2012) "Tough but Beautiful Course-Organizational Glitches" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Race was limited to a half marathon which historically has been the most popular distance. I did the race in 2010 and loved it. They moved it last year and added shuttle logistics. No trouble getting there, but waited on the side of the road for over an to get out. Sun came out while we were standing there with tired runners & screaming babies (hard to tell who was fussier). Course is very hilly and beautiful. PAVEMENT WAS AMAZING- they must not allow potholes in those towns! Police support was excellent. Volunteers were great. Fix the logistics and I'd do it again.
a. b. from United State (6/19/2011) "PALOS VERDES MARATHON" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Palos Verdes 05.14.11 Community marathon it is but for a great charitable cause. You can register the morning of the race. The views of the Pacific Ocean are the only high point outside of the HILLS HILLS HILLS and more HILLS. A little drizzle during the marathon was bearable. Mental toughness is required as you past the finish line three times before it is actually your finish. Running back through the original starting line is no fun. It felt more like a long run around some neighborhoods rather than a marathon. Water stops has minimal water and even less electrolyte drinks. They use the old school chips. Less than 1 foot after crossing the finish line, you are expected to stop suddenly so they can collect the chips. A practice long run at best.
R. D. from Ventura County, California (5/22/2011) "Catered to the Half - Marathoners" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 First time running this course. Hilly as advertised. Loop course, marathon runners ran the course twice which made a difficult course both physically and mentally challenging. Beautiful scenery, mansions on the right and gorgeous ocean and cliffs on the left. Weather was perfectovercast and drizzly. Course support was goodwater, gatorade, energy gels and bananas. All the runners started at the same time. Half marathoners outnumbered the marathoners I would say 10:2. So after some of the halfers were done, it got very lonely on the road for the rest of us marathoners. That didn't really bother me that much. Going in , I treated this race, with its degree of difficulty, as a long training run. I was not running for time. I did finish respectably at 4:40ish but was disappointed at the finish line. I got my medal and my white cotton 'finisher' shirt and a water bottle, but that's pretty much it. Since most of the half runners already finished, the staff were already starting to pack up. No finish line 'expo' to speak of. Some volunteers were there handing out left over bananas and coconut juice and a few energy bars. Small,low-key race geared for the half marathon runners. Even the cops manning the intersection at mile 24 or so, who I thought saw me running, but let the cross-traffic go so I had to stop a minute or so, until he realized, I was still running the darn race. Not a PR race for sure. All in all, a good marathon to those who are up for the challenge. Kiwanis should aptly rename this race: 'Palos Verdes Half Marathon, 5K... and Marathon too'.
Juno Cespedes from La Verne, CA (5/18/2011) "Flatliner you mean" (about: 2011) 2 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Wonderful people who organized this worthy marathon (45 and counting).They had everything that mega sponsor marathons provide: adequate hydrate stations and plenty of happy volunteers (hooray for them). However, because never being in Palos Verdes, I bought into the website description of 'flat course, fast time.' Never did I feel one mile to go on like if it were 2. The course was made up of rolling hills throughout the neighborhood. Sure, there were flat area but not enough to relieve you from the pounding of these waves run course. I thought to raise my white flag and quit. I didn't but it left me humble and f**** I was forced to walk the last 3 miles to finish line. I will comeback and wrestle this beast again with better result.
S. H. from Long Beach, CA (5/16/2011) "Hour Long Wait for Shuttle = OUTRAGEOUS!!!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Palos Verdes Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I have run Palos Verdes Half Marathon for the past 8 or 9 years. In 2011 the course changed with a start/finish at Terranea Resort. Overall the course was lovely and somewhat less difficult than the old course. However there was no event parking at the start/finish and all participants were required to park remotely and take shuttles. No issue with the start; however I finished the race at 10:15 am and proceeded straight to the line for shuttles and I did not board a bus until 11:30 am!!! Thousands of cold participants, friends and family huddled, shivering in the long line and as time dragged on all we could talk about was how ridiculous it was that we had to wait so long for the bus!!! This completely ruined my experience of this race. Even more shocking because the race organizer, W2 Promotions, has been putting on races for years. I know that W2 Promotions will receive hundreds of complaints about the shuttle fiasco which is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!!! The race fees doubled this year - from about $35-$40 for Half Marathon to $75, I assumed because of additional costs for the shuttles but the race did not provide adequate shuttles for the number of participants so I did not get a fair return on my race entry fee. I will NOT run this race or recommend it to anyone!
S. S. from Redondo Beach (5/14/2011) "Go Back To Old Course" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I've run the half almost every year for the last 8 years. Please bring back the old course. It had the advantage of having lots of on-street parking close to the start/end. You could pretty much show up close to the start time and still be able to find parking within a 10-minute walk. The new course requires that you be shuttled to/from a parking lot at least 3 miles from the start/end. This would be fine except that there were not enough shuttles. Most people had to wait in a long line for something like 30 or 40 minutes while soaked in sweat and drizzle. This would be fine if it had been hot outside, but it was not. It was probably in the high 50s. The course itself was not significantly better than the old course and in fact was somewhat worse because it no longer passed by the Trump golf course.
M. W. from Irvine, CA (7/6/2010) "So Pretty, Palos Verdes" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The course was challenging with many rolling hills, but it was well worth it, as it went through some awesome areas to see some great sights! Organization was pretty good, although there was not much of a pre- or post-race party, and there was no gear check. Also, the medal and bib weren't too spectacular. Spectators were few and far between on the course, but those who were there were very supportive and helpful. Overall, a good race - relatively low-key and enjoyable.
L. T. from Culver City, CA (5/19/2010) "Will run this race again" (about: 2010) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I like the PV Marathon because it's a small(-town) race (no more than 350 people run the marathon and the rest are half marathoners); therefore it's not stressful at all (unlike Long Beach or LA, where the parking is a lot more difficult and getting to/from the race site is maddening.) Fewer people and more hills means most people there are dedicated runners who take running seriously (unlike at other races, where I've seen people yakking on the phones, texting, and making sudden stops or turns without any regards for runners behind them.) Here are things I like about the Palos Verdes Marathon: 1. As mentioned above: fewer people, so slower runners won't block your way. The road is wide open for you. 2. Easy to find parking: if you get there early enough, you'll be able to find parking, say, less than a hundred feet from the start/finish line. Parking is also free. There is plenty of free parking around there. 3. The marathoners get to start 30 minutes before the half-marathoners, so no one is tripping over anyone since it is not crowded at all. Most marathoners start at the same time (no chip time here, just gun time for everyone - they will manually scan your chip with a scan gun just like at Costco or Home Depot when you get to the finish line). 4. There was plenty of Gatorade, PowerBar gel, bananas, and water every few miles or so. 5. Spectators and volunteers are friendly and helpful (even though there are not a lot of spectators.) 6. Easy registration: race day registration and bib pick-up. 7. Beautiful seascape. Hilly course but that makes it more fun (and challenging). What I don't like about the PV Marathon: 1. The turns/splits on the course are sometimes confusing with no clear markings (and the fact that the course has some loops that makes it even more confusing). There were a few times where that the cops there had to point the runners to the right directions. We would have been lost without them. 2. At some points on the course we had to run alongside cars on the highway. There is a part of the route that the road for runners got too narrow; runners could only run in single file, so it was harder for you to pass other runners.
R. M. from Los Angeles, CA (5/17/2010) "Great first marathon for me" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Got to run through beautiful Palos Verdes. Ocean views the entire way. Volunteers were all great, and very enthusiastic. Size was perfect - not too many people. at the end of the race, I could only see about a dozen people - almost felt a little surreal, like I was just out for a run. Only major complaint is that the run is 13 miles in, and 13 miles back, mostly on the same route. Miles 10-14 run through a clearly expensive but boring suburban neighborhood (people were all nice, though). On the flip side, it's REALLY nice that you didn't have to take a shuttle.
P. H. from Ontario, California (5/17/2010) "Tempting views, torturous hills" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Palos Verdes Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The hills are never-ending, but the views are just breathtaking. I ran this only two weeks after OC and am I glad that I did! The course was so incredible! The support was great and plentiful. There weren't many spectators, but the many police about were very supportive and helpful. There were a few scary moments on the way back when the running lane was very narrow. A young gal tried to pass me. If I hadn't swept my arm out and grabbed her, she would have been struck down by a car going way too fast. Five hours in, the barricades became so few and narrow, that some stretches were quite dangerous. You've just got to care for the runners till the end unless you have a time cutoff, which this race didn't. I loved the small-town, friendly feel of the race. I will do it again!

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Marathon Details - Palos Verdes Marathon