Half Marathon #7 for the year is done!
And this means my big goal of 13 half marathons races in 2013 is complete! Does this mean I can retire to Costa Rica early?!
This morning I ran the Shoreline Half Marathon in Ventura, CA. It’s north of LA so I stayed at my mom’s to buy me an extra hour of sleep.
It takes about 2 hours to get there from my mom’s but packet pick up was at 7am / race start 8am. Since that isn’t very early by race standards I was cool with the commute.
Shoreline Half Marathon Recap
We made great time getting there and packet pick up was a breeze. I love when races let you get your bib number on race day! Otherwise I would have had to either drive up and back for 4 hours yesterday or get a hotel room.
The Start/Finish was right on the sidewalk on the beach. This was just a few yards from the start, had to do it…
Parking – The race start was right across from the Ventura County Fair so there was plenty of parking. There was a sign that said $5.00, but no one was there to collect it when we got there or left.
Course – The course was basically two loops near the beach. It was FLAT except for one hill (that you have to do twice). There were about 500 half marathoners so the course thinned out fairly quickly – this is good because some of the course is narrow, but it wasn’t a problem.
The only small issue was after the first loop half marathoners go past the finish for one mini-loop before repeating the OG loop. Well, two guys in front of me started to turn back to the OG loop and I was about to follow them when someone yelled at us and we corrected it right away.
I am a fan of any flat course, it doesn’t have to be scenic – but this is both!
Note: This is the course on the race website. It is much flatter than this reflects.
Aide stations – I brought my handheld water bottle because it’s summer and that’s what I felt like doing. So, I only grabbed one cup of water during the race. But there were about 5 stations and you passed most of them twice.
Overall – I would recommend this race. Everything about it was a breeze – getting there, parking, packet and the ocean breeze 
After the race I took an ice bath in the Pacific Ocean. For anyone who isn’t aware, the Pacific in the US is FREEZING.
I didn’t realize I was being filmed… Don’t mind me, I’m just praying to survive the cold.
Post Race EATS
A quick search of TV Foods Maps on the magic phone uncovered a Diners, Drive-ins and Dives place just miles from the race!
Pete’s Breakfast House in Ventura
There was a line out the door, but the wait really wasn’t that long. Plus there was free coffee while you wait and music.
I ordered the Frittata Omelet – but it’s not a frittata as much as an open faced omelet. It comes with potatoes or fruit, but they let me get half and half. Score!
You also get toast or a biscuit. If you listen to nothing else from me hear me on this – ALWAYS get the biscuit. I mean, how can you go wrong with butter and flour?
See? Guy Fieri was here.
Overall: The food was great and the service was amazing too! Everyone was super nice, helpful and attentive.
Diner’s Drive-ins and Dives episode from Pete’s
Now I’m hanging at my mom’s house on the patio swing.
See ya tomorrow with a fun giveaway!
Question: What was the BEST thing you ate this weekend?
Anyone else race? How’d it go?
Disclaimer: The race organization provided me with a bib in exchange for a social media mention. All opinions are my own. Consult your doctor before running or eating or repeating.
Excellent review, I am planning to run the race this year since it’s close to home.
Great recap, great time! Love the disclaimer!
OHMYGOSH. Monica, I tried to find you after the race because I knew you’d be there and have been a long-time reader but to no avail. AND NOW I just read your race recap and your photo of Pete’s has me and my friends in it! We were there at the exact same time! Small world, maybe I’ll see you at a race soon 🙂
Ah! Boo. I can’t believe we were super close and didn’t meet. Next time?!?!
Oh absolutely! What’s next on your race calendar?
I love Ventura! It’s so cute and love running on the path by the beach (where the race was)- I ran there on separate vacations probably a year or two apart and passed the same gal with her dog both times (at different times of the day)- I’m not sure why I’m sharing this, but there ya go… I thought it was odd…
Hey Monica- I was the runner that called out to you on the race when I passed you….passed you going in the other direction of course, you are crazy fast!!! It was fun to see you there. 🙂
Hellooooo!!!! Thanks for saying Hi 🙂
Sounds like an awesome race! And I’m definitely hungry after watching that video! Definitely agree on the biscuit!
I did a race in Ventura a few weeks ago and loved running such a flat course by the water! I totally tried to eat at Pete’s but was since the line was so long, we went somewhere else. I’ll definitely check it out next time though 🙂
Ooh this post makes me even more excited for my half marathon along the beach in Ocean City, NJ this September!
We did the Spartan Sprint this weekend and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I was able to do almost all of the obstacles, but the sandbag carry was my most and least favorite (most because I felt so accomplished afterward but least because it nearly killed me!)
Best thing I ate was a Little Bacon Cheeseburger with about a million toppings from Five Guys on Sunday. I’m regretting it a bit now, but it was DELICIOUS.
13 races already is impressive! I just signed up for a half that is an hour or two drive but also has race day packet pick up. It makes such a difference! And flat… always a plus. Great race!
Good, fast race! Might have to put that on my list of races to hit sometime!
What shorts are you wearing? I am always looking for good shorts that are spandex and don’t ride up the legs…cycling shorts don’t ride up but have a massive chamois and that is not ideal for races 🙂 Tri shorts are OK, but no chamois is even better!
They are Brooks Infiniti shorts. I love them.
I went and bought two pairs. Hope they’re as good as you say!
Best thing I ate this weekend – a duck confit wrap with spinach and pommes frites. Plus it had a side salad. Amazing.
Sounds like a fun race on the beach – well next to it! Which means it wouldn’t seem as hot maybe with the breeze! The water LOOKED cold! LOL. Biscuit > toast. I agree. Best thing I ate this weekend was an italian sausage sandwich! Did a fun 5k race at an NAACP event!
Congratulations on your race! Great time! I love the praying in the water ahah. Looks like it was really really cold!
I saw you at Shoreline yesterday! This is the 3rd race I’ve run that’s been hosted by this running group. I really thought that the race should have started earlier cause the bike path got super busy and crowded, but I do like how convenient parking and packet pick up were. Congrats on completing your goal already this year!
Congratulations on completing your 13th race, it’s quite an accomplishment. You did a great job telling the story with pictures. I actually felt hungry seeing the food at the end!
I’m so happy your half marathon experience this weekend went well!! Great time! My 1/2 marathon experience wasn’t so great…. I had the 3 H’s working against me!! extreme Heat, Hills, and being slightly Hungover from 2 days before:( My fault! An ice bath in the Pacific afterwards would’ve been nice.
Great time! The race looks awesome. I am doing my first near water run next year and am super excited for the views! DC is fun but I’ve been running here for years noW!
Great job on your race! The best thing I ate this weekend was the new blush I had for dinner last night! 🙂
Your times are so impressive! Whatever you are doing is obviously working. Congrats 🙂
Free coffee while you wait? Why doesn’t everyone do this?? Best idea ever!
Seriously, made the wait more like hanging out 🙂
Sweet goal, congrats on completing it!
I didn’t race this weekend, I ran a 12.3 mile run along the Chicago Lakefront on Saturday. It was PERFECT!
That race looked really chilled out. The best thing I ate is a tie between roast chicken, which is always good, and crispy, fluffy white bread with butter.
Ran a small local race in Hat Yai (south Thailand) and enjoyed the best of Thai hospitality. I’ve always enjoyed Thai races – race registration and pick up on the day before the race and even on race day itself (some), great and helpful volunteers, marshals, plenty of post race grub/breakfast. Generally Thais are very nice, polite and obliging.
I ran Shoreline this morning, too (also my 7th half this year!). I saw you there and wanted to say hi, but didn’t get a chance before the race started. I agree it was a really easy race experience with parking and packet pick-up. I did a different race through this company in Feb and it was very similar, and I’m doing another with them next month in Simi Valley. I like the relaxed style.
I have to agree, ALWAYS, get the biscuit. That’s my thing. I get very excited when I see the choice on a menu especially diners/cafes. There’s a restaurant in my town that makes their eggs benedict on homemade biscuits!
I’ve been wanting to run Ventura. Hopefully next year. No races thus weekend for me and the best thing I consumed was Gatorade – which says a lot!
We ate at Pete’s on our way up the coast in December. We got there early and it was a Friday so no wait. Cute little hometown feel, but we didn’t really find the food to be anything special.
Best thing I ate was the pepperoncini bites from our favorite Italian place last night. I’ve resisted them for months and finally got to have them.
Great job!! There’s a course I run sometimes right by a lake and I love jumping in it at the end – it feels so refreshing! I went in our neighborhood pool after both my runs this weekend and I really think it helped my legs recover!
Wonderful recap! Love the photos!
Ohhh yeahh the ocean is cold. I barely walk along the edge when it’s a hot day lol
Love DDD thanks for showing the video I haven’t seen that one yet.
wow you are getting super duper fast! Awesome job!
BTW, I used your method to cut up a watermelon today. I put the knife in and it immediate started cracking on its own. It is sooo yummy
Nice job on 13 complete and it’s only july! Yesterday my running friends and I stopped at this amazing doughnut shop about 8 miles into our run. I had a blackberry iced doughnut but even better was their homemade watermelon water. You would have died and gone to heaven. It was “naturally sweetened” whatever that means. If watermelon nuun tastes anything like it then I need to buy some. I baked a peach cobbler today and that was pretty good too.
Oh my gosh! Where is this place? I hafta go 🙂
manhattan, lower east side. it’s called Doughnut Plant (http://doughnutplant.com) easy to get to by the F train (essex and delancy stop and then walk one block). Next time you’re in NYC go check it out. They apparently have different “aqua frescas” each day so i’d call before trekking there. There’s a picture of the drink on my latest blog if you wanted to drool 😉
Oh and when i was vacationing in cali last week i stopped in ventura for lunch and ended up at this place called the vagabond. It’s owned by the same woman for the last 47 years! I had a really delicious BLT with avocado. But now i’m sorta jealous that I coulda gone and had the best breakfast at a DD&D approved place.
Looks like a great race. And duh, always the biscuit! Except when cornbread is an option…maybe.
I am cold just watching you. Once after the Steamboat Marathon in the CO mountains, I took an ice bath in the river coming from the mountains filled with icy snow melt. I thought I was going to freeze to death (even though it was 85 deg when I finished the race), but man did my legs recover quickly!
Nice recap, M! 😀 Congrats on the 13 goal!