File the 2016 Hollywood Half, which is the 5th anniversary, as a disaster!
Expo: Hollywood Paladium is a very dark and small place to host the Expo. Last year many people had trouble taking pictures because of low lighting. This year, they improved the lighting, which is good. But, really they need to move it to another location.
I took the Metro, so parking isn't an issue.
Not many vendors at all. Though I was able to find and buy a very good case for my sunglasses.
Bib pick up was easy. But, they put the bibs on one side of the room and t-shirts on the other side without any signs or people directing runners.
T-shirts-Cheap low quality crap!
Race Day:
I took Metro to the race. It is much easier and quicker, than trying to find parking and dealing with street closure!
Gear Check. The final instructions said gear check will be open at 4:30am. I got to the gear check at 5am and there was a huge line! There were three sections/tables for gear check. But, only one of the tables had any volunteers working. Now, understand I am not knocking the volunteers. They are working hard and trying. I am knocking the lack of training and direction by the race organizers.
After waiting in line for about ten minutes, finally all the tables were manned by volunteers, only 40 minutes after gear check opened!! TERRIBLE!
The race organizers told runners, on social media and the emailed final instructions, that gear check would be near the FINNISH LINE! But, then I saw people commenting on social media that they couldn't find gear check! When all else fail, read the damn instructions!
Timing chips-on the back of our bibs.
Race:
This race has a terrible problem of walkers. I don't care if you walk, but don't walk four abreast and block other runners! On the race website they have a "Celebrity Etiquette Guide." Whatever, I'm not a groupie and wouldn't recognize most celebrities! And I sure as hell wouldn't bother them while they are running the race and ask for a pic.
What the Hollywood Half Marathon really needs is to add a "Runner's Etiquette Guide," with the number one rule, don't walk four abreast during the race!
Course- A pretty boring course once you get to the 101 Freeway and Hollywood Blvd. The worst bottlenecks are at the turn-arounds on the out and back portions of the race.
The fuel station was pretty empty by the time I got there. Not many gels or chews left.
The post race refreshments were basically gone by the time I got there. I just grabbed two bananas and some water. No protein bars, no bagels- like past years, nothing. Weak, very weak!
Medal- In and of itself, the medal is great! As you can see, the medal has the medals from the past four races. But, the medal should have been the "Legacy Medal!' Legacy Runners are runners who have done the race since the first year. Why the hell do I want a medal with medals from races I never done before? I would have been happy with a star medal with a huge 5 to commemorate the 5th anniversary. If I was a legacy runner, I would be pissed my legacy medal is a pink star medal.
Results and Pictures- Results were posted online by late afternoon. So, that's fine. But, as of 4:45pm April 17th, the pictures from the race still haven't been posted. I got an email on April 15th, saying the pictures were ready. But, when I clicked on the link, there was a form to fill out to be notified by email when the pictures were ready!! WTF?
While the Hollywood Half is special because it was my first half, I really hate doing this half. Nothing is organized and they have no imagination! I mean the medals are just a star with the color changed every year. Next year they are suppose to have a different design and then the next four years only the color will change. Very doubtful I'll do this race next year.
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