What: Berkeley Half Marathon
When: November 19, 2017
Where: Berkeley, CA
Distance: Half marathon
Bib Pickup
Runners were given the option to either pick up bibs in person or pay a small fee to receive bibs in the mail. I chose to go to the expo but would definitely recommend paying for the mail option in the future. Don’t get me wrong, I love going to race expos but the stress of dealing with parking was not worth it. The expo was at the Berkeley Sports Basement where there is unfortunately little to no parking. I drove around the blocks a few times and eventually waited in the parking lot for about 10-15 minutes until someone left.
Pre-Race/Parking
Parking was easier than bib pickup was but make sure to get there early. Berkeley High School charged $20 for parking (yikes!) but hey, you get to park right next to the start line. It was a cold morning but perfect weather for a run. The porta potties were plentiful, the corrals were well-organized and the race started on time – couldn’t have asked for a better race start!
The Race
There were definitely more hills than I planned for, hence my soreness. The good thing was that with every uphill, there was a pretty significant downhill that followed. My legs hate me for going hard on the downhills but I wouldn’t have made the PR if I hadn’t. Other than the hills, the course was cool and you get to experience all of Berkeley.
Post-Race
Earned my race medal AND my challenge medal for running both the San Francisco Marathon and the Berkeley Half Marathon. BLING BLING! I have to say the medals were definitely worth it. I skipped most of the other post-race stuff to cheer on friends instead but definitely made sure to grab my post-race beer!
Pro tip: Berkeley also has a ton of great restaurants so make sure to do your research before hand.
