Rockin the City of Angels!

Exactly one week after Nike Women's half marathon, I ran the event that I've actually been training and fundraising for.

Jason & I trained for the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon as fundraising participants for Team In Training. As I've said before, this raises money for the LLS. They host an appreciation dinner for you the night before the event where you are cheered for as you enter, fed pastas and get to hear from some amazing people to encourage and advise and thank you for what you're doing. We got to sit at a table with and talk to Tracy Sundlan, former olympic marathon coach and the man behind the Rock 'n' Roll marathon series! So cool.
Start village: Griffith Park. 7:30 am. 54 degrees.

Our team is actually staying downtown at a hotel but we meet at 5:00 am and took a shuttle to the start line. That's right. We had to wake up at 4:00 am.

So here we are hanging out at the start, getting kinesio tape for the spots that hurt, filling our water belts, and goofing around. Coach Dave is a great coach and he was out there on the course to help and support us!

I liked having the porta-potties & bag check lined up in one direction and the start corrals in the other on a single road. Other event starts have a start village that is a little more confusing to navigate.

Course: Not the prettiest as we were in a construction area at one point? We did get to pass some good spots though and have some views of neat things like bison? Who knew there were bison living and eating in Los Angeles? The hills weren't that bad. With a little more hill training I could lick those suckers. I just finished the Nike Women's half in San Fran the weekend before this event so...hills 1, Tiffany 0...for now.

Finish Village: One of the best. L.A. Live is a great place to finish. LOVED having gear check immediately available upon getting your medal and exiting the finisher's shoot. Other events make you walk through the entire village to get to your comfy sandals, phone, and wallet, which is cruel and unusual and not good for the vendors.

I hear they might have to change the course next year as this one was adopted from the previous event owners. That'd be fine with me but I hope it still finishes at L.A. Live.

And here is the medal and pin that I love. Team in Training gives you a pin when you finish your event miles. I have a 26.2 pin also.

I do like the LA medal! Another to add to my collection.

Thank you Competitor!

This was my sixth? Rock 'n' Roll event. I am a big fan of this marathon series and am very happy to have a hometown event that I can include on my 2011 Rock Legend tour!