Marathon Details - San Pablo Bay Trail Run

North America Marathons > USA > CA > San Rafael > San Pablo Bay Trail Run

Half Marathon, 10K, 5K San Pablo Bay Trail Run

San Rafael, CA USA

September 23, 2006

http://www.redwoodtrails.com/final/sanpablo.html

Results:

2006 | 2005
Top 3 Finishers by Year

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Reviews

Course 3.0

Organization 2.8

Spectators 2.8

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Number of comments: 4

Tim Nelson from Burlington, Ontario, Canada (5/20/2007) "Beautiful but challenging" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The description and location and scenery are what brought a friend and I from a REALLY long distance away (near Toronto Canada). The countryside was so beautiful, and the weather was great. It was a bit disorganized, but I didn't mind that at all for such a small, family-run race. Watch for other non-racers on the trails, as they are not closed and don't even have signs put up that there is a race going on, so you will find hikers and bikers going the opposite direction, which makes the narrow paths an additional challenge. The real disorganization and disappointment is around the promise by the organizer that medals for winners would be sent out, and they have never been sent, which means I won't run that race again.
S. R. from home (10/13/2006) "dangerous - hard on hips/knees - boring" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 (Kristina, I was the woman right ahead of you in the marathon. I was sorry to hear you didn't make the cut-off. I knew about it but only because I had emailed the race director. I also asked if it was technical and was told it wasn't, but those rocks told a different story!) I have never feared for my safety in a race as I did in this race, and I am no newbie to the marathon. When the "trail" was at its narrowest point and you're teetering over a steep drop-off over a ravine, there's no guardrail to stop you from falling off the trail. I managed to do that on the second loop - luckily not a super drop-off. I had to scream for help; luckily a cyclist heard me and helped me. Certainly the race people wouldn't have found me. My second split was really slow because of that, and the RD didn't seem to care that I'd fallen. I still want to know where my race fee went: outside of a permit for the start/finish, there were only four aid stations. All were self-serve during my second loop. Props to the course marker, who biked back to the finish so I wouldn't have to cross with absolutely no one around. I would never do this again or recommend it to anyone else. With four concurrent races (5K, 10K, half, full), it's geared mostly to the 10K... though that one view over the bay was quite spectacular.
Kristina Trubshaw from Santa Clarita, California (10/5/2006) "hilly course, but difficult for slow runners" (about: 2006) First Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and I was excited about this race, as the online description stated that it was scenic with more rolling declines than inclines on the course. The reality was that it was a 13-mile loop with about the first 7.5 miles as mostly uphill, and when the downhill parts came, they came fast and furious, which was very hard on the hips and knees. The rest of the course was a more gradual downhill run with some minor uphill challenges (especially at the turn-around point). The trail was clearly marked, but there were lots of tree trunks and rocks, which made it frustrating at times. You share the course with other non-event runners/hikers as well as mountain bikers, which made me stop running and step off the trail numerous times, as most of the time the trail was not wide enough for both of us. There was plenty of wildlife as well! I saw a mountain lion, deer, wild turkeys, a jack rabbit, tiny snakes and lots of squirrels and chipmunks. There were wonderful views of the bay at times as well. Unfortunately I did not finish their marathon as I was not aware that there is a split-time cut-off, which was three hours for the first loop (it would have been nice if they had mentioned this in the online summary for those of us who would not know to ask). I am a very slow runner so I came in at three hours and 11 minutes, and they would not let me finish the marathon (run the second loop). Very frustrating! I ended up making my husband get in the truck and drive along the main road and measure out 13 miles in two-mile increments, so I did finish a marathon, just not theirs. The event was well organized; bibs were picked-up at the beginning of the event. There were four pit-stops on the 13-mile loop with Gatorade, water, Gu, bananas and other things. I did't get to see the finish party/awards ceremony as I was out on the road finishing my marathon! The spectators that I did see, though there weren't many, were very encouraging; however, you're pretty much on your own for most of the race.
a. s. from usa (9/24/2006) "Very steep declines!" (about: 2006) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The people and scenery were great, but the trail was too downhill at times and very hard on the knees. I would not run it again, for safety's sake.

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Tim Nelson from Burlington, Ontario, Canada (5/20/2007) "Beautiful but challenging" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 The description and location and scenery are what brought a friend and I from a REALLY long distance away (near Toronto Canada). The countryside was so beautiful, and the weather was great. It was a bit disorganized, but I didn't mind that at all for such a small, family-run race. Watch for other non-racers on the trails, as they are not closed and don't even have signs put up that there is a race going on, so you will find hikers and bikers going the opposite direction, which makes the narrow paths an additional challenge. The real disorganization and disappointment is around the promise by the organizer that medals for winners would be sent out, and they have never been sent, which means I won't run that race again.
S. R. from home (10/13/2006) "dangerous - hard on hips/knees - boring" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 (Kristina, I was the woman right ahead of you in the marathon. I was sorry to hear you didn't make the cut-off. I knew about it but only because I had emailed the race director. I also asked if it was technical and was told it wasn't, but those rocks told a different story!) I have never feared for my safety in a race as I did in this race, and I am no newbie to the marathon. When the "trail" was at its narrowest point and you're teetering over a steep drop-off over a ravine, there's no guardrail to stop you from falling off the trail. I managed to do that on the second loop - luckily not a super drop-off. I had to scream for help; luckily a cyclist heard me and helped me. Certainly the race people wouldn't have found me. My second split was really slow because of that, and the RD didn't seem to care that I'd fallen. I still want to know where my race fee went: outside of a permit for the start/finish, there were only four aid stations. All were self-serve during my second loop. Props to the course marker, who biked back to the finish so I wouldn't have to cross with absolutely no one around. I would never do this again or recommend it to anyone else. With four concurrent races (5K, 10K, half, full), it's geared mostly to the 10K... though that one view over the bay was quite spectacular.
Kristina Trubshaw from Santa Clarita, California (10/5/2006) "hilly course, but difficult for slow runners" (about: 2006) First Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and I was excited about this race, as the online description stated that it was scenic with more rolling declines than inclines on the course. The reality was that it was a 13-mile loop with about the first 7.5 miles as mostly uphill, and when the downhill parts came, they came fast and furious, which was very hard on the hips and knees. The rest of the course was a more gradual downhill run with some minor uphill challenges (especially at the turn-around point). The trail was clearly marked, but there were lots of tree trunks and rocks, which made it frustrating at times. You share the course with other non-event runners/hikers as well as mountain bikers, which made me stop running and step off the trail numerous times, as most of the time the trail was not wide enough for both of us. There was plenty of wildlife as well! I saw a mountain lion, deer, wild turkeys, a jack rabbit, tiny snakes and lots of squirrels and chipmunks. There were wonderful views of the bay at times as well. Unfortunately I did not finish their marathon as I was not aware that there is a split-time cut-off, which was three hours for the first loop (it would have been nice if they had mentioned this in the online summary for those of us who would not know to ask). I am a very slow runner so I came in at three hours and 11 minutes, and they would not let me finish the marathon (run the second loop). Very frustrating! I ended up making my husband get in the truck and drive along the main road and measure out 13 miles in two-mile increments, so I did finish a marathon, just not theirs. The event was well organized; bibs were picked-up at the beginning of the event. There were four pit-stops on the 13-mile loop with Gatorade, water, Gu, bananas and other things. I did't get to see the finish party/awards ceremony as I was out on the road finishing my marathon! The spectators that I did see, though there weren't many, were very encouraging; however, you're pretty much on your own for most of the race.
a. s. from usa (9/24/2006) "Very steep declines!" (about: 2006) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Pablo Bay Trail Run COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The people and scenery were great, but the trail was too downhill at times and very hard on the knees. I would not run it again, for safety's sake.

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Marathon Details - San Pablo Bay Trail Run