Shamrock’n Half Marathon and 5K

3.5 stars. Was very much looking forward to my 2^nd half but this was a disappointment. While they couldn’t change the weather (this should be really called the El Nino Half-​Marathon), the course changes due to flooding resulted in a course that was went back on itself several times and was mentally challenging. The parking lot was also a mess but the winds and rain didn’t help that either. Will return next year, but hopefully the organization is a bit better and the weather cooperates. BTW — really loved the Blue Diamond employees cheering us on… even in the inclement conditions. Thanks guys.

THIS RACE IS RUN BY IDIOTS
Who in their right mind schedules a race in inclement weather on Daylight Savings Sunday?
Then they lock the parking lot so you cant leave… literally. We were done running at 0945. Could not get out of the parking lot till just before noon.
These people need to learn how to plan an event properly. BTW: Call me… I’m available if you need a competent leader to organize your race for you.
Short of that, I’m not coming back next year.

What an excellent venue for my first half marathon! It was pouring rain and the course had to be rerouted several days before the race due to flooding. Despite the sideways rain and gusty wind, it was still a remarkable experience!
My friends and I trained with one of the Northstate Fleet Feet training groups, which I highly recommend. For $ 95 we got 6 weeks of training. The long runs took place on Sunday, starting around 5 miles and increasing each week up to 12 the week before the race. Thursday’s we had an incredible training that worked with our running efficiency, coaching cadence and many hill/​sprint repeats. We ran and trained in freezing conditions and rain. We were thoroughly prepared for the race. That $ 95 training was worth it’s weight in gold at Raley field. We were able to enjoy the private, indoor VIP party which provided free food, of course our free beer, shorter bathroom lines, free massages and a photo booth. It was a warm place to prepare in the morning and recover after the race. Didn’t need the sweat check as you could leave your belongings there. Nice when we looked out the window to see all the other runners huddled under the covered areas of the arena! Brooks was on hand to provide free gifts of beanies, bags and goodies and great running advice. There was plenty of food and hot coffee and even gels to take on your race.
The cheer crowds were a little sparse but we so appreciated the spectators who braved the elements to cheer us on. Around mile 9, I got very tired and needed those words of encouragement! The course goes past the Blue Diamond Almond factory where the workers are lined up, making the most amazing tunnel of cheers! Loved that part!!! There are bands playing throughout the course, covered in their little tents to protect that expensive equipment from the rain. The last mile was TOUGH as the winds kicked up so hard they would blow you sideways. That finish line looked so good!
We stayed at the Embassy suites right at the end of Old Sac, across from Raley field. We were able to walk to and from the race, so no need for parking. Ask for late checkout so you can come back afterwards and shower. We used Valet Parking which was only like $ 6 more than parking in the garage across the street. Also a bargain! Didn’t get to enjoy the breakfast since it started and ended during the race, but oh well. I said I would never do a half marathon again at the finish, but within a few hours we were already planning next year’s race!

This race is very well organized, and the runners are friendly. The Raley Field personnel were excellent. We arrived in a pouring rain storm that still continues 2 hours later, but who cares!

I am very disappointed with the lack of parking lot organization after the race. We waited to get out of the parking lot for over 30 minutes. There were no attendants directing traffic, which made it very difficult to get moving.

Very nice and well-​organized race. There are a LOT of participants, so it’s pretty nice that they spread out the waves by 15 minutes. They are sticklers for checking bibs at the beginning to make sure you’re in the right wave, and also at the end when reentering the field, which I thought was funny… The snack bag at the end was full of delicious goodies. The line for beer was toooooo long. The race course itself was a good mix of downtown/​city streets and a paved trail. I liked the course a lot!
Only bad thing was that leaving the parking lot at the end was a nightmare.

Loved the race! The perfect first half marathon run! I am just wondering if anyone else was using their own personal GPS or some sort of mileage-​tracking device during the run? If so, were the mile markers for the race off? My GPS is usually right on the money and it was telling me I was about a whole mile or so more than what the race’s mile markers were telling me. I’m really glad to have just finished the race, but it would be nice to know that I was really going as fast as I thought and felt I was going!

3÷16÷2014− This was my 13^th half marathon and my second time running Shammrock’n. This is a great run! Great time of year, its usually nice and cool, the course is flat and scenic. The course starts outside of Raley Field, takes you through downtown Sac, around the Capitol building, through Old Sac, along the river and my fav part, finishing by running over the Tower Bridge and into Raley Field, which is full of fans cheering you on!
The race instructions were clear, plenty of information about parking etc. They extended the amount of days you had to pick up your packets. The race started on time, lots of volunteers, lots of porta potties, great weather.
My only (minor) issues were:
I thought there would be Goo, or some other energy gel offered during the race (there was not).
I would have liked to have one or two more water stations.
The t-​shirt was not cute. They could take a lesson from Urban Cow or Big Sur’s shirts, which are much cuter. (The medal was really cool, the race shirt, leaves a lot of room for improvement)
Other than that, great race and will totally to it again.
Great job Shammrock’n Organizers!

Ran this yesterday, so I guess I’m the first 2014 reviewer! First half marathon but I’ve run a lot of races before. Really enjoyed this race. It was well-​executed, well-​staffed and well-​organized. Definitely worth the price of admission. Loved the course, with the mix of city and river and all the landmarks in between. All with about 8,000 of my closest friends. (I think the cap this year was 8,500 runners. There were over 7,000 finishers of the half and 1,000 for the 5k.) Chip results were available from laptops in the spectators area in basically real-​time.
A couple practical tips that you can probably glean from other reviews:
–PARKING: Westbound Cap City Freeway towards the Jefferson exit was a mess. It was backed up to well before the I-​5 offramp at 6:40am. We ended up calling an audible and got off at I-​5 and parked in Old Sac, which meant walking about a half mile. There was still parking at Raley Field when we got there, and traffic wasn’t too bad on the bridge (since the race hadn’t started!), so going through downtown and taking the Tower Bridge across is probably the better bet. Friends who came from Davis and Woodland didn’t have this problem so YMMV.
–AID Stations: Look them up ahead of time so you have an idea where they’ll be. Most folks, even among the top 10% of so where I was running, brought hydration belts. If it happens to be hot that day, you may very well want water more often than every 2.5−3 miles. Also know that they supply water and sugar-​free electrolyte drink. Screw that, I need some glucose! I brought a couple gels with me and it saved my arse from dragging the last five miles.
–The Course: I thought it was great, but have a look at it and compare it google maps if you’re not familiar with the area. Not much to note, but it gives you an idea of the twists and turns to expect. You do end up passing through Old Sac and making an extra loop, which I guess you could view as disheartening (so close, yet so far!), but I thought it was a cleverly designed route to minimize traffic disruptions and give spectators a couple places to see runners without making any awkward crossings.
–If you’re interested in a running group, do the Fleet Feet group: My fiancé signed up. $ 99 got her a ton of a shwag (including a $ 20 off coupon for Fleet Feet, and a pretty nice Brooks technical running shirt); a really good, supervised group to do organized runs with; and access to the VIP area at the race (+1 guest — me!). VIP area meant access to «special» bathrooms, shorter lines for your free beer/​cider, shorter lines for the free massage, and a few baked goods.
–Timing, pacing, etc.: You get reliable, clear mile markers, and you get a first half split time, which, as far as I know, isn’t corrected for wave starts. If you’re really particular about your pace, you can bring a smartphone with your app of choice, which is totally allowed. You can also meet up with a pace group. They’re awesome runners who carry signs to designate their stated goal race time. Note, however, that the starting area jams up. I arrived late, and ended up in the area designated for people going about 2 min/​mi slower than my planned pace. Since it’s slow getting through the gate with all those people, the pace group I’d considered was way in front, and it took 2 miles to catch up. If that kind of stuff is important to you, show up earlier and get a good spot in the starting queue.
If you’re interested in doing a half marathon, I highly recommend this one, especially for first timers.

Going into this race I had my doubts. I don’t run well in warm weather, and when the morning temperatures hit the 70’s on the two days prior to race day I was quite worried. As it turned out I had nothing to worry about. The course presented itself with plenty of options for shade, and I ran my best half marathon in four years. Of course, it probably didn’t hurt that this was my fifth half marathon in the past six months.
It was truly a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day 2013 with over 7000 other runners.
Dubbed «the largest half marathon in Sacramento» I found out first hand why this race continues to sell out year after year. The race starts and ends at the beautiful Raley Field baseball stadium, home of the Oakland Athletics’ minor league affiliate Sacramento River Cats. This was a perfect staging area with lots of space to stretch out and meditate before the race. Announcements made through the public address system were clear and accurate informing participants of where to check their gear and when to line up for their wave.
As is the case for most big races the race start here is divided into separate waves of up to 2000 runners each who anticipate finishing the race within a certain time frame. Each wave crosses the starting line 15 minutes apart. When it works out as planned the wave start eases congestion along the course and insures that runners running at a faster pace don’t get caught up running behind runners at a slower pace. This one worked quite well as I found a group of about ten people who duplicated my pace and with whom I was able to run with for the entire 13.1 miles.
The course is quite scenic. Runners crossed over the big golden Tower Bridge (
) leaving Raley Field then headed along the Capitol Mall where they winded around downtown Sacramento passing the beautiful state capital building before heading out to run a large portion of the race along the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail. There are two different bridge crossings over the American River, and probably the most public support you’ll find is when the course winds itself back through Old Sacramento. Eventually you’ll cross the Tower Bridge a second time and that’s when the adrenaline takes over because you can hear the announcements coming from inside Raley Field and the closer you get to the stadium the louder the cheers get. The race enters Raley Field from the center field fence (
) as you cross the finish line arms held high along the third base line (
).
There you are given your coveted finishers medal (
), and given high fives from strangers beforehand who you suddenly know by first name basis having just run an entire race with them.
The race organization was stellar. The mile marks were clearly marked, and both law enforcement and event volunteers were enthusiastic and supportive throughout the race. Post-​race refreshments were all pre-​bagged and distributed at the different concession areas throughout the stadium. The grassy site where the post race party was held gave participants plenty of seating options to take a seat and rest their legs while enjoying an ice cold Killian’s Red (
) or two.
I loved this race so much that I just may be back to run it again next year.

Not my best race day personally, but I’m reviewing the actual race itself. First time running the «biggest half marathon in Sacramento» with 7,500 other participants on St. Patrick’s Day morning. It was definitely an impulsive decision to register for this one, usually I’m more picky with planning my race calendar for the year. As one of the first 1,000 registrants I got a card for a free burrito at Chipotle, and Fleet Feet donated $ 1,000 to afterschool fitness program ProjectFit. I turned this into a race weekend, signing up for the Inaugural Biggest Loser 5K RunWalk the day before, which also started/​finished at Raley Field and had a similar course across the Tower Bridge. That was a fun day. Packet pickup was a breeze at Fleet Feet Sac, and the registration came with a technical shirt (gender-​specific) and a voucher for a Rivercats Game ticket. For Shamrock’n race morning, parking was nuts. I got up and left the house before sunrise, and the traffic was backed up on the Jefferson Blvd offramp already. Having real bathrooms available at Raley Field was nice, and having a place to hang out while waiting for your wave to start (announcements clearly made over the stadium speakers) too. As for the race, I didn’t appreciate having runners run toward the rising sun (along Capitol Mall) after getting off the Tower Bridge. Live bands/​music was great, and volunteers were lively. The first 5K was great overall, until we got to the bike trail, where race volunteers and bands seemed to disappear for a long stretch (until mile 8 maybe?). Mile 9 was misleading as it took us near the Tower Bridge again when in reality you still had another 5K to go. Who designs the course that way? Why not a big loop, or start the course along that bike trail promenade along the river down to Miller Park/​marina then back up toward Discovery Park? Anyway, I was worn out from running the Lucky 7-​miler in Davis and Elk Grove 5K Fun Run the weekend before, and the Biggest Loser 5K the day before so by Mile 10 I walked the majority toward the finish. Plus, it was hot that day! Enough excuses for bonking the race, half marathons are no joke with minimal training. Also, this course wasn’t flat (with the multiple bridges) either. That medal and water bottle were the hardest-​earned ever in my life. After finishing the race, you have to walk UP the stadium/​bleacher stairs to get to the expo/​festival, which had a fun photobooth, Massage Envy tent, Killian’s beer, and more live music. Maybe I wasn’t impressed by the course since I’ve done Sactown Ten-​Miler, Capital City Classic, Women’s Fitness Festival, Getty Owl Run, TRG 5K Resolution, and Color Run all in the downtown Sacramento area previously. Oh well.

What an enjoyable half marathon!
(As enjoyable as making you body move 13.1 miles can be… and that level varies, depending on what part of the race you find yourself at the time: beginning, middle, or end.)
Sacramento is a kickass place to run a long race (half or full) bc the courses are all super flat and the weather rarely extreme. The 2013 Shamrock’n was no exception. The weather today was BEAUTIFUL: 71 degrees, clear and sunny.
Starting and ending at Raley Field (our local AAA baseball field… which itself is pretty legit), you are led over not on, not two, but THREE different bridges, (including «the Gold Bridge» more formally known as the Tower Bridge but whatever, it’s the Gold Bridge) around the California State Capitol, the American River bike trail, Old Sacramento, and the bike trail promenade along Front Street. HELLA pretty.
When you approach the finish, you can hear the crowd in the stadium, and it got your tired ass moving a little faster. When you enter, the stands were all full and cheering and colorful… and I felt a smiiiidge like a rockstar.
A rockstar who just wanted to sit the eff down.
Verdict: GO! Do it! If you are in the Sacramento area and want to try a Half Marathon, this is an awesome one to do. Challenge yourself. =)

This was an awesome and well organized run. I really enjoyed running through downtown Sac and along the American River Bike trail. The water/​gatorade stations were perfectly placed; they seemed to show up right when I was getting thirsty! The best part of this run: finishing up by running through the Rivercats stadium to a roaring crowd and flashbulbs going off. That was the closest thing I’ll ever get to feeling like a professional athlete!

I’m not a runner, but I’d (probably) do it again.
This was my first half marathon and I’m glad I did it. I feel accomplished and got the best 2 hour 45 minute rockin’ running tour of Sacramento!
Everything about the Shamrock’n Half Marathon is extremely organized from the time you register to your last gulp of victory beer. After registering (early $ 60) there are monthly newsletters with information to prepare entrants for race day including times, locations, training, parking and what to expect.
On race day I arrived early and parked at the L street garage for $ 7. There were many volunteers available to answer questions and direct people to get them in place on time for their wave. Since the race begins at Raley Field there are food venders, plenty of spectator seating and clean bathrooms (inside the stadium) and porto-​potties.
For the most part the course is flat with a few small exceptions. This a great first timer course and tour of Sacramento as we ran past the Capitol, «The Heads,» Blue Diamond Almond Factory, along the river on the old bike trail, through Old Sac and across 4 bridges. Also along the course were 13 rock’n bands, several volunteers and cops directing traffic, photographers, pacers, mile markers and ample water and bathroom stations. The wave starts helped reduce crowding and having to weave in and out of people.
Finishing at Raley Field was a lot of fun. There are people all along the way and at the stadium to cheer you on. At the finish line there are photographers to capture your moment of glory and you get your medal and bottle of water before heading up for goodie bags, free beer and post race party.
*If your ready for the challenge The 9^th Annual Fleet Feet Shamrock’n Half Marathon will be March 17, 2013 and registration begins November, 2012.

This was my first time doing the Shamrock’n Half Marathon, and my 5^th half marathon! I thought it was great! The organization was good, there were a lot of porta potties, and the course was well marked.
Pros:
— Wave start, so you aren’t starting at the same time as 6500 other people
— great goody bag at the end with an Oreo cookie in it!
— nice medal
— great bands that kept you moving
— You get to run across the Tower bridge!
— good volunteers and a great overall vibe from everyone there
— you finish at Raley field and they announce your name and you get to run around the field!
Cons:
— Little confusing when you first arrive at Raley field before the race… there weren’t many signs pointing you toward the different areas (sweat check, bathrooms, etc). I did ask someone and she was very helpful. It was really crowded because everyone was hanging out on the concourse before the start.
— The course is good… but can get a little boring after a while, especially since you run on a not-​so-​pretty part of the bike trail for like 4 miles. Not a huge problem…
— I *think* they should have had one more aid station… at Discovery park… my bottle was half full and I wasn’t sure when we would get to another station. Good thing there was a drinking fountain!
Either way, I had a great time. I got my fastest race time ever, so I am happy!

This is my new favorite ½ marathon race! Everything about it was excellent.
Web site: 5 stars
Scenic fast course: 5 stars
Volunteers: 5 stars
Water/​Gatorade stations: 5 stars
Live bands on course: 5 stars
Finisher’s metal: 5 stars
Parking: 5 stars
Staggered race start: 5 stars
St. Patrick’s Day costumes: 5 stars
Sacramento residents cheering: 5 stars
Finish inside Raley Field: Priceless
Note: sign up early, race registration closes when it reaches the 5,500 registrants.
I’m already looking forward to next year!

My second time running this race and I must admit, one of the reasons I love this race so much is because I’ve gotten my fastest 2 times ever on this course. New course for 2011 due to construction. I actually enjoyed it more than the previous course. It starts at Raley Field (parking is not bad, but get there EARLY!), winds its way through downtown sacramento (great view of the capitol), crosses the tower bridge, and goes along the bike trail, coming out through old sac, crosses back over the tower bridge and has an epic finish on field. The medals are cute, the shirts fit well (not a huge fan of unisex sizing) and the crowd support is there. There are numerous live bands playing, and plenty of water stations. The only downside? The race was sold out before any of my friends had a chance to sign up. Lesson? Sign up fast!

This is a really nice half marathon run – fast and flat course, good support, nice medal and decent shirt.
The finish in the AAA ballpark is really cool, a fun place to run in for your finish and a great place to hang with friends afterwards, taking great photos and sipping a beer.
I really only have one complaint and it costs the race a ‘star’ from me: Porta-​potties at the start. They only have the bathrooms at the ball park and it is crazy crowded! I know several people who missed their wave assignment while in line. There was a woman in front of me in the men’s line who gave up on the long line for the ladies room. The huge lines make walking around the ball park area a real pain.
Hey, organizers, you have doubled the size of the race in the 5 years since you started it. Why not spend some of your dough on a couple hundred porta-​potties out near the start!!!

This was my first half-​marathon and it really couldn’t have went any smoother.
Trust everyone when they say to get there EARLY. We got to the exit around 6:50 and it was backed up, but wasn’t gridlocked and instead was moving at a pretty good pace. We were parked by 7:00 since there was no need to hunt for parking as there are plenty of spots available. Raley Field itself was pretty crowded before the start time, but nothing unbearable.
The only thing memorable during the first half of the race would be crossing the Tower Bridge and running towards the capitol. The rest was a bit boring as you past industrial areas with nothing appealing. The second half of the race was much better as it takes you through West Sacramento where you’ll see brand new lofts, huge houses on River Crest Drive, and a golden view of the Tower Bridge at home stretch. The Finish left me with one of the best feelings ever. They even have a camera video taping you while it played live on the jumbotron. I was immediately awarded a medal, given a bottle of Dasani, and also got free box seat tickets to any Rivercats game of my choice.
I’ve only been to one other race, but my cousin who I did Shamrock with has done many races in the past and agreed that the finish had to have been one of the best he’s experienced.
My only gripe is that the freebies were a little on the conservative side; no goo, energy bars, energy snacks, vouchers, etc. were handed out during packet pick-​up. Our «free meal ticket» includes only some almonds, a granola bar, Fig Newton’s, and a banana. Even the 5K I attended before gave out unlimited Gatorade, chili, energy bars, and even a free boxing lesson on site! On the other hand, the technical Shamrock tee’s were of good quality so maybe a good portion of their money went to making those.
Can’t wait for next years race!

Sacramento seems to host many races and sometimes it’s hard to know which ones are the «good ones» if you’re from out of town. This one would be classified as a good one so I’ll be running it again in the future. Easy registration and packet pick up, nice tech shirt and cool medal. Great food after as well.
It was supposed to rain that day, but it didn’t! Yay! And it stayed overcast and cool for the most part – good running weather. The Start location is prime and you can’t beat the luxurious start time of 8:00am. They also had staggered starts so everyone wasn’t grouped together like a herd of cows. We had an easy 15 minute walk from the hotel we stayed at.
Once we got to the stadium, the bathroom lines were out of control. Although all of the bathrooms were open on all levels, it moved very slowly. I didn’t even see any port-​o-​potties available. Bag check was a little disorganized but it moved along quickly (thanks to all of the volunteers working that). Picking up your bag didn’t take very long either because it was in numerical order when you returned.
The course is kinda like a lopsided Shamrock because it takes you around and back three loops. You see different parts of Sacramento that are scenic and you get to run along the river. However, it gets mentally challenging due to what seem like never-​ending out-​and-​backs. And then there’s the WIND.
At Mile 9.5, when I was ready to cruise back to the Finish, the wind came and kicked my ass on River Crest Drive. I thought it would go away once I went down the hill and into a more enclosed area, but NO, it was persistent and stayed with me. But finishing in Raley field was pretty cool and kinda fun. Food was easily accessible and I love that Blue Diamond Almonds was a sponsor – they were very generous with their nuts.
Overall, a good day. All of my friends did great and had PRs. I was off by 30 seconds but that was okay – I was happy to be done… and eating brunch at Tower in less than an hour.
Summary
Pros:
— chip timing
— fast course and scenic in some areas
— 2 person relay option
— tech shirt
— nice medal
— logistically a piece of cake
— smaller size race
— nice snacks
Cons:
— bathrooms overcrowded
— lots of out and backs
— windy at the end