Bay Breeze Half Marathon 10K/5K

Course description:
Brazen’s Bay Breeze Half Marathon uses the same start/​finish area as their Summer Breeze event (Marina Park in San Leandro), and the same out-​and-​back course along the Bay Trail. The course is «flat», mostly following the shore of the bay, with occasional jogs inland and crossing several creeks by way of wooden bridges. Lots of salt marshes on the inland side, and rocks and small beaches on the bay side. Not a stunning course, but very nice. To my mind it’s far nicer than races in central San Jose (where I’ve done several races); the course is the reason for giving a 4-​star rather than a 5-​star review, not any aspect of Brazen’s organization. There is very little shade on the course, so sunscreen is advisable and allowance should be made for warm days (like in 2015). Marina Park has a nice play area and equipment for little munchkins waiting for Mom or Dad to finish their «playtime».
Organization & Production:
I’ve said before that I think Brazen is the best small-​medium sized race organizer in their price range in the SF Bay Area. All the things I’ve praised previously, from online registration through after-​race goodies, held true at 2015 Bay Breeze. For the more capable runners, Brazen had arranged with a running club (Tri-​Valley Running Club, if I recall correctly) to provide pacers. I’m not remotely close to that kind of ability, but it’s definitely a great service for those who are. Whether on race day or at early packet pick-​up, those who registered 3 weeks before race day or earlier receive their race T-​shirt with their bib. I believe late registrants (up to race day unless sold out) receive their T-​shirts before the race on a first-​come-​first-​served basis. This works better for slower runners/​walkers like me than giving out T-​shirts at the finish on a first-​finished-​first-​served basis.
The aid stations were (as usual) generously stocked with water, sports drink, and snacks (salty and sugary — electrolytes and fuel), even for the slowest finishers.
Bay Breeze (and probably Summer Breeze) is one of Brazen’s more popular races — there were more than 1900 finishers. The race was also sold out a week or two before the race, so if this event (or Summer Breeze) sounds interesting, don’t wait until the last moment to register!
Swag & Goodies:
The race T-​shirt, finishers’ medal, and bib … I don’t know how Brazen does it, but they were excellent as usual (see pix)! The T-​shirt is maroon, featuring the Octopus of Love holding out a bouquet of roses for his lady-​octopus love (a marine theme for a race run on Valentine’s Day!). The finisher’s medal also depicts the Octopus of Love, and the ribbon has length-​wise red (2) and white stripes, with red hearts along its length.
Finish area food was ample and generous (as usual, again) — It’s It ice cream sandwiches, cakes, pastries & cookies, chips & pretzels, and fruit … that I can remember. Late finishers — e.g. moi — did not lack!
My Results & Opinion of the Race:
There’s something about this course that tempts me to be way too aggressive early on — as I did last year at Summer Breeze — and I do poorly as a consequence. It has to be the fault of the course, not the «little gray cells» between my ears! In getting my tail kicked, I had a chance to see the last couple of aid stations, the volunteers, and the finish area VERY late in the race. It was an «opportunity» I would gladly have forgone, but it was also a good look at how well Brazen organizes its events. I would do either of Brazen’s «Breeze» events again.

I LOVE their shirts!
Brazen does such a good job with their races and the after race goodies (a bit too many sweets though to tempt my sweet tooth lol) that my husband and I won’t run with any other organization anymore.
The Bay Breeze was no exception. We opted to run the half this time because the course was flat for once. We do prefer 10K trail runs. Love them hills (though not for 13.1 miles). This was by far the easiest course we’ve run with them. No hills at all. Trail did go onto gravel, which can be difficult. In fact, I find it more difficult to run on gravel than it is to run up (very) small hills.
No lines for restrooms despite being more crowded than most of their races!
Great job as usual Brazen! Brazen gets 5 stars from me for their organizational efforts. 4 stars is because I don’t like this location or course as much as some of their other more spectacular offerings (try the one in Diablo –gorgeous).

The Bay Breeze was an exceptionally well-​organized race, in my opinion. I ran the 215 half marathon.
As other have mentioned, perks included:
–Ample free parking a very reasonable distance from the start/​finish area
–Plenty of restrooms, including some non-​porta-​potty options at the park
–Friendly, helpful volunteers
–Well-​marked courses for the different race lengths
–Well-​stocked water tables
–Unique and fun swag (tech shirt and medal featuring a romantic octopus)
The course was absolutely gorgeous, especially since I was visiting from the snowy northeast. I loved being on the water and enjoying the beautiful California weather. I wasn’t anticipating that this was a trail race, but the half marathon is mainly unpaved. The path is gravel and dirt and well-​maintained, so it was manageable, but a little more challenging than pavement.
My only critique – and this is minor – was that the awesome after-​race spread of chocolate cake and cookies and candy was not what my stomach wanted after running 13.1 miles. Thankfully there were also some less intense food options for me.
Would I run this race again? Absolutely.

Brazen Racing puts on the best races in the East Bay and my 5^th race with them (and 15^th half-​Marathon overall) did not disappoint. True, the temps on Valentine’s Day were unseasonably warm for February and the flat course along the shoreline meant no shade whatsoever, but otherwise this is a great race. Brazen hooks it up in terms of snacks at the aid stations, medal/​bib/​shirt designs, FREE photos, and some of the nicest volunteers you’ll ever meet. I do it for the It’s It at the finish line. The personalized finish line shout out is a plus, too.
It’s a flat course, some paved, some trail, a couple of wooden bridges, only a quarter mile of gravel. I didn’t train as well as I could have so I walked close to four miles of the race. The aid stations don’t shut down until the last runner/​walker/​hiker arrives so those of us at the back of the pack still had cheerleaders and food/​drink to spare.
Next time, I’m treating myself to the massage.

First marathon with Brazen Racing and it was awesome. Me and my daughter drove from L. A to San Leandro for participating in the 10k. Nicely organized and the medals are cool. Tons of choices in breakfast at the finish line including icecream sandwiches :-)

a race on valentine’s day before indulging in cupcakes and chocolate and champagne!
i ran my 6^th brazen event yesterday and continue to be a happy runner in their events!
for this particular event, there was a choice of 3 distances:
1. half marathon (13.1 miles)
2. 10k (6.2 miles)
3. 5k (3.1 miles)
i ran the half marathon since i’d been upping my mileage lately and wanted to see how i’d fare in my first haffie of the year.
the pros:
–beautiful sunny day, around 50 degrees when the gun went off
–staggered start times (every 15 minutes) for each of the 3 events to avoid congestion at the start and along the course
–flags to mark each mile for each race distance, distinct flag colours for each race to avoid confusion
–accurately measured distance, as my garmin read 13.11 miles for the haffie which is exactly spot on according to the official distance for a half marathon
–pancake flat, fast course on crushed dirt/​gravel (easy on the joints!)
–scenic views of the marina bay and hayward shoreline
–friendly volunteers directing runners in the parking area, manning aid stations along the course, handing out medals at the finish line, and keeping the refreshments’ tables well stocked after the race
–free and easy parking along the street and in the lots right next to start/​finish area
–lots of porta-​potties near the start/​finish area as well as access to park restrooms
–complimentary bag check/​bag drop at the start line, with volunteers to guard your bags until after the race
what you get:
*choice of packet pick-​up @ sports basement in berkeley the two days prior to the race or on site pick up the morning of
*red, dri-​fit, finisher’s shirt to commemorate the race taking place on valentine’s day this year (shirt is optional, so if you don’t want the shirt, you can save $ 5)
*FULLY STOCKED aid stations with water, electrolytes, gu gel packets, etc (i didn’t see everything but each table looked very well stocked!)
*BIG medal with an octopus and bouquet of red roses, displaying event name and date (option to engrave name and finisher time on back)
*TONS of post-​race food & drinks, including it’s it ice cream sandwiches, girl scout cookies, chocolate cake, red velvet cake, bagels, peanut butter, nutella, rugelach, peanut butter filled pretzels, regular pretzels, potato chips, trail mix, mini muffins, gummy bears, jelly bellies, cookies, water, and electrolyte drink. best part is that the food never ran out!
*SPECIAL vendors on site sharing free samples… nestle chocolate milk and jamba juice vans were parked near the finish area.
*complimentary 10 minute table MASSAGE at the finish line, with senior interns from life chiropractic in hayward. my therapist did some work on my back and legs and showed me some stretches to help me alleviate the tension and soreness in my legs!
the cons:
NONE!
although it was a bit warm at the end, around 60 & sunny, it was a gorgeous day for a run and i felt that i earned my valentine’s day goodies by running 13 miles in the morning.
thank you, brazen, for putting on another fantastic event! i look forward to my next event with you in a few weeks!

This race can’t get any better for some of the following reasons:
1. Plenty of FREE parking
2. Flat course
3. Great after-​race eats
4. Cute t-​shirts
5. Everyone gets a medal
I think Brazen Racing puts together a great race, and this one is tops. The only thing that’s kind of a negative, is that the race starts and ends on grass, so it gets a little slick/​muddy.
Their «mascot» for this race is an octopus, and this year since the race was on Valentine’s Day, the octopus was holding a bouquet of roses. The shirts were cute!

My boyfriend and I ran our first organized 5k. And we chose Brazen Racing for our maiden adventure! I had read glowing reviews for Brazen and decided that the 2014 San Leandro Bay Breeze would be a good first-​time race because of its flat route.
The organization was great! Brazen send out a few emails before the race so that there was no confusion on parking and bib pick up. They sent out a thank you and Results email the day after the race, and a Wrap Up email four days after the race.
Weather was cloudy and on the cool side — which was perfect running weather for me.
PROS:
– Easy parking at the Marina
– 5 minute bib pick up the morning of the race (no line at the 5k tent)
– Tents clearly marked and visible
– Lots of porto potties at Start/​Finish, and also the Marina bathroom with running water and flushing toilets was open at Start/​Finish
– All races started on time
– Well stocked aid station
– Bib has your name on it if you register early
– Your name and city is called as you cross the finish line
– Printed results were posted at the end of the race
– Medal is awesome! Heavy, substantial, beautiful. You can get it engraved at the end
– There was so much food at the end! Bagels, mini bagels, cream cheese, peanut butter, pie, cookies, different fruit, It’s It Ice Cream, and more! And they didn’t seem to run out of anything. The food line was short, quick, and polite
– Local, smaller race so that runners were mellow and mostly stayed to the right and let people pass
– Cute women’s cotton t-​shirt (seemed to run slightly small, but it’s pink and I’ll wear it!)
– Friendly volunteers
CONS:
None
The atmosphere was calm, organized, and fun. It was the best experience a newbie runner can have. I’m already planning my second organized 5k — with Brazen Racing of course!
Thank you to the Volunteers and to the Brazen Racing Team.

Bay Breeze was my first Brazen Race, and I chose to participate in the 2012 5K held at the San Leandro Marina (for February 2013 this race was moved to Quarry Lakes in Fremont due to construction at the Marina, but its August counterpart, the Summer Breeze race WILL return to San Leandro for 2013).The marina is conveniently located a stone’s throw away from my grandpa’s, giving me an excuse to visit, stay over, and get a weekend run in. The registration fee for Bay Breeze was a little more than I’m used to paying for local Davis/​Sacramento races ($ 39 compared to $ 25 for early-​bird), however it’s so worth it. Included in the fees is a cotton shirt (optional technical shirt upgrade for $ 6, or event zip-​up hoodie for $ 30), FREE race photos taken by volunteers and downloadable from a Picasa web album (not indexed by name or bib number, but still awesome!), a heavy-​duty full-​color medal for ALL participants, for any race distance. Seriously, check out their album of medals:
At least for Bay Breeze, the logo is ridiculously cute and it shows in the medal, the shirt, and even the colorful race bibs. Parking for this race got a little crazy due to the three race distances available (1,000s of runners) but I was able to walk from the neighborhood and brave race-​morning packet pickup since I don’t live in the East Bay anymore. I didn’t love the race start/​finish on the grassy area (held me back a little from going full-​sprint toward the end for fear of slipping) but the 5K course was flat and fast along the water. I definitely want to take on the 10K or Half course and follow that shoreline all the way to Hayward and back, that would be a feat for me. They didn’t close the marina/​park for the race so there were still local residents walking/​jogging/​biking along the trails with their dogs or just spectating and the trail got a little narrow for two-​way traffic but overall a fun experience. Perfect cool Bay Area weather for a morning run, and did I mention the post-​race treats? Out of the 30+ races I’ve run, I’ve NEVER gotten a choice of It’s-It ice cream sandwiches (multiple flavors!) or red velvet cake after a race. Bagels, bananas, coconut water, chocolate milk, oranges, sure. Brazen, you rock! I will be back for Summer Breeze.

Bay Breeze ½ Marathon, 10K/​5K 2013 took place at Quarry Lakes Regional Park this year.
Brazen Races are awesome!

Bay Breeze was my first Brazen Racing ½ marathon and my overall second ½ marathon. I was blown away (by the breeze!) by how wonderful the experience was. The weather transitioned from cool in the morning to warm and sunny by the end of the race, and the scenery of Quarry Lake was beautiful (Note that Bay Breeze was held at Quarry Lake this year instead of at San Leandro Marina Park due to park construction.) I was impressed by:
* Logistics: I had the option of picking my bib and technical shirt on the day of the race whereas many races demand that I pick it up days before. I understand that larger races require this to prevent large backed-​up crowds on the day of the race, but it was really awesome for Brazen Racing to accomodate this for our convenience. Shirt pick-​up and bag drop-​off were both very efficient. The volunteers were kind and friendly, and I made sure to thank as many volunteers as I could during and after the race.
* The Race: The trails were beautiful and well-​marked. Ribbons to indicate each distance (Half/​10k/​5k) and mile markers. There were volunteers to direct runners at turn points that could be potentially confusing. Unlike popular city races, there was enough room on the trail for all the runners and I never felt like I had to run around people. They also announce your name and city as you cross the finish line, which is a nice personal touch. Results were posted the day of the race (very speedy.) Chip-​timing too!
* Food: Several stations with water, juice, GU, candy, fruit, and more. I don’t eat much when I run ½s, but I happily drank the juice and water. Post-​race they had many many tables with Its-​its ice cream sandwiches, bagels, fruit, pastries, cookies, apple pie, brownies, and more. Several vendors including 5 hr energy and muscle milk.
* Goodies: A nice technical t-​shirt and cute finisher medals (as well as medals for age group winners.) Brazen Racing was also selling old technical shirts from past races for $ 5 each. Sounds like a great deal to me.
* Photos: Photos are free! And although the photos might not be taken by ‘professional photographers,’ the photos are nice to have and better yet, they’re posted up the day after the race (again, super speedy.) Kudos to Brazen Racing for their speediness and great work! See photos of past Brazen events here:
I’ve decided that trail runs are my favorite; thanks to Brazen Racing and all the stellar volunteers for making this experience a memorable one!

Loved this race! I ran the event they do here in August (Summer Breeze) which is basically the same race, and it was equally awesome. I’ve been super impressed by all their events & will definitely keep coming.
Read my full race report here:

This was my first Brazen event. I had an amazing experience. Loved the course, loved the volunteers, and loved the shirt and medal. Can’t wait to do it again!

I must say that this race had everything you wanted and look for in races. I did the half marathon but there was a 10k and 5k option as well. Note a huge race but a couple hundred for sure.
It was my first time running in San Leandro and it happened to be a beautiful Saturday. You got to run along water almost the entire time– it was a paved path and then it became rocky but mostly flat. A loop race where you ran 6.5 miles out and turned around. Convenient as you’ll end up at your car.
Some notable things I liked about the race:
— Email communication before and after the race preparing you for race day.
— Lots of free parking around the area
— TECH TEE. EVERY race should have a tech tee. Those cotton shirts don’t get used unless its to sleep
— 5 water stations with volunteers still passing out water to the slower runners (me) So thankful for that as I’ve been in races where people left altho there were still runners out
— D tag! Makes it so professional when they have a tracking device for the race
— Lots of yummy food after the race– bagels, cinnamon swirls, red velvet cake (altho it was too early to have it) and lots of water
— On the race course they had GELS! I didn’t even have to bring any
— Mile markers were very clear and the path you run on because there are trails you can veer off
— THE MEDAL WAS SO CUTE! They had the green and blue cartoon characters that are on the shirt.
Some things where there could have been improvement (if possible)
— There was an EXTREMELY long line for packet pickup and probably due to packet pickup being an inconvenient location. Packet pickup was in Pleasanton and since the race was in San Leandro I imagine it being pretty far for people.
All in all it was a fun race, happened to be great running weather, and got me excited to check out other Brazen Racing events.

It was bay breezy for the bay breeze. Participated in the 5k and it was raining. Great run and even greater post run. They gave out energy drinks, ice cream sandwiches, bagels, fruits, and even had a chiropractor on site for that quick adjustment.
Brazen racing takes care of their runners!

Rain or shine, the race must go on! Mother nature was finicky today, but that didn’t stop the hundreds of runners completing the Bay Breeze half marathon, 10k, or 5k. This was my first race from Brazen Racing, and I had a good time running the half marathon. It was run due to the challenging parts of the unpaved roads. I wasn’t used to it and I didn’t train for the race as much as I should have.
Highlights of the Race:
+ Registration cost was not expensive. The half marathon was around $ 50.
+ A local race that has a smaller number of participants. It was nice to have less people in the race, since there weren’t long lines for the portable potties and the trail wasn’t crowded.
+ Early or same day bib pick up. You could pick up the bibs early at a local sport store or pick up the bib prior to the race.
+ Parking spots around the park.
+ Email correspondences regarding the race day, especially the note about the number of water stations for the half marathon. There were 5 water stations, and I brought a water bottle for the miles without a station.
+ Flat course — Just be wary that there are unpaved and paved roads. There were about 2 – 3 miles of paved roads, and the rest were unpaved. You may want to have some trail running shoes for the rocks.
+ Start and end the race at the Marina Park. You run along the marina and Hayward regional shoreline for 6 miles and then turn around to go back on the same path.
+ Lots of volunteers who assisted at registration, t-​shirt sections, water stations, sweat checks, and food stations. Glad everyone was in high spirits and endured the rain!
+ Staggered start times for half marathon, 10k, and 5k. Half marathon started at 8am.
+ Cute technical shirt and medal! Love the octopus and the fish on the swag. There are men and women specific technical shirts. Yay!
+ Free goodie bags with samples.
+ At the end of the race, there was plenty of food and drinks — pastries, bananas, oranges, bagels, It’s It’s ice cream (YUM!!!), and hot chocolate.
+ Race times posted on the website during the afternoon of the race day.
Improvements:
+ Have the registration, and the t-​shirt sections next to each other. Since it was raining, it was a hassle to go across the park to get the t-​shirts. Or, the tents could be set up in the parking lot to prevent shoes from getting muddy.
+ Have an electronic waiver with registering for the race online. Therefore, we don’t need to complete the waiver on the day of the race.
+ My hubby would like to have the octopus and the fish on the technical tee. He was jealous of the women shirts.
+ There needs to be some cheer squads along the trail. It would be awesome to get some motivation from other people along the way.
For future races, just be prepared if there is rain in the forecast. Most people were smart to have some waterproof jacket and hat during the run.
Happy running!