Race: Davis Stampede Half Marathon
Runner: Bryan Gray
Race Date: 02/20/2022
Location: Davis, CA
Results: https://results.changeofpace.com/results.aspx?CId=16356&RId=6093
3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?
- The race was generally flat and fast
- Running along the creek was nice
- Running by the golf course was fun
Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you
There’s a 360° turn around mile 11 or 11.5 that really messed with my flow. It also made my GPS less accurate. There is a neighborhood street I felt they could have safely run us down instead.
Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?
The very awkward u turn around mile 11 or 11.5
Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?
There are 2 “hills” (they are actually freeway overpasses) on this course affectionately known as Mt. Pole Line and Mt. Davis. I was able to pull ahead of my pacer on the first one and keep up with the pacer in front of my planned finish time, and gained a little ground on the pacer in front of me on the 2nd climb. I ended up over 4 minutes faster than my planned pace.
Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner
There are 2 gravel sections in this run. The first is about 1.75 miles long and the 2nd is around 0.2 miles long. They aren’t pleasant on the feet in street running shoes.
Lessons you learned that will help you next time around
The water station at mile 4 is poorly set up. It is shared with the 8 mile mark and the volunteers didn’t hand out cups for the runners going out. Next time, grab a cup anyways.
Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race
There is a half marathon, 5k, and 10k. The half marathon leaves first so it’s pretty easy to know where to go for faster runners, but the 10k and 5k have the same start and the 10k shares the same first 3 miles so it may be a little harder for slower runners to know which direction to go. The half marathon has pacers so its not too difficult to keep track of where to go, but the 10k doesn’t so 10k racers need to pay a little extra attention.
Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?
This is a pretty course mainly through greenbelts and parks.
Difficulty – Is it a tough course?
This is an easy course
Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?
It was pretty well organized, especially post COVID
Competition – Is there a strong field?
The fastest half marathon runners were around 1:20. There were plenty of age group brackets and the race had a good turnout.
Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.
Easy to register for this event. Same day registration was available.
Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?
Aid stations were approximately every 2 miles
Weather and typical race conditions
It’s typically cool, around 40° for this race.
Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next runner?
No special gear needed
Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?
The course is spectator friendly
How’s the Swag?
You get a medal and t shirt, and can pay extra for a long sleeve shirt.
The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?
I’d rate this race 3.5 out of 5 stars. It was fun, but not a destination race.
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