Anaheim

Watching the MLB All-Star game from Anaheim is getting me excited for my run around the city. So I'll take this opportunity to describe the highlights of the race route.

The race starts bright and early (I believe that we are to report around 4:30 or 5 am - luckily this is 5:30 or 6 Denver time) near the Disneyland Hotel. Then we head around the outside of the Disney parks and enter California Adventure around mile 2 where we'll run through the newly renovated Paradise Pier. One of the reasons I may prefer Disneyland to Walt Disney World is that it is very small in comparison so you can walk between parks, hotels, and Downtown Disney. However, this means that only a small fraction of the half marathon occurs on Disney property. So we will be through the castle at Disneyland before mile 3.

The next 5 or so miles take us along numerous streets in Anaheim. The next highlight of the race comes around mile 9 when we get to run past the big A and through Angel Stadium. We even get to run across home plate and I hear they show all of the participants on the jumbo-tron. This is pretty exciting to me since I'm a baseball fan and even better an Angels fan. I believe my Angels loyalty had something to do with Disney owning the team and the movie Angels in the Outfield. I digress.

The final 3 miles are running back from Angel Stadium through the huge parking lot and tunnel under I-5 to the Disneyland Hotel. I'm curious to see which will be faster my run back to Disneyland or the bus ride that we took on OCTA route 50 on our last trip.

Elias' first Angels game (6 months)

Waiting for the bus after the game. I know I'm a dork but proof that you don't need a car for all vacations in L.A.

Other highlights of the route are that they advertise it as being one of the flattest half marathon routes so it will be great for shattering personal records. Pretty sure this doesn't apply when it's your first half marathon but I am happy to hear that there aren't many hills.

I can't decide if I'm more excited to run through the castle or across home plate at Angel Stadium. I'm leaning towards Angel Stadium because that will mean that I've completed 9 miles.