1st Saturday of March, Agoura, CA, 7:00AM Start.

Location: Agoura High School
28545 Driver Ave., Agoura Hills, CA 91301
On Thousand Oaks Blvd. east of Kanan Road (Kanan Road exit off of 101 fwy, North of 101)

App and info: call 1-877-478-7223, email: ask@GreatRaceofAgoura.com

Julie Miller sez that on Saturday, March 4, 2006, Flyers Leslie Hallimore, Jennifer Harrelson, Mark Ryne, Brett Terrell, John Radich, Lonnie Beck, Jan Iocco and new Flyer Dave Burke did the half marathon at the Great Race of Agoura. Flyers Ken Hubbert, Karen Johnson, Brenda Kobernuz and Vanessa Lastrapes decided to set a new course record the easy way -- they set a new course! Taking advantage of the fact that the Great Race is chipped, these Flyers report they were in the bathroom at Von's when the gun went off. After getting slightly lost, our heros made it to civilization with remarkably clean feet.

Special mention goes to Flyer Leslie Hallimore and Jennifer Harrelson for coordinating their scarves with their outfits, and to Flyer Vanessa Lastrapes who managed to color coordinate her outfit with the medal. This is no mean feat as the ribbon is a bright orange so she had to sport a bright orange tank top. Also, special mention goes to Flyer Karen Johnson for clean 'Dirty Girl' gaiters.

Julie Miller snags the "I ate the most food award" which she achieved by getting to the food first (by doing the 5K) and eating pancakes with fresh bananas and sweetened strawberries with coffee, Cold Stone Creamery ice cream, fresh baked bread, burritos, Chinese chicken salad and a variety of Dole fruit. And the Greatest Guy Award goes to Brett Terrell for picking up race packets for Flyers pre-race, to ensure everyone got the size that they wanted in t-shirts this year.

In 2004 Patrick Tantraphol said:

Why It's Called the Great Race of Agoura

I think they call it the "Great Race" because of the food sponsors: Dole Foods, Coldstone Creamery, BJs, El Pollo Loco, etc. The Great Race was voted the Best Running Event in L.A. in 2003 and LAS&F magazine's readers voted it the Best Post Race Party in L.A. in 2002 and 2003.

The Great Race of Agoura raises money for eight schools of Agoura Hills and Oak Park. This was the 19th annual race, offering 1 mile kid/family walk, 5K, 10K, and half marathon distances. This was the first year for the half marathon. All the distances are run on city streets around Agoura High School and end on the high school track. The 1/2 marathon however begins and ends on city streets, but miles 3 through 10 are run on the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail, a mix of dirt fireroads and single track, in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Although the half marathon begins and ends on a downhill, most of it is rolling hills with a definite "up-hill" grade.

The food feast started two days before the race at the packet pickup, where they offered free ice cream from Coldstone Creamery and free sushi from a local sushi restaurant.

At the post-race expo, they had a buffet of Dole Foods snack-sized fruit cups, canned fruit drinks, fresh pineapples and oranges, BJ's pizza, El Pollo Loco bean burritos, Coldstone Creamery ice cream, in addition to the standard bagels/muffins/water/sports drink offerings. BJ's actually ran out of pizza and had to have more brought in.

The half marathon was great because it was a mix of city streets and trails. It was even "greater" because of the after race food feast!

Parking: Park at the Agoura Meadows shopping center anchored by Vons on Kanan Rd. south of Thousand Oaks Blvd. Walk east up Thousand Oaks Blvd. to Agoura High School.
OR
The Twin Oaks shopping center anchored by Ralphs on Kanan Rd north of Thousand Oaks Blvd. Walk east up Thousand Oaks Blvd. to Agoura High School.

Allow 10 minutes walking time to get to the Stadium or faster if you jog.