Last year I heard about a challenge for Orange County races and hoped to go for it this year. One of the required races is this annual beauty in Laguna Hills. One thing I should have realized from the name of the city is that this Half Marathon would include a bunch of hills. The race started at the old mall near “the 5” (Californian Jargon for Interstate 5). It was a wonderful sunrise and a great day to remember our fallen veterans. The start had us running through some neighborhoods I have never seen before.
The race continued mostly along Alicia Parkway, over the 73, and into Wood Canyon. The last few miles were the scariest. At mile 6 we started going downhill and it stayed downhill until we turned around at mile 8. Everything else was uphill to the finish. I like a challenge but was strangely reminded of the suffering I endured in 2012 during the Sweet Corn Challenge bike ride.
