Race Time! Avoiding the traffic on Sunday

This year, the Rock and Roll Marathon encompasses two days.  On Saturday, there will be a 5K/3.1 mile race right next to the Cathedral.  On Sunday, a half and full marathon (13.1 and 26.2mi) will be run.  A very large contingent of the participants is part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, and have raised significant dollars for research into blood cancers, so the inconvenience actually is in service of something good.

Here's what you need to know.

Saturday:  the 5K goes along 6th and the parallel road Balboa Ave, in the Park.  It steps off at 7am. Most runners will be done by 7.30ish, and certainly by 8am.  If you are coming to the ordination at 10am, there should be little residual traffic. Most streets reopen to traffic at 9am and to parking at 9.30.  Map here.  Road closures list here.

Sunday:  the races start in our neighborhood at 6.15 am and finish downtown.  Dean Penny and other stalwarts will stand and bless the runners.  Most (but not all) runners will probably park near the finish and take shuttle up to the start. The half marathon (13.1mi) will go through North Park.   The marathon (26.2 mii) weaves from the park to Mission Bay and then comes back through Mission Valley, SR163,  and the park.  This will affect 163 northbound,  and many surface streets, many of which will not reopen until the afternoon.  Map here.  

THere is an extensive list of road closures here. 

General notes:  Northbound 163 will be shut along with ramps;  southbound will be open and able to exit to Washington West.  I-5 North and South will have many ramp closures from Sea World to Downtown.  Laurel Street and Washington Street will probably be blocked at India until about 9 or 9.15 am.   Access from North Park will be complicated, but some roads will start to reopen around 9.

Here's a handy on-line tool to look at closures.  It suggests:

Banker's Hill/Park West Alternate Access: 5:00 AM - 8:15 AM
Inbound: From I-5 south, exit towards Front/2nd Ave. Veer left to 2nd Ave. Turn left on 3rd Ave to enter area

Or if you want to come in from the north through Mission Hills/Hillcrest,

Inbound: Use southbound SR-163. Exit to westbound Washington.

Which ever way you come, expect lots of traffic because of the detours, so leave extra time.

Resources here; 

Race on Sunday: Notes on road closures

Click for a closer view

The San Diego half marathon and 5K is on Sunday, March 8.  

The good news is that the racers should all be parking downtown, and not near the Cathedral.

The half marathon starts and finishes downtown;  the 5K racers will be shuttled to their start in Hillcrest (at Dove and Washington) at 7am, and will finish downtown.

The bad news is that there will be substantial numbers of road closures, as both the 5K and half marathon come through Hillcrest and end with a long run down 6th Ave.  The map is here (or click on the image).  Roads will close starting around 5.45 and will not reopen till 10.30 or later.

Access to the Cathedral from North Park, Fashion Valley, and other  points north, east , and south will be complicated as parts of Washington, University, part of 5th and most of 6th will be closed.  There will be runners coming down 6th Ave in waves between 7.15 and 11.15-ish.

While access from I-5 up Laurel St, or up 1st St, should be open, expect heavy traffic due to the detours.

Plan ahead!

More race information can be found here.

List of road closures here.

Marathon closures

It's time for the Rock'n'Roll Marathon and Half Marathon, which will cause lots of road closures on Sunday.

The race starts early in the morning (6.15/6.45) right in front of St Paul's.  Roads in the immediate area will start to open around 8, but others will remain closed till 2.

However, because the Marathon winds around quite a bit (Down Park Ave to downtown, up to MIssion Bay, back through Mission Valley, up to North Park on 163, and back downtown), your access to the Cathedral may still be affected.

The race finishes downtown at Petco. Organizers are recommending participants take shuttles or park downtown, so hopefully our parking will not be too affected once you get here!

Major points to note:

• 163 North will be closed. 
•  163 south will be open, but there will be some ramp closures, including in Mission Valley.  From 163, you will  need to exit on Washington and come down 4th Ave, rather than exit at University.  
• 5 south will be open, but you will not be able to use the Washington or Laurel exits.  You'll have to go down to 2nd/front, and come back up 3rd.  
•  5 north will be open, but there are a lot of ramp closures--check the map! 
• 6th Ave will be closed. 4th and 5th will be open.
• Parts of University will be closed.
• Lots of closures in Hillcrest and North Park.

 Information can be found here.  Scroll down to look at a map that explains access points from all neighborhoods.

These PDF files provide full closure information

• Course map
• Access directions
• Freeway and Ramp closures
• List of road closures

Marathon Notes for Sunday: watch out for the purple wave!

The Rock -n-Roll Marathon is on Sunday, June 2.  This includes a half marathon (which will go around North Park and Kensington), as well as the full marathon (which goes through Old Town up  to Mission Bay).  Both races will finish downtown at Petco Park.

 The races  start near the Cathedral  (at 6.15 and 6.45),  so  6th Ave will be closed from Elm to University from 4am to 9am.  Parking near SPC won't be so bad (distance runners park at the finish, not at the start), but getting here may be a bit complicated.  Many  streets and ramps around San Diego will be closed including northbound 163.  You can see a course map here,  a list of street closures here, and an interactive map of closures here.  Take a look at the maps, and allow yourself some extra time if you are driving.

This is a big event especially for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) which sponsors  Team in Training.  TnT helps casual runners do endurance events around the country, with active coaching and team activities, while raising money for research and treatment of blood cancers  via sponsorships.  A very large number of participants at San Diego's Rock-n-Roll will be part of the "purple wave" (so called for their purple singlets), as this is a favorite TnT event.  Needless to say, these are recreational runners, and not the elite atheletes.  They'll be shooting to finish in 4-5 hours, not in 2.5!

Shameless plug:  I was a TnT participant at the La Jolla Half Marathon, back in 2002.  I raised nearly $7000 for leukemia research on the way to running 13.1 miles from Del Mar to the Cove.  I also have been on the other side of the equation:  I was a Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Stohlman Scholar  from 1997-2002 , which was an award supporting  my research on the fundamentals of DNA replication.  Later,  I served as an evaluator of  career development grants for the agency, part of the expected volunteer service of active scientists. 

I don't run anymore;  shinsplints, a stress fracture, and an absolutely agonizing sprained ankle a couple of years ago  have cured me of it.  But I loved being part of TnT.   The camaraderie and commitment of the team were truly inspiring, and I can guarantee you that the money raised is well spent! :-)  I highly recommend it to any recreational runner who is thinking about doing a long race, and doing some good at the same time.

Susan Forsburg, blogmaster