Last weekend I participated in the Joggin’ for Frogmen 5k here in San Diego. It’s a great event because it’s available in multiple cities around the country and it benefits the Navy SEAL Foundation! They also offer a Tadpole Trot where the little ones can earn their very own tshirt and mini medal!
Price: The registration price runs between $25-40 depending on when you register, but there was a Groupon available for this run for $25. I actually won a race registration, but I’ll elaborate more on that later. The Tadpole Trot runs $10-$15 also depending on your registration date.
Expo: Packet pick-up was the day before at Road Runner Sports or you could pick-up the morning of the race. I attended the packet pick-up at Road Runner and it was a pretty simple process. I picked up my bib, tshirt, and coupon without waiting in a line and off I went! And I got to stand in Meb’s footsteps! 😉
Parking: Like many other 5k’s in San Diego, this one was also held at NTC Park in Point Loma. The course isn’t the greatest (more on that later), but there is plenty of free parking…which is amazeballs because seeing the words “plenty” and “free parking” associated with anything in San Diego is like seeing a unicorn playing a violin.
Course: The race started at 9am which is a bit late in the day, but luckily it didn’t get too brutally hot until a little later. I ran with my single BOB so I started towards the back. The course scenery is nice as it’s situated near the bay, downtown and the airport; however, the course is a bit narrow with some uneven terrain which can be difficult when pushing a stroller through busy crowds. If you want to attempt to get a decent time, I recommend starting at the very front. It’s also mostly flat with only a slight hill going over a bridge. There were also plenty of friendly volunteers, signs and water stations throughout the race.
And since the course is near a Naval Training Center, there are lots of flags, statues and a patriotic vibe throughout the whole park.
We were met at the finish line with medals – they even gave one to my mini in the stroller! – water, and hand towels.
Post Race: There was a big table of bagels, granola bars and other snacks near the finish line. There was also a beer garden where the participants were offered a complimentary adult beverage. And there were a ton of sponsors and vendors giving out swag! There was also a raffle opportunity and a DJ playing some pretty energetic tunes.
Tadpole Trot: I didn’t get a chance to collect as much swag as I wanted because I had to get my little one ready for the tadpole trot. This was my only peeve about the whole event. The tadpole trot didn’t start until 10:30 which I thought was quite late. Also the distance was a bit shorter than I had imagined. It was probably only about a 50 yard dash whereas many races do a 1 mile or 1k run for the kids. But the little ones still had fun and my daughter even placed in the top three of her age group!
Another cool element of the race were the skydivers! 3 jumpers dove out of an airplane while “Proud to be an American” played over the speakers. Vice Admiral Robert Harward held the American Flag while flying through the sky which was a touching effect. Then he posed for pics with all of the little tadpoles! Andy Stumpf (retired Navy Seal/Kill Cliff ambassador) was also another awesome jumper!
Now, how did I run this race for free?! I answered a question on Instagram from an awesome patriotic organization called The Freedom Rev. Check out their page and social media channels! Social media is a great way to win free race entries, so follow your favorite race ambassadors and search for event hashtags! You may win a free entry of your own!
Shortly after the race I got an email with my official race results and a link to preview and purchase my race photos. Overall, this was a very organized and well run event that benefits a great organization! Checkout Jogginforfrogmen.com to find an event near you. It’s a great event for the whole family and I enjoyed running with not just my mini, but also some fellow Stroller Warriors! My only suggestion would be start the race an hour earlier and organize the tadpole trot a little better.
So what was the SWAG?!
~A super dope medal! It’s a lanyard, magnet, bottle opener and medal all-in-one!
~Again, I missed out on some swag opportunities since several of the vendors were tearing down by the time the tadpole trot ended, but I did manage to snag a few items! And the technical tshirts are super soft and comfortable!
This really is a great event! If you are unable to run in the race, consider volunteering your time so you can still snag some swag! 😉
See you at the next event!
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~SM
The Swag Mama 