Biggest Loser 5K RunWalk

The Inaugural Biggest Loser 5K RunWalk («Get Fit, Get Ready!») race came to Sacramento… West Sacramento, technically. Whether or not you keep up with whatever season of the TV show we’re up to these days, you should at LEAST know that people lose hundreds of pounds to win the title. FYI, a ton is like, 2000 pounds, so it wouldn’t be right to say they’re losing tons of weight unless you consider the group of contestants as a whole.
Anyway, instead of just letting America sit on their couches and watch the TV show give tips on eating right and working out, they decided to start organizing races across major U.S. cities, ranging from 5Ks, 10Ks, obstacle/​mud courses, and half marathons for REAL PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME to sign up for, participate and have a good time not being afraid of healthy exercise activities.
Honestly I hadn’t planned on doing this race (I already had Lucky Run in Davis as well as Shamrock’n) BUT my mom just lost 30+ pounds and her first «practice» run was the Elk Grove 5K Fun Run put on by the Running Zone, and this Biggest Loser Race was a very fitting first «official» race for her to do. I had to come out and support… although I probably could have taken it easier.
The Race:
Biggest Loser RunWalk e-​mail newsletter provided discount codes for registration (the one we used was around the New Year’s Resolution time) and all FAQs were answered there or on their website. Packet pickup was held at Fleet Feet Sacramento and the technical shirts (INCLUDED with race registration, no upgrade needed) were a wonderful orange color (representing the winning team from this season, the Orange Team) with bright green shamrocks/​clovers on them and a prominent one on the back with Fleet Feet Sports emblazoned at center. The race start/​finish was at Raley Field. We got there early for parking purposes, and much like I experienced the next day at Shamrock’n, the real bathroom stalls and enclosed stadium upper level were great to keep us out of the cold as we waited for the race to start.
It really was a great morning for a run. From outside Raley Field we crossed the Tower Bridge gateway, through a little stretch of Old Sacramento, up the road parallel to I-​5S, along the river bike trail, up R Street past the Capitol Mall, and eventually back across the Tower Bridge to finish ON THE FIELD. Live music/​bands were great, volunteers enthusiastic with signage and cheer, official race course runner photos were available FREE to download, complete with «Biggest Loser» overlay and high quality, indexed by bib number. Also included in reg was a heavy duty, colored enamel MEDAL for all participants (even the ribbon was custom printed to say «Sacramento» with clovers). Yeah, walking up the bleacher seats from the finish line was a rough «cooldown» but every runner got a banana, pretzels, almonds, etc. divvied up in baggies distributed at the concession windows. Didn’t see Dinger but you could also take photos with the winners of the BL season, with the official BL backdrop, the infamous scale from the show’s weigh-​ins, and more. If this was my first 5K race ever, I would have fallen in love with running (and started with high standards).
It was St. Patrick’s Day weekend, which means the costumes were all-​out and music pumping to set the energetic feel. Hopefully they come back next year, and maybe with more distances to offer!