More than 1,700 runners crossed the finish line in all three race distances combined last year at A Run Through Redlands, which has been run through this Southern California city just outside San Bernardino for more than 20 years and is part of a weekend filled with events for kids and adults.
The race begins at the mall along Redlands Boulevard in downtown Redlands, a city of nearly 70,000 people that lies about an hour’s drive from Los Angeles and for decades was the center of citrus growing in the region, hence the navel oranges shown on the posters promoting the race today.
From there, the course unfolds along tree-lined residential streets filled with historic homes, and takes runners on a gradual uphill for the first half of the race, followed by an equally gradual downhill desccent in the second half. Off in the distance, runners are treated to stunning views of the San Bernardino mountains and the San Bernardino Valley.
The half-marathon’s first six miles or so are a challenging uphill run. After that, the course levels off, finishing with one steep downhill before the final four to five miles of mostly downhill grades. ChampionChip timing is used for all runners, and walkers and wheelchair participants are welcome in all events.
The race finish line lies along Eureka Street at the Redlands Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater that’s been a fixture here for bands and orchestra performances since the 1920s.
