Donn Raymond's Staging Area

First off, Knoxville is AWESOME. A smaller city with a great downtown area, a free trolley and friendly people.
I had read about the “Dirty South Trail” marathon online several months ago and thought, “cool!”. I have run a couple trail marathons in the past and enjoyed the solitude and nature. THOSE WERE NOT TRAIL MARATHONS!!
There was no real expo. Just needed to show up 15 minutes before the race. 46 persons had pre-registerd for the full and a hundred or so in the half. There were also a number of people signing up last minute.
Following 2 days of rain, it was refreshing to wake up to overcast but a dry morning, and with the forecast of rain around 2 pm I am thinking, “wow, I’ll be long done by the rain”. Tee hee. 95 % of the course was run on trails, often single path, an occasional creek although not sure if they were normal or a result of the previous day’s rain. This was run on Ijams (I ams) nature park. The trails were foot paths and for some reason (2 day’s rain), thick and gooey mud was present for nearly every step. Remember my mention of creeks? They were useful to clean the mud from, well, pretty much everywhere. And then you jump back into the mud. IT WAS AWESOME! And tough. The course was a 13 mile course, marathoners run the course twice. I was oh so considering of stopping halfway but so happy I pushed on. There were 3 water and electrolyte stops on the course and one at the finish/halfway point. They also had cookies, chips, M&Ma’s and fruit. At the finish line it is a pretty simple affair but there was a hose to rinse yourself clean. All runners receive a t-shirt with the trail runners logo. Pre-registerd marathon runners received a special “finishers ” tee. No medals were given.
This is a run to experience a real trail run. It was tough, but a great pleasure. Although a small race, I often found myself conversing with another runner along the course.

Put on by Albatross travel, and supported by Marathon Tours, you must go through a tour company to run Petra. Considering the location and the logistics to arrive and compete, this is a good thing and Marathon Tours once again did a great job taking care of us. The cost of the trip was rather high, but then it covers hotels, most meals, transportation in country and some tours. The expo was pretty much non existent, although Albatross travel had a couple souvenirs for sale. Prior to the marathon you are given a lengthy talk about rules and regulations by Pers of Albatross travel, and how to treat this beautiful national park. The morning of the race, everyone walks together from the hotels through the “Siq” which takes you past the iconic “Treasury” of Petra. The early morning walk to the start was worth the trip itself. The race itself started off running outside of the main part of the park and after less than a mile you hit the first of several hills. This one was about a mile long, very steep at times, and turns out one of the easiest hills of the day. The course was beautiful, running through natural land, mostly desert for most of the way. You finish the first half of the marathon running down this VERY steep hill, such that slowing down to avoid hurting oneself was necessary. At the halfway point, at the bottom of the hill, you are handed a wrist band (proof you made it to this point), and then surprise of surprises, you get to turn around and run back up that same hill. The next 7 miles are simple rolling hills, quite beautiful, and if you weren’t already tired, it would be the perfect course. But then, at mile 20 you turn to climb the last of the hills. This hill makes me wish for the previous steep hills and i felt for the next mile and a half that i needed to support me knees just to walk up and not start rolling backward. And just when you feel that you have made it to the top, you turn and go further up, again and again. The final 2 or 3 miles are run down the hill, and once you find yourself in a village, you know that the end is very close. The course has a strict 7 hour cut off time, and they are extremely serious about the time. Although a few runners refused to quit and continued past the cut off time limit, by the time they reached the finished, the finish line was packed up, food and water trucked away, and the only sign of a finish line, was the runners who stayed around to cheer on the finishers. This is a race to run. Do not be afraid of the hills, the vast beauty of this country is well worthy of the of the pain!

I had been looking forward to this marathon for almost a year after i had read a few reviews on race raves. My year had not been geared toward fast running, more toward fund raising and pacing others, so i had really set my sights on training hard and a great run. Well, lets just start with the good things. The packet pick up was held just across the river of downtown Duluth. It is a very short walk from downtown, and although you must cross a freeway, there is an overpass to assist your walk. The expo was quite large. Lots of vendors giving out samples, selling wares, etc… It was definitely one of the better, less stressful expos i have been to. Large stadium and crowds were not too bad. The tech t-shirt was of good quality. The weather looked like it was going to be great. They had a 5K the evening before the marathon, so i jumped in to see how i felt and after the race, definitely knew that this was going to be a great marathon. The race starts 26 miles away, so your option is to take the train or the bus to the start. The train sounded unique, and although you were expected to arrive to guarantee a spot on the train an hour earlier than the bus, that is the mode of transportation i chose. It was nice, very comfortable and quite full. I talked to several others around me (everyone on the train were headed to the marathon), so the time to get to the start flew by. Everything was starting out great, except, the toilets overflowed. Toward the end of the train ride, the smell was almost unbearable. But finally, we arrived. The course itself was mostly flat, but some up and down hills, but a very straight course back to Duluth. Not my favorite type of course, and it definitely showed. Although my training had been spot on, i got bored with the straight course and ran a rather slow time. Nonetheless, if you do not mind this type of course, it did have a lot of nice scenery. The post race party included some snacks, drinks but nothing exceptional.

Not much to add to review a race that is the focus of so many other runners. Therefore, i will tell my story and experience. I had the opportunity to run Boston comfortably. No pressure for speed, no need to run for a PR. I was running with a friend and my task was to try and pace with him. I found out rather quickly that my pacing wasn’t needed, so decided to stay close by, visit, and to enjoy myself. Running any race, nonetheless Boston in this matter was a great experience. I had the opportunity to visit with other runners, with spectators, to drink beer with some of our spectators, and yet still ran a decent race. I last ran here 10 years ago, my PR days are way behind me, and the opportunity to run comfortably was a blast!

Haiti is a wonderful place. Unusual in every sense of the word. A big city, little diversity, the very rich and the very poor. This marathon will be possibly the most unusual experience ever, as a marathon. The race website states “capped at 1000 runners”. Anticipating it to sell out fast, I signed up early. Imagine my surprise when at the dinner/briefing the evening before, I learned there were 15 runners, approximately. Now there were reasons it was smaller than “normal”. The date had been changed to accommodate the presidential election. Many people dropped out. But only 15 marathoners, approximately. 7 countries were represented. We were informed at the safety briefing that “It was best to run together”. Wasn’t certain what was meant by that. The time of the marathon was originally scheduled for 4 a.m. due to the heat. Somehow it was changed to 5 a.m., but then several runners complained and the time was returned to the original 4 a.m. time. It was Haiti, in the caribbean, after all, and the heat and humidity could be stifling, even at 4 a.m. So at 3 a.m. we were picked up at the host hotel, the Royal Oasis, and shuttled a short distance to the start line. It was dark, it was warm, but not hot. A slight breeze was nice. There were “approximately” 15 of us at the start line. By 5 a.m. we were ready to go. The marathon started out high in the hills of Petionville, a rather large suburb of Port au Prince. The first 13ish miles was run slowly and steadily downhill. The final 13ish miles were run back up those same hills. In the dark of the morning, we will be running downhill, and in the heat of the day, we will be running uphill. Hmmmm. Listening to the safety meeting advice, although also planned beforehand, my friend Carrie and I ran together. We took our time running downhill. This was Haiti, and all around Haiti one will see animals. Not wild, just wandering animals. Pigs, goats, cows, sheep and chickens. Wandering. Everywhere or anywhere. Wandering. We were promised water stops every 2 miles, and signs would be posted at any point that the runner must turn. If you do not see a sign, DO NOT TURN. There were maybe, 3 water stops in the dark, on the downhill portion of the marathon. The signs were also quite obvious and this made the route, obvious. My friend Carrie decided to only run the first 13.1 miles, and luckily, we had a police escort which was quickly followed by a medical vehicle, behind us. So she jumped in. The privilege of having only 15 runners, approximately, meant very personal service and escorts. I was now alone, and I am guessing that there were about 10 runners somewhere in front of me. Since the water situation had been fairly regular, I handed my camelback to my friend Carrie, and took off to make up some time on the 10 people or so in front of me. BIG MISTAKE. First of all, I did not see another water stop the rest of the run. The signage also came to a complete halt. I ran, and walked, and ran, up a very steep hill. I did catch several other runner/walkers, but continued on. Because there were no signs, I never turned, I just ran and ran and well, mostly walked. I am now in the heat of the day, sweating profusely, certain I am lost in a very large, crowded congested city, and oh yeah, very thirsty. Around mile 19, a policeman on a motorbike pulled up alongside me and somehow managed to ask if I was with the marathon. I answered “wi, wi”, in my best creole. I then demonstrated that I was incredibly thirsty, and he took off. Thank goodness he understood, because about a mile later, this nice police officer showed up with 2 baggies of water. I quickly drank one, and saved the other, because I still had 6 miles to go. He escorted me the next 3 miles, and although I never did see a sign, he was able to get me on the right path, and on my way to completing this grueling run. When I did cross the finish line, my garmin showed 24.5 miles, which means either I was never on the course and the man in the uniform just escorted me to the finish line, or else, the course was considerably short. There was no fanfare at the finish. I had to beg for something to drink. Eventually the director found me and asked how long I had been done. As it turns out, I later found, that nobody ran 26.2 miles, most people never even finished, and no one was even certain who was still on the course.
I travel to Haiti once a year to volunteer at a medical clinic. I absolutely adore this country and the resilience of the people. They have been dealt a very short stick, corrupt politicians, and poverty at levels that I have never witnessed anywhere else that I have traveled. But they have a marathon. Still in its infancy, with a lot of improvement in its future, it is nonetheless, a real, bonafide marathon. When I asked the race director (of Haitian descent, but lives in New York), why he runs a marathon here, he stated “Every great country deserves to have a marathon”. Haiti is indeed a great country. So with everything I have just reported, the dysfunction, lack of signage, no water stops, animals and vehicles in your pathway, why would one ever decide to travel to Port au Prince to run this marathon. My answer is simple. This is the greatest experience that I have ever had at a marathon. You get to see this country, bare bones and all, you see the poverty, the congestion, the real Haiti. And you get to see it over a 26 mile (more or less) run through a great city. Do NOT run this marathon alone. Bring along a friend and run together. Walk if you must, but experience Port au Prince like no one ever has. I will even join you, if you ask. I feel this strongly about this country and what a marathon can mean to the people here. My favorite part of the marathon? In the last couple of miles, you walk through an extremely congested market. I literally jumped over chickens and produce laid out on blankets. I became part of the culture and I enjoyed it immensely. Run this marathon for an intense experience, but please, do not attempt to set any records. You will be sorely disappointed.

To be fair, I am not a fan of Vegas. Do not like the crowds, do not enjoy the noise, not a gambler. Therefore, my review might be tainted, but I will do my best to support my review. I am also not a big fan of the Rock n Roll movement.
Sign Up: Easy, quick, fairly inexpensive for a Rock n Roll.
Expo: The expo was centrally located, but most hotels were not so centrally located. That means, if you knew the way, you could walk, or you (as I did), could pay $5 each way to/from the expo. It really should be a little easier to get to.
The race itself: The race started at 4:30 p.m., just as the sun is setting. This is good and bad. One might be under dressed to begin with, as Vegas can be quite warm. Once the sun sets, it gets chilly, and fast. I am a warm runner, so was fine, but heard a few complaints from others that they were freezing. Southerners?!? The course begins midway along the strip, runs to one end, turns around, and runs the length of the strip. Large crowds, plenty of lights, it was the best part of the race. I actually greatly enjoyed the first 5 miles or so, and was looking forward to an enjoyable run. Unfortunately, once you leave the strip, you are running through dark streets, canned music blaring, with very few spectators. I found that I was watching the ground for the next 18 miles or so, because at times it was quite dark. I would also expect a few more “live” acts along the course. The canned music is hideously boring, and the volume was turned up so loud, that I personally would have been happier had there been no music whatsoever. At once point, I think around mile 16 or so, we spend 3-4 miles running loops through an abandoned parking lot, with, you guessed it, canned music paying incredibly loud. The final 1-2 miles had the runners once again on the strip, which helped to pick me up and finish strong.
There are far more half marathoners, and one thing the organizers did right, it they separated the half from the full marathoners so the finish was not so congested.
Swag: A nice medal, a decent tech shirt and a surprisingly nice, light jacket.
Pre Race entertainment was Snoop Dogg, who was quite entertaining. I enjoyed his music, although if I had a child with me, I would not have been too thrilled. I think he used the “F” word at least once in every sentence he muttered.
Post Race party was nice, lots of snack opportunities, music, drinks and spectators joining in. Again, advertising as a Rock n Roll marathon, lets see a few more live bands, rather than playing canned music.

First off, the city of Detroit is nothing what I had expected. The downtown is built along the Detroit river, separating the city from Windsor, Canada. A beautiful city, with several professional sports teams, and a history dating back to the late 1600’s (city established 1701).
EXPO: Nothing spectacular, offering one the ability to purchase shirts, shorts, cups, decals, whatever you could possibly want, to remember your marathon experience. At the expo you can meet with both the USA and Canadian Border Patrol, asking questions regarding crossing the border. I was advised to carry my Passport, or in my case my Global Entry card, and without it, if stopped, I would not be able to continue the race. The reality is, there are so many runners bunched together early in the race (you cross the border around miles 3 and 8), that there is no way you could be stopped. As long as you have a bib on front, this is a non issue.
LODGING: I stayed at the Crown Plaza, which turned out to be great. Located about 3 blocks from the start and about 6 blocks from the finish, this hotel is about as close as you can get. I did see a Holiday in close by, as well as a Marriott. The point is, get a downtown hotel, they might cost a little extra, but it will save you all kinds of time race day. I left my hotel at 6:30, race time was 7:00 and I had to sit and wait 20 minutes.
THE RACE ITSELF: This is a beautiful course, mostly because you are running close to the Detroit river much of the way. Close to the end of the marathon, around mile 20-23, you enter and run around Belle Isle, making the course even that much more spectacular. The first couple miles are run in Detroit, which takes you to the Ambassador Bridge, crossing into Windsor, Canada. The views are amazing, take the time to look around!! This is your biggest bump on the course, and though it does last for a while, it is a gradual climb and not as bad as it looks. The next 4-5 miles are run in Windsor, where the locals really come out to support their neighbors to the north and the course they share. Again, most of this takes you along the river, although you do run into a few neighborhoods. The worst part of the course, and I would say most unusual and I am glad I had the opportunity begins about mile 7.1 and ends at the 8 mile marker. The runners actually run UNDER the Detroit river, through a tunnel, crossing back into the USA. It was very hot and humid, and definitely affected my race. I was informed later that they pump cool air into the tunnel, but you must run on the left hand side. I ran on the right, because it was less congested, and suffered from the heat. Next time?? The tunnel is closed to traffic and it did make the course more interesting, just to tell your friends you ran 1 mile under the river. The rest of the course spends time alternating along the river, running through some high end, as well as lower end neighborhoods, finally around Belle isle and then finishing the last couple of miles through downtown. It really was a beautiful, and entertaining course.
SPECTATORS: There were spectators almost everywhere (not in the tunnel), yet there were never large crowds. I actually found it more enjoyable that there spectators to the point of being lifted up, but not loud and obnoxious (hello NEW York).
FINISH LINE: You finish about a block from where you started, and the finish line was evident as you made the final turn. It was about a 1/2 mile finish, seeming to get further away, the closer you got. The finishers Medal was nice, definitely show casing some of the history of Detroit. Not too large, but rather heavy. A few snacks were offered at the finish line, and a small celebration ensued.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: I did enjoy this race. Not a big fan of big races, this course never felt overly crowded. 26,000 or so participants, split between the full, USA half, international half and marathon relay made one feel comfortable with the crowds. I wish I had spent more time to explore the city more, as Detroit definitely has a great vibe to it, and lots to see. I would say this was one of my favorite larger marathons.

First off, the registration fee is low, and you get additional discounts for everything. I think they ended up paying me to run.
Expo: no real expo as this small town race, they set up a table outside the elementary school. The ladies handing out race numbers were super helpful and friendly. I was able to choose my race number, and since this was my 31st marathon, i chose bib #31.

Race day: free breakfast for runners. Breads, cereals, yoghurt, fruit, coffee, juices and more. What a treat. A chance to visit with other runners, before boarding the bus to the start.
Once the bus arrives to the starting point, you have the option of sitting on the bus up until about 15 minutes to race start. As it was a cool morning, this was helpful. Plus, there was a toilet on the bus!
The course map itself shows steep downhill except a steep uphill miles 17-20. I was concerned about the downhills, but it really was not even noticeable until between mile 13-14, otherwise very gradual. The uphill was pretty steep, and lasted more like mile 17.5 to 19.5, and then again, a very gradual, almost unnoticeable downhill to the finish. The only part of the race that i found uncomfortable, was that the first 9.5 miles was on gravel forest service roads, so you really needed to watch your footing.
Medal: a small wooden medal. I hate the monster medals thay so many races try to entice you with, this medal was great.
Finish: for a small town, quite a large number of people cheering you on at the finish. Probably mostly family and friends, but it was a treat. Spectators along the course were minimal mostly because of running forest service roads, but at times there were cheering crowds.
I would be remiss if i did not mention the huckleberry milkshakes that all runners are given. They are freaking delicious. A real treat after 26 miles. You do not have to get immediately, rather, are given a certificate to pick up at your convenience.
If your goal is 50 states, this is the marathon to run in idaho. The scenery beautiful. The local people, friendly. Right along the grand tetons, and a quick trip to nearby Yellowstone park is possible. I sent an email to the race director, and he responded immediately. Hotels are scarce, you might need to stay 20-30 miles away, but not really a big deal. Drive in early race morning, park at the elementary school, eat a nice breakfast, and enjoy the race.

Located in Deadwood, South Dakota, this marathon is run for the most part on the famous Mickelson trail system.
The expo was fairly small, (yes!) and therefore you have the ability to walk through leisurely and not feel pressed to get in and out quickly. There were about 350 marathoners and 1500 half marathon runners. The races started at the same time, so the marathon runners only saw a handful of half runners in the last couple miles of the race. The first 13 miles of the marathon was a net climb, and though the elevation climb is substantial, it occurs slowly over miles 4-13. I never felt crowded on the course, yet there was almost always someone around to visit with while running. The course was absolutely beautiful, with trees along the course that helped with the heat, although it was unfortunate that the temps were close to 70 by the start, so very warm. It is a trail run, so I had to stop a couple times to empty debris from my shoes. This was fine for me, as I had no intention of running fast. In fact, I was here to purge a demon from my past. The only marathon I have ever entered and failed to finish was on this course in 2012. I made it past the 20 mile mark, but dropped out. My primary goal in this marathon was to finish, and to enjoy the scenery. I accomplished both goals, and therefore this race was a major success.
Most all hotels in Deadwood are very close to the finish line, and if you still do not want to walk back to your hotel after the marathon, shuttles are free on race day, so you can jump on, and jump off all day long.
Beautiful course, in a nice western town. If you like to gamble, this is your race as there are casinos everywhere in Deadwood. Just do not expect to PR.

From the start, you notice that the organization of the Tokyo marathon is awesome. The expo was large, covering 2 floors, but spread out enough that you weren’t overwhelmed. Lots of souvenirs were available with the chopsticks, labeled “Tokyo Marathon 2016” quite popular. Because it is run in winter, there is a late start, 9:00, so getting up at 3 a.m. is not necessary.
On race morning it was still pretty chilly. Though they break the runners into a number of “gates”, it still seemed very crowded and chaotic. Nonetheless, you knew where you were to go, and at what time. They had quite a few Porta potties, including a number of “Western style”, so if one needs to go poop, they can choose their style. And they were plentiful along the course, although at times you had to go a ways off course to get to them.
The course was awesome. Obviously you ran the streets as you are in a city of several million. They traversed the city well taking the runners by a few beautiful sites. By train, it takes over an hour to get to the finish line so I believe the organizers gave the runners a great tour through Tokyo.
As in many big city marathons, the finish line arrives, and then the long trek through the stadium begins. I believe it added 2 more miles to my run, but heck, I walked and I ate. The best peanut butter sandwiches ever!
The crowds along the course we’re amazing. Every step of the way you had locals and visitors cheering you on. Although there was a plethora of water stops, the beautiful people of Tokyo were also handing out drinks, oranges, candy bars and a whole bunch more options. I would say the locals LOVE the marathon and are proud to display their beautiful city. As they should be.
And finally the swag. The t-shirt was just okay. White (ugh) and a funny textured material. A finishers towel was given upon completion and then the medal. Simple, but gold and elegant. One of my favorite medals.
The Tokyo marathon is a fantastic destination race.

I loved this run. The course was challenging. Lots of rolling hills, nothing big, just several of them from the beginning to end. Definitely needed to keep an eye on the road, as parts of the challenge of the course was dodging pot holes. But running through the neighborhoods, the spectators along the way, the perfect weather made the marathon perfect. Because I was running again on Sunday, I took off slowly, ran an even pace, and barely slowed down the last few miles.
The expo was fairly small. There were items to buy, but getting through the expo took but a couple of minutes.
Water and fuel stops along the way was amazing. It literally felt like there was a stop every mile in the last 10 miles. Definitely no need to carry water or fuel, unless you absolutely needed something special.
The only complaint might be, they had a bus that took you from Jackson to Mobile, Alabama shortly after the marathon. Nobody at the expo seemed to know anything about the bus, what time it left, or where it picked you up at. I was able to get online and get the needed information, which was clearly explained, but was surprised that there was not a booth at the expo.
One other concern. Do not pick a hotel based on distance from start and finish line as stated on the marathon website. My hotel was supposed to be 0.4 miles from start and finish. Turns out, a few years ago the course changed, yet they never updated the mile posted on the website. I was just over 1.5 miles from start and finish and walking back to the hotel after the run was a long haul. Nonetheless, this is a very well run marathon.

The expo was overwhelming, very New Yorkish. I had planned on at least looking at a few items to buy, but the crowds to purchase were large, the number of checkers small. The race was on a warm, slightly humid day. I unfortunately ran under the bridge the first couple miles, at the time I did not know what that meant. I learned that it would be quite warm the initial miles. So much so, I actually was chilled miles 5-8, but not too any extreme. I recovered, ran easy and enjoyed myself. The crowds were AMAZING!!. I have never enjoyed saying hi, waving, fist pumping as much as I did in this race. There were spectators absolutely at every turn. I was glad I decided to run easy, because it made it easier to enjoy the crowds. The route was well marked, including at the finish where you get the opportunity to finish the last couple miles running through the cheering crowds of Central Park. My only real complaint, after finishing, you are put in a narrow chute, that seemed to go on for miles. Of course, people had their phones out, walking slowly, blocking the pathway, and making it seem even longer. I could not get out of the park fast enough. The race itself was well run, well organized and enjoyable. I ALMOST forgive them for the fiasco on how they handled the cancellation of the 2012 marathon. ALMOST 🙂

Run in Provo, Utah, which has to be one of the most scenic cities in America. It was gorgeous. This was a point to point course, and starts early enough in the morning that it was freezing! Wish I had taken plenty of warm clothing, but instead huddled up to one of the many bonfires the organizers had set close to the start line. I had read that it was a downhill, fast course, but this turned out to be a detriment to me. Did not train for so much downhill. The course itself was beautiful!! The whole way!! For 21 miles you run through some of the most scenic hills that Provo has to offer. The final 4-5 miles is pretty flat, right through downtown, people watching, so you don’t dare walk ( I did ). The expo was very small, but the few that were there gave out a few freebies. Although I have learned my lesson about downhill courses, I would love to return to this city and enjoy its beauty.

The Eugene Marathon is run on a great course. A combination of city side streets, bike and walking paths, one gets to enjoy plenty of scenery. The marathon itself is for the most part flat, although a few tiny hills, but nothing to slow the runner.
EXPO: The one negative to the marathon was the Expo, or that is, the lack of an Expo. Maybe 20 vendors, not even sure what they were selling, but wasn’t what one would expect at Track Town USA.
Check In: Easy, walk in, pick up your number and T-shirt and out of the Expo in a minute. T-shirt was a decent tech shirt, but……. white.
Course: Beautiful course. I would say it is one of the nicer courses I have run, mostly because you run on bike and running trails as well as side streets. Lots of turns, meaning you don’t look out 2 miles down the road which to me gets cumbersome.
Post race party: A nice party. After receiving your medal, you are then given a cloth swag bag, filled with a few simple food and drink items. A bagel, an orange, peanut butter, nuts, water and an electrolyte drink. Shortly thereafter, you are offered pancakes, HOT pancakes. Not a big eater immediately after running, but it was a nice touch. A few vendors selling beer and advertising future races, actually a better expo than the expo itself.
The medal was nice sized, heavy and well designed.
I would definitely recommend this marathon for others. Just don’t expect a big expo.

Always nervous going to a new city, trying to find the expo, negotiating a good hotel close to start and finish and just worrying about getting to the start on time is always a big concern of mine. The Chevron Houston Marathon made it easy. I chose not to stay at the host hotel, but stayed at a hotel close by with which I am a loyalty member. From there, my walk to the expo was 2 bocks. The same 2 blocks got me into the (indoor) clothing drop off, porta potties (indoor), last minute fuel station (indoor) and headed directly to the start line. The same 2 blocks took me from the finish line back to my hotel. At the finish line, food, beer, water, medals, etc… were all held indoors. I left my hotel room at 6:15 to get into my corral which closed at 6:40 and I actually got there early. I ran 2 races while here and the swag was a bit much. I walked away with 2 cotton t’s, 1 technical finisher t, a beer glass, 3 medals, lots of food and a great time. Although there were plenty of restaurants within easy walking distance, Houston itself is not a great city to just hang out downtown. The crowd support was, well amazing. I cannot say there was an empty block over the 26.2 mile course. I never once felt crowded, as the roads are wide. I always felt like running, because the crowd support was tremendous. My only complaint, and this is picky, I hate running 26.2 miles and receiving a white shirt. And at the Chevron Houston marathon, the finisher technical t-shirt was white and boring. Nonetheless, this is a mostly flat, very fast, very fun course. I would recommend runners of any skill level to consider this as a marathon to consider.

The Bellingham Bay marathon was a treat. Starting at 7:30 on the Lummi Indian reservation, we were treated to a short song and dance by some of the native dancers, followed by a prayer in their native tongue. The marathon ran along the bay for a good 10 miles before cutting inland just a short bit. Unfortunately, although you could easily see the bay and the beautiful landscaping surrounding you, the fog was HEAVY for about 20 miles. I tend to really absorb my surroundings (i.e. space out) and was able to watch bald eagles hunting in the bay and retreat to tree tops along our route to devour their catch. With approximately 500 marathoners, you have plenty of space to enjoy your run until around the 18 mile mark when the half marathoners join in (they start 2 hours after the marathon starts). The field gets crowded and as they are fresh, are whipping past the marathoners. The finish line one is treated with a smorgasbord of food options, but you must prepay or carry cash with you to purchase “scrip” at the finish line. Great technical shirt, a nice medal and a fun party at the end. A great time.

First of all, you are in Rio de Janeiro. Second of all, the marathon takes you along some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Forget that it is run in the southern hemispheres winter months. This ensures cooler temps. The race itself was well organized. Plenty of water and electrolyte stops. Not a large contingent of spectators, but enough to motivate one to continue running. The first 8 miles is run on cobblestone which was difficult, but once you survive that, the rest is run on paved roads. Big enough of a race to always have another runner close by, but small enough that you have plenty of room to move about. The expo was scary. Too many vendors packed into a very small area. Seemed confusing and I grabbed my race packet and bolted as did many people in our group.

The Big Sur International marathon was one of my favorites of 2014. The scenery was beautiful, from almost the beginning to the very end. The race was well organized with plenty of water and porta-potty stops. Spectators were plentiful, especially as you got to the 2nd half of the marathon. The strawberries at about mile 21 were exactly what my body needed at that point in the race. I opted for the “Runners World” VIP, so we were to treated to a nice breakfast after the race, as well as extra porta-potty before and after the race. The medal was a ceramic medal rather than the usual metal. A more difficult marathon because of the number of hills throughout the run, but you quickly realize that every hill comes with some of the most beautiful scenery the coastal area could share.

A once in a lifetime experience. After a 2 day boat ride across the Drake passage, which might have been the most difficult part of the race, day 3 finds you landing on King George island, where you are guaranteed to see (during the marathon) the first of many, many penguins. The race is run among the Chilean, Chinese and Russian scientific research stations and a number of their staff also run. The best part of the marathon trip to me was the friendships made. After 10 days on a Russian research vessel, talking about running with other runners, life cannot get much better! After the marathon, you then have another week at sea, exploring the frozen continent where you most certainly will see whales, more penguins and fur seals. A must do run for the adventurous marathoner!

This was a beautiful point to point marathon, ending in one of Anchorages beautiful downtown areas. Along the route, you have beautiful views, great chances of seeing wildlife (I saw moose and bald eagles, but others saw a black bear). It is a fairly small sized marathon, so you never feel crowded, yet since much of the course is run on rocky trails, you are in close proximity, enough to visit if you desire. The one issue that I had, and it is a big issue, the shuttle buses were full before they got to my locale, so after about 120 minutes of waiting, I decided to hitchhike to the start line. Having grown up in Alaska, I felt very safe to do so, but know that this might put others off. I am certain some of the 40-50 people waiting, did not make it to the start on time. Overall, a beautiful, safe and pretty comfortable course to run.

I ran a marathon in 2006, with the only goal of qualifying and running at Boston. The expo was the most awesome experience. So many runners, so many things to look at and buy. I had never experienced anything like it, and I think I ended up going to the expo 3-4 times. Unfortunately, the weather forecast for the big race was not so great. The night before the marathon, the forecast was for heavy precipitation overnight. The temperatures in the low 30’s. In other words, the forecast was from several inches of rainfall with a possibility of 2 feet of snow. For the first time in years, runners were warned that the Boston marathon MIGHT be cancelled if the precipitation was snowfall. The organizers did a great job keeping runners alerted, even throughout the night I would turn on the local stations and get updates. Fortunately, it rained, and rained, and rained, and by the time I got to the start of the race, I was soaked, thoroughly, and the temperatures hovered in the mid 30’s, so I was cold.
Like a miracle though, about 15 minutes before the start of the race, the skies cleared, the rain stopped, the temps raised ever so slightly. It was the most perfect of running conditions. That is, if you were able to stay dry. I wasn’t.
The course was nonetheless thrilling. The history, the crowd support, everything I had ever read about Boston, every known group along the course, they were all there. I had wasted a lot of energy shivering before the race, but it did not matter, I had a great time running Boston. My time wasn’t the best, but the atmosphere and enjoyment was fantastic. This is a race I will definitely run again, someday.