Brittany Clark's Staging Area

This race had the best organization of the 4 marathons I have done in the last 2.5 years. There was adequate volunteer staffing. The aid stations were great and well placed. The course was nicely laid out. This is the first race that had adequate toilets everywhere, including the start line! The lines were so minimal at the start line toilets, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for that! I only have two small complaints. The finisher food was absolutely terrible. All that was offered was a cold rice noodle bowl. There was no fruit or sugary goods or any other options. There was no Powerade or electrolyte-type drink available at the finish. There was water and a milk based protein shake. That was it. Personally, I like bananas and sugar at the finish line. That’s what my body needs instantly after running 26.2 miles. Thankfully, I had my husband meet me with these snacks in case they weren’t available. The finisher food area was also quite far from the finish line. I do not think this placement was ideal, as these food items are sometimes needed immediately to prevent lightheadedness and the feeling of passing out. The finishers also had to go down two flights of stairs to get to the family area/food area….do you know how hard it is to go down stairs with cramped legs after running 26.2 miles???? It’s very difficult. They did have medical aid along the stairs just in case but it was still not a great placement, in my opinion. Overall, it was a great race and I really appreciated how organized it was. I just personally did not like the lack of food options or drink options at the finisher area. I think they can do better. Keep the traditional fruit and dessert type snacks for people to eat.