Mercedes Miller's Staging Area

I can’t say enough how amazing this event was for me and for my husband, who spectated. I have run over a dozen marathons with 6 of them being the Boston Marathon and Big Sur is right up there as one of my favorite marathons ever! This event was so beautifully executed from start to finish. From the informative pre-race emails that got me focused and inspired to the amazing expo in a beautiful location, to the experience of bouncing around Monterrey and Carmel, I loved every second of my time running the Big Sur Marathon before, during, and after! The volunteers were amazing, the water stops were placed perfectly along the course. The music on the course was superb and even dream-like at times. It was a dream come true for me to run here and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to enter the lottery and win a slot! My husband and I both loved this event. We loved the approachability of it. He loved being able to see me DIRECTLY after the finish, unlike in Boston. The staff does an amazing job, and this is a DO NOT MISS RACE for any marathoner. Ever since I first started doing marathoners in 2007, I wanted to run this. Over a decade later, I finally have run it and I will never forget it. Yes, the course is challenging. Yes, the hills are grueling up and down. But the rewards far outweigh any pain I may have had in my legs. The views, the city, the food, the wine…this is a top notch event in a top notch area… there is nothing like it!