Peter Bergmann's Staging Area

This is a fast point-to-point course in Southern Oregon. If you’re looking for a good course to chase a PR or BQ in the Pacific Northwest, this could be a good option. It’s net downhill on a moderately wide bike path from Ashland to Medford. The only caveat for the course’s speed and difficulty is a slight uphill finish for the last 3 miles but it is still a very quick course, all things considered. Certain aspects of the race were well-organized – the shuttle to the start line was smooth and efficient, the bib pick up and finish line festival was lively and fun, and the course was well marked with mile markers (except for a misplaced Mile 10 marker on the half marathon course). The path can get a bit crowded at times since there are points where people are going both directions but since the race isn’t huge, this generally isn’t a big deal. The conditions were also ideal (crisp and cool, no wind) and the course was pretty scenic. However, there were two significant logistical issues. First, there were only 3 portapotties at the half-marathon start for 150+ runners. Second, there were supposed to be aid stations every 2-3 miles, especially since the half and full marathon shared a course. Unfortunately, the first aid station was not set up when the half marathon reached it and after that first aid station, there was not a single other aid station for the rest of the race (and just one first aid station around mile 8 or 9), which is something I’ve never experienced before. This race was fast and good in many aspects (I love the large prize purse and the fast fields it attracted) but I would not do the race again solely because the lack of aid stations is unfortunately a deal-breaker, especially if you are doing the marathon.

Great crowds and a fun experience. The downhills are tough on the quads but the race lives up to the hype! Logistics were very good as well, especially with busses and the staging area, etc.

This race was an excellent one if you’d like to break a personal record in the marathon. You can tell it is organized by runners, for runners. Everything from the website to the bus shuttles to the course mile markers are geared to helping you run your best. The scenery is not the best, as you just go through suburban Sacramento, but it is a fast downhill course with sufficient aid stations, lots of quality runners, and a fun finish at the Capitol. I think it’s the best race on the West Coast for a fall marathon, especially if you want to run a fast time, and I plan to run it multiple times. My only caveat is to be careful to not go too fast in the first half. Although it’s downhill, the rolling hills in the first half can beat up your legs if you go out too fast so be conservative in the first half of the race to take advantage of the flat last 6 miles.