Thomas Tan's Staging Area

This marathon is not flat and definitely not one to target for qualifying Boston. But it had awesome pacing teams. The pre- and post-race activities/festivities were adequately and aptly put together, especially for the size of the field. Parking options were plenty and straightforward.
Check out my video below for more on the course.

This course is pretty flat so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by the huge turnout despite we were still recovering from the pandemic. Despite being a wet day, the volunteers came out and were enthusiastic and cheerful. The expo and race bib pickup were pretty standard. Parking in downtown was relatively easy. It rained quite heavily in the morning before the race, and we had drizzle on and off throughout the race. Otherwise, I’m sure it would have been an even greater experience.

This is a well known ultramarathon, arguably one of the oldest in the country. It was very well organized. The race director (Amy Rusiecki) and committee are obviously very experienced. The aid stations and volunteers were all energetic and cheerful, providing the much-needed morale boost to struggling runners. The atmosphere this year was magical and exciting as it marks the return of Vermont 100 after a 2-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

This is a very runnable course. You don’t need trail running shoes. This year’s 100-km course was slightly altered and had 12,000 ft of climbing compared to 8,000 ft in the previous years. Not sure if this is a permanent change. Plenty of food and drinks at the finish line area, while you recuperate and watch the 100 milers cross the finish line.

This race is held in the serene McDonald Forest which is located just north of Corvallis and is operated by Oregon State University College of Forestry. The trail was therefore well maintained. Not surprisingly, there were many student volunteers at this event.

Slow pokes like me had the option of a 7 am early start. The regular start time was 8 am. Because it was raining in Oregon leading up to race day, the course was quite muddy and slippery. This made the course, which has about 8,000 feet of elevation gain, even more challenging. The race directors were super nice and didn’t enforce the usual cutoff times, essentially giving all runners the extra time needed to complete the course.

And, free beers after the finish!

The Two Rivers Marathon is considered one of the best races for qualifying for the Boston Marathon. It is now in the Top 25 of Boston Qualifier times of all marathons in the USA (a qualifying percentage above 18%). So, it’s a flat and fast course!

If you’re interested in running back-to-back marathons, the Two Rivers Marathon has got you covered too. All runners who complete the double will get an “I Did the Double” shirt. Those with qualifying times will receive an “I Qualified for the Boston Marathon” T-shirt. Unfortunately, I was not in shape to attempt either one of them!

Check out my video below.

Whether you’re chasing 50 marathons in 50 States or not, you might want to check out the Mississippi Blues Marathon which is held in Jackson. This city sparked so many historic moments which have arguably changed the trajectory of the United States. Spend the weekend in Jackson to learn about the important civil rights history that took place in this city, the roots of the blues, and soak in the famous Southern hospitality.

The Mississippi Blues Marathon course is a 13.1-mile loop so marathon runners run the course twice. There are some small elevations but nothing too hilly. The race was well organized. The bling was nice and there were plenty of Jambalaya and beers at the Finish. Although not a big event, I enjoyed running through the downtown area and neighborhoods. There weren’t many spectators on the course but I still had a good time.

Check out my YouTube video below.

A very small marathon with sparse aid station support and virtually no spectators on the course. The cops were out all day directing traffic so I felt safe out on the course. A relatively hilly course. Check out my video below.

Nashville has taken over Las Vegas as the city for bachelor and bachelorette parties. And this city knows how to throw a party, even for marathon runners. High energy in the air with music entertainment along the course, which includes many iconic landmarks on the course, including Broadway’s honky-tonks, Dolly Parton’s recording studio, Country Music Hall of Fame. A little too hilly for most runners to PR on this course. Expo and Finish line is at the Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans! The bling was super tiny and nothing fancy.

Check out my YouTube video below.

This is a must-do on your list of ultras. You run through canyon slots, including the famous Antelope Canyon, and alongside the majestic Colorado River and Horseshoe Bend. This race course is very unique and is only made possible because of the generosity of the Navajo Nation. I’m not sure words will do justice but check out the video below.