This was my second-ever road marathon, and it was tough, but definitely a good time. I think the course's difficulty was appropriate for its location. Aid was great; there were stations at very convenient locales, and the volunteers were incredible! Spectators were encouraging and well distributed throughout the course, except very absent during segments of the second half where I needed them the most (most likely due to difficulty getting to those areas).

Many of the other runners were encouraging, but some that I passed were antisocial and wearing headphones. This was a bit of an issue for me; but then again, maybe if I had on headphones I'd have run faster? I didn't think that using an Mp3 player was allowed by road races, and I don't think it was a good idea on a course like this where over half was not closed to traffic.

I had a problem with the expo; I arrived at 7 and my shirt size had already been given away (small), so I received a large (which is bigger than a normal large, I think).

The post-race food was also an issue for me; as much as I love pasta, I think it would have been much more valuable to eat it after the race, but the pasta we received was uncooked and packaged. There were no hot drinks, only hot water for oatmeal (that I didn't particularly find tasty), but you could get coffee, tea or hot chocolate... if you paid for them. Massages were expensive (and should have been free after such a difficult course), and bread, bananas and apples only taste so good before you want something warm when it's raining. I did not receive or even see an emergency blanket when I crossed the finish (and left the stadium) even though it was raining and I was only wearing a sports bra (I feel like someone should have handed me one as they were cutting off my chip); so I had to go back through the crowded finish area (walkers and marathoners were finishing at the same time) and get one. It was very crowded on the course for the last five miles, as walkers were on the shoulder and I had to run in traffic to get around them. Most vehicles were very considerate, however.

I don't want it to sound like I hated this race. I understand that this is a small marathon, and it will get better if more people run it. Just know that if you run marathons for the "cool gear," this is probably not one for you. However, if you run them for the challenge, the mental toughness, the awesome aid stations and the beautiful scenery, then definitely sign up and show Whidbey Island what you've got.

I stumbled upon this marathon by accident, finding it on the MarathonGuide website as I was looking for a spring marathon. This was my second-ever marathon, and it came 3.5 years after I did my first. I had never been out west before but I saw the pictures of the Deception Pass Bridge and realized that this would be an awesome experience.

The course itself was challenging, with some nasty hills at the 10th and 20th miles. Crowds were also sparse, but those who did show up were extremely supportive. The beautiful scenery, from the time you crossed the Deception Pass Bridge in mile 1 and through the rolling hills and trip on the bike path more than half-way through, were more than enough to take your mind off of the hills. You really did get some amazing views of Puget Sound and the Olympics and Cascades.

Pre-race expo was a lot of fun and I do have a nice tech tee as well. Post-race food was great too - all organic.

All in all, this was a tremendous race and one that got me hooked on marathoning. It took me 3.5 years between my first in Chicago and this one in Whidbey. It only took me five weeks between Whidbey and my 3rd marathon in Burlington, VT.

If you love nature, don't mind a few hills, and want a unique marathoning experience with a small field of participants, excellent people cheering you on, and breathtaking views, this course is for you!

What an introduction to my very first half marathon......... against the advise of some marathoners I spoke to.They thought it would be to hilly for a first timer, and it did bother me.
To the contrary. I had a fun time. Since it was my first Marathon , it's difficult to comparably rate it.
The organisation, the friendliness,the wonderful volunteers, the support and the beauty around, made a lasting impression,
I cannot wait to do my next half marathon,and will definately run THIS race next year again.
I have to add, that I am not the slimmestOR fittest, in fact I am a bit on the overweight side, and really thought that this race would be a challenge.......I did do some training for 12 weeks prior to the race,,,
It has turned out to be an INSPIRATION for my future goals. For those who may be unsure??? about this race,
if I can do it.....you can do it!!!!!

Great run/walk
Jackie

As other posts say, the hills on this course are a challenge, but they are doable and the wonderful scenery makes up for them. Although the course was a bit lonely, I did get a lot of support from fellow runners. My sister came out to cheer me along and she found the recommended cheering sites listed on the official map a great help. The crowd at the finishing line was wonderful. The pasta dinner and expo were great and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to listen to Dean Karnazes. I'd like to thank all the volunteers - their smiles made the experience even more enjoyable. More Gu or Gatorade along the course would have been great. The only Gu available was at around mile 22, although there were PowerBars. I would really love to have an "official" certificate for my efforts, rather than the generic one available on the website to print out. I'd love to run this race again!

This is my 18th marathon and 15th state. I would recommend this race for a number of reasons. The people were very friendly at the expo and nature's path brought in Dean "Ultra-Marathon Man" Karnazes who is the nicest guy you want to meet. The expo is small, but I am a fan of the smaller scenic races. Great technical long-sleeve race shirt and a bib number with your name on it. Nice touch that most races don't do.

The shuttle bus to the start stopped in our hotel parking lot. Plenty of fluids, porto-johns and Gu at the start before the race. I hope they do a national anthem next time though.

I enjoy smaller fields (300ish), rural, scenic terrain with variety which is what Whidbey is. A bit of everything and the race photos were taken in some nice spots. There are two challenging hills at about 8 and 20 and the course rolls from start to finish.

Good support along the course, and FANTASTIC medal with a nice purple cloth band. The post-race activities looked nice, but I couldn't stick around because the hotel did not permit late check-out past 1 p.m... which is the only thing I didn't like. A hotel that is sponsoring the race should understand that... but that is not controlled by the race.

Great sightseeing afterwards too. Well worth the trip from Ohio.

I found the course to be very hilly and challenging. It was pretty, but did, at times, feel a bit discouraging as the hills seemed a bit relentless. I would not recommend this as a first marathon, because I think you need the experience of being able to get through the 26 miles on both a physical and emotional level, without having to concentrate so much on course difficulty. The volunteers were fantastic as were bystanders who cheered enthusiastically right from start to finish.

I ran my first full marathon in January, and hated how flat that course was (Phoenix). I ran the Whidbey Island 1/2 and LOVED the hills! I thought it was a spectacular course (the beautiful weather didn't hurt) and very well-supported. It's true that the line at the porta-potties was record-breaking, but the line moved pretty fast.... I would definitely run this one again!

This was my first official half-marathon and was well worth it. The scenery was beautiful and the route just hilly enough to keep my legs awake. The aid stations were chock-full of great volunteers with half-full cups of liquid and plenty of Gu.

Not many spectators on the course, but those that made it were enthusiastic and full of encouragement. Even my injured running partner insured she made her way to each spectator area to cheer me on. (Thanks T!)

Just when you think you are at the finish, the half-marathon route diverts on a last minute out-n-back mile to account for the distance deficit. Bothersome for a few folks, but it gave me a chance to catch up with those I met at the start line. The downhill finish, complete with loud speakers shouting out names of finishers, was a treat.

Lots of great Nature's Path munchies at the finish in a plush, green park; plenty of cereal, granola bars, fruit and such - even all-natural hot dogs were available. The only drawback to the snacks was the placement of water and Gatorade at the end of the run instead of inside the park. I had to make my way back into the finish area to snatch another water.

The check-in was easy and support staff helpful. It would have been nice if they added the safety pins in the race packet and kept me from searching feverishly in the morning for something to attach my bib. Also, we arrived at 730 p.m. to check in and found many of the sponsors had left or were leaving before the 8 p.m. close.

Note to ferry travelers - plan to reach the noon - 3 p.m. departure times early. We arrived 40 minutes prior to our (anticipated) 1:30 ferry and it was full. By that time we are stuck in with a two-hour wait for the next departure. The nearby park is nice for a walk along the shore, but there is nothing to do in this area besides catching a nap in the car.

I would run this course again, perhaps even the full 26. Great job to those who supported the race and the great folks on Whidbey Island.

The course is hilly, but I really enjoy it. There are well-placed aid stations and the course offers views (I saw an eagle on race day). There is one spot at mile 22 where the course runs on the shoulder of the highway for a mile, which I don't like; but other than that, it is great.

Well organized and a beautiful setting. Nature's Path was an excellent sponsor. Not very many spectators so you are basically on your own, and there is one hill after another, after another. There is a little traffic, which is annoying, and they said they had GU at each station but I only found one station with GU. That said, it is a VERY beautiful place to go with friends, and everyone is extremely friendly. Lodging is a challenge but you really can drive in from the North....