I have never used the word 'sublime' to describe a marathon, but it is the best word to describe Big Sur. I was fully absorbed by the scenery of the course. Just beautiful.

I may have foolishly over estimated my abilities heading into this race. These things happen from time to time. Still, there are a lot of really good things to be said about this race.

The hills are obviously a major factor in this race. I warn anyone who looks at the elevation chart and thinks the second half of the race is just "rolling hills." Trust me - they are steep and long. If you run this race, don't expect to do a personal best. The weather can play a huge factor in your finishing time so that why it is hard to predict what you will finish with. If this is your first Big Sur, come into this race with at least three plans of attack.

With all that being said, all of the pre-race communication was top-notch. The race committee knows how to put on a top-quality event.

PROS:
- Organization was top-notch. Very good expo and great volunteers.
- Technical long-sleeve (kind of an awkward color for males - no big deal).
- On-course volunteers and entertainment are great.
- Nice finisher's medal.
- Post-race finishing area was very well run.

CONS
- It seemed really crowded for the first few miles for being a small marathon. Most of this can be attributed to using one side of the road only for runners.
- Very early wake-up race morning. However, this is just part of the experience you have to be ready for.
- As a California resident the views didn't take my breath away like I was expecting. Maybe my expectations were too high.
- Very few spectators. Once again, as expected. However, the ones who are there have energy and do support you.

Would I run this marathon again? Absolutely. Would I recommend this race? Certainly. It is a good challenge but, do not expect to P.R.

Put this race on your list and then find some hills to train on (both up and down). The course is beautiful and challenging (as advertised). The wind came out and showed us who was boss, but that just added to the charm of the race. The course is tough, but still runnable (I managed almost even splits). You just need to run smart and stay in control on the early downs.

Organization was excellent. Our bus left from the Embassy Suites at 4:30 - early to be sure, but not horrific.

BE WARNED: the elevation profile on the race website does NOT do justice to the hills. There are tons of rollers that appear as long ups or down on the map. There are lots of little ups in the downs and downs in the ups.

Some family friends mentioned this race to me in late December and, after taking a look at the elevation charts and reading some of the comments left on this site, I quickly decided not to participate. In early January, though, my dad asked me to join him. This was going to be his first full marathon in over 20 years, so I didn't hesitate to say yes. As this was my first marathon, I had not the slightest clue what to expect.

I have driven Highway 1 before, so I assumed it would be beautiful, but Big Sur defied expectations. It was almost tragic, insofar as pictures do such an injustice. I was left breathless before I even started the race.

Monterey and Carmel were amazing. The food, wine, service, and amenities were second to none. Citroelle at Carmel Valley Ranch Resort (where we stayed), Cafe Rustica (in Carmel Valley), and Casanova in Carmel-by-the-sea were three of the standouts (yes, all started with the letter "c," coincidentally). Needless to say, I carb-loaded like a king.

The start was indeed both early and cold, but the organization was so spot-on that I hardly noticed. I attempted to sleep on the bus ride - didn't happen. Riding the bus along the cliffs at night sent the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was dying to start; however, this would not happen for another 1.5 hours. I put everything in the sweats bag earlier than most, and by the look of the congestion immediately before the start, I was happy that I did. Look to the porta-potties near the start - the lines are much shorter.

The course was hilly. The hills were sharp at times, but most of them were gradual and long (think in terms of 1/2-mile plus). The winds were 20 mph, sustained. I will join in with the others and state confidently that the latter half of the course (18-finish) is much more difficult than anything found beforehand (yes, including Hurricane Point).

Big Sur is it - beautiful, perfectly organized, hosted by wonderful volunteers, and offers delicious food and great expo speakers. Coupled with a course that makes you worlds cooler for running it, what are you waiting for?

This was my fourth marathon and it was by far the hardest. Any plans for a PR on this course are foolhardy; just enjoy the amazing scenery. The elevation chart does not do the hills justice. Hurricane Point is not that bad; the rest of the hills in the second half of the race are killers. I realize that the beginning is a great place to bank time, but resist the urge! Relax and take it easy because when that last hill at mile 25 looms, you will need everything you have to get over it. Overall, a great time. Would I do it again? Hmm, at first I thought, hell no... but now... maybe.

Did my first ever marathon at Big Sur this year - it was a fantastic experience, as everybody says. The best advice I got was to stay Saturday night at Big Sur. That way you can wake up at 5 when everybody staying in Monterey had to get up around 3 a.m., sit on a bus for an hour and stand around shivering at the start line! You'll be glad you did. I camped at Riverside but there are plenty of other campsites and cabins - just book by December. My husband came with me and waited at the 2-mile mark to cheer us on, and then packed up the tents and drove up with the convoy to meet us at the finish line.

Waking up at 4 a.m. to jump in a school bus seems hard, but it's worth every second of lost sleep for this amazing course. The views, the hills, the smells of eucalyptus... it all adds up to the memories of a lifetime. The organization was the best that I have experienced thus far. The lack of spectators wound up being a plus for me. I enjoyed it; it allowed me to just be taken by the running. There's something special about the Bixby Canyon Bridge, Hurricane Point, and the other signature moments about the race. But the strongest emotional moment is at mile 25 when you see that last uphill. It's a four-letter emotion... but conquering it was fun.

Great finish (although bags are far from finish line) and great reward for finishing. I love my medal; it feels like it's made of bone. I would recommend this to any runner worth his/her salt.

Yes, the course is amazing and breathtaking; however, be prepared for a long bus ride and a long wait for the race.

The course is also tough, thanks to the slope of the roads; you should take an ice bath after the run!

Organization is great; however, they should lower the cost or keep it the same for 2010.

There were limited spectators; however, those there were awesome, vocal, friendly and helpful. The strawberries at mile 24 were super.

Overall: A. Save some cash for this race, as the area is very pricey.

What an amazing run. The views are breathtaking. You start in the redwoods where it is cool and damp, and then fun 15 miles along the coast.

There are LOTS of "hills," only 1 big hill. Run with a pacer; the Cliff Bar pace team was amazing. The star made the race so much fun.

The expo was great, and transportation to the start line was quick and easy.

There were ZERO spectators until the end of the race.

There were lots of water stations and apples, strawberries, bananas, etc.

WILL DO AGAIN!

Don't expect a PR. Run the race for fun and take an extra 30 minutes doing it.

This was my second Big Sur (I ran it in 2008 as well), and third marathon overall (I ran San Francisco in 2006). While I don't have a lot of basis for comparison, I can tell you that running this marathon was the best 3 1/2 hours of my year. It's definitely not an easy marathon though; there's lots of wind and hills, so I wouldn't recommend it if you are trying to BQ.

This marathon is truly unbelievable. though. The weather is perfect for running (low 50s to start, low 60s at finish), the aid stations are frequent (with both GU and fruit toward the end), and the volunteers/spectators are fantastic (spectators give out strawberries at around mile 20, which was a great energy boost). It has been difficult for me to run anywhere else after running this marathon. I PR'ed here (3:34 and beat my last Big Sur time by 10 minutes), and look forward to hopefully doing the same next year. If there's one marathon you run in your life, make sure it's this one!