This is a great marathon, with breathtaking scenery. Challenging course, especially the second half?you won?t find much flat road. The organizers did a fabulous job!

Experience of a lifetime and a great day in nature!

I have run Big Sur for the last 5 years and its now part of the rhythm of my life. I know that come the last Sunday in April I'll be taking that long dark bus ride to Pfeiffer State Park and putting 6 months of training on the line. This course is breathtakingly beautiful and superbly organized. (far better than any of the five other marathons I have participated in)

But two words of caution:

Its not Hurricane Point that will get ya, its the rolling crowned stuff at the end.

Learn to like headwinds.

Best memories:
Getting to the top of Hurricane Point. (in any year) and hearing the grand piano wafting across the water from over a mile away. (when its windy-- most years)

Strawberries at mile 24...Bellydancers at mile 25...That *!&%@* hill right after the bellydancers. but then you know you've got it licked.

This is a beautiful marathon to run, especially if you love sights of the ocean. Everything's perfectly organized. Although you may not see many spectators, the organizers made sure that you got entertainment almost every mile to accompany you. In 1999, they had different musical instruments/bands playing at a certain mile of the course, and also dancing. Pretty place for the marathon as well as a vacation spot. Train well for the one long gradual hill! Enjoy!

They say this course will slow you down thirty minutes and that's what it did to me. Second half hills and especially the wind take their toll on taller runners. Make sure you hold back in the first half of the race and bring some warm clothes while waiting for the race to start. Truly a great experience that I will never forget.

Running this marathon was an experience of a lifetime.The encounter of nature at its best along with a challenging course sets the scene for a truly great day. I will do this one again!!

Way cool....the sights are well, to run for. A wonderful experience.

Big Sur was my 4th marathon and it was the most challenging and most scenic(Beauty) by far. The 500 foot climb over 2 miles to Hurricane Point(the Beast) made Boston's 'Heartbreak Hill look like a bump in the road. If you train on hills and do some leg weight work, you can run a good race but you must run the downhills fast. I ran a PR of 2:58 inspite of the hills and major headwinds which required drafting. I would also not be afraid to run the first mile fast as it is downhill. I ran the first mile in 5:50 which gave me a good jump on the 3 hour mark. This course can also be run for its beauty as well. Champion Chip timing was not used which is surprising but the waterbreaks and Cliff Shot were timely. The overall experience of the race and touring that part of California was hard to beat.

As I ran into the morning sun and the breeze off the sea, my heart sang. The beauty that surrounded me gave me cause, several times,to stop and take photos. During the course of the run, I took the opportunity to 'come out of myself' and share the wonder of it all with one of my running mates. The support at the end was all that you would expect for royalty completing a majestic journey. This is the most beautiful course that I have run. As well as the beauty of the course, I received the gift of a PR.

I had vacationed on the West Coast several years before and loved the beautiful terrain b/n Big Sur and Carmel. This was my first marathon. Because of past knee problems, I purposely chose to do very little hill work in my training. Despite that, I still ran within 10 minutes of my goal time. The course is unbelievably beautiful and brutal. The first half of the marathon, culminating in a viscious climb up Hurricane Point then a sharp downhill till the Bixby Bridge wreaks havoc on your legs. The rolling hills of the last six miles were the most challenging. If you are a beginner/novice, be prepared to run/walk some of the uphills and attack the downhills to make up time. After the race, I couldn't walk down a flight of stairs for three days. The race organization was superb, from the busing to the start to the aid stations and the expo and finishers village. You will not be disappointed. I will do this one again in the future.

What a wonderful way to finish my 38th marathon. Thinking about actually having been there in those majestic surroundings, panoramic views, clean air, visual feast and classy spectators and bands gives me a tingle up my spine. Tough hilly course is definitley not for the feeble minded/hearted, but for the rest of the 'crazies' it's a rush which takes you up the hills and down to the great finish line. # 1 marathon in the country? Hell Yes!
Definitley will do it again ...... and again.
Bring along two crazy friends like I did.