The race was great, and runner support was fantastic, with aid stations every 2 miles. The scenery was breathtaking, as was the temperature (a brisk 22 at the start!!). I had a lot of spiritual moments while running and viewing the amazing scenery and beauty of God's creations. The miles just seemed to drop, like at no other race I've done. My only surprise was that, as I looked at the hill profile, I expected a steeper downhill over the last 6 miles, but it seemed relatively flat.

Loved us all singing our national anthem together at the start; it was moving, and felt very patriotic! Great job! Worth the drive, and I hear they ordered heat lamps for next year! : )

Beautiful, peaceful trail through pine forest, meadows, and gorges. Not as fast as the profile would indicate, with the dirt and altitude, but a great race.

I did my first marathon on this course in 2007 just so I could say that I turned 50 and did a marathon! I did poorly and felt I really should have done better. I viewed it as a learning experience and recognized several mistakes I made, so I corrected them and came back to do 2008. The increased knowledge and preparation worked well and I was doing much better. Unfortunately, I slipped off a rock and injured my foot, so I was unable to finish. I do not quit, however, and am more determined then ever to do it and do it well. See you all next year!

This is my race report for the Biz Johnson Marathon, held on 10/12/08. It marks our 42nd marathon together.

Here goes! We left school a little early on Friday 10/10 because we had a 9-hour drive ahead of us. We headed up highway 395 toward Mammoth and were told that we would probably need chains. So we stopped and picked up a pair of chains; otherwise, we could get as far as the pass and find out we would have to drive back a long way to get them. So $70 more and were on our merry way. Driving along we finally hit some snow and it came down off and on for miles, but not enough to warrant chains. We thought we might get stopped up ahead, but that never happened. So after 8 hours of driving we realized we would not have to use them after all. Dan was already planning their return for a full refund. Just to let you know, that never happened! That is another story of its own. We finally arrived at our destination after 10:00 p.m. and hit the sack.

Saturday morning we were scheduled to work the finish line for the half-marathon. As we arrive at Hobo Camp to work, it was downright freezing. The sun just didn't want to break through the clouds. I was surprised that it didn't snow on us. Anyway we awaited our instructions for setting up the food tables and prepared for the runners at the finish line. We wore gloves and took turns going to the fire pit to keep warm. We also kept our bodies moving as much as possible. When the runners started coming in we placed finisher medals around their necks. These were unique, wooden train whistles, with the inscription of "Biz Johnson Half Marathon" stamped on them. Everyone loved them so much that it brought a smile to their faces. After helping out, we caught a movie at the local theater.

Back at the hotel, we prepared our race gear and got ready to go to the pasta dinner. Upon arriving, Eric Gould (the race director) approached us and asked us if we would like to help out the guest speaker. He meant assist her in getting through the food line. We said sure, but why? Well it turns out she is blind! We were more than glad to help her out. We then seated her and went back to get our food. We decided to sit with her and chat a bit. She was a very interesting and wise woman. Her name is Sharlene Wills. We shared stories of the road and our journeys along the way. She has run so many marathons that she's lost count. She has run in marathons with a guide dog, but now runs with a pacer. She has an instrument called a tether that connects her to her pacer. They look like a pair of handcuffs. She shared some of the comical stories, comments and looks she has gotten from others in some of her races. Good stuff! It turns out we happened to run the same race the weekend before the Biz Johnson Marathon. It took place in Oxnard, CA. It's a small world, huh? She spoke of not being afraid while running in darkness. She has no fear and places a lot of trust others. I remembered this as I ran on Sunday. This new friend of ours has such a zest for life. She even ran track in high school. We have tentative plans to run the Avenue of the Giants Marathon with her in May 09. I couldn't help but remember her speech as I ran on Sunday.

Sunday morning arrives and it's 19 degrees outside. Brr! We headed to the bus that would transport us to the starting line in Westwood, CA. It must have been colder in the higher elevation. I wore one tank-top, two long-sleeve shirts, two thin sports jackets, oen pair of shorts, two pairs of pants and a pair of gloves. I was keeping my core as warm as possible. When it was 5 minutes before the start, I began to strip off the layers and head over to the drop bag truck. We began the race with the singing of the national anthem. We did a great job, I might add! It was a wonderful way to start the race. Eric does this as a tradition every year. The horn blows and we're off and running.

I ran with one tank-top on, a long-sleeve tech shirt, shorts and gloves. The sun was out and it was a beautiful morning. It was still very cold, especially in the shade. I wore my gloves until mile 20 and my long-sleeve shirt stayed on until mile 23. I never wear long-sleeves in a race for that period of time. It was pretty darn cold. Running along the first 13 miles were all about pacing myself and allowing Dan to lead the way. At mile 13 I realized I was on track for a 4-hour marathon, a Boston qualifying time for me. So I continued on running at 9-9:15 pace, only to discover that I had to stop at porta-potty along the way. When I finished with my business, I thought about Dan. I began thinking I'll probably never catch him now! I released those thoughts from my head immediately! I did not let that get to me; I just kept thinking, I feel so good, I could probably do negative splits. So I pressed on! At mile 20 there was a large hill that we have to climb; I felt so good that I smoked that hill! The crowd went wild! Really they had the best spectator support at this point. The wall! I asked them where it was! Had I missed it? They laughed at my comment and cheered me on. This was a motivational moment for me. Not far ahead were the long tunnels that had to run through. As I entered the first one I thought of Sharlene. The tunnels were completely dark with a couple of glow sticks on the ground, but they were nearly dead. I ran without fear of stumbling or tripping, thanks to Sharlene. I even closed my eyes a couple of times just to experience what Sharlene goes through every day of her life. I left that tunnel feeling a sense of euphoria. Thanks Sharlene for the inspiration.

After the tunnels were behind me, I focused on picking up my pace. I was able to run at 8:15's for a couple of the last miles. But the most exciting part was the orange poncho I saw up ahead of me. This was at mile 22. It was Dan, still wearing his disposable rain poncho. His first mistake was to wear bright orange. I was on his tail now. I told myself I could catch him if I just picked it up a little at a time and didn't push too hard. I gained on him and caught him at mile 23.5 or so. I gave him The Tap - he hates The Tap! That's on his shoulder. He looked at me in shock and said, "Where did you come from?" I just smiled and waved at him as I flew on by. But then I caught a glimpse of his face, as he had blood dripping down from his brow. I asked, "What the heck happened?" "Oh, I tripped on a rock a fell." I asked if he was ok; he said yes, and I said "Ok, see you at the finish line!" At this point I took off my long-sleeve shirt and took off running as fast as I could go for the last 2.7 miles. I've never felt so good at the end of marathon. I could see my porta-potty break cost me a little time, but I was still so close to my goal. I ran the last mile in 8:15 and finished strong. My goal was 4 hours and I finished in 4:01:22 - and Dan, not too far behind, at 4:03:17. Dan placed 2nd of 18 in his age group. I placed 7th of 37 in my age group.

It was a memorable day at the Biz Johnson marathon and then we hopped in our car and drove 9 hours to get home. I had a great recovery week and went out for a 2-mile run the next day. And three miles the next, along with some biking and other exercises. Our 42nd marathon was an adventure to remember.

I ran the half-marathon.

Good aspects:
Course scenery, soft trail.

Poor aspects:
Contact with the race director, who was rude; only two shirts sizes left; they ran out of "medals/wooden whistle" for finishers; not really worth the drive/cost.

Does this race benefit anything? If it was a fundraiser, I wouldn't mind them skimping on some race goodies, but geez, if there was a cause, I didn't get any info on it.

I loved this marathon; scenery was great; aid support was the best (I've never eaten so much in a marathon before). Just ignore the Negative Nellie's out there; they obviously just have to complain about something. I was glad to get a trail whistle; who needs another medal? I recommend this marathon to anyone who loves the trails and a softer surface. I am a flat-lander, and the 1st 7 miles I was a little winded but my times were exactly the same as in NY and better than Deadwood by 16 minutes. Great job, Eric; don't worry about trying to please everyone - it won't happen.

I have run over 100 marathons and this course would have to be in my top 10. My reason for running is the challenge (and this one was a challenge; it was a wee bit nippy and at elevation), as well as the experience (and of course, the beer and my smoochie at the end). Volunteers were great, especially the aid stations. (Special note to Brighton and the guy who offered to carry me to my car!) Susanville is a neat little town (not to be confused with SF or NYC), and while there were no five-star hotels, I managed to find comfortable accommodations. I was there to the run, and I ran and ran and ran some more.

This is my second time at this marathon. I love it because I train almost exclusively on dirt, including a similar Rail Trail in Klamath Falls, Oregon. The course is mildly uphill for 5-6 miles then nearly 20 miles of gradual downhill. Expect sore quads after this race. The aid stations are well stocked and the volunteers are great. This is, I think, my eleventh marathon, and the wooden whistle medal was, I thought, clever, and was a nice surprise. The tunnels, which some people hate, are surreal and somehow mind-blowing as they are very late in the race - sort of a near death experience that you live through! As you can see from the reviews the race director can be rude (he was nicer this year!) - but the race is very well organized and he does a good job.

I am a "big, slow runner" and started at nine. There weren't as many people in the back of the pack this year because, I think, a lot of my "colleagues" chose the new early bird start option.

My main complaint is the increasing entry fee as the race approaches. It doesn't seem like a good idea to me. There were people there who said they had paid $135!

As far as "fans," there really aren't any except at the finish line because the course is so remote.

All things considered, this is a great marathon and I plan to continue running it, as it is an ideal surface for my running style, and also the second closest marathon to my home (after Crater Lake).

If you are expecting a big expo with a bag full of schwag, and crowds of cheering spectators at a chip-timed event, then go to Chicago.

This is a small-town, intimate trail race on a spectacular course. From the "Welcome" banner at the edge of town to the personal greeting at registration, the sing-along of our national anthem at the start to pizza and train whistle medal at the finish, the entire event for me was nothing short of a unique and truly fun race adventure. The gentle downhill grade and trail surface are easy on the body and the scenery is gorgeous. The overall organization with the shuttles, gear drop, water/aid stations and general runner support was more than adequate and everyone we met was gracious, friendly and helpful.
While not out to set any speed records, I managed to drop 35 minutes from my previous marathon best time, while my running partner qualified for Boston. It is really neat to see the community so involved - not only with the race but the management and improvement of the trail itself. Without that and the support of the BLM, this race simply would not happen. I am looking forward to running this marathon again next year!

I ran the half-marathon. I specifically followed the direction to the location given to me by Eric in an email. When I got there, there were no police directing traffic, even though it was stated that there would be. Instead, when I got to the specified parking lot, there were buses everywhere loading people for the marathon (including the driveway to the parking lot). A man in a black puffy jacket actually opened my car door and told me to move my car (with no further direction of where I should go). I've only run three other half-marathons, and this was the smallest. There were no race packets and only two t-shirt choices. Volunteers were very nice. Aid stations were nice. The course is very beautiful, but repetitive; there was not much to break it up. Of course, there were no spectators, as it was a trail run. At the finish there were spectators walking the narrow path right in front of me! I will not run it again.