I definitely agree with the other reviewers who noted that this is not a "fast" course, nor does it feel like a "downhill" marathon. Also, the altitude had a serious effect on me, as I live at or near sea level year round. For those runners like me who have only done road races, this race is definitely a "trail marathon." That includes all of the good things that come with trail races, including the fact that the other racers are friendly, the fans are made up mostly of the families of the racers, and the aid stations have lovely offerings such as oranges, bananas, and pretzels.

However, there are also drawbacks with it being a trail race, including: there aren't very many aid stations, the aid stations were spaced rather far apart, there is no chip timing, there are no port-a-potties (just bushes), and the finish area and supplies left a lot to be desired (i.e., no Diet Cokes and very little food was left by the time I finished).

My time wasn't that much slower than some of my recent marathons - my finish time at Bizz was 4:30 and my recent marathons were 4:15. A plus was that I didn't feel hurt after the marathon, like I do after road races - probably because the race is entirely run on dirt trails (some of which are powdery). I definitely felt the impact of the altitude, though, and the impact of the steady 6-mile climb at the start (well, one mile out and back, then the start of the steady 6-mile climb). Also, the next 4 miles thereafter were slightly up and down, so you don't really get to start going noticeably "downhill" until after mile 11. The last 15 miles, although downhill, were not very steep, and much of it felt flat as a result.

Finally, it was not the easiest marathon to get to. Driving from the Peninsula in the SF Bay Area, it took us 5-6 hours to drive there, with little to no traffic. It is a good 70 miles outside of Reno, and that took us close to 2 hours to drive. We also did not book a hotel until shortly before the race, so we were stuck staying 30 minutes outside of Susanville. So if you're thinking of doing this race, you should book your room at the Best Western way ahead of time. It books up fast.

All in all, I would not say that the race lived up to my expectations. The schwag was terrible - with not very nice shirts, and the worst medal I've ever seen. Adding in the very long drive made this marathon a one-time event for me and for my husband.

A fellow runner asked me to post my recap of the 2009 event, so here are my two cents. This is essentially the shared perspective of four of us who ran the Bizz Johnson Marathon for the first time.

Perspective: This was my eighth marathon. My past marathons have included: Pittsburgh (twice), Erie, New York City, Adirondack, Big Sur, Akron, and Bizz. Best time: 3:25; worst: 4:15-ish. These days I do most if not all of my training on trails, so it was a logical step to finally run my first actual trail marathon.

Location and size: The Bizz is a small marathon set in remote Susanville, CA, not far from Nevada. The nearest major airport is Reno, which is about a 90-minute drive. About 350 runners typically run this race, in addition to half-marathoners who run separately, keeping the number of runners on the marathon course very small.

Scenery: The country around Susanville is unquestionably beautiful: Tall conifers, rugged high desert terrain, and miles of surrounding hills and mountains. It's gorgeous. If you want to run a destination marathon, this is a good one. We spent the day after the race mountain biking and kayaking in and around Tahoe. It was well worth the trip. That said, as marathons go -  and I find it hard to believe that I am saying this - the Bizz is actually a little monotonous. Since it has little perceptible elevation change and essentially no turns of any kind after the first mile or so, you experience the exact same view for the better part of 25 miles: a rail-to-trail stretching out in a straight line in front of you as far as you can see, with trees on either side and a strip of sky down the middle overhead. Beautiful, but unchanging. It's an odd perspective if you are accustomed to marathons with changing scenery. There are a few short foot bridges, but otherwise the view never varies much.

Support: Minimal. This is more of a "rugged" marathon than I am used to. Not because the trail is challenging (it isn't), not because the air is thinner (I didn't even notice this, despite reports that altitude is a problem for some runners), and not because it is in a remote location that requires more travel than some marathons for many people; rather, just because the trail itself is remote and the food stops come only every two miles. I'm positive that a mass of regular trail runners will criticize me for saying this, but I'm used to having access to water and/or food about every mile when I run marathons, and so I found it tough to stretch that out to every other mile. For me, that meant actually stopping at the aid stations and gobbling down food and drink, rather than running through them, and that cost us some time. I was running as support for a friend, so I wasn't trying to run a personal best, but I still found that I suffered more for not having the regular access to food and water that I am used to. I carried my usual belt with a couple sleeves of Clif Bloks, but I would have benefited by carrying more food and my own water, something I have done in training, but never in an actual race.

There is little crowd support on the course, but you expect that in a small, remote marathon like this. It was actually sort of refreshing.

Organization: Despite some reports that the race director is unpleasant, he seemed like a pretty nice guy. Packet pick-up, transport to the starting line, and finish line amenities were simple, but adequate and smoothly conducted. No complaints here. Placement of the aid stations AT the mile markers was probably an awkward choice by the race organizers. During the initial miles, at least, when we were still trying to run through the aid stations to keep our pace, it was really a pain to try to register the mile split on our watches while simultaneously grabbing a cup of water and/or food. If the organizers would move the aid stations about 100 meters farther before the mile markers, it would be much easier.

Weather: Very cold at the starting line and warm at the finish. Prepare for a day of changing temperatures, especially if you take over four hours to finish. Bags are provided at the start to drop off your pre-race clothes, which I was pretty reluctant to shed. Once you get moving, however, it's fine. I ran in shorts and a tech T-shirt. My usual marathon gear is shorts and a tank top, so it was not much different. Avoid getting your clothing wet (from beverages) in the first miles, though. Brrr.

Peri-race amenities: hotels in the area are limited. Book early. We stayed at the Best Western and it was fine. Simple but clean. They apparently offered a couple of empty rooms post-race to serve as men's and women's showers for those who had already checked out, but we didn't use them because one member of our group had booked his room for an extra night. There is an Italian restaurant in the area called Rose's, which was actually really good. We got there early the evening before the race - right when they opened - and ate on the little patio. It filled up quickly after that, as it is small. There are at most only a couple of other places to eat in the area, so plan ahead. There was no pre-race pasta dinner, although that might be changing for 2010.

Swag: pretty minimal. A simple race pack, a tech T, and a medal. Nothing special.

I can't really comment on how fast or slow the course was, since I was running in a support capacity for a friend. My companion failed to break his goal time, but mostly because he did not eat enough on the course and he bonked hard, which is easy to do. I think a decent time could potentially be run here if you carry enough food and drink of your own and use a system to quickly replenish fluids as needed.

One perk was that I ran the last three miles beside Alanis Morissette. I had no idea it was her until after we crossed the finish line and fans started snapping photos. I did mention to my friend around mile 23 that I thought the woman running next to us could "almost be Alanis Morissette's sister," and apparently I was the only person there who did not realize that she was actually running the race. Right before the finish, I drifted back to finish beside my running partner and we ended up right behind her in all of the finish line photos. We look like bodyguards, which is kind of funny. Alanis, by the way, was very gracious and happy to chat with us and others after the race.

All in all, a good race, which does a pretty good job of straddling the benefits and burdens of a race of this size.

We've all heard that "it's all downhill from here"; at Bizz, except for two hills that are actually fun after all the downhill, it's actually true, from the start. I loved the fall colors and the trail away from traffic; the other runners were friendly, and the aid stations were consistently two miles apart. Fine staging, and transport. Consider, please, an early start, as in the past: it's HOT by midday. More buses at the finish would help. I'll do this one over and over again. Thanks.

I ran Bizz in the last two years. Last year the aid stations were better. The food at end of race this year was POOR. The quality of shirt was poor this year compared to last year too. The train medal were so-so. I love the course, but new organization cut a lot of corners to save money, I guess. This was one of my favorite marathons but not anymore.

This is a great course to run; the only downside is that it is at a very high altitude. It starts at 5300', goes up to 5600' and then ends at 4200'. If you are going to run this marathon, make sure you train at as close to that altitude as possible. I did not do that and that was a big mistake on my part.

I would definitely recommend this marathon for anyone who is looking for something different. It is advertised as a downhill marathon, and it is MOSTLY downhill, but the first seven miles are at a gradual uphill, which can be a killer if you are not prepared for the altitude. I ended up having to speed-walk most of the marathon because I was not prepared. You've got to have oxygen to run. :) I was still able to finish the race, but it took me 6:45 - a very long time to be out speed-walking.

I'm not sure if I will run this race again, not only because of the altitude, but because it is a seven-and-a-half-hour drive from my home. I DID enjoy it a lot, but it was a difficult trip home for me.

The marathon is VERY small - only 360 finished - so it's perfect for a first-time marathoner. The course is certified as a Boston qualifier, and quite a few have qualified running it.

The race this year was sponsored by a different organization from in the past, Pacific Coast Trail Runs, and I was very pleased with their work. They were very friendly and helpful, as well as organized.

This marathon is run on an old railroad bed that has had the rails removed and the area graded. It is a beautiful area to run in - the Lassen National Forest. It starts in Westwood and ends in Susanville, California.

The race is easy on the body since it is run on trails and not pavement. Since it is a trail run, you do not have spectators on the course except for the volunteers at the aid stations, and at the finish line.

I chose this marathon because of the gorgeous trail course, which it delivered splendidly. I also chose it because it was advertised as "fast." Well, not exactly. 1) The first part of the course is at 5,600 feet, which means your effort is much harder than usual, if you live at sea level with all of the abundant oxygen there. 2) The "downhill" is so gradual that it actual feels flat (but the "uphill" is also quite gradual). 3) Gravel/dirt trail isn't a fast surface to run on. As a result, I didn't get the PR I was hoping for, but instead ran it 30 minutes slower. The upside is that the weather went from the 40's to the low 70's quite fast. The intimacy of this small race, organized by real runners, and the intimacy of the field make it a great experience... unlike the mega monster marathons of 15,000+. I only gave spectators one star because there were only about 12 of them (but those few were GREAT!) because no cars are allowed on the trail. Organization got only four stars for little things, like not being able to hear announcements through one bullhorn, not enough lamps/light in the tunnel (trip hazard), and making you walk UPHILL after the race to fetch your gear bag. The course only got four stars because it's advertised as "fast" when it really isn't. I think the gorgeous old train route trail should be enough spin to get folks up there.

This had to have been one of the most beautiful marathon courses I have run. It was my first trail marathon, and the friendly support at the aid stations was most appreciated. I would recommend this race to others, although I would tell other sea-level types like me to be prepared for the elevation.

The race director put on a very well organized event - no complaints!

I ran the half-marathon, not the full. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The course was beautiful and well maintained, the volunteers at the aid stations were great and enthusiastic and, although it was a little too cold for my taste, the weather was sunny and beautiful. A shout-out thanks to the gentleman who let me hang onto his shirt as we ran through the last verrrry long, dark tunnel so I wouldn't trip and fall. I think every race has its pros and cons. Overall I enjoyed it and have already signed up for next year's half.

My only minor complaints were: there should have been more port-a-potties at the beginning of the race and there should have been volunteers keeping the end of the course open. Runners and friends had to walk back over the end of the course in order to get back to the train depot and they didn't make much effort to keep out of the way of those of us coming into the final leg of the race. It was frustrating having to dodge them to get to the end of the race. That should be corrected (hopefully) next year. Also, after running so far and being cold, tired, sweaty and hungry, it was a letdown to have to walk that last almost mile to get back to the train depot. There should have been some kind of shuttle system to get everyone back to the depot.

Also, to all of you who whined about Eric; would you rather have a director who was super friendly but ran a poorly organized race or a RD who maybe was a little short with everyone but overall ran a very well organized and fun race? Both before and after the race he answered all of my emails in a very friendly manner. I think he had to wear more hats than anyone realized and he was just being very focused to be sure everything ran smoothly. Give him a break!

Great race and I look forward to next year and encourage everyone, if you love the outdoors, to plan on coming next year too!

I loved this race. The support was great, from the numerous aid stations, to the buses, to the t-shirts. The small number of participants made it seem almost intimate, as you were able to talk with other runners. The trail is simply gorgeous.

I was pleasantly surprised when my friend said I *MUST* run this trail marathon in Susanville - "A what in where?" I was not disappointed.

It's a bit off the beaten path, and you're rewarded with a beautiful course with aid stations every two miles. I was trying to describe it, and found it was like running 13 two-mile races instead of one marathon. As such, it was very easy to stay on pace.

The aid stations were staffed by friendly folks, welcoming front-runners and back-of-the-packers alike with cheer.

Being an old railroad line, it's all a gentle 2-percent grade either up or down (with a little hiccup at mile 20, but you're rewarded there with an aid station). So, don't expect any quad busters on this course. Moreover, the gravel trail was extremely forgiving, though a little slower than a road run. By the time you hit the last couple of bridges and tunnels, you're almost there.

If you've been to an ultra-marathon, you'll find the same supportive crowd at this race. It's a refreshing change from the overcrowded and bustling big-city races.