It was an absolutely beautiful experience. Well organized, for Africa. It did get hot and the long uphill grade from mile 13 to 20 was tough, but once you turn at mile 20, it is literally all downhill. Train for long hills. Go a few days early to get over the jetlag. The spectators are everywhere. You are quite the oddity in Moshi. Enough non-East Africans to make up a "field." Don't try to keep up with the Africans. Go and spend the money - it is truly once in a lifetime.

The organizers of the race did their homework as I found their organization from pre-race to the finish to be excellent. Water, Coke, and sponge points were well placed. If you are planning to run this race, prepare adequately, as it's a challenging race, especially after 20K. But it has nice scenery.

This was my first marathon, so it came with many emotions. Being at the foothills of Kilimanjaro was an amazing experience. The race was tough due to the 10km climb that started at the 20km mark, as well as the extreme heat, but the scenery and setting made it all worth it.