Hardly a PR opportunity. It's a good idea to bring your own water, and don't come if you can't deal with solitude and very light crowd support (what's there is wonderful, but NYC it ain't.) And then there's that hill... more mountain than hill, really. I wouldn't guess at its grade and it seemed to go on for miles and I really can't imagine even jogging up its entirety. This marathon is small and the course offers some of the most beautiful views imagineable. I'd love to see this event grow a little in size (but not too much).

Remote, not at all crowded and the most beautiful views imaginable. I loved this marathon, but the 3-mile hill in the middle (it seemed like at least a 15 percent incline) was a time killer. I'll do it again, but I'll be doing a lot more hill work this time.

I really enjoyed this run. The scenery was awesome and the race had a great small town feeling that is usually absent at marathons. This race has convinced me to seek out smaller venue races for unique courses and pot-luck dinners! My favorite part was the 3-4 miles run on a dirt trail along ravines and over foot bridges spanning tumbling streams. Well worth the 8 hour drive with two small children to get to Grass Valley, CA. Go for it!

If you like Big Sur, you'll love the Gold Country Marathon. Where Big Sur is run entirely on paved roads, Gold Country is run mostly on trails & old mining roads. Big Sur offers views of the coast, while Gold Country offers views of mountains, forests & rivers. It's challenging, too. Miles 13 through 24 are pretty much all up hill, but it's worth the effort. The crowds are small, the pack is small & you can spend most of your run in solitude, with only nature as your companion. Don't miss this race.