A real treat to run in a wilderness setting. The second half follows the river adding to the experience. The volunteers are the only spectators until the end, but they do a good job of cheering the runners.

Pro: Fast course, adequate aid stations, friendly volunteers, nice medal.

Con: Race instructions say to arrive an hour early. What they didn't mention was on race day the long road in and the pace of the parking means that it can take 45 minutes to get parked. Delaying the start time of the half to an hour or more after the marathon would help.

This review is for the half-marathon... If you like cheering crowds, bands, funny stuff to look at while running, this race is not for you. I am not saying those things are bad...some people thrive on spectator support. Almost no spectators on this course, except at the start and finish. This course is greater than any big city race because of the beautiful redwoods you run through. I found it easier to concentrate on my run because I was surrounded by the gorgeous natural environment.

Some people commented on lack of food at the finish. Really? I honestly didn't care - bring your own food and don't depend on someone else to feed you. I have never really cared about post-race food.

The only things they could improve are: I would have liked to have a sweat/gear check, because it was cold at the start, also...need more port-a-potties... Other than that, the race was awesome, the shirt was awesome, and the medal was awesome. I would definitely do it again.

This is a very beautiful course on two-lane roads through ancient redwoods. The forest is cool and peaceful, with streams cascading and birds in the trees. The double out-and-back arrangement is very nice, as it breaks the distance into four 10Ks. It also allows you to see friends and other runners doing the half marathon. The terrain is rolling, but no challenging hills.

Getting to the start was a hassle. We were coming down from Eureka, and encountered a very long traffic jam on the local road. I got to the starting line 8 minutes after the start  my first late start. After 40 years, the organizers can do better than this. For example, allow people to come in off the nearest highway exit, and/or organize shuttle buses to bring people in.

Also, the finish amenities were quite spartan  more like what you'd see at a small 10K race. I was handed one water bottle and I could pick banana and orange pieces out of a box. That's it! There really needs to be more after running a marathon.

I would do this race again, though I'd be better prepared for the start traffic and bring more of my own food and drink for the end.

WOW! WOW! WOW!

I owe a great debt of gratitude to the people who 40-years ago decided to organize a marathon on one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the lower 48. Combine that with starting temps in the high 40's and finishing temps in the low 60's, plus plenty of sunshine and voila!

But you actually don't experience the heat of the sunshine, just the beauty of the sunshine streaming through the canopy of the 300' tall redwoods. And the coolness and rich aroma of the forest combine to make this a one of a kind event, NOT to be missed.

The course is a very gentle up and down, with only one moderate uphill/downhill on the course. The volunteers were wonderful and supportive.

Your biggest challenge is finding a hotel, as most are 10-50 miles away from the start.

I loved this race!

I'm a very poor runner - my marathon times are all well over 5 hours. This course seemed very reasonable to me - it had some modest hills, but nothing too serious. And running under the dense canopy controlled the temperature. Having the trees (and occasional banana slugs) to look at really helped keep my mind off of the effort and pain.

I loved having fruit available at many of the aid stations, too. They could have been better displayed at one or two of them, but eating some fresh orange slices now and again was much more refreshing than trying to choke down more energy gel or jelly beans.

I'm glad that my partner agreed to come along for support, though. If I hadn't been able to bail out of the car and head for the start line before she finished parking, I'd never have made the starting gun. We timed it so that we'd be there an hour before the start, and almost didn't make it due to the parking congestion.

I didn't stick around long after the race, but if there was much food or drink available at the end for late runners, I missed it. All I got was some water.

Very nice people; very pretty race through redwood trees. Website needs work. No info about how to find the packet pickup area (beside the road near the 663 exit from US 101). Few porta-potties; people were running into the woods constantly. Spectators were sparse, but very nice. Good number of aid stations, with signs warning that they were 200 yards ahead. Virtually no finish line food - bring your own. This year was a very nice day for running, though cold and windy while awaiting the start. Turned into a cool day with a little breeze, lots of shade among the trees, and only a few warm, sunny spots on the final leg. Very friendly, nice race.

This is one of the most beautiful courses ever and the support is top-notch. But if you need throngs of supporters, banners and cheer stations, this is not your race. For me, the giant redwoods and the other runners were the best company.

The road in the first half of the course is a little beat up, but nothing too bad. The second half is gloriously flat and shaded.

The fresh fruit slices were a tasty and refreshing alternative to sport drinks. I wish other races would provide them.

I hope to do this race again!

Running the Avenue was a great experience. My wife ran the half marathon and I ran the full. We came from Connecticut and it was worth the trip. The course is "as advertised" - stunningly beautiful. I highly recommend driving the course before running it - it is a very pretty drive. I don't think any of the photos I saw of the course really did it justice. I do not recommend running this course to qualify for Boston or to set a PR. First of all  it's just too damn pretty to be caught up in your time. Second, although the course has no steep hills, the first half is very rolling and I think this is deceptively tiring. Also, although I think the "roughness" of the first half of the course has been exaggerated, the road is fairly cambered and twisty for the first half and I think that is a little more tiring than a straighter course. I was shooting for a 3:10 qualifier and I ran a 3:19. Great run - but I'd rather run this just for the scenery and not bother monitoring my splits so closely. Great organization for a small race; parking was easy. If you're traveling for this, give yourself a day before and a day after to relax and do some more exploring of the forests - well worth it. Not a ton of lodging choices, but we loved the Benbow Inn. Not fancy (no TV in our room), but a classic place with a fireplace and chess boards in the lobby, and a hidden gem of a restaurant. The hotel caters to runners, with special pasta dishes the night before, and an early breakfast spread the next morning. If you're thinking about running this, do it. The course is as beautiful as you've heard, and it's a nice break from the mega-marathons.

I chose the Ave to be the site of my first marathon, and I think I made an excellent choice!!! The course was amazingly beautiful - lined with amazing redwoods for most of the run.

I can't comment on the post-race amenities because I brought my own food and drinks. Also, I brought my own bag and a friend to carry my stuff for me because I wasn't given a drop-off bag when I picked up my packet. Parking is not too far from the start line, so if you are by yourself, you can drop your stuff off at your car and make it to the start line in under 10 minutes.

In regards to the "condition" of the course itself, it really was not that bad. I know that is a relative term, but I didn't find the first out-and-back to be dangerous whatsoever. And as far as "hills" go (again, this is a relative term), this race has no significant 'hills' at all - it's mostly flat!

Lastly, if you choose to run this marathon, it should be because you appreciate nature and want to enjoy the scenery. If you want thousands and thousands of fans supporting you, i suggest you run a different event. Having said that, fellow marathoners, half marathoners, 10K runners, campers, and volunteers all supported and cheered for me and other marathoners, so one is not completely isolated in the "wilderness."

I ran the Avenue Marathon 2 years ago and the Humboldt Marathon twice before. As you can see, I love running on the Avenue of the Giants and I will run it again. It is really beautiful and serene and you are running in the shade of the giants most of the way. This time of year was so green after the winter rains this year that the state park was a beautiful destination to spend extra days. I went on a beautiful hike the following day and camped in the state park the night before and after the race and met some marathoners doing the same. I would definitely camp again the next time I run the Avenue. The organization has improved lots from 2 years ago, but it still needs improvement.

The pros: There were lots of oranges and bananas on the course, along with Clif Bars and the ERG (better this time than last). The volunteers were awesome and very helpful, and there were lots of volunteers out there cheering on the runners. There were bananas and oranges left after the race when I finished.

Cons: Post-race snacks still amounted to a bowl of tortilla chips for runners to grab as they crossed the finish. Not a very appealing or sanitary choice. Was there any post-race water? Also, there is no sweat bag drop-off at the start for the marathoners, which I did not see on the website.

Overall, I love the run and the destination, and this year we had perfect weather.