Whidbey Island Marathon - Race Reviews

Beautiful course, volunteers were fantastic. Few spectators but they were very supportive. I ran this as my first Marathon. I was not prepared for the amount of hills... they were everywhere. The worst one was between mile 21 and 23. Challenging course for a first timer, I would probably do it again if I trained on hills for 15 miles. Completed. I'm 4:15, I really wanted a sub 4 but ended up having to walk some hills at the end which slowed me down. 100% recommend this Marathon.

Summary: Hilly. Perfect weather. Nice scenery. No spectators. Not a BQ course. Except it was.

Beautiful but very difficult course....just not a PR course. Very well organized, few spectators, but very friendly and enthusiastic when you see them. Would be a great destination race. My only complaint, and it's minor, is no Gatorade on course. There's Nuun and it's a little sporadic, so next time I'd run with a bottle of sports drink. Volunteers very helpful and friendly.

Great, small race. Well run, beautiful scenery, GREAT volunteers. Oak Harbor was very hospitable. Nice medal & shirt. I loved this race, even though the hills make it moderately tough. I recommend it.

This was my 7th marathon and I really enjoyed it. Pros: It's a nice course, hilly (especially big and tiring hill at mile 17) and mainly on small rural roads. Although it is not a closed course, traffic was not a big deal, as there wasn't much, and there were volunteers posted at all of the intersections to hold traffic. The views over Deception Pass were really stunning. Very nice tech t-shirt and medal was fine, although the swag isn't really a good reason to run a marathon (in my opinion!). Lots of portapotties on course and water every couple miles or so, also gu, gummie bears, pretzels at a few stops. Nice shuttles to start, which had plenty of heaters (thanks!) and a gear truck bag where you could toss stuff at 5 minutes to race start. They even had pacers! Very surprising for a race with less than 200 finishers! Cons: Don't expect spectators - there were hardly any! This wasn't a con for me, but might be for some folks. The end of the course is probably the most boring, and the torn up road through the military base was kind of rough going on sore feet. I was very glad I wasn't going for a PR - just as I passed the 26 mile mark, they started a kids fun run, on the exact same very small path as the marathon. So I spent the last 0.2 miles dodging tiny runners. They were super cute, and since I wasn't trying for a PR it didn't really matter much to me, but it was a supremely bad choice (in my opinion) for the race director to do this. I was just hoping I would not wipe out on a swerving or stop & go tiny runner.

Well organized, great weather, spectacular scenery, few spectators but all enthusiastic, and the hills are not nearly as bad as they look on the elevation chart. Also a great location to relax and dine before and after

As a first time marathoner, I was very nervous leading up to the race! But it turned out to be an amazing experience. The course was beautiful and the organization was exceptional. I will never forget this race! The hills weren't too bad, the one at mile 17 is the trickiest. Looking at the elevation charts, I thought it would be all downhill and easy after around mile 18, but there were a few short uphill segments that were challenging to me, particularly the tiny little hill at mile 24. Usually it would be no problem, but any small hill is a challenge at mile 24! All in all, it was a challenging but wonderful race and I had a blast!!

I was very impressed by how well this race was organized. It's a small town marathon with beautiful scenery, enthusiastic spectators (though no large crowds), and a no-hassle start and finish. Getting to the start was easy on the shuttle busses. There were heat lamps, bathrooms, and a tent available at the start, and our bags were easily dropped off at bag check and then picked up at the finish. I even got my throw away shirt back! The course is challenging- the whole race is rolling ups and downs, with 2 large hills mixed in. The last few miles are run on a rough path that was a little hard on the feet, and there were quite a few twists and turns to get to the finish. It's not a PR course, but the scenery and hospitality of Oak Harbor make up for that. There was plenty of food and entertainment at the end of the race as well. I would definitely recommend this marathon!

Ran this for the first time yesterday and my legs are killing me! There are certainly a lot of hills on this course, both the up and down kind! I tried to run on the gravel at the side of the road as much as possible on the downhills to save my legs a little but they're still pretty sore! There is a lot of up but there is also a lot of down, sometimes enough to help you forget the previous up until you get smacked with the next one! :) Beautiful scenery (especially the bridge and spots neat the water) and largely rural. Although there aren't hoards of spectators lining the course the clusters that are there are extremely supportive and loud, you can hear them before you see them! Volunteers were excellent. Although the roads aren't closed there really isn't much traffic. Space heaters at the start line were a really nice touch! I like small races that the host town gets behind, you saw all sorts of welcomes all over town for the runners which was nice. Shuttles ran pretty smoothly so no complaints there for me. Just hopped on a bus at my hotel and went directly to the start. Gear check went smoothly and the volunteer at the finish line already had my bag in hand for me before I reached the booth. Expo was reasonable size for a small race and all the volunteers were friendly and helpful. Medal was pretty sweet! All in all I'm very glad I did it, it's been on my list for a while and the fact that it went across the Deception Pass bridge this year was the decider. Victoria folk, it's easily reachable by the Sidney-Anacortes ferry but you'll have to take BC Ferries back after driving up the I5 on the way home unless you leave the next morning.

I was very surprised at how well this marathon was put together this year. The course was great with the start going over the Deception Pass bridge and the last 4 miles along the water. Very little traffic on the course and when there was traffic, there were a ton of cones giving the runners a safe lane to run in. It seemed like there were aid station at least every couple of miles. There was lots of food at the finish since they had a separate food tent for the marathoners. Everyone seemed very friendly and happy to be there. The course is probably the most difficult road marathon in Washington due to the hills, but most of the last 8 miles are downhill or flat. Any course on Whidbey is going to be hilly, but at least the hills aren't at the end. I would definitely do this one again.

Since there are 5-6 times as many half marathoners as full marathoners (1,200 versus 200), it's reasonable for organizers to focus on their larger audience. Much of what results, however, is unfortunate. The half marathoners run the same course starting just 30 minutes later. What that means is that most of the resources are gone by the time marathoners reach those areas. It also means that marathoners have to weave through the rump elements of the shorter race, particularly walkers. And when marathoners finish, many of the resources are gone. I was in the middle of the marathoning pack, and the beer cart was gone by the time I arrived. Not running low or difficult to find, just gone. But I guess that's par for the course, because the music was also closing up at the same time. The wind was atrocious this year, but that's just weather. Since the marathon is owned by the City of Oak Harbor, it's reasonable they'd want the whole course within their borders. But it'd be better to have a south-to-north passage (since that's the prevailing winds) and perhaps one that started in Coupeville. At the very least, eliminate all those out-and-backs on the course. Turning around and running the same path seems unnecessary on the third-largest island in the US.

Very high winds this year, with a temperature of about 50F (much lower with wind chill). Thankfully, there was no rain. All in all, a nice event. Pros: Scenic country roads for the most part; nice tech shirt; the island is a nice place to visit; the race is well-supported by the Gold Wing Club and spectators throughout route; and the aid stations excellent. Cons: The out-and-back sections of the course, especially the last one at miles ~19-22, are unpleasant; it's no fun to run by the finish line at the start of a ~7 mile-out-n-back; it would be better not to have to weave amongst the half-marathon walkers in this area, too; and they gave a dime-store medal this year.

I really like the scenery, but the hills are tough. I would suggest doing this event on a year when you cross the Deception Pass Bridge. We didn't this year and it just isn't quite the same. They mention on the website that this is a Boston Qualifier course. When I looked it up on the USATF cite for certified marathon courses in Washington, the only course I could find was the Deception Pass Bridge course. That would explain why my GPS showed that the course was 0.2-miles long. Still, I qualified for Boston. I hope the BAA accepts my time.

I absolutely loved this race - it was a wonderful first marathon! Waste Management did a great job as sponsor. Volunteers were well organized and encouraging. Water, Gatorade and GU were plentiful. The course was generally very good, but the multiple out-and-back sections were a bit frustrating. Also, there were a few idiot drivers on the last six miles of the course with way too little regard for runners. All in all, though, a great race! I loved the small marathon atmosphere, and the tech shirt is gorgeous!

Definitely hillier than advertised. Trying, long hill up to mile 11 or 12. Very tough mental section on the military base. Second half out-and-back to the south was torture. Great finish area in the park and a Dairy Queen nearby for recovery. Great transportation the start by bus. Beautiful island with a worker's marathon.

Great, challenging course. Good support from volunteers. Learning that your time is nearly a minute off was crazy! I can so appreciate how N.S. feels. I usually don't write in, but, what a disappointment for those who trained hard and ran this particular 26.2 hard - no chip time from the chip that ran with you on 26.2 miles to correct or confirm a messed up clock time! So, to all 354 who started, congrats! To all 282 who finished, yahoo! To all who ran, finished and qualified for Boston, YOU ROCK and YOU DESERVE IT! Best of all, you are so prepared and ready to take on and conquer Boston! Heartbreak Hill will be a piece of cake compared to this course! Lace up, everyone; there is always another marathon somewhere to run next! Good luck and enjoy each one of them!

My comments refer to the half-marathon; this is my third year running the Whidbey Island Half. Congratulations to the race organizers for listening to the feedback after the disappointing 2008 course changes. This year's course was a world of difference, allowing runners to once again take in the beauty of the island and waterfront for much of the race. I still prefer a point-to-point course rather than looping back and running ground already covered, but ultimately, the course was very nice and ending at the park in Oak Harbor makes good sense. While there are definitely hills, they're manageable. Prior to the race I needed to contact the organizer several times, and I appreciate that he replied to each of my emails promptly. The course is well-marked and there are frequent aid stations. The volunteers on the course do a fine job. The shuttle back to the starting line was prompt and efficient. Getting into the expo this year was a hassle, but that's due to construction so it should improve again in the future. The two biggest sponsors (I'm affiliated with one of them) backed off of the race this year, and lack of sponsorship made a huge difference as far as all the extras are concerned. Smaller expo, no pasta dinner, much cheaper t-shirt (and ugly, at that!), throwaway medal compared to the very cool 2008 medal made of recycled glass, plastic bag rather than tote ~ basically, no frills compared to year's past. Understandable given the economy, but a bit of a downer nonetheless. Most notable was the bare-bones feel at the finish line. I ran a very, very small, local half-marathon earlier in the month and there was a greater variety of food and drink at the finish than after Whidbey this year. More importantly, I was disappointed to see plastic water bottles being handed out. Any race that claims to go green should make every effort to avoid plastic bottles. Sure, recycling bins were available, but reducing, not recycling, is the way to go. As someone else noted, this is not a race where crowds line the course, which is fine with me as I prefer smaller races. The handful of spectators are encouraging, though. All in all, a well-organized race with a lovely course; let's hope they can line up more sponsors again next year.

The expo was kind of hard to find once we parked in the high school parking lot. The signs leading you back to the gym were tiny and looked just like the ones already on the construction fences. Not much of an expo, but I really don't care for it anyway. The shuttle was also at the back lot and the signs were tiny. It's chip timed, but there's no mat at the start, so you better get up front if you want an EXACT time. Course was not as hilly as people told me it would be. Then again, I had a great race after training hard. I PR'ed by 7 minutes in my 4th marathon. I've run Seattle twice, and Tacoma. Maybe that is why this didn't seam hilly. I had to deal with walkers in the way that forced me into a road that was not closed to traffic. It has a small-race feel, with only 282 marathoners. I'm no speedster, but still finished 27th, with a 3:29:25. Food was ok, but I never rely on their food anyway. Deception Pass was a great start to the race.

This year was a sad step backward for a typically good event. 1. Why do we have two out-and-backs? For one of the longest islands in the US, I think we could do a point-to-point. 2. If this is a "green" marathon, why the plastic bags at the fair, handing out plastic bags at the start, busing to the start, busing from the finish, etc.? 3. Why isn't the course marked at Windjammer Park? I collided with a spectator who wasn't paying attention where he was walking. 4. Why run on the grass through Windjammer? It gets your feet wet and trashes the grass. 5. Why run across a metal grate bridge on the Navy Base? Very painful. Put down some plywood. Bottom line: I hope Nature Path can come back and sponsor this in 2010. By the way, I ran my goal time and I am planning on running it in 2010.

This course is beautiful. I am from the Northwest and the views were still amazing. It is hilly. I thought I was prepared for it, but I had not done enough work. If you plan to do this race, train on hills. The crowds were thin but very supportive. Traffic was not an issue along the course; everyone was very courteous and the police had a good presence for an open course. I loved running across the bridge, but I wish there were a way to get dropped off at the start instead of riding the bus. I had to leave the house at 5:15 for a 7:30 start. I know this was required by the permit, so I can't complain too much. This was my first marathon and overall it was a great experience. If you plan to run it, I recommend renting a house somewhere on the island.

Course: This year's course was the best so far. Including Deception Pass Bridge near the start and locating the finish line at Windjammer Park were both excellent decisions! Support: Transportation to the start was easy. Porta-potties at the starting area were sufficient. Having GU, water, drop bags, and garbage bags to wear was very thoughtful. Thanks! Weather: You never know what you'll get on race day, but this year's weather was awesome!!!

My first Whidbey. Pretty course. The run over Deception Pass was incredible, and early enough in the race to actually enjoy it. Although it was an "open" course, there was really very little traffic to contend with. I understand that the course changes from year to year, and this year's course was far away from the I-20. However, there were a number of negatives that race organizers should consider. The number of registrants in the marathon was 300, whereas there were over 1500 in the half. The marathon seems like a bit of an afterthought. The course is extremely hilly - if you are running it, be prepared. My GPS logged over 1,000 meters of elevation gain. The water stations were weak - many did not have Gatorade and, particularly at the end, the volunteers did not seem ready for the racers. At the convergence of the half-marathon and marathon (meaning we were running up behind the walkers), it was a disaster. The runners do not want to stop for water - it should be handed out. At two aid stations, I had to stop and pick up water at the station for myself. Bring your own GU as well - there was none left on the back half (and I finished 3:30... well towards the beginning of the pack). Be ready to dodge the walkers during the final miles. Most were walking side by side, and at 20 miles plus you don't feel like dealing with this. Some were incredibly unsupportive and refused to move, even if you said, "Runner up" while approaching. Limited food at the finish - bananas, dry bagels and some kind of Vitamin Water. There were no thermal blankets. Nature's Path did not sponsor this year (for reasons unknown).

For a fairly well advertised, well regarded marathon, I was suprised at some organizational issues. First of all, this is not the kind of marathon with tons of screaming fans and thousands of participants, which I like. The course is hilly and difficult, but the area and some of the views are gorgeous. Although traffic is still going on most of the course, it is well controlled by volunteers and law enforcement. The volunteers are plentiful and tried to be helpful, but at times I just felt like they had not been trained at all. The biggest issue was that for a course that turned and twisted, often joining and leaving the half marathon group a couple of times, there was an uneasy feeling that you would get off course in a heartbeat. The volunteers at the turns and intersections often stood there and had to be yelled at to point the correct way. There was no clock anywhere on the course and having a chip timer without a starting mat never makes any sense to me. Also my finishing time posted was nearly a minute more than what was on the clock at the finish line and it did not take me a minute to cross the start line (was the finishing clock wrong?). Since it is a one-way marathon, they bus you out and you run back to the start area; but on the way back you still have to take a bus to the area where you are parked and had to wait for a bus. Annoying....

I ran this race in 2006, and was unprepared for how beautiful it was. Unfortunately, I was also not very prepared for how hilly it was either!! I still tell people about this race today!

Two long hills on this course: one in the first half and one just before 20 miles. Compared to last year's course, it was much more difficult. The finish line at the stadium was more convenient as far as parking, but the finish line in Coupeville was superior. The old course also seemed safer with few conflicts with cars and walkers. The last 6 miles running in traffic to get by the walkers was nerve-wracking. Rumor has it that this new course was the best that the race organizers could do based on restrictions from local government agencies, so it is hard to blame the race organizers for things out of their control. Sending the half marathoners the wrong direction however...

This was an interesting run for me for personal reasons. I lived in Whidbey Island for a year in 1965, which is typical for a Navy family. My brother and I fondly remember the time as perhaps the best summer of our childhood. As a result, for awhile the race became a slide-show of memories. We passed by the hill where my brother and I had a bad bicycle accident. There's the elementary school where I attended in 4th grade. Oh, here's the CPO Club, where my mom worked as a waitress. Many memories. The course? What can I say? It's perhaps the hilliest marathon I've ever run. Although I came in first in my age group, my time (3:30) was well off my best. Still, I will repeat next year, if only for the memories. By the way, we also passed by the house we lived in, or what was left of it. They were tearing it down....

About the hilliest running experience I have ever had.

My decision to run this marathon was based largely on a recent Runner's World article recommending this race. In all fairness, inclusion of Whidbey in RW list of top marathons probably heightened my expectations. For me, expectations fell short of my actual race experience. The marathon was touted as being scenic, and for the most part it was, but there was no running over Deception Pass, and fairly limited running by the water. I'd summarize the majority of the course as rural in nature, not necessarily a run in the woods, but open fields with sections with of trees. The course was challenging - lots of hills (emphasis on "lots" here - no real flat sections, for you were either going up or down the entire course). Some of the grades were fairly severe. The course was open to traffic (mainly 2 -lane blacktops and there was a fair amount of vehicular traffic) and you were asked to run on the shoulder of the road for most of the course. Volunteers were not particularly aggressive when it came to traffic control at major intersections. While it was hard to go off-course because there were cones marking the majority of the course, there were a couple of spots where a volunteer could have provided some oral direction, and they didn't (apparently there was some confusion in the 1/2 marathon and some runners got off course). Overall the volunteers were great and there were plenty of them. A first for me at this race was the limited availability of sport drink. The race website indicated that there would be at least 2 water stations in each 1/2 of the marathon offering sport drink - and that's pretty much what you got: 4 or 5 chances to grab Gatorade over the 26.2 mile course. This wasn't a problem because it was a cooler day and I was loaded for bear with PowerGel (and they offered a lot of GU on the course) so I had ample calories and electrolytes, but had it been a warmer day, the lack of sport drink on the course would have presented a problem for me. This race was really a 1/2 marathon with a marathon tacked on (there were more than 2X as many 1/2 participants as marathon participants). All that was left for me food-wise, at the finish, was water and bananas, which was disappointing. There was a cool finisher's medal made out of glass with a lanyard made out of shoelaces, but by the time I got to packet pickup (7 p.m. - I know, you snooze you lose) there were only size-large shirts available (which are at least a true XL in size, if not XXL), which I won't be able to wear. (The shirt design was pretty lacking anyway.) Race schwag consisted mainly of food products provided by Nature's Path, which was great, but what are you supposed to do with that full size box of cereal when you flew in from Illinois? This area of the country is beautiful - a great destination for a race, although Whidbey Island is not as conveniently located to Seattle as the RW article would have you believe. You can access the island by ferry (after a decent drive up from Seattle), but our attempt to do so resulted in failure, as the wait for the ferry the afternoon before the race was going to be 90 minutes, after which we would have a pretty good drive up the island to the race site. We ended up driving up an inland route to the northern part of the island in order to make it there in time for packet pickup. Allow plenty of time to get to the island for packet pickup - I can't imagine the logistics involved in getting to the island from the Seattle area on race morning, and actually making the start. I suggest staying on the island the night before the race. Whidbey bills itself as "A great place to do nothing" - something to consider when you're planning your trip. With the exception of visiting Deception Pass and actually running the race, I didn't do anything on the island. It's a "green" race, which is to be commended. Not a bad race experience, but not a great race experience either - just kind of disappointing.

I have nothing to compare to, but I have concerns about the course and the fact that 2-way traffic on a narrow road was hazardous for runners and walkers. Didn't seem safe to me.

This is the first time I have run Whidbey. Like others who have commented, I selected Whidbey for the (advertised) natural beauty of the course. Had I not come a day early and explored on my own, I fear that I'd be left with no appreciation of this aspect of the island. Aside from a nice view of the water during the last part of the marathon, it was a run through pretty mundane (and sometimes downright ugly) areas. The official reason for the course change was reportedly for the safety of the runners, but I spent a large chunk of time running with traffic that was whizzing by at 40 mph+, all while darting out and around the half-marathon walkers grouped side by side. If you decide to run this: 1. Bring your own water to the start. The only thing in liquid form that was available this year was Starbucks. I know it's Seattle, but coffee shots don't do it for everyone. 2. Be prepared to dodge the walkers during the final miles. Many were very supportive, but walking side-by-side and probably largely unaware that the marathoners were coming up from behind. This all happens in high traffic areas, so if you're like me and require an iPod for a marathon, turn the volume down/off as you're making your passes. 3. Bring something warm to wear at the end of the race! The weather at the end of the race was cold and windy. I finished in just over four hours, and they were already out of thermal blankets. I stood shivering for almost an hour, waiting for a finisher. When he crossed he asked why my lips had turned blue. (No kidding!) 4. Be your own timekeeper. There are mile markers on the course, but nothing/nobody calling time. 5. Hill train. I did not. Oops. On the positive side, the volunteers were amazing. GREAT water stations, gels/bars at just about every one. I never had to reach very far for water, and they made it clear which cups were Gatorade. The crowd support was sparse, but enthusiastic. Nice long-sleeved cotton/bamboo T. If they restore the course to something with a bit more to look at, I'll be back.

I ran Big Sur last year and chose this race based on MarathonGuide comments, thinking it would be a similar course, albeit much smaller. It was pretty much as I thought it would be, but I too was disappointed that we didn't get to run over Deception Pass. I thought I'd trained on hills, but I must not have trained enough. I thought it was harder than Big Sur, but not as pretty. I'm a slow runner, and the only people to cheer me at the finish line were my friends who had already finished the race. Kind of lonely out there after 5 hours. Eight of us rented a house on Mutiny Bay that had incomparable views of Puget Sound and the mountains. Breathtaking! We found it through a link on the web site. It was the best part of the trip. Shirts were ok, kind of disappointing; medals made of recycled glass are gorgeous. I've run 15 marathons, and this is my favorite medal. Lots of food, Gu, Gatorade on the course and no waiting at the port-a-potties. Great volunteers, few spectators. The weather was perfect, cloudy, 52 degrees, no wind, just a few sprinkles. I probably wouldn't do the race again, just because I've done it already. And if I have to travel 2,000 miles to do a race, I'd probably do a different one. That said, I would do Big Sur again.

This is the first year that the course has not ended in Coupeville. The second half of the course now has less waterfront running and more hills than before. I will probably do this race in 2009 but I hope that the second half of the course is better than in 2008.

This was my second marathon, and it was very challenging but a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the awesome aid stations (Gu, Gatorade and water were plentiful, and the help crew was phenomenal!). The spectators were great! I was disappointed that I received a large t-shirt, even though I signed up in January for a small. I got to the expo at 7 p.m., and my shirt size had been given away (I was offered a medium half marathon shirt, though). The post-race food was disappointing (bananas, rolls and bottled water - not very environmentally friendly - and some oatmeal that wasn't very good; we were given bags of uncooked pasta and had to pay if we wanted hot drinks). It took awhile for me to find the emergency blankets, the distributors of which must have missed my nearly naked self as I crossed the finish line. The half marathon walkers were finishing when the marathon was finishing, so I had to run in traffic while passing them for the last several miles. Mp3 players were not prohibited, which seemed like a bad idea. Massages were not free, which I felt would have been nice after such a difficult race. A great course, with easy fixes for the future. I'd do this one again in a few years.

I was pleasantly surprised by the overall experience. A very difficult course, however. I've run Big Sur a few times, and this seemed harder than that. A very well organized small marathon, and beautiful scenery.

I ran Big Sur last year, and incorrectly thought Whidbey would be easier - the never-ending hills made this a challenging course. I was also a little disappointed to not have Deception Pass Bridge within view during the run at all - if I had not visited it the day before I would have not even seen it. Lastly, I believe the second half reroute took us on a less scenic course. On the positive side, the race volunteers/spectators were wonderful; nice to see so many kids as volunteers. Also, Nature Path offered many terrific giveaways, including very tasty post-race hot oatmeal. The race and expo were not anything like the bigger marathons I have run, but for a small race in a place many people may not otherwise visit, it makes for a fun weekend. Coupeville is a colorful, interesting town with friendly residents and very good restaurants, and the hiking/views at Deception Pass are breathtaking.

The course profile on the web said it would be hilly. People in blogs said it would be hilly. I'm used to hilly, having run Anchorage Mayor's Marathon and San Fran... but wow... this course was hilly.... I loved the recycling aspect of the race. Great re-cycled glass medals, great shirts. Sparse but supportive crowds. The course was easy to get around so you ended up seeing (and recognizing) the same spectators five times at least. Lots of bald eagles tracking the runners too.

The changes made to the course this year are not good ones. Whidbey Island is a beautiful place, but the new course managed to avoid most of that in favor of Whidbey's finest auto wrecking yards, etc. (The Huey in the guy's front yard was kinda cool though.) Between the unpleasantness of the course and the hassle of maneuvering around the half marathon walkers, I'm not sure I would enter this one again. And would at least having separate chutes at the finish for the half and full marathoners been so difficult? Six walkers joined hands and strolled across the line directly ahead of me, causing me to have to stop suddenly to avoid running them down. There are a number of things that would improve this race. First, move the finish back to Coupeville, where it belongs. (Even better, move the race to the south end of the island, much better scenery, roads, etc.). Allow packet pickup the morning of the race and change the start time to 9 a.m. to make it easier for people to get there the morning of the race. Start the half marathoners at 7 a.m. so most of them are done before the runners start coming through.