Mount Desert Island marathon

This is my 28th marathon. This is by far the most beautiful and most difficult course I've ever run. The 1st 18 or so miles are magnificent and VERY hilly. The last 8 miles, at times, felt almost dangerous because I was running on a busy road with traffic and no running lane. Other than that I give it a big thumbs up!

This race should be on the list of anyone who enjoys destination races. Very well organized, good community support, and great scenery. Probably not the race to do if you are chasing a BQ, but it is possible to run well there. Give it a shot!

I was looking forward to this marathon all year long after reading incredible reviews of how it is one of the most beautiful races on all of the east coast. It did not disappoint! The course itself runs from Bar Harbor, ME along the coast through Acadia National Park, finishing at Southwest Harbor..another coastal town on Mount Desert Island. I was blessed with incredible marathon running weather on race day (temps in the upper 30s / low 40s with clear skies) and the trees were at peak fall foliage. The view of the water, mountains, and trees was incredible. Regarding elevation, the course is not an easy one. With a total elevation gain of around 1700 ft., there are several large, drawn out inclines that you will need to run. However each incline is followed by a nice decline...and the last two miles of the course are mostly downhill too. Be sure to include some hills in your training plan. The race organization was top-notch. Constant updates were sent out via email and posted on the Run MDI website full of pre-race information along with a very detailed race packet PDF that was helpful not only to runners, but spectators as well. Packet pick up is a breeze in the town of Bar Harbor, which also features many things to do including shopping, boat / trolley tours, or visiting Acadia National Park. Course support was very nice as well. There were few points on the course were there were not any spectators. The highlight of the course support to me was a large fishing boat of some type blowing its horn to cheer on and encourage the runners. Due to proper training, amazing views, and great weather I was able to run my first-ever sub-4 hour marathon...so my experience was a fantastic one! One final tip...I would register for this race early and book lodging ASAP. Bar Harbor has many bed and breakfasts with a few other hotels, and they fill up quick due to the tourists visiting to see the autumn colors of Maine. We were fortunate to stay in a hotel that was only a 10 minute walk from the starting line, and made our booking 9-10 months in advance.