The difficulty of this race is very much dependent on how the weather is during the race as well as for the days and weeks leading up to it. In past years the course has been altered to accommodate flooding, wind, or too dry conditions. Additionally, wind and heat can be a problem. For the 2013 running however, the weather was absolutely perfect and so the course was run exactly as presented on the race website.

I train on the Chicago lakefront mostly and so am not doing very many hill workouts, and although the hills of Catalina were extremely tough, they weren't impossible for a flat-lander to run and feel decently in control. The highlights of this race were the scenery, the comradery (EVERY runner had a great and friendly attitude!), the course markings (I get lost at races ALL THE TIME and had ZERO problems here), and the aid stations. There were rangers along the course to monitor safety and also I presume to protect the landscape and wildlife, at any rate, they were extremely friendly and supportive. The aid station has anything and everything you could think of (they seriously looked like runner's buffets!) and the volunteers were ready to help with anything, one even helped me re-tie my shoe!

More specifically, the first 2.5 miles are straight uphill, similar to a mountain road race (which I suppose this is), everyone seems to band together and chat and take it steady, which helps a lot! The course is then constant climbs and descents, with varying terrain from single track to a mile plus on an access road. Around mile 22 you run the first 4 miles of the course in reverse, it's a big boost to your spirits when you recognize the scenery there. The final two miles are a mile of downhill switchbacks and then you are hurled out onto the Catalina roads still tearing downhill for a mile to the finish. A great chance to make mile 26 your fastest mile!

This race is small so there is no expo but the race-specific gear available for sale is high quality, the race swag is a cotton t-shirt, which frankly is a welcome item now with all the low quality "tech" shirts at most races these days. The finishers medasl and age-group/overall awards are wonderful!

If you run this race I HIGHLY RECCOMMEND attending the pre-race talk the night before. There were only about 20 folks there and even though the course descriptions and tips don't seem to make a lot of sense during the talk, they actually came in really handy during the race! For example, what to do if you encounter buffalo (specifically a baby and a mama!), where you can go to the bathroom, and where the terrain and your footing might get tricky.

The one and only challenge with this race (management wise) is if you have any bathroom emergencies! There are bathrooms along the course but they aren't really obvious (see comment about attending the pre-race talk!) At the start line there ARE NO BATHROOMS! There are two bathrooms at a kids park just under a quarter mile form the start, just pray they are unlocked. This IS NOT a race where you can pop off course and go to the bathroom, as you will harm the wildlife.

As with any destination race, the costs can add up, here you need to factor in the ferry and likely a hotel (there is one boat race morning, but the runners who came in on that seemed a little stressed). However, I spent far less than I do for the Boston marathon each year, and it was 100% worth it!

In the end don't forget to jump into the ocean after you cross the finish line! Traditional, instant ice-bath!