The Carmel Marathon did not have the most ideal weather in 2019. Let's just say that there was a bit of rain. It poured right up until the race started, but luckily for us the weather cleared up a little as we began to run. It was still a wet and wild time! I ran most of the race with a pacer, and he was such a nice guy! He was super energetic and did a great job of distracting me from the fact that I was running 26.2 miles. The first half of the race went super well, but as we neared the half marathon finish, all the runners around me started disappearing. While I was running in a pack of around 20 at the beginning of the race, by the halfway point I was only with two runners (the pacer and one other guy). With the weather what it was, not many fans were out in support. This, along with the fact that there weren't many other runners around, led to me giving in to the bonk. I bonked super hard. While this course is super super flat and conducive to fast running, I run best with a bunch of fans and other runners around me. So this race wasn't my best, but I still really enjoyed it overall! Even though the weather was terrible, I was still able to enjoy the beauty of the course. Quite a few miles are run on the Monon Trail, which is a beautiful bike path surrounded by blossoming trees! I would definitely recommend this race if you're trying to qualify for Boston. Almost 25% of runners qualify in this race! Hopefully next year it'll be better weather for you!