After a somewhat disappointing introduction to the distance in my hometown, I wanted my second marathon to be something iconic - and what's more iconic than "running along the ragged edge of the western world?" I entered the last chance lottery on a whim and got selected!

BSIM absolutely delivered. Every second of the race felt iconic, from the 4am bus ride (I made a friend!) to the handful of celebrities running the race (I'm faster than NPR's Peter Sagal!) to the snarky mile markers, on-course live music, and of course the stunning views of the craggy Big Sur coast (and that bridge that Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern are always driving over). I can see how people, many of whom live nowhere near Big Sur, do this race year after year.

Tips:
-This of course is your prerogative, but if you're a middle-of-the-packer like me I'd recommend taking the race at a somewhat slower pace than marathon effort. You aren't going to set a PR here, so why not slow down and enjoy the views?
-There's no mimicking what running along Highway 1 feels like, so just try to get some rolling hills and a couple of sustained climbs in your training runs. Personally I didn't find the elevation to be too difficult - 2000' would be a lot for a half-marathon but it's actually not much for a marathon.
-I recommend booking a hotel right away if you get a spot, this is a huge race and hotels in the Monterey Peninsula can fill up. I was happy with our B&B in Pacific Grove but it was on the pricey side. Check the website and see where the buses pick up from before you book - you can't drive to the start line.
-The weather in 2019 was great, but April on the Central Coast can bring anything from heat waves to downpours - be prepared. You can always stash whatever you don't need in your drop bag. You might also want to bring some reading material on the bus with you - the ride is about an hour long and you'll be waiting there for another hour or so.