I REALLY enjoyed this race and would definitely like to do it again!

Swag included a nice tech tee, a colorful drawstring back, a cool medal, and AMAZING free race photos!!

Aid stations were about every two miles. I don’t think they missed a single segment. And in between aid stations were TONS of local made “aid stations”. My stomach wasn’t feeling my fuel or plain water after mile 17ish, but it honestly wasn’t an issue with how many locals were handing out ice pops and watermelon slices!

Most of the course was really pretty! Downtown was full of cool, old brick architecture, you ran along a scenic highway at one point, a lot of the time you were right by the water and it was hard not to stop and take pictures, and then you ended on the bike path again along the water!

I ended up only making the very end of the expo so I don’t know the swag level, but the volunteers were insanely nice and helpful with info about the area and race!

I wouldn’t consider this a course with much elevation, but I wouldn’t consider it pancake flat either. Completely flat races bore me so I would say this is around the minimum elevation needed to keep me entertained. The second leg (the scenic highway part) I think was gradually downhill on the out, and gradually uphill on the back. And then there was one large hill around mile 15 (I think) but it was in town with TONS of people cheering to motivate you up it!

Parking was extremely easy. I had worried because the start was downtown and there wasn’t a specified parking structure. It’s metered parking, but free on Sunday. We got there at the end of the recommended parking time and were still able to easily find a spot only like 5 minutes from the start. We actually stayed at a campground that was on the bike path the course ran on (at the mile 25 marker) so that would be another easy way to access the race if you really didn’t want to drive. It was also easy to escape after the race (we had to leave quick due to other obligations). Access spectator-wise is AMAZING. The whole town is pretty much shut down for the race and the course goes through the center of town 3 times (not including start/finish) for easy access to the course and your runner.

Vermont City Marathon’s race management knows how to put on an EXCELLENT race! It was by far the biggest I’ve run, but also ran more smoothly than most. It’s great how they get seemingly the entire town involved in their race!

Overall I would really like to do this race again with the whole weekend to spend in Burlington. I have never actually run Boston, but living so close I have spectated and participated in marathon weekend many times, and I definitely got the Boston vibe where the whole city becomes about the marathon from Vermont City.

I have run the Rugged Maniac New England for years now, and always have an amazing time, this race proved to be a very similar experience. Rugged Maniac are my favorite OCR brand since they cater to the widest range in skills and abilities. They have obstacles for everyone and I have taken many OCR, running, and non-running friends alike to their races for everyone to always have a blast and want to return the next year!

They upgraded to nice tech t-shirts this year. You also get a medal and really nice free race photos as always!

Aid stations were at every mile and had plenty of water.

The scenery was just desert, but you don't really run OCR for the scenery anyway.

They had a stage with live interactive entertainment going on. They also had a good amount of food and drinks being sold. They had a mechanical bull, which I tried!

Elevation was pretty easy, but they did add some in so it wasn't just flat desert which was nice!

Parking was really easy since it was at a motocross venue. The only thing was it got a bit crazy leaving if you had a heat toward the end of the event.

The Rugged Maniac's race management is one of my absolute favorites. They put on amazing races and are always kind and helpful when you need. I was late for my heat (by my own fault) and the changed my time quickly with no questions ask, at no cost.

This was a really cool race that I would like to do again someday!

They give you a really nice technical tee, a little backpack, chap-stick, a finishers medal, and free race photos.

The aid stations start out every two miles on the mark, but increase to every single mile at some point after the half (thank goodness).

The course starts around a housing development in the middle of the desert and at about mile 5 spits you out onto the longest, straightest stretch of highway through the middle of the desert. I honestly felt like I was in a Road Runner and Coyote cartoon. It was really cool running down the seemingly infinite stretch of straight, flat highway, past tons of cacti and tumble weeds toward the mountains & plateaus in the distance.

Not only was the course incredibly straight, but it was also really, really flat. The course elevation map shows it's almost all slightly downhill, but I honestly don't remember any significant hills up or down.

Parking both at the start and finish were easy (this marathon does not finish where it starts). Also as soon as you got onto the longs stretch of highway your friends/cheer squad could safely pull over to the side to cheer for you pretty much at any point. (I had a bad day and my friends stopped for me at EVERY mile. It seemed like most of the other runners' cheer squads did about the same so there was people cheering you on a solid amount of the time.)

The race was run really well. They had the big flag markers at every mile, a clock at the half, and ample signage anywhere there was actually a turn to be made (not often, but still important so no one would be getting lost in the desert).

My only "problem" with this race was it was in Arizona so while it is December and doesn't actually get too hot temperature wise, the dry heat and sun beating down on you at all times made it seem so much hotter. I was so glad for the aid stations upping to every mile because I felt like the water was evaporating from my throat as I drank it. I don't usually drink much during races, but I stopped at every single of the last aid station, sometimes taking two waters. I would definitely still recommend this race and just say be prepared for the heat!

I really enjoyed this race and event!

For swag you get a really nice long sleeve tech shirt and an adorable Reebok scrunchie! You also get A TON of race photos, but you have to pay for them.

The aid stations were just hydration, but I think that is kind of to be expected for a shorter race. They were definitely frequent enough and filled with awesome volunteers!

The scenery was through the cool Boston architecture and along/over the water! It was really cool to see all these women literally take over the streets of Boston!

The expo was AWESOME! They had meditation, two yoga, and two cardio sessions to warm you up and then post-race yoga to cool you down. They also had plenty of brands selling goodies.

It felt like a really flat course to me.

I would recommend getting driven there. They were up front with us and said the parking garage for the commons would be closed and street parking in Boston can be rough. I still gave it a good rating though because I was able to easily have a Lyft drop me off and pick me up directly from the commons without issue so access was still really good.

I feel like the race management put on an excellent race! They were able to have the streets we ran on completely closed off so it was nice and safe to run through the city. They also had clocks at every mile. The start had marked off time groups so there was no guessing and it wasn't a free for all. The packet pick up the day before was extremely easy and well done.

I ran the Spartan Beast at Killington (the 12+ mile distance). It was INSANELY fun and challenging!!

As with all Spartans you get the tech tee, finisher's medal (this one says mountain series!), and awesome free race photos!

There was plenty of aid stations so I didn't bring my full out hydration pack. I had just a carry-able bottle since some stations were cup-less. I don't remember what stations had for food, but I would bring your own just to be safe.

The scenery on top of the mountain is so pretty!! Also a decent amount of the course is through pretty woods!

It is up a mountain so the elevation is pretty intense. Though I think the hardest parts were the start (gotta send you up the steepest hill to intimidate you!) and then of course the Death March, which was straight from the bottom to Killington peak right under the gondolas.

Parking was really easy, they used the ski resort lots. We got there later and had to be shuttled but it was a really quick ride.

Race management put on an EXCELLENT race as always!

Notes:
There is a swim section, but they make you were life jackets so you can literally just float.