I was really excited to run the 2018 Oakland Marathon - not least because it was going to be my first marathon. But also because I live in and love Oakland and I was excited to reach this achievement in the diverse neighborhoods of the Town.

The course that the other reviewers describe (from 2017 and prior) was a big loop with about 1000' of elevation change that crossed through Temescal, Piedmont Ave, Montclair, Fruitvale, Clinton and downtown Oakland, among others. But only weeks before the race, I was sent an email announcing "ORF COURSE CHANGES." I was dismayed to see that the beautiful course I had signed up for (and trained through for months) had been replaced by a double loop through the Port of Oakland. The email lauded the "new and improved course" as the "flattest, fastest course in the Bay Area."

Big whoop. I didn't sign up for a flat, fast marathon, and I certainly wasn't excited about running next to container trucks for nearly half the race. But the 2019 course will be changed yet again to (partially?) cross the eastern span of the Bay Bridge, which makes further remarks on the course unnecessary.

So what about the expo? It wasn't terrible but not particularly well organized - I stood in the half marathon pickup line for about 20 minutes before I heard the one volunteer standing at the front of the line directing marathon runners elsewhere. The shirt was thoroughly unimpressive - an oversized eggshell-colored long-sleeve tech shirt made of material too heavy to be good for running in the Bay Area climate. Bright spots included the aid stations and the finishers medal, which can be used as a bottle opener.

I think the course changes in 2018 are symptomatic of deeper problems with the new group managing the race (Corrigan Sports). 2019 promises to be "the first race to cross the Bay Bridge," but I wonder how many runners they're actually going to be able to get onto the relatively narrow footpath on the bridge - and I highly doubt they're going to get aid stations there. Oakland Running Festival bills itself as a homegrown race, but I see very little I recognize in the decisions made by their management.