The expo was great, the buzz was palpable in person.
The process of boarding and being shuttled to the start was incredibly well organized and very smooth. Upon being dropped off at the Big Sur Lodge there was hot coffee, which at 3:30am is a godsend because it was cold!!! The organizers did a good job of prepping us that we should wear layers, but even so, a recommendation would be space heaters because I lost a lot of energy and had tight muscle from shivering for 2 hours before the start.
All of that shivering turned to excitement as we lined up in our corrals as the sun was rising. It was neat to overhear the legacy runners chat about the course and their experience, I soaked it all up! Around 6:45am my corral started on a steady downhill for the first couple miles through beautiful redwoods. The course then opened to the first sight of the Pacific Ocean as we began a steady climb, some perplexed cows were, what I’d like to think, cheering us on.
I had read so many reviews from past runners, which helped me pace myself on this new course. I kept gas in the tank as I knew the infamous Hurricane Point climb was approaching from miles 10-12. This hill is no joke, however I kept the mindset of one foot in front of the other to keep pushing through and refrain from walking. The views of the Pacific Ocean were absolutely stunning, this also helped keep my mind off of the climb. The drummers were a huge help to push through the last bit!
After Hurricane Point we began a decline towards Bixby Bridge, however the slant in the road along Hwy 1 definitely made it more challenging to take advantage of the downhills. My ankles were definitely starting to feel the strain, but again, it was mind over matter. Mile 15 is when I really started to feel the lack of training hit, however the scenery and knowing I was fortunate to be able to run this marathon helped me push through.
The rest of the course was a combination of flat and rolling hills with beautiful scenery throughout. The aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were all incredibly friendly. I loved the touch of having locally grown strawberries at the last aid station, I definitely took advantage of the sugar boost to push through. Thankfully I had been forewarned about the hill at mile 25, so I was prepared to make a final climb before the finish. Coming down the last half mile took every ounce of energy in my body, but when I crossed that finish line I felt like part of a special group of runners. My finish time was 4:45:12, which while not “fast” to many, was fast for me. The hand painted medal now rests on my desk as a reminder to be brave and never say no to opportunities.
I’ve never had luck at running lotteries and felt for everyone that wanted to run but were not selected. My finish was as much for me as it was for them! I am not over exaggerating when I say every single person I talked to, or read comments from, said the exact same thing- Big Sur was the most challenging and beautiful marathon they’ve ran. The word “brutiful” was used many times, which sums it up perfectly!
Overall I feel incredibly blessed to have been granted the opportunity to run the iconic Big Sur Marathon. It actually ignited my excitement to push myself and find another marathon to run. I mean, if I can come within 72 seconds of my marathon PR on this super challenging course with minimal training, why not do another? I’d highly recommend the Big Sur Marathon to any runner looking to challenge themselves and enjoy unparalleled beauty. Definitely add this race to your bucket list!

I attended the expo on Saturday, prepped to pick up my packet and snack on some chocolate (see a theme here?). While the expo was a bit smaller than previous years (so I heard from other runners there), it definitely still had a buzz about it with super friendly volunteers and eager runners. A definite unique perk was the booth in the middle where volunteers were handing out chocolate fondue with a marshmallow and Oreo dipper, along with some super delicious hot chocolate. They even had little squares of chocolate and the volunteers were urging runners to take as many of the goodies as we wanted (I may have had a second helping of the goodies- shhhh!).
Fast forward to race morning, it was an absolutely picture perfect day for a race- beautiful sun and cooler temps (for Phoenix), They had corral starts based on your expected finish time, which I really appreciated because while I totally understand people wanting to walk the race, it is frustrating when they position themselves at the front only to walk, forcing runners to weave around them. There was great crowd and volunteer support along the course, their cheers and encouragement definitely helped!
Now, let's talk about what we've all been waiting for, the finisher food and medal! After crossing the finish line, I was bestowed an awesome medal that makes me crave a warm cup of hot chocolate every time I look at it- it's that vivid! I then ventured over to the tent to grab my yummy finisher food, which consisted of that amazing hot chocolate from the expo, a banana, and hot chocolate fondue with marshmallow, Oreo, pretzel, and Rice Krispies dippers. My appetite takes awhile to kick in after a race, so I drank my hot chocolate and saved the rest for a snack later. After warming up my chocolate, I dove right in with my variety of dippers. I'd like to vote for this at EVERY finish line, please!!! Oh, and I can't forget the finisher jacket! I am always a bit leery about fit, however the XS fits perfectly and is super nice quality. I will for sure be rockin' it around Vegas this winter as it's lighter-weight, but warm, which is perfect for the desert winter.
I can definitely say that I will be back for the Hot Chocolate 15k Phoenix in 2022 and I may even add another destination in beforehand! I highly recommend trying this race if it has a stop anywhere near you, which is a good possibility as they have races all over the country.

I arrived in Santa Rosa on Friday to give myself plenty of time to get settled in and explore the area. After checking into my hotel I went to packet pick-up which was quick and well organized. What swag did I receive for running the 5k and half marathon, you ask? Get ready, because it's pretty awesome! For the 5k I received a 1/4 zip pullover in a beautiful burgundy color, an insulated tumbler (for my wine of course!), and a beautiful medal. On top of that awesome swag I also received a performance running jacket, bottle of wine, and another beautiful medal for the half marathon. I made the mistake of taking a small carry-on only, it was a tight squeeze getting all of that swag home!

Saturday morning was a little toasty with temps in the 70's and there was a slight haze in the air from the surrounding wildfires, although thankfully I don't think that impacted me too much. Upon arriving at the start line in downtown Santa Rosa, the excitement of the other runners was palpable. For many, this was their first in person race in nearly a year and a half! Everyone was smiling as they were stretching and warming up for the 5k. The 10k race started two hours prior and it was fun to cheer on some of the finishers as we were waiting to start our race. The 5k started promptly at 9am and curved through downtown for about a quarter mile before jumping on the Santa Rosa Creek Trail. It was a quick out and back and there was amazing support both from the volunteers and spectators cheering us on. After finishing the 5k, there was an after-party with a DJ playing some fun, upbeat music and every runner over 21 received a complimentary drink from Hen House Brewing.

Sunday morning had a nice crisp, chill in the air which is perfect running weather in my opinion. The race was held in the same location in downtown Santa Rosa and the same excitement was in the air. The course ran a bit further through downtown before merging onto the Santa Rosa Creek Trail again. The first part of the course was partially shaded, which provided a much needed reprieve from the sun. It was beautiful running along the trial and the Prince Memorial Greenway, especially around the halfway point as the scenery changed to vineyards and cows grazing in pastures (I love cows!). At the halfway point we crossed over a bridge and made our way back towards downtown. It was definitely starting to heat up at that point and the sun was breaking through a bit more. It was apparent that the race organizers are well versed in taking care of their runners as they had kiddy pools with cold water and washcloths setup at some of the aid stations to handout. That was such a lifesaver for me as I've been extra sensitive to heat this year, so being able to have a cold washcloth to place on my forehead, neck, and wrists for a few minutes helped immensely! Again, not only were the volunteers absolutely amazing, the spectator support along the course and at the finish line was much appreciated! While I wasn't able to break 2 hours on this race, I finished with 2:05:46 which I was happy with. This is a Boston Marathon qualifying race and I definitely think it's a great race for those chasing Boston as it is a relatively flat, fast course. There was another after-party held and I had an opportunity to meet a few other runners. I also received a bonus bottle of wine, which was a plus!

Overall I had a great time exploring the Santa Rosa area, including Bodega Bay on the coast, and running both races. For anyone looking for a flat, fast course in California I highly recommend this race!