Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Rachel P.
San Francisco, CA

  (05-21-2009)

"I would say this has to be one of the most beautiful courses in America. Not only is the landscape lush and green, but I spotted three bears and a moose during the race. Sometimes, mother nature can get in the way of a race time, but spotting such wildlife along the way as so worth it.

I had two issues with the course itself:

1. The massive hill during the last half mile of the race - I live in San Francisco and am used to training on hills. The hill at the end of this race was ridiculous, even by my standards.

2. Nine miles of rough gravel trail was too much for me - I am not a great trail runner and this terrain proved to be even more challenging for me. I found myself using a lot of energy to find the hard tire tracks within the rough gravel - that was easier for me than running on the gravel itself. I turned one of my ankles a couple of times, but was so happy I didn't injure myself. While the course was beautiful during this portion of the race, the gravel really sapped my energy.

I don't think I would run this race as a full marathon again, despite it being fun and well organized. I don't regret running it, however, and am happy I had the experience. I've been told that the half marathon course only had one mile of the gravel trail, which might be a better option for me."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008

Doc P.
Sacramento, CA

  (05-05-2009)

"I have ran this race six times, and twice saw a moose on the course. They are big animals! If it's not raining it is a course which is fair to the runner, not very hilly, and you see a lot of the Alaskan urban wilderness. If you need crowds, this is not the race for you. A lot of first times, mostly from the Leukemia Society, run this race. The worst logistical thing is the way it ends: on "Insult Hill." This hill make Heartbreak Hill in Boston look like a downgrade. It hits you at mile 25 1/2. The finish line is at West High School located on, you guessed it, Hilltop Drive. Had they just reversed the course it would be a much easier run. But it's a marathon after all, so who said it should be easy? I have ran 26 marathons, including Boston twice (which is my favorite marathon), and this is the best course an "average garden variety" marathoner is likely to find."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2006