Race: Snohomish River Run Marathon

Runner: Laura R

Race Date: 10/14/2018

Location: Snohomish/Everett, WA

Results: 3:45:18

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

• Flat Fast Course
• Small field, less than 200 people made logistics easy
• Pretty course and nice spot and less than an hour from home (I live in Seattle)

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

• Mile Markers were a little wonky. There were a few times where I did not see mile markers but not for longer than 2 miles. The mile 22 marker did not appear until just before the mile 23-mile marker.
• Some long lonely stretches on the side of the road.
• Not quite enough volunteers at the water stops so was sometimes hard to get a cup. The good thing is that there were not a ton of people going through the water stops and I would rather have more water stops with fewer volunteers.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

Seeing the 22-Mile marker literally feet before the 23-Mile Marker. That was weird.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

This was one of those rare perfect days. I had trained hard, kept a fairly steady pace, did not go out too fast. I liked that it was flat.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

• There were not a lot of volunteers at the water stops so if there was a clump of runners it sometimes took a minute to get water because there were only one or two volunteers handing out water. You might be better carrying your own if waiting is an issue for you.
• They had pacers, and though I am aware of them, I run my own race. The pacer for the 3:50 time was clearly very experienced but he did mention that he was not required to provide proof of his pacing abilities as some other races do. Just something to note and another reason to be strict about following your own plan in a marathon.
• Familiarize yourself with the course. There is a left turn you need to hit at the 9 mile mark. Some of the Half Marathon participants missed a turn because there were not enough course monitors to tell them where to go and some people ended up running an extra 3+ miles.

Lessons you learned that will help you next time around

I will be prepared that the mile markers might be a bit wonky and I am glad to know the course because it can be a little confusing.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

• The marathon course is basically 2 out and backs (4 miles out and back and then 9 miles out and back) which turns out to be a nice way to break things up.
• The running surface is paved road and trail.
• There are no hills to speak of except a very small one just after you turn the corner to head to the finish. It caught my legs a little by surprise after the flat course for the previous 25 miles but nothing to be concerned about.
• The 10k and Half-Marathon runners are out on the same course so be aware and make sure you stay on course.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Snohomish is a pretty little town. For the most part, the scenery was beautiful; you run through the cute town of Snohomish, in and out of a park and are surrounded by fields and farms with mountains in the distance there is a fair amount of time spent on the road which seems as if it will go on forever (but I guess this it is a marathon 😉

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

The course is very forgiving, flat and fast.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Not flying by the seat of their pants but not well oiled either. The marathon runners have to be aware of the course as well as there is a left to take after the out and back that you cannot miss or you will be disqualified. They could use more volunteers on the course (see comment about the half-marathon runners getting messed up) and at the water stops.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

It is a very small race, the winner had a 2:54. If you are wicked fast and would like a trucker hat that says, WINNER, I say give it a go!

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Logistics were great. Easy drive from Seattle. You can pick up your packet in Everett starting on Friday or you can wait until race morning. Parking near the course was very easy and at this point the race is small so you and register up until the week before.

Aid Stations – Standard fare or anything special to know about the aid stations in terms of what’s available or when?

Aid Stations are placed fairly well throughout the course about every 1/5-2 miles. They had nuun and water at every stop and I think they had Gu as well.

Weather and typical race conditions

This is year two of the marathon and the weather was absolutely perfect! It was a gorgeous day that was quite brisk at the start, around 37 degrees and a little foggy but then cleared up to a perfect 55 or so with sunshine and blue sky. It is the Pacific Northwest so we may have been extremely lucky.

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Throw away gloves and arm warmers served me well!

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

There are a few spots but mostly a lot of long stretches where it would be hard for friends to get to. Spectators can watch at Mile 9 and also enjoy the cute town while you run.

How’s the Swag?

• Medal and a short sleeve T-shirt. The design is nice.
• Age group winners received a trucker hat with WINNER on the front- -very cool! I finished 2nd in my age group and apparently there was a prize but I wasn’t aware.
• Post-event tent had apples, cherry juice, soup, rolls and of course water.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

When you have a “post-kids” PR, It is hard to give a race anything less than a 10. 🙂 If you like small locally run races on a flat fast course then this is the race for you! Overall a great race!

Race: Snohomish River Run Marathon

Runner: Rohit

Date: 10/15/2017

Location: Snohomish, WA

Results: 4:39:19, PR!

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most –

• I vastly prefer small races like this one: 175 marathoners and 1500 runners across 3 distances with staggered starts, so it was not crowded. (Though this can get lonely.) Parking was not too much of a hassle.
• Course was well laid out: While the out and back is less exciting than a loop or point-to-point; I think they did well what they had. It was completely flat; I was expecting a couple of small hills, but I barely even noticed them. Definitely good for a PR.
• Aid stations: For the marathon, there was an aid station every 2 miles or so, which was great. They had Nuun, water and some had gel shots. There were plenty of bathrooms along the course as well, which was a big help.

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

These are nitpicks, but:

• The aid stations could have been a bit better if they had clearly noted where the Nuun was and where the water was. I had to ask each time, which probably cost me 1 second per stop.
• The 5 hour cut-off had me worried for a while. Looking at the results, there were some finishing times well past 6 hours, so it seems like they didn’t enforce the cut-off time (?), which was confusing. So also, there was a 1:45 cut-off for 9.25 miles, though the website made it seem like it was for 10 miles, which had me worried and I ran faster than I should have for the first 7-8 miles.
• There were no instructions for spectators and support.

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race

The 15 mile timing belt didn’t work properly, so my spectator didn’t get an update from that milestone.

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular

I was happy that I ran at a pretty consistent pace through about 23 miles, and then slowed down only slightly. I didn’t hit much of a wall, and managed to pick off a number of people who significantly slowed down in the last 10 miles or so.

Lessons Learned – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

Can’t really think of any “gotchas”. It was a great race and went smoothly. There’s no solid food at the aid stations (eg: bagels or Clif bars), so you should carry those with you if you need them.

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The course is two outs and backs; from the start-finish area, you do about 4.75 to the NNE and back, and then 8.5 to the NW and back. For much of both of these sections, it’s pretty difficult for a spectator or support person to access the trail or road, either due to lack of roads close-by, or due to roads that are closed.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

It was well run. The surplus of aid stations, sufficient portable toilets, small number of runners, easy parking all made the race a pleasant experience.

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Can’t think of anything.

Weather and typical race conditions

Given that this is mid-October in Seattle, I’d say it’s about 50-50 between a cool and dry race like it was this time around (perfect, in other words), and rain. So check the weather a few times before the race.

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends and family?

So-so. There were relatively few points on the surrounding roads that had easy access to the course. But where there was access; it was easy to find parking and make the short walks to the course.

How’s the swag?

Very large, heavy medal. I appreciate that they gave people virtual swag; because the race bag is usually rubbish that sits around on the counter for a few weeks until I throw it out. I’d prefer a tech t-shirt to the cotton ones; so that was slightly disappointing.

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it

No complaints; 5 stars.

Race: Snohomish River Run Marathon

Runner: Matt Urbanski

Date: 10/15/17

Location: Snohomish, WA

Results: 2:32:05, 1st place and PR!

3 Bests – what aspects of the race did you like the most

• It is a flat and fast course. I set a new PR and was able to stay in a steady rhythm the entire run.
• The weather was absolutely beautiful and perfect for racing – 40s at the start, creeping into the 50s by the time I finished. It was a clear, crisp autumn day. Awesome!
• I loved the small town feel. There was a good deal of out and back so there was lots of cheering from other racers which added to the race camaraderie. Plus, I was wearing Space Cat Taco so I was getting some extra love from my fellow runners out there!

Not so much – aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

Twice at turns I briefly went the wrong way. Not a huge deal b/c the volunteers yelled quickly and got me on the correct path, but the jolting stop/turn/accelerate is not something that feels good 16 miles into a race. I know I could be paying attention better so it’s mainly on me, and the fact that this is the only downside I can think of for the entire race is super positive.

Weird factor – what’s the weirdest thing about this race

This isn’t about the race but about my nutrition. I went by feel and literally only drank one swig of water the entire race, and I took in no calories. I wasn’t thirsty and I wasn’t feeling low energy or hungry. It was awesome and totally a first for me. I didn’t plan well and didn’t have my marathon-favorite PowerGels for the race. I wasn’t excited to choke down any of the Gu that I was carrying so that likely contributed to my not eating anything, but I simply didn’t feel the need the entire race. Shows how perfect the weather was that I wasn’t thirsty either!

Highlights of your race – what did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular

I set a new PR by almost two minutes! I also stayed steady the entire run with minimal slowdown overall. I may have even netted a small negative split! I felt in control of my run throughout, was not stressing or pushing through 16, and only around 18 did I start to feel the accumulated fatigue building up. That aspect of my run didn’t start getting really real until after mile 21 and even though I could feel my body wearing down, it stayed strong all the way home. Really encouraging.

Lessons Learned – share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

• Eat and drink to thirst and hunger. I am glad I went with this and didn’t bother messing with any gels or the water stops along the way. Cool part of my race for sure. Caveat: I’ve been practicing with racing and fueling for a long time and feel like I have a good sense for the “feelings” my body is telling me. I recommend practicing this and learning about yourself before totally going on feel.
• Small town races are really fun. I have been doing the major marathons the past couple years and really enjoying them. I thoroughly enjoyed being in a smaller group, running country roads, and having minimal logistical things to deal with for the race. I showed up 75 minutes before the start, got checked in, warmed up again in my car, before doing a 10 minute warm up prior to starting. Plus, it was my first win in a long time so I’m likely a tad biased. 🙂
• There are a couple gravel spots in the middle of the run near the turn around on the second out and back. The RD said these were supposed to be paved this year but were not. I’m guessing it’ll be good to go and all paved by next year!
• Keep smiling and keep having fun. I said “thank you” so many times b/c I was getting so much love out there. Along these lines, wearing something ridiculous (Space Cat Taco) has it’s advantages b/c I was getting so many happy comments about my shirt!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

• Be ready for sharing the road with other runners. This is particularly important if you’re running faster, but after about 10 miles, I was quickly in the mix with 10k and half marathon runners. The lead bike guy was awesome about trying to get people to make some room for me to get by but it was still some dodging and weaving, and this went on for much of the final 16 miles.
• And marathoners, be ready for that turn that I botched during mile 16. There is some gravel leading to the turn and the HMs do a hard right to get on the bike path while the marathoners go with the soft left.
• The hills are minor but there are some gentle rollers in the first half. I think the first hill up from the start might be the biggest but it’s literally in the first half mile and is therefore not very noticeable.

Organized and well run – did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

This was the inaugural year and it went really smoothly. I signed up 10 days before the race, getting to the start and to Snohomish were easy, and everything about the race went smoothly. Well done!

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Super simple. I think I paid $90 to register less than two weeks before the race.

Weather and typical race conditions

One of the highlights of this race. Beautiful fall day, cool temps, minimal wind, sunny skies, and just absolute awesomeness for racing. It could get ugly out there on the country road though if it were windy – like you could seriously get blasted if it was blustering!

Spectators – is this a friendly course for your friends and family?

I think there were plenty of spots you could get to in the first 10 miles, but after that, it would likely be more challenging given that they have the road closed. I think it could be done to get at some of the intersections, but it didn’t feel like there were tons of spectators out there. But with all the other racers, there was plenty of cheering.

How’s the swag?

I didn’t get a shirt b/c I signed up late (I could have paid more and gotten a shirt). The medal looks nice. I got a hat for winning. Decent, but for the price, not something I was concerned about.

The Overall Score – how many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it

Solid 5 of 5 for a small town race in it’s inaugural year. If the weather were crappy, it could have been knocked down a notch, but seriously, it was absolutely gorgeous out there! Fun day and one I will remember!