This is my third time running CIM – I just love this course. It's great for a PR. You've got a good chance of perfect running weather (40s) which seems rare for marathons these days. The first half is all rolling hills, and the second half is almost completely flat. I find this terrain works great for me because I use different muscles in the first half so my legs don't get too tired. The crowd support is good for a race that isn't a major. There are people throughout the course and a lot in the last couple of miles. The race is well organized; there are lots of bathrooms at the start, and the corrals are easy to fit into. I like the size since it's not so crowded that you're zig-zagging through people, but it's big enough to feel super high energy. This time I really just had a perfect day and was able to push in the last 10k.

Great marathon whether you're doing your first or trying to qualify for Boston, pretty flat with a few minor rolling hills.