Really fun race and a PR! I felt really strong from the start of the race. If it hadn't been for the head winds part of the way I may have been able to go a little faster. From the start of the race to about mile 8 there are rolling hills and they all felt really smooth and the legs felt strong. At about mile 9 there is a huge 2 mile downhill where you can just let it go and really pick up the pace. I think my pace during this section was in the 7:40/mile range. Not super fast but effortless. The final couple of miles included mostly flat racing with a small hill about mile 12 which also seemed effortless. My wife and I pushed hard the last mile and finished together. Not a PR for her but a good run just the same. Before the race started I ate three shot blocks and a banana, during the race I used 4 vanilla power gels and drank only water. I am still experimenting with what to eat during races and this combination worked well. My only question is how do I carry 8 of these gels during the marathon? Maybe with better conditioning I won't need to consume as many extra carbs during the race....but I can really tell a difference in my legs when I do. The best part about this race was that I still felt strong at the end like I could have kept going for several miles. Very fun race, and scenic course, I think it will be an annual tradition! | 