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Marathon Details - San Luis Obispo Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > CA > San Luis Obispo > San Luis Obispo Marathon

San Luis Obispo Marathon

San Luis Obispo Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

San Luis Obispo, CA USA

April 29, 2018

http://www.slomarathon.com

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2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

The San Luis Obispo Marathon + Half takes participants through the relatively flat downtown area and then out into the hills and vineyards. It's a beautiful and challanging course.

Contact Information

Name:
Address:	SLO Marathon 205 Suburban Rd. #6 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
Phone Number:	805-544-2905
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

Beauty Has It's Challenges (6/16/13)

Heather Hellman

The San Luis Obispo Marathon + Half is one of the most beautiful and scenic courses in the nation - a run through the turn-of-the-century downtown, out into the vineyards and Morro vistas. The beauty is in the hills, which makes it a challenge, something to be conquered and an accomplishment to relish. You'll enjoy our Small Town, BIG Race vibe.

We support you all the way with plenty of water, sports drink, Clif Shots, volunteers and first aid if you need it. We'll have local fresh foods and drink at the finisher's party, as well as local music, craft beers and wine.

Runner Reviews (12)

Course 4.1

Organization 4.4

Spectators 3.4

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Number of comments: 12 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (6/13/2017) "Slow Down in SLO Town" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:45. The SLO Marathon was my forty-third 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a perfect day for a marathon, at least at the start. Befitting to the town's acronym, our race started 25 minutes late; this included being obliged to listen to the mayor's five-minute prattle. Unfortunately, the delay forced us to run in warmer weather than we should have. Temperature at the start line was 51 degrees, 74 percent relative humidity, calm and clear. But by mile 3, we were beginning to feel the effects of the heat. Be forewarned, with 1211 feet of net elevation gain and decline, this course is far from pancake flat. It starts innocently enough for the first three miles, going roughly counterclockwise around Cerro San Luis, starting on Madonna Road, followed by Los Osos Valley Road and then Foothill Boulevard. Some mild inclines on miles 4 and 5 as we turned toward downtown on Chorro Street, passing by Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa at mile 6. Moments later we were heading down (literally and figuratively) the main drag, Higuera Street, concluding just past mile 7. Unusual for this part of town, but for the mission bells ringing, it was absent any noise or activity. Reversing course on Marsh Street and later on Monterey Street, we were heading up (again, literally) toward the neighborhood adjacent to California Polytechnic State University. Turning from Grand Avenue onto Fredericks Street, we took note of the very steep but short incline at mile 9 and then went down a just as steep downhill on the back side. We passed by the outskirts of the venerable institution, deservedly well regarded for its agriculture, architecture, and engineering programs, at mile 10 before eventually returning on Monterey Street. We turned onto Johnson Street, heading south out of town. As we parted ways with the half marathoners, we began our encounter with eleven-plus miles of rolling hills. Just past the halfway point, we turned onto the rural, two lane, Orcutt Road, where we began a cumulative ten mile out-and-back into the Edna Valley wine growing region. We began to feel effects of the heat and northwest wind on the return part. Things began to flatten out at mile 23 as we turned north onto a bicycle trail that paralleled the railroad. Just past the station, novel among marathons, we crossed over the railroad tracks on the Jennifer Street bicycle and pedestrian bridge past mile 24. We headed back to the starting area, mostly on Islay Avenue and finished the race on a bicycle trail at the Madonna Inn, about a half mile away from the start line. Finish line temperature was 78 degrees, 34 percent relative humidity, northwest winds at 16 mph with clear skies. ORGANIZATION: Helpful and friendly staff. Expo was held in a grassy area in the Madonna Inn complex. (Pity those who have hay fever!) Superb and supportive on-course support and traffic control, especially by SLO's finest, who were anything but aloof during the race. SPECTATORS: Typical in number for a marathon of this size, enthusiastic in support, especially for those wearing Cal Poly attire. CONCLUSION: San Luis Obispo and the California Central Coast is an attractive getaway location for those living in the greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas. The marathon makes a good excuse for an out-of-town weekend, but be sure to train thoroughly for this challenging course. POSTSCRIPT: Race-walkers are few and far between in events such as these, and rarer still is to find one of similar ability. Thank you, half marathoner Julie, for sharing the course. It was a pleasure to keep pace for you between miles 1 and 9.
P. B. from Central California (5/2/2016) "A young race still working out the kinks." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 There is much to like about this race. First of all, the course is just beautiful. Yes, it is hilly, but not horribly so. Instead, the defining aspect of the course is the color green: fields, vineyards, and mountains. Run almost entirely on blacktop farm roads, the course was extremely well-marked and supported. There were MANY volunteers, covering even the secluded areas just in case a runner had trouble. Kudos to the organizers there. Another thing I took advantage of was the free city bus to the start line (distinct from the shuttle from the finish line/expo). That was quick and painless, and I hope they keep doing that: maybe it was a new thing, since there were only a few people on my bus. There were spectators at only a few spots on the course. My wife & kids were able to easily drive around to see me a few times. The finish area needs some work. For instance, the food at the end was almost nonexistent. There was a table full of paper bags in various stages of being filled; many in fact were practically empty. I had to sort through them and eventually found one with more than one thing in it. Furthermore, for all the volunteers, there should have been one handing out water as finishers walked into the food area, instead of standing at a table. Granted, I was pretty tired after finishing, but it took me 10 minutes of wandering around before I even found the food or the water. Those should be handed to me right after the medal. That was really my biggest eyebrow-raiser for the whole thing. Overall, a nice race that I would do again.
W. H. from California (5/2/2016) "The best course you'll ever hate" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 San Luis Obispo Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The race's motto ('Small Town, Big Race,') is half right. This is a small race that acts like a big race in all the right ways. The details are so well-done that I'm sure it could triple in size comfortably, and probably will over the next few years. More details follow below, but the summary is that racers looking for an experience rather than a PR need to put this race on their calendar. The Expo: Expos are a tough one to nail, it seems. LA's expo seemed big and empty. Big Sur's had no organization. Some of them just happen in a local running shop. The SLO expo happens in a grass field in the shadow of a local hiking hill, Cerro San Luis. That's right, even the expo is picturesque. The tents there are great, with local barbecue and stuff for kids to do. The expo, like everything in SLO, is designed around those who walk or bike in: they get the most direct line through the proceedings, where car drivers need to make their way around. The Start: The start and finish are only about two miles apart (and the finish line is same field as the expo). Your ideal way to get there would just be to park somewhere in the residences around the area and walk or bike in. A bike is a necessary accessory in SLO, as nothing is out of cycling distance. Don't waste time with the shuttle. The start is well-apportioned and organized, but if this race had a weak point, this would be it. The Course: This is the part to love/hate. The course begins right down the center of Downtown in SLO, and after looping around makes its way out toward wine country. By the six mile mark you're in rolling hills and vineyards overlooked by the mottled oak-and-grass hills the ring the Edna Valley, and that gorgeous scenery doesn't let up until mile 22 when you head back into town for a fast downhill through the historic residential district to the Madonna Inn where the finish line is. That sixteen-odd mile middle section has very little flat space on it, and you hit the highest point on the course at both the beginning and end of it. You're always climbing or descending, and you'll need to plan your energy appropriately. Many otherwise strong runners fade in those last few hills. The Crowd/Volunteers This is a small town with a small crowd. The only real crowd presence is at the finish line, but with all the visual beauty to take in, that's not a bad thing. The best part is the presence of the Grizzly Youth Academy, a school for at-risk youth. They're involved in every step of the process: not only do they work the aid stations and road closures, but they're the loudest boosters on the course. The Swag: North Face t-shirt and a working cowbell medal. Enough said.
C. B. from Southern California (5/5/2015) "Brutally hilly; beautiful and well organized" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 In 14 marathons this is the most brutally hilly course I've run. Endless rolling hills, many of which are also much steeper than what I call typical 'rolling,' and I train on hills. My garmin noted almost 1600 feet of total elevation gain on this course. Also, be advised that with typical local winds, most of the second half of this course is usually run with head winds. This year, those head winds were stiff, and coupled with the hills, made for a very very tough course. I would go so far as to call it demoralizing, truth be told. It is beautiful and very well organized, but I would not run this one again if aiming for a particular time, as in my opinion it's NOT a good BQ course.
E. H. from Crestline California (5/27/2014) "Very Hilly, Waste of Shuttle $" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 First, I agree with J.H. from Los Angeles and his comparison to Red Rock Canyon Nevada's course. But I will take it a step furtherof the 173 marathons I have done this is the hilliest ROAD marathon (15-20 of mine were trails). Rolling hills throughout-with flat over the last 6 EXCEPT a bridge incline at 23 and a final hill at 25.7. Very picturesque pasture lands, quite green. A $10 charge for a 2 and a 1/2 mile shuttle ride, and the bus driver didn't even care if we bought the wrist band or not. IE should have not bought a pass. Jamba juice and not much else at the finish. 'SLO' ? Who (locals notwithstanding) recognize 'SLO' as the acronym for San Louis Obispo? Improve the shirt design!! Tech and long sleeve but beyond generic.
N. R. from NoCal (5/2/2014) "10th Marathon, A new PR!" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Yes, I trained for the hills. Yes, it was a hilly race. But, the hills were not overwhelming; they made for an interesting course. I broke my 5-year PR and placed 2nd in my age group. Perfectly organized. Plenty of aid: before, during, and after. Fabulous finish...all downhill. Best for those who don't need a ton of crowd support, want a smaller sized race, and don't mind a few hills.
H. A. from Denver CO (4/14/2013) "beautiful hilly california wine country" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very Hilly. Great weather with 50's at start. Lots of aide stations that were well manned even for back of the packers. Couldn't believe that last hill right before the finish line. Pretty good expo for smallish marathon. First part runs through cute downtown SLO and the majority of the course runs through vineyard. All the support people were great and encouraging but very few spectators. Recommend cake at madonna inn which hosts the expo and finish line. Loved wine tasting sun/mon after the race. Would recommend fruit next year. It is central coast cali and there is tons of local fresh produce. Oh check out farmers market for picnic stuff before hand. Could not believe there were fresh oranges and strawberries in early april.
J. H. from Los Angeles, ca (4/7/2013) "Super hilly, great volunteers and water stations" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I knew it would be hilly, but not that hilly. First 13.1 was almost non-stop rolling hills. It is one of the toughest course I ran out of my 50 full marathons, just behind Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam. Don't expect a PR unless u train on long hills. The shutter pickup was good, and water stations were plenty and volunteers were so amazing and sweet. But the post race food was just Jamba Juice, no bottle of water, no fruit and nothing else. The race starts at the SLO high school, everything there was good except the stupid DJ kept talking on top of the music and just talked and talked and talked. Overall it is a good race. But prepare to running techniques on hills.
L. R. from Oakland, CA (6/16/2012) "Wonderful Marathon!!!" (about: 2012) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I still can't believe this was an inaugural race - I couldn't have asked for better organization. Fabulously course support and a beautiful race. Not a lot of crowds out there but you're running for the views and the experience, not the people.
J. T. from Melbourne, Australia (5/4/2012) "Thank you, weather gods" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 It was very warm in the days preceding the marathon and I was worried about a struggle on race day, even with the early start we would still be running in hotter weather than is comfortable. But race day dawned foggy and cool, and it remained like this until about half an hour after I finished my post-race shower. Perfect. As a result I didn't mind the hills at all. I didn't mind the lack of spectators. The scenery was good, what we could see of it, and that meant vineyards and green countryside. Only complaints are the rather unattractive free shirt and some sort of problem with getting accurate results out promptly. Every day I checked my finish time had changed.

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Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (6/13/2017) "Slow Down in SLO Town" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:45. The SLO Marathon was my forty-third 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a perfect day for a marathon, at least at the start. Befitting to the town's acronym, our race started 25 minutes late; this included being obliged to listen to the mayor's five-minute prattle. Unfortunately, the delay forced us to run in warmer weather than we should have. Temperature at the start line was 51 degrees, 74 percent relative humidity, calm and clear. But by mile 3, we were beginning to feel the effects of the heat. Be forewarned, with 1211 feet of net elevation gain and decline, this course is far from pancake flat. It starts innocently enough for the first three miles, going roughly counterclockwise around Cerro San Luis, starting on Madonna Road, followed by Los Osos Valley Road and then Foothill Boulevard. Some mild inclines on miles 4 and 5 as we turned toward downtown on Chorro Street, passing by Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa at mile 6. Moments later we were heading down (literally and figuratively) the main drag, Higuera Street, concluding just past mile 7. Unusual for this part of town, but for the mission bells ringing, it was absent any noise or activity. Reversing course on Marsh Street and later on Monterey Street, we were heading up (again, literally) toward the neighborhood adjacent to California Polytechnic State University. Turning from Grand Avenue onto Fredericks Street, we took note of the very steep but short incline at mile 9 and then went down a just as steep downhill on the back side. We passed by the outskirts of the venerable institution, deservedly well regarded for its agriculture, architecture, and engineering programs, at mile 10 before eventually returning on Monterey Street. We turned onto Johnson Street, heading south out of town. As we parted ways with the half marathoners, we began our encounter with eleven-plus miles of rolling hills. Just past the halfway point, we turned onto the rural, two lane, Orcutt Road, where we began a cumulative ten mile out-and-back into the Edna Valley wine growing region. We began to feel effects of the heat and northwest wind on the return part. Things began to flatten out at mile 23 as we turned north onto a bicycle trail that paralleled the railroad. Just past the station, novel among marathons, we crossed over the railroad tracks on the Jennifer Street bicycle and pedestrian bridge past mile 24. We headed back to the starting area, mostly on Islay Avenue and finished the race on a bicycle trail at the Madonna Inn, about a half mile away from the start line. Finish line temperature was 78 degrees, 34 percent relative humidity, northwest winds at 16 mph with clear skies. ORGANIZATION: Helpful and friendly staff. Expo was held in a grassy area in the Madonna Inn complex. (Pity those who have hay fever!) Superb and supportive on-course support and traffic control, especially by SLO's finest, who were anything but aloof during the race. SPECTATORS: Typical in number for a marathon of this size, enthusiastic in support, especially for those wearing Cal Poly attire. CONCLUSION: San Luis Obispo and the California Central Coast is an attractive getaway location for those living in the greater Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas. The marathon makes a good excuse for an out-of-town weekend, but be sure to train thoroughly for this challenging course. POSTSCRIPT: Race-walkers are few and far between in events such as these, and rarer still is to find one of similar ability. Thank you, half marathoner Julie, for sharing the course. It was a pleasure to keep pace for you between miles 1 and 9.
P. B. from Central California (5/2/2016) "A young race still working out the kinks." (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 There is much to like about this race. First of all, the course is just beautiful. Yes, it is hilly, but not horribly so. Instead, the defining aspect of the course is the color green: fields, vineyards, and mountains. Run almost entirely on blacktop farm roads, the course was extremely well-marked and supported. There were MANY volunteers, covering even the secluded areas just in case a runner had trouble. Kudos to the organizers there. Another thing I took advantage of was the free city bus to the start line (distinct from the shuttle from the finish line/expo). That was quick and painless, and I hope they keep doing that: maybe it was a new thing, since there were only a few people on my bus. There were spectators at only a few spots on the course. My wife & kids were able to easily drive around to see me a few times. The finish area needs some work. For instance, the food at the end was almost nonexistent. There was a table full of paper bags in various stages of being filled; many in fact were practically empty. I had to sort through them and eventually found one with more than one thing in it. Furthermore, for all the volunteers, there should have been one handing out water as finishers walked into the food area, instead of standing at a table. Granted, I was pretty tired after finishing, but it took me 10 minutes of wandering around before I even found the food or the water. Those should be handed to me right after the medal. That was really my biggest eyebrow-raiser for the whole thing. Overall, a nice race that I would do again.
W. H. from California (5/2/2016) "The best course you'll ever hate" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 San Luis Obispo Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The race's motto ('Small Town, Big Race,') is half right. This is a small race that acts like a big race in all the right ways. The details are so well-done that I'm sure it could triple in size comfortably, and probably will over the next few years. More details follow below, but the summary is that racers looking for an experience rather than a PR need to put this race on their calendar. The Expo: Expos are a tough one to nail, it seems. LA's expo seemed big and empty. Big Sur's had no organization. Some of them just happen in a local running shop. The SLO expo happens in a grass field in the shadow of a local hiking hill, Cerro San Luis. That's right, even the expo is picturesque. The tents there are great, with local barbecue and stuff for kids to do. The expo, like everything in SLO, is designed around those who walk or bike in: they get the most direct line through the proceedings, where car drivers need to make their way around. The Start: The start and finish are only about two miles apart (and the finish line is same field as the expo). Your ideal way to get there would just be to park somewhere in the residences around the area and walk or bike in. A bike is a necessary accessory in SLO, as nothing is out of cycling distance. Don't waste time with the shuttle. The start is well-apportioned and organized, but if this race had a weak point, this would be it. The Course: This is the part to love/hate. The course begins right down the center of Downtown in SLO, and after looping around makes its way out toward wine country. By the six mile mark you're in rolling hills and vineyards overlooked by the mottled oak-and-grass hills the ring the Edna Valley, and that gorgeous scenery doesn't let up until mile 22 when you head back into town for a fast downhill through the historic residential district to the Madonna Inn where the finish line is. That sixteen-odd mile middle section has very little flat space on it, and you hit the highest point on the course at both the beginning and end of it. You're always climbing or descending, and you'll need to plan your energy appropriately. Many otherwise strong runners fade in those last few hills. The Crowd/Volunteers This is a small town with a small crowd. The only real crowd presence is at the finish line, but with all the visual beauty to take in, that's not a bad thing. The best part is the presence of the Grizzly Youth Academy, a school for at-risk youth. They're involved in every step of the process: not only do they work the aid stations and road closures, but they're the loudest boosters on the course. The Swag: North Face t-shirt and a working cowbell medal. Enough said.
C. B. from Southern California (5/5/2015) "Brutally hilly; beautiful and well organized" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 In 14 marathons this is the most brutally hilly course I've run. Endless rolling hills, many of which are also much steeper than what I call typical 'rolling,' and I train on hills. My garmin noted almost 1600 feet of total elevation gain on this course. Also, be advised that with typical local winds, most of the second half of this course is usually run with head winds. This year, those head winds were stiff, and coupled with the hills, made for a very very tough course. I would go so far as to call it demoralizing, truth be told. It is beautiful and very well organized, but I would not run this one again if aiming for a particular time, as in my opinion it's NOT a good BQ course.
E. H. from Crestline California (5/27/2014) "Very Hilly, Waste of Shuttle $" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 First, I agree with J.H. from Los Angeles and his comparison to Red Rock Canyon Nevada's course. But I will take it a step furtherof the 173 marathons I have done this is the hilliest ROAD marathon (15-20 of mine were trails). Rolling hills throughout-with flat over the last 6 EXCEPT a bridge incline at 23 and a final hill at 25.7. Very picturesque pasture lands, quite green. A $10 charge for a 2 and a 1/2 mile shuttle ride, and the bus driver didn't even care if we bought the wrist band or not. IE should have not bought a pass. Jamba juice and not much else at the finish. 'SLO' ? Who (locals notwithstanding) recognize 'SLO' as the acronym for San Louis Obispo? Improve the shirt design!! Tech and long sleeve but beyond generic.
N. R. from NoCal (5/2/2014) "10th Marathon, A new PR!" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Yes, I trained for the hills. Yes, it was a hilly race. But, the hills were not overwhelming; they made for an interesting course. I broke my 5-year PR and placed 2nd in my age group. Perfectly organized. Plenty of aid: before, during, and after. Fabulous finish...all downhill. Best for those who don't need a ton of crowd support, want a smaller sized race, and don't mind a few hills.
H. A. from Denver CO (4/14/2013) "beautiful hilly california wine country" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very Hilly. Great weather with 50's at start. Lots of aide stations that were well manned even for back of the packers. Couldn't believe that last hill right before the finish line. Pretty good expo for smallish marathon. First part runs through cute downtown SLO and the majority of the course runs through vineyard. All the support people were great and encouraging but very few spectators. Recommend cake at madonna inn which hosts the expo and finish line. Loved wine tasting sun/mon after the race. Would recommend fruit next year. It is central coast cali and there is tons of local fresh produce. Oh check out farmers market for picnic stuff before hand. Could not believe there were fresh oranges and strawberries in early april.
J. H. from Los Angeles, ca (4/7/2013) "Super hilly, great volunteers and water stations" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I knew it would be hilly, but not that hilly. First 13.1 was almost non-stop rolling hills. It is one of the toughest course I ran out of my 50 full marathons, just behind Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam. Don't expect a PR unless u train on long hills. The shutter pickup was good, and water stations were plenty and volunteers were so amazing and sweet. But the post race food was just Jamba Juice, no bottle of water, no fruit and nothing else. The race starts at the SLO high school, everything there was good except the stupid DJ kept talking on top of the music and just talked and talked and talked. Overall it is a good race. But prepare to running techniques on hills.
L. R. from Oakland, CA (6/16/2012) "Wonderful Marathon!!!" (about: 2012) 2 previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I still can't believe this was an inaugural race - I couldn't have asked for better organization. Fabulously course support and a beautiful race. Not a lot of crowds out there but you're running for the views and the experience, not the people.
J. T. from Melbourne, Australia (5/4/2012) "Thank you, weather gods" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 San Luis Obispo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 It was very warm in the days preceding the marathon and I was worried about a struggle on race day, even with the early start we would still be running in hotter weather than is comfortable. But race day dawned foggy and cool, and it remained like this until about half an hour after I finished my post-race shower. Perfect. As a result I didn't mind the hills at all. I didn't mind the lack of spectators. The scenery was good, what we could see of it, and that meant vineyards and green countryside. Only complaints are the rather unattractive free shirt and some sort of problem with getting accurate results out promptly. Every day I checked my finish time had changed.

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Marathon Details - San Luis Obispo Marathon