Re: Cape Cod Marathon 10/28/07
CCM was my first marathon, and a really great experience. It is well-organized, logistically simple, and a beautiful course. The hills are challenging, but not nearly as hard as I feared. Just be sure you train through hills and you'll be fine. Also, it's a small marathon, and you may well be running alone for part of the course. If you're not used to small races, don't be surprised. But there are supporters throughout the course, and real crowds in a few places, and if you put your name on your shirt the cheering will be awesome in those places (since the whole crowd will be focused on only a few named runners). I think there's a message board on the CCM website to share more ideas, but it's a great race.
The only thing that I didn't like about the course is that I wanted more frequent water stops. I had two solutions. First, I drove the course the day before, and stowed a few bottles along the route. This was easy and invaluable. Second, my family gave me water en route. Since the marathon is so small, it's easy for any motivated fans to see you at a few different points.
Finally, you should know that a 2 hour half marathon does not translate into a 4 hour marathon, unless you've improved your fitness recently. The Macmillan calculator would predict a 4:13, and some would say to add a bit more time for a first timer. So I'd suggest being a bit conservative, and not going out to fast. You can always pick it up at the end.
Have fun!
