St. Jude in Memphis is not a "small marathon" is it? I thought they get 5,000-10,000.

Hi mbs,

If you train well enough, you shouldn't need the crowds. However, spectator support can do wonders for motivation. Stretches without spectators can seem very long indeed.

Good job with the training. And good luck!

QS

It depends if you like crowds or not. Some of my friends absolutely hate big city races, because the crowds make it more difficult to race properly. Personally, I love the huge events, and both my first half and full were major city races - but, my best times have come from smaller local races, where the lack of crowds make it easier to hit your stride earlier (and less weaving through the crowds).

It depends entirely what your after, but I would vote for the big experience for your first time out.

------------------
Azza's Profile[/URL" target="_blank">

As the other posters have said, there are advantages and disadvantages either way. I recently ran my first marathon and it was Marine Corps. While for the most part the crowds were awesome, it was still a bit lonely in spots. It was also quite a walk from our hotel to the start. One particular negative that I wasn't prepared for was the problems at the end caused by people walking. I finished in 4:48, and the last few miles were very challenging because so many people were slowing down and walking or shuffling. I was still running, but tired, and it was really hard to maneuver around everyone.

You'll be able to finish with or without crowds as long as you train well. Good luck on whichever race you decide on!

One other thing to consider about smaller races is if you a slower runner like me would you be ok being the 'sweep', with the escort vehicle right behind you. This happened on my first 10 miler and I did not like it very much.

I find that typically on the smaller races, the only folks running it are fairly experienced folks using the race as a tune-up to some other major race. So while you might be a mid packer in a major race, you might be the back of the back packer in smaller ones.

All of the comments are good, and it really depends on what you want. Personally I prefer smaller races regardless of distance, so long as there are at least some runners at my speed - to the megaraces where you can hardly move without bumping into the runner next to you.

Can you get last year's results for the small marathon? Crowd support helps, but the presence of other runners around you helps a lot as well. For your first marathon, it's good to have one big enough that you know you will have plenty of company out there running with you. Sometimes small races have a lot of runners at all speeds, but sometimes they attract primarily the faster runners and being a straggler or way back of the packer is probably not the best idea for your first. You should be able to get results so you can see how many runners and how fast the finish times were.

I have been a straggler in a small local 25k but it's on one of my favorite running routes--a measured bike path in Fairmount Park--and I love it whatever place I come in... there are always people I know and it's a friendly kind of race. When I have run the Philly Marathon, I have to admit I prefer the parts of it that go through Fairmount Park even tho crowd support isn't as much there as in the city. But I'm not a crowd person, so YMMV.

I've enjoyed the big events--NYCM, Boston--but the small ones have a flavor all their own. Even finishing at the back in a small event, if it's the right kind of small event, you'll have people hanging out waiting for everyone to come in and cheering for you.

Plus, sometimes you can win an award in smaller races even if you don't turn in a fast time. In the 25k, maybe just b/c I'm in the women's 50s age group and this is a sparsely populated group in this race, I find myself still getting awards, despite my time. I'd run this race, award or no, b/c I have a lot of medals and such, but still it's kinda fun to hear one's name called for an award, especially when you win one for the first time.

Also, you might want to consider ORBrewDad's advice if you're fairly new to the game. If you're feeling pretty good and comfortable w/ your long runs, not getting injured, maybe it's fine, and you can go for it, but also be aware of the stress on your body and be flexible in your planning. There's no need to hurry into a marathon. As you're seeing in the various posts, there are lots of choices.

Whatever you decide, good luck in your training and racing!