I just realized I mentioned my experiences with Boulder Backroads,
but not a more general race report.
Location: Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Reservoir)
Course Description: Rural, mostly dirt roads with several
segments on asphalt. Roads are mostly laid out on a grid, but
from miles 10 to 12 is a windy, hilly segment that seems endless.
Altitude ranges from ~5000' to ~5500'. There are hills but with
one exception they're no worse than overpasses, the exception is
about as steep and 3x as high as local pedestrian overpasses.
The first/last few miles are closed to traffic, but runners must
be prepared for vehicular traffic on the rest of the roads. A 2
mile segment is on a relatively busy road, a running lane is
marked with traffic cones. Cops direct traffic at every
intersection - about every 2 miles or so since this is a rural
marathon.
The half-marathon is a simple out-and-back. The full marathon
does a loop around Table Mountain then an out-and-back towards
Longmont, Colorado. The loop is skipped on the way back.
Both runs end on a slight hill.
Field: 750 registered marathoners (610 finished), 2300 registered
half marathoners (I don't recall how many finished). You will not
see first-tier marathoners here but you might see local national
teams running the race as a training exercise. (I know the
Japanese team trains here and I thought there were others as well
- high altitude, strong running community, easy access to
international airport...)
Weather: this year it was sunny and cool. Colorado weather is
extremely variable - in prior years it was has been scorching
(over 80) or snowing.
Support: exemplary. As I mentioned elsewhere I was one of the
last finishers and I still found every aid station staffed and
with ample accelerade and water, fruit, etc. It was actually
ridiculous to see a hundred cups of liquids put out for the dozen
remaining 'runners'.
One of the local marathon prep courses set up a station near mile
25 and offered to help "run in" stragglers. That was a very nice
touch.
Spectators: few but enthusiastic. These are rural roads bordered
by agricultural land so spectators were naturally channeled to the
few intersections... and had to park their car and walk back to
the intersection. This meant there were very few spectators, but
the ones who were there really wanted to be there.