Here is my recap and review of the Baltimore Marathon.

Website:  Baltimore Marathon

Time of Year:  October, which is a very lovely time of year in the mid-Atlantic.  I recall having great weather.

Logistics:  Getting to Baltimore is very easy via air (flying into BWI) or Amtrak if you do not live within driving distance.  Packet pickup was in the city–very easy.  I stayed with a friend in the city the night before the race, but there are tons of hotel options.  The race starts and finishes as Camden Yards–again, super easy.  Walk to the start!  (Yesssss.) Also, Camden Yards is pretty and fun.

Swag: I cannot emphasize this enough.  REQUEST A MEN’S SHIRT.  The women’s cut did NOT work on me.  Maybe it has been improved?  Better to just stick with the guys.  But otherwise, YAYLONGSLEEVEDTECHTEEMYFAVORITE.

Terrain and Course: To be honest, I remember very little about the Baltimore Marathon, which I apparently ran about four years and a lifetime ago.  Really just two things.  First, IT GOES THROUGH THE ZOO AND THEY HAVE ANIMALS OUT ALONG THE COURSE.  Spectacular!!!!  1 million bonus points to you, Baltimore Marathon.  Second, at one point, perhaps going through Fells Point, the pavement was replaced by cobblestones. Yes, cobble stones.  Round ones.  NOT COOL.  But luckily that was brief and I survived without breaking an ankle.  In all seriousness, this was a slightly hilly course, and I ended up with a right-on-average (for me) time.

Not actually taken at the Baltimore Marathon. But there were zoo animals on the course!

Overall: Like It.  Very easy race logistics although not a particularly memorable or scenic course apart from the zoo animals.  Does take you through different parts of Baltimore, so it is a fun way to see the city.  This is a great race and would make a nice race for a first timer, as long as you train on some hills.  And this may be the only Maryland full marathon that is on pavement?