Cascade Express Marathon Reviews

  Beware of the tunnel

By CED about 2019

Review

This is a scenic and fun course to run. But the organization is poor. The flashlights they hand out at the tunnel entrance are pathetic. You may as well be running with a match. Runners near me could also not see well. Take a headlamp with you. You will need to see your way well as there are many potholes.

Race Tips

Take your own headlamp. They will not handle your headlamp, so you must carry it the whole way. But it is worth it. Do not trust the flashlight handouts. They are small, cheap flashlights. I lost 2-3 minutes in the tunnel not being able to see anything, but maybe the ground as I hit it. This is a real hazard!

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Pay the parking fee. They send out someone to issue tickets. The race people do not tell you this. Don't count on any special grilled cheese sandwich as advertised. They were small, cold and plain. Eat something else instead.

  Beautiful, good support, and fast

By JOG about 2018

Review

This was a lovely marathon. The weather was perfect and the downhill is very gentle so it's not hard on the knees. The pacer I followed was very supportive and cheered as we passed each mile market. I was able to beat my previous marathon time from 6 months before by 8 minutes.

There was plenty of support along the trail in terms of water, gatorade, and gels.

There was even parking, so you didn't have to spend a long time bussing to the location. Lines for porta-potties were short.

Because it's only a few hundred runners and is along a trail with not a lot of access to cars, there's not much in the way of crowd support. But, I didn't mind that.

The tunnel section is quite surreal. If you live near the course, I'd recommend running through it before the race to get a sense of what it will be like. I found this the hardest part since I don't have great night vision. They give you a flashlight, but it's a little tricky to run at marathon pace and carry a flashlight.

Race Tips

I brought an extra light that clipped on my belt to help with the dark 2.5 mile tunnel.