Big Sur

Marathon

Challenges

Runners

Jessica Diers, Staff Reporter

Jessica_Diers@csumb.edu

April 17, 2008

According to the Big Sur

International Marathon website,

bsim.org/ite3.aspx, “Spectacular,

rewarding, mystical, and

unforgettable” have been adjectives

commonly used to describe the

upcoming Big Sur International

Marathon. April 27 marks the 23rd

presentation of the marathon that

will embrace sleepy eyed runners

who will be rolling out of bed as

early as 3 a.m to compete. Races

start at 6:45 a.m.

Some say it is the hardest

marathon in the country and the

fifth hardest in the world based

on weather. However, there are

numerous intangibles that must be

taken into account when judging the

difficulty and intensity of a course.

“If we were told that we could run

only one marathon in our lifetime,

Big Sur would have to be it.” Bart

Yasso from Runner’s World tells

Big Sur Marathon volunteers.

Runners will train anywhere

from a year to a month before a

race depending on the experience

of the runner. CSU Monterey Bay

cross country student athlete Omar

Mendoza, a Spanish and exercise

science major said, “I trained for

one solid month to run the Big

Sur last year and I felt like I could

have improved a lot more had I

started my training earlier. My

training consisted of one long run

once a week with a five percent

increase in mileage week after

week. Basically, on average I ran

six-eight miles a day with one day

of rest during a week.”

In the 2007 Big Sur Marathon

Mendoza placed eighth overall. He

finished in two hours and 47 minutes.

“I felt great most of the way with

the exception of mile 25, which

was the most memorable because

it was the mile my body felt like

it was shutting down enabling me

to give into my inner demons and

force myself to walk a minute.

Little did I know for 15 miles I was

running alongside the 1996 Big Sur

Champion who eventually finished

third,” said Mendoza.

The Big Sur Marathon challenges

all athletes who dare to run its

path. It also serves as a nurturing

way for runners to face fears while

battling their own “inner demons,”

insistently trying to lead most astray

from crossing the finish line.

Visit bsim.org for any more

information on the marathon.