Baltimore Marathon: Nothing to Watch but Really nice Scenery
I really like this race. It’s a really nice tour of Baltimore without the pointless turns that plague most urban courses. Like Wineglass, it’s that boy your mother wants you to date.
Honestly, not too much to watch for here: your first 2 miles are uphill, which we know is a gift that will keep you from going out too fast. Then lock your cage and sit into the downhills that take you past the zoo and Johns Hopkins (where Mr. Fleming received one of his graduate degrees!) before you continue to roll gently down St. Paul St.
The out-and-back on mile 11-13 would be worse if this race was larger, but most people who got greedy and were enjoying the downhill efficiency TOO much were knocked out by the turn at mile 9, so stick to the outside and be prepared to dodge sudden walkers until you reach mile 13.
As you enter Clifton Park at mile 19, get ready to fire up your engines. Circle Lake Montebello, hold back past the 21 and 22 mile markers, and brace yourself for mile 23: after you take the final dogleg turn at mile 23.25 you have a beautiful straight shot to the finish. GO FOR IT. Negative splits all the way!
MK Fleming is the founder of Fitness Protection, LLC where she trains runners for $29 per month and gives marathon plans away for free. Click here to download her most popular Marathon plan, Tenacious AF, free!