A count down of 7 things about Big Sur Marathon 2023 7. 20 Mph head winds that slowed everyone down hitting us at mile 5 and staying till past mile 16. They calmed down after that. There were gusts that I learned were 35mph. 6. 2200 Feet of elevation, that's the official number. Garmin reported 2340 ft, making it the most elevation I've climbed in a run. 5. I ran this race mostly on natural foods. My usual packet of seedless dates offered a delightful burst of energy in the initial half, and then there were cut bananas through out the route, to finish with a few strawberries. 4. No pain any time, I have taken a 'preventive' ibuprofen around mile 18 in the past. Neither did I have one on me, nor did I feel the need. 3. I carried a small backpack. Came in handy with an additional t-shirt I could peel off, and I had a battery backup that helped power up the phone. 2. I took lots of pictures, and looked at the scenery. Yes, that slowed me down, but I had a blast on the run...