So most folks I spoke to about running an entire marathon indoors along the concourse level of an arena looked at me with pity and confusion (and a little disgust).  Why would you do that to yourself?  The timing for a marathon was perfect for my schedule and it was so close I could have biked there.  Plus there was the appeal that based off the last year's participants I could place in the top 10...WHICH I DID!  I came in 8th place.  Also since it was indoors, we could set up our own aide station, which was nice.

But that being said....not sure I would do it again, or recommend it. Unless I was desperate for a marathon.

I went into the race mentally thinking this will be one of my long runs in prep for the April 8th marathon and my 20 miles was right on track with a great 20 mile run around 2hours 45min....but after that, mentally I fell apart.  And it was really hard to want to finish.  I mean it was only taking about 2 minutes to do a lap and every two minutes you were passing your table with all your stuff and the exit.  There was no incentive to finish like in a regular marathon where you have to get somewhere because that is where all your stuff is or at the very least, the finish.

The race was a fundraiser for the Women's Ultimate Frisbee team at UMass and they were there as the volunteers helping at registration, the one water station, and keeping a manual track of laps at the finish as a back up for the computer.  They were fantastic and very enthusiastic to a point where I might want to go back for that experience.  Usually in a race you have a friend or a family member there to cheer for you.  But here there were about 30 young ladies cheering your name! And they got to know you a bit because certain ones were assigned to be your cheerleader and lap tracker so you kind of wanted to come around the corner to hear them chanting your name or cheering you along.  They were the only redeeming value of the race....and it was absolutely flat.

But speaking of the course, it was on ceramic tile and the laps were just over 300 meters.  The temperature for most of the building was probably low 60's and pleasant to run, but by the entrance they had the heaters on and there was a segment of the course that was very unpleasant.  I had to get ice a few times from the first aide folks to keep cool.  Which I managed to do and not throw up.

Over all, it was a fine run, but not an experience I look forward to doing again.  I did it, and that was enough.