The course starts at Seattle Center, right next to EMP. It's slightly uphill for a mile or two. Actually it's pretty flat until about mile 18 or 19. Then it gets hilly. The last mile is like a bowl. It's kinda steep and in my case my quads were burning pretty good. The weather is pretty variable. It's been 50f and clear and it's been 32 w/ wind, rain, snow and sun all in the same day.

The course ends at Seattle Center maybe 1 block from the start. The Westin Hotel is nice and is the official hotel, which buses you to the start. I live in Seattle so don't know much about the hotels.

Good Luck

I will follow up with the weather and concur that it is very variable. At the very least you can be assured that it will be wet and cool to cold. But that is the Pacific Northwest in late November.

I lived in Vancouver, BC for 10 years, so I know the weather well.

The only year I did the Seattle Marathon I had to pull out at 10 miles with a severe calf cramp that I believe came on in part due to the 5 degree C weather and pouring rain! The only running/triathlon DNF of mine in the last 20 years.

If you are looking for Pacific NorthWest marathons in the future. I highly reccomend both the Portland Marathon in Late September and the Victoria( BC, Canada) Marathon on the second weekend in October. Both are well run events with typically, better weather.

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I live in the area and have done the half the last 3 years. I did the portland marathon twice and feel it is a much better race, better organized, better attended and the post-race feed zone is the best I've seen at any race in any sport. Portland is a running and racing city and it shows. the Seattle marathon is good, but no match for Portland.

I'd say the weather is usually perfect running weather. slightly cool, and overcast. I've always run it in shorts.

I am into my second winter in Vancouver and just getting a feel for the weather - looked at Victoria but felt it was a little early for me - in addition the weather was absolutely terrible this year at Victoria - perfect the day after though. Thanks for the advice...

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