The course for the Death Valley Borax Marathon is out-and-back, heading north out of Furnace Creek. It is entirely below sea level with very long, rolling hills. The temperatures in December are not much different than Santa Barbara with an average low of 40 degrees and an average high near 70.

If you have not been to Death Valley, it is vast - 120 miles long - and quiet. The immense desert space and surrounding mountains seems to shrink people. Perhaps the most striking quality of Death Valley, however, is the stillness. Except for humans and a few ravens there is no movement. With near perfect quiet there are few distractions from your running. Voices carry unobstructed; the cawing of a pair of ravens seems to carry for miles. Sunrise and sunset bring out exquisite colors in the surrounding mountains.

It is a very friendly group of runners. The race, of course, has no locals and with only 129 entries there is a special feeling of camaraderie. Everybody is from somewhere else, with many states - Nevada, Utah, Michigan, and countries - Germany, England, Canada, represented. With the out-and-back course every runner meets every other runner, with many friendly exchanges. The winning Men’s time was 2:44 and the winning woman’s time was 3:10.

Beware however: this is not an easy marathon. It is a scenic and beautiful marathon, in an exotic location, but it is not as fast as it seems and here is why. The Valley is vast and looks flat from a distance, but the course actually undulates between rises and washes perpendicular to the course, spaced far apart. The accumulated effect of these long ups and downs takes a lot more energy than to run a flat course. The desert, as many a prospector has learned the hard way, can be deceiving. The lowest part of the course is mile 17, with five of the last nine miles uphill. The 24th mile is more than an 80-foot climb. The combination of gradual up-hills, with a serious climb near the end, while the temperature creeps towards seventy, will not likely produce a strong finish. Don’t forget, this is a valley called DEATH folks. It is a land of illusion. It has place names such as Coffin Peak, the Funeral mountains, Dry Bone Canyon, Dante’s View, Hell’s Gate, and the Devil’s Golf Course.

The above is not intended to scare people away. It really is a beautiful course, especially if you like the desert, as I do. It is just not a cherry picker’s course. I do have one minor complaint though. On the official web site the promoter claims the course is less than 500 feet total elevation change. What he means is that if you measure the elevation exactly at each mile and add up the difference, it comes to 500 feet. But that does not take into account the highs and lows between the mile markers, of which there are many. If you summed the elevations at all the peaks and valleys it would significantly exceed 500 feet. Runners need to know this because they may be mistakenly training for a flat course. If they are going for a fast time, or to qualify for Boston, and are marginally close to their goal, they need to realize the last nine miles are challenging and prepare for it.

In some places, the slope is similar to running from Leadbetter Beach to the Nite Moves turn-around and back. I finished 20th overall and 3rd of 16 in the 50-59 age group, at 3:36. Aid stations were three miles apart. Increasing the number of aid stations to two miles apart would be a big improvement.

Death Valley is a six-hour drive from Santa Barbara. There are two motels and three restaurants near the start/finish, plus campgrounds. It is a National Park, with a mining museum, a bookstore, and many sites to see. There is also a 10K and a half-marathon. It is a great place for a get-away if you love the desert. The history of the valley is steeped in enchantment and myth built up around the gold rush era. It is true that it is the lowest and hottest spot in the Americas. And I would not come in July when the average high is 115 degrees. But for a marathon in December it is an excellent choice - but not if you are going for a P.R. or to qualify for Boston, if you are marginally close to your goal.

For more runners comments go to www.marathonguide.com. At Search, plug in Death Valley Borax Marathon.