Hit the road: A short course on marathon courses

Every marathon covers 26.2 miles, but each course demands different things from the mind and body. Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon course, for instance, is entirely paved and has a few decent hills — including a cruel climb to the finish line. Here is advice from three marathon experts on how to tackle common course characteristics in a scientific way.

The experts: Lewis G. Maharam, author of “Running Doc’s Guide to Healthy Running;” Greg McMillan, coach and exercise physiologist; Jenny Hadley, author of “Marathoning for Mortals.” Additional sources: McMillanrunning.com, Running Times magazine. Bonnie Berkowitz and James Smallwood - The Washington Post. Published on October 22, 2012, 5:07 p.m.