As far as road marathons go, this one has a tough course profile. I was running within the top 10 the whole race and have seen some pretty strong "3h-class" runners hit the wall towards the end (after the split, it's just one never-ending uphill). This being said, it's not unmanageable: there are a couple of short, real steep stretches (watch out for the gravel section), but for the most part it's rolling hills that will gently consume you little by little and collect their toll towards the end. The race is well organized and in a way fitting for a "tough one" (you'll get what you need but don't expect pampering) and the finish at the Highland Games is one-of-a-kind. Nice people, nice kilts, great experience, and I hope to be back next year - I have some unfinished business with that mountain. ;-)

PROS: 1) Beautiful! 2) Because there are so few runners in this one, do this if you like to run alone with nature. 3) The pasta dinner is very well done and intimate.

CONS: 1) No spectators 2) I've got to take a bus back to the start.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ORGANIZERS: 1) The finish area is not runner-friendly. I finished at around 4 hours and I had to dodge many cars, golf carts and people just to get to the finish line. Then I had to walk 50 yards to get refreshments (as there is no place to sit out there), and then I had to walk forever to the bus. A bitter end to 26.2 miles of beautiful pain. 2) Get some runner essentials at the expo. I had to go down to the bike shop to get GU and it was $2.50 a pack 3) I would be willing to pay $5 extra for a tech shirt instead of cotton. 4) A little more precision on the elevation map and drink-stop map would have helped me plan better. Other than those suggestions, very well done.

If you are considering the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, you probabably are aware of the course elevation profile. That is only a portion of the difficulty of this event.

First, the good news: Packet pick-up is a breeze. The race personnel and volunteers are top notch. The elevation gain notwithstanding, this is one beautiful race route. I found that the aid stations were well placed, as were the thousands of trees that you must use as restrooms (read: no port-a-potties). Hearing the sound of the bagpipes as we got near the Highland Games was a real treat and helped pull me through to the finish. Stick around for a while and watch the games; you will be glad you did.

Here is the cautionary part: The winding mountain roads present several hazards. The stress put on hips through feet is considerable, as the steep banking of the road on constant turns causes one's ankles to compensate with nearly every step. Also be warned, it only takes one careless driver taking a curve too fast on these mountain roads to change your life.

One other thing: This is one dinky-sized medal for such a tough race! This was my 28th marathon and the 2010 medal here is the smallest of the lot... by far.

One other other thing: Don't be in a hurry to get back to the start area after the race. The shuttle buses are few and far between. They fight the Highland Games traffic to get there and back, and then they drop the marathoners off at another location to catch a shuttle to back to the race start.

Despite the cautionary stuff, it was worth it. When you have finished, you will know that you have accomplished something special.

The course is hard. The first 11 miles are the hardest. Cars on the climb over the last eight miles can be a problem because there are a lot of blind turns. Often it is safer to run off of the road on the side in the gravel. The aid station volunteers were spectacular. Number pick-up could not be easier. The t-shirt is cotton, which was good for me. I wish they had Coke at the finish line. Otherwise, a great race and an arse-kicking.

I participated in this most recent marathon and it was overall a positive experience: a good race with beautiful, scenic vistas, and a nice finish at the highland games. Not a PR race - lots of climbing and some brutal second half uphill stretches. A slow start plus lots of hill training are required to finish this bear without tears.

My one organizational critique would be that the gear drop-off area used the "honor system" - why not use numbered cards like most other races? This sophisticated bronze-age technology would decrease the likelihood that someone's stuff gets ripped off.

Most people who live in the area try to avoid driving in the area of the marathon, but there were quite a few cars this year. It looked like a few runners had friends and family drive the course to provide extra support.

There is no way to completely close the roads to traffic, but more effort needs to be put into limiting traffic.

There need to be more aid stations, or runners need to be encouraged to carry their own aid.

Call me crazy, but I still don't think this is one of the toughest marathons in the country. A lot of sections are rolling, and there are some pretty long downhills as well (around halfway, there is about a mile of downhill). This marathon has more to offer than just "being tough." It's a beautiful course run in a beautiful town.

The lack of friendliness and hospitality shown by the race directors is a poor representation of the town of Boone.

If you are like me, the very thought of running a marathon in the South in July sounds crazy. Throw in a few wicked-looking hills and a "time limit" of 5 hours, and only the most insane and elite runners would take a chance on this marathon. If you pass this run up, however, you're making a big mistake! I have run many marathons and this one was by far the most pleasant surprise to date.

This is a marathon in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and the weather is very pleasant in July. Low humidity and moderate temperatures are the rule. The run has a lot of shade as well, and the 7 a.m. start time helps even more. It feels more like the Pacific Northwest than the South in July.

The hills are real but I've experienced worse. There are many downhills to counter the uphills and there are many gradual hills to help ease into the higher elevations. The steep hills are steep but mercifully scattered throughout much of the course rather than bunched together.

The scenery is stunning at times and the finish at the Highland Games (a Scottish festival) is fun and a little exciting, even after 26.2 grueling miles. You run across the Eastern Continental Divide and across waterfalls and streams. The start is usually in the Stadium at Appalachian State but was moved to the parking lot due to construction this year.

There are only two complaints I have. The first is that this is an open-traffic course, where cars share the road with the runners even on the twisty roads where there are many blind spots. You must keep your wits about you! The second problem is the relative scarcity of water stops and their unpredictable appearances (some stacked up and some widely spaced). It's a good idea to bring a water bottle. The volunteers are great and will gladly fill your bottle for you.

As for the time limit, no one I know of was removed from the course or wasn't awarded a time and a finisher's medal. Only those running in under 5 hours will finish inside the Highland Games stadium but everyone will be allowed to finish in or outside of the games.

Overall this is a great run. Enjoy!!

Do you want a challenge? Run every step here and you will achieve something.

As a returning veteran of 10 Grandfathers, I knew what to expect. It is pretty much the same every year and the organizers have it down to a science. Nice course, great finish, and great weather contribute to a favorable Grandfather experience. I ran conservatively, and this helped me in the second part of the race as I passed 10 people later in the race who were ahead of me in the first part. The quiet rural roads and great scenery make this a marathon I cant stay away from. I run my slowest time here usually, and I benefited from quite a bit of hill training, which saved me on the big hill at 16 (heading up to 221 from the gravel road). All in all, a great weekend, I also camped along the Blue Ridge Parkway, where we ran by and also visited Asheville and the Biltmore on Sunday. Do yourself a favor and run this, and you will see how good this race really is. See you in 2010!

I have only one complaint about this race, and it's only partly related: the dorm rooms provided at Appalachian State the night before. I paid $75 for a room I thought was private, only to find that I really only got my own room and was sharing a suite with another runner I didn't know. Luckily, that turned out not to be a problem, since he was a nice guy. However, the room lacked soap, shampoo, and a pillow, all of which I consider basic amenities - I had to go buy a bar of soap and use some clothes for a pillow. It would have been much easier had we been informed ahead of time what we needed to provide ourselves. At least things went up from there (literally!).

The course was gorgeous, climbing high into the hills and providing great views. The climbs are long, but spaced out enough to be fair - nothing was too steep to run up. I had a little trouble with the roads being banked to the side around every curve, but other than that the roads were good to run on. The aid stations were great, and since the race started at the App. State football stadium, there was no bathroom shortage at the start (and real bathrooms, not port-a-potties). And after four hours of pain and misery, hearing the sounds of bagpipes over the last hill was one of the coolest running experiences I've ever had. (Although having a thousand people see me stumble and limp around the track to the finish was a little embarrassing!)

The course definitely deserves its reputation as a monster - I came in 45 minutes behind my PR, and my friend was 55 minutes behind his. But the beauty and challenge of the course are definitely worth an extra half-hour to an hour of running.