This was my first marathon. I ran in the Army Ten Miler last year which got me into running again. The hills are tough but very beautiful. I highly recommend this at least once. The camaraderie was awesome. We stayed in the Broyhill Inn. My wife and four boys loved watching me finish. The Highland Games are a fun place to finish the race. When I read where the water stops were, I was thinking that is a lot of stops; but during the run I was very glad that they were there. The race was very well organized. It was a great way to spend my 33rd birthday.

As a returning veteran of 10 years, I highly recommend this marathon. Tough hills and some downhills make this a challenging race. Great finish in front of thousands of spectators makes the final half-mile a rush. The organizers have it down to a science, with pretty much the same every year. I also enjoyed staying in the dorms. This is a race that inspires the same runners to return every year. Do yourself a favor and run Grandfather - and you won't be disappointed.

Very tough race with great scenery and great support. Pasta dinner was all-you-can-eat, and staying on campus was very nice, with the dorm rooms. Finisher's medal should be larger, for sure. Make sure you do a LOT of hill work. To me, the slogan for this race should be, "If you are not going uphill, you're off-course."

There is nothing like GMM! I've run the mega-thons: Disney, USMC, etc... and nothing beats the beauty, the challenge and the finish of this July event. Returning to the old course is good and bad... the detour course was somewhat easier and my times improved, but you miss out on the first gravel road's (now paved) scenery and near-vertical ascent. I love making the right turn onto pavement after the lone gravel road near 17 and crossing the Eastern Continental Divide... the only way to train for that hill is on a ladder - awesome! My two buds and I ride our MTBs off the mountain back to GM Campground (9 miles) where we stay each year... the total experience is something to look forward to year after year! Come join the fun!

Everything I have read, good and bad, seems to be pretty accurate. It's all what you're in to. It is a very tough race that left me with immense pride in finishing and finishing well. Only 11 min. off my PR at the Cincy Flying Pig, so the course is certainly not impossible. Just train. Forget speed work. Hills and distance. Great tune-up for a fall ultra. Traffic on the BR Parkway is flat out dangerous, but that adds a little to it. It is not like a vanilla big-city race. I will not do it annually, but will likely do it again. I would liken this to an endurance challenge over a race. Bring a coffeemaker of your own if in a dorm; local joints don't open until 6 and that cuts it pretty close.

Overall this is a great marathon if you are not concerned about time. One thing to note: It is not a certified course despite what was mentioned below and I believe the starting point on the track was not set until the day before.

Pros
1. The course was very tough but runnable. In fact the second half was not as uphill as advertised and the toughest hills were earlier on.
2. Finishing during the Highland Games was AWESOME!
3. Staying in the dorms was real cool BUT BRING A SLEEPING BAG. The "blankets" were really thin. Also $40 is great if it's just you, but if you bring your family, it can add up really quickly.
4. Really pretty campus... and even prettier now that they beat Michigan!!

Cons
1. The pasta party was a ripoff. Better to head into town.
2. The race director (who I believe is App. State's track coach), is very rude and abrasive... although I did like how he said that if you are walking, please go to a different marathon!
3. The medal is the smallest trinket I have seen! It does no justice to the achievement of finishing this tough race!
4. The park ranger nearly ran us off the road, and we were only running one and a half abreast. Luckily there were no "Team in Training" runners as he would definitely have had some road kill!
5. You are stuck into actually paying more money to get back to the dorm. Unless you want to run back, the only way back is to catch the buses. This should have been included in the price... or they could have easily had an extra few buses just for the runners.

Overall this is a no-frills race, which is fine until you realize they are charging as a big race.

Every year I come I enjoy every minute of my time. The course is tough and I run my slowest time here, but the event from start to finish is great. How can you top the finish in front of thousands of people. Getting back to the old course and having it certified is a testament to the hard work of the organizers. Special thanks to John Weaver, Jim Deni, Cathy Lamarre, Pete Vandenburg, and all the volunteeers, organizers for making this a destination race for me each and every year. And whoever came up with the idea of having dorm rooms for the runners should be commended immensely. Rooms in the High Country are hard to come by and very pricey. Being in the dorms gives you a location that is both close and reasonable on race day. I have already made plans to come back next year and, like this year, WILL register the first chance I get. Grandfather calls every year and every year I answer the call. See you in '08!

Great time of the year for a great run. The weather was perfect and the mountains were great. There were not many spectators but a memorable finish and a great after party. It was tough for a rookie marathon runner but I think 16th in my age group is pretty good and it really was an uphill marathon!!

This was my 15th marathon, and it had a difficult but surprisingly pleasant course: the changes in declination help avoid injuries, and you do most of your running on asphalt. Certainly no exotic food, advertisements or crowds as in big-city events - but water and Gatorade were plentiful, and EMS/race organizers on bikes were everywhere and admirable, always cheering and comforting. I enjoyed the finish and was moved to tears by the bagpipes. One thing: be prepared. I made many friends on this course, and will enroll two of my buddies for next year!

I loved the magnificent course, enthusiastic spectators and friendly runners. If you prefer small groups and tough races, this is the one for you! The organization was great from packet pickup to finish - I will be back next year!