I was a little disappointed in the course because it seemed more monotonous than I was expecting for Alaska, but I did see a moose, which made all the difference.

The race organizers were a fantastic group of people and despite the rain the spectators were great.

My main complaint was the lack of aid stations late in the race. They had plenty at the beginning, almost too many, which may be because there was a half marathon run at the same time. Towards the end when I needed it most they seemed few and far between. However, the post-race festivities were fun and the race directors were very interested in feedback.

This was my 21st state and 27th marathon.

Great start/finish right in the heart of downtown Anchorage - makes walking to/from the hotel a breeze. A few blocks of city streets lets the pack stretch out, then you're on a beautiful bike path for the balance of the run. The path is smooth, wide blacktop with occaisional wood plank bridges.

The scenery is spectacular. The path winds along the coast through a wooded park. Saw plenty of interesting flora and fauna, including a mother and baby moose (20' off the path).

Around mile 18 you head up another path away from the shore and along a stream. Here the path is mostly parkland, but always close to the stream.

Running on the path means NO TRAFFIC - a real plus for the "back of pack" joggers like me.

Race finishes back on the city streets (about a 10-block stretch) to the finish line. Traffic control here was excellent.

Plenty of water, Gatorade, and gels. The volunteers did a super job. Every mile-marker was there and signage was pretty good.

I would recommend this marathon.

Oh... check the weather forecast. It rained this year and lots of folks were wearing plastic garbage bags at the start!

I'm pursuing the 50 states and wanted to get AK off the map early while I am still young.... Anchorage is easier to get to than other races, so I opted for this race.

Very well organized, except for the lacking mile markers at a key point in the race. I went on faith and luckly stayed on course at one point. However, in fairness, they had staff guarding potential "off course" areas pretty well otherwise.... Great finish-line spread for food. It was cool to have my name announced as I crossed the finish.

Course itself was completely forgettable, and not just because of the rainy cold weather. I expected more variety, but it was really just 26 miles on a suburban bike trail and park area. A few nice vantage points but certainly not a "scenic" course in that regard. However it was very nice to be traffic-free.

I doubt I'd spend the extra time and money to get to Cordova or another Alaska race, but I have to imagine there are nicer courses to run if you're going all the way to AK.

On the course there were markers stenciled into the road MM along with an arrow. This signage carried me through the first 23 or 24 miles and I continued following them because there was no one at mile 23 or 24 to guide me in the right direction, so I found myself lost at some high school, totally stressed and angry.

I was also disappointed in lack of toilets available throughout the run. There were plenty at the beginning and the end.

I first ran this race when it started and ended at a place called Westchester Lagoon. This course is so much better now with the start/finish in the downtown area. The awards were great, flowers for the overall folks, plenty of food, nice people, great fast course! To sum it up: Wow!

The weather was less than ideal - cold for me - but I understand it has been a wet summer in Alaska. It was better than running in the 90's like I have been doing at home though. Low 60's is a good PR temperature.

I would recommend this race to anyone I know. I hope to make it back up there in the next few years. Great job Alaska!

This race was amazing. The course was perfect. The race was very well organized, and the atmosphere was very homey and friendly. I had a 9 minute PR and felt great at the end. Pre- and post-race festivities were great, and the scenery was beautiful. The loops are ideal for a race with such a small number of participants; you still get to see other runners and spectators, no matter where you are in the field.

If I can ever scrape up the cash to fly out again, I'll be back!

This marathon may be small but you can't complain about the course, it's user friendly with 95+% of the course free of vehicle traffic. The course is mostly flat with a few gentle hills on a scenic coastal trail offering an excellent view of Cook Inlet and Anchorage as well as being well supported. The wildlife was a little scarce but the organizers promised to correct that next year. Crowd support on the course was few and far between but those out there were enthusiastic as were the volunteers who supported the aid stations. The aid stations provided timely fluid replacement and GU at many of them. The weather was perfect despite the forecast of temperatures in the upper 70?s it was cool with a slightly overcast sky.

The one complaint I have is if there is going to a division offered for walkers, those who train and complete the event need to be recognized. There is no mention of these individuals in the results and the top finishers of this division were not even mentioned at the awards ceremony. Some of the ?runners? in the results took longer to complete the distance than some who walked it. These competitors deserve recognition.

Good organization with great volunteers a must-do marathon for anyone looking to complete one in Alaska. August is a great time to visit the 49th state.

What fun this run was. The Alaskans are so NICE! The start and finish of this marathon has been moved to the downtown area, which is great!! Super easy to get to, excellent organization and wonderful volunteers! I prefer smaller races so this one really pleased me. Pretty level course, with a few short/small hills here and there, amazing views along much of the course, good course support although they were a bit light on the port-a-potties. I would recommend this race to anyone.

The weather was a little warm - but the course was mostly flat and well supported. I was going the same pace with another person and time flew by.

Yes I'll be back.

Never judge a book by its cover. This marathon may be small. It may not draw a world class field, and there are definitely races with bigger prizes. So what about the Humpy's Marathon is so darn great? How about a beautiful course that offers gentle rolling hills on a shaded coastal trail overlooking Knik Arm? How about a race director that is visible and accepts feedback so the race can improve.

There could have been a little more fluid suport on the course. Read the maps provided at the packet pick-up so you know how spread out they are. Volunteers do a very good job, though you never can have enough. I sure loved the easy-to-find start/finish line, packet pick-up, and post-race celebration.

Do you like seafood? Do you like wildlife and outdoor scenery? Take a week, pack your imagination and energy, and explore Alaska and its best marathon. Kudos to Humpy's Ale House for being an excellent host for this race.