Where else do you have 24 hours for a marathon and run into the cool of the night when it could be a hot July day? Everything was fine. It was a little dark in some areas, and it was hard to see where the sidewalk was broken. They had plenty of food and drinks. I hope the chip experiment went well - that's usually pretty accurate. The only thing I did not like was $78.75 entry fee, which didn't even get us a shirt or finisher medal. (I was told that the shirt cost extra.) I give it an B+. I'll be back. Thanks!

It was my first experience running an evening marathon and I loved it. The weather was perfect and the organization was excellent.
This is a perfect event to run if preparing for a fall marathon.
Thanks to the organizers, volunteers and supporters.

It was unusual to sign up for a marathon and feel semi-apologetic about doing the short course. Like one of the posts from a previous year, I was back at my sister's house by 1 a.m., got some sleep, spent the day playing tourist on the North Shore, and finally back in front of the TV with beer and a pizza early that evening when I realized that THERE WERE PEOPLE STILL RUNNING. Very humbling, but also very inspiring. I can see this race being my first foray beyond 26.2.

My time aspirations were modest, and I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere - the volunteers guiding us through the start, the band concert by the gazebo as the sun went down, the families strolling on the path. In the latter laps I kept encountering a group of about a dozen loitering teenage males, and would approach them expecting the usual sullen, iPod-addled derision. Instead, they applauded each runner - there is hope!

As to technical advice, I would suggest perfecting your night-running technique; it got a tad dim in spots. But, it was safe to run in the striped lane in the street where the footing was better. Traffic seemed to be very courteous.

Thanks are due the organizers, volunteers, the people of Wakefield and especially the fellow runners for a great way to spend a summer evening.

This has been my third marathon so far and it was by far the flattest. I'm used to both training and running courses that contain large numbers of various-sized hills. The scenery was beautiful, running around the lake. I could've used another water station between the start/finish line and where they had their station on the other side of the lake. I gave organization only 4 stars because of this and that I heard rumors of other runners having trouble with the volunteers making time errors. I originally thought they had not counted one of my laps around the lake but it turned out that I just sucked at counting. I think looped marathons might not be for me because of the potential to lose count. I actually ended up doing my worst time ever on a course here, most likely for two reasons: 1. My lack of training on a totally flat course. 2. Since I lost track of my laps, I gave what was really my 7th lap everything I had, thinking it was my last lap. I could barely move for the last lap.

But still, if you want to have a very easy run that's lighter on the legs than most, this is the one you'll want to consider. The scenery is beautiful, and although there's not a huge number of spectators, the ones that are there are great.

As a member of the sponsor club, I participated in the relay with a bunch of other club members. I was looking for a race that would give me a special way to remember my 30th birthday, which occurred two days after the race. The 3.16 mile course and the fact that there was a relay, offered just that opportunity. I signed up to run 10 legs.

I have run 11 marathons but have never been exposed to an ultra before. If nothing else, this race will open your eyes and inspire you when you think about what the ultra runners have to face in comparison to what your doing. I found it very motivating.

There have been a couple of whiners that posted, but really, this race is not about the marathon (though as I helped keep score, it looked like a fun low-pressure, no-frills marathon). Because there is a lot going on, you can't expect to go to this race and get pampered; however, the race directors and any of the volunteers will be happy to help you with anything you need. Virtually everyone there is a runner.

I really thought my goal of 10 laps would be impossible. The relay is very flexible, as was my team, so I was able to split my legs into 4 legs at night, 4 first thing in the morning, and 2 in the middle of the afternoon. I am not at all a hot-weather runner, so I thought my last two legs would be torturous. But they were great. I was having such a good time. Having run the course so many times, I knew where everything was. I knew where there were water fountains (virtually every half mile), where the 1.5-mile water table was (it is manned during the marathon and un-manned for the rest of the time; while it was un-manned, someone kept replenishing it and the water was ice-cold :)), how close I was to the finish, etc. It was cool knowing the idiosyncracies and not being surprised. And when I started to feel tired, I looked at the ultra runners, who were spread throughout the course, and I was really inspired - so much so that I am thinking of doing the 12-hour race next year. In the end, I completed my 10 laps and felt like I could have run more. I totaled 32 miles and will always remember the experience!

So if you are looking for a low-key, night marathon, this is your chance. If you are looking for a starter ultra, this is a good one!

I enjoyed the low-key atmosphere of this marathon. I was trying out the course with the eventual goal of the 24 hour ultra-marathon, and it looks like a nice way to ease into ultras. The start was a little disorganized, but for such a small marathon, this is par for the course. Also, if you want a crowd of supporters bring your own. It is nice that supporters can set up lawn chairs and hang out by the start/finish line. Unlike other marathons, supporters can see you eight times as you complete your loops, and my brother kept a video diary of my run. Also, if they want to see you more, they can drive the loop and yell as they pass by. Impossible to do on the larger marathons. Overall, I really enjoyed this marathon and I am looking forward to next year.

I entered the 24-hour ultra marathon. This was the most fun I've had in any ultra. I like the fact that you can enter on race day. On several occasions I had to email the race director and they responded within a day and answered all my questions.

The fact that I can stop every three miles and refresh myself with my own supplies was paramount in finishing the 24 hours. I was able to change wet shirts and socks when needed. I also brought my own food that I trained with.

The water stops were well manned with friendly people. In the ultras, I don't have to worry about my time, just to last the full 24 hours is an accomplishment.

The race was on a common sidewalk and I actually appreciated the local runners who came out to do their daily exercise and give me words of encouragement and praise.

The race was called at around the 18th hour on account of a thunderstorm. I didn't complain. I ran out of good socks and had to start using cotton. A blister the size of my foot grew on my foot. My last 3-mile lap took me an hour to circumvent.

The race started out with marathon, ultra and relay racers at the same time. The first 4 or 5 hours had many people to talk with. After that, just the ultras and relay runners were left. The only thing that was a little discouraging was when you feel tired and slow a relay runner would race past like you were standing still. But, like in real life, you deal with it.

My goal is to do the 50-state marathons, so I don't do any repeat marathons. Even if I wasn't doing the 50-state marathons, there are so many marathons out there that I wouldn't want to repeat. This is the only ultra marathon I would do every year.

Hope to see you there in 2008!

I ran this in 2007, and it was my first marathon, and I was fine with it at the time, but after running another one, this one just didn't stack up.

First of all, you need to run eight times around the same loop, and this wouldn't be so bad, but there are an ultra and a relay going on at the same time, and there are pedestrians everyone, who don't care that a race is going on. Late in the race, you have no idea if you're passing (or getting passed by) someone for the first time or the fifth, or what race they are running and it really makes it hard to motivate yourself. The course wasn't very well-lit, and running in the dark isn't something I wanted to deal with at the later parts of a race.

Come race day, the starting temperature was 87 degrees. It cooled off considerably later on, but at times the rest stations were unmanned, or the water cups were filled to 1/2 or 1/3rd of the way up, which wasn't enough considering the heat, and it was ridiculous for rest stations to be unmanned during a looped course.
The primary rest station was at a very weird angle from the course, and a bit of a hassle, and it was really hard to get to it without stopping, and because of the way the race was split into three types, it made for an anticlimactic finish because no one knew that I had finished except for me.

All in all, it was mediocre at best. The course was okay the first time around, but after that just repetitive. There are so many good marathons in New England, and Mass. that it doesn't really make much sense to run this one unless you're desperate for a race in July.

This was my first marathon, and while I had a good time, I'd caution other first-timers to know what they're getting in to. The course, overall, is well lighted and the volunteers friendly and helpful. Dodging pedestrians became a bit of a challenge for me after the heat and exhaustion sunk in, but that's what you get on any non-closed course, I imagine. The real challenge for me was the heat and humidity. I ran with bottles of water and sports drink, and kept my stomach so full of fluids that it was uncomfortable, yet I still cramped up on the second to last lap. Sweat was literally pouring off of me the entire time.

As someone who went from running 3 miles to running 20 in a period of a few months, I had eased my transition into running long distances by training early in the morning to escape the heat. This undoubtedly kept me healthy during training, but I found myself wishing I'd acclimated to heat a little more before this race. Also, if your impressions of marathons come from watching New York, Chicago, and Boston be aware that this is a very different beast. Crowd support is there at the end of each lap, but is largely non-existent on the loop itself. As there are only a couple hundred runners, chances are also that you will be running alone much of the time. There's nothing wrong with that, but it may not be your ideal first-marathon experience.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience and recommend the challenge to anyone who knows what they're getting into. I'm planning on running it again next year and trying to break into the top 5.

I was a bit disappointed that on 2 occasions the mid-course water station had no water ready for runners. How is that possible w/ so few runners? Also, I was disappointed that the race organizer doesn't respond to emailed questions.

The humidity was really difficult to deal w/ and the course is not as well lit as advertised. That said, the race was basically enjoyable and I'd like to do it again as part of a relay team.