From the quaint little towns, to the top of Blackberry Mountain?..and back down. This is definitely an adventure not to be missed!

This one will challenge you?..Mile 1 is flat. Then there?s a gradual up- hill from about 2-6 on 119. The incline isn?t noticeably steep (unless you drive it going back down the way you ran up). This is definitely a place to conserve yourself because mile 6 is a steep climb to the top of Blackberry Mountain and mile 7 takes you back down just as hard. Right before 20, terrain gets rough- gravel, dirt, mud for a little over a mile. It?s easy to lose footing when you are tired and running lazily, not properly lifting your feet with every step. Next, before 20 is the swinging bridge. It?s a fun, unique touch but would have been more welcomed had I not beaten my legs and joints up on the rocky trail just prior. Mile 23 is one last punch to the quads and knees. After that, it?s flat- well deserved by all!!

The reception at the end of the race is warm and genuine. It gives you one last boost to the end and through the chute.

I would recommend this race for someone looking for challenging hills mixed with a trail running feel. The scenery is breathtaking. Not sure if I would do it again, being used to the flat-land training of Chicago. But well worth this trip and 100% un-regretted.
Thank you to all who put on a wonderful race and celebration! I am so glad I got the chance to have the experience. Keep up the good work!

This was by far the hardest marathon I have ever done. Best described as Hazy, Hot, Humid, and Hilly. The course was very scenic, yet difficult due to the mountainous area, the dirt path for part of the course and the 'swanging' bridge. However, the volunteers made it all bearable. They were all so friendly and supportive. Thank goodness they were spaced every mile or so with ICE. I don?t think I would have finished if it hadn't been for the ice they provided. Also, at the end, the mother of the owner of Starters Restaurant gave me a beer! She was awesome.

The race indicated there would be a pig roast at the end of the race. Don?t expect a hog on a spit as I did. Down there, a pig roast means you will have barbecued pork available. It was good nonetheless. All I can say is, West Virginia is now marked off my list.

I really enjoyed this race. The course was very pretty, through the hills of WV and KY. The volunteers were wonderful. Powerade was the sports drink, it was chip timed. The course was a little off according to the GPS of the guy I was running with, but you were told the course was measured with a 'pickem up truck'. Everyone was wonderful including the other runners; there was a relaxed feeling knowing this course wasn't certified and you had to do nothing but finish. The pasta feed was free including a nice little 'Hatfield and McCoy skit.' I recommend this race highly; although it was very hot and humid, the sponges, the ice, and the cold powerade were great extras!!!!

This is a wonderfully organized race! Shuttles to the start were prompt and fast, directions and markers throughout the race were clear, and chips for timing are provided. Even with the very small field of runners, there were ample friendly and helpful volunteers all along the course. Pre-race information stated 25 water stations along the course, but there seemed to be more, most less than a mile apart. Each water station was well-supplied with, besides water and gatorade, ice, wet sponges, bananas, gel, pretzels, and friendly, enthusiastic volunteers. This is a great race for water stations! Temperatures in the high 80s, humidity at 90%, and hills most runners aren't accustomed to made for a physically grueling run; these all, however, were well-compensated for by the scenery, camaraderie, and wonderful local hospitality. Leave the Garmin at home; satellite reception is horrible.

West Virginia is a beautiful state with some of the finest rivers in the world! This race has a clever theme and the people were all very friendly. Running by the burned out buildings and trash heaps really made me realize where I was. As far as mountain views I must not have been running the same course as anyone else. The guy with the push lawn mower with a rope tied to it was my favorite part of the scenery. The course was relatively easy if you are really used to training in mountains. The extreme humidity in June was the real obstacle. The locals were all very receptive to the event.

My only complaint is the way the race director has handled the post race follow-up. I know two people who placed in their age group but had to leave at the end of the race. Hatfield refuses to send them their awards, which, however small, are really important to most average runners. In one case he even told one of my friends to send a check for shipping of the award, so she did. The check cleared her bank several weeks ago and guess what... that's right, no award has arrived (or, I suspect, was sent, since my other friend never recieved hers either). Very professional and considerate.

If you are in pursuit of the coveted Fifty and DC accomplishment, as the majority of the runners there obviously were, then this is an option. Otherwise there would not be enough support for this race to exist. Congratulations to all runners!

The Hatfield McCoy Marathon is an ideal marathon for a runner interested in doing a non-masochistic (but still challenging) mountain marathon. The course is very scenic, with mountains visible for the entire distance. A large part of the second half of the marathon follows the Tug River. The marathon is mainly run on two lane state highways and avoids commercial/industrial areas except for the start and end. There are no steep hills on the course, but there are some long sections with a moderate ascent. It was very misty and humid during the race in 2004 but the only significant rain fell for a brief period of time around mile 18.

The crowd support was as strong as could be expected given the low population of the area. The presence of water stations every mile was much more important than the amount of roadside cheering. If a rural race with less than 300 runners can have water available at every mile, I don't know why all marathons can't have them.

My only suggestions would be to have the course map, elevation profile and directions to the race hotel and starting line available on the marathon website. I would also considered starting the marathon earlier (or at least having an early start option) because conditions could be very uncomfortable later in the morning if temperatures were higher than normal.

I hope to run marathons in all 50 states, so I don't expect to repeat a non-local race until I have achieved that goal. After I have accomplished that, the Hatfield McCoy Marathon will be high on my list of races to run a second time.

Certainly not a marathon if you're seeking a PR. However, the organization, the small town feel, the race director, David Hatfield, and the Hatfield-McCoy skit performed at the pasta party the night before were all experiences not to be missed.

After reading the comments of my partner, I thought I'd add my thoughts. Everything in David Terrill's comments were quite descriptive and accurate (not much I could add). Met wonderful people from the packet pick-up, to the volunteers on the course, and the enthusiastic spectators at the finish. Thanks to David Hatfield and all those involved in making this event happen. Depending on my recovery from Boston next year, I am looking forward to a return trip!

KUDOS AGAIN and GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

You won?t run a PR or find a glitzy pre-race expo here, so look elsewhere if those are your primary interests. But if you want a well-organized event on a demanding -- though not ridiculously difficult -- course that's a true slice of Americana, this one should not be missed. What?s ridiculous is the low entry fee, which includes a Friday evening pasta dinner (complete with a humorous Hatfield-McCoy skit, Tug Valley Road Runners Club scholarship presentations to area high school track athletes, and a Q & A session with Race Director David Hatfield) as well as a colorful t-shirt, beautiful finisher?s medal and more. Plus the marathon course crosses back-and-forth between Kentucky and West Virginia several times and the scenery is almost always beautiful.

Given the race is in mid-June in the heart of Appalachia, humidity is to be expected, but the course offers lots of shade with no long stretches in the hot sun. Starting in Goody, Kentucky, the route begins with 2 miles of gradual downhill, but just past the tiny coal town of Toler a steep uphill serves as a warning of things to come. The grade relaxes but runners continue climbing from 2.5 to 6.5 ? not too tough ? and then the final climb over Blackberry Mountain is a grind. From 7.25 to the halfway point it?s all downhill or flat but one must avoid going full-bore or there?ll be a price to pay later. Historic Matewan, West Virginia, is the half-marathon finish while full-marathoners loop through the small downtown area and head back out for several scenic miles along the Kentucky side of the Tug River. It?s pleasantly rolling from 13.1 to 18 but the one-lane road eventually changes from pavement to gravel and dirt, so if it?s wet (like this year) you?ll do some jumping around to avoid mud puddles. Right at 18 miles runners enter a golf course and cross an interesting swinging bridge into West Virginia. A mile or so later it?s across the Tug River once again and back into Kentucky. From 20 to the finish the road surface is excellent and the terrain is again moderately rolling, but there?s one painful descent followed by a final demanding uphill in mile 24; the last couple miles are thankfully flat. Runners cross the Tug into West Virginia a few blocks before the finish in downtown Williamson.

Race Director David Hatfield acknowledges he has lots of help from the Tug Valley Road Runners and other volunteers, and it?s true the frequent aid stations are staffed with helpful folks who enjoy being out there supporting the runners. But David must be among the hardest-working marathon directors in the USA and takes everything in stride. Having grown from 15 marathon finishers in 2000 (year one) to well over 200 this year, the event has been a real plus for an area that needs economic stimulation. Factor in the accompanying half-marathon and the total number of participants in 2004 was close to 400. Limited accommodations in Williamson and adjacent towns mean one must really plan ahead or settle for staying up to an hour?s drive away, and you?ll probably run 10-20 minutes slower than on a ?normal? course. But the feuding is long over and folks could not be friendlier, so by all means give Hatfield-McCoy a try!

Especially if hilly is an understatement?

Great Race Director: David Hatfield.

Great Community: All the people in Williamson, Goody and the neighboring towns knew about and appreciated the marathon.

Gorgeous Scenery.

Great Water Stops: Virtually all 24 water stops had water, PowerAde, bananas, Gu and encouraging people.