The entire town comes out to support this event with genuine kindness!! Great pasta dinner and post-race food. Course is well marked (except coming into the half when some people crossed the street instead of turning right). You must train for hills! One trail section was a little muddy due to rain. A great value in a smaller race. I would highly recommend this race as long as you train properly.

It's definitely not a first marathon race or a PR race. It was very scenic for most of the race, running by the river. There was a 3-mile stretch right after the half mark that they don't tell you about; you run through mud and rocks. It's not an easy race; there are some tough hills and it's very humid. Organizers did a great job! Water stops were placed every mile, but spectators were very few besides the water stops.

Good food before and after. Nice people.

Don't run this marathon if you're looking for a PR; you may well get a PW (personal worst) time-wise. However, if you want to have the most fun you've ever had at a marathon, don't miss this one. From the pasta dinner (including the skit of the Hatfield/Mccoy feud) to the unique course (complete with beautiful mountains, golf course and swinging bridge), you will have a ball. Spectators are few in number but as enthusiastic as you will find. Many will be in their yards and on their porches. Besides, who needs throngs of spectators when you have a course as great as this? In addition to all of this along the way, you get high-fives from Hatfield and Mccoy at the finish line. Then cool off and enjoy the festival and barbecue. This is more than a marathon. It's an experience. Nicer people you will never meet. Makes me proud to be a native West Virginian. Keep up the great work, David and all volunteers. You have something very special. See you in 2010.

I've run plenty of marathons, big and small, all over the U.S. This one just placed #1 on my list for greatest all-around marathon experience. Not many fans, but every single one made a sincere effort to raise my spirits. I got shot by two (very pretty) Hatfields and McCoys at water station #23 (water pistols). Organizers posted handmade signs on trees throughout the course for nearly every racer: "Go, Joe from Wisconsin." (Nice touch.) A little boy threw me a pass with his football going down the final stretch (and I threw a spiral back to him). Awesome and NUMEROUS water stations. About 90% of the course is run under the shade of trees - great for a June race! Hills are hills... get over it. The officials worked triple overtime to fix damage and prep the course due to recent flooding. The cold fountain to dip your feet in after the finish was HEAVENLY! Even the local churches donated their vans as shuttles for runners getting to the starting line. If an award could be given for "Best Total Community Support," the H&M Marathon would win, hands down! This should be on your list of "must do" marathons.

Yeah, this course had a little bit of everything, from hills to a bridge to gravel to mud. Overall, the course was somewhat difficult, and may not be set up for a PR. However, if you are looking for a challenge, then do the full marathon. During the second half, I was mainly by myself, and what I liked was that the course was marked very well. Overall, great organization.

Great marathon, with everything you can imagine. You have mountains, swinging bridges, creeks and history throughout. The course wasn't as hilly as expected, but miles 7 and 23 were difficult. I will run this again in years to come. If you like smaller marathons, this is the race for you

WOW... from sign-in through the finish, everything was great. I have no complaints. I gave 5 stars for the fans, but to clarify: while you don't see too many, the ones you do see are very supportive, and you have built-in ones every mile at the water stops. I don't even mind the t-shirt, as I have enough tech shirts and I can wear the hog proudly! Hills... there were lots of 'em - everywhere - but when you hear chickens, roosters and dogs barking, they seem to go by without too much difficulty. The swinging bridge was interesting. Wow. Anyway, go do it, as it is an experience. Good job, Mr. Hatfield!

I ran the half, and this was my first marathon. I cannot say enough good things about the organization behind this race and the local support. The water stops every mile were a godsend, and the volunteers made the race. The course itself is beautiful, but beware of the hill at mile 7; it seems to go on forever.

I was asked by a friend to join him in completing this marathon, as both of us needed West Virginia to check off the "50 states" list. His reading of reviews and previous years' comments sold me immediately, and boy, did the event ever live up to its billing.

From pre-race registration, pasta, and the dinner skit, to the starting line shotgun blast to send us off, to the finish line high-fives from the Hatfields and McCoys, this race has it all. The town comes out to support the runners, and proves that you don't need big dollars to put on a big event. The hills are as advertised. The course support and runners who we met both before and during the race make the miles go by. The water stops were friendly and well stocked. And our four-legged running companion that ran with us from miles 22-25.5 was waiting for us when we got back to the hotel!

A must-run event for any 50 stater - or any runner who just likes to run (and wants a challenge).

Thank you to David Hatfield, his staff, and Williamson, West Virginia for a great marathon event!

This is a great race to run if you are in shape, your goal is not to run a PR and you do not need fan support. It is hilly throughout, with a heart-breaker around Mile 23 or so. Plenty of water stops, hillbilly characters, and freebies. The mason jar with your finishing place is a real keeper. The race is well organized. The one thing they could change is to go with a TECH shirt. The Holiday Inn was great in Pikeville; they gave us a 2:00 p.m. checkout. See you at the next one.