Great race. Volunteers were amazing. One of the most organized races I've participated in.

I cannot say enough about this race: Fast course, great fans along the way, and beautiful scenery along the Columbia River and over the bridges. Lots of aid stations. First-class all the way. Thank you.

I signed up for this race the day before, at the expo, as a do-over for the crappy marathon I ran the weekend before. I wound up having a great time, qualifying for Boston, and probably enjoying this race more than I've ever enjoyed a marathon before. The course is fast, pretty, and well-marked. The spectators and volunteers were friendly and helpful. I'll definitely do this one again.

This was truly an enjoyable marathon experience. From the pain-free on-line registration to the fabulous and convenient host hotel (what better set up than to walk out of your hotel room to the start/finish line?!), to the expertly organized race on a beautiful and flat course, this exceeded my previous marathon experience in every way.

PROS:
-Affordable price
-Host hotel with great rates and located at start/finish line (also with late checkout)
-Beautiful/flat course
-Upbeat and encouraging volunteers
-Announcement of name/age/place of origin as you cross the finish line
-Good selection of food at the finish line
-Nice medal
-Great shirts

CONS:
- No GU or other supplements along the course
- No finish line pictures

I definitely plan to run this marathon again.

I look for small marathons and this was the best of three so far. Scenic course had the added benefit of being almost flat; three bridge crossings bring you through all of the Tri-Cities; adequate aid stations and plenty of food and beverages at the end. I'd be happy to pay a little extra for chip timing.

The race was very well organized, from packet pickup to the logistics on the course. The aid stations were excellent. Plenty of fluids. The amenities were very nice. I would highly recommend this course. Great fall colors, nice weather and nice experience running along the Columbia River.

This was a great little race overall. The course spends enough time on the Columbia River that it's surprisingly scenic, especially given the fall colors.

Pros:
* The Shilo Inn is a great host hotel, with very affordable rates.
* The shirts were hands-down my favorites ever, with funny references to the Hanford Nuclear Reserve nearby.
* FAST course! I PR'd by 12 minutes.

Cons:
* NO food on the course. I could have used a banana at about mile 17.
* No results posted at the end.

I really enjoyed this race; the course runs along the Columbia River, mostly on trails. There were not tons of fans out, but the ones that were there were great... and so were the volunteers. I could have run a fast time on this if I had not run the Oregon Potato Marathon the day before in Umatilla, OR.

Really enjoyed this marathon. The course starts adjacent to the hotel parking lot, making the run exceptionally convenient. The out-and-back course offers runners an opportunity to view the race leaders and to familiarize themselves with the last half of the course. The course is relatively flat and fast. It mostly runs adjacent to the Columbia River, providing spectacular views. A first-class event, deserving of a prospective marathoner's consideration.

I really enjoyed the Tri-Cities Marathon this year. I ran it once in 2004 and just missed qualifying for Boston. That year there was a fairly strong headwind, which slowed me down in the last 10 miles. I ran it again in 2008 and was able to shave a couple of minutes off my previous time and qualify for Boston. The Tri-Cities Marathon is a great course for runners, like me, who do not like big crowds. With plenty of room to run and places for my family to meet me and cheer me on, I was able to run 20 minutes faster at Tri-Cities than I did at Portland. My two training partners also did well at the Tri-Cities Marathon, qualifying for Boston and getting PR's at the same time. Compared to the big marathons, Tri-Cities is also reasonably priced and starts right outside the hotel. It is great to walk out the door and run without having to stress about parking and getting a good start. I will definitely do this one again.