After reading P.N. of Winnipeg's comments I just had to add my two bits. My wife ran the half and raved about the oatmeal cookies. Almost everyone I talked too raved about the cookies. Unfortunately for me I finished well after all the cookies were gone. This was my second time at QCM and I will be attending for a third this year. The plan is to finish in time to get my cookie this year.

QCM 2004 was my first marathon, and overall it was a good experience. The race was very well organized, though I didn't like the pizza box race kits - mine was mistaken for garbage and cleaned up by the hotel cleaning staff! They had to retreive it (with my race bib and timing chip) from the bin!

I thought the food at the pasta party was better than at the Manitoba Marathon, but still not great. However, unlike another commenter, I LOVED the giant oatmeal raisin cookies at the finish line. I never expected to have a full meal there - what was provided was plenty.

I wasn't wild about the course - the first half is run along with the half-marathoners and the support and energy there is good. The second half includes a long out-and-back on the bike trails that seemed a lot longer in reality than it looked on the map. The last leg was through a residential area, but didn't seem to be very well marked, and by the time I was going through, it felt deserted. Not much fan support in the second half, where you need it the most.

However, the medal was big and shiny, and the long-sleeved finisher's shirt is a favorite. Also, the 'official' hotel - the Hotel Saskatchewan - was a great treat. Very old-fashioned and classy.

Overall, it was a great experience. I'll be back in 2005 to try for a PR!

Lots of aid stations/helpers with a choice of water or Gatorade. Entertainment was great. Thanks to the volunteers and the great spectators who cheered us on.

Wet sponge's would have been nice in the last half.

Now that Regina has such a great event drawing in more people, perhaps the city will consider re-surfacing the roads on the last 10 KM of the course.

This is my second QCM, definitely NOT my last. I enjoyed the layout of the route, the loops made good use of the water stations, fans were great, and the day itself was perfect, not raining like we have had all summer in Winnipeg

Every year the QCM gets better and better. What I like is that the volunteer committee take suggestions from previous years and implement them the next. They listen and this shows the race has great potential. It is very much a race for runners. The personal touches and 'coziness' are a welcome treat from so many others races that seem like big cattle calls. It is well worth the trip to Regina!

This was my first run in the QC marathon and it lived up to all the great things I had heard from previous participants. The organization was great, the course is excellent. However for me the crowning jewel was the atmosphere that you have captured. The festival atmosphere was electric. The entertainment,spectators and supportive volunteers were awesome. I only ran the half-marathon so I can only imagine how much more appreciative the full marathoners would be. I can't wait for next year.

The actual marathon was a challenge, at times, and the support along the marathon route was excellent. BUT the pre-race pasta loading party was held on Friday - 2 days before the race. Many out of town participants arrived on Sat. and had to go to a restaurant to carb load. Race kits were provided in small size pizza boxes but there were no pizza slice coupons - did I miss the coupon or was I supposed to look at the advertising of the box and think on Saturday I need some carbs... so I'll order a pizza because darn, I missed the pasta party that was held Friday evening.

During the marathon the fan support was great and there was lots of Gatorade, water and gels. This part was really well organized.

After the marathon, the only food that was available: large, high-fat, raisin oatmeal cookies, oranges, apples, bananas and soda pop (both diet and regular). So my guess is that out of town participants had to to a restaurant to get a meal before heading home. The last time I got this type of food treatment the fee was $25, so in my opinion the fee was too high.

I signed up for QCM with the hope of running a PR on what I assumed was going to be a flat, fast course. However, the second half of the race on the bike paths shot that dream down in flames. TIGHT corners and uneven ground made for a really unpleasant, and potentially injury-making experience. Also, where were the crowds we had been led to believe would be thronging the streets?!? I've run 4 marathons in as many cities, and have never seen such a lack of interest in the event. Don't think I'll be including QCM in next year's schedule.

I would like to thank all of the organizers and volunteers for a great race. This was my first time and I will definitely do it again. The only thing I will say is that I think at the water stations, you could put out garbage cans, runners can easily throw the cups into the cans. I don't think volunteers should have to pick up the runners' garbage. I would guess the majority of the cups would end up in the cans. Thanks you for a great day!!

Sincerely,
Dean Kuz

It was very well organized. Having run at other out-of-province events - this race is clearly a must in the fall!