First of all, let me say that the volunteers and organizers of this event really did a great job of putting this marathon together. I imagine it takes a lot of heart to pull something like this off, so kudos to the people of Mason City and Newman Catholic High School for doing so.

Cons: Not that many runners for the full marathon (but that could be a pro, too!), infrequent water stops at the end (every two miles or so), trails made for some tricky running, gravel roads also somewhat challenging (be prepared if you're not used to this surface)

Pros: GU packs made available, charming cheerleaders and volunteers, somewhat flat course (especially at the end), easy packet pick-up and easy-to-find start/finish lines, caring medical staff patrolling the course, early start times available, marathon fee goes to a GREAT cause!

Best of luck to the organizers next year!

The marathon race was a great one to run with great volunteers. One benefit was that there were not many entrants so there were no crowds to contend with. The start at Music Man Square was very unique and a great way to start the event. Mason City is truly River City! The course had great variety in that it went through the city, out on bike travels, past Iowa corn fields on a few gravel roads, a great nature trail (especially in the fall with the leaves turning color) and then back again into the city for the end of the race at the Newman school. Great day!

Support along the course was fine and we were glad to support the local school system, but I think there should be some reciprocity.

I walked this course and it's the most beautiful one I have walked. From packet pick-up to finish line food, this was a very well organized event and I highly recommend it. Many 50-State Club members were here as well.

I've never been to Mason City. What a darling town. It was fun to start at such a famous landmark, "The Music Man" composer's hometown. The race was well organized, and the enthusiastic volunteers were amazing and so helpful. The spectators were so fun, especially the "pinata" that followed us along the course. The course was breathtaking and very diverse. You never knew what kind of surface or scenery was coming up next. I loved running through the serenity of the trails. Even though we were a small "marathon" group, everyone was friendly and encouraging. The towns were so quaint and the homes on wooded lots were so fun to admire. I'd come back to visit. Thanks for putting on such a fun marathon. I love the little home-town races.

I am originally from Iowa and I returned for this race fully expecting a boring run through cornfields. Yes, there was a good portion in the corn fields, but more than half of the race was on trails along the river. With the changing leaves it was absolutely beautiful! The race organization was superb and very accommodating. I have nothing negative to say about this race.

This was my fourth marathon, and I truly appreciate a lot of the little details that showed how much the organizers were focused on making it a great day for runners:

* Indoor place to wait for the start - fantastic!
* Lots of aid stations, with GU and fruit (though I don't use either during the race, it was a great touch for those who do).
* Well-marked course with great volunteers at nearly every corner. I truly appreciated the time that went into marking the rocks and roots in the Lime Creek nature area - by that point my legs weren't always as nimble as they should be, and I'm sure that seeing the obstacles ahead of time saved me a fall.
* Making changes to the half course at the last minute so those of us running the full would be the only ones through the wet dirt trails in Lime Creek. I know that had to be a huge undertaking!
* Variety of food at the finish, and having showers available was wonderful.

Though the event is small, they really do have the runners in mind when they make decisions.

Great race!! Here's why:
* Low cost
* $6 yummy pasta feed
* Well organized
* Great race director and volunteers
* Fun course with variety
* Pretty scenery
* Excellent course marshals
* Friendly and encouraging spectators
* Excellent, locally-made Fox River socks as swag
* Great post-race food
* Hot showers!
* Cheap enough to donate an extra $20 when you register

* All in all, a great race and a great value!

Tiny but fun! Unlike others in previous years, I had no problem following the course. Though few and sometimes far between, the spectators were very friendly, and given the size of the race, the number of volunteers and aid stations was impressive.

This marathon is a well run, small marathon supporting a good local cause. Course was well marked, with helpful people at critical turning point along the route. This helped with not getting lost. Aid stations were well stocked with water and PowerAde, cut fruit, and GU, and it felt like you had your own personnel crew support at each stop. One stop even had the GU's already cut open.

The finish line had an excellent recovery tent, staffed with plenty of people and wide variety of goodies. Bus to starting line was great, and gear check at the starting line awesome. Being able to sit in a nice convention center a short walk to the starting after being dropped off by the bus was great. I walked out to the starting line 10 minutes before the start, took off my sweats, checked my bag, and still had time to do whatever. While looking for my gear bag in the school gym after the race, a young lady handed me my bag as I walked in.

If you like small, no-hassle races, this is the race for you. Few fans on the course were cheering you on, but the ones that were there were very supportive. There were several race chaser groups, which was fun; it was great to see the same person cheering for you at various points along the route. If you must have a big-time race with all the bells and whistles, you should give this race a try. I loved it. But I love every thing about Iowa, being a resident. I ran this race by myself, but would love to get a group of friends to run the course with. Not really a good PR course, with trails and gravel road surfaces at times, but I did get at PR of 4:12. This was my fourth marathon.