This was my very first marathon and I have to say that it was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed the fact that it was small. All the volunteers were very eager to please--from helping me get registered (had website problems), to letting me know what stations in the area were good to listen to, and for being just as excited about my finish as they were for the first-place person. Thank you to all of those that made my first marathon so great!

I have run 46 marathons (Boston 10 times). The On the Road for Education Marathon, that I ran for the first time in 2005, is at the top of my list of favorites. The course, run on paved and non-paved bikepath, hiking trails, city streets and sidewalks, gravel and paved county roads, is just beautiful. The fall colors this year couldn't have been better. Race organization was perfect; no glitches whatsoever that I could discern. For me the weather was perfect: Slight drizzle and 40 degrees. This is a quaint, cozy, low-key race that showcases the city of Mason City in all its splendor.

I'm ready to run the race again next year.

This was my 26th marathon and I had a great time. The course was a great mix of city, country, trail (paved and dirt), and riverside segments. It was very well organized and had excellent support. All volunteers had upbeat attitudes. I expect this race to grow rapidly. Thanks to all who put the race together - impressive.

In Chicago you practically cannot run a straight line. Here you will be able to take the line of choice from start to finish, and I loved it! The course includes several miles of dirt trail running, which is about the most beautiful stretch I have ever experienced. There are many turns, but it is well marked and the students from the school who line the course were very spirited. Water stops were well placed and well stocked. I liked having many of them right at the mile mark, as I take walk breaks every mile. The enthusiasm for each person who came by was awesome.

From the packet pick up, the pasta party and start to the finish line this race is well organized. You feel taken care of and get exactly what you pay for. Maybe not a great first time marathon due to the low crowds on and off the course, but if you have a couple under your belt this one is sure to please, and will be a welcome reprieve from the mega-marathons!

Hats off to the organizers and the volunteers. This marathon is a sleepy little secret, and should be at 500 entrants!

What an awesome little race! I was fortunate to have run in this year's marathon in Mason City, It brought back some great memories of how marathons used to be! Small but very well organized! The people of Mason City will embrace you like one of there own! The course is fairly flat with running surfaces from pavement, to gravel roads, to dirt trails. It was lots of fun! The course is certified, well marked, excellent traffic control, and aid stations around every two miles with water and electrolyte drinks at all stations with GU at 12,18,and 22 miles. There are not alot of spectators but the ones that are there are great and everyone gets a big cheer at all the water stops. The Pasta feed the night before was one of the best! All homemade with a special sauce that was some of the best I've ever had. If you're expecting lots of extra's as far as goody bag stuff you may not find it to your liking, but if you're looking for a well organized race, with great volunteers, and some of the nicest people you will meet anywhere, head for Mason City, Iowa next year and I promise you that you will not be disappointed! I know I will be back again!
Dick Beardsley

Having grown up near Mason City, I was skeptical of how good a race could occur there and was very pleasantly surprised.

The course was well marked, so taking a wrong turn amoung the twists in the course was not an issue. The volunteers were great and there was not a shortage of water or Powerade. They also provided oranges and bananas.

Miles 14 to 19 were on a trail along a river. This trail had tree roots and rocks, but was not a problem as long as the runners paid attention to the path ahead of them. This was my favorite part of the race.

After this trail, we continued along a combination of roads, bike paths and some sidewalks. At one point in East Park, there were ducks, cranes and geese in the river to our left and a herd of deer to the right.

The course is advertised as flat and for the most part it is. There were just enough rolling terrain to keep things comfortable and interesting. The surface as mentioned above alternated, which I found better than all road surface. Despite all the surface changes, I ran a PR.

The pre-race pasta meal was well worth the $6.00. This is not a big race as there were about 90 marathoners and 70 half marathoners. I have run both distances with thousands of other runners and found the smaller field of runners at this event to be fun.

Next year I'll be back. Good job Mason City!

This is not your typical course... the run changes from street pavement to rough gravel roads to dirt trail to black-top parkway and then city sidewalks. I enjoyed the change in the course surfaces but some runners may find the rocky gravel, tree roots or sidewalk curbs to be a distraction.

Nicely organized from start to finish (it was great having a place indoors to wait for the start... a cool 30 degrees at the start!). Thanks for the 26.2 miles of fun!

This is a quaint little event that exists as a fundraiser for their private school. It is staffed by a group of very motivated individuals and seems to have the support of much of the community. The course starts off with a swing through the outskirts of Mason City which is uninspiring and tedious due to the gravel roads, but in the second half, you get a great 6 miles of dirt trails that run along a small river. This stretch alone is worth coming back for. A couple of critical comments include the fact that the walk-on registration for the 1/2 marathon is prohibitively expensive at $55.00 and they are flat-out cheap in their awards (1st place male overall and 1st place female overall - and that's it for the marathon). There should at least be a three-deep recognition for overall and masters runners. Generally, I think this is a good little course to run for a less-than-serious marathon.

This is an interesting marathon course, you get to sample roads (paved & gravel) blacktop bike trails & dirt trails. The volunteers were great and the police the best I've seen at any race. Would have been nice to have a digital clock at the finish!! I also expected an awards ceremony for the marathon race but apparently there were only awards for the 5K & 10K runners. Still I would recommend this run, it is sure to improve as it matures and you can't beat the small-town atmosphere!!

I really enjoyed my run at this marathon. The course had such a variety of scenery and trails that the 26 miles went by without much effort. I really liked the bike trial run along the river. The people along the course were great and the co-runners were all supportive. I hope to be back again next year.