Packet pick0up is available Saturday evening or on the morning of the race, which is a great option for people who have to work on Saturdays. There isn't an expo, but you get a cotton long-sleeve shirt (I don't need every marathon shirt to be a technical tee), a nice pair of Fox River Mills socks, the usual assortment of free samples, and yes - a beef summer sausage! The pasta dinner is way too cheap and yet it's still delicious.

We had interesting weather - 30 to 40 mph wind gusting to 58 mph and snow! Still a great experience - the weather made it quite interesting but it's kind of like a badge of honor to finish with the extra challenge. The course includes a fair number of bike trails and some city streets and a few miles of country blacktop (where the wind was reaaaaally killer). There are some gravel roads, but they were hard-packed. About 5 miles of the course are on a horse trail that's not really designed for running, but it was doable. There were a lot of rocks and roots jutting up out of the ground, but they had marked them well with white spray paint. The course had the perfect balance of uphills and downhills.

The volunteers were top-notch. Aid stations were about every 2 miles as promised. One recommendation for next year would be to have the bike support guys check on the people behind the main pack at least once or twice. I never saw them after mile 10 because we were about 1/4 mile behind the pack at that point.

I only gave 2 stars for spectators because of the quantity, not the quality. The few fans that I saw (less than a dozen total, not counting the aid station volunteers) were great - they moved around the course, so we saw them 2 or 3 times each.

Overall, a great marathon as long as you don't need a bunch of adoring fans (I don't) or a huge expo (I don't). With not many runners, this race could be very lonely. My wife had agreed to go slower and run with me so I always had a running partner but otherwise it could have been a much more solitary experience. My finishing time was terrible but that was the fault of the weather and myself, not the course.

This was my first marathon, and it was memorable, even if for no reason other than the weather. Brutal wind on the first half; snow on the back half. Enjoyed the various terrain, and the volunteers were great. Very encouraging, even for us who ran near the back of the pack.

Plenty of variety of surfaces on the course, from paved roads to unpaved roads to gravel and wooded trails - with nice scenery. Organizers do everything they can for you. Start and finish facilities were great, with showers, shelter from weather, etc. The pasta dinner was like a family event. Certainly the wind and snow showers (along with the falling trees in the woods) added to the "excitement." The folks marshaling the course and water aid stops deserve a big "thank you" given the weather. No problems for me with directions - seemed there was always somebody guiding us, and the surface markings were very clear. A small event with a big heart.

Yes, the weather was challenging this year - 40 mph winds and snow during the second half - but we're troopers. The goody bag was surprising for such a small race - summer sausage, socks, deodorant, etc. The complimentary shuttle to the start was nice.

A couple of suggestions for next year:

1) Fix the online map (it is still the incorrect route).

2) Volunteers need to be stationed at EVERY intersection or where there's a fork in the road. Plus, the volunteers need to be shouting which way to go (when they are visible) and not just stand there. Unfortunately, most of the high school volunteers just sat in their chairs and did nothing. I had to ask a spectator which way to go. Also, there needs to be someone stopping traffic for the runners. There was actually a guy that got "bumped" by a car when he was crossing the street towards the finish line because no one was stopping traffic. That's just inexcusable!

3) The race needs to be advertised more and supported by the community. Did Mason City even know that a marathon was going through their town?

4) Also, since the 5K and 10K usually don't have a good turnout, perhaps hold the shorter races in the spring or summer and the longer races in the fall. On a positive note, the course is quite scenic, going through many trails (which blocked the wind).

I have run 20 marathons so far and 5 of them have been Mason City, Iowa's "On The Road For Education Marathon." Yes, there are several reasons why I run this race, 1) I grew up in North Iowa; 2) Lime Creek is one of the best trail systems I have run on anywhere; 3) it has a great, fast course (I hold the record for females); 4) the people on the race planning committee are wonderful and work very hard (I have also been on the planning committee); and 5) I graduated from Newman in 1998. But even if I had no ties to this race, I would still recommend running it. It is well organized and well marked. There are not many fans, but when they are there, they are great!! Be prepared for any type of weather. I've seen anything from rain, to heat, to snow!! If you are looking for a fantastic marathon experience, check out On The Road. I now live in Oklahoma City, but that does not stop me from making the 10-hour trip back home to Iowa every year for this race. I could not miss this one!!

The course was interesting with all the different surface types offered, however they did not seem prepared for the weather which made the muddy areas a challenge. Also the water stations were not adequately attended; when I tried to contact the organizers via email I never received a reply; and the website is still not updated with photos.

All and all this is a pretty well run event that could use some tweaking. The weather played havoc with the course on the unpaved roads to find firm footing and also on the nature preserve hiking trail where pools of water formed overnight and at times it was treacherous to find a place where you may not slide into the ground. The other surfaces were fine, except after about mile 20 or so we had to run on the sidewalk through a downtown area which at that point in a race hopping the curbs and all that is not what you really want to do. As mentioned by others the signage was a little confusing at times. I ran the race nearly alone for 20 miles and guessed the correct turns several times. The volunteers directing at some of the junctures could have been more helpful verbalizing where to run rather than pointing in a direction for those running alone. It is hard to rate the spectators since there were very few(given the drizzly rain I suppose)except those at the water stops and at the finish line. I liked the shower at the finish and waiting indoors prior to the race start. It is a relatively flat course except a few hills early on. I ran this instead of the TCM the week before and did a PR. I would do this race again assuming the course was dry. This was my first small town marathon and was a very good experience on a challenging day!

I ran the 1/2 marathon race (started at the halfway point of the marathon course). Even though it was rainy and in the low 50s, I didn't think we had horrible running conditions at all.

The course was very scenic and utilized many local trails (some were paved, others were gravel or dirt/mud). The first part of the 1/2 marathon went through the Lime Creek area. Since it was raining, the trails were super muddy, and it was hard to keep your traction. As a result, people had slower times. The course map that was available online was incorrect - the real route varied by a block or two or three in some parts. When you come off of Pierce Ave. and the last mile is off (that was frustrating because I ran the online-version of the course the week before to get a feel for it mentally and physically, but that was the wrong course - that needs to be fixed for next year). There was one spot in the Big Blue area where the path forked. However, there were no signs or volunteers pointing you in the right direction. Thankfully, I chose the right path.

All finishers in the marathon and 1/2 marathon got finisher medals. However, only the top finisher in each division got "rewarded." It would be nice if the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places got medals.

Spectators were far and few between. The volunteers at the water stations were great - and very encouraging!

I liked how there was rock music playing at the finish line. Is there any way there can be music at other points in the race for next year?

Overall, I would recommend the 1/2 marathon. I thought it went by pretty quickly and did not get bored at all.

I ran the half marathon in 2007. Overall, a very good, small-town event. The volunteers were fantastic and the goody bag was better than what I've received in big-city marathons. I've never had a tube of summer sausage in a goody bag before. There just a few items I'd like to suggest to make the event even better:

1. The map in the brochure and website wasn't the actual course; specifically, we did not run on 15th St. SW nor did we enter the finish area on Taft.

2. In the Big Blue area (after mile 11 half/mile 24 full) there was a fork in the bike trail. There were old markings on the trail indicating a left turn but there was not a clear indication of which way to go. Again with the map not matching the course, I started the wrong way but when I didn't see any markings, I reversed course and then noticed arrows directing the runners. I suggest better markings at that fork of both painted markings as well as posted directions or perhaps volunteers at the fork.

3. Would like to see the results posted a bit faster.
This is a fantastic event and you show off the best of Mason City. It's really too bad there isn't much support from the community. It seems the only support comes from families and friends of other runners. Maybe you could get neighborhoods to organize and provide some support and encouragement.

Considering what it was like the week before at Twin Cities and Chicago, the cooler weather and rain wasn't too bad. Rain quit just before the start and then there was only a mist a bit after that. The rain the night before left the Lime Creek Trail a real challenge. More than one runner commented on how their times fell off because of the wet, slick conditions. Still it was an enjoyable race. I would concur that a few more direction markers in the woods would have been nice. With 10-year age groups, I would recommend medals 3-deep instead of just 1st place. I will come back and do this one again some day.