It didn't have the crowds of Chicago or the bands and cheerleaders of RNR San Diego or the magic of Boston - but it was PERFECT as advertised: the Last Chance For Boston (both with the fast course and when the race was held). Interestingly, the Boston Marathon attained 20,000 registrants - the stated limit - some 5 days after LCFB, so no subsequent marathon would necessarily allow for qualifying this year.

I was injured last fall and unable to run Marine Corps but still wanted to qualify for Boston again once I was healthy. LCFB offered a flat course (okay, 4 feet of elevation change per mile) in cold weather - a great combination for speed. The quarter miles were all marked, which really facilitated pacing. In fact, 19 of my first 20 miles were all within 5 seconds of each other!

The crowds weren't large but seeing 200 people 26 times equates to some 5,000 spectators - pretty darn good for a 100-person race. My only beef about the crowds was that hardly anyone cheered me by name - even though it was prominent on my shirt.

The predictability of each lap really helped me stay focused. For example, as I hit the windy spot (last third or so), I always knew it would subside within about three minutes. Also, there was never any guessing when I'd next encounter the energetic volunteers handing out water and Gatorade.

The host hotel couldn't have been more convenient since it was less than a minute from the start/finish. I would heartily recommend Last Chance For Boston to any runner seeking a specific goal time!

Running 26 times around a flat one-mile loop works well, except... if you're trying to qualify for Boston, you'll be passing a lot of people over and over, and even if they're trying to stay to the inside there will be other only marginally faster people passing them by running wider, complicating things. It got better once the 5K, 10K and half-marathoners were done, but that takes awhile, and you're expending mental and physical energy passing so many people in the meantime. Race winners stuck to the outside and probably ended up running 26.7 or 26.8.

I loved having the quarter-, half- and three-quarter mile marked off. You always knew where you were and how you were doing pace-wise. The 26-split chip timing for the results is great, too, letting you know exactly how you did mile by mile.

They were supposed to shout out your lap count after the first hour or so. That was very hit and miss, but it was a non-issue for me. I knew my lap count.

It was 19 degrees at the start, 26 when I finished, with winds of 14 or 15 mph that I was running into directly head-on for about a quarter of the race (remember, it's a loop). I knew the weather risk when I signed up; I'm not complaining. It's often cold at 8 a.m. in Ohio in late February.

When I picked up my race packet, I asked what gel would be available. GU, I was told. Uh, no. Turned out there was no gel at all. Had I been told that, I would have carried my own. There was nothing but water and Gatorade, though of course they were available every mile.

There was one really great spectator at about the three-quarter mile point. The rest were pretty scarce and pretty quiet, but I didn't expect much given the weather and the nature of the race.

Logistics couldn't be much easier, with a $78 hotel room available a few yards from the finish and .2 miles from the start.

I didn't qualify for Boston. I did get a PR. If you like a cold-weather race, don't need a lot of fan support and don't mind a lot of traffic on the course, this race might work for you. It is fast. It is flat.

My running buddies were training for the marathon in Antarctica, and I needed a marathon of my own to test out the success of my training. I found this one which was at the perfect time (our marathons were one week apart), convenient (2 hours from home), well priced (only $45), and interesting (the one mile repeating loop matched our frequent training course of repeated .9 mile park loops). I was not trying to qualify for Boston, I was just hoping to finish (I did) and to finish in 5 hours, if possible (I ran a 4:49:07), so I felt it was a rousing success.

The temperature was reasonably comfortable, with light, intermittent snow. I liked passing the start and aid station (well stocked with water, Gatorade, and gel) and hearing how many laps I had finished.

My family was there to support me - my husband couldn't run because of a foot injury, but he walked opposite the runners the whole time, taking pictures, cheering me on, and telling me how great I was doing. I appreciated the great support staff tolerating the cold (it's so much harder to be out in that weather when you are standing still).

I thought the race was friendly and well organized. Because I finished close to the end of the pack (90/99), there were only two people left to help at the finish line, but I didn't mind. They were also out of pizza, but again, they offered generous helpings of bagels, orange slices and good-tasting sport-type bars.

The wind shirt is very nice, and the medal fine also. I had not run a marathon since 1987 (when I was 31), so here I am, at age 48, able to do one again. And it wasn't even my slowest time! This is an enjoyable, low-key winter marathon - try it!

I commented in detail last year on the LCFB experience, so I'll be brief this time. Kudos to Jeff Glaze and all the staff and volunteers who have helped to make this event another success. The enthusiasm and encouragement offered each lap is truly uplifting, especially when things aren't going as you had planned. The weather was a non-issue, with 20's and flurries and breezy. All in all, not unpleasant, even in shorts.

I didn't come close to my target time as a result of severe shin pain. A more prudent runner would have bypassed this day to heal and try again later, painfree, but that wasn't an option this time. I wanted to keep the streak going here (4 for 4 @ LCFB), but more importantly, I dedicated my efforts to the memory of a co-worker who passed away in November. So those reasons kept me going mentally when the shins were failing me physically.

I'll be back, no doubt about it, because the folks who put this together really make you feel comfortable and appreciated, kinda like a valued customer. And I again thank them, for their generous efforts make it possible for us runners to put forth our best efforts.

I ran the half marathon and loved the 1-mile loop. This is definitely a race at which to concentrate on speed, and it is easy to do since every 1/4 mile is clearly marked. I would definitely do this race again.

I ran this race as a half marathon and loved it. The loop isn't really a round circle but a somewhat turning course that allowed runner's to face expected headwinds, then expected relief. I shaved almost 11 minutes off my PR, which I attribute the knowing exactly where I was with each 1/4 mile - all marked.

The organization was excellent as was the very cool windbreaker shirt. Nice touch to have something other than a sweatshirt or T-shirt. The weather in Ohio in February will definitely be cold & windy. The light show made for an interesting run. And seeing the same people as we all looped together was highly motivating as you never felt alone in your constant drive to finish. I would highly recommend this course for anyone out to set a PR, especially if the person is well accustomed to winter running. This race will be in my winter schedule for next year.

This race was extremely well organized. The volunteers are plentiful, friendly, and deserve the highest compliments for enduring 30-degree temps, wind and snow! This was my first marathon but not the first time I've traveled to a race.

Logistically, this is as easy as it gets. The host hotel is literally a few steps away from the course. Even if you don't stay at the host hotel there are several others within a mile of the course. My wife and I stayed at a nearby hotel, and judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, there couldn't have been more than three or four rooms occupied in the entire hotel. We were surprised there weren't more people around, but then again, you figure there are 150 in the marathon and most of them aren't traveling overnight.

The course is a one-mile loop and initially I thought running 26 loops would be dreadful. It's not! Since this is a smaller marathon, the loops ensure that you are always around someone, even if they aren't running your exact pace. The loop also gives you 26 passes at the water station and if you need aid you're never far away from assistance. After about mile 5, the volunteers started handing out gels, along with water and Gatorade that were available every lap. As you got into the later miles, the organizers would announce what lap you were on. I wore a pace band so I always knew what lap I was on, but I heard others express concern about losing count. Probably ten times I had my lap called out to me. If you are unsure, the organizers tell you in the pre-race announcements that you can let the timers know when you pass the mile marker and the next time through they'll be sure to let you know what lap you're on. My only complaint about the lap course is that there are three 45 degree turns. My left leg is much more sore than my right leg from being on the inside of all these turns. It wasn't a problem when I was running but the day after I noticed much more soreness in my left leg. My wife ran the half and experienced the same thing.

The weather was snowy but no accumulation. The one straight away is windy, but then you have the wind at your back when you complete your lap. I trained through winter conditions in PA, so the wintry elements didn't really bother me on race day. If you're a treadmill runner or someone who doesn't like to run in sub-40-degree temps, I wouldn't recommend this race.

However, if you are looking to BQ, there probably isn't a better course. It's pancake flat and the quarter mile markers on the course make it easy to monitor your pace. I would definitely recommend this marathon to anyone looking for a small Boston qualifier marathon who doesn't mind running in the cold weather.

See prior comments.

I am so glad I did this race; I was a little nervous (more than normal) prior to doing this race because I had altered my training (fewer long runs, more marathon pace runs) and I ended up running a PR by 5 minutes! Very pleased. The race really helped with this since you never ran out of a person or group to try and catch repeatedly due to repeat one-mile loop; normally this doesnt happen too much as a race progresses since you usually are with people running the same pace as you as the race progresses; the course was relatively flat (slight upgrade/downgrade; enough to notice a slight chance in pace and how you feel) and one short, totally flat section (maybe 200M) that was totally flat.

I gave spectators 4 stars only based on other marathons where there are usually a lot of spectators, music, etc., but what do you expect in 20-degree weather with a small race run through a deserted business park (okay, never mind, I changed it to a five since the people at the water station and at the transition point were very nice (and announcing your laps was a nice touch))?

The location of the race was ideal due to terrain, location of hotel and no traffic; water station was outstanding with, of course, water and Gatorade, but also gel starting very early in the race (like mile 6 or so); support staff in this part of course was very nice and Premier Sports announced your laps (and they were accurate!) once you hit the 60-minute point; one mile is a perfect distance for a repeat loop for a marathon; no monotony (surprisingly), and predictability of the upcoming terrain made things mentally more tolerable; at some points the laps seemed to whiz by; keep this race at the same location and I will definitely be back!

PS. Premier Sports deserves serious kudos for putting an event like this together; great concept and would definitely do this type of race again on a similar course.

I just finished this race a couple hours ago. Mentally, is was very tough. The weather was a bit windy and snowy. I thought I would handle the mile loop better than I did. What frustrated me was the lap count that the race organizers were calling out for me was inaccurate. It was a chip race and they kept telling me I was a lap behind my actual total. I keep track of every lap, that's how I run marathons (by mile pace). A little frustrating but I just handled it and ran my race, and stopped when I hit 26.2. I hope this didn't happen to anyone who was not keeping count, it would ruin your race.