It's early February in central Ohio, mid-winter season, so expect the temps to be low, and the winds blustery. Challenging atmospheric conditions for even the seasoned, hard-core runners. We refer to training runs in these conditions as 'Character Builders.' But every mile logged in less-than-ideal weather prepares you for the test that the LCFB Marathon surely delivers.

I've 'Been there and done that' 3 times now and this has become the highlight of my winter circuit. I love this race! Race director Jeff Glaze and his staff have perfected the repeating loop course by staging this event in a level business park, starting and finishing in front of the host hotel. This concept is a dream come true from a logistics point of view. Virtually no traffic disruptions, as it is held early Sunday morning, so minimal police traffic control is required. 1 fluid stop/aid station that you pass 26 times means you are never far from water or aid if needed. ChampionChip timing ensures accurate lap counts, and also the personal touch of being announced occasionally as you cross the antenna mats. This also is where 95% of the spectators are. It's uplifting to see friends/family, but it can also break your focus.

This IS NOT, I repeat IS NOT, a sight-seers marathon course. The whole idea here is to try to get that Boston qualifying time. The buildings in this office park are modern and typical, the land-scaped ponds are usually frozen over (did I mention earlier this is winter?), and the wind, when present, will be in your face about 1/4 of the time. The road surface quality has been fantastic, smooth and level, minimal crowning, and ice-free. Can it get any better?

If you really want to go to Boston, you can certainly earn your qualifier here. I did in '03 and '04.

You also get a nice micro-fiber wind shirt and a neat finisher's medallion.

2 areas I would like to see improved. Age group awards are not given for the marathon. They are for the 5K and half-marathon. If you are fortunate enough to run a strong race, it's nice to receive a piece of hardware. Also, completion certificates for all finishers would be a nice touch.

'Treadmill trainers' beware, this one's not for you. But you warriors who train outdoors year-round, you'll either love it or hate it.

I agree with the other comments about the race. If you are seriously trying for Boston, this (organization, course and spectators) is the place to do it. Before the race I thought that the 1-mile loops would be tedious, but I found they were not. The loop with the quarter-mile splits allowed you to concentrate just on the running. The only downside this year was the numbing, -2-degree temperature at the start. It was extremely draining on my energy. Weather on the 1st of February in Ohio is the great unknown. I would like to thank all the volunteers and spectators for putting up with the extreme cold, they were wonderful. And also to my running buddies for their support!

Great event, organization. My time was not my best due to lack of training, however the race itself is perfect for achieving a PR -- run the same mile loop, twenty-six times. You wonder why the concept is not duplicated more often, particularly in warmer weather. It's a bare bones marathon at its best.

The host hotel at a discount rate, Wyndham in Dublin, OH, was better than expected. The race organizers and volunteers were terrific. It was nice hitting the Powerade/water stand 26 times and seeing the same people each time. You warm up to the cold, but my fingers completely froze at mile 23. One of the race organizers gave me his gloves. If he hadn't, I probably would have called it a day. What was amazing was seeing a split time for all 26 miles contained on the results sheet.

Best part were the runners themselves. You run the same monotonous stretch repeatedly, you get to know your fellow runners. A shout out to the runner from Toronto and his wife who I talked with early in the race and the ones from Canton, Michigan and Missouri who got me through in the end.

Everything [good] mentioned by others is true. What a great concept! Too bad it can't be scaled much bigger. Well, maybe not; that might ruin part of the appeal. I will definitely be back again with, based on my report, some fellow runners - despite the nearly 9-hour drive.

The repetition didn't get boring. Far from it. The predictability of the course was very appealing, even in the last painful miles.

Positives: Excellent organization with a personal, accommodating touch and great attitude; always knowing exactly how far the next mile marker and aid station were; markers every 1/4 mile (instant pace adjustment); family cheering section/crew every mile; always having runners around you (try that at any other 100-person marathon); passing and being passed repeatedly but without feeling like you're falling off pace; good crowd and music at the finish/mile marker point; very nice wind shirt.

Negatives: Some runners didn't follow the 'stay left unless passing' instructions, though many of these were in the 5K that goes off at the same time; cold (4 degrees at the start warming to 19 at the finish) but we all dressed for it and it wasn't unpleasant; could use a few more course workers (but I'm amazed they got people out in the cold who remained so cheerful); no race logo on the otherwise superb wind shirt--it would be nice to have 'I survived LCB 2004' or something like that on it. :)

An unexpected bonus: my also-a-marathoner wife said this was the first time the marathon became a true spectator sport for her. She parked 50m from the course, then jumped out and met me every time I ran by with gels, dry gloves, etc., before scampering back to the warm car. She monitored my splits and got a kick out of seeing my progress. She could also (better than I could) see who was running near me, who I was gaining on/losing out to, etc. She and my sister had a ball the entire race which, given the conditions, is remarkable.

This race appears to be improving by leaps and bounds each year (2004 was my first year). I've got mixed emotions about recommending it... because I'd like to keep it hidden, reserved only for me, a few friends, and a small group of compatible, appreciative runners. Sort of like the favorite neighborhood restaurant you fear will be 'discovered' by the New York Times food critic. I?d like to be able to just walk right in and sit down (i.e., enter on Friday before the race), not have to make a reservation a month in advance only to be seated cheek-to-jowl in a crowded room.

Probably not a great first marathon for anyone but, believe it or not, one of my favorite experiences in 18 marathons.

I ran this race as a trainer for the Boston Marathon. I actually signed up for the half (which is part of the event as well) and added a few extra loops to get in 16 miles. The course is not bad at all...slightly downhill for the first half mile and slightly uphill for the second half mile. Water and Powerade just after the start/finish line which made it nice. No troubles with lap counts as far as I could see with laps being called out to runners based on their chip as they crossed the mat each lap. Organization was outstanding as each marathon and half marathon participant received a wind shirt and medal. Great food before and after. If I would change anything about this race, it would be to move it to 10:00 AM instead of 8:00 AM due to the extreme cold. It was posted on a bank sign near the starting line that it was -2 degrees when we started and warmed to around 10 to 15 by the time I finished. Race director stayed outside the entire race and cheered each of us on as we completed the laps. Would be a very good race to qualify for Boston as it is flat and fast and is a great race to train for other marathons as well.

I have run this as a relay for 2 years, both times a great way to tune up for Boston with every quarter mile marked so I can check my splits, perfect for the new runner in a half or marathon as they can try the distance without feeling left behind. The hotel is right next to the start, plenty of places to eat within walking distance.

Okay, so it isn't the last chance any more--Boston is open until the cap is reached. But it is a darn good race.

The race is small, it has a limit of about three hundred participants. It starts from a hotel, so runners have access to warmth and indoor bathrooms until right before the gun. And that is important for a race held in February in Ohio, when the temperature can be (and was) in the single digits. It also allows there to be warmth and warm drinks afterwards. The course is through an office park, not the most scenic, not the least. But the streets are closed, and the road was cleared of ice and snow. Because it is a one-mile loop, the water stop is predictably there. (And the water and Powerade weren't frozen)! There were surprisingly many spectators, lap counts were announced to all interested runners, and there was music for most of the race. The .2 is run upfront, a great touch to have that over with so we can settle down and just count laps.

It is a freaky little race, and not as mind-numbing as one would think. The field has grown faster from the first year it took place.

Okay - admittedly, a little apprehensive about this going in. 26 one-mile loops (plus .2) - the monotony. Ohio in February. Cold. And it was to be the smallest race in terms of participant numbers I have ever run.

This was a wonderful race! Some may balk at the 5 stars given to the organization and spectators, but I am rating this race based on what is - not comparing it to a Marine Corps or an Austin, but rating it on what it does with what it has to work with.

We had a conference room in a hotel to gather in race morning, and warm indoor bathrooms. Pre-race instructions were given to the group inside by the race director, giving the race some sort of 'family' feel. These are hearty individuals - it was about 2 degrees at the start, and warmed to around 19.

The '.2' was run first, and then you knew to just pass the finish 26 times.

The course - it's actually quite fast. The left hand turns start to wear on one after a while, but it is fast. Marked every quarter mile - I'd love to see this in even the first five miles at the larger marathons. If you were out fast, it could be corrected within a quarter mile. Pretty cool. Does the loop get boring? Surprisingly, not too. It does seem to get longer toward the end...

Volunteers were topnotch, and just as brave as the runners. They were standing still in that cold, yet they always had a smile and encouragement. Music at the finish, but when you pass it 26 times, that's 26 times you get music on the course. Lap counts called (as best as could be done) as each runner passed the mats each loop, and full chip splits (all 26 for the marathoners) posted on the website.

If you are a hearty soul, and can prepare mentally for a bit of monotony, I highly recommend this race. It's small, but has a 'feel good' nature to it that you won't forget.

I ran the half marathon. Really liked the start/finish right outside the hotel. The one mile loop made it very easy to keep track of miles and pace. I thought they could have had a 10:00 start, it really warmed up by then.I will definitely do it next year, hopefully the marathon. Very well organized on a low budget and the wind shirts were nice.

In 2003, this race ballooned by roughly 10X from 2002, changed day-of-week and time-of-day, and moved to a new course: 26 times (plus a little) around a one-mile loop. Given those challenges, the race was credible if not exciting, on a near-flat road course through a deserted office park. Race amenities were thin but adequate, with water and PowerAde on each lap. An added bonus was getting to know the volunteers, whom one passed 26 times. The fundamental flaw however, was with the lap-counting system. Despite using ChampionChip, some (but not all) participants were credited with a lap they did not run, meaning that many Boston 'qualifiers' actually ran 25.2 miles. If they are able to fix that problem in future years, this could be a decent 'alternative format' race, especially for those brought up running on the track.