A great out-and-back, flat course with scenery that was beautiful. The names on the bibs and the camaraderie among the fellow runners made a very friendly and comfortable race, even though the humidity was a killer for me. I intend to make this race a must to start off every new year. Thanks to all involved in putting on this event.

I entered on a whim, thinking it sounded like a good way to ring in the new year, and I was not disappointed. Seeing all the other runners over the 4 repeats of the course loop kept my spirits high, calling out encouragement and receiving the same. I've run other marathons with thousands of runners, and I felt more energy in this group of less than 200, even though I ran alone for large parts of the morning. The course is really flat; but because it's a sidewalk trail that spends several miles going through woods, it swerves back and forth a lot, making it run slower than you think a flat course should. But since my goal was not a fast time, I had a truly enjoyable marathon experience, one I would call my favorite marathon yet.

The organizers were great, the runners were great. It was a fun change from the crowded environment of larger (less friendly) runs. The course was really nice, I enjoyed becoming familiar with other runners as every one offers support along the way.

Being a part of the '50 States club' brought in a lot of mature and experienced marathoners that added to the atmosphere of the morning.

It's hard to find beauty in the greater Houston area, but Kingwood has it. Because of the gorgeous scenery, I was able to run the entire 26.2 without the aid of music. While training, I could never get past about 14 miles before I needed my mp3 player to keep me going. The 4 laps got a little repetitive and tiresome, but I enjoyed the marathon thoroughly.

This was my first marathon, and my thoughts on the whole experience (day 1 of training through race day) are that training was brutal and miserable on occasion, generally not fun, but the race was very enjoyable. I'm glad I did it, but whether I will do it again remains to be decided.

Hats off to those who got blisters and ran the last 6-10 miles in socks on concrete.

What a great way to start the year! The course is very nice, flat, as you'd expect from Houston, full of trees and nice views. I loved the homes, the golf course, lakes, ponds and the native palms! The true treat was the out and back nature of the course with everyone having the names printed on their race bibs! You got to greet everybody (it is a small race) making for a very fun day even though I did not know a soul in the race. Everybody was very friendly.

Enough said, a fun event that I plan on it making an annual event.

Steve and Paula are wonderful organizers. They really made it a wonderful race. Proud to be a part of such a wonderful marathon. They made it the best first marathon ever. They did a wonderful job. Not enough restrooms though. Would most certainly do again. Nice meeting the people as I ran past. TEXAS CHEER!

I cannot think of a better way to kick off a new year of running. In the process of getting in a 'long run' you have fun, meet great people and are treated like an elite runner regardless of your running talent. The spectators get five stars because the majority of them are also running the race. Even the top finishers took time to greet the other runners before, during and after the race. Awesome t-shirts, medals, awards and food... all for less than the cost of parking at any of the 'big' marathons. This race is undoubtedly 'the best little marathon in Texas'.

How many marathons have you run where the race organizers (Steve Boone) runs and chats with you? And (Paula Boone) posts personalized 'cheer' signs along the course (mine said 'Cruisin' to the Finish - Carol T.')? This was a great race.

A fun race! After having run several large marathons including Houston and Boston, this was my first small marathon. There were only about 130 runners. The course was great and fast. I shaved 9 minutes off my previous PR. The course was run on greenbelt trails near a residential area. The course was entirely wooded and passed along the shore of Lake Houston. I did not find the 4 loops boring at all. Personally, it helped me mentally to break the course into segments.

Great organization. Great food. Great volunteer support. A nice group of runners to visit with before and after the race. For me, the only negative was the weather - about 68 degrees at the start and 100% humidity. The weather can be unpredictable in the Houston area in January. In addition to medals and t-shirts, the organizer had about 70 trophies for the first 70 finishers. However, none of the trophies were running trophies. After you finished, you got to pick your favorite trophy. Mine was for best float from a Christmas parade held back in 1991. It had a Santa Claus on top, which I thought was cool. It was a great way to welcome in the new year and I look forward to running it again next year.

This is a great way to start a New Year. It is a small, well-organized marathon. Even though it was four loops, the pleasant scenery made it enjoyable. The concrete route was hard on your feet. Good food at the during and at the end of the run. I would recommend this marathon.