This was my first visit to the state of Arkansas, and Little Rock showed very well! The town is clean and full of friendly people that were energetic about the marathon.

Pros
* organization
* expo
* generally scenic course
* fan support
* great finish
* the world largest/heaviest finishers medal

Cons
* beware of a few nasty hills ... check elevation chart
* long stretch of very flat out and back late in the race .. a little boring
* Host Hotel Peabody  not a huge negative, but not a 4 star hotel as advertised either (great location though)

Overall  a GREAT experience; way to go Little Rock!!

We did the half-marathon but really enjoyed it. They send out emails and a bunch of Facebook posts to keep you up to date as the race approaches.

The race course is awesome, but I suspect the hills come into play on the full. The registration and packet pickup was flawless. The expo is small but fun and very friendly.

Water/Gatorade stations were well placed and you never needed for anything. Crowds were strategically placed on every upgrade to keep you going.

The Govenor cheered us on as we ran by his place.

Food and drinks were plentiful with more than I have ever seen at any other race. The after party BBQ was delicious but the band was loud and not very good. We would have liked to visit and hear other runners stories but it was way too loud. Did I mention free beverages at the party?

Awesome race and this is one we might do again.

The medal is huge as everyone knows. The

What a race!
First, Little Rock is a great city! Everyone is super friendly and helpful. Great bars and restaurants. Lots of hotels walking distance to start/finish. But, the most important - HUGE medal. This thing is simply obnoxious - in the greatest way possible. :)
Yes, the course is not the easiest one, but support was great. The finish area is absolutely amazing and the weather in 2012 was perfect. Loved the post-race party.
Great event. Great organization. Great people. Thank you Little Rock!

Although this was only my 2nd marathon,(and I'm probably retiring from full's after this one), it was a great event! Last year we ran the 1/2 and returned this year for the full BECAUSE OF THE MEDAL! The 'HILL' was very hard, but the scenery was beautiful, great spectator support, love the people outside of the churches, different groups handing out snacks, you have a great community there! Ideas for the future...could you have more sugar based snacks at the end, such as cookies?? Also, the ice tea bar was helpful but would love to see some diet cokes and cokes available to help with the 'queasy' stomach afterwards. The clothespin on the foil was a great touch, love the print out of the individual results (last year didn't they have a stick back?) Was fun seeing the Mayor on the course!! Great event!! Thanks to your community!

The race was fun and I enjoyed the course.
A nice big medal for marathon finishers.
The post race party isn't until 4:00 pm. It should be immediately following the race, many people travel a distance to get to the race and have to leave before the bar-b-q.
The aid stations only had water and gatoraded until late in the race. There needs to be nutrition earlier on the course. Very lacking in what as at each aid station in comparison to other marathons I have done.

Top 5

1. Coleman Dairy supplied milk, premium chocolate milk, orange juice, apple juice and yogurt at the finish.
2. Volunteers.
3. Fan support.
4. Police and traffic support.
5. Start Corrals.

Bottom 3
1. Post Race Party was from 4-8 pm. Other than locals and a few that may stay overnight, few can stay that late.
2. Finisher's Medal is too large. Make it a more normal size and gold plate it.
3. Parking is getting more difficult.

This was the first marathon I ran and, as I'm sure everyone else has said, it's well known for its medal. I love the fact that it's huge - makes me feel like I did something.
That aside, although it was my first marathon, I had run in a number of shorter races in the past year (the beginning of my running hobby) and this stacks up as far as organization, expo, spectators and course.
The first half of the race is relatively flat. The second half begins with a pretty lengthy climb and then a pretty lengthy downhill. Around mile 20 it levels out for about 4 miles and then ends with a couple of decent hills.
I enjoyed the race overall and will probably do it again at some point.

I especially enjoyed this race for several reasons: first, you pass numerous historical and government buildings, including the capitol, the Clinton Presidential Center, governor's mansion, and historic Central High School. There's also a good mix of residential and scenic areas highlighted throughout. Course is closely and carefully monitored the entire time, and the spectators, many of whom move about the course as you progress, are very supportive and motivational.

Packet pickup was relatively easy and quick, and good exhibits filled the expo. Finish line was well-organized, with plenty of good eats as you continued through and exited the chutes. The medal, as always, is the biggest you'll receive anywhere, and that is always a plus that makes me want to come back and run it again. Great Southern hospitality and plenty of tourist attractions make for a great weekend trip and getaway. Accommodations for those needing more than six hours to finish are also available, which makes a great race for those choosing to walk it as well.

The 2011 Little Rock Marathon was my 18th marathon as I work my way around the 50 states. Before even arriving in town, I already liked this race. I had registered for it in 2010, but was unable to attend. It wasn't the first time I had to skip a race because of illness or injury. Every time, I asked for a refund or deferral, and I had always been denied. Little Rock was the first and only race to actually grant me a deferral. So I was already a fan.

As for the race itself, it was fine. Downtown Little Rock isn't terribly scenic, so it wasn't the prettiest course. The first 11 or so miles were shared with the half marathoners, as is common. What I have noticed in the past is that when full marathons share part of the course with the half, that's typically the more attractive part of the course, so that everyone can enjoy the good scenery. After a somewhat drab first half in Little Rock, I was scared of what the second half would look like. But it actually got quite a lot nicer after we split off!

The most difficult part of the course was a long, steady hill that lasted from about the halfway point to Mile 16. Then from 17 to 18, there was downhill that took off all that elevation gain in just one mile. If you can survive past this, then it's smooth sailing to the end... except for that last little hill at 25.5.

The organization of the race was excellent. Plenty of police were on hand to keep the roads safe. At one point, we ran by the governor's mansion, and Governor Mike Beebe was cheering on the runners. That was a nice touch.

But the best part of the whole event was the post-race party at the Clinton Library, in the late afternoon/early evening, a few hours after the race was over. There was all-you-can-eat BBQ, and Olive Garden pasta, and free beer and wine and snacks. It was quite a good deal!

As for that huge race medal? Well, I have all 18 of my medals displayed at home, and this one sticks out like a sore thumb. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I haven't figured that out yet.

So it wasn't the easiest course, and certainly not the most attractive. But it's well organized. And the post-race party gives the race a well-earned thumbs-up.

This was a very well organized race. The course was very scenic and the aid stations were terrific. Everyone was very welcoming and overall I had a good experience. The second half of the course was hilly, but, I knew there were hills going into the race. I would probably do this one again, but, only the half marathon.