I thought that the LR Marathon was great. Well organized, with a challenging course. Not the most beautiful I have run, but an interesting course, The spectators were enthusiastic and the people of Little Rock were very friendly. The host hotel looked nice, but we stayed at the Capital Hotel, which was as convenient and really nice. The service was fantastic. Overall, a great time in Little Rock. For those who don't like your medal, donate it to one of the many groups that collect medals and give them to sick children; I'm sure it would be appreciated.

Little Rock really knows how to put on a race! The whole community seemed to support and really get into the race. Perfect size, perfect running weather, good organization, extremely convenient for out-of-staters, great fans, interesting/diverse course (what hills?), and friendly. This is a top-notch event that should be on every runner's to-do list.

The race directors and volunteers have much of which to be proud. This was my 20th marathon, and I have run the Five World Majors as well as races as small as 100 finishers. So I think I have a pretty good basis to praise this race. I met the race directors at the Chicago Marathon expo (or two very funny and cute impostors) and the race reflects their fun-loving personalities. This race was fun and I highly recommend it. Now for a few specifics.

The expo was convenient, and nicely done. Of course it was not as big as Chicago or Boston, but was good for a race this size (about 1,800 marathon finishers). Little Rock had plenty of nice but inexpensive hotels within easy walking distance of the start/finish and expo. Things were were well organized, and ran on time. The course took you through mostly good neighborhoods, but we did see a few run-down areas. We ran by a large high school that looked familiar for some reason, and then it dawned on me, it was the Central High School that was in the middle of the integration battles of the 60's. Once we passed it I saw a sign that the school was a National Historic Site. We also ran by the governor's mansion and state capitol.

I was surprised by the number of people lining the route, all in good cheer and very supportive (and bundled up for the 40-degree temps). Plenty of music along the way, from organized groups, to churches ringing their bells, individuals in their driveways with stereo systems, and one couple sitting in front of their home, playing a fiddle and autoharp! There were also several "wildcat" waterstops, with local families handing out water, orange slices, etc. A very supportive community.

The course does have some hills in it (one about 2.5 miles-long, with a climb of about 220 feet of elevation over that distance). There, quite logically, were also some significant downhills, so I thought it made the course a bit challenging, but interesting. The medal, shall we say, is on the large size, in accordance with the race's tradition.

Overall this marathon was a good experience. Well organized, with a decent-sized expo, and convenient for an out-of-towner with many hotels near the start/finish lines. I gave the course a 4 because some stretches were boring. The hills were not that bad. I really liked running by the governor's mansion and seeing him outside cheering for the runners! There were also plenty of well stocked aid stations. I also liked the tech shirt and the medal. The medal is huge (and nice!) and definitely sets this race apart from other marathons. It's a medal you will want to show off. The fans and volunteers were terrific. The post-race party at the Clinton Library was the perfect ending to the day! Lots of good food, and after several Jello shots, my legs felt great. I would definitely recommend this race! Little Rock also makes a nice place to visit for the weekend.

It's hilly, but worth every step to get that enormous medal!

I think the medal is awesome and will keep bringing people to "Little" Rock! This marathon totally ROCKS! Keep it up, Little Rock... next year I'm bringing my running buddies with me, so bring on the biggest medal for 2012!

Top-notch organization from the expo to the finish line. The volunteers were superb! The host hotel (Peabody) was great. The water stations along the course were fully stocked. The finish line food had something for everyone. The post-race party and food were spectacular. Best potato salad I've ever had! The pasta dinner was good also, but a bit pricey. A must-do for the medal. Loved the lipstick stop and the LR Parrot Heads!

I cannot say enough about this marathon and town. Everyone was so friendly, from the airport personnel to the townspeople to the volunteers. You can tell they are proud of their city. At how many other races do you see the governor and mayor cheering you on? I was at the back of the pack and they were still out there when I passed by. The race directors were awesome, the restaurants in town were so yummy and priced just right for someone traveling on a budget, the hotels were reasonably priced, and I (female) walked six blocks in the evening to the pasta dinner feeling very safe. When I picked up my race packet I found a birthday card SIGNED by the race coordinators! Now THAT is personalizing to the max. They really keep with the theme and make it a very festive event for all. This is a very family friendly event. So much to do, see, and enjoy. The only reason I gave the course 4 stars is because I'm a flat-lander and the hills ate me up! Still, I was only off by 15 minutes of my average marathon time. I'm going to guess that Little Rock's secret gets out this year and it will fill up quickly, especially since 2012 will be their 10=year anniversary. Please do not sell this marathon to the Rock n' Roll series. I would hate this nice, small-town marathon to get too corporate. P.S. Love, love, love the medal!

I'm not going to lie. I came to Little Rock for the monster hardware. As soon as I crossed the finish line, and got the medal, the laughter took all of the running pain away - the medal is that big!

This was number 20 for me. I ran a 3:37ish time, so a PR is not out of the question (I'm usually a 3:50 marathoner). I ran the full, the wife walked the half, and I beat her by a minute or two. We had a blast in Little Rock!

Market Place is the place to be, with lots of shops and restaurants. I spent a bit of time at the Flying Saucer. Ton of micro brew tap beers from across the US.

Took the Saturday tour of Diamond Bear microbrewery. Do yourself a favor and talk to some of the locals to find the hidden gems in town. We were directed to a place called Vito's at Chester and 7th - a hole-in-the-wall pizza place that has bands on the weekend, and the calzones are really good! I loved it. Now for the race review:

We stayed at the Holiday Inn, less than half-a-mile from the start. Very reasonable rate, and it was easy walk to the hot spots.

Expo: I liked it. Nice, open feel - we didn't feel like cattle. Smaller than some expos, but a nice variety of vendors. Packet pick-up was really fast and easy. Great volunteers.

Course: I really enjoyed it. Corrals worked well, even handing out Tylenol and Vaseline before the race, if you needed. It was nice running with the half marathoners in a couple of places. Some comments here say the course is boring and plain. I disagree: the course has a lot of nice neighborhoods and urban running. Great mix of small elevation changes to keep the legs interested and fresh. The "HILL" wasn't bad at all. Being from Cincinnati, the hill felt more like a long slope. Running down the hill was even steeper. I personally don't like out-and-back turnarounds, but this one (from mile 18 to 23) wasn't bad at all! There was a nice separation between the two directions with lots of chatter of encouragement from both sides. Nice finish area too. A lot better than some of the huge parking lots of some races.

Water stops and port-o-lets were plentiful.

The volunteers were outstanding. There were also fruit stops, candy and muffin stops, and even two beer stops. Thank you to the Little Rock Hash House Harriers! Course protection was very well done from traffic. There were a lot of bands on the course too!

Organization: Top notch! It's nice to know the the organizers take into account what the course can handle. The organizers did an excellent job. The perfect-size run for all of the events using the corrals, to half marathoners wearing a half or relay tag on their back. Keeping the half and full separated at the finish was nice too! Well organized expo. Great updates by mail. All around nice job!

Spectators: Awesome! If one person claps or says good job, then spectators get a 5.

In all, I went to Little Rock just for the medal. But I was more than pleasantly surprised how laid back and well run this marathon was. I'd do it again.

This is one marathon that should be on your to-do list. Now I see why your marathon fills every year. Thank you, Little Rock. Keep up the outstanding work!!!

My 9th state and a prep for Boston. A challenging course, great town, great atmosphere, and the local businesses open themselves up to you. The course is hilly. Please... all of the talk about the medal is silly; it is a MINIMAL cost. This is a great race, a great time, with an amazing post-race party. Overall, a great time; definitely add this one to your bucket list....