Overall, the course was nice. I understand that weather was hot, but the forecast was there since Friday. How could they run out of water at mile 19? The sign was on at mile 3, where they ran out of water. Cups of water and spoages would have been better than bottles. No point in having water at the end when you needed out in that heat.

The 2009 Edinburgh Marathon was a great experience for me. The weather was extremely hot. People were dropping like flies at some points. The lack of water at some stations did not help. Thanks to the people of Edinburgh, who came out with cups of cold water. Some even had crystal glasses! How great was that? I had to keep focused, as I was running for a sister and brother, Lynne and Keith Jamieson, who both sadly died of Huntington's Disease. Along the way we heard the voices of angels singing, and also the two bands. Thanks for that. We even had a dance together at the disco. I hope no one filmed that, ha ha. Having said all of that, it was a great experience for me and my friends. There are bound to be hiccups along the way, but as long as they are not repeated next year, it's fine. I would like to thank all of the volunteers for their support and help along the way. Thank you, Edinburgh, for a great day.

- Linda Barclay

I ran the relay, but did the full course last year. I found the bus service slightly chaotic. The lack of water was a real problem.

The Edinburgh Marathon is a nice, mostly flat course that begins in downtown Edinburgh and then heads along the coast for the majority of the race.

The organization, when I ran, was another matter. At 3 of the water stations (yes, count them - 3), they had run out of water before I got to them! This is bad enough, but it didn't help that we were running on a hot, cloudless day, where the sun was battering down on us and there wasn't much shade available. The lack of available water was simply dangerous. This'll have been my 9th marathon, and although I can excuse maybe one station running out of water, I find 3 just a bit much. It is for this reason that I won't be running this marathon again.

This was my first marathon, and overall I had a good experience. Negatives: With bit of music, the gathering at the start could have had a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Instead, there was a quiet nervousness in the air. The guy on the PA did little to lift people's spirits. The first 8 miles were too narrow, and it was annoying to have to keep slowing down at bottlenecks. Knowing that it was going to be hot, there should have been more water on the course and a large area of shade at the finish (e.g., open-sided marquees) for those who needed it. Having placed the finish 7 miles out of town, the organizers have a duty to get people back to the start, and free. As it was, three friends and I had neglected to get shuttle bus tickets, so we had to queue for 45 minutes for a bus on wobbly legs, standing all of the way back to the city.

Four water stations had no water left - in temperatures exceeding 24 degrees. I saw more than 5 people collapse. A terrible experience.

They ran out of water for about 5 miles when it was most needed. Shuttle bus organization was too bureaucratic, with a long queue and much frustration.

I was really disappointed with the overall organization. The course went off on a dirt track at one stage, and we were not forewarned. At four of the nine water stations, there was no water. THAT was a disgrace, given the extreme temperatures (which had been predicted since Tuesday the week before). Once the water ran out, the stations were just packed up and deserted. It was so bad that residents were watering us down with hosepipes.

This was really challenging, and disappointing for my first marathon.

The day was hot and sunny, requiring lots of hydration, but four of the stations had run out of water! Locals caught on and thankfully came out with hoses to fill bottles and spray runners as they passed. Also, it was too difficult for my supporters to get themselves to other parts of the course as traffic was badly disrupted all along the way. Overall, a great run, but the organizers could have done much better, considering that the weather was not a surprise.

I was under the impression from the website photos of previous marathons that we would be running through much of Edinburgh amongst the gorgeous historic architecture... but instead, we ran through a boring residential area, an industrial area, and made our way out into the countryside through some small towns. I didn't mind that last half through the countryside, but was very disappointed with the first half getting out of the city. Edinburgh is an INCREDIBLE city to visit, so it's definitely worth it to go, even though the marathon doesn't quite reflect the beauty of it.