The Charlottesville Marathon proved to be a delight. I chose this race at the last minute and was not disappointed. I've run many of the larger corporate marathons like New York, Boston, Chicago and San Diego and this was a nice break from all the hoopla. Charlottesville seems to take you back to the essence of running. They have this very scenic course and the race organizers seem to know what is important to runners. I found out that the RD and his wife are big-time ultra runners and they really know what a true running event is all about. I think this race will become popular, but not like the big money races. They seem dedicated to keeping this race more personal, which I really like. So if you want a great race, run Charlottesville; if you want a circus, line up with 40,000 others in New York. :)

The Charlottesville Marathon proved to be everything a great race should be, beautiful course, great organization and a terrific city to visit. Two of my friends joined me from Florida and we had a great time. I predict this race will really grow; there is just so much beauty and the race organizers really made us feel special.

I was running in the top five, but the course marking was terrible coming back into town and the course had many people walking through the mall area while runners were coming through - very confusing. The course was beautiful but poorly marked, and police personnel did not direct runners.

My friends and I from Tulsa will be back for a second running of the Charlottevsille Marathon. We found this race last year and didn't really know what to expect. I had read great reviews on several websites and we were not disappointed.

You get to run by many historic sites in a city with great charm. During the race we passed several vineyards, horse farms with beautiful homes and the Thomas Jefferson Rotunda, very koooool....

Toward the end of the race, with maybe a mile to go, we ran along the city's downtown mall. Wow, this was neat. People eating at cafes cheered us along at a point when it was really needed. Then the finish was in a historic downtown park, and the volunteers made sure we were all ok and well-fed.

This year we are planning to take two extra days to drive Skyline Drive. It is located about 20 minutes from the finish and passes through the Shenandoah National Park; I can't wait!!

See ya soon C'ville....

I have written many marathon reports on MarathonGuide.Com, but I really wanted to make sure that I wrote something about this TERRIFIC race.

The Charlottesville Marathon is really a hidden gem in the world of road racing. They have started a tradition that all began with what has to be one of the most scenic running routes in the country. Then I just loved the detail-oriented staff that put together this race. We were very impressed with the ceramic medallions each runner received at the finish. Unique and something that I will cherish. As many have now written about Charlottesville, I think this race will continue to become one of the country's most popular. I just hope it can always maintain its charm.

We did our research and wanted to find a scenic course in the beautiful part of the country. WOW did the Charlottesville Marathon ever deliver on both. I know this was only their 3rd year, but I was very impressed with the race organization and their commitment to making sure everyone had a good experience. My friend and I from CA will be back!

Hi,

I just loved this race; what a terrific course, great support and lots of kind volunteers along the way. We stayed for the weekend and had a great time. I've now run in all 50 states and this is my new favorite. Many thanks to the great organization and terrific community for putting on this event.

I will agree that the course was one of the best runs. Other than that I was very displeased. The website had said that the race was certified prior to race day, but now I've discovered that wasn't true. Furthermore, there were no markings in the end and the mile markers were poorly placed. It could have been a great experience but the organizers blew it.

I have to agree with one of the previous comments. Being from Charlottesville, I consider myself lucky to have access to one of the most beautiful running regions in the US. The course is challenging but within reach of the average runner, and the scenery is fantastic. The volunteers were very enthusiastic. The community, however, was suprisingly unsupportive. The only fans were those few relatives/friends of the runners. Even at the finish line there were fewer fans than in any marathon I have ever been to. People were crossing with baby strollers as I attempted to reach the finish line, and as mentioned there were minimal porta-potties. Also the food is nothing compared to, for example, the Richmond Marathon.

I've been running marathons for about 28 years and have run every major marathon around the world. I must say that the Charlottesville Marathon has the potiential to become one of the USA's great races.

It all begins with a great course and organization to make it all come together. I remember running the Boston Marathon back in the late 80's and thinking to myself, "Is there another marathon venue that could become as well respected st this race?" I must say that Charlottesville (even though set in a small city) has the course and race committee to become legendary. I know, they still have over 100 years to catch up to, but all the pieces are there, unlike any other race I've experienced outside of Boston.

I guess only time will tell, but my money says we'll all be asking each other 'Have you run Charlottesville yet?' for many years to come.

Brain