I have just registered for my second Charlottesville Marathon for 2005 and I had to add a few comments about this super event.

I have run over 25 marathons all over the world and Charlottesville is by far the best. The race organization has found the perfect combination by designing a great course in one of the most scenic places in the country with terrific volunteers to make each runner feel special.

Plan extra time to your visit to this beautiful town so you can enjoy all Charlotteville has to offer. My running friends and I hope to make this an annual event for many years to come.

As a veteran of about 30 marathons I decided to run Charlottesville because I was looking for a beautiful place to run, and I got exactly what I was looking for! Many folks seem to be drawn to the large corporate type of races these days. I tend to get a little tired of all the hoopla after those events. Charlottesville was a perfect combination of a great place to run with terrific volunteers to make it even more enjoyable. My only hope is that not too many people find out about this race so I can keep it all to myself. ;)

We were in the USA for three weeks as part of my 60th birthday celebrations. Looking for a mid-April marathon after I'd decided not to run Boston I chose Charlottesville. I reckon that was the best move I made in a long time. I'm amazed at the negative comments that some runners/walkers have registered. The course was everything it claimed to be and the friendliness of all the helpers and supporters was a huge plus. I managed not to let the shouts of, 'Awesome!' go to my head and finished within my target time of 4hrs. If the numbers increase I can foresee the need for changes in the final sections but this year the traffic was managed expertly.

I had a great time! Just be sure to prepare for the rolling hills, they never stop.

It's a good thing I didn't get a chance to drive the course the night before - I might have packed it up and left town!

The course is brutal, especially the last five miles which isn't ever flat. If you're running to have a good time, choose a different race. If you're out to challenge the limits of your physical ability, this is the race for you. Good luck.

The Charlottesville Marathon truly lived up to its reputation as being one of the most beautiful places to run in the United States. Several of my friends from California joined me in running the race and we were all just amazed by the scenic nature of the course.

We loved running pass the cities historic sites and then into the surrounding countryside that was just beautiful.

We look forward to making Charlottesville an annual event for our group, however next year we're planning more vacation time to spend exploring this great area.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all the many folks involved in putting on the Charlottesville Marathon. As a veteran of many races this event with it's incredible course, terrific city and great volunteers has moved to the top of my 'Most Favorite List'.

The race seemed to fly by as I and many other runner's commented to each other on the incredible scenic nature of the course! Then the water stop volunteers made everyone feel special as they cheered us on along the way. Then the final push along the cities historic downtown mall was the coolest finishing area I've ever run.

Finally, having directed a few small road races myself and knowing how expensive finisher awards can be, I couldn't believe we all received a custom-designed ceramic medallion. This is a true treasure that I hope the race will always offer.

I have run so many marathons and other roads race that I've lost count, but compared to other events Charlottesville is by far the BEST!

If your a person who loves running and the experience of doing it in a beautiful setting this is the perfect race. Charlottesville offered me the experience of getting back to that feeling I had as a child of running for the pure joy of running. I predict this race will quickly move to the top of a lot of runners 'MUST DO LIST'. I belong to a large running club in Boston and I sense more and more people are looking for running experiences like Charlottesville. They are tired of the way a lot of races have become big corporate affairs in large cities and want to escape to a beautiful city where they can connect with other runners and experince the local enviroment.

I WILL BE BACK! :)

1.) Hills - add 15 minutes to your PR
2.) Well organized
3.) Too much traffic on parts of the course - do not try to do a training run on these country roads prior to the race
4.) Not good for a first marathon: hilly, few fans, a little boring (if you can't be entertained for hours on end by looking at horse country). Did I mention hilly?
5.) Even the cops were nice/friendly

If you're looking for a nice, easy course, this is not it. However, if you're looking for a challenging course with gorgeous scenery, I would highly recommend this event. Just be sure to do some intensive hill training before running. Believe me, you'll need it. Overall though, the spectators present were great and the volunteers were extremely nice and helpful!