Extremely beautiful and challenging race. This was my introduction to off-road racing, and I loved it. I'm looking forward to next year's marathon.

What an incredible day! It has to be one of the more interesting courses I've ever run. It was my 34th marathon.

The course was hard, but not impossible. It was an adventure with beautiful variety of woods and mountain top vistas with fields of wildflowers. It was odd to be running through dense forest, going from flagged tree to flagged tree, and then coming up on a volunteer directing you to cross a stream or do this or that. It was a race where you had to really think about where to go, or how to proceed forward. I had a great time. The post-race food and party were great. I am so glad I did this race. It would be fun to do it again. The attention given to the race and its participants by the race director and the volunteers made the event GREAT!!!

Dan, the race director, exudes enthusiasm, intensity, fun and caring. He and his team have put together a first-rate marathon in Jay that is well-organized, well-stationed and maintains a friendly local flavor. After the mud sucked my right shoe off at mile 2, I knew the fun had just started. This is by far the most challenging, most beautiful, most satisfying marathon I have ever run. Take the challenge and run this marathon.

Ok, so I was in town for a wedding and went for a nice run on the roads, when I ran into race coordinator Dan. "You want to do some trail running?" I said, 'Sure'. Wow! Before I knew it, I was heading through slop, working my way up the side of the mountain. I run a 1/2-mara in 1:30, so I expect a certain pace. When Dan mentioned I covered 2 miles in 30 minutes, I was numb. If your looking for a nice trail stroll , you will be BRUTALIZED. If you are looking for a real HARDCORE challenge, this race is for you. I had a lot of fun, but am glad I had a wedding to go to, and an excuse to get off the trail at 3.5 miles? I wasn?t prepared (I'm from Chicago and used to FLAT). But I?ll be back to take on this monster before too long. It?ll HAUNT me until I do!

This mountain marathon features gorgeous scenery, a diverse off-road course, and a tough climb up Jay Peak. The small town of Jay Peak turns out most of its citizens to volunteer for the race, giving it an excellent support structure and a friendly feel. There are few spectators due to the size of the area and the isolation of the course, but the volunteer staff is huge, proportionally speaking. The race organizers are a friendly and approachable Canadian family whom you will meet personally before the event, and who take the time to get to know their racers. Also, the race is part of a three-day smorgasboard of events which you can choose from, including a kayak race, a mountain bike race, and a multi-sport race called the SOAR (skating, orienteeting, archery and running). I highly recommend the event.