The race was well organized the medal was nice and the T-shirt was good. The expo was full. The start and finish being in different spots makes it a little tough. My suggestion would be stay at the end of the race and get bussed to the beginning and then you can just stumble to your hotel. The Tempe Mission Palms was very nice but expensive. Downtown Tempe is quiet and not very exciting. Scottsdale has lots of shops and restaurants. Good race but probably not one I'd return to.

This was my first marathon, and it was great. The spectators treated you like they where only there to cheer you on personally, and helped tremendously with their moral support. The course was good, not very hilly, but with one climb in the middle. Elite Racing did a great job organizing this also. I am going to be doing the marathon next year instead of the half marathon (hopefully), so see you out there in 2006.

I have to give Elite Racing a big thumbs up for fixing most of what was wrong with the inaugural 2004 race. The course was better, the drop bag pick-up was better (my pet peeve from 2004). They also arranged better weather this year!

I had a great time. I wish Phoenix was more scenic, but it is what it is: LA without an ocean. Also, where are the spectators? I know Phoenix was recently voted one of the fattest cities, but so was Chicago, and they LOVE their marathon.

Enough griping, it was a fun, fun time.

This was my 23rd marathon and my first and only attempt to qualify for Boston. Thankfully, this marathon did not disappoint!

I was highly impressed with the organization! Despite 29,000 entered runners converging for packet pick-up, I had my packet in minutes, AND I was able to change my starting corral with no hassle in less than 2 minutes!! On race morning we found parking easily, and had no wait for the bus to the startline. There were port-a-potties EVERYWHERE: the parking lots, the bus line, the warm-up area and AT the starting corrals! Baggage drop by UPS was not only efficient and organized, but there were waterbottles and bagels at each truck for the runners... both at drop-off and pick-up! The race corrals were efficient and easy to access. This race had the most beautiful live performance of the national anthem I've heard at the start of an event!

As for the race itself, by some miracle, the weather was clear and cool with no wind. The course is flat and generally level... perfect for a Boston qualification attempt. It runs through Tempe and Scottsdale, and is scenically dull. But hey, bands at every mile! Roadside entertainment! Fabulous crowd support! That's why I wanted to do the MUSIC Marathon anyway. 'Thank you,' to all those cheering supporters out there!!!

One MAJOR defect in the race was the post-race food supply. For a race of this caliber, the food situation was appalling. When I finished at 3:45 it was already obvious that the food supply would NOT be enough for the THOUSANDS of finishers coming up behind me. Race officials were not careful or organized in handing out the limited supply of food. It was here that I witnessed a shameful event that race organizers should not have allowed to happen... with an obviously limited food supply I watched a runner take an entire box of 12 Power Bars. Shameful!! I thought runners were thoughtful people! Not true of all runners, I guess. My friends who finished later in the race did not get any post-race food.

What could make this race event more enjoyable than a professional concert that is included with the registration cost? Not only does this racing group put on an extremely classy and well supported race, they also provided a fantastic music concert. It made the whole weekend great!

See you at Boston!!

Bus transport and start fixed from last year. Expo was bigger and better. Weather ok (cooler) but the clouds didn't arrive until after the run. Course support really enthusiastic and bands awesome. Change in course from last year made it easier but changes in elevation were devious in perception. Biggest disappointment was no popsicles at finish.

This was my first year running the half marathon in this event. I'd heard that the half course last year was ugly, but that it was supposed to be better this year. Was this an improvement? I come from Phoenix, so I know the what the downtown area looks like, but did the route have to go past so many run-down strip malls and strip clubs in the area? The only section that showed off the state was the last mile, in Mill Avenue, Tempe. Maybe I'm spoiled after running the full last year (alas, the stretch through Papago Park has been removed from that course), but I wish this event could have showcased more of the beauty of Arizona.

Organizers listened to last year's comments and have made some changes. Earlier start helped and they were within a minute of the scheduled start time. Course is flatter and the stretch through downtown Scottsdale was a nice change. Many more bands this year and they were playing nonstop. Start area had plenty of porta-johns and a lot of pre-race food--water, coffee, bagels, bananas, first aid, etc. Corrals were easy to navigate. Expo was exceptional--tons of vendors and plenty of space for packet pick-up, etc.

Crowd support on course was sporadic but enthusiastic and large esp. on the corners of major streets; great crowds at the end. Local media coverage was extensive; tv, radio, newspaper. Volunteers were extremely friendly at all venues.

There was plenty of room on the course with clocks at all mile markers. Course is mostly flat with some very gradual inclines in the middle of the race. Gels, orange slices, and plenty of medical aid tents were also available on the course.

Still needing some work: the need for additional water stops. Weather was better than last year but 3 or 4 more stops would have helped. There need to be overhead signs above tables that say 'Powerade' or 'Water'--some confusion of what came first and at times water/Powerade cups had the wrong item in them. Powerade was mixed just right though. Post-race runners corral offered less foodstuffs this year; donuts long gone and no popsicles like last year. Medals were hung on you (nice touch) and they were awesome. Reunion area was crowded, but with 30,000 runners that's to be expected.

Even without the hill, course didn't improve winners' results significantly--not sure why--but the middle miles (14-18) were on streets paved with concrete and bricks and it was a bit uphill through there. Temps were in the 60s with a slight wind.

This race has been successful right from the start; 11,700 registered for the full and 19,000 for the half. This race--even in its second year, is clearly established and will only get bigger and better.

Kudos to all the organizers and volunteers; RnR AZ is THE winter destination run to put on your calendar when you're looking for a big city race.

Race was really nice, other runners were supportive, and the course was friendly. Unforunately, I was not prepared enough to run my first marathon. The only complaint I have is that there wasn't much gel and they handed the salty stuff out after the water station. Maybe I'm missing something???

The half marathon was just a longer Phoenix 10K race. The downtown area is ugly, especially Washington steet. It was boring.

I got on the bus in a timely manner, and then I realized the bus driver took a wrong turn and we were heading to the airport!! Everyone was oblivious that we were at the airport!! I grew up here and recognized the problem and ended up standing next to the bus driver trying to guide him out of the airport!!That made our bus late!!

My first half was the San Diego Finest and it was more fun - better water stations and lots of gel stations.

This was my third of five marathons, and I figured although it was an 'inaugural' that it would be fine, since it has the name "Rock N Roll" with it.

Wrong. The expo was very crowded Saturday afternoon, and I accidentally (but thankfully) bypassed a rather large line (sorry) of runners waiting to get into the packet pickup. So, if you see a long line, just do what I did, be stupid, walk in the pickup area the wrong way, and play dumb.

The start. Awful. A buddy and I stayed in a hotel about 2 miles from the finish. We thought we planned to leave early enough (5:45am) in the morning to catch a shuttle bus from the finish to the start, but we finally got on a bus (thanks to a traffic cluster-f, with parking volunteers not being informed, thus not informing us what to do) about five minutes before the race was supposed to start. With the ChampionChip timing, why did they wait for us at the start?

The course was about what I expected - the heat was, well, hot. Coming from frigid temps in CO didn't help. We did have a headwind that felt good, but slows you down. The hill through the park wasn't fun and the crowd was probably scarcest there. The volunteers, as always, are great. Thanks to the men and women in blue, too.

Basically, I think this will become a great race in AZ. I think I just learned to stay away from 'inaugural' events.