Overall a perfect day for a race. Was very impressed with both the volunteers and the the crowd support. Best finish of any marathon that I've run. It's nice to turn two corners and be done (instead of a typical 'forever' straightaway).

Elite did a nice job in operating this race. The weather forecast was for rain. Instead it was very sunny & 43 degrees. The bands along the course were great. Not too many spectators in Phoenix, but a great group in Scottsdale & Tempe. I had a blast!

Having run the first Rock 'n' Roll in San Diego, the organization learned from their mistakes by correcting problems. I am amazed at the organization of the marathon. Can you imagine the total hours of the volunteers? The course and weather could not have been better. Having run 40 marathons, I would rate this one near the top. Since I traveled all the way from Virgina to run, I had high expectations. I left Phoenix with a smile on my face. Thanks to all involved in making the marathon a success.

We left at 6:30 am to get there from Scottsdale and we were stuck in traffic until 8:00 am. We finally had to jump out of the car and walk the rest of the way because the road that they said we could be dropped off at wasn't even open. With a race that large the cops should be directing traffic...you shouldn't have to sit at traffic lights...which in turn backs up traffic on the freeway.

I didn't get water at the first water stop because I figured they would have another at the next mile marker...of course, I ended up having to wait for another couple of miles to finally get water. I usually bring water with me, but, a lot of runs have water stops at every mile. Anyway, once we got past that point, the water and Powerade stops were more frequent.

The volunteers were wonderful as were the spectators... and, of course, the bands were great too. It really helps when you have that much support around you. The course wasn't the most attractive course, but, I liked that there were only a couple of small 'hills' along the way. The weather was a little warm for my taste, but, considering we were in Arizona I expected that. It could have been worse.

The baggage handling was great as well...very organized. The medals were really neat. One thing I did NOT like about the finish was that they had you wait in line to get your chip cut off...which leads to muscle cramping when you're standing around like that. It would be nice if they would cut the chip off as soon as you come in like most marathons do...that way you can walk around without feeling like you being moved around like cattle from one corral to another.

Overall, I did enjoy this race. I think there are some improvements to be made...water stop at mile 2 or so; better way to get to the race; checking to make sure people are in the right corral so that people don't have to run around them because they're walking and should have been courteous enough to start in the last corral to begin with; taking chip off as soon as the runners cross the finish line. I know this is only the second year, so, I'm sure more kinks will be worked out for next year.

I have run at Disney and Chicago and was a little disappointed by the organization at this race. It was really lacking. The biggest problems were the transportation at the start and the end of the race was really confusing. All and all...it was okay, but not one I would do again.

The new course was great, mostly flat and pretty diverse scenery. The start was handled well, I love that they separated the full and half marathoners. It made for a lot less congestion. They needed more restrooms in the first half of the race, but improved for the second half. The post-race refreshments and food were horrible...only a bagel, energy bar, orange, one bottle of water, and a cup of Powerbar drink. And there was nothing once you got out of the fenced-in finishers' corral. With the amount of $$ paid for the race, more post-race goodies are needed! On a good note, the volunteers were wonderful and the bands were a nice distraction. Also, the medical tents were very well staffed. My brother-in-law had some problems with the heat and they took excellent care of him.

This was my first full marathon and I really enjoyed it. I thought the spectators were really great; tons of people to cheer you on. I also thought it was nice that they kept the half-marathon on an entirely separate track to avoid congestion. I had a lot of fun, and want to come back next year!

This was my first marathon and what a great experience! Beautiful weather! I loved all but one of the bands. Great crowd support. Only a few areas where there were no cheering crowds. Great expo. The course was sooo flat with only a couple slight inclines near the end. Great views of Camel Back Mountain too!

I ran this last year as well, and like most Elite events, the inaugural year was, eh, challenging for them. To their credit, as they did in San Diego, they seem to have fixed last year's problems, and really went the extra mile with this one.

I had a tremendous race experience. Perfect weather the entire route, a much improved and pancake-flat marathon course, the great new stretch through the Scottsdale arts district, great support the whole way... it was all well put together. The best change they made was starting the half 50 minutes later than the full. That made for shorter shuttle lines, shorter bathroom lines, a chance for the early aid stations to take a breath and restock, and no confusion at what was to be the separation point. I had my best marathon time in about four years, and enjoyed every minute of it. All in all, well done, Phoenix-Scottsdale-Tempe!

I have been running for close to 30 years and have run 21 marathons. I have a long background in managing running events. This was truly the best organized running event I have ever participated in - from the registration/packet pick-up at the expo right through the entire race, including the hotel shuttle system and the well-trained and courteous volunteers. I felt warmth from everyone the entire way. Tremendous job!