I'd heard positive things about this race and it didn't disappoint. Nice course - the hills at 10k and 30k are very gradual. There seemed to also be some minor ones at 35+K that weren't specifically mentioned on the website but seemed about as big as the ones at 10k and 30k (though maybe it was just the way I felt by that time ;)). I'd thought the part going around the industrial area would be boring but it wasn't too bad. Not the crowd support at some other marathons, but still a decent turnout and the folks were all very supportive. Definitely a fast course - or it would have been if not for that wicked wind off the lake! Still, a nice course and I think I'd do it again.

Very well organized on race day itself - food was easy to get to and plentiful, results were posted very quickly, shuttle buses were frequent. Loved the fact that they played O Canada at the start.

(Oh yeah, there is one small point - there needs to be more portapotties at the race start.) Another slight downer: the race expo was a bit chaotic even on the Friday. I think the layout of the expo at the YMCA needs to be improved. Maybe they weren't counting on the high registration numbers.

All in all, way to go Mississauga!

My third time running this race. I ran the half twice and this year I did the full.
The start line: ok, it could use dozens more portapotties for the few thousand runners. There's tons of parking at the start (but none at the finish, so they use shuttle buses to get people back to their cars.)
The course: nice, with scenic areas, (exception: the stinky out-and-back stretch in the industrial area). You run through lots of residential areas and then down along the waterfront through parklands and along a multi-use trail. The course is relatively flat, no major hills, just a few inclines.
Course support: very good. Lots of water/gatorade stations (approx. every 2K) and gels at 3 places. Traffic control was reasonably good, though slower runners were complaining that the race organizers were removing the pilons towards the end, leaving them with no directions to the finish. Otherwise, the course was well marked, km by km.
The finish area: a nightmare/safety hazard with people walking all over the course!! I really hope they'll cordon it off next year. The only other issue is that it is always windy there because it's close to the lake.
Post-race food and party: spartan. Food was scarce - some fruit and bagels, water and gatorade (in cups).
Fan support: major intersections had clusters of people, but there were many quiet stretches. The finish line is a bit of a zoo, people everywhere.
It's a good race, I'll run it again next year if they don't hike up the price.

I ran the inaugural and thought after two years they had to have cleaned up their act, wrong. This is a point to wrong point race. It is a net down hill but.. No shelter at the start, long traffic lines to get parked, long walk to start line, water stations with only a metre path down the middle as volunteers crowded runners, no race medical radios, one metre path width for the last four km with dogs and children on the path, no separation of spectators from race medical and recovery areas, one km walk to bus area at end, followed by forty minute wait for bus with spectators crowding athletes out to the wrong site, followed by thirty minute bus ride which deposited us several miles from our car. Grandad was right, if you have to say it's world class....it isn't. Better than Boston? Not in this century.

Ran the full marathon yesterday (2006) and it appears the organizers have made an effort to correct a lot of previous problems. Finish line is still awful for spectators and the wind was hell, but some of the comments from previous runners have been rectified (except the comment about the taste of the water - awful - they should switch to bottled water).
The course was well marked, and extremely well marshalled - there were NO issues with traffic. Finish line food was standard fare, but plenty to go 'round and tons of volunteers bringing it to runners as well as manning food stations.

I really enjoyed the 10k - the course was great - however - we racewalkers are racers too - why are our results lumped in with runners - there is a distinction - fast walkers are not slow runners but you would never know the way you publish the results

The comments above say it all! This is a new event and still has lots of room to grow and improve. NO fans and I don't believe that they will ever get many since the course is pretty isolated, windy and wet. There were no safety blankets at the finish line and food was limited and very disorganized. They should try to move the course more on the roads, since the bike path gets crowded in some parts with local people walking dogs and with strollers, and the grass got muddy too. Not the event they say it is.

Not a great 1st marathon. The course is not so flat, but that's ok 'cause hills are good. Lousy expo and I was surprised at how expensive this event is. I think they are getting greedy. There were no bands or spectators to be seen.

The water at the stations around the university was awful... tasted like a chemical was mixed in with the water.

Not enough bathrooms on the spots... huge line-up at the beginning of the race and I had to duck out at the beginning of the race.

I ran the 1/2 Marathon and thought it was a great course! There were a few slight inclines at the 10K and 14K marks, but nothing too serious. It was great to have your name on the bib so spectators could cheer you on personally. My only disappointment was the end of the race -- you finish along a path where the finish line is not visible until about 50M out. Because there were not KM markers, I was unable to judge the end to begin to increase my speed to the finish.

A nice course, but I agree with the urban blight comments below. Could do without that part of the course. Putting your name on the number is a great idea - was suprised the at first when people started yelling my name.