I ran the SLC marathon in 2006 and the half in 2008. The course was great, and the weather was much better this year than in 2006. April is a MUCH better month than June for this race.

My one complaint is that I was told at the finish that I had registered late, and because of that my medal and shirt would be mailed to me a month later. That sucks! Who wants a medal a month after the race???

I registered on the first to last day, so I don't see how that's "late." If there are certain number of slots available, shouldn't they order that many medals?

What happened to the post-race beer garden? I know Utahans are somewhat conservative about alcohol consumption, but I've never run a race before without a beer garden or the option to purchase a beer at the end of a tough run. The lack of the beer garden just confirmed the stereotypes I'd heard about this state.

The fans were few and far between. I've never felt so lonely on a run before. This was billed as a big marathon; however they failed to point out that most of the participants did the shorter races. Could have used some music/bands along the way. There was only one group of drummers that I can recall.

Views were breathtaking (at least for the first half of the run). Towards the end it was very plain and boring as you ran along Van Winkle Parkway into the city.

Expected a better turnout at Liberty Park for the final push towards the Gateway Station.

Color for full marathon t-shirts was hideous; however the graphic were great. I will never wear this because of the color. Some have described the color as: puss, callous, bile, or smog - just to name a few. The color doesn't look good on anyone. So there go my bragging rights for finishing the race because I'll never, ever wear the tee.

Altitude kicked my butt. Trained at sea level and struggled after 14 miles.

Final advice: Pack you own beer, bring your iPod and convince your friends and family to make the trip with you, because the locals won't show up for moral support.

Traffic control was the best I've ever seen. I thank traffic detail whenever I run past them but there were so many at this race that I couldn't thank them all. Watering stations were FULL of volunteers and the Gatorade was some of the best I've ever tasted during a race (sometimes you get a watered-down mix or something over-mixed, but this was perfect). Weather, an uncontrollable variable, was pleasant, save for the 20+ mph headwind the first half of the race which made it a little more challenging, but that headwind became a tailwind over the last half, so it evened out. Very scenic course with mountain views pretty much the entire way. Spectators, while not huge in numbers, were very supportive, vocal and kind. The last bit to the finish line is really inspiring. Loved the race and highly recommend it.

I ran this race yesterday, April 19th, 2008, and I loved this race. There were a few more hills than expected but nothing too bad. After the half marathon point on the marathon course, it's all downhill and flat. Spectators there are really great people. They could still use more of them but I think that will change as the years go on, as this is still a fairly new race. Food at the finish line was a bummer. Only had bananas, hot dogs, cheese taquitos, and almonds/granola. That was a shame. Massages were wonderful and we didn't have to wait too long. Overall, I will definitely do this race again - it was a lot of fun!

This was my most difficult marathon to run; I don't know if it was the wind, the altitude, or the heat, but it was difficult. There was no corral start so I spent 3 miles darting around walkers and slower runners (bad). The finish had promised all sorts of food, but the 1/2 marathoners ate nearly all of it (I finished in the top half of the marathon, and paid the marathon price, but these Devine marathons are hit or miss). The course was very well managed at the water stops and easy to navigate.

This run was filled with great conditions all the way around: thank you to ALL the volunteers; bands were super-cool; the people along the way went out of their way to cheer us on; and the traffic control was superb. Beautiful start location and terrific finish pathway!!! My first marathon here has inspired 5 more this year: thanks for the great FINISH - the food, the health-care, etc. were the best of all other runs. This one is a must-do run.

This was my first marathon, and it was a great experience! I ran the half marathon the year before and had a great time in that race also. This year's organization was great and the fans kept me going. The bands that played at the cheer stations did a great job and the styles of music had a wide variety - great job. My only complaint was Devine promoting Rocky Anderson at the start line as "the greatest mayor in the country." I came for the race not a political endorsement! Re-think that next time, Devine. I will run this race next year.

Course: tough for someone who trained at sea level. The dry climate was a factor as well coming from a humid climate.

Organization: start line was accessible and easy to get to by TRAX. However, the energy at the starting line was somewhat subdued. It could have been the poor choice in music, not sure. Finish line was smooth and plentiful! Kudos for the warm bread sticks!

Spectators: a scant amount. The ones that did come out were very supportive. The so-called "spirit stations" were a disappointment. Perhaps the biggest disappointment was Liberty Park; it was barren and lonely. I expected a greater turn-out running in a major city like Salt Lake.

The expo, packet pick up, Trax, porta-john lines, and start line all went smoothly. Got a hard sell at the expo to buy snake oil to take 15 minutes off my time. That was entertaining. I stayed at the host Marriott. Ok, but cheaper hotels have more amenities. Trax had a stop right at the hotel, which was very nice. But there were several hotels closer to the finish that would have worked better for me - no mention of them in the website. I've run all my previous marathons in Texas so I learned a hard lesson about altitude. Didn't fare well but my fault for not researching/preparing. Fans were few out in the remote areas but not what I came for. The water bags on the course were nice but too big - lots of waste. I also prefer the Gatorade cut 50%. Full strength is a bit much for most of us. Very good race overall for its size.

I was a bit leary about this race from all the comments I had read previous and friends warned me it was terrible - boy were THEY wrong! The expo was fantastic - not too huge, but I found lots of great stuff and info and the packet pick up was a breeze! The parking was awesome and it couldn't have been easier or more organized to get to the start. The course was really nice and if it wasn't for a pulled leg muscle towards mile 23 I would have qualified for Boston. As it was, it still was a pretty good time. The food was the BEST I have EVER seen. Everyone has already described it - the pizza was exactly what the Doctor ordered and the massage was unbelieveably long and great - they even covered you with blankets so you wouldn't freeze. The people were very helpful and the spectators were great. High-fiving the kids along the way was the coolest part - I hope it inspires them to do it too! There were plenty of aid stations and while the water bottles were a bit too large, it sure was easy to run and drink rather than the cups!My husband seconds all of these comments as he ran it also. Good job, Salt Lake. We would do it again!