This course has a lot of hills. I have run on hilly courses, but none as hilly as Knoxville. The weather was not favorable for a marathon: 40 degrees, with strong winds. If you are up for a challenge then this one is for you.

The only negatives to this course is that the mile markers were not accurate. From miles 1 to 4 there weren't any markers at all. Spectators were sparse due to it being a smaller race (which is expected), but the weather was a big factor. The course could have been marked better at turns. For most of the race, I was running by myself, and at turns, course officials did not tell me where to go. I had to ask.

This was my 4th marathon, and my least favorite. Not much fun, and I will not be going back.

The Knoxville Marathon in 2009 not only was on a cold day with very harsh winds, but had an endless array of hills over the entire course until the bitter end. This really needs to be stated in the course description. I had run it in 2005 and had forgotten how tough it was. The hills are just never ending. The finish sums up the entire race as you blast downhill and then are met with another hill to get to the finish. I have run 38 marathons in 15 states, and this is as difficult a course {YES, TOUGHER THAN Boston and Cincinnati} as I have run.

The crowds were great in limited areas. The water stops were fine, and the volunteers were excellent. The other issues were not only improperly placed mile markers, but also that I did not even get a split until mile 4. The 6-mile and 10K were almost right next to each other. I had one split in 13 or 14 minutes... which is not possible. The design of the course is ridiculous, as you start running uphill the first mile. This is horrible, particularly for a first-timer. If you want to improve the course, be creative and change it so it is runner-friendly and gives the runner a mental and physical break from the hills.

I wish you good luck, but I will never come back and run the race. Also, I am an okay runner, having run 19 sub-four-hour marathons (including this one) and qualified for Boston six times in the last two years.

I ran the Knoxville Half on Sunday, March 29th, 2009.

It's a very challenging course. Please take it seriously when you read that it's hilly.... It is very hilly. I live in the mountains of NE Tennessee and it was still hilly for me. I was able to PR, but that was due to my training, not the course. It was cool and very windy, which made it very challenging.

The race is very well organized, especially on the course. Water stations were well marked and staffed by good volunteers clearly yelling out which cup was PowerAde and which was water. Police at every intersection really took good care of us and the bands on the course were a nice touch.

Lots of crowd support, especially in the swanky neighborhood from mile 4-7. The trails through the greenspace are awesome and a nice part of the course. The run along the river in the early part of the race is really nice except for the sewage treatment plant - not the smell you want at mile 2. Be advised that the hills between mile 7 and 8 and during mile 11 are brutal. The downhill and then circle uphill to the finish in Neyland Stadium are difficult. Finishing on the 50-yard line is really cool, and the after-race party in Thompson Bowling Arena is a nice touch. The expo is a little weak, but not bad. Decent swag in the goody bag and good prices on logo merchandise at the expo. The medal is really nice.

Post-race food was a little weak, but still very well organized. The band at the post-race party was very good, and the stretching areas were a nice touch.

Overall, this is a very well done race in a nice city. If you're looking for a challenging course in a well organized, mid-sized race, this is a good one.

The course has a great variety of scenery and challenge. The weather yesterday was challenging, with the strong winds. The mile markers were hard to see, and many times did not seem to be accurate.

I grew up in Knoxville and always dreamed of running onto the field at Neyland as a kid (and still do as an adult). This was my first marathon and I couldn't have picked a better race. Being able to fulfill my goals as a runner and as a Tennessee fan couldn't have left me more fulfilled. Yes, the course is up and down, and in stretches it's as lonely as those 5 a.m. long runs, but the neighborhood energy you get going through Sequoyah Hills on the front, and Island Home on the back, can't be beat.

A great race, and I'm looking forward to coming back next year.

The organization was great. The course is hilly and you probably won't PR, but it is a very beautiful course. The variety in the scenery and in the terrain make this course fun and challenging. It is definitely worth traveling to Knoxville for this race.

As I am one of those goofy 50-staters who needed Tennessee and an early spring marathon, Knoxville fit the bill nicely. Even though there was NOT ONE level mile the whole marathon, the friendly volunteers, plentiful and varied fluids, and diversified neighborhoods more than made up for the terrain... and you even served fruit punch PowerAde!!! Also, the fact that this relatively small marathon had pacers was really HUGE - and helped me get a 2-minute PR on a challenging course. KUDOS to Jason the RD for a very well-organized race!

While there were some hills and it wasn't the fastest course, it was still a very fun run.

My specific comments are about the post-race party. Having done several combination marathon/relay/half/5K or 10K runs, I was a bit apprehensive about the post-race party. I've gotten to the finish line at some of these events to find most of the food gone.

This marathon got it right with a separate food area for full marathon participants (pizza, bagels, drinks, cookies, pretzels, etc.). There were tables and chairs to eat at. Overall, it was extremely well done. Don't change a thing.

I had a really tough time during the run. But it could be my fault for not training for the hills more. The Island Park Subd. was really great at about mile 22; the spectators helped revive me. The supply of oranges along the route was really nice. Start and finish were close to hotel. Four Points Sheraton staff were really nice, giving us weather info the night before race. Hotel was really clean. Naples Italian Restaurant was great for your pasta.

As everyone said, the hills were undeniably a noticeable feature, which gave me an even greater sense of achievement. Excellent organization; great spectators and volunteers; food and drinks for full marathoners was plentiful and better than at any marathon I've run; the city is beautiful; weather was absolutely perfect (a bit humid though); and the hotel was great. Thank you to Knoxville for a great time. I highly recommend this race to everyone. Even getting there is simple, since it's right on the I-75.