This was my 6th marathon, and I must confess, I am a resident of Knoxville and part of the KTC (Knoxville Track Club) but not on the organizing or Chamber of Commerce committees. Yes, it is a tough course - after all, it is Knoxville in the foothills of the Great Smokies, so it is going to be hilly. It is not surprising that people from Illinois would find this dishearting, but challenges abound both in sport and in life. The post party is a walk from the finish; however, for us locals - and I apologize to out of town guests - to finish in Neyland Stadium and then Party at Thompson Boiling Arena on the University of TN (UT) campus is a UT Vols fan's dream come true. I agree the post party needs work and the KTC realizes it. The organizers were hampered by lack of local business support, but I am told that it is getting better. Hope to see you all in '07.

My sister, dad, mom, and I ran the marathon relay, and we had a fantastic time. We each traveled to get there (sister in FL, parents in AR, myself in MD). The hotels were actually close to the site!! The course was challenging, but beautiful, the spectators were amazing (my leg went through Island Home, and they could not have been more welcoming or encouraging), and the organizers and volunteers were friendly and accommodating. The few pointers I have are 1) that the post-race party was a bit far away to walk after the race, and was hard to find (we actually wouldn't have found it if we had not asked someone); 2) It would be nice if relay finishers got something to mark their achievement at the end of the race. I understand that full and half marathon finishers have earned those medals, but it was a bit anticlimactic to finish and have volunteers look at your "relay" bib and smile at you sadly like, "We wish we could give you more than a congratulations." How about a pin or giving us our shirts at the end of the race? Also, as nice as the drivers were, the relay shuttles were really off schedule, causing faster relay runners (not me :)) to miss their hand-offs. I know that the organizers are aware of this, but I thought I had to mention it.

Overall, though, a wonderful return to Knoxville for my family, who were last here as a family for the 1982 World's Fair. Thank you SO much.

Let's start at the beginning. The host hotel was very efficient and friendly. The hotel's restaurant pasta bar was not very good... the pasta was over-cooked and sauces blasé.

The expo was just the right size, a tad small, but the quality was there. I don't like to take long walks the night before a marathon anyway.

The starting temps were a tad cool, but the convention center was open and there were pre-race beverages available. Plenty of port-o-potties before and during the race.

The volunteers were GREAT! Smiling faces on a chilly morning from start to finish. One even pulled a gel from my back pocket, which I could not reach, near mile 16... thanks again. Great job also by the police officers keeping the intersections clear.

The few pockets of spectators were very enthusiastic... after many lonely miles. I train/run alone, so it was not that big of a deal for me. But when running in unfamiliar territory and terrain, camaraderie is a big plus... especially with pacing. Speaking of... a few more clocks on the course would have been nice.

The finishing area was fine, but there should have been more than just water. Bananas, muffins, bagels, cookies, etc. would work... just something. In general the post-race food was disappointing. Pizza, apple/wedges, oranges, chips, cups of water or Gatorade. I've done shorter races with larger spreads. Some hot soup would have been great. Why couldn't the post-race party be held in Neyland Stadium - it seems to be big enough?

Overall, the actual narathon was very well planned and managed. The course was comparable to that of the Flying Pig in Cincinnati or Richmond. Some hills, to make it challenging and interesting... but this was Tennessee, not Florida.

The Knoxville course is a nice mix of hills on the front end and a fairly flat course for the second half. There were neighborhood organized support this year that was really nice. Plenty of portable toilets along the way. Knoxville is a beautiful small city to run through. With a few small exceptions, you don't have to share the road with moving vehicles.

There are several places where chip times are taken, but they don't make them available to the runners. Has some smaller city problems - smaller crowds (but enthusiastic) and the course kind of overlaps in several places.

For starters, I always get a "warm fuzzy" when a race is sponsored by a healthcare program. The main sponsor in this case is Covenant Health in Knoxville. They teamed with the Knoxville Track Club to put on an excellent event, only in its second year. I went as a pacer (3:40 group) and teamed with another pacer - Sarah - who was great to run with. This was my first "official" pace gig, and I plan to do many more.

Here're some specifics:

Registration/Website: Very good.

Expo: Quite a good one, considering the size of the race. Well organized.

Course: As you would expect in this part of the country, very hilly. But it could have been much worse. The organizers did a great job of laying out a very tough course, while stopping short of brutal.

Volunteers/Police: Two of the highlights of this race. The volunteers were outstanding, and I've never (in 67 previous marathons) seen such outwardly supportive officers working traffic management. They offered encouragement as much as the course volunteers!

Finish: Midfield of Neyland Stadium. I came from out of state, but can only imagine the thrill locals expericenced in running onto that field to the finish-line and seeing themselves on the Jumbotron screen.

Post-Race: Good, but can stand some work. First of all, it was a very long hike from the finish line to the food, accompanied by more hills - just for good measure. Refreshment offerings could have been better. I love pizza, but after a marathon, bagels, cookies, yogurt, and bottled water work better. I know that the race director is aleady working this issue, and I'm sure it will be better next year.

Nice Touch: The finisher's hat was awesome. For anyone that ran the San Francisco Marathon, it was just like that, but with "Finisher" across the back. Speaking of clothing, the shirt was just OK. Is it financially possible to break new ground, and be the first "big-time" marathon to offer shorts instead of a shirt? I was given one after a 1/2 marathon many years ago, and thought it was an excellent alternative.

Bottom Line: Congratulations on a very fine event. I'm confident this outstanding race will continue to improve and grow (if the organizers want that). It's perfectly positioned on the calendar for anyone that wants a tough long run (run 20 - walk the last 6.2) before Boston, Country Music, or Flying Pig.

Thanks KTC and Covenant Health!!

I was very impressed with how well organized this event was, particularly since it was only the second year. Also well supported along the course. First half is hilly, but runs through some beautiful areas of Knoxville. In spite of a warmer forecast, it was 28 degrees at the start, and even so it was very enjoyable. They got many of the finer details right on this event. Unless you are looking for huge crowds, I would definitely recommend this race to others.

I participated in the half-marathon and truly loved this race. I have finished 13 Derby Festival halves, 5 Indy 500 halves and 2 others, but by far I have enjoyed this one the best. Although it was hilly at times, it just made it more interesting. The crowd support was minimal in areas, but were plentiful in the most hilly areas. I loved walking near the river, through the lovely neighborhoods, the bike trail and finishing in Neyland Stadium was just awesome. Food at the end was rather weak, but in general, Knoxville in the spring will be my destination next year.

First-class marathon on semi-hilly course. For the most part the scenery is great and the spectators enthusiastic. Very well organized and all were helpful and oh so friendly. The whole town does this up right. I highly recommend it.

Great course and the support was there when you needed it in the later miles. I would recommend and run again myself. For being considered a hilly course, I only finished 9 minutes off my PR.

The organization of this race is great - all of the details are attended to. I really had a wonderful time running this one. That said, it was the hilliest and most challenging marathon I have ever run (and I've run 15 others). I encourage you to come run this race, but not when you are looking for a PR!