It was the coldest day of the year and it felt like the entire 1/2 marathon course was directly into the wind!! It was something no one could have foreseen! Given that, the observers/supporters, logistics people and staff folks were all cheery and friendly. Police support was excellent as well. The expo on Saturday was excellent; it is nice to see so many fit people around when the news world seems to always be talking about obesity and the like.

The only issue I observed was the lack of the energy gels (contrary to what was advertised). I would have brought some with me, but information provided stated that they would be offered at miles 6.5, 11, 17; I never saw them.

I will definitely do this one again, and as long as they continue to have it!

This is the 2nd year and 2nd time I've run this marathon, and I have to say that even though my ratings only went up 1 star overall (in the organization category), I think it is shaping up to be a really nice race.

The certified course is the same as last year: it's mostly flat and fairly fast (I finally ran my first BQ, yay!) as you'd expect in Florida with a mix of urban streets, historic neighborhoods, with rails-to-trails and some tree-lined streets with good flat pavement as well as a run through the UF football stadium. Excellent traffic control by police with a lane coned off for runners all along the course.

The organization has increased tremendously with a lot of big-race amenities for a smaller race: gear drop-off, great long-sleeve shirt, space blanket, fun music at the start/finish, real food like pizza, sodas, and ice cream at the finish instead of the boiler-plate bagels/bananas (though bananas were available as well), and a poolside post-race party and awards ceremony! Only downsides are a meager expo (as would be expected for a smaller race) and low spectator support - though the ones out there were great. It was very cold and windy that morning, so that may have played a part.

The race director even personally asked for input from runners after the race, so you know they care about the runners and are looking to put on the best race they can. Disclosure: I live here and love the city, so I may be biased! But I still think it is a very good smaller-sized race, especially with a HUGE award purse of $10,000 (!) for a race this size. This is the 2nd year in a row I managed an AG award. I just hope it doesn't get too big that I get shut out of the awards next time, ha ha! I will be back next year!

Pros:
Started the 1/2 marathon 0.3 miles ahead of marathoners to spread out the pack.
Run through the stadium was different.
Exceptional police support.
Pizza and pop at the end.
Several e-mails from race director up to the start of the race giving up-to-date information.

Cons:
Started 10 minutes late.
Some people I heard were a little confused about where the marathoners were to start.

Overall, a good small race.

The course was completely on asphalt, either roads or "Rails to Trails" path. But, I was surprised by the rolling hills, especially during the first six miles. Well-stocked aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers; the police did an excellent job with road traffic control. Parking for the race was very convenient.

One suggestion for improvement: Need more port-a-lets in the first half of the course when both full and half marathons are running together.

I ran the full marathon last year and GREATLY enjoyed it. I trained in Gainesville, as I was a student at the time, and loved that part of the race was most of my daily routes. Only one hill was a doozy, around mile 18-19 as stated, but it was not unmanageable.

I had not run a marathon before, so I didn't know what to expect. As it was the first marathon in Gainesville, I think it has room to grow, but all the plans for the event seemed well planned despite the small size. There was not much on the actual course as far as bands or music, but I think this will improve with time and as Gainesville continues to see the benefits of making the event even larger.

As for the spectators and after party, I would definitely attribute that to bad weather. It was cold and rainy. Even I was just ready to leave after the race.

I would recommend this race to veterans of marathons and beginners as well. I graduated and live in NYC now, but I'm already working making plans to be back next year.

GO GATORS!

I have to echo all of the positive comments I have read about this race. I too am an alumn returning after 30+ years and the experience was terrific. My daughter and I ran the 1/2 marathon and the course was gorgeous. The police were exactly as great as described, and the people of Gainesville were wonderful; I didn't hear any honking or observe any cranky behavior, and the roads were closed for a long time. Hats off to the community! It WAS pretty misty so I can understand why the spectator support was thin, and of course, not a creature was stirring around fraternity row that early in the morning. The race was well organized, the host hotel was ultra convenient and pleasant, and the whole experience was positive. We will be back next year and plan to bring a contingent with us to run this fun race.

Well done race. I will return. Great first-year race. Next year will be even better. I ran the half marathon, and the event was great!

I also have to say that the marathon was well done with a great course, but I too did not have a time listed in the results. My wife and I ran the half and I crossed the line half a second behind her. In the official results, she had a finishing time and I did not. Fortunately, I was not running for time so my results did not matter to me.

I did notice that my sensor was a different color than the ones worn by other runners, including my wife's. I just hope that they work out this kink before I run the full next year. My only other recommendations would be to place more port-a-potties on the course and make sure all miles for the half and full are clearly marked. Slower, well hydrated athletes may be forced to use someone's yard to compensate for the lack and I am sure that the residents of Gainesville would not appreciate that.

Other than the time problem, I would recommend this race to any runner or walker. Good effort for a first race.

In short, for an inaugural event, they did a nice job. The course was scenic and the running lanes wide. Law enforcement was great and traffic control was outstanding.

The expo. was rather dull. Packet pick-up was unorganized. I had to keep asking, "Where do I go next?" Where are the shirts? Where is the chip, etc.?
The race hotel was very accommodating and across the street from the start. There were plenty of port-a-potties for a change. The course was laid out well and the runners got to see all of Gainesville. Running through the football stadium was a nice touch. The aid stations were chaotic and some under-manned. The mile markers were off (I think some joker moved them overnight). The timing was completely wrong. My finishing time was 8 minutes faster than the reported time, but they are continuing to try and fix that. The post-race party was uneventful, but Domino's kept their promise and fed all of us "all the pizza you can eat."

To be fair, the weather may have contributed to some of the problems. It started out overcast and wet, but ended up rainy, windy and cold. Good for tired runners and ducks, but not so good for volunteers.

This was my first marathon, so I did not know what to expect. The people from LifeSouth were fantastic and friendly. They quickly answered all my questions. The course was fun and safe with a few small hills at the beginning and one around mile 18. There was ample supply of water, Gatorade, PowerBars, and gels. They seem to have everything organized very well. Luckily, I did not have a problem with my time chip. I would recommend this marathon to everyone. I look forward to the 2007 Five Points of Life Marathon.