The first part of the course is great. I hated the last 8 miles - a bad area with very little support. One positive was having the military at almost every intersection so we never had to be too concerned with traffic.

The reason I would not suggest or recommend this race is because of the organization. No pre-race or post-race events to speak of. They ran out of medals, which seems ridiculous. Plus the medals have been the same for the last 3-4 years; they just changed the year on the ribbon. They did not even have awards for the winners, and to date it appears that many never even received them. The first year of this race seems to have been the best, and it has declined ever since.

There are too many other good races to choose from in the area around the same time, so I would suggest picking one of those and not the Pensacola Marathon. This is difficult to say, especially considering that I want more than anything to promote my hometown race.

Hats off to all the good people in Pensacola and at Running Wild that put on such a good race. The sunrise over the bay at the start, the pre-race worship service, the NB tech shirts (just say NO to cotton), the perfectly measured miles, the PowerAde and SPRING water and many water stops, the energetic volunteers, the different color bibs for half and full marathon runners, the Navy, Marine and police support at each intersection, the 3 GU stations, the crowd support, the post-race massages, the Subway sandwiches, and the Running Wild bottled water all made for a very classy well organized marathon.

Enjoyed the Pensacola Marathon; there are hills in Florida, but they're not too hard. Love seeing military helping with traffic control (great job). Only problem was the humid weather, but they cannot control that. Nice small race!

This was a well-organized race with plenty of volunteers - both military and law enforcement. The aid stations were well-stocked and volunteers encouraging. The scenery was spectacular in places. The announcer was great - he made everyone feel like a winner who came across the finish line. Thanks to everyone involved in the organization.

Barrancas Bridge at 20 miles is a doozy. The beginning of this race is mostly up hill along scenic Escambia Bay. People very friendly, and military at every intersection. Very motivating.

I've run this marathon 3 times ('05, '07 & '08). What impresses me most and keeps me returning is the low cost, GREAT TECH SHIRT, and AWESOME FINISHER MEDAL & NECK RIBBON. Running Wild has their act together and every year, I've seen improvements in the pre-race organization. Make no mistake about it: this is a demanding course with 6 major hills, and depending on the weather, it can be humid and 70, or a freezing wind chill. The course takes a lot out of you even with the best training. However, there are 15 water stations, ample fluids, and enthusiastic volunteers at each. If this course was in NYC or Wash D.C., you'd see people line the course. My hat's off to the Running Wild folks - they've taken the gauntlet thrown down by Hurricane Ivan and the end of the Blue Angels Marathon, and have staged a quality marathon. Having done 45 marathons in the past 25 years, #46 will probably be in Pensacola - God willing and if the injury bug doesn't bite.

Excellent experience and would definitely recommend the race to others. One or two little hills to deal with but otherwise not a bad course. Volunteers were excellent and all aid stations were great. My only complaint was that the pasta party advertised meat sauce, which is not particularly inviting for vegetarians. (Maybe a vegetarian option next time?) I hope this race gets bigger each year and more runners enjoy it as I did.

This was another great winter marathon. The course started east of historic downtown, along the waterfront. Heading east and north, there were rolling hills along Pensacola Bay - which were not too bad. And it was quite scenic. The course looped back into town, then headed out west for several miles, before looping around and coming back into historic downtown for the finish line.

The aid/water stations were adequately spaced and staffed with friendly volunteers, PowerAde drink and water. Maybe 3 stations spread through the second half had GU for carb replenishment. And the fan support was great! I'd keep seeing some of the same folks over and over, as they kept moving ahead so they could cheer us on again and again. That was high-class! And law enforcement support was top-notch. Thanks to the police and sheriff departments for a great performance.

The weather cooperated too. The forecast was ~70% chance of thunderstorms (and possible hail), but the rain held off until the marathon was over. Something more planning could not have helped. It was overcast for maybe 98% of the race. And every time the course turned south, there was a stiff blast of air coming off the water. And the humidity was in the high 80% range, and just hammered me from nearly the beginning.

The negative things about this marathon was what was going on at the finish line. First, they ran out of medals. That is just poor planning. But when I crossed the finish line, nobody told me anything. One girl wanted my timing chip - which I had to remove myself, then I had to find someone else to give it to. Then I asked where I got my medal, and was informed that they ran out. Then I asked if there was any food, and someone said there were a few Sub sandwiched left - in a box in the middle of the road - and someone handed me one. Then I asked if there were drinks, and someone handed me a PowerAde and a bottle of water. Then I asked about my medal being sent, and someone else said the timing chips for those folks who did not get medals were set aside so they could mail the medals - but my chip had already been tossed in another bucket, so another lady took the tear-off strip off my bib, and said they would use that information to mail my medal to me (I can only hope). Then another marathon lady went through nearly the same thing I did. I made sure she gave her tear-off strip to the race official before I left.

This was a really great marathon in and around a historic old town that ended on a bad note because of poor planning and organization. And they did not just run out of medals by a few. The race official had a bag with perhaps 40-50 timing chips of folks who did not get medals. This needs to be corrected for next year. Buy extras to make sure that you don't run out again.

The weather was cold and windy, but the race was great. There were a few little hills, some great crowd support, and at the end, one hour in the medical tent to warm up - plus a free massage (barely a 5-minute wait). A beautiful city to run in. Congrats to the organizers.

I have run this marathon every year since it began - to support Pensacola after the hurricane. My best friend lives in the area and I thought it would be a nice flat run. HA! As we drove the hilly course the first year, I kept saying, "Isn't Florida supposed to be flat?' "Her Pensacola native husband replied, "Didn't you know... Pensacola's the highest point of the state?" Well, I ran it that year and have come back every year. It's a great course with a few steady hills. The aid stations are great and it's very well organized. This is my favorite marathon and sometimes coincides with Mardi Gras. This year we attended a wonderful Mardi Gras parade and I ran the marathon the next day. It's a family event for us and has some beautiful vistas (especially the first 7 or 8 miles by the bay). It's family friendly and ends at a quaint city park where my kids can run around and play. The wind was horrendous this year but the weather has been perfect the 2 years prior. The traffic is held off by police and marines. Seeing those young soldiers, standing tall, kept me running. My run seemed puny in comparison to their commitment to our country. I wish every marathon had something like it. I'll be back again in 2008!