This was a hard course for me and though I had done some training for hills, it obviously wasn't enough. Pretty course - especially the first half, which rambled through some nice neighborhoods. The police were fantastic. Not only did they do a great job controlling traffic and clearing the roads for the runners, but they were also friendly and encouraging. Tons of volunteers, and lots of friendly kids too. Spectators are sparse, but those who came out were great. The only complaint I have is that no one stopped me at the finish line to get my chip. I'm not exactly thinking straight at that point and usually there are people to make sure you don't go by without getting the chip cut off. No big deal I guess; I just have to pop it in the mail so I don't get charged. Overall a good experience.

Had a great time in Charlotte. It's a nice small marathon with a racing theme. There are rolling hills throughout the whole marathon course. But they are manageable, because I PR'd by 4 minutes. The 3:30 pace team was right on, thanks Josh! There were plenty of water stops and porta-potties along the course. Traffic control was top-notch; seemed like there was a police officer at every side street blocking traffic. The only bad thing I could find about the race was that the Hilton, which was the host hotel, didn't allow late checkout on Saturday. But they did allow us to take showers at their health club after the race, so it wasn't really too big of a problem. An all-around good marathon experience.

The spirit of the marathon was there due to the runners. The course was hilly. The temperature was 18 degrees in the morning and it was hard to get motivated. To train for a marathon takes a lot of time. You take time to sign up for a marathon make a reservation and find when you get to the hotel. The Hilton Charlotte City Center was overbooked.

They place you in a room the size of a bathroom with a bed that was close to the floor. No other rooms are available except a smoking room. Checking out of the Hilton I explained my situation and the Hilton accommodated me. It's hard to run a marathon and not be able to take a shower due to the check-out time. The Hilton in other marathons extends the stay. Heads up Charlotte.

The elevation chart displayed the course almost exactly as it indeed was. Rolling hills after rolling hills - continuous, but nothing too steep. The route was a very scenic, with some beautiful homes and communities along the way. Fantastic help from the local police and other traffic volunteers!! Spectators were sparse - a starting temp. of 18 degrees may have had a hand in that. Several of the fluid stops at the beginning were woefully understaffed and I found myself grabbing my own drinks at the first several stops. This is a tough course that brings out the pride in you as you push through the hills. This was my 44th marathon and it made me work hard to push through the late miles. Good race! By the way, the Hilton Center City was an awesome place to stay!!!

What was done well at this marathon:

Police presence was excellent. They were everywhere and did a good job with all of the traffic. First half of the course was very scenic with rolling hills through some nice neighborhoods. Second half went through some commercial areas that were pretty non-descript. The race did start right on time, which was good since temps were in the mid-20's. Miles were marked pretty well with digital clocks.

What was not done very well:

General directions for almost everything were poor. When we got to the convention center, there was no large sign stating, "Packet Pickup on First Floor." We wandered around and finally tracked someone down to ask. Then when leaving, we had other runners ask us, "Where do you get your packets?" When asked where the starting line was in comparison to the convention center and finish line (which was right outside the convention center), we were just told it was about 6 blocks away. I didn't see a map in my packet, so we just sort of followed some runners hoping that they knew where they were going. As for the packet itself, it was definitely the smallest collection of "stuff" I have ever seen at any of the 12 marathons that I have run. The shirt was also on the cheap side. Given the $75 entry fee, I expected a little more. At the finish line, there was almost no food at all. My group finished well under 4 hours and all we could find were some half bananas and orange slices... that's it. No bagels, yogurt, and not even apples. Again, where exactly did my $75 go? I suspect the promoter of this marathon does quite well on this event. I was pretty disappointed and will not run this race again.

This was my second marathon, the first being the Marine Corp in October 06. I did not know what to expect since the field size was so much smaller than my first. From the expo to the finish, I was very impressed. The expo was small but a perfect size for the event. Registration was set up first-class, clearly marked info and great staff to take you through the process with a smile. The weather was extremely cold at the start, but you take that chance with a Dec. race. Even with the low temps the volunteers were out in force to mark the course and provide water/encouragement. The city really gets behind this with the traffic support!! I cannot say enough about the police/fire dept. and many others that stayed out in the elements to usher us through the course (and not just for the frontrunners - they were all still there 5+ hours in offering support and encouragement). The course had a few more hills than I had anticipated but it proved to be a nice challenge (I still managed to improve my PR by 15 minutes). There were not a lot of spectators but the ones that were out really made an effort to encourage each runner individually. There were even a few of the neighborhood residents that had set up their own water stations and motivation points. That really shows the city's hospitality, and it made a lasting impact on a lot of the runners. The finish was just right. The crowd was still there and the announcer was still calling out the runners' names late into the event. It was really nice to feel a part of the overall event. They really went above and beyond to make sure everyone was treated equally, no matter the finish time. There were event staff waiting at the finish line with the finisher medals and cold drinks, and they also assisted in chip removal!! You just don't find that everywhere. My first marathon may not have been a very good experience but I left Charlotte feeling great and looking forward to making this a "must do" race for years to come. Thanks to all involved for a fantastic event.

Very nice course. Charlotte Police did an incredible job with traffic control. Be prepared for hills. I've done Richmond and this IS more challenging. Very organized. Lots of course support with water, PowerAde, etc. I will do this race again.

The Charlotte Marathon was a great experience. The race was very organized and well run. The chip timing was very helpful and the brave people whi withstood the freezing temps were very nice. More goodies would have been nice but people always want more for every race.

I had the great fortune to be a pacer for the 2006 edition and had an awesome experience. There were some folks out there who really put a supreme effort out there, and I applaud them for it.

As a 2nd-year event, it is extremely well done... for the most part. The course showcases the best parts of Charlotte nearly perfectly. Much of it is closed to traffic, and the parts that weren't (including EVERY intersection) had an officer stationed. If you want to know where your entry fee went, look no further. This race performed course management better than nearly any other comparable marathon I've been a part of. Spectators were decent to few and far between in the first half, virtually non-existent in the second.

Not to expect perfection, there were a few points organizers can improve upon. Mile markers were not exactly right in a few locations. As a pacer, it was a little disheartening to come to mile 25 and all of a sudden be 2 minutes behind pace when you were 30 seconds ahead just the mile before. I imagine this was supposed to be the "one to go" sign. The post-race spread (which many folks consider important) was paltry at best. All I saw were bananas and water with a local bread shop setting up a tent with samples.... Maybe I missed the rest, but I don't think so.

Overall, if you value a well organized race with a great course that showcases our beautiful city perfectly (and top-notch traffic control), I can't recommend this race enough. If you need spectators aplenty and a hearty post-race spread, look elsewhere.

I have to add my 2 cents!!! This was my first marathon.... Kudos to Charlotte... I feel hooked!!!

The expo was good... (who else wants to do Georgia...??? :-)) The pasta dinner was great... and everyone at registration and packet pickup was very helpful. Kudos to the folks at the Children's Hospital for the chapstick... it came in handy on Saturday!

The course certainly was hilly... but what a great challenge... and the neighborhoods we ran through were gorgeous! And, yes, the police were
everywhere and very supportive as well. The folks at the water stations were awesome and looking out for us as ice formed around the tables.

A special thanks to the kids with the little Gatorade stand and the folks in the truck with the great water... you were there at just the right time!

The food at the end was good: bananas, great bread, water, PowerAde. Next year... can we have beer? :-)

So, spread the word: this is a great little marathon... and I, for one, will be back next year!