This was a fun race. Had heard the hills were bad (they weren't bad at all!) and heard everything else about this one was pretty vanilla.

Well, I loved the race. Had a blast! First half was really beautiful, running through some really great neighborhoods. The second half was not as nice, but sure beats a bunch that I can think of! Shirt was nice and the medal was great! Crowds were thin but it was a pretty cool/cold day for Charlotte. But the folks there were wonderful. Thanks, Charlotte! I'll be back next year.

This was my first marathon and it didn't disappoint. Everyone talks about "the hills," but to me it was just some inclines and declines. There are points were there is no crowd support at all, especially after the half guys break off. Event staff/volunteers were tremendous and made up for any other omissions there may have been. I will run this race again, but only because I am a local. In a few years, though, this event will be much better I am sure.

I really enjoyed this race, although the posting of results afterward had some problems. Now, granted, I combined the trip with a visit to my daughter in the Charlotte area, so that added to my enjoyment. But there were still many positives just considering the race and logistics:

1. The expo was a decent size, while not huge. Packet pickup went smoothly, and there was no problem using my own champion chip.
2. There are several large hotels nearby, so the logistics were pretty easy to the start. The convention center was open, so there was warmth and REAL bathrooms!
3. The race started on time, and the chilly weather in my opinion was perfect. The scenery wasn't "amazing," but it was pleasant. Lots of nice, old, Southern houses.
4. The finish line was well organized, and it was easy to find water, food (including some kind of yummy pasta type dish!), and beer.
5. My hotel (Hilton) had no problem with late checkout. Just in case, I had learned from other runners that we could use the YMCA in the same complex as the Hilton. While the website wasn't very helpful with that, there is a "forum" where you can post questions and get answer like this from other runners.

So the only problem I had was finding out the post-race results. I didn't go to the 12:00 awards ceremony (I had just finished, and needed to clean up and check out of the hotel, but heard from others it really was just the overall winners and not age groups). So when I went back to the convention center to see if I got an age group award, it was confusing. First, there were no signs, but we were able to weave our way back to where the expo had been. Then, results were posted on the walls, but only for the 5K and half marathon. We asked at the awards platform and they didn't have the age group results. We went to another table at the far end of the hall, and they were finally able to determine that I got third in my age group! I picked up the not-very-impressive "award winner" medal, but the next day on the website learned that I actually came in 4th.

Bottom line, this was a good race and a great way to enjoy the Charlotte area. If they could fix those problems with the results, I wouldn't have anything to complain about!

It had nice, rolling hills for the first half, and was 85% flat for the last half. There were beautiful neighborhoods to run through in the first half. There was also great crowd support in the neighborhood areas.

Charlotte is a beautiful city and the course highlights some new and old areas. The elevation change is over 2,200', half of which is uphill, so it's a bit tough, but rewarding. Water and gel stations were adequately stocked, and volunteers were great.

Boyscout Troop 448 saved my race when someone was there to tape my leg so that I could finish at mile 20.

Will do it again next year.

Many comments speak about the challenging hills, and yes, there are plenty, but the grade/inclines weren't substantial. In fact, I ran the St. Jude Marathon the week before this race and I was timid that the hills would eat up my tired legs, BUT I actually finished the race 5 minutes faster than last week!

The expo was fairly large for a medium-sized race, but the flow could be improved to be more intuitive so that you don't have to find your way around to get to the registration/packet pickup area. I missed any signs that pointed the way. Also, the many volunteers were very friendly and helpful, but when t-shirts ran out at the packet pickup, I was given a vague answer as to where and when I'd receive mine. After asking some race officials after the race, I was told to email them and I'd receive my shirt later. That's appropriate, but this direction should've been made clear to the volunteers manning the t-shirt tables. Communication is the key and the lack of it was disappointing to me and a couple of first time marathoners who were asking as well. This is a HUGE day for them and it's hard to see past their excitement to understand the logistics of supplying shirts for a larger than expected crowd.

Quick Pros:
- Great police/volunteer support along the entire race. Even in the iffy parts of town.
- Plenty of water/gel stops - they didn't run out - even for us slower runners.
- Pace groups were very friendly (although I'd suggest having 5:30- and 6-hour groups if possible)
- Having a warm and spacious staging area (Convention Center) before/after the race was great.
- Medal is nice and I love the colorful ribbon with the race logo on it as well.

Quick Cons:
- Don't underestimate the hills (but don't fear them with appropriate training though)
- No pasta dinner (but they did give restaurant addresses. etc.)
- Expo needs better flow and communication


Overall, I am VERY pleased with this race and would recommend it to anyone on the fence about it.

I thought this was a well-planned, top-notch race! I loved that the race start and finish were within a couple of blocks of each other and that the reasonable 8:00 a.m. starting time meant that you don't have to get up in the middle of the night if you're staying in one of the hotels in the downtown area. The first half of the race goes through pretty residential areas and the second half passes through more of the business and residential parts of the city. Yes, the course is hilly, so be sure to train on them and don't get your heart set on a PR. The expo was small (more about quality than quantity) but easy to get in and out of. There were water stops every two miles, which were well stocked with water and PowerAde. The fans were not abundant, but the ones who were out were very motivating. The only change I'd recommend is to have 3-4 port-a-potties instead of two at each water stop. Last of all, I want to thank whoever played "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" around mile 19. It gave me a much needed boost!

Course has plenty of hills; although they are not too steep, the number of ups and downs is tough towards the end.

The start and finish were right by the convention center and near many hotels. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which was right next to the finish line (I could see the finish line from my window); that was very convenient. Kudos to the organizers for arranging 3 p.m. late check-out with several hotels - plus the hotel rates were very reasonable (almost all were under $100, plus taxes).

Water and PowerAde stations every 2 miles, with GU at miles 16 and 20. Volunteers did a great job, and there was surprisingly a decent amount of crowd support throughout.

Overall, a nice, medium-sized marathon. You share the first 12 miles with the half-marathoners and there is also a relay.

Great job again to the organizers, and I would definitely recommend this race to others - be sure to check out BBQ King Drive-In near the airport for some authentic North Carolina BBQ!

I also would like to thank Max and our 3:15 pace group, who helped me to a personal best!

The pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to the Charlotte Marathon. It was a great town that truly understands southern hospitality. Spectators were few, but the ones we had were happy to be there cheering all of us on. The shirt was definitely nothing to get too excited over. It was a bit plain and lacked fun graphics. I stayed with the pace team for the first couple miles but he took off and I couldn't find him. Post-race food was amazing. I couldn't stop eating. Thank you, Charlotte!