Great weather, continuous rolling hills, some very nice residential sections, and convenient expo and parking. I like the music and beer at the finish area. Not every marathon needs to be a giant. Sometimes marathons should be for running. This is it.

I thought they did a very solid job at Charlotte. I liked that the start and finish were so close to the host hotel. The expo was smallish but I found a pair of shoes, which made it very worthwhile. The pasta dinner was the smallest I've ever attended. The spaghetti was tasty but for 12 bucks I would've appreciated being able to get second helping. I don't criticize a marathon for weather but it was great anyway. The course features rolling hills and it's not for PR's - challenging but very enjoyable. The aid stations were very well supplied. Spectators were very supportive and I think the police did a great job with the Sat. morning traffic. The medal is nice, but the shirt is cotton and not memorable. Keep up the good work, people!

Having your name in big letters on the race bib is a great idea. People yelling your name as you're flagging helps perk you up. This helped make up for the surprisingly small crowds, especially since we ran through mostly residential areas.

That said, the course is hideous. Two different marathons in Charlotte and both have been on very grueling courses. Also, there were more turns on this race than any two other marathons combined. Great city at a great place on the calendar, but the course needs work.

This event was VERY WELL organized from music to fans to food. THANKS!!

I trained in the mountains and the hills in Charlotte were almost as challenging. It was not especially comforting to have big hills in the last 4 miles when everyone is struggling to make it in, but everything else about this race was great. The first half was beautiful, the water/PowerAde stations were adequately stocked and the volunteers and spectators were awesome. Made my first marathon a great experience. My legs are still hating those hills.

CHECKERED FLAGS:
* Expo was well run.
* Blue long-sleeve cotton shirt - nice.
* Convention Center to stay warm in before the race (with bathrooms!)
* Pasta dinner was very nice.
* Directions and police on course - WELL DONE.
* Water stops until the end.
* Great start with engines a-roaring.
* Mile 24 Rocky music was inspirational.
* The race director was very helpful.
* Charlotte is a great city to visit: shopping, theater, Bobcats, dining

RED FLAGS:
* SIX-HOUR LIMIT - NO KIDDING.
* Host hotel was very pricey; parking was $18.00 a day, but you can walk to the start and finish.
* Hills the first half....

Suggestion for those of us who don't come in by award time: move awards out to the table at the finish line, so if you win an award, it can be presented....

The race was well organized and I hope it continues to grow. We were fortunate to have great weather this year! The water, PowerAde, and Gu stops were well stocked and had lots of happy and helpful volunteers. The course is challenging but scenic, especially the first half. You get some great crowd support through some neighborhoods from mile 21 - 24. Lots of music along the course. It was great to have our names printed on our bib number so people could cheer for us by name! It was a great boost towards the end.

Charlottes Thunder Road Marathon
Charlotte, NC
Saturday, December 8, 2007
8:00 a.m.

This marathon was born three years ago and its registration has quadrupled since then. This year's event was very well organized. Packet pick up at the Convention Center was efficient. There was also a fairly good expo. All runners received long-sleeved cotton T-shirts. Race day temperature ranged from mid 40s to low 70s. It was sunny and the light wind was not a factor. The run started and ended outside the Convention Center. The route was quite challenging, as there were a large number of hills/inclines. The estimated elevation gain and drop were 1,045' and 1,106', respectively. The first half was quite scenic, as we ran through very nice residential neighborhoods. The second half wasn't scenic. There were water/sports drink stations at every other mile, and sports gels at two locations. Mile markers were visible and splits were digitally displayed. I was quite impressed by the presence of a large number of police officers and sheriff's deputies on the course, especially in the second half where we had to cross several roads. The sporadic crowd support was good. There were several bands/individual musicians alongside the route. The finisher's medallion was a nice one. The post-race recovery zone was limited to the runners and there were ample refreshments. The Convention Center was available to the runners before and after the race. The race hotel, Hilton Charlotte Center City, was across the street from the Convention Center, as well as close to a variety of restaurants in the downtown area.

I am a 50-stater and this was #33.

This was my second marathon. The weather was perfect unless you are a spoiled Southerner. It was 35 to start, and in the mid 50s at the end. I liked the first half of the course - rolling hills and nice houses. Second half was more industrial/lower income. The hill at 24 was totally unfair, but I was cramping up severely and just trying to finish. Great organization for a smaller marathon. Well spaced water stops. Could have used more porta-potties, particularly after the half mark. Crowd support was pretty lame on the second half, except the house party. Expo was pretty quiet. Could use more civic support and maybe more play on the Nascar theme - maybe some cars at the water stops or having a Nascar driver be the grand marshal? Overall it was a lot nicer than it would have been running in Nebraska at this time of year.

I ran this in 2007 and it was my 13th marathon. I have done the very large (45,000+) to the very small (200).

Pre-race organization was perfect. Number pick up was easy. Small, nice expo.

Course was more challenging then I expected. Lots of hills - not big ones, but fairly constant rollers. Crowd support was minimal. The course was okay - parts were nice but parts were not so nice. Some of the aid stations could have used a few more people, but this did not have a negative affect on my race.

There are other better races out there.