I agree with many of the posts about this race: great course, sparse spectators, ultra-mini-expo, fabulous volunteers... everything a small-town marathon should be! I loved it; I'll be back! If you like peace and quiet, no crowds, a great finish in a high school stadium on dirt (after black-top and concrete) to cheers of families and friends, then this run is for you. I am telling everyone who'll listen that this is a great course.

Race-day was well organized, with lots of smiling helpful volunteers. The comfortable sports hall was a perfect staging area for waiting for the start, minimizing hanging around in the elements. The course was made for running - completely closed to traffic, rural and scenic. There were some small uphills and lots of big, long, fast downhills in the first half. The second half was a balance of up and down. A worthy challenge to take on, but not brutal in any way.

Overall, this course is your friend; show some love and respect, and it loves you back with a great run and cracking good time. There are not many spectators out in the wilds, but everyone who was there was welcoming. The water/Gatorade stops were every 2 miles and manned by smiling faces. The stadium finish was good. Even better was sharing the infield with so many PBs and BQs, all savoring and sharing the runner's high from putting it on the line on a real racecourse. Thanks to all of the volunteers and organizers. Nice job!

In my best attempt to keep things short and sweet, there truly isn't anything else that could have made my very first marathon experience any better than what it was through the Poconos.

A few things I would like to highlight:

-An incredibly fast course through Mile 16. Like many have previously suggested, you should conserve on the downhills (you will still run them fast; my split for Mile 9 was a 6:15 and I was really trying to hold back).

-Even though it's a rolling course for the last 10 miles, if you save your energy and train on hills regularly, you'll be able to power your way through, without any major problems for a strong finish.

-Bob Werts and all of the race volunteers were terrific!!! They deserve all of the credit in the world for hosting such a wonderful event. Plenty of food, free massages at the finish, and plenty of support at each water stop.

-This is certainly a race I will do again in the near future after I run Boston in 2010. Of all the finishers, 30% qualified for Boston. I set my goal for 3:10:00; I ran it in 3:01:47.

If you are looking for a fast course with friendly people, then this is the one for you. If you prepare for this race properly beforehand and run this course smart on race day, you are undoubtedly looking at a BQ. I highly recommend running this race if you're seeking a unique and thrilling experience. Best of luck!!!

I've run all 4 years and will keep coming back as long as I can. With the addition of a 2-person relay, hopefully that will be for many, many decades more.

Smaller crowds this year - cold, windy weather probably didn't help. The folks on Wallace Street (last hill) were great (as usual), as were the local running club members at the first water stop and along the course - some of whom kept popping up throughout the race.

Enthusiastic volunteers from packet pick-up, to bus drivers, to Clearwater School staff, to water stops, to the finish. The heated school with open bathrooms at start, and the baggage truck within a few steps of the start are pluses. There's lots of police/medical support on course. This is a small-town race, which I favor. Beautiful country course and closed roads make for a less stressful run.

It's basically 2 races - a downhill 1st half, and an uphill 2nd. If you run smart, you can get a great time and still not feel too bad the next day.

Glad they went back to the original medal design. I like that they added the 2-person relay. I would recommend eliminating the prize money; this is essentially a fundraiser, and it's more than $3,000 that the Red Cross could use. Hats off to Mr. Wert's and his team for another fantastic day. Tip of the hat to Giacalone Chiropratic for the massages and awesome food - where was the doggy??? Can't wait until next year.

I decided to do this race last minute because Pittsburgh closed out, but even without hill training, I qualified for Boston and PR'd by 5 minutes and 22 seconds. The crowds were great and the volunteers and spectators were thanking us for coming and running. I've never felt this welcome, even in the marathon in our home town! There is lots of great downhill but after 18 the rolling hills are tough. With the right hill training, this is the best PR course I have seen yet!! The post-race massages were awesome too! I will do it again. And there is a Starbucks down the street from the finish; what more can you ask for?!

This was my first small marathon and it was fantastic. The course was not easy, although I did BQ. It was a beautiful, rural course and the spectators (while sparse) were wonderful. The volunteers were so kind and encouraging as well. It was logistically very easy and well organized. This is a course where you can really see what you can do as a runner - no hype, no distractions, just you and the road. Loved it!

I cannot imagine a faster course, as I shaved 14 minutes off of my PR. Definitely a PR/BQ-type of course, as most of the course comprises various degrees of downhill running. There are a lot of rolling hills, so do your hill training and you'll be set for a PR. Organization was fantastic, from the packet pickup, to the pasta dinner, to the bag check, to the bus ride to the start (where there's a nice warm elementary school to get organized and stretched out in). Very enthusiastic townsfolk and volunteers. If you don't need the support of the larger venues (i.e., NYC, Marine Corps, Chicago), and don't mind running without bands playing, this one will get you to the finish fast!

I ended up entering Run for the Red because Boston was capped before I entered it last year. It may have been the best blessing in disguise! Not only did I re-qualify for Boston, but I also PR'd by 23 minutes! Don't let the elevation map fool you... there's a lot of downhill running, but you have to run it very smart. Don't let miles 6-16 go to your head and you'll be fine! My husband and parents were able to drive and navigate the course: I saw them 5 times along the course! The last half-mile is amazing: you run into a stadium (where I could see my husband cheering for me from the top bleachers), and then complete a lap around the track. Nothing has beat the runner's high I experienced from Run for the Red '08! I hope Boston can compete with it this year!

What a nice course to run. The only downside is that there was not enough spectator support from the half through the wall.

After picking Pocono to be my first marathon, I worried a little that the small group of runners (about 400) and rumors of small crowd support may take away from the experience. I couldn't have been more wrong! The other runners were friendly and supportive, the volunteer support was great with water and Gatorade every two miles, and while a lot of the course lacked crowd support, I was never running alone and the scenery was fantastic. Got my BQ that day too! I couldn't be happier with the experience.