This was my second marathon and I signed up for it hoping to BQ. Previous reviews talked about the course speed, and the percent of qualifiers on the course is good. The first half of this course is FAST! Lots of downhills and speed. I PRed by over a minute for the first half. The second half is tough. There aren't any huge hills, but just enough hills to really slow you down and drain you. My splits from the first half compared to the second are laughable.

I gave up on trying to BQ by around mile 20. However, the huge cushion I had built up during the first half of the race actually made up for my slowness in the second half and I did end up qualifying for Boston. If you are looking for an easy race, this one is not for you - it's challenging, but also beautiful. The organization and support were great as well. The host hotel was also nice and the buses to the start from the hotel were convenient.

Great job again for the 2010 Run For the Red. The water stops near the upper portion were well manned; however, there were some near the bottom that did not have enough people and could not keep up with the runners. They also put very little water in the cups, as if they were worried about not having enough water. And where were the gels? Heck, I would have brought some with me if I had known that there would be none.

Great course. I enjoyed the race and, yes, the hills at the end are rough! Save some for miles 21 through 25. The last mile is flat. However, I didn't think the ice cream hill was bad. I agree that they need more food on the course. In summary, a great race - and I got a PR!

This was just great - course, volunteers, weather, scenery, post-race. You have all of the amenites you could want and none of the hassle that accompanies the big-city events. I rate this with classics, such as Green Mountain and Clarence De Mar.

I ran the first 13.1 at half-marathon pace (7:40) and averaged 9:00 for the last half, so be warned. The course elevation map does not tell the whole story about the hills in the final miles. This was a wonderful experience, however - reasonably priced, in a nice area, and with a free pasta dinner included.

Highly recommended.

I thought the course was very good. I enjoyed the middle part with the downhill stretches. There was not any gels at 19.7 before the mile 20 water stop. That was my only complaint for the day. I would do this again for sure.

Because the NJ Marathon took place in 90-degree heat and high humidity, I dropped out of that race at mile 9, and decided to enter the Run for the Red, which several of my running mates looked to as a backup in case their spring marathons went awry. However, let me make it clear that, although this is a small marathon with under 700 total marathoners, it should not be seen as a backup race. It is incredibly well organized and overall a very fair course. Here's my assessment:

The course: The elevation chart will show you an incredible downhill course, and yes there are some fast miles that will surprise you when you check your mile splits; however, the last 6 miles roll and there are some decent hills that you will encounter at the end. Nonetheless, I thought the course was fair and fast.

The spectators (or lack thereof): There is a lot of alone time on this course, especially if you're a frontrunner. At one point there was just me and two other guys running through the woodland streets and we joked that if there were a motorcycle in front of us we'd think we were the first three finishers. Every now and then there was a sprinkle of people on the roads and they were great and loud and supportive, many of them offering additional water and juice. I love the people of Stroudsburg and the neighboring PA towns.

Organization: Runners are bussed from Stroudsburg High School to the race start, another school in Tobyhanna. There you have a high school with bathrooms and a gym where you can stay warm and stretch. The buses leave right on time and the ride gives you a preview of some of the course. On the course itself, there are police and organizers who are controlling the traffic, and the police are wonderful. One in particular held up several vehicles for me even though I was about a hundred yards away. I thanked him and he shouted back something supportive.

Once you cross the finish line, your name is called out, a medal is placed around your neck, and you are ready to relax on the grass of the finish area.

Volunteers: They are great and efficient. We had no trouble with water or Gatorade up in the front of the pack, although at times the cups were not as full as they should have been. Overall, they were amazing and kind and courteous.

I highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a fun race with a lot of character and great people.

This was the second time we traveled to Pocono Mountain (going against our "no repeat" policy), largely because of the great work of the organizers. Very nice small race with challenging hills (both up and down). The organizers are helpful and personable, working hard to make it a great event. An earlier start would have been nice. Minor glitches included having no cups at several water stations for slower runners, but this was not a really big deal. Police support and the number of volunteers on the course was very good. I didn't have a good run, but had a great time. Many thanks to all who work so hard to put on this race!

I entered this marathon after reading all the previous posts. It sounded challenging and fast. It ended up being challenging and slow. After about mile 18, I gave up on a PR and just wanted to finish. If you don't live in a hilly area, this is not going to be a fast race. The incline/decline treadmill will not be enough for a PR. I'm sticking to flat courses for a fast time. I learned this lesson the hard way.

Great small-town event that for the most part is downhill. Great volunteers, plenty of water stops and a nice finisher's medal at the end. Also, what was much appreciated was waiting inside the school and not outside on a cold May day to begin the race. Make sure you bring your own food, as there wasn't any GU (etc.) on the course.

The wind came from the front this year, unlike last year. The 8 a.m. start led to heat at the end; they should start the race earlier next year. They needed food/GU along way; they only had water and Gatorade. The course was not fast like I expected - though there were mostly downhill slopes, there were a lot of uphills too.