Thank you to Murray Ridge for the wonderful support and hospitality! Northeast Ohio's autumn colors rival those of New England, and the course was flat and fast, with many spectator-viewing intersections. This race is the antithesis of big, expensive, crowded urban spectacles and I can't wait to return.

Out of the many marathons that I have run, this one was the absolute worst. Although the scenery was amazing, this trail definitely had its flaws. The mile markers were not in the correct locations (if there at all), the aid stations were chaotic and not evenly spaced out, and they ran out of water at mile marker 22. I also cannot believe that bikers were allowed on the trail; I felt that this was a dangerous environment. I definitely will not recommend this marathon, nor will I ever run it again.

I have run many NCN races and they are all well organized. This one is no exception. Plenty of volunteers at the water stops and easy pickup of the race packet.

This is a small race (150). You will not have to worry about being held up by the crowd of runners around you. The course is flat and fast (and very straight). Mile markers were not easily visible and were not accurate in many cases. I had a GPS watch, so this was not an issue. In fact, I liked not having the large sign mile markers because the miles just seemed to fly by without knowing the exact mile (I did not look at my watch often). After the race there was not too much food left, but overall this was a great small race. If you do not require large crowds to motivate you, this is a great race to run.

This race was well organized. Water and Gatorade were available every 2 miles. There were police or volunteers available at all of the cross streets to stop traffic. Although there weren't very many spectators, those few that were out were enthusiastic and supportive. Course is beautiful.

Rick, the RD, does a wonderful job organizing this cozy race (and his other races, for that matter). The course is flat, flat, flat and fast - definitely PR material, or if you are shooting for a BQ, this would be the place to do it. At 150 marathoners, there's plenty of room to move. Very few spectators, but extraordinarily helpful and supportive volunteers, from bib distribution, to crossing guards for the intersections, to the finishers' area. And official results within 10 minutes of crossing the line? Outstanding!

My one recommendation: separate start times (or locations) for the marathon and 5K. It struck me as odd to have the speedsters go out with the distance runners. If you are lucky, you get a crisp morning with autumn at its peak, like we did in 2008. Absolutely beautiful morning capped by a shiny 9-minute PR. Highly recommended. Thanks again, Rick.

Converted rail bed makes the jaunt through the countryside a breeze. Well run!

A great, small marathon late in the season in the Midwest. We were able to stay in a school gym until a few minutes before the start, and awards were given right at the finish. A few negatives: There were a few stations that ran out of Gatorade way too early. I also wish each mile marker was accurately placed. There were more than several that weren't accurate. That might have caused some frustration to the runners who were looking to PR or BQ.

I was a little disappointed in this race after all the great reviews. I love small races, as long as they're well-organized. This one had some problems. The course is great - super flat on a nice bike path with great fall scenery. I did the half and the buses were disorganized and late getting to the start. No volunteers at the start seemed to even know where the start line was. It was a spray-painted line on the ground. Another runner found it. The start was 15 minutes late and there was no indication of when the race would start until about 10 minutes after it was supposed to start. Don't count on getting a warm-up in before the race because the start is too unpredictable. Start signal was the honking of a school bus horn. Mile markers were easy to see. Be prepared to run alone a lot. Seeing the other runners was nice when the marathon people started coming towards us. Water stops were horribly disorganized - I felt bad for the cute Cub Scouts but no one was announcing what they had in their cups and there was no order to who had what. I had to completely stop running at one point to determine who had Gatorade. Traffic direction was OK except for the last turn at the end, where a guy stood there with one hand pointing towards traffic and was yelling, "Straight," but then said he meant for us to turn right. I had to completely turn around on the path to go the right way. This is a great course for a PR, but even with the low price, it seems that these problems could easily be corrected with a little better race direction. People were very nice and it had a fun community feel to it. I don't plan to return because there are many other small races that seem to run a lot smoother. Just be prepared to go with the flow if you do this race. The fall leaves were really pretty.

The course was beautiful, with all of the fall leaves. It was flat, too, which made for an easy run. I was at the back of the pack, and on the way back in, the support thinned out. Also, basic water stops with only water and Gatorade. One stop had gels only and no fluid; I'm not sure why they didn't have fluids with the gels. There were hardly any spectators on the course other than friendly locals and a lot of bikers enjoying the route, but that is not an issue for me. I enjoy the quiet. I did see a snake along the way back in, but he just lay there in the sun mocking me, so I will give him/spectators 4 stars. Finish line was almost out of food by the time I got in just over the 5:15 mark. Overall, a good day, as I was just happy to be done with my second marathon of the weekend.

Great race. Very well designed and organized. The race is run almost entirely on a flat asphalt trail (out and back) so it's almost impossible to get lost (which is relatively easy in small marathons). Other pluses: hassle-free. Awards are given as you finish (along with the finisher's medal). Decent food afterward (pizza, etc.). Access to a warm school gymnasium before and after. Great choice for a PR or BQ. Great volunteers! Not many spectators, but if you really need them to motivate you, as P.S. mentioned, you are likely not a true runner.