Very flat, with nice fall scenery. A pleasant change from big-city marathons: very convenient parking, a school auditorium to hang out in, and plenty of bathrooms (no porta-potty lines). Adequate water stops (every 2.5 miles). Lots of solitary, quiet running. I'd certainly do it again.

Flat, yes!
Fast, yes!
Water/Gatorade stations every 2 miles or so. Support, no! If you are running by yourself and not in a group, you will probably get water or Gatorade - this is if no one is coming coming from the opposite direction, as there were two people per station; best to carry your own supplies, as you may not get a drink unless you stop and wait!

Bus ride to the half was ok; just left late and stood in long lines for the 4 bathrooms at the start. Chip timed, sort of; there was a timing mat to cross at the finish but not at the start? How is that chip timed?
The course is straight and boring, but fast and flat. It is what it is!

I ran the 1/2 marathon this morning, which is one half of the out and back course. This course is fast... the "trail" is about 10-wide and the flattest course I have ever run on - including short races. Plenty of well spaced water, clear markings, not crowded. PR-type course - I ran negative splits.

If one wants the fun and excitement of a big-city marathon, this isn't for you... and it doesn't pretend to be such. But if you want an scenic park run, with focus on running dead ahead, a more personal experience, and not fight for food after... it's a great way to go.

I plan on coming back for the marathon. I really left with a good feeling.

This is an ideal course for a real marathoner who is looking for a fast, dead straight, and flat 24 miles on a bike path built on an abandoned railroad line. You just couldn't build a faster course if you wanted to. A lot of good competitors who came just because they love to run marathons were at the inaugural. The scenery, weather, people, and post-race food were great.

The guy commenting from Pittsburg should give up running if this course bothered him. Kipton and Oberlin, Ohio are the two towns you run through - not New York or Chicago.

You won't find any $20 parking spots, $200 hotel rooms, $88 dinners, or muggers either as you run through the farms on a perfectly smooth and dry surface. You'll find out what you really are capable of here. There was plenty of water, Gatorade, and Gu. All you need for this race to be a PR is the conditioning and the desire.

If you're going for the big expo and lattes, head to L.A., but if you want to see how fast your capable of running a marathon, this is the race.

My first half-marathon. The half-marathon began at the midway point of the out-and-back marathon, so we were driven out to the start by buses. The start was delayed because the bus drivers did not know where to go. Sorry, I drank A LOT of Gatorade and ate a lot of the bananas. I left most of the pizza and coffee.

The Murray Ridge School has lots of space inside and out to stretch before and after running. Lots of parking space right near the marathon start and finish. This race is a fundraiser for the school, which is for students with various disabilities.

I live less than 3 miles from the end of the course, and 20 minutes from the Cleveland Hopkins Int'l Airport. No crowds, and no traffic here.

I thought this race was terrific. No frills, no gimmicks, just running.

Course: Loved it. A pretty run through rural farmlands. Most of the course (23-24 miles) is on a trail that was previously a railroad right of way. The course is extremely flat (Chicago is mountainous by comparison) and fast.

Organization: Generally good. The website was informative. Registration was smooth. The course was well-protected, with police officers guarding the intersections where the trail crosses a road. Mile splits were clearly marked. My only complaint: the start was delayed by approximately 15 minutes, in order to coincide with the start of the half-marathon.

Not sure why anybody would complain about the lack of goody bags, clocks on the course, sports drink, etc. It's like going to the North Pole and then whining about the cold weather. It was apparent well in advance that this would be a small, "no frills" race. If the race was expected to be anything different, the problem is in the expectations, not in the race itself. Need to track mile splits? Wear a watch. Need more sports drink? Carry a bottle. Can't handle the occasional farmland smell (and it was occasional, not persistent)? Don't pick a race that goes through farmland.

For the runner who thought that the entry fee was large: Approximately 200-250 runners (counting the half) times $30-50 per runner = a very small budget. That budget needs to cover traffic control (off-duty officers are expensive), course certification and sanctioning, insurance, medical services, advertising, shuttle buses (for the half-marathon), medals, awards, T-shirts, water, post-race food, and probably a dozen other things that slip my mind. I think the race director did an excellent job within those constraints, and that the entry fee represents a more than fair value.

Fans: Not many, as would be expected from such a small race.

If you need a larger marathon experience - lots of hoopla, bands along the way, a course that winds through urban sights, a bag full of "Whatever Flavor We Had Left In The Warehouse" energy bars - there are plenty of other races that would suit you. If you want a race that is all about the running, and on a flat, scenic course, then this one is for you.

A good marathon if you are not into big crowds and waiting for a port-a-john. Flat (which can be as difficult as no hills), no frills, and lots of time on your own to contemplate the wonder of finishing a marathon! But, people were friendly and you didn't have wait for an award ceremony!

This is an excellent small marathon for those who like no-frills running. The route is flat and scenic on a converted railroad right-of-way through rural Ohio. At the halfway mark in Kipton, you have to double back parallel to the trail for about a half-mile and then return, which was a surprise to me, but not a problem. Aid stations were well spaced and fine for the small size of the marathon (78 finishers) although one was out of Gatorade when I passed. The run started and finished at a school, which provided good restrooms and a place to wait before the start. There were few spectators, which suited the small size of the field; those who were there were enthusiastic. Organization was excellent. The short delay of the start to coordinate with the half-marathon start was a minor issue. Overall, I'm glad I ran in this event and I recommend it to other marathoners.

Very scenic, very flat course, out in the country on a paved bikepath. For runners that need "fan" support, don't expect it. But for folks who want solitude, or are running or training with a buddy, this was pretty neat. The race organizers did a very fair job in running an inaugural marathon. I look forward to lining up for this next year!

Yes, I was told the above when passing the aid station at mile 15 or so. Yes, this little marathon with under 100 runners, ran out of Gatorade. That's like Krispy Kreme running out of doughnuts. OK, I'll cut them some slack... it was the inaugural running of the race, but for a $50.00 entry fee, I'd expect Gatorade at every stop, at least. Not to mention, no goodie bag and the fact the race was run on a public rail trail. I cannot see the justification for the $50 entry fee. Nice trail, but poor volunteer support. I missed the first aid station because there was only a young child and what appeared to be her mother attempting to distribute water/Gatorade to five runners at once. Oops. The course, of course, was nice. It was a wooded rail trail. Though there was a heavy manure smell during the four-mile Oberlin section of the trail. Not sure why, but it was not pleasant to say the least. Personally, I say your money would be spent better at a larger marathon with a track record of organization. Yes, the course is flat, but I prefer a few hills to give your muscles a chance to rest. Using the same muscles for 26.2 miles gets tedious. Overall, I would not recommend this race.