This has been my 13th, 16th and 20th marathon. It is extremely well-organized, perfectly executed - in short, everything that humans can do to accomplish a good marathon experience is done and done well. As importantly, though, is that the natural beauty and difficulty of this marathon makes it the consummate experience.

This is NOT the marathon to do if you are checking "marathon" off of your life list. This is THE marathon to do if you want a challenge and a reward in a beautiful, tranquil setting that reminds you why you love getting up and running - and it has nothing to do with big crowds, big expos, etc.

I applaud the RD and the volunteers.

A beautiful race. Fantastic organization, and even better volunteers. if you like to wander in the woods to silence and majesty, come take on the challenge.

I had a blast running this marathon. Everything was perfect. The weather was ideal. The park was beautiful. The volunteers were the best. And for a marathon of only 200 participants, there were more spectators than I expected and they were cheering and encouraging throughout. The race director organized a glitch-free marathon and ran it with the rest of us idiots.

The race director did not lie. It is not flat.

Percy Warner Park is a wonderful park to train in, but a terrible park to race in. This course hurts even if you train on it regularly. But the challenge is part of what makes it special.

The RD, volunteers, and runners also make it special. This is a small race by runners for runners. It's not a large commercialized mess like other local marathons. There's a great camaraderie at this event in pre-race, during-race, and post-race activities. The RD does a lot to make this race unique. The personalized bibs and shirts are nice, and even the "motivational" signs mid-race are entertaining. This year the RD put out helpful signs like "Idiot," "Only 3000 feet of elevation change to go," and "Not A Hill" (on what was DEFINITELY a hill).

I highly recommend this race for first-timers or veteran marathoners. It's a tough course, so you shouldn't worry about time expectations. It's one of those rare races where even if you bonk badly, you can still feel good about finishing. Plus, Percy Warner Park is so beautiful in the fall that you can take your mind off of the pain by just enjoying the scenery... at least until a flying monkey attacks you.

This is a race that should be on everyone's must-do list. Very challenging course though an absolutely gorgeous park. Between the beautiful setting, awesome organization/volunteers and festive atmosphere, you almost forget how much your legs want to fall off.

It was said this is NOT the course to run as a first full marathon; the elevation changes are too challenging for a first-timer. While true, it was a great confidence boost to know I finished it. I will never have monkey-cold fear of the unknown again and all future urban marathons seem tame in contemplation. If you make this one your first, or second, or third... run the "Percy Warner 11.2" many times to alleviate anxiety and prepare your body for Monkey Madness. I know the Music City Marathon will be nothing for me now that I cut my teeth on one of the toughest in the southeast. I hope the FMM RD will continue to allow 6-8 hour predicted finishers; slowbies are just enjoying the beauty of Percy Warner Park at a reasonable pace!

Trent truly puts on a truly wonderful race. The race is organized extremely well, has personalized bibs and technical shirts (which I've never seen for any other race and is a very nice perk) and the volunteers and families bring tons of excitement and enthusiasm to the race. The race is definitely challenging with all the hills, but doable as well as scenic. So if you're looking for a tough, yet fun marathon, this one is it.
I'll be back for more punishment next year as I absolutely love this race. Thank you to Trent for such a wonderful marathon!

This was my favorite marathon event ever. I was a volunteer here for the first two, and finally built up enough courage to step on the course and try to tame the beast known as "The Monkey"! The hills were steep, the volunteers were amazing, and the post-race food and beer were second to none. I got 2 race shirts (one personalized), a poster, a temp tattoo, and memories to last a lifetime... all for a very modest fee. This race is a must-do for anyone serious about marathons.

This is my third year running the Monkey. Each year, the marathon was wonderful, and each year everything about it got better.

The marathon is beginning to develop a cult reputation as THE marathon for people who love to run. There are three reasons for this.

1. The course. It's a pure runner's course. Much is made of the challenging hills and for good reason: the course is tough. But what's nice about the course is not just the feeling of pride generated by running hard over 26 miles of hilly terrain brings. It's that the hills take off the pressure of time and PR's. I looked at my watch maybe three times during the race. This doesn't mean I didn't run hard; but I ran hard because I'm a runner, not for a PR. For me, that's what makes this course special.

2. The people. This marathon draws a unique crowd of people. Sure, the Monkey is a race, but it is also, increasingly, a community. This is no accident. Race director, Trent Rosenbloom, has worked hard to make this event intimate. From the potluck spread after the race (amazing, home-cooked meals) to the local microbrew beer served free after the race, to the zany message board banter on his website, to the sort of runner's runner that this event draws, the people make this an incredible event. Where else do the winners hang out for literally 8 hours after the start, chatting with the 4, 5, and 6 hour finishers, sharing beer, conversation, and sheer love for running?

3. The director. Trent Rosenbloom works tirelessly to make the marathon personal, responsive, and friendly. He promises an antidote to the antiseptic big-marathon scene, and he delivers. The Monkey is more than a race. It's an experiment into how we might relate differently to each other. Trent accomplishes something like a miracle: by running a set of strangers over those relentlessly beautiful hills, he creates a sort of atmosphere that is increasingly rare, not only in running, but in life. I'm not sure how to describe that atmosphere exactly. Though everyone, surely, feels a sense of personal accomplishment, this marathon is not about individuals. It's not about me. It's about us, we who run.

So come on out next year. And sign up early. I have a feeling it will sell out quickly. I'll be back, for sure.

They had 100+ pace groups, free mammals, and flying beer.

I ran this race for the first time under the influence of words printed on the race's website. I'll run it again because the support was awesome (water stops all had Gatorade too and many had gel).

But that's not all! Support was also awesome from participants on the course. The post-race spread was terrific indeed with all kinds of foods, drinks, and free beer.

I won a door prize.

I can't confirm but there may have been more door prizes than participants.

This was not some sterile BQ race where you meet a bunch of milquetoasts posing as runners. Everyone I met had a warrior spirit, regardless of finishing time.

Signs along the course were "encouraging" in the same vein as the website, though at times they felt more like an arterial stick. I loved it.

The entry fee was a bargain. I received two shirts (one technical AND personalized) along with a unique finisher medal (sincerely the only medal I did not toss in the trash on the way to the car), and a hell of an experience.

Also, this course is not flat.