This is my 5th time in a row running this event and I've enjoyed it every year. If you want to run in Atlanta, you'll have to learn to love those hills!

Also, would someone please put up cones along the right side of Edgewood Avenue to warn runners about those half-sphere lane markers? They are most numerous at the intersection of Edgewood and Krog.

Every year, some poor soul trips and falls on those markers. They jut out into the roadway and are almost impossible to see in the early dawn light.

I was really surprised at what a great race this was. I live in Atlanta but have always avoided the race while travelling all over the states to run. The route was really tough, but the sights were outstanding. Great, historic sights, cool neighborhoods, and beautiful parks really showcased Atlanta. The crowds were surprisingly large and vociferous. Volunteers and stations were superb. Well done for a truly outstanding event. I will be back.

My first marathon. Not a good choice for a first race. Very hilly and demanding course. The shirts were a sickly yellow with a washed out logo; I expected something better. Much pressure on slow runners to finish. Again, not a race for a beginner.

I ran this race in 2007 and swore I would never run it again after the terrible experience I had. I decided I would give it another shot this year.

I am so glad I gave this race a second chance!! The course was tough, but quite interesting. The volunteers, staff and spectators were AMAZING!! The port-o-potties were plentiful, parking was easy, and getting into my corral was a breeze. I have already signed up for the 2012 race. Thank you to Publix for sponsoring this race!!

Overall, this is a good race. A very tough course and the hills just keep coming one after another. Don't go into this one expecting a PR. Aid stations well supplied and the volunteers were fantastic. Not a large crowd, but those that were out in the neighborhoods were loud and supportive. Expo was well organized and efficient. Very nice medal.

I agree with everything that's been said about the hills here. I train in the flat Phoenix desert and this was a wake up call for my quads! The nice thing is that there were clearly quite a few of us who just weren't totally used to the rolling hills of GA, so there were quite a few walkers (at least uphill) towards the end of the race... that helped me not feel so lame!

Support was great, and there was plenty of water and Gatorade and GU. No iPods needed (but people did have them) because there's enough of a crowd to keep you entertained (and beautiful neighborhoods to gawk at).

If I do this again, I'll train more on hills.

This is a difficult course, with rolling hills throughout: you're either going up or down most of the time. But you get to see a lot of Atlanta, and there are plenty of hydration stations throughout the course. Well organized, and a decent amount of crowd support.

I was expecting the hills, and wasn't disappointed. But they are endless, and they do wear you down. Going uphill the last mile is a bear. The course is nice, though, with a good variety of scenery. Fans are few, except for the nice folks in Decatur. The volunteers, aid stations, and traffic control were all excellent. The medal was very nice. I have just one complaint, and it's one we see on these pages far too often. More and more, those of us running the full marathon are being shorted due to a huge influx of half-marathon runners and walkers. It is very dispiriting to finish the full and find the post race food ravaged by those who ran half the distance and paid less to enter. I ran a 3:39, and the only food available was cupcakes and cookies. Are you serious? I saw half-marathoners walking around with BAGS of food! Granted, they are inconsiderate swine, but organizers owe it to the marathoners to end this nonsense. I later saw an official at an information booth handing out sandwiches. When I asked for one, I was told they were only for people who 'weren't feeling well'. What!? I guess the woman I saw walking away with two must have been feeling awful. It was ridiculous. Too bad, because otherwise the race was a great experience.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites, and it is a one minute walk to both the start and finish line. Very nice.

4th time running the full 26.2 here. The first three were on the old course that ran through the highlands. This time, was on the new course that took the full marathoners up 12th.

1. This is a tough course. No sugar coating that one. It will test your limits, but as with any event worth doing, that's how it should be. The first half is pretty fast, but also has it's fair share of hills. The steepest coming at mile 7.5, then another notable climb up Ponce and East Lake. The second half starts off with a few flat miles, but then the hills start in around 17, and never let up. I'm not a fan of the out and back section in Piedmont park. I'd rather the course toured the west side of the city for that extra mile. That out and back section seems like a cheat for the organizers, and essentially, that's what it is. Once out of Piedmont park, there is the climb up 12th street. Honestly, that was not as bad as I thought. I was already in hill shock by this time, and it, to me, was just another hill. The last 4 miles were segmented from the Half Marathoners. A very very nice touch. I like them being there, but not mixed in. A perfect example of how that should be done in every race.

2. The medal was nice. Well done. The Expo was perfect, also well done. The Start / Finish, excellent in every way. I love the streaker shirt I got for racing either the full or half all 5 years. In fact, I raced in it. I never do that. Aid stations were all well stocked and staffed nicely.

3. Now.. food. Post race food was the worst ever, and that is saying a lot. There was a mini chocolate cupcake.. and a bottle of water. It was absolutely terrible. The organizers absolutely need to correct this. I don't 'need' food at the end, but if you are going to do it, then don't make it a joke.

4. Overall, Publix is a great sponsor and added a nice touch of class to this years event. Some tweaks need to be made for next year, but all in all, I highly recommend this event. If you are going to put a Georgia Marathon on your list, make this the one.

This is my first US-based marathon. This was a great event with plenty of participants to make the course lively, great volunteer support along the route handing out drinks and cheering on the runners, and awesome police supervision to regulate traffic. We shared the road with motorists alongs long swaths of road, but the cones and the police presence kept everyone safe. The course is rather hilly. The hills are not big but tend to break the momentum of the short, flat surface. Lol. I think the only flat surface present was the one leading to the finish line. Overall, it was a great experience and will hopefully run it again when I can.