This marathon was a pleasant surprise for me. The only area that could be improved was that the expo was extremely small. But the running event along with all the other activities made it a fantastic weekend for me. There were bathroom stops all along the way. The aid stations were well stocked and managed. Cars were driving by and cheering for the runners. I don't know how this marathon could be improved. Albany: You have every right to be proud of this event and your city!

This was my first marathon and I only have positive things to say! I'd never been to Albany before and didn't know anyone who had done this race before, but had read the positive comments about the 2007 marathon online so thought I'd give it a try. Compared to the two half marathons I've done in Atlanta, I enjoyed this much more for several reasons. No race-day hassles - you walk out of the Hilton and are at the start line. The race basically finishes at the hotel, too. The course was very well marked - I never missed seeing a mile marker, and there were plenty of water/Gatorade stops. The course was nice (and flat) and the spectators were so friendly. And the weather was perfect. Definitely worth the drive!

From the moment we started this race, I was so impressed with the organization of it. The course was clear and they made sure there were people there to direct us along the way. Running through the neighborhoods was my favorite part. Southern hospitality is a real thing and I feel so lucky to have met so many wonderful people. This race ended up being something special for me. My girlfriend and I wanted to run a race together and signed up for this one. Along the way we met a girl who was having a difficult time. She was sick and bummed that her friend wasn't running with her. Halfway through the race we ran into her again and she asked us if she could run with us. I believe she would have finished the race with or without us, but my friend and I made it our mission to see her through it - and she made it. Marathon running is really just like life... sometimes along the way you may need others to help get you through. I am so grateful for that girl, because she taught me a valuable lesson. Sometimes I get so caught up with getting a faster time, etc., that I forget why I love marathons so much. It's the people you meet along the way. This marathon is wonderful. Thank you so much, Albany. :)

Impressive organization and race support for a smaller venue. I have run big-city marathons, and this was even better organized and didn't have to deal with traffic or finding a place to park. We parked 100 yards from the start, and the finish is just two blocks from start. Easy in and easy out. Volunteers were everywhere and they were supportive. Albany police were at every intersection controlling traffic. THIS MARATHON WILL GROW! Weather in south Georgia was perfect - 42 at the start, 70 degrees by noon, no wind at all. Course is generally flat. Snickers Energy Bars were in abundance. What is most impressive is it was only the second year for this race. Imagine how much better number three will be.

The course through town was not too scenic, but the neighborhoods were absolutely beautiful. The support was the best I've seen - the police had our safety as their biggest priority and the support crews and spectators were unbelievably nice and kept us upbeat! The people in Albany made a huge difference and that's what I was most impressed with. I did think the medal was a bit generic, but was glad to see the shirts were technical and not cotton! Overall, a very good event!

The people of Albany have done very well getting this race going and I was quite impressed with the '08 edition. The course has only a few minor hills - actually only one climb that I'd even call a hill. But the second half has numerous turns, especially miles 23-25, so that's a factor and seemed to make the late miles a little more difficult, at least mentally. Traffic is not an issue except at a few intersections. I was almost hit by a motorcycle early in mile 26 and had to stop suddenly or I'd have been toast. But this wasn't the fault of race officials. Otherwise everything was smooth and support out on the course was quite good.

One suggestion would be to give age division awards that actually indicate they are awards. The plastic cup I received for winning my division was disappointing. I generally don't care about awards for shorter races, but when I actually get something in a marathon I want to keep it, whereas this cup looks like a cheap trinket picked up at the expo for $5. That's the only negative, otherwise I give Albany an A-plus.

I came back to Albany to enjoy this fine event for the second time. Hard to believe, but it was even better! The race committee really put things into overdrive and lined up more sponsors, had a better race shirt, and added more porta-potties out on the course. There were even MORE friendly and enthusiastic volunteers out on the course. I don't think I have seen more sincere encouragement offered by volunteers at any marathon (and I have done 64). Apparently, I am not the only one impressed, as race participation nearly doubled. You other runners may not have ever heard of this place and marathon, but you can not go wrong with it. I give it 3 "F's": Flat, Fast, and Friendly!

For my first marathon I was happy to choose Albany! The course was great and the fans were fantastic. The water stations were well stocked with nice volunteers cheering everyone on. I want to personally thank all of my students at Darton College for a job well done! Running through Darton's water stop, hearing all of the cheers, made me and my running mates feel like rock stars! I am very proud of Albany for organizing such an event and hope that the future holds many more races.

The most impressive thing for me was the enthusiasm of the volunteers - WOW! They were awesome! Despite some long stretches of highway, the course overall was very nice - good neighborhoods to run through. Albany Police did a great job with traffic control and were very nice to boot! As for improvements, very few - 1. Include a gear bag with the check tag or let the runners know to bring their own. 2. Interesting finish coming through the building - a little TLC to the area around the path leading to the finish would be nice.

That's it - a very strong event with some of the nicest, most enthusiastic volunteers I've ever seen. Well done, Albany!

This is an excellent small-town marathon. I was amazed at how the city and community really went all out to support it.

There were a lot of volunteers out on the course, cheering us on and directing us through the turns and intersections. And the police presence was very substantial at all of the major intersections. I thought they did an outstanding job at controlling traffic and ensuring runner safety.

Aid stations were plentiful, appearing at least every 2 miles. Different community organizations staffed different aid stations and gave each one a bit of its own personality. I think it was just a little way past the halfway point that the Marine Corps handled one of the aid stations, and in particular they offered a nice boost of motivation.

I was a bit concerned pre-race that they only mentioned that water and Cytomax would be at the aid stations. But there were Snickers Marathon Energy bars at quite a few of them, gels, and the occasional bananas and oranges. In a few of the neighborhoods, there were even unofficial aid stations offering fruit.

Although they started together, I liked the way that the marathon and half-marathon were separated just after the start. It dissipated the crowd of runners very quickly.

Like one of the other posters, I thought that the personalized attention at the end of the race was fantastic. If I had needed medical attention, I had the feeling that they would have noticed, which is reassuring.

If you're from out of town, this is a decent marathon to bring your family along. My kids enjoyed the playground near the finish line while waiting for me to finish. The Riverquarium is worth a visit. And the other events, such as the bike racing, Mardi Gras festivities, and model train show, combined with the marathon, made for a nice weekend break for the family... at least if you're within a few hours drive of Albany.

Other observations: Although I stayed at a hotel downtown (you couldn't ask for more convenience than the location of the Hilton Garden Inn), it looked to me like the parking situation for runners who were driving to the race was outstanding.

The only complaint that I would offer is that there was no race-day packet pick-up. You had to pick up your packet the night before by 9 p.m. As I was picking up my kids from school and driving down the night before, I wasn't sure I'd make it in time, as I'd never been to that part of Georgia before. It turned out not to be a problem, but race day packet pick-up is a nice option to offer when you have participants coming in from out of town.