I ran both the 2007 and 2011 R2B marathon courses and came away very impressed. The new couse is faster and has more shade.
David and Rhonda and the support staff are first rate. I hope to have chance to come back and run this race again.

This is a great race and David and Rhonda do an outstanding job. There is no doubt that you can get a fast time, but most of the race is on gravel roads, which can take a real toll on your feet. Unfortunately I picked up the wrong shoes and suffered with blisters from mile 10, and still finished in just over 4 hours. Also, you really have to train for prolong downhill sections.

David and Rhonda Lee put on a first-class, down-home, intimate event in one of the most beautiful places on earth! Who needs rock bands, cheerleaders, tens of thousands of participants and all that crap! They can't compare to the natural beauty and wonder of this course, the well organized transport, flawless start and finish and the peach cobbler. My five stars for 'spectators' are really for the volunteers - they ROCKED!

This was my first time running a full marathon, and I am so glad that I chose Ridge to Bridge for my first 26.2. The course starts in Jonas Ridge, NC, and begins with about five rolling miles on paved roads. Then the descent begins: about ten miles of running downhill on a hardpacked dirt surface, through a beautiful forest. Next, there is a flattish (but still slightly downhill) stretch of eleven miles or so to the finish. All along the route, the volunteers at the water stations are cheering. There are plenty of water stations, and they also provide Gatorade and GU along the course. The spread at the end is fabulous, and the awards are unique, handmade items.

This was a perfect race for my first marathon because I didn't have to worry about anything - not directions, not parking, not water stations, not the weather, not traffic. All I had to do was move my feet.

I would definitely do this race again.

This course can offer a runner an opportunity to blow the doors of their personal record time. It is a nice small race, approximately 250 runners, set in the Pisgah National Forest. The course has rolling asphalt terrain for the first four miles as it is does an out-and-back from Jonas Ridge to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

At mile six, the fun begins with a nine-mile descent that measures a cumulative 2,200 feet on dirt road. One can really open up on the speed, but do it with care, because overexertion can do your calves and quads in on the last six miles, where the terrain is primarily flat.

The course runs through beautiful forest land, and upon reaching the base of the descent, along a tranquil creek. The leaves are changing colors with the season and it is breathtaking.

Traffic is allowed on the course, but the volume is so low and speeds so slow that you won't be bothered by it. Great race to run! David and Rhonda Lee do an excellent job with organizing this small race.

Everything about this race was great. It was well organized, the volunteers were friendly, the course was beautiful, the medals and awards were custom-made pottery, and the post-race food was delicious and plentiful (BBQ, cobbler, pumpkin bread!). I love the personal feel of this race. The race director emails frequently before the race to give helpful information and responds to emails. Running on a country road, then on an unpaved forest road and alongside Wilson Creek is absolutely amazing. This can definitely be a PR course.

I really loved this race. Excellent organization, beautiful course, great swag, and a wonderful barbecue at the finish. Don't let the elevation chart fool you; yes. it's downhill, but the steep hills are "quad killers" - this is not an "easy" course! Bottom line, this is a great race, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Beautiful course! Great schwag! Everything went smoothly and perfectly! Great aid stations! Great volunteers!

Course is virtually all downhill and 95% smooth dirt roads... but it is still a marathon! This one is GREAT!

I have run very large and medium-sized marathons, and this was the smallest field so far (265 finishers). If you like the Rock and Roll Marathons, then look somewhere else. If you want to run in the country with beautiful scenery and great people, then this is for you. The race day pick-up was well organized at the start and bag pick-up at the finish was equally simple and quick. The local preacher, who also ran the race, said the blessing at the start (at how many races does that happen... it just struck me as a wonderful thing). Aid stations were appropriately spaced. If you read the description before you sign up, you will not be surprised by the hills and the surface that you run on. The hills are tough... my legs are still sore one week after from trying to bank time on the downhills. The smell of wood-burning stoves as I ran was one of the things I will remember. At the end, the post-race party was like a barbecue with friends including homemade pumpkin bread, apple and peach cobbler (are you kidding me?!!). Nice shirt, goody bag and hand-crafted medal. I absolutely loved this race. Bottom line is that if you do your homework and you think this is a good fit for you, don't miss it. It sells out quickly.

Absolutely gorgeous, almost completely downhill marathon, with barely anything steep, all gradual on packed gravel/dirt road. Last 10K composed the most gradual/pleasant downhill descent you will ever find... very well-run and organized, evoking amazing, positive comments from nearly all competitors. This race will fill on Day 1 in 2011; a bunch of us are planning on following the announcements and getting signed up ASAP next year. BOSTON, here I come! (3:14.51 new PR down from 3:42 - heavier 185-pound runner who needed some help!)