This was my third marathon and my favorite. I also achieved a PB, which helps. The course was flat and well stocked. The committee was organized and extremely encouraging. Even a spectator kept cheering me on at each water station - definitely a friendly and favorite race for me. I think I'll be back in 2010 and bring more family for the ultimate vacation!

For a first marathon, I could not have picked better; the location was very family friendly, the course flat, and the scenery beautiful. The hotel we stayed at (The Lodge) was AT the start and finish line! This was wonderful since my whole family came out to cheer me on. Parts of the biking path were a little monotonous along the highway, but hey, it's 26.2 miles... it can't all be beautiful. Seeing a deer run across the marathon road was pretty amazing, as were the views of Lake Michigan. I loved the long wooden "bridge." The support was great - there were tons of stations well stocked with pretzels, licorice, GU, water and Gatorade. The race course makes it easy for family to stop in at various points to cheer you on. I think mine hit at least 6 points along the race. The post-race party was great. There was lots of food; they even let my family have some. I would love to come back some day. It's an interesting area.

It is the best small-town marathon that I have ever run. The course is not flat, but it is scenic and varied enough to be interesting. The water stops are well placed and the few volunteers were enthusiastic. The finisher's shirts and medals are also top-notch.

This was my first marathon, and I was very nervous as to what to expect. Any fears and anxious feelings quickly subsided on Friday night while picking up my packet. Everyone involved with the race itself, including fellow participants and the community as a whole, was very welcoming, encouraging, and gracious. Running along Lake Michigan was a treat. My entire family was able to enjoy Charlevoix, and this experience. Thank you to all involved.

Well organized. Very scenic along the shores of Lake Michigan, but sort of boring along the highway. Excellent water, Gatorade, and gel stations every mile and a half, with very friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. Thank you very much to the lady giving out ice around mile 23, and the sprinklers in the last few miles. What lifesavers on a hot, muggy day. Just two ways that this marathon could have been better: 1) Start at 6:00 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m., since much of the course was in the sun; and 2) end the race before that steep downhill. It killed to go down that hill after 26 miles.

This is one of the best courses in the country and the most organized race I've ever competed in.

This a lovely, somewhat remote, small, lakeside town in northern Michigan that organized a very high caliber and memorable event. The course was a single out-and-back route, mostly along a scenic, flat bike path. The staff and volunteers did an excellent job. There was a nice complementary pre-race pasta dinner at a friendly local church. The aid stations were well stocked with gels, snacks and liquids - and only one ran out of Gatorade. The technical shirt is first-rate, and the medal is beautiful. My only complaint was the hot, muggy weather on race day, but that's the luck of the draw.

Very well organized with well-stocked aid stations every 1 and a 1/2 miles. Mile markers every mile. It's a scenic run along a wooded bike trail, with some amazing views of Lake Michigan! Flat and fast. Volunteers along the route and at the post-race party were friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic about both the race and their community!! The course was not very conducive to spectators, with an out-and-back route along the lake and highway, but nothing you wouldn't expect from a smaller race. Plenty of food/drink at the post-race party, enough that family/friends were encouraged to eat as well. Great event and a marathon I would certainly repeat!

This is in my hometown area and I wanted to take the chance to run 26.2 miles in a place I knew well. Red Rock is a pretty small company but they are very personal in their approach. I communicated with them before and after the race and each time a real person (not a call center) responded to me with honest feedback and was happy to listen to my questions, comments, and concerns. The race isn't designed for a large crowd since it starts in one lane of US31 through Charlevoix. But once the crowd gets going it breaks up pretty nicely. It IS flat. Yes, there are some elevation changes but nothing even remotely significant. Only Floridian's would complain. :) Red Rock acknowledged the flub between offering GU and PowerGel. They obtained PowerGel as a sponsor at the last minute and didn't have time to update the information. I brought my own GU since I'm not a fan of PowerGel anyway and I believe in being prepared. This was my 4th marathon with others being much, much bigger. I liked the quaintness of this race and the location and the scouts and other volunteers did an amazing job. They did run out of Gatorade and flat Coke on my last loop (sub 4), which was a bit of a bummer, but I suffered with water, which was plentiful. The finish was a little strange in that the timing mat was on one side of the drawbridge but the actual finish "line" was in the park about 250 yards down the road and across the street. So there was a bit of a pause between finishing and receiving your medal and getting some food. And there was no beer. The medal was OK but probably not one I'd spend any money framing unless it was my first or only marathon. I'll definitely run it again, but would also consider other races at the same time before signing up again.

First off, I have read a good deal of complaints dealing with the weather (humidity, wind, etc.). To me, the weather is not the fault of the race director; if you dislike the weather that much on race day, then just drop out and save yourself for another day. Secondly, I don't know how flat people expected the course to be, but I thought it was flat as a pancake for northern Michigan. A few small inclines, but nothing to slow you down.

The race itself was great, and the aid stations were well stocked, albeit not with the advertised items. The spectators that were along the course were awesome, and the other runners were very encouraging.

All in all, this was one of my favorite marathons. I will definitely be back, and I expect that this marathon will grow in numbers considerably over the next few years.