First time to Mississippi, and when someone told me the course was going to be hilly, I figured it couldn't be that bad. Was I ever wrong! Miles 1-13 were constant hills... I don't think I ever ran on flat ground during that time period. Up, down, up, down for 13 miles. There was a flat section for about 5 miles, but then back to the hills for that last 8 miles of the race. In fact, it ended on a 1/2-mile continuous hill, which was a bit cruel to those of us already suffering.

The good: volunteers were the nicest I've come across, constantly thanking runners for coming to Mississippi and choosing to run the Blues Marathon. Music was excellent during and after! The medal is unique (in the shape of a guitar).

This course is not a PR course, or even close really. Heed the warnings and train for hills (unlike me). I don't think I would run it again, but I enjoyed the experience.

Regardless of the heat, humidity, and hills, the 2009 Blues Marathon was indeed as enjoyable (if not more so) than the inaugural version last year! There is only one reason for this phenomenon: the tremendous effort of the organizers. An upgraded venue for the expo, bringing in Bill Rodgers, and retaining one of the best "volunteers per runner" ratios ever all contributed to an excellent 2nd annual event.

This was a warm and friendly race, where both the people and the weather qualified as warm. The race started and finished in the same place - at the top of a hill - so you knew going in that it would be uphill at the end. Still, the hills were not that bad. The elevation profile chart on the website greatly exaggerated the "hill factor." The people in Mississippi were friendly and cordial. So many people - mostly volunteers - personally thanked me for choosing to come to Mississippi for this marathon event. And you could tell they really meant what they said. It did not hurt that Ole Miss beat Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl Game during the expo on Friday, either.

The marathon was very well organized, and was well supported by the community with an abundance of volunteers. The course was hilly, but they were comparatively small hills. The race committee decided what part of the town they wanted the runners to see, and the hills are a part of the landscape. Still, don't be fooled by the elevation profile on the website. It is not that bad.

The race started in Fondren, an old town neighborhood. The course looped around, and then went through the capitol area. After that, the course crossed over I-55 and headed out to an eastern suburb and back (the flat part of the course). Back in town, there were more hills to see up to the north, before heading back over the interstate, and up one more hill to the finish line.

A couple of things stand out in this marathon. The volunteers - who always make such a big difference in a marathon anyway - were so friendly and outgoing. They really made you feel like you brightened their day by coming to Mississippi to run in their marathon. Southern hospitality in action. Additionally, there were Blues musicians (mostly one-man bands) providing musical entertainment all along the course. Of course, the hills were a little tougher on our bodies than flat surfaces would have been. A word about the weather: Normal temperatures for January in Jackson are a low of 35 and a high of 55. On race day morning at 5:30, it was 65, and so humid that all of the streets were wet, though it had not rained overnight. Midday on Saturday, it was 70. Yet it was overcast through the day, and rain started falling about 2:00 in the afternoon.

Post-race festivities included abundance of food and drink at the finish line (ham or turkey subs, fruit, and soda, water, and 180 energy drink - at least a couple of runners ended up with a whole case of the 180 drink). And there was more music being played at the finish line. Then the marathon event hosted an evening celebration too, but I was not able to attend.

The expo was held in a downtown area, and driving in the heart of downtown - and on the marathon course too - you could see that there was an abundance of construction taking place in Jackson. They are pouring a ton on money into this city to improve and update their community. Overall, this was a well-organized event with strong community support (and moderate hills). I highly recommended this winter marathon event.

Not an easy course but well worth the visit. Organization was "top-notch" given its size. And the music was so good that when I finished I went back to M26 and took in the fantastic live "jam" session.

Spectators were so nice, thanking us for being there! Great food (and subs) at the end.

This is a very good race with a very challenging course. The expo flowed very smoothly, and race organization was good. Events started on time. The course was hilly, as advertised; there was nothing terribly long or steep, but it was nonstop up and down the entire way - except for an almost 6-mile out-and-back stretch between miles 12-18 or so.

The music along the course was nice, but nothing like the Rock-n-Roll events. The post-race spread was good, but I didn't go to the party that night.
The volunteers are what made this race as nice as it was. They were very loud and supportive, and everyone was very helpful. There were tons of water stops with plenty of water, Gatorade, and gel. I had no problems with port-a-pots. There was a parking lot full of them at the start. Overall, a good race with a challenging course.

This was a great overall experience. The music at the expo and finish were great! There weren't a lot of fans, but the ones that were there were really enthusiastic. There must have been 50 volunteers along the course thanking us for coming to run the race. I finished in the middle of the pack for the marathon, and there was still plenty of food and drinks remaining. The course was interesting, going through some nice residential neighborhoods, past the old and new capitol and the governor's mansion. There was one long, boring out-and-back along a highway, and that is why I give it 3 stars. There are some hills, though nothing very steep or all that long. Coming from Illinois, the biggest challenge for me was the warm, humid day.

For a somewhat smaller city, this race was phenomenal. It had all of the basics for me (I was able to find porta-potties at the start/finish). Spectators and police support were more than adequate, and the expo was really fun, with live blues music and just enough info to make it fun without the overwhelming sense you get at bigger expos. Packet pickup flowed well, and I liked the vest - different, but a nice touch. The only thing that was not ideal was how spread out everything was, but with a rental car, it worked just fine. The hills were a bit challenging, but certainly doable. Also, another plus was not having the marathon overrun with relay folks. The music component was great - I wish there was more, but what they had was really special. I love how proceeds help keep the art of the blues alive!

I really enjoyed this race and would recommend it highly. Thanks, organizers, for a great time!

This was the hilliest of the six half marathons I've run; it took me 9 minutes longer than St. Jude, which I used to consider hilly! But no more. To respond to a poster who couldn't find the porta-potties at the start/finish: they were there, just tucked away. I don't usually run with my glasses on, but there was some concern about potholes, so I kept them on. The volunteers and the residents were very supportive. I think the Ole Miss upset of Texas Tech had a lot of people in a good mood!

Ok, I'm a flat-lander, but even experienced hill runners said this course is challenging. Jackson, however, is gorgeous. Lots to see along the way. Loved that.

Excellent marking of the course. Well placed and supplied and manned water/Gatorade stops.

More visible mile markers would have been nice.

The post-race party was AWESOME. Thank you so much. Thanks to the Homemade Jamz for a great show too.

I have never experienced so many friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. Everyone had a smile and a word of encouragement. Tough course - hilly and warm with a 5-mile, semi-flat out-and-back in the middle. Great food, great music, great organization and I LOVE the vest. I will wear it proudly. Thanks for a great race.