This was such a nice course. Although by VA Beach standards this is not a flat course, it definitely is not a hard course. The scenery is so nice that it made the miles fly by. The volunteers were out there in droves in spite of the heavy downpour. I make it a point to thank the volunteers, and many times, before I could say anything, they were thanking me for running. The local police did an awesome job of stopping traffic for us back-of-the-pack runners. Another nice touch was hearing my name announced over a loud speaker as the announcer was standing in the middle of the road, reading our names as we ran by around the 15-mile marker. What a boost! I ran in my VFFs and, except for the rocky parts slowing me a bit, I managed to run one of my faster marathons. I will definitely keep this one in mind for next year.

This race is relatively new and needs a little tweaking, but I recommend it.

Pros:

* Nice course. The canal towpaths are a treat to run on. Be aware that at least half of the course is dirt or cinder path. Some may not like this. The course is mostly shaded.

* Volunteers were enthusiastic and supportive.

* Crowd support was great, but because some of the course is remote there are some lonely stretches.

Cons:

* Not many porta-potties at the start, and those that were there were monopolized by the relay runners. This was a problem on the course too. I recommend that they have porta-potties dedicated to marathoners.

* The packet pickup window was very small on Saturday (3-5 p.m.) considering that there was not race day pickup. (They did have Thursday and Friday afternoon pickup, too.)

* I finished in the top 50 and did not see much food at the finish. Maybe it is because all of the half-marathoners had already finished.

* Weather. Mid-September in the Lehigh Valley can be hot. It was 65 degrees and humid at the start this year and I was drenched in sweat within a half-hour.

Running 26.2 miles is running 26.2 miles no matter how easy people might think it is when reading the website. I did this race as a 23-miler years ago before it was made a marathon, and it is pretty much the same race. The focus is that of being a relay, with the marathoners being an additional attraction. Most of the runners are relay runners. This is all ok and works out fine, but you might want to get that in your head while everyone seems to be flying past you during the day.

The course itself is nice. I particularly enjoy the first downhill, which gets you a nice head-start on your goal time. After that first mile, it's pretty flat, but the gravelly terrain may make up for the fact that there are no hills. Rocks sometimes get in the shoes as well.

The volunteers are good; nothing more can be expected. The disappointing components of the race like others have said, include the bad t-shirt, and the lack of food at the finish. I finished ahead of the middle of the pack, so you would think that there would be food left. I think the food may disappear due to relay runners, half-marathoners, and maybe even spectators.

The timing of the race (being in September) could be an issue some years, but we used to do this as a 23-miler in July, so how bad can it get? I believe my main issue was maybe mold and humidity, since it had rained a lot the day before.

Overall, it's a nice, low-key race. I'm not excited enough to say I'd do it again, but I am glad I did it once.

This course is flat, one downhill at the very beginning, and almost the entire race is run in the shade. The course is 90% run on packed dirt or paved biked paths. If you're looking for a Boston qualifier, this is the perfect race. The volunteers were very helpful and stationed in the proper areas. This race caps out at 500, which I liked. It was a lot easier at the start only dealing with a few hundred people. And I loved that the half-marathon started somewhere else at a different time. My only complaints are the lack of food at the end and the ugly tech shirt. Plus, when I picked up stuff, they ran out of my size. I would recommend this race to anyone looking to run a fast/scenic marathon. I've run Philly 3 times, which is known to be flat/fast, and this race is much flatter. I guess the only concern with running this race is the time of year, since it is still technically the summer on the East Coast. We had good weather in 2009.

Course: Fairly flat throughout, although there was a surprisingly steep downhill at the start of the race. Most of the race is trail running on cinder or gravel. While this makes it easier on the body, it does slow you down a bit. Be aware also that it may be muddy in areas if it rains a few days before the race (as was the case this year). My only complaint about the course was a 180-degree "orange cone" turnaround point somewhere later in the race. I firmly believe these should be avoided if at all possible, since they are extremely disruptive to a tired runner's rhythm. It seems to me that this particular one could have easily been placed elsewhere earlier on in the course or eliminated all together.

Don't let the mid-September time frame discourage you from running this race. A lot of the course is tree-covered, particularly later on in the race. While it was somewhat humid this year, weather conditions were OK.

Organization: Volunteers were plentiful and did their jobs well. No complaints regarding water stations or availability of gels.

The half-marathon runners started at the halfway point and at the same time as the marathoners. I liked this since it eliminated any congestion issues. Packet pick-up needs to be improved and the post-race food was relatively poor.

Spectators: This is a small race, but thanks to the marathon relay, there were always at least a few runners around me and the relay exchange points had lots of supportive on-lookers.

Summary: A small race that could be improved with a few tweaks, but overall I would recommend. This would really be a beautiful race if run a month later. Despite a fairly flat course, don't expect a really fast time.

First, I must say the course was incredible and one of the nicest of the 27 marathons I've run. Volunteers were pentiful and enthusiastic.

I noted that last year they ran out of food for the marathoners. Usually when that happens, the next year the marathon staff work to ensure that the mistakes are not repeated. I finished before a few hundred other marathoners and all that remained were some bananas and oranges. Very disappointing after completing a marathon. One other disappointment: I ordered a small shirt, and there were none left. How can this happen when the race entry closes out a week in advance, and I submitted my size on the entry form?

So there were only two negatives, although they were important to me. Otherwise, it was a fantastic course and I loved the race. I hope that the race directors take note of the complaints about lack of food for the final marathoners. It was a dark spot on an otherwise perfect day.

Very well organized race, with lots of enthusiastic volunteers/course-workers, many supportive fans, and a scenic course. I will definitely run this event again.

I ran this marathon last year. I loved the cinder path and running along the river. I even enjoyed the "hill" and how someone had parked their car with a boombox blasting the Rocky theme song. Volunteers were great! I got one of the best things ever at the end of this marathon, which I have never gotten at any other one: a wet/cold towel! That was AWESOME, since it ended up getting pretty warm out. The wicking shirt is one of my favorites! The medal could be improved, but I'm proud of it anyways.

I was able to grab a Panera Bread treat right before they ran out. I saw a lot of non-runners taking food.

Overall, this is a great race!