Overall, this was a decent marathon. I would not say it had any exceptional qualities, but it did have adequate organization and support at a very reasonable price. Race day packet pick up was greatly appreciated. The course was beautiful and the tunnel was obviously the highlight. The only miles that "felt" like they were downhill were 22-25. The rest "felt" like they were uphill. The only real complaints I had were about the aid stations - almost every one was understaffed and, as mentioned, the cups were small. I would definitely consider running this race again for no other reason that the scenery and ease of entry.

This was my 3rd marathon, with the previous two being big-city races (MCM and Chicago). I was a bit nervous about a small race and the lack of spectators to help the time go by, but my worries were for naught. It was a beautiful fall day (40s to start, 60s at the finish). The course is flat and fast on a compact dirt trail. I was able to run a 35-minute PR and finish under 4 hours. I did bring my iPod, and was glad I did. The spectators who were there, though few in number, were enthusiastic and wonderful. Aid stations were well stocked (though I could have used a few more... they seemed sparse from after the tunnel to the turnaround). Biggest negative to me was having HEED as the sport drink; ANYTHING is better than that.

The tunnel... so cool! And nice that it was cooler in there with some condensation to cool off a bit from the sun!

Last comment:I really liked the small size of the race. I was never crowded on the course, but never felt too alone. Made it easy to spot my husband at different parts of the race, and made it easy for him to find me. And since the course was never crowded, it allowed him and our pups to jog with me for a few yards. A nice energy boost!

I enjoyed my second Rails to Trails run. A scenic course on forgiving ground with the extra bonus of a 3/4-mile tunnel. Good aid stations and well organized.

Two areas to work on are minor, but could make this race even better.

Amount of water given at aid stations is very small - bigger cups would help! I was taking as many as I could carry. The finish area only had oranges left when I finished (under 3:45). I understand they had a large number of people register on race day, but I was hoping for a bagel/banana/something. The chicken dinner looked nice, but my legs would not handle standing in the long line to taste it.

Put this one on the to-do list. The drive to Norwalk is beautiful and the race gives you a great small-town experience.

Pros: Well organized - help for parking, spectator view points, fire pits ready when we arrived (cool morning). Plenty of aid stations. Scenic country trail. Early mile loop was good for spectators.

Cons: Tunnel was dark - lit with coleman lanterns - and flashlights were ineffective. Surface was rutted with potholes and puddles from the drips. You couldn't run in a straight line because you were avoiding them. It was the slowest part of the course by far. And don't plan on using your GPS. Spectators don't have much to do in town if they are waiting at the finish line - Norwalk has a population of 600. The start of the race was very crowded - 300 runners on a trail about 10 feet-wide.

Overall, I had a good time at the race. It is a fun course, although not a fast one. The people and the scenery were great. The trail was mostly sheltered from the wind and the weather was perfect.

It was the neatest experience to go through that tunnel. We lucked out with perfect weather in 2010.

Great race! Beautiful course. The aid stations were well placed. The beginning was a little crunched because it was on the trail and in the initial few miles you had to crunch in a little so that the frontrunners coming back had enough room. But that was right in the beginning. The people were very nice, and since it included 2 very good meals, it was a great value.

I've been running road races off and on since the early 1970's. The positive vibe this event brought forth deserves a shout out.

Race temperature was around 60 - that will probably never happen again. The tunnel's uneven surface messed my back up but didn't stop me from admiring how well the races were organized.

Spectators were out on the course in abundance for a trail race and there was a loud cheering section for even the slowest of runners. The post-race meal was boffo. Norwalk people, you should be proud!

The mile markers and signs for water stops ahead were very much appreciated. The tunnel was fun to run through. The people giving and taking flashlights were very good. All aid stations had happy people working at them. Only negative: please use bigger glasses for drinks. It was like a small shot glass they gave out.

Have run this marathon all 3 years. Gets better every year. Tunnel was well lit, which helps maintain pace. Hot meal after is included and rocks! Plenty of water stops. Superb small-town marathon on gorgeous Elroy-Sparta trail.

Registered for this after suffering through the heat of the Chicago Marathon.

There were a couple factors that made this race appealing. I didn't have to take time off from work to travel to the race (it was on a Sunday rather than a Saturday) and it was close enough that we could stay in the Dells to give the wife and kids something fun to do as well.

For the race itself:
-The weather was perfect.
-Packet pickup was smooth the morning of the race.
-The trail was relatively flat. Only gradual ascents and descents.
-The running surface was forgiving. It was relatively firm - muddy in some places but never enough to be a problem.
-I really liked running through the tunnel. It was somewhat rejuvenating: it was cold and water dripped from the ceiling. I ran faster through it and my heart rate actually went down.
-There were plenty places for spectators to stop and see the race. My wife and kids were able to give me water bottles along the course.
-After suffering through hot marathons this year in Madison and Chicago, I ended up with a 12-minute PR in this race.