This marathon has all the essentials covered .. aid stations, great volunteers, nice shirts/medals/packet pickup/course etc. all the stuff you take for granted at the big events. Now add the one-of-a kind tunnel, post-race chicken que, raceday registration / packet pickup, and the small town charm I grew up with... and you've got a must-do marathon! A little brighter in the tunnel would be nice ... but then again, I did manage to 'find the light at the end of the tunnel' ... somebody had to say it. :)

This race was great! I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I did. I'm used to huge urban marathons like Chicago, MCM, and Boston. The fact that it was small and unassuming was wonderful. The dirt trail was nice to run on. The scenery was beautiful. And the people organizing were very friendly and competent. I would consider running it again.

I LOVED this marathon! The course was beautiful and shaded from the wind. Few hills and great scenery made the entire 26.2miles exciting. The aid stations were well stocked with enthusiastic volunteers (especially ones with jell-o shots haha). The tunnel was incredible (need more flashlights tho), and I liked that the marathon started in the opposite direction and came back thru the start/finish! The stretch around the Half turn-around needs an aid station! I can't wait to do this one again!

This was my first small town race. Didn't know what to expect, but was well organized and started promptly at 9, as stated. There were few spectators, but the ones who were there were uplifting and cheerful! The trail was scenic and the tunnel was very neat. Although lit nicely on the way out, most of the propane lights were burnt out by the way back through and most of the flashlights weren't working, but still neat! The water stops were nice, but seemed far apart after the tunnel (until the turn around). The volunteers were great and friendly and parking was easy and close. The showers were accommodating too, since our hotel was far away.

What a cool race! The town of Norwalk does a great job of organizing and running this event. The course is out and back, and while I thought this may be tough on the path it was not at all. The tunnel was absolutely beautiful with granite walls and water flowing down the sides. The rest of the trail was incredible too as it transformed from being in a valley to being high above valleys on each side. There are a couple of long but pretty gentle hills. The volunteers were friendly and there was plenty of water and sports drink at every stop. Getting to the race was completely hassle free.

This is a hometown marathon with a hometown feel. I don't have one complaint. Great meals which where included in the race fee. Packet pick up was a breeze. Getting to the start line was super easy. Waterstops were well stocked. This is the most beautiful course I have ever run, the tunnel added a great touch. I smiled the whole way thru it both times. The addition of a free beer at the end this year made the race even better. There was a bonfire at the end to keep people warm, we sat around for hours enjoying the bbq chicken, beer and stories of the marathon. When I signed up for such a small marathon, I never would have guessed I would come back, but I'm already recruiting people for next year.

Although I did not see one black squirrel anywhere, the race was terrific!
The 3/4 mile tunnel was a one of a kind and awesome experience (well I guess you go through it twice actually).
The aid stations were well stocked and very close together. At one point there were 2 within a mile of each other.
The first 1.5 miles was a little crowded with the skinny trail and then lead runners hitting the first turnaround, but overall a great trail.
Plenty of food at the end and the chocolate milk hit the spot!!
Anyone looking for a late fall marathon without crowds - this is one to look at.

Went to Norwalk looking for a low-key end to the season and was not disappointed. Scenic out-and-back on an easy-on-the-legs dirt trail with no cars to deal with. The 3/4 mile long dark tunnel was awesome. All the things you like about a smaller race - short walk from your free parking spot to the race start, no need to line up until minutes before the start, short porta-potty lines. Good picnic-style food at the finish. The only minor gripe I have is that they were using undersized cups at the aid stations, so you pretty much had to grab twice what you are used to. Definitely will be recommending this to Chicago area runners looking for something low-key.

This is the smallest town that I've run a marathon in; it was my 13th overall. It's unique in that the race is super organized and run like a pretty polished machine. Pre-race pasta dinner was really fun. Completely quaint and wonderful. The little town was inundated with foreign-made cars and I assume yuppies from IL, but here's the strange part - there were no stores open to sell anything. This race doesn't make a lot of sense. I assume the race director is from a much larger community with experience and contacts. The course is unique in that it features some tunnels to run through. Fun, out-and-back course on pretty level ground (railroad grade). It seemed like the runners were pretty serious types, which made the competition strong. Nice shirt and finish medal. I was disappointed by the post-race meal, but that is a similar complaint for most marathons (I'm a vegetarian). Overall, if you are a serious runner, this is a great event.

I ran this half-marathon with my 14-year-old daughter. This was her first. The location, the weather, the shirt, the medal, the ease of parking, the quickly posted results with the chip timing, the course, the food, and everything about it made her mind up. She had me sign her up for another next year in Chicago.

We enjoyed the B&B we stayed in. The entire area is beautiful and I would recommend this half to anyone. Her favorite part was the well lit tunnel. Can't say anything bad. Good job listening to remarks each year as it seems it's almost perfect.