Overall this was a very good marathon. I do think that there are some areas to improve on though.

The 3/4-mile train tunnel was what attracted me to this race. It sounded awesome. They said you could bring your own flashlight, but they would be provided at both sides of the tunnel, so it was not a necessity. They did not say that there were only 100 flashlights for close to 400 runners. There were none left by the time I got to the tunnel, so I had to run through in the dark! I felt as though it was pretty dangerous. I could not see the ground I was running on, nor could I see if there were any runners coming back towards me. They definitely need to do something to improve the lighting.

Also, running past the finish line at mile 23 is cruel! You see people finishing, and know that you still have 3.2 miles to go. What a horrible feeling. Just have us run 1.5 miles more before you turn around.

Last thing to improve is the distribution of medals. I talked to the race director about this and she said that the 3 volunteers that they had arranged to hand out medals did not show up for the race, and one of them had the medals in the trunk of their car, which is why they were not handed out at the finish. Some of the runners were finished by 9:30. Who would wait around until 3:00 to get their medal? They are supposed to be sending them in the mail, but it is two weeks after the race, and I have yet to receive mine.

The course was absolutely beautiful, and the weather was great. The aid stations were well stocked, and managed well. I didn't have any of the pre-race or post-race food, but it all looked very good, and there was plenty of it. The race shirts were also very nice.

I agree with J.S. from Richmond. Organization was kind of a mess. Can't understand the reasoning behind the course running past the finish line, going 1.5 miles, and returning to the finish. Weird. Race started late, which drives me nuts, and having no medals at the finish was a disappointment. Like many people, I drove a couple of hours to the race. Finished at about 11:15, so no way was I staying until 3 p.m. for my medal.

J.H. from Richmond may be correct about the food being good, but I look for solid race organization when I sign up for a race. I couldn't care less about pasta and chicken. His comments re: J.S. from Minnesota are unfair; J.S. was simply commenting on the race organization. I didn't read anything there that was asking for something a big marathon would provide.

I'll probably come back next year. If the organization is improved, I may continue to sign up for this race. It really is a beautiful course.

I thought the course was very scenic and fast. This was my 11th marathon and I had a PR of more than 8 minutes. The tunnel was very dark, so more lighting would be nice. I only really have a couple of complaints. To expect runners to pass the finish line at mile 23 and then run 1.6 miles out and then back to the finish seems cruel. Also, finishing medals should have been given to runners as they "finish" the race - not 3 hours later. Overall, I think the marathon was a great success and the weather was perfect. I could see the course being very difficult if it was raining or snowing, but I plan on running the marathon again.

I like the smaller marathons and this first-year event exceeded my expectations. The course was out and back on the Elroy Sparta bike trail, and the footing was very good. We made to two trips through a 3/4-mile tunnel, which proved to be the most unique feature of the race. The pre-race pasta dinner was excellent, and entertainment was provided by a local belly dancer troop. What a hoot! The post-race grilled chicken was very good. Everyone in the town of Norwalk (population 600) had some role in putting on this event. If you want all of the bells and whistles, go to New York; but if you want a nice run through the Wisconsin countryside, come to Norwalk.

I know this was the first running of this race, but a general air of disorganization was felt throughout the experience.

Race start was cramped on the bike trail. A larger area would have been better.

Medals were not handed out at the finish, but rather at a post-race award ceremony at THREE in the afternoon, two hours after most runners had finished. It was wrong to expect people to stick around that long since many runners were from out of state. When asked why the medals were not distributed at the finish, the race director claimed it was due to lack of manpower. However, many volunteers were seen around the finish line area not doing much at all.

Course maps were not provided until the morning of the race, so spectators were on their own as far as navigating the area. Spectating information on the website was inaccurate. GPS coordinates given led fans to incorrect locations.

The finish line veered off to the left, even though the sign above the right side said "FINISH." Also, the finish line was over VERY, VERY rough ground. It was unfair to have the runners come in on shaky legs with such bumpy ground conditions.

Runners had to pass the finish line area to run their last 5K of the race. Why didn't they just extend the course 1.5 miles before the marathon/half marathon turn-arounds so that they could actually finish at the park??

Running through the tunnels was extremely dark - more so than many runners had expected. Flashlights did not create enough light to see at all. Runners risked great injury or bumping into other unseen runners. A better expectation of what the tunnels would be like would have been appreciated. Maybe race directors could inform runners to bring HIGH-POWERED flashlights.

The shirt was actually a very nice tech shirt and the goody bag was fair. The food throughout the race (pre/post) was fantastic, many runners commented that it was the best they've ever had at a small race.

Volunteers were standing just outside of the runners' shelter and at aid stations smoking - yuck!

I really hope the race director takes comments into consideration because there is so much room for improvement!

Wow, what a great race! The organizers did a fantastic job getting this marathon going. Norwalk is a very small town that is reminiscent of a modern day Mayberry. The registration and spaghetti feed the night before felt like a town gathering of sorts. Very inviting and entertaining, topped off with some kind of belly dancers of all things! The course definitely has some elevation change, but most of the hills are gradual and nothing terrible. The 3/4-mile long tunnel that you run through twice might possibly be the coolest marathon segment that I've encountered in any race. I now know what "tunnel vision" really means. Awesome! The crowd along the course is very sparse, but those that were there were energetic and encouraging. The organizers and volunteers really welcomed in the runners. There are a few little tweaks that could make this one better, but overall this is a fantastic marathon with great organization, small-town spirit and a unique course. I would definitely do this one again.

For a first-time marathon I thought it was pretty well done. First, the course is the first rails-to-trails bicycle/running path in the U.S. It goes over amazing, hilly scenery - it looks more like Kentucky than Wisconsin. You basically run on an old RR path that is about 100 feet above the surrounding farms at times. But because it's an old RR rail-bed, it's never steep or hilly. You go up a long time but it's gradual so you don't really notice it.

And there's a 3/4-mile tunnel in the race. They give out flashlights at either end.

The race includes a pre-race pasta dinner the night before AND a post-race chicken dinner. Amazing.

The race is small with only about 400 runners. There really aren't any "crowds" on hand, but the aid stations were plentiful and well-stocked. These people did it right.

I think it's a welcome addition to the marathon circuit.