Hands down, this was the hardest course for me to date! Scott did an absolutely wonderful job organizing this event along with the GSV volunteers... very warm and welcoming people! The only thing I didn't like was to hear the runners complain after the race about the lack of "free food" offered to us. I guess they fail to understand the logistics of what else goes into having the event to even allow us to run. They should be thankful for what was done for us. The free food was perfect... thank you!

This was a great race - I really like the smaller ones, and this one has a nice feel to it. People are friendlier, and things are just more relaxed, which is important.

I would have given a 5 for the course if it weren't for the mammoth hill at mile 21!

It was a nice, small, well organized marathon. The supporting people were extremely friendly. Tech-shirt, food, and drinks were all well done.

Unfortunately I did not expect that it would be so hilly all of the time, and it was even windier (especially in the first half, mostly from the front) with nearly no wind protection through woods or buildings. Luckily the sun was out all the time. There was traffic on the streets, but it was manageable. I was winning my age group and got a separate memory that I'll never forget! Unfortunately I was the only (or maybe one of the very few) foreigners. Also, I was running in my national colors. I could not enter my country on the form when I applied online, and it seemed to me that at least the presenter at the award ceremony (who announced the county from each US participant) had any clue where I was coming from. Anyway, I can live with that little thing but would suggest adding a country field for the registration for the future. It could at least be interesting for the spectators in the Garden Spot Village at the end to hear that foreigners are also participating Last point: There were nearly no spectators on the rest of the course.

As a summary, I can say that I definitely do not regret that I've done it, but based on the not-so-easy course and relatively few spectators on the course, I'd not recommend it for someone who is running a marathon for the first time.

If you are looking for bands, chip timing, schwag and all the hoo-ha that comes with a Rock-n-Roll-style city marathon, do NOT come to this event. If you enjoy breathtaking scenery instead of crowds of spectators, don't mind running alone while you take in the sights, can handle some challenging hills, appreciate volunteers who are as cheerful and nice as they come, and don't care if the 10 seconds you lose crossing the line won't be shown in your "net time" results, then this might be just the race for you!!

This marathon reminds me of how almost all races used to be. You laced up your shoes and off you went. Someone tore your bib tag off at the end and a nice volunteer walked you to the food. The water stops had everything one could want. The only thing I wished for - and it was my own fault - was for plenty of sunscreen. And consider running with a hat - it was a brilliant, cloudless day this year and there isn't a lick of shade on this course. Some folks complained of the wind, but on a sunny day, that wind really keeps the runners from overheating. An unseasonably hot day would render this course extremely difficult! I loved every minute and as long as my schedule and training allow for it, I'll be back next year.

Pros: Well organized; good support; plenty of water, cookies and pretzels on the course when needed; great scenery; nice medal and tech shirt; rolling hills, but nothing you can't manage if trained well.

Cons: You must stay alert when you're on the road with traffic... sometimes it's moving pretty fast.

Ps. My low score for spectators reflects the lack of them on the course. Those that I saw were great, with lots of energy.

It was the second year for the GSV Marathon and they really seem to know what they are doing. The course is difficult, especially if it is windy, which I would guess it will be every year. There are hills at the beginning and end. There are plenty of water stops, though some training needs to be done with the volunteers, as they had plenty of food and gels but no one offered it to the runners. If you're looking for an expo and lots of spectators, stay home. If you're looking for an excellent small-town race, I would highly recommend it.

What a great race. Extremely well organized. Anyone who only did the half-marathon missed out on the best scenery.

It was not until after the half-marathoners turned around that I encountered many of the local Amish people in horse-drawn carriages, riding their bicycles, or working in their yards. I waved to them and they all waved back. This was pretty much the extent of the spectators. It is, however, a feature of this race that one will not find elsewhere.

My goal was to finish the race in EXACTLY 6 hours. My time of 5:59:53 was 7 seconds too early. I will be back in 2011, and I will be more accurate then. Please join me.

Great volunteers, well organized race, and well marked course. The course is rural, so spectators are rare. Water stops with fine volunteers. Porta potties at the stops - very nice. We could have used more porties at the start line. The course was very hilly and challenging, but doable. Strong wind for much of the race. I loved the cones every 10th of a mile - they really helped me finish. I hadn't trained enough. It was my 10th marathon finish.

I don't like hills, but it's the most gorgeous course you can imagine. It's low-key, well organized, and full of enthusiasm. Even the Amish sat in their front yards to cheer us on. This is one not to miss. The volunteers were superb. I can't say enough about it, even with hills and a strong headwind for the first half.

What an amazing race! A very hilly course that broke out into easy-to-manage sections. Stunning scenery! Organization was outstanding; hats off to the GSV volunteers who were just delightful. Water stations were well stocked (but no fruit?!) and there were porta-potties as advertised.

Part of what made this race was the size - small is better in this area. There was a serenity to running past farms with nothing but more farms and hills ahead.