Though I prefer trail races, I am occassionally coaxed out of the woods to hit the asphalt, as was the case for the Wrightsville Beach Marathon. After the soreness has worn off, I'm glad I entered. This preference for trails is the primary reason the course got three stars. It's certainly a nicer course than Charlotte.

Crowd Support:  Not important to me, but there were a few spots, like Military Cutoff Road, where there were quite a few onlookers, as well as aid station volunteers. In the Landfall Community, where much of the race occurs, it was spotty, with mostly volunteers and a few residents who came out to watch.

Aid Stations:  Hard to say; they had enough volunteers to where you didn't have to go to the table, so if they had something beyond the water, Heed, and Hammer Gels they were handing out, I didn't see it.

Course: Traffic was not at all an issue, so the only negative for me was the out-and-back that came right beside the finish but at mile 22 for the marathon. I had mixed feelings about the many loops within the Landfall gated community. The community was nice and it kept us off the main roads, but I could see where the loops might annoy some people.

Pre-Race:  I saw other comments about the tight quarters for the expo. I picked up my packet fairly early on Saturday so crowds were not an issue. It was a five-step process, though. Table 1: sign in and get number. Table 2: get chip. Table 3: get chip activated in computer. Table 4: get water bottle. Walk through expo. Table 5: get shirt. The expo was pretty small, but I rarely need/want anything at them so that was ok by me. Bill Rodgers spoke at the pasta dinner and ran the half-marathon. I have a pet peeve about no race-day packet pickup. While I partially understand it from the race director's view, it is annoying for anyone who lives say an hour or two away who would be driving up on race day. This means that if they have no one who can pick up their packet, they have to make a two to four hour drive the day before to get their stuff. We stayed for the weekend at this race, but for people who live closer, it could be an issue.

Host Hotel:  I did not stay there but it is a nice facility according to family members who have stayed.

Post Race:  Takes place on the grounds of an outdoor mall (town center), but since it's Sunday morning, the only people there are racers, volunteers, and spectators. There was a beer/pizza tent, a couple of sponsors' booths, optional massages, a main stage with live entertainment.

Awards:  The marathon awards began at 11:30. I did not stay for them but did see the half-marathon awards. Pint glasses went to all award winners and the overall and masters winners got cash also. The medallion was a substantial piece of metal shaped like a wave with the race name. On the back "26.2" was stamped.

Intangibles:  The race started and finished at different locations and most of the parking was at the finish. I saw one commenter complaining about having to walk "several hundred yards" to the start from where they parked. I have to assume they have not been in many marathons. If you wanted to park at the finish, there were trolleys taking people to the start. If you parked at the start, there were post-race trolleys taking people back to the start. There was also a comment about the lack of porta-jons on the course. I seem to recall seeing quite a few near aid stations and scattered around Landfall so maybe that was fixed between 2010 and 2011.

In summary, I think it was a well run event, especially given that they are in only their second year. It's unfortunate that it falls on the same day as Tobacco Road Marathon, as that forces some people to decide between the two. I'm sure I'll come back again to Wrightsville, though.

There sure were a lot of turns in this race. The course didn't seem to follow any sort of flow. Winding through a gated community a couple of times. Never saw the beach. If it were daylight during the Wrightsville part I guess we could have. How is this called the Wrightsville Beach Marathon if it's mostly run in Wilmington? There were a lot of energetic spectators. Fast, but not too exciting course. Post-race food could've been better: Bananas, Doritos, cookies, soft drinks, water, and beer. That's about all I saw. Get a protein shake to be one of your many sponsors and help us with recovery. And that's another thing. I was put off that the race logo was small compared to the large sponsor logo. The race logo blends in with the red shirt, while the large, bright, corporate logo doesn't. Maybe a minor issue, but maybe not. I sure like races with a lower-key feel, not driven by corporate sponsorship.

This was a nice, flat, small race. ideal for a BQ. Having said that, this race was lacking a few amenities. There were ample port-a-johns at the start but only 3 (maybe 4) along the course that I counted! There was a paucity of water stops, especially between critical miles 19-22; moreover, the water was allotted per small, mouthwash-size cups, which I think were decorated with a "Finding Nemo" motif. More water stops with larger cups and port-a-johns would benefit the runners' safety.

The route through Landfall was nearly impossible to preview, as this neighborhood is a gated community, and the race director was of no assistance. One has to contact the realty company to get a day pass or know someone who lives there.

Passing the finish and watching half marathoners walking back with their medals were quiet a tease. It was also discouraging to run through desolate neighborhoods for the last 5 miles.

Lastly, can a marathon assume the name of a town through which only one mile is run? It was a singular experience to have run an inaugural marathon.

A very well organized race. Lots of support from spectators and fellow runners.

I was sick during this race and my expected time was somewhat of a disappointment. More disappointing, however, was the course. It was really boring. The residential area and bridge at the start were scenic, but aside from that, the course was a mess. Two loops through some pretty boring parts - not a lot of marathon support (half sounded good), a weird rocky path, and an ending with odd twists and turns. It was the inaugural race, but I hope that they consider changing the course. I also have to comment on the spectators who seemed to have no idea where the finish was, and the spectators that were saying, "Almost there" to the marathoners who were only halfway through the race.

This was a fast marathon worth running. I like the small marathons; they have a great homey feel. I thought that doubling through the landfall community would be a drag, but I found it comforting to know the area after seeing it previously the first time. Fans were sporadic but very friendly. Turns were all well manned and clear.

That being said, along with the previous commentator, there are some things to work on....

Why start in an area that you can't drive to and have to walk several hundred yards to? Why not start at the beach parking lot? It was an odd starting place for sure. Why 6:30, when the sun hasn't even risen either? There are sunrise calendars that show when the sun will rise each day of the year. Like the previous commentator, there were way too many turns... especially in the last 5 miles. It was very annoying and de-motivating. I would suggest running through the landfall community a third time rather than have so many turns over and over. They even had us run over two dirt road patches... certainly there was a better option than that. Also, my Garmin 405 showed 26.42 miles; another guy I ran into said his 305 showed 26.41, and he missed the three hour-mark by a couple of seconds. That's really frustrating if the course was off!

Further improvements would be a more significant swag bag - an ill-fitting, Thai-made shirt with no other goodies, not even a course map/brochure. I have received much better from a $90 race! The post-race seemed to lack a little organization as well. I was in the first batch of marathoners back so maybe they weren't ready, but I found myself wandering through a small hut looking for fluids and couldn't find any Gatorade or other drinks besides water. Then I found 5-gallon dispensers with cups similar to those passed out in the race... disappointing after seeing the same thing mile after mile. At the end of the race you want a bottle of Gatorade, don't you? There were oranges and bananas - the norm - and there were pizza boxes too, but they were empty! Finally, i thought the 26.3 beer garden was a good idea. But it was in a small hut, with nowhere to sit and relax - just some coolers with taps coming out. It seemed like it failed to deliver on the hype.

All in all, I would run this race again, but it has some quirks to be worked out to make it a really viable option for those other than locals.

The expo for the race was very crowded due to it being in such a confined room. Organizers did a great job in providing transportation from Mayfaire to the start line. Adequate restroom facilities were provided at the start and thoughout the race. Would recommend 2 portojohns at the water stops that had them. For those of us who finished near the end the folks at Landfall were great and still there. I will stumble through this marathon again.

Course - The course was well marked and well manned with volunteers. Positive points: 1. This course is flat and fast. 2. Wrightsville Beach and the Landfall Area are very secic and pleasant to run through. 3. Vehicle traffic was not an issue in this race. Negative points: 1. The course has many half-marathoners who are jogging/walking when marathon runners begin their second loop through Landfall. At times it is difficult to pass within the designated running lane on the second loop do to participants walking/jogging up to 4 people abreast. This is not a huge problem, but slightly annoying when the legs are starting to get tired. 2. Lots of 90 degree (or sharper) turns in the last 5 miles. As a runner, it seems that this problem only gets worse as you get closer to the finish. In the final mile there is one section where runners make a 90 degree right, run approx. 150 meters, make a 180 degree u-turn, run 150 meters, and then make another hairpin 90 degree turn. In addition there is another 90 degree left turn only 40-50 meters before the finish making the finish line invisible until you are already there. The course would be more runner friendly if some of these sharp turns could be avoided late in the race. With all of this being said this course is very flat and fast - it is just difficult to hold a steady pace with all of the turns in the final miles.

Orginization - Other than starting about 10 minutes later than scheduled I thought this race was very well organized. I will list a few areas for potential improvement, but these are very minor. 1. the expo area seemed to be cramped into a very small area. 2. The yellow arm bands given to marathon runners were too loose and could easily fall off once they became sweaty and wet. This was a minor problem, not really a big deal - just annoying. 3. Lots of walking to the starting line, then more walking to the 'bag bus', and then more walking back to the starting line. Once again, not a big deal but something that could be addressed in the future.

Spectators: I wasn't expecting much given that this is a fairly small race that starts pretty early on a Sunday morning. I was actually suprised by the number of Landfall residents that came out to watch the race. Everyone that I encountered along the course was friendly and encouraging.