I thought this marathon was very well organized for the size of it. There was plenty of volunteers handing out water and plenty of water stops and gu stops. There was plenty of food after the marathon although I felt as I had to compete with walkers and 5k to get food. The day was very hot and the volunteers were great. This is an in and out course and the scenery along the St. Joseph river is nice. The marathon was stopped early ( around 5 hours 12 min) due to hot weather for the safety of the runners. Overall, I thought it was a nice marathon and great choice for those looking to increase their marathon repertoire.

Overall, I enjoyed the race quite a bit.

Good:
1. I got into town Fri. evening after packet pickup had actually ended and the volunteers were great and allowed me still to get my stuff, and gave me a great recommendation of a place to get a night-before-race pasta dinner
2. Had never been to South Bend, a beautiful town, and i enjoyed the course, and didn't have the difficulties with course markings some others experienced
3. Friendly volunteers on the course, and plentiful hydration
4. Finishing on the football field at Notre Dame, a must for any football fan - I practically thought i was hearing a "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy" chant as I was crossing the finish line
5. Enjoyed going to the College Football Hall of Fame in the afternoon after the race, although I think giving racers a day-of-race discount or free admission (with a finishing medal or their race number or something) would be an awesome touch
6. easy parking for the start of the race

Bad:
1. Standing in POURING rain with nothing - no tent or shelter of any kind - for at least 20+ minutes on shot legs, waiting in line for one of the buses back to the start line was lousy, although the buses that finally arrived were extremely nice
2. getting herded quickly out of the stadium because of rain and possible lightning was unfortunate; i know they had to, but I really wanted to hang for awhile and soak in the experience more

Out of 14 marathons, my worst marathon time, but an enjoyable, small-town race that'd I'd recommend.

First, let me say I'm just a "pound-the-pavement" runner - not elite by any means. I've only done a handful of marathons, but I try not to miss this one! I've heard comments about the course - I absolutely love it!! Along the river, finishing in ND Stadium... the whole thing to me is fantastic. I didn't find the markings confusing, but I paid attention, looked at the map ahead of time, etc. As a general comment, I thought the volunteers were amazing - attentive, caring, encouraging. Anyway, I'll be back as the total experience is always one I enjoy.

I tried to give the course rating a "0" above, but it would not let me.

I ran the Sunburst for the first time and have to say that it is the most confusing course I have ever tried to navigate. I say "try" because I, along with about 4 others, got off-course at mile 12 during a very confusing intersection with a 5K race. Yes, I said "intersection with a 5K race." For a race with that many distances going on at the same time, the course needs to be very clearly marked, which this was not. The mile markers were not accurate. There were no clocks from which to pace yourself after the first 5 miles . I actually had to ask directions from another volunteer between mile 16 and 17; otherwise, I would have veered over a bridge and would have been off course again.

My concerns to the race director were flippantly responded to after 5 days. I cannot suggest this course to fellow marathoners and would actually advise against it.

This was my fifth Sunburst and I enjoyed it. Packet pickup is simple. Saturday parking and start-area logistics went very smoothly. The course has many different settings and a lot of interaction with other runners (which I liked); and finishing inside ND is great. Two areas for improvement are: 1.) Please have the mileage signs double- or triple-checked. The mile 18 sign was WAY off and mile 21 was a fair bit off. 2.) Food. I finished a bit after 4 hours and there was a very long line. By the time it cleared to a reasonable level there were bagels, apples, and popsicles. Ugh. Based on the race's website FAQ, Will there be food? "You bet! ... does a fabulous job - the best you'll find at any race." Did I miss something? Thanks to everyone - see you next year.

I read the comments from the previous years, so I knew I would have to watch for the course; I was watching, and I still had to ask for directions. The course was confusing - "wonky," as others say - and in some places you turned at the barricades and others you ran through the barricades. And the mess with the 10K and the half marathons... an unnecessary disaster. Definitely needs a lot of work on the course layout and with the turns and course directions; most of the volunteers holding the signs were texting or talking, and there weren't any directional signs or instructions for the big turn-off for the marathoners. (I talked to 6 people and they all had to ask or missed the turn.) They have had this race for over 20 years, so you would think they would get it together by now. The instructions on the website keep changing (shuttle buses exit Gate D, now Gate B; you need a token, don't need a token... now you need a token to ride the bus back; etc.). They did have a lot of water stations, but the water cups were small, so if you didn't take 2 cups, you only got a couple of ounces of water. But the GU and bananas were great. And the course was great. Weather, of course, was hot and humid; but it's June, so that is to be expected.

I loved this scenic, quirky course. There were plenty of opportunites to see other runners coming and going, which I like. The out-and-back along the river was one of my favorite sections in all of my marathons, and the hill at mile 24 was a real challenge. Crowd support was a bit sparse until Notre Dame's campus, but the finish was loud and stirring. Packet pick-up was easy and the shirt and medal were top-notch. My only complaint was the walk to the shuttles after the race, but maybe that was helpful in my quick recovery. Highly recommended.

You cannot help the weather, which this year was very hot and humid during the race and then drenching rain at the end... but the course was beautiful. I did packet pickup on race day, and it was easy and well organized. Parking was ample, easy and close; and there were flush toilets as well as porta-potties at the start. Safety was perfect on the course and there were lots of water stations, GU and bananas to keep everyone going. I am trying hard to think of a negative comment, but I can't think of anything. I finished late, so not all of the food was there at the end, but I got sandwiches, bananas, bagels, and popsicles. Wet towels at the finish were really great. Race volunteers were so nice and helpful. I was waiting for one of the last runners to come in and finish her 50 states. They held the finish open later for her when they knew what she was doing. That was so nice. This was my first Sunburst but not my last. Great race. Thanks.

I loved this race despite the 90% humidity. They had free parking downtown less than a block from the start. They started the marathon before the half so you weren't tripping over 1/2 marathoners and trying to jockey for position at the beginning of the race. The College Football Hall of Fame was open in the morning so you could use indoor (i.e. non-porta-potty) facilities. The fans and volunteers at the aid stations were great and there were plenty of them. The course is pretty flat and beautiful, as it runs along the St. Joe River most of the way. Finishing in ND's stadium was really cool!! I would love to do this race again, but probably won't because the weather in South Bend is too unpredictable for this dry-desert dweller.

I really enjoyed this marathon. I love the friendly, small-town environment. I made new friends along the way. Plenty of water stops and friendly volunteers. Nice course, although there were more out-and-backs than I like. Loved that the marathoners started way ahead of the half and 5K. Running through the tunnel and onto the Notre Dame football field was awesome. Be prepared for hot, muggy weather. It's the Midwest and it's June. Really enjoyed the race. State # 5... done!