This is my 2nd Detroit Marathon. I love the course! The only complaints would be the porta-johns are too close to the start line; it was very confusing. Also there weren't enough porta-johns. We were still in line with many people behind us when the race started.

This marathon is an excellent marathon. It can accommodate a much larger field, and it deserves to. The course is a fast, well laid out, and interesting. The only real hills are in the tunnel and on the bridge, which are also two of the best features of the course, along with the novelty of running into Canada, Belle Isle, and finishing on Ford Field. The course is great for a PR, along with the size of the field, but I can see how the unpredictable fall weather could make it very tough. Breezes off of Belle Isle would be unbearable.

As a city, Detroit is on the way back. Please visit this city! The residents of Detroit are great; the journeys through the Mexican neighborhood at the beginning and Indian Village in the late teens were highlights. The free beer at mile 19 made me smile and was a welcome pick me up.

Yes, the aid stations were a bit irregularly placed, but there are so many of them that it is really not much of a problem. The start was a bit disorganized and there were not enough porta-potties but this is always the case. Guys, just bring a wide mouth Gatorade bottle just in case. Spectators were sparse at many points, but those who were there really helped out a lot. Thanks to all of them.

The main issue I have with the race is the website is pretty disorganized. It's hard to navigate from place to place, and where are the results? You really have to search to find them. Other than that, this is a very well organized race. The expo is nice for a race of this size, and there were some great clothing bargains at the opening of the expo.

I'd love to run this fine race again.

Detroit tends to receive a bad rap in the media. Some of it is warranted, much of it is not. I think that's why this race might be sometimes overlooked by the running community, especially with Chicago presenting itself a week later. With that said, Detroit is an outstanding marathon. This was my second, with my first being Chicago's Lakeshore Marathon in May. Detroit has everything a runner could ask for - great crowd support, excellent water/Gatorade aid stations, gorgeous scenery both in the Motor City and Windsor, ON, and a very flat, fast course that doesn't leave you spent. The best part of the race was the predicted marathon chart right after the half-marathon checkpoint. That kept my pace honest and I stayed focused. It was appreciated. The start at Comerica Park and end at the 50-yard line of Ford Field were also nice touches. Overall, I ran a 3:24 - a 17 minute improvement over my first. It won't get me into Boston, but was a solid enough time to motivate me to train hard on the lakefront path this winter.

Missed the start because lined for over 1/2 hour to use porta-johns!! Not enough water and energy food at the finish line where it would have been greatly appreciated - had to walk up numerous steps to get any post-marathon nurishment!

Enjoyed the course and spectactors, and had a great time, especially as my sister and brother-in-law had flown in from England to accompany me.

This was a challenging course with lots to see and experience along the way. Running into Canada and back was the highlight of the race for me. The Ford Field finish was great too. Crowd support coming out of the tunnel into the US and at the Belle Island bridge was incredible.

Great shirt and medal to add to my collection. Only improvement I can recommend is a wider selection of food at the end of the race.

All the other comments are pretty accurate, so I'll just add some info to help you plan your run. And do run this marathon because it is great.

Like everyone has said, this is a really fun race with a great course. If you are a mid-pack runner, plan on losing about 30 seconds or so for the incline of the Ambassador Bridge and likewise in the tunnel. Also, there are small inclines throughout the course, including the bridge to Belle Isle (twice). It's not a big deal, but even a speed bump seems noticable after 26.2 miles. Just don't expect perfectly flat, although it is relatively close to flat.

I really don't ask much of race organizers, but accurate mile markers are a must. The 5 mile marker was wildly misplaced, but it was so bad that all the runners realized it and warned each other. The 8 mile marker (in the tunnel) also seemed off. I don't know if this has happened in the past, but if you run this race next year and suddenly find yourself a minute ahead (or behind) pace, question yourself before taking action.

Some of the other comments have discussed the steep quarter mile down hill at the finish. The middle of the stadium is at ground level and the field is down in a pit. To get down, there is a very steep grade -- nothing like you've ever run on before -- then a level stretch, then more steep grade, then level stretch, etc. This repeats probably 5 or 6 times. What this means to you is that you will not be able to kick to the finish (except for the last 40 yeards) and will actually lose time over the last quarter mile. Plan accordingly.

The crowds are relatively sparse. Just pockets of people here and there. The crowds which showed up were great and enthused, but there were long stretches with not much going on. Don't expect NYC-like crowds or even the crowds at some smaller marathons like Twin Cities.

While there are 25 water stops, it seems like they are placed willy-nilly. Unfortunately, the organizers do not publish the exact locations, so if you want to plan on taking GU or Power Gel at a certain mile mark, you have to guess while you are running whether you are at the closest station.

It may sound like I am just complaining and I don't mean to because this really is a great race. Everyone else has covered the good aspects, so I figured I'd give you a heads up on things no one else has mentioned.

BTW, Detroit really is on a comeback. Don't let its prior rep scare you off from running this marathon. Lots of revitalization and building downtown.

I would definitely do this marathon again. What a great course. The trip into Canada is so cool. I like the smaller size of the marathon. The support is good. The finish is the stadium was awesome. I have done 5 marathons now, and this was one of my favorites!!

This race has potential but needs work. Too crowded at the start with too few portajohns for the crowd this year. Some streets were in bad disrepair making sure footing an issue. The Ambassador Bridge part was very cool and the Canadian side provided a beautiful view of Downtown Detroit and the Riverfront area. Belle Isle was nice as was the Indian Village part of the run (complete with the Blues Brothers' Band!). Finishing inside Ford Field was different and pretty neat. Crowds were sporadic but enthusiastic. More 'spirit stations' and music would help. Water stops weren't evenly spaced along the course and needed tables set up to aid the giving out of drinks. Had to wait a couple of times - Not good! Also, some mile markers seemed off. No designated 'reunion' area made finding family members challenging. Not very adequate food/drink afterward.

The highlight of this race is the course, especially the part on the bike path along the Detroit River in Windsor, Canada, and the circling of Belle Island. The finish at the 50-yard line at Ford Field is nice, too. Water/Gatorade stops were frequent (every mile) and well run. Spectators were great, but not as many as I would've expected for a race this size.

Organization was good, but far too few restrooms at the start, many of the mile markers during the first several miles were not in the right spot, and more course music/entertainment would've been nice. Still, overall, a very pleasurable race.

If you're looking for a great fall marathon experience without the crowds of the mega-marathons, this is it. Yesterday was my first marathon in 25 years, and it was truly sensational. The course is awesome; going over the bridge as the sun is rising over the river, the view of the Detroit skyline from Canada, the serenity of Belle Isle, the ethnic neighborhood, and the Ford Field finish make this course so memorable. Some highlights for me were the enthusiastic spectators lining the street as we came out of the tunnel and off of Belle Isle, the many bands, musicians and DJ's along the route to keep our spirits up, the folks giving out free beer in Indian Village, and of course the Ford Field tunnel (if you've read that it's steep - it's steeper) and the first glimpse of the field knowing there're only 50 yards to go. The whole race was well organized, with the one exception in my experience being either no transportation or no clearly defined transportation from the host hotel to the start/finish. (Had to walk a mile to the start and the mile back to the hotel when done, ouch)! Spectators were enthusiastic and very supportive, with many manning the aid stations and many just cheering us on. It would be nice to see more spectators on Belle Isle and on the Canadian side. All in all, this is a well run, first-class marathon that anyone should consider. Thank you, Detroit!!