I had reservations about running this race because my goal was to qualify for Boston. I shouldn't have thought twice. This course is not hilly, and I feel it's a PR course. There are a few inclines, but if you are trained, you will not notice. Definitely pick Detroit!

I can't say enought about the course - it was perfect. The 2-minute starts were nice; they broke up the runners a little bit at the start. Running over the bridge was nice - a hill, yes, but still nice, early in the marathon. Coming back to the USA there was a big group of spectators waiting for you. Then a run though the city, then out for some flat miles to the island. Once around the island then in for the finish.

First, yes, the Ambassador Bridge was a pain, but there was construction and we can't do much about that. A marathon is 26.2; it is unreasonable to think that the whole course (26.2 is a lot of course) is going to be pristine.

Now for my thoughts...

-Great overall event from the expo to the race
-Course aid was always available, with easily distinguishable Gatorade/water cups
-Loved the wave start; it lessened the cluster
-7 a.m. start is perfect; sun doesn't come up til about miles 3-4
-Sun coming up over the downtown skyline on the bridge speaks for itself
-Crowd was very helpful, and volunteers cared about every runner
-Tech shirt was long-sleeve and was pretty sweet
-20K runners between all of the distances, so you were always running with someone
-20K makes this a larger size marathon with the feel of an intimate small-town one
-medals, if you're big on them, are awesome!
-The course is PR-able; this was my 5th and I PR'd. As mentioned, 26.2 is a long way and hills are inevitable in planning a course

Couple negatives
- had to pay $10 for post-race "conquered" party. C'mon now!! I just walked back to my hotel instead
-the finishing chute seemed to go on forever; it feels like I had to walk (hobble) 10 minutes to get outside of the gates, and the food bags were at the back of the chute
-if you stay at the Marriot the Renissance center, be prepared to get lost inside that place, because you will

Coming from out of town, I think I made a good decision in choosing this as my fall marathon, and I recommend anyone looking for a nice time to give Detroit a try!

I enjoyed the newer second half, with miles 20 - 25 around Belle Isle and along the Riverwalk. This made the tough miles a little easier than past races. Crowd support was great! Tech shirts had a cool design, garnering many compliments since the race. Hydration stations were very well organized, and the Motor City Rah-Rahs at 20.5 made me chuckle. I would recommend more GU stations, as one is not enough. I set a PR by 3 minutes, but I have heard that the Ambassador Bridge congestion caused problems (I had no problem with it starting in Wave C.).

This was my very first marathon and I couldn't have picked a better one to start with. The course was flat and simple and the varied scenery made it interesting. This race has so many different visuals including waterfronts (both Canada and US views), underground tunnel, bridge, inner city, upscale neighborhood, to a small island. My spectators found me six different times along the course because its easy to navigate and to move to different spots. There are enough spectators along to course to give it energy, but not too many to prevent the runner from picking out family and friends on the sidelines - and even making water bottle exchanges, if necessary. Additionally, the organizers did a great job with everything from the expo, the organized start, the stations along the course, the number of volunteers, and the organized finish. I was very surprised to find the details of the overall race so thoroughly hammered out. I can't recommend this marathon enough. It is especially good as a first marathon because there is nothing to worry about technically and one can concentrate solely on finishing!

This was another good year. I have run the 1/2 many times and this is my first year running the full. I could not praise this race enough, but I do have a couple of negative comments: 1) the line for the race start gear drop was way too long and got all of us waiting in line nervous (apparently some people were confused with the procedure) and 2) there was a substantial back up at the bridge for the slower runners (I heard from a faster runner that this was not an issue with them). This is too bad and may prevent some folks from enjoying the experience of going over the bridge just as the sun is rising behind the Detroit skyline.

Other than that, the race was an awesome experience. Highly recommended!

It was a perfect day for the marathon; however, some people are just rude. On the bridge to Canada, it was a bit narrow; but pushing your way through to catch up to your group?! Come on. Maybe you need to plan to get there on time.

I've been planning to make this my first marathon for quite some time because I've heard great things about this race. It didn't disappoint.

The course was great. Being mostly flat, I was able to run comfortably (as comfortably as you can, anyway) for most of the race. I enjoyed crossing the bridge at dawn and then coming back through the tunnel. Indian Village and Belle Isle were two of my favorite scenic areas as I ran through Detroit, and the park along the river in Windsor was great - I wish we ran along the river walk instead of on the road! Also, there was more than enough water and Gatorade stations along the route.

The spectators were awesome, as well. The triplets who were standing along the route in Canada were outstanding. And the LARGE crowd that we met as we came out of the tunnel was spectacular.

These are only a few of the great things I experienced while running in this event. I encourage you to experience it for yourself. Overall, a great race for a person looking for a great first marathon experience. This has made me excited to run my second one!

Not a PR course (the bridge at mile 3, wind on Belle Isle and inclines on mile 24/25 are challenging), but a great race and a course with plenty of character.

Plenty of hydration, efficient and well organized from top to bottom, great weather, nice people. I highly recommend this event.

Pluses:
Unique course runs through two countries. Knowing Homeland Security, I'm surprised they still allow this race route.
Well-organized. Expo, start corrals, volunteers, registration, website, all first-rate.
Weather: perfect.
Some nice sections through scenic neighborhoods, especially Windsor, Indian Village and Belle Isle.
Fire boats spraying alongside Belle Isle.
Mariachis and Polka bands.
You get to run through a tunnel!
Great medals and race shirts.
Fast, flat course (mostly).

Minuses:
First couple of miles through ugly industrial district with nasty gas fumes.
Miles 14-16 through ugly urban blight.
Ran out of small shirts early in the day.
Crowding and slowdowns on the Ambassador Bridge. To be fair, one lane was not available due to construction so this is not the fault of the RD. Still, it cost a minute or two off finishing time.
No Mounties. When I come to Canada, I want to see a Mountie. Would it kill you to have a Mountie in the Canada part? And no, inflatable ones don't count.
If you are staying downtown, there is NOTHING to do on the weekend. I felt like I was in one of those movies where I'm the last man on Earth. Everything in downtown Detroit is closed and the place is deserted. Except for the panhandlers, that is.

Overall, a very nice, big-city race. Very well done with just a few negatives. Highly recommended.