We decided to make the Seattle Marathon our Thanksgiving family reunion destination and we were not disappointed. We flew/took the train to Seattle, took light rail to the Westin, and voila, the downtown unfolded in full holiday spirit. The 5K was fun, and the marathon was foggy, damp, breezy and scenic. Running out to the tunnel was wild, and the finish through the aboretum was gorgeous. My husband ran a marathon PR. I would rate this course above par for an urban event, and the whole weekend of tying it to Thanksgiving was wonderful.

This race is very well organized, lots of water and aid stations, great volunteers marshaling. The course is a great mix of road and trails through some beautiful park areas. The recovery area had a great supply of food, especially the chicken noodle soup, and the results were available almost immediately after the finish of the race. A pat on the back to the race director and his staff.

As long as you understand this is Seattle in November and that means probably cold, possibly rain and lots of hills you will enjoy the actual race. You get to run out and back on the floating bridge, up the lake front and through the arboretum to end with a view across the city. The views are almost enough to distract you from the hills that come in the last 6 miles

Medal was pretty nice this year (2012) too.

However due to course logistics the half runners start (and therefore end) well before the full which means the end of race food is decimated for all but the marathon winners. Half marathoners fill bags, kids take snacks and some families stock up for lunches for the week.... after 6 years of emails to the race director without a response its clear this won't change. So pack yourself a snack - your $100+ fee isn't enough to pay for bagels...

It was my first time in the city. The course was beautiful and challenging enough. I finished on the slow side and the only thing left in the recovery area was water, bananas and hot chocolate, this was disappointing after being told repeatedly on the course that there would be pizza and plenty of food. Shirt was advertised to be Saucony, it was some cheap brand. Medal is ridiculously small and underwhelming. Bottom line, the course delivered, but the swag did not.

I ran 26.2 miles in Seattle yesterday in 2:39. Unfortunately I had to run 2.5 more because I'd made a wrong turn, which I realized the second time I passed the 13.1 mark. I had made a left back into the crowd, assuming I was supposed to join back with the half-marathoners. It turned out I was supposed to make a right, which I did the second time. I accept responsibility for making this mistake, but it is incredibly frustrating knowing I would have been in the top five finishers. I don't mean to make complaints. I mean to suggest having someone stand in that spot and point into the correct direction. What may seem obvious didn't seem so obvious in that moment.

After the NYC Marathon was cancelled, I was looking for another marathon to run. I chose the Seattle Marathon. I was a little hesitant to run it since I just ran Rock 'n' Roll Seattle earlier in June. It turned out to be a good choice.
The Seattle Marathon has a totally different atmosphere than a Rock 'n' Roll race. This event is put on by a local, volunteer organization. It is a medium size race with about two thousand runners. The two races are similar in a couple of ways. First, both races start and finish at the Seattle Center. Second, both courses run on the floating bridge and go down to Seward Park. Despite the similarities, the Seattle Marathon has a better course. It travels through a different part of the city and is more scenic.
Race day organization was good. The Center House was open prior to the start so runners could stay warm. The marathon start was separate from the bigger half marathon race. Course support is first rate with plenty of volunteers at the aid stations. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was the Recovery Area. Non-runners (friends and family) were in the Recovery Area and helping themselves to food meant for finishers.
The weather was cool and foggy, almost ideal running weather. The hills were challenging and slowed me down. Not many spectators along the course, but those who came out were supportive.
Overall it was a good race experience.

The Seattle Marathon is a great race for a runner of any level. There aren't too many people which gives a mediocre runner a legitimate chance to compete.

The course is very scenic and mostly flat. Yes, there are a few ups and downs and one moderate, but manageable uphill around mile 21. If you do your hill training like you're supposed to, this course is cake. I mean, what fun would a marathon be if it was completely flat? If you want a PR, expect a PR.
There are fans everywhere and everyone is super enthusiastic.

It is very well organized. The expo is huge. The post race food was perfect and plentiful - just don't expect a meal. The shirts are really cool and very comfortable. The design is simple and not too flashy.

Overall, I'd give the Seattle Marathon a 10 out of 10 if I were to rate it. I highly recommend it to anyone. I plan on racing Seattle every year for years to come. Come on down next Thanksgiving to run around the most beautiful city in America!

I enjoyed this race despite the rain because of its organization. There were plenty of bathrooms, aid stations, and plenty of GU. I especially enjoyed the fact that they were using bottled water and weren't filling up cups with a hose like other races.

The Kids Marathon was awesome and my kids can't wait to run again next year. Good job guys!
I only have two suggestions for next year. One-Please have more food available for late finishers. Those of us who were on the course for a longer time needed more than a cold bagel. I was thinking about the advertised chicken noodle soup during the last few miles of the race and was disappointed when there was none. Two- I would seriously consider using a different company for the sports massages. My massage was the worst ever and they were not very eager to work.

I can't wait to run in 2012.

This is an absolutely great race. It is well organized, has a great EXPO, both the EXPO, start and finish lines , are convenient, and course is great The run takes you through downtown Seattle, across a floating bridge to Mercer Island, along Lake Washington for about 10 miles through some very upscale neighborhoods, and lovely parks. The end is at the 50 yard line of a high school stadium. At times it is hard to believe you are major metropolitan area. One steep hill is at mile one and miles 22-24 have very sharp hills. The fan support is lacking, but volunteers are very enthusiastic. The only negative is Seattle weather is cold, wet, and windy in late fall; therefore, be forewarned. I seriously considered running the RnR LV race rather than Seattle. I am very thankful for my decision. Just bundle up for the weather and enjoy the run.

I ran my second Seattle Marathon yesterday. The race has been consistent in its course and its qaulity of organization.

The goods of this race: the logistics are easy, the start/finish are well organized, the course is interesting (specifically if the weather is good), and the temperature is consistently good for running.

The bads: there are few spectators, the runners are often rained upon (sometimes hard), and miles 21-23 require significant hill climbs.

I love this race but the course is backloaded. I was passed by hundreds during the first several miles but, in the last 7 miles, there were lots of folks who were struggling with the hills. It is definitely something to plan for in your training long runs.

All in all, a great run. I am not sure it is worth traveling to Seattle for this race because the weather is consistently bad in November but it is a great home town race.