I have run this race 4 times and it is always nicely organized and supported. This is a nice dependable race, always well done. The course takes you on a nice tour of Dallas and is well supported.

Great weather: cool, but sunny. Great drink stations, fantastic medal and t-shirt. Great expo and fantastic ex-top-class runners that can answer everything you need to know about the distance. Pre-race and post-race parties were a big plus, and all for a fantastic charity.

This is a fun race over a pleasant urban course. The run around the lake was nice. This isn't a terribly flat course, but it's not a killer. The organization was terriffic. Absolutely no complaints.

This is a wonderful event. I travelled from the U.K. to run the marathon (my 117th) and it was such a rewarding trip. The organisation was impeccable. Great touches like the cowboy on horseback firing the rifle to start added to the enjoyment.The course has a nice mix of terrain - pleasant suburbs, several miles around a pretty lake with, latterly, the Dallas skyline showing on the horizon. The weather co-operated with a nice dry heat(not oppressive). Highly recommended.

A great day... and a PR (3:58). This being only my second marathon I don't really have anything to compare it to (Cowtown being my first). What a world of difference... the split start is a nice plan but I think it would be better off merging with the half and full runners a mile or two later in the race. The F-18 flyover gave me chills. The fireworks and shotgun start from the 'cowboy' was a nice Texas touch. The spectators were wonderful along the way. I never felt alone. Water and Powerade at every aid station; I almost didn't know what to do...

The course was flawless in my humble opinion. A fair blend of the lake and city. The Dolly Parton hills were more gentle than I was led to think. A special thanks to the Cliff Bar pace team (4:00) and the relay runner I talked with a mile to the finish. Oh and one more thing: AAC bathrooms were great, and the stairs to the AAC floor were not as bad as I expected.

I loved this race. I wasn't sure how my training went, just because I didn't obsessively plan it out like normal, but I PR'd in rather warm (for me at least) temps.

Two negatives. First, did some of the many water stations use lake water? Some of the water or Powerade tasted like it was poured through some of my old socks. Second, getting food at the end was confusing for me, never found a 'bag' to put my junk in, and some mean lady wouldn't hand me a little box. I mean, come on, I just ran 26.2 miles. I couldn't put my Sprite, cookies, bag of chips and apple in a box and leave? No, well, thanks.

The best part, though, was all the food on the course, both provided by the race and by nice spectators. I don't think I've ever had so much to eat during that long of a run. The beer was a little too soon (perhaps I shouldn't have had three), and right before the 'Dolly Partons.' How about at the top of the hill?

Plenty of race officials, police (someone said they all volunteered and weren't getting paid, wow!) and volunteers. They did a great job, minus the mean old lady!

Not being from Dallas, I thought the course was very nice.

The last few miles you catch up with some half walkers, and get passed by 'relay' runners. You know, perhaps that could be a negative, too. Having folks fly pass you around mile 24 (as they are just into their 2nd or 3rd mile) is a little bothering to the ego, but oh well.

Highly recommend this race, and expect to run it again.

Overall, this was a great race. Good course- mostly flat with some moderate hills around 20-21. The only negative was having to dodge the walkers/slow joggers that entered in the half marathon over the last several miles of the course. Other than that, this is a great one. PLENTY of water stops, which was nice on a not-so-cool day.

One word of warning: Texas weather in December is COMPLETELY unpredictable. It could be 70 degrees one day and 7 degrees the next. However, the race organizers can't do anything about that. The only thing that kept this from being five stars is the fact that I had to dodge half marathon walkers in the last miles of the race. Overall, highly recommended.

I flew down from the Northeast for this marathon. I have to say that everything was very smooth and run vert efficently. I will mention the pros and cons of the race.

Pros:

1) Excellent set up at the hotel, was able to check in before noon and check out at 4 PM the next day for a one-night rate. Bus to and from the hotel to the start was also very smooth.
2) Aid stations were fantastic, there were plenty of them. I usually run with a belt that holds water, etc and I hardly needed it - I could have run without it (I could not say that about any of the other 5 different marathons that I have done).
3)The course was a nice mix between the lake (nature) and the city.
4) Decent size race crowd; it wasn't too crowded, even with the half and the relay, yet you were not out there alone
5) Listening to Bill Rodgers and Frank Shorter at the expo, who are two of the GREAT US marathoners, was extra special. The other speakers were also noteworthy, but these two were who I listened to.
6) Decent crowd support along the route, nothing can compare to NYC, but for most (but not all) parts of the course had some crowd support, as well as the music which included Christmas carols.

Cons (and these are very, very minor points):

1) The weather at about 60 and sunny was a little warm during the later stages of the race, but no fault of the organizers.
2) Perhaps could have more than two photo points (Mile 18 and the finish).
3) The expo seemed a little cramped.

Again the cons are very, very minor points.

I would have no hesitation to do this race again, if the opportunity presented itself.

I started running White Rock in 2001. This year was my 4th in a row and it is getting better each year. The course is the best that Dallas can offer. The race is well organized and including the half and relay, it is getting close to 10,000 runners. The spectators in Dallas are small in number (apart from Swiss Ave. where it seems every house gives their full support) but very supportive.

The race director listens to the runners and improves facilities every year. It may not be Boston, New York or Chicago, but it is great mid-sized marathon.

This was the most fun marathon I ran this year. The crowds and the bands provided great support for the runners. There where adequate hydration points along the course. I want to give a special thanks to the 4:15 Cliff Shot pacer. You inspired me to do my best! Keep on striding...