Being from the south, the weather was VERY cold, but I enjoyed the marathon. For a small event it was well organized. The course is hilly (especially coming from the flat lands), but manageable. It's difficult not to want to walk up the hills towards the end. The aid stations were a little farther apart than normal, but definitely adequate. The shirts and medals were nice.

Of the 11 marathons I've run, this is where I had my PR: 3:31. My worst time? 5:50. If you're looking for roaring crowds and chip times, you won't find it here. But if you want to run a race where the fees aren't a complete ripoff and you are running for personal satisfaction rather a glorious finish-line celebration, then sign up. After the race, there is a wonderful gathering at the community center, and the few yet very enthusiastic fans are certainly present where you need them. I just loved this race and will be back for '07.

This 3-loop course is challenging (far more hills than advertised/are discussed in pre-race discussions PLUS the Feb. temp./wind chill makes it an interesting race). Unfortunately the temp. made the water/Gatorade frozen and the HOOAH Bars (nice touch) were ROCK HARD. The race organization is good - the hill from 25 to 26 is VERY TOUGH at that stage of the race. Enjoyed my 2nd G-belt marathon.

This was my third marathon and the course was very hilly; nevertheless, reduced my time 50 minutes relative to the Chicago Marathon - it's hilly (bad) but also nice cold breeze (good), which offsets the pain (bad) and sweating (bad) associated with running in warmer weather. Their signs as far as where to run or where to turn suck - best that you follow the pack unless you are too fast for them - and if you are, why aren't you running the Boston Marathon?

Whew!! That marathon kicked my butt. Please note that right at 25 miles there is a .6+ mile long hill and it's steep.

With that said, it was actually a pretty nice course. The three loops weren't as bad as I thought they might be.

The fluids were good, the Gatorade came in a variety of flavors, which was nice. Not a lot of spectators, but I didn't really anticipate there being many. The volunteers who patrolled the streets and at the water stops were great. They applauded every time you went by.

The post-race food was also good... not the best I've had (i.e., Houston Marathon Breakfast Buffet, WOW!) but pretty darn good. They had PB & J, chili, soup, fruit, crackers, cookies and a variety of drinks (soda, etc.).

Race medal and t-shirt were average for a marathon. But this isn't your typical marathon. This has the feel of a small road race. Given that, the medal and t-shirt were exceptional.

Overall a very quaint road race. If you're not averse to the hills, I would definitely recommend. For those who don't like hills, it's still a nice race, you just need to be very reserved the first two loops of the race (through 17 miles).

This marathon was my second and it kicked my rear, due to the aforementioned hills and wind. It's a great course with excellent support. Gatorade at each water stop, and for those of us who are slow there was still support at the end. Will definitely be back, and better prepared for the hills. The course is great, it's as interesting as three 8-mile loops with a tail can be, and it's peaceful. The organization was great I have no complaints. The fans were the support, but I didn't run a small marathon for the fans. Still, the support was supportive and it made a great race.

The 2004 marathon was my 3rd marathon - Richmond and Marine Corps being #1 and #2, respectively ? and it kicked my behind.

I purposefully signed up for the Washington Birthday Marathon because it was billed as a small, intimate affair. It was exactly that. The volunteers were fabulous. They were cheery and motivated to the very end. For slowpoke 5+ hour marathoners, like myself, this was wonderfully refreshing. Due to the small field of runners, most volunteers remembered you from lap to lap and would holler out personalized encouragement.

The most shocking aspects of the marathon were the ?rolling hills? and wind. Whoa, Nelly! My training didn?t prepare me for three loops of up-and-down, up-and-down and my ankles, calves, and quads paid the price. As for the wind, let?s just say that sometimes I had to look down at my feet to double check that they were moving forward.

If anything, this marathon taught me that my current training regimen is a pitiful excuse for running. Putting in the mileage is one thing, adding hills and running in less than perfect weather is another thing. I don?t recommend this marathon for first-timers. The looping course, wind, hills, and cold weather could bring down the best of runners.

The bottom line is that this marathon will provide a memorable experience and is a great deal for $25.

As far as I am concerned, this race is what marathoning is all about. Three-loop course around USDA and UMD agriculture facilities. Sufficient waterstops (with Gatorade), traffic control and post-race meal. Medal & long-sleeve shirt (this year's shirt had 3 snowflakes covering up 2003 with 2004 underneath). All for $25.

Loved the course. Yes it is pretty tough by most standards. Yes, you'll most likely be alone part of the time. Yes, crowd support except for other runners and a few friends is nonexistent (I give it 5 stars because this race deserves it). Yes, it can be cold (and WINDY!). Yes, it's a small (100 or so runners) race. BUT it is a GREAT race. I can't remember a more peaceful stretch of road than Beaver Dam Road. Waited 3 years to run it. Thought construction would force cancellation in 2002, 20 inch snowfall the night before caused cancellation in 2003 (I think I may be one of 5 people with a 2003 shirt). Was worth the wait. Love it. One of my favorites and will DEFINITELY run it again. Watch the hill on Research Road at mile 25. It'll bite yah!

The course is a giant lasso. You run the 8-mile loop three times and make up for the remainder running up from and back to the finish line. It was my first marathon (4:16). That's good for me, but no land speed record. I had a great time. I would recommend it. It fills the niche for a low-frills, late-winter marathon around DC.

This was my 4th marathon and my hardest marathon ever. The hills were very tough and the winds made me feel like I was running in place at times. I am a slow runner and ran alone most of the time. They have an early start for slow runners, but this is not mentioned on their website, so if you think you'll run in 5+ range, take advantage of it.