I have run this marathon twice. One year it was 35 degrees at the start. This year it was 60+ with 100% humidity, a fog bank and 15 mph winds out of the south. Bring clothes for all conditions.

The fans were sporadic but excited. The water stops were well run. The packet pickup was textbook. The medal and shirt were fine.

There are some changes that can (and should) be done:

1) Water stops and mile markers must be separated by at least 500 feet;

2) The course should be reworked to stay off of Route 17 as much as possible. The ruts are terrible, the scenary is boring (it is business after business), the car exhaust is ever present and some of the intersections and all of the business entrances were uncontrolled. I assure you no one would run on 17 for training purposes. Maybe there is a park or other non-congested highway to run through;

3) The marathoners should start alone, relayers an hour after the marathoners. Too many relayers and half marathoners were crowding the start.

Myrtle Beach has a good winter marathon. I hope it doesn't get too big by adding more non-marathon events, like the half marathon.

I have to echo what everyone else has already said. Great Marathon!

From the pre-race expo and all the way to the finish line the organization was awesome. The city did a great job with the traffic control situation. All of the volunteers along the route were fantastic handing out ample supplies of water, sports drink, and food. I did miss the ?Holy Water? the Catholic Church has provided in the past at mile 24.

If you are a potential first timer trolling for good marathon, look no further. The size and organization of the M.B. marathon will make a great first experience. If you are an experienced marathoner bring the whole family. There is a lot to do in Myrtle Beach and everyone will have a great time.

I made MB my first marathon this past weekend (2003). The course is nice and flat and covers enough of Myrtle Beach to be interesting for the most part. The volunteers and police, etc., were great -- plentiful, helpful, and very encouraging! Toward the latter stages of the race, the course goes through some areas with high traffic, but the police handled it perfectly. Fan support, though not high in quantity, was high in quality as the spectators were very encouraging, even to us slower participants. The start and finish at the minor league baseball stadium were both organized and done very well. I'd definitely return!

This race was my first marathon, and it was perfect. The organization was top notch as far as I know, with no glitches. The course was flat, which I liked, and It goes past the beach and through the beautiful city of Myrtle Beach, SC. The weather was perfect, and the wind calmer than expected, and no rain! The volunteers were incredible! They handed out water, gatorade, poweraid, gel packs, and encouragement the whole way, and the food at the end (Well, it is sponsored by BI-LO) was great (Cookies, Bananas, Oranges, Chips, drinks) and they didnt run out at any point as far as I know. Free massages were even available! Times were posted immediatly as they came in with little delay, and shuttles were provided free to and from hotels.

The fans were great, and enthusiastic and the community seems to really support the marathon. (except for those motorists caught at closed intersections) Oh well!

I've been in a lot of races, but this was my first marathon. This race was very well-organized and the support from the spectators was fantastic! The course is flat, with several scenic miles along the beach. I will definitely run this one again and would recommend it for any first-timer!

I ran this year's race, glad it started at 6:30 b/c temperature 55-65+ rose during the day, The fog at the start helped for about 3 hours. The course is flat and enough runners to find a group to run with. The wind was blowing some and helped the first 20 miles but btw 20-24 miles was a headwind and probably felt stronger than it was because of fatigue. Great race would like to run it again.

This was my first marathon. I was very impressed with the organization of the event, and the tremendous support of the police and volunteers. The pre-race expo was well-organized. The course offered the best parts of Myrtle Beach. Gels and Gatorade were in generous supply at rest stops. Spectators lined most of the course, more in some places than others, and were very encouraging. They even announce the runner's name and where they're from as each runner crosses the finish line... Bottom line: this is a great race and also provides a great opportunity to take the family and enjoy all the attractions Myrtle Beach has to offer.

I adored this race--it was well organized, flat, and great for spectators. Plus, volunteers gave me pretty much the best massage of my life at the end, with little wait. I decided to run after the deadline and the race director was very helpful in getting me in. The 6:30 start was a bit early, but the sun rose quickly and let us enjoy a beautiful day. My family was able to watch me at several points, and find fun things to do in Mytle Beach in the meantime. Free beer at the finish line!

After a miserable experience at Charlotte 3 weeks before, I was in for a pleasant surprise at Myrtle Beach. This is a well organized, fun marathon. The start and finish are easily accessible for friends and family. Lots to do in the area. They have activities for kids while waiting for marathoners to finish. Course is senic and flat. Support is fantastic. Volunteers are knowledgeable, friendly and can actually answer questions! The whole atmospere of this race is great. They even manage to keep the relay out of the way of the marathoners.

This is a wonderful race. Very well organized, good fast course. Spectator support was great, but I can only give 4 stars, since Chicago has better fan support. Saying that the fan suppoprt is not quite up to the support in Chicago is not meant to be negative in any way. The relay exchanges are well marked and not any interference with runners going the whole distance. On a lighter note, it is the only marathon I have ever heard freebird playing multiple times.