I came to VA Beach by myself from Minneapolis, MN. This was my first marathon and I knew beforehand that it would be flat. The weather was great for me (36 degrees to begin the race) since I had trained in sub-zero weather during the winter. The support was great and since there weren't a huge number of runners (around 3,000, with 2,555 finishers) it made for an intimate course. I ran it in 3:44:32. The four free beer tickets were great, and they gave me four more tickets free when I finished my beers.

Marathon #13 and my 2nd consecutive Shamrock: I picked this race as what I thought was to be a training run for London, but turned out to be a monster PR for me (by 31 minutes). It's a flat course for sure, with only a bridge that you cross twice as the only major elevation change (at 3 and before 10).

It was a perfect day to run with low temps and little to no wind. A few folks have mentioned how boring it was for them from 15-19, but I really liked the nice change from the boardwalk to the solitude of Shore Drive.

The expo was great and very easy to navigate. I probably spent 15 minutes there and walked through all of the booths. Post-race food of Irish stew and Yuengling was great! Unfortunately I dropped 3 of my beer tickets!

A recommendation is to find a hotel close to the start/finish line. I was about a mile from the start and half a mile from the finish, and it was absolutely perfect!

All in all, this is a great smaller race (2,600 finishers in the marathon) and one I'd recommend to anyone who's looking for a PR or a BQ, or both!

The one thing that I was worried about before entering this race was a nasty sea breeze, but it ended up being nearly perfect out. This could not be said for the 8K the day before when it was really blowing!

The course is flat with a couple of very slight inclines, plus going on the bridge twice. There is a good mix of everything, including the boardwalk, two military camps, the Virginia Aquarium, and a nice stretch of woods. Water stops are plentiful and the spectators are great, cheering for you by name as they put it on your number.

This is my second marathon and I was happy to take a huge chunk off my time, going from 3:57 last year to 3:21 here in Virginia Beach.

Great race! I PR'ed by 4 minutes. We lucked out with amazing weather - high 40's and not much wind. A little too sunny, but it was cool enough to not worry about it. My favorite stretch was actually miles 16-19 when we ran in the shade and there weren't any spectators. Felt very calm to me. The other parts of the race had great support! Fast course. I only ran into the half-marathoners the last 2 miles, but they were walking and not in my way at all (I ran a 3:17).

This is the fourth straight year I have done Shamrock and must say that this is a great marathon.

The course is pancake flat and well marked, with fully stocked aid stops and awesome volunteers. The finish line area is well organized; the only thing I would want is a little more to eat in the bag than a cookie and a banana! Kudos on the reusable goody bags and lunch bags at the end. If you need spectators to keep you going, there are a few, but don't expect a lot, especially from miles 16 to 21.

Whether you are a veteran marathoner or a first-timer, this race caters to all.

This was my 19th marathon and I loved the Shamrock. I had heard good and bad, so I was skeptical. After horrible, cold, windy weather the two days prior, we were worried; but you couldn't ask for better weather! It was in the low 30s at the start and low 50s at the finish. Minimal wind, except Fort Story. Shirts are nice, and the expo was small. I love the finisher's hat. MisseI m the stew and beer, but that was okay by me (this was my fault, as I just didn't find it). I cannot recommend enough to stay near the start. We were 1 block from the start and it was heaven to stay in our room until 15 minutes prior to the start. The walk division was well monitored. The course is flat and fast, and my husband PR'd.

The race was well run and the expo was nicely done. The folks around me were friendly and the course was flat, with nice views of the ocean, etc. My only complaint was the Springgate Marriot wanting me out by noon - four hours after the start of the race. So check the grace period before you decide which hotel to stay in for this race. I would strongly recommend this race!

Great race. Very flat. The pace group leaders did a great job. I was near the 3:20 group much of the race and he finished right on time. If you're going for a BQ, the pace groups will get you there.

Having your name on the race bib is a nice touch. The fan support is pretty good, especially in the first half. The fans are very enthusiastic and cheer for you by name. It's very motivating.

The second half of the race can be boring, especially going through Fort Story (miles 18-22).

Overall, it's a great race and I would certainly recommend it.

This was my first time running Shamrock and it was a good experience. We parked at a metered spot about 12 blocks from the finish and had no problems whatsoever. The weather was perfect; it had a flat, open course with little congestion (I didn't run into any half-marathoners or walkers until the last 2 miles); and there were good mile markers. I was surprised that the course did not have us run on the boardwalk for long. This is easily a PR course. My only complaint is that no one had a clue about energy gels at mile 16! It was marked as a gel stop on the course map, but none of the volunteers knew what I was talking about; thankfully, I bummed a gel off a fellow runner at mile 20. Post-race goody bags, finisher hats, free beer and stew were well-received! Overall, a good experience minus the missing gels.

This was my 24th marathon and my first in Virginia Beach. It is definitely one to remember.

The weather was gorgeous, and it was a real treat to finish on the boardwalk.

The only negative was that there was no post-race photographer.

However, the free beer and live music made up for that!!