Very limited spectator support once the 10 mile race ends. Sufficient aid stations. Small field which is both good and bad.

It was a fun race even with the strong headwind the ENTIRE way (but who can you blame for that). My fifth marathon and even with the wind I beat PR by 6 minutes. Crowds were small but high school volunteers were great, especially toward the end. My only complaint was that the bus transported us to the start line almost two hours before the race and there was nowhere to wait except for the bus. Being from S.C., I was shivering waiting for two hours, but the cool air felt great while I was running. 5 down, 45 to go!

One minor frustration, I registered for the 10K, however learned at the last minute that no finisher medal would be provided as originally promised in the entry brochure and couldn't switch to the marathon event for the same entry fee. I think the date should be changed to May since early April is still cold and windy!! Not enough portable bathrooms causing long lines and delays.

I picked out this race for my first marathon for several reasons: flat course, small field, not too competitive, and not too far from home. A tenacious headwind and my sore knees conspired against me; I finished in 4:10, a couple dozen minutes off of my goal time. Even though I limped in to the finish line, I had a great time.

The course is nice, starting in charming Cape May going up through the distinctly uncharming Wildwoods, tony Stone Harbor and Avalon, and finishing in Sea Isle. The boardwalk sections were nice, though the boards were a bit uneven in places. There were some nice views of the water. The wind was brutal. I was not expecting a stiff headwind for the whole race. Too bad we weren't running the other way.

Organization seemed good for a gig of this small size. Volunteers were friendly and helpful. Two minor frustrations: 1. the shuttle never showed at the host hotel to take us the 10 miles to the start (causing me to pull my wife out of bed to drive me down at the last minute), and 2. the line for the portable toilets was still long when the gun went off, forcing me to make other, uh, 'arrangements' which I will not discuss here. The aid stations were good, and were largely staffed by energetic local high school kids. They did a great job. The medal was nice. I'm still wearing it.

This part of the Jersey shore is a ghost town at the beginning of April; there were few spectators except at the finish, but the ones I saw were friendly and encouraging.

I would do this marathon again, but I would stay at a B&B in Cape May instead of at the cheesy host hotel in North Wildwood. Good luck!

WIND! From the moment this thing starts until the final brutal moment it ends, this race runs into the wind. The course is flat, except for the three or four bridges you have to cross. As the race runs parallel to the Atlantic, you will endure the usual ocean side-effects - briney smells, a gritty taste in the last few miles, and unsure footing on a lengthy stretch along the boardwalk. I applaud the organizers for getting the aid stations into an unusual competition (they put a bucket at the registration/packet pickup desk for donations, and the winner of the 'best aid station' gets the pot), and as the race goes on, the aid stations get bettter (oranges, bananas). And, my hat goes off to these wonderful people who actually KNOW HOW TO MIX GATORADE. But, this race is not for first-timers or those who don't enjoy a cold wind in their face. Oh, and if you need the constant cheering of spectators, you might want to look elsewhere as there are very, very few spectators.

The organizers did a great job. All volunteers were very friendly. The course being a point-to-point heading north, with a prevailing wind out of the north at this time of the year, does make this flat course a difficult run!! Sparse crowd for LONG stretches, but those that are there are very supportive, and all volunteers kept my spirits up. Will run it again, but will make sure I am more mentally prepared for the headwind!!

Phil Williams, Howell, N.J. My first marathon 4/1/01-I'm 50 yrs old--3Hrs 57Min.---I entered with only one thought, to have fun and finish in 4 hours. I appreciated all the people who came out to cheer and offer words of encouragement. I Loved running along the Shore(even though we always were running into a head wind). Crossing all those Bridges and running on the Boardwlk was a great break up to just running on roads---nice people to run with. Thanks for making my first Marathon a Great Success.

Très beau parcours longeant l'Océan Atlantique mais une organisation pratiquement non présente et un manque de spectateurs tout le long du parcours. Jeune marathon à fort potentiel.

(Ran in '99.) Organizers/volunteers eager to please. 20-30 mph headwind and rain in '99 thinned field and crowds. Found out first few aid stations had only water. (Don't know if that's changed for 2000 and beyond... hope it has.) Some decent scenery, but downsides of 'seashore' course include tacky tourist traps, iffy footing on steel-grate bridge decks, and dead fish/marsh smells. 10-mile race shares course/start time. I recommend staying at Tides Motel in (North?) Wildwood; owners really friendly to marathoners. From field sizes and growth, it seems the race fills a desire to have another spring marathon in the region.