This marathon had no major gaffes, but there were some little things that need improving. The pre-race expo closed at 4 p.m., which meant runners driving a long way had to leave early and drive fast. I paid online for an extra pasta dinner ticket, but there was only one in my packet - I had to ask where the other one was, and it was at another station farther down the table! After the race, I was in some pain, and I lay on the cot in the medical tent for at least 5 minutes before someone noticed me - and only after my wife pointed me out! The post-race party ran out of pizza early on. I had to settle for a bagel.

Worst of all: extremely tepid crowd support. Was the entire city visiting relatives out of town for Memorial Day Weekend? For those that did show up to support the runners, thank you - but there's nothing impolite about making a little noise. On the plus side, the volunteers (as usual) were fabulous. Timing and logistics were spot on (except for a few superannuated cops who had trouble controlling traffic). The course was mainly flat, and took in everything (downtown, lake, parks, neighborhoods). Fluid stations were every 2 miles - definitely a necessity in the hot weather (lots of sprinklers and hoses from the residents, which was really nice). Great technical t-shirt and buffalo nickel finisher's medal. Oh... and beer at the pasta dinner and post-race party (maybe not a good thing, considering the abnormally high temps)! Thanks, Buffalo, for a nice race. Just a few improvements could make it great.

I ran the half for the first time last year and had a blast; I could hardly wait to run it again this year! It was a beautiful day for a race. I definitely appreciate the early start so that we missed the heat.

This year was as great an experience as last year. I had company from my mom, friend, and boyfriend this time, which made the weekend that much more special. We went to the pasta dinner the night before and it was delicious, with generous helpings! The expo that day was fun and organized and a pleasure to go to. The morning of the race was exciting, the music was fun, and the start was on time!! I ran with my mom for the first half, and we had so much fun running near the water and in the shade of the park. The bridges on the last half were an excellent challenge. The cheers from the crowd are one of my favorite parts; Buffalonians know how to support each other!

It is a fast course and everyone I ran with that day was pleased with their times. I can't wait for next year!

Positives.
1. Nice course - seemed hillier than it should have been though
2. Good volunteers
3. Easy to get to and leave
4. Small size but not too small
5. Good New York State run

Negatives:
1. NOT ENOUGH WATER STOPS. FOR A MARATHON, PARTICULARLY A VERY HOT ONE, MORE WATER STOPS ARE NEEDED.

I have run at least 10 half marathons and this was one of the best. I ran it in 2010 and the course, organization and crowd support were outstanding. I really want to congratulate the organizers and the city of Buffalo since you have an event you should feel proud of....

This race seems to have improved over the last few years. The course is not flat and has a few hills here and there (mostly bridges), but nothing bad. Awesome medals this year. The only complaint I have is the actual finisher's chute. You cross the mat and SLAM... bottleneck. Maybe open or widen the area a bit next year. All in all, well worth running.

The race is run through the projects and the worst parts of the city. They did not order any small shirts, which makes no sense as female runners are typically smaller! The packet pick up was very disorganized. The medal is unimpressive. This race could be one of the best if it were organized better and had better community support. I am from Buffalo and run this race because it is local.

Another person wanted to know where all of the entry fee money went since the shirt and medal were lousy. I figured it out. I just received the "official results" in the mail today, and I can't believe that, in the day and age of the internet, that money is being wasted on sending out a book of results for a race that happened 2 months ago - especially since the date is listed as the 31st instead of the 24th (when it actually was) and the relay results are from a previous year! If you are going to spend money to send out results, they should at least be correct. The race was fun but could be so much better! Also, I only ran in the relay, but did so in the third leg and found much of it to be uphill.

I've never been to Buffalo, and this gave me a reason to go there (aside from visiting the founders of Buffalo wings at Anchor Bar). It's a small marathon with many local runners. The expo was very small, but the deals were great. The pasta party was nice, and a great deal if you wanted to bring your family ($5 for each additional person, and kids ate free). There are more half-marathon runners and relay team members than full-marathon runners. The first half of the course was nice - allowing us to see the city of Buffalo - and the second half was okay. You ran through the residential area of Buffalo. We ran inside a city park, which was a bit weird with non-marathon runners, bicyclists, and park-goers. We also ran on the side of the street next to a cemetery, which was also weird. Here are my pros and cons for this event.

PROS:
- Event organization was good. The staff and volunteers were very friendly and helpful.
- The technical, short-sleeve t-shirt was plain, but of good quality, with a small logo on the front.
- There were a lot more spectators than I expected, given the small size of the race.
- Not a very crowded race, which was nice.
- I did enjoy them calling out your name and where you're from as you cross the finish line.

CONS:
- The finisher's medal was light and small - not very impressive.
- Post-race finishing area setup was poorly setup, in my opinion, and small.
- My biggest complaint is about the FIRST AID STATIONS. Where were they? Were there even any? Staff and volunteers along the marathon route were NOT very knowledgeable when it came to telling me where first aid stations were. Many just said, "I don't know" or said, "It's the next water or mile stop mark." I felt a hot spot at mile 6 and was looking for a first aid station for either Vaseline or tape or anything, but not even ONE staff member or volunteer or police officer knew where the first aid station was located. That made the run very disappointing and frustrating at times. I ended up just running the entire event and getting the biggest blister I've gotten in any marathon run.

Would I run this marathon again? Maybe not the full, but I might consider the half or relay, since they seem to the focus.

Would I recommend this race? Sure, if you've never been to Buffalo and would like to run a small marathon.

Overall, an okay experience! John Beishline did a great job improving the Buffalo Marathon.

I was impressed with this race. After running Boston I was looking for the chance to run a faster time. This was billed as flat and fast and I was not disappointed. To the organizers, I second the need for split times. It would be great to have a 1/2 split. Overall, it's well done and I will definitely run this again next year, as the timing is perfect for applying all of your Boston training!

I enjoyed this marathon. I traveled from Virginia to participate. I was pleased overall. It was small and that made it pleasant. The weather was pretty good, even though we did have a little bit of rain. The expo, although small, was fun to pick through. I did not like the late change of course - especially since none of the maps were updated. I really like to review prior to running a race, and this made that nearly impossible. I have to mention the lack of elevation charts for this course. There were at least six overpasses in the first 13.1, and several overpasses and two lengthy inclines in the second half. Letting people know the elevations helps them decide whether it is hilly for them or not. I come from flat-lands, so any inclines are "hilly" to me.

It was a good experience, the people were friendly, and the scenery was interesting!