Last year's rain storm was the first time I ran a marathon wet. It didn't seem to affect anyone, including me. It was a good experience! I am happy that you all decided to change the marathon course. That is the reason I decided to run it again this year. Last year's course (in my opinion) wasn't that great and I thought after the race, "Man, they have to change this course before I ever run it again." Happy to know that has happened. I predict this year that more people will be out along the course, because the rain won't be.

At one crucial turn the course was unmarked and unattended. Many, many people went the wrong way. I didn't get lost because by going straight instead of turning, I eventually rejoined the course route but cut out about 3 miles total distance. When I came to the finish line, I just turned in my chip without crossing the finish line. When I complained, I was told, "Well you got your T-shirt, didn't you?" Later I e-mailed the official website saying they owed me a free entry into next year's race. I got no response whatsoever.

My advice to anyone who participates is to bring a map or you might get lost.

What a friendly city. And the volunteers matched the spirit. The overall organization beat any of the other big-city races I've run in. It's always smart not to chart an uphill finish with a recovery center atop a mountain of bleachers.

The food selection at the end was great. I was disappointed that the clothing bags were left unprotected from the rain and got tossed around in the mud. Might be a good idea to have the expo/recovery center on concrete to avoid all of the soggy mess. Also, the goodie bags ran out; I didn't know what was in them but I would have liked the opportunity to find out. Finally, I love the quality of my shirt, but having 'finisher' on the back keeps me from wanting to wear it in public.

All in all, this was the best marathon experience I've had. I'm looking forward to next year.

The Olympia area is lovely to run through, but I'd like to see this course tweaked just a bit to 1) get it off some of those high traffic streets and 2) avoid the repeated sections. The traffic control was excellent, but it just isn't pleasant to run with high traffic zooming by. Those of us in the mid-to-back of the pack cringed to see the lead half-marathoners having to skirt around into the non-protected lane in order to pass the marathoners. It was equally unpleasant to repeat parts of the course; at ~13 miles you see the 20 mile marker - not encouraging psychologically.

I would also like to see a change in on-course nutrition. Unless you want to pack your own (which I did), there is not a carb on the course. Ultima, in addition to tasting vile, touts its non-sugar sweeteners, as if the last thing we'd want while burning over 2,000 calories is a little extra fuel. The post-race food, however, was the best I've ever seen: pizza, cake, a variety of fruit. Bravo.

For those who like the material rewards, the medal is simple but attractive, and the shirt is a nice duo-fold fabric with a good design. It's not covered with ads, which is nice, but I've never been fond of the giant 'FINISHER' they print on the backs of those things. It's tacky; if you're wearing the shirt, you finished; no need to go overboard bragging.

I ran the 2004 Capital City Marathon and really enjoyed the event. It's well organized and the volunteers were great. They had people on bikes throughout the course checking in with the runners and the water stations were well run. The sponges they handed out were a very nice touch. We stayed in the hotel right at the start/finish which was very convenient.

This was my fourth marathon and my first 'small' event. I had room to run right from the start. The expo isn't much but the people were nice.

If you're looking for a fun event and a fast course I would highly recommend this race. I'll be back next year.

My sisters and I ran this marathon in 2003. This was a well run marathon which was well publicized in the area. The course was rural in spots with beautiful scenery. The volunteers along the course were wonderful. The spectators, though few, were enthusiastic. The people working the marathon and the tiny expo were wonderful. We got our race results from the organizers before leaving. I did my personal best record time in this race. The weather was good and we had a very nice time walking around Olympia.

This is my first small (under 500 participants) marathon. I'm a back-of-the-pack runner who has done San Diego Rock 'n Roll, Los Angeles and Chicago. The run was well organized and the people very supportive. Water stops were well staffed. We even had the option of having our own beverage at the waterstops just like the elite athletes. Our hotel, the Ramada was right at the finish line and the food there was wonderful. The 'expo' and awards ceremony were in the park right across the street from the hotel. The medals were small, but the shirts were long-sleeve Duofold. Not much in the way of pins, patches and souvenirs. The course was basically flat ending in a long downhill stretch. The weather was great. There was even an early bird start and chip timing. The spectators who were out were enthusiastic. I recommend this to anyone as a great little marathon.

The Capital City Marathon was great! I loved having my own space on the course. The spectators were friendly and supportive, and I felt like I had many people personally cheering me on. It was well organized, and I loved having a cold sponge every two miles. It is flat and well marked, with staff and police officers making sure you were taken care of at intersections. I have run the New York and Portland Marathons, and loved the crowds of runners and people. The Capital City Marathon was more personal and I felt relaxed running with a smaller number of runners. This would be a great run for a first timer.

Relatively flat and a small, loyal core of entrants. This is the only marathon i've run where i felt i was testing my personal endurance rather than fight the crowds. Because the registration is moderate, you can break from the pack early and set your pace. Great water stations and scenerey is rural - look for the belly dancers at mile 22.

I really enjoyed the event. I wish the course was more scenic, but last year's earthquake changed the course. It was a perfect day to run a marathon and I got a pr. The water stations were well laid out and there were sanicans every five miles. I would do it again.