This was my first marathon, but I was pleasantly surprised at the level of organization - including the on-line info, the packet pick-up, the frequency of the aid stations, the ice tubs, post-race get-together, and the overall attitude of the organizers. The course is a little tough, but the weather was great this year, and if you run a marathon for the challenge, then this type of course is a "celebration" of the kind of challenge that many of us look for.

I love this race. Ran it for the first time last year, and stayed for the pizza this year! Thanks, Shakespeare's! It was awesome. Local, friendly, and in fact, I adopted some fans along the way - a group of people were cheering for someone close to me and it was awesome to see them every few miles.

for a hilly course, it was not as bad as the course map made it look... running on BT 50K course in OH made these not seem so daunting! Hills are relative to where you train and live. i enjoyed this race. People were friendly and it was an "all the basics covered" kind of marathon.

It's the best of the Midwest. The variety of sensations coupled with the simple and pleasant approach of the people make this a signature race for the Midwest. The early start at 6 a.m. on Labor Day signal, "Hey, where else would you rather be than here - today?" It is dark and cool, about 55 degrees. I enjoyed the lack of pretentiousness or pomp and circumstance in this race. The approach is much like the first two guys who ran the race in 1960 - show up, go, then finish and shut up already. The course winds through the University of Missouri campus then leads out of town, following an old pioneering routes to the Missouri River. As the sun begins to rise you are passing cows and cornfields on your clandestine meeting at the old oak tree with your fellow Bushwackers (are we to raid Lawrence this morn'?). The last 14 miles winding through the river hills is grueling. You have mostly separated yourself from other racers and are now left to conquer these ups and downs on your own. The sun is beginning to be a problem, and it's likely that the humidity index is accelerating even quicker. There may have been dew or even light rain in the morning, so you are caught between shivers of coolness and wetness and bouts of baking and thirst. You need to be self sufficient since the water/Gatorade stands come only every 5 miles or so. (There are no fast food stops on the Oregon Trail.) The last 6 miles seem to extend the race beyond the difficulty level. There are two major hills and one last mile up a small incline. You have returned to town to celebrate your plundering of Lawrence and ready to make stock of your bullet holes and friends that you have lost along the way. A post-race pizza party adds spice to the event: they simply lay out pie after pie and you feed until you are happy. Add a pitcher of beer to mark the holiday. Epic race with many positive aspects. No negatives.

Great race if you're just looking to get out and run with some folks who love the sport. Small field, no frills, but all the basics are covered. The course is quite rural, so there aren't many spectators. Miles 20-24 are a bit bleak as you run on the shoulder of a state highway. The rest of the course is beautiful (and hilly). Heat wasn't an issue this year, but it often is. Post-race party at Shakespeare's was great.

On our drive home, as my running buddy and I analyzed the race, he finally summarized it perfectly.

"There are two types of folks who run this race," he said. "There are local runners, for whom this is a point of local pride. And there are hard-core marathoners who relish a true challenge."

That's right on it. I really, really liked this marathon. It is the full opposite of the highly produced, big-city marathon. It is organized by volunteers, not paid administrators, who love running and don't apologize for the toughness of the course.

Six huge hills and numerous other smaller hills are the key feature. I found the big loop portion of the race just wonderfully scenic. The ups, downs, twists, turns all made for a most enjoyable route.

This is a tough course. And I look forward to running it again. Thanks to everyone who had a role in making this a real gem in the Heart of America.

If you like small marathons that are challenging, and you want a run for the pure enjoyment of completing a difficult course, then this is for you. Tough hills, but great support for a small marathon. It's not a Boston qualifier, but it's well worth the effort to add this to your schedule. My daughter and I have run 28 other marathons in 28 different states, and we thoroughly enjoyed this challenge. You'll run with outstanding people who are there for the thrill of the challenge - just like you. Sign-up - do it - and you will not be disappointed.

When I was picking up my package at the Hampton Inn, I overheard a lady asking Mr. Hal Higdon if this race is hard. He responded by saying that all marathons are 26.2 miles, no matter how you look at it, and therefore, they are all difficult to complete. I have to admit that I have never viewed a marathon from that perspective, and I have a new-found attitude.

You can't beat the price, there are great spectators, and they give out a good-looking shirt and all of the pizza you can eat.

You can't get more for your running dollar. Period. The event is very runner-friendly and has all the ingredients that much "fancier" events give you for three or four times the price. I've run this twice, and I look forward to doing it again. The course is a toughie; such is the reason for doing it. Weather doesn't always cooperate either. Yet there is a sense of REAL accomplishment involved. Every serious runner should do the HOA at least once!

This is my favorite smaller marathon. At $25, it is a bargain. I ran it as my first marathon in 2004 and every year since. It is a challenging course, so be prepared for the hills. It has been humid every year that I have run it, and it's often foggy. This year was no exception. Some years there is also heat. This year was not as bad as last year.

The course is what it is, along some roads with no shoulder, but it is tradition and they aren't going to change it. The hills are what make this marathon interesting. It is not boring, and the course is very scenic - taking you down to the Missouri River, and then up the big Easley hill.

The organization is always exceptional. Being the 50th annual, this year the marathon was more of a big deal with a banquet and post-race pizza party.

This marathon is great if you like an intimate marathon with a lot of personality and an extra challenge with the hills, heat, and humidity!