I have now completed 52 marathons in many towns/cities, and this should give me the right to make good assessment of marathon races.

Erie is probably one of the three best races in terms of value for money. Not sure where it was in the recent Runner's World poll, but it should be in the three best. For starters, Erie is the cheapest race in the world at $40, and for that you get a nice long-sleeved tech shirt and a pair of socks. (I have suggested that they raise the fees a bit and get a breathable cap instead.) You also get a nice reusable bag and sometimes they put a little gadget in the bag.

The expo is small, with about three vendors (not sure of the logistics, but maybe they can try to attract some more vendors - even arts and craft vendors). The more vendors, the better for me, since it enables me to pass some time before the race.

The pasta dinner, at $7, is an unbelievable bargain and it is very good. I have had pasta dinner at Radisson for $15 and it was horrible.

The race is 2 laps around the park and it has to be somewhat scenic since the lake is always on one side. There are gels on the course and restrooms are not a problem because of the park system.

The finish line food has to be the best of any race that I have done. There are Subway subs; cookies; Panera buns; fruit; chips; salad; coffee; pop; and on and on. You will never be hungry. There was lots of food left over also.

Another post mentioned that there will be a ceramic medal this year and it is breakable but it is unique. Big Sur gives you a ceramic medal and I think that this is one of the best medals that I have so far. Disney's medal is also good, but look at the costs.

There are not many spectators in this race (it is in a park), so bring your family and they can cheer you on at least at four points. The big races, like Chicago, NYC etc., have more spectators and hype, but they are far more expensive (fees; hotels; race; food; etc). These races need to charge high fees to pay for the elite runners, who the average runner does not care about and does not know. Erie treats you like a friend unlike other races that treat you like a number for your money.

Why should you do this race instead of other races: As I said before, it is cheap; you get good value for money; it is relatively small; it has good organization; and you can really meet and talk to runners here since you see them over again. Do the half if you are training for an October marathon. Not sure why this race is not more walker-friendly, especially in the half, since it is in a park. The slow marathon folks can use the side to finish. I know that they probably have park limits, but it is quiet in the park at this time of year. I am slow runner and getting slower all the time due to age. Unfortunately, I cannot do this year's race do to other commitments but hope to be back in 2011.

This marathon is well run and very spectator-friendly. The course is flat and a nice playground for the kids. I would highly recommend this.

For the number of runners and different races going on at the same time (5K, walk, half and full marathon), there was very little trouble with congestion and direction.

The course is a beautiful run and makes for the perfect first marathon or qualifier.

The one thing I don't understand is the choice of finisher medal. In 2009, it was made of glass... maybe to look like beach glass? I remember crossing the finish line and seeing the ground littered with broken glass. One woman dropped her medal right in front of me because she was so exhausted. Now I hear this year it's going to be ceramic. That's the only part of the race I can't understand. A thin glass or ceramic medal for a marathon seems too fragile.

It's a small point. I couldn't have asked for a better race for my first marathon.

This was marathon number 17 for me and I rank this one very high on my list. Flat, scenic, enjoyable course at Presque Isle State Park along Lake Erie, well organized and friendly race, and a great course for a PR (if the weather cooperates). It wasn't my best day, but I really enjoyed Erie overall. My expectations were exceeded all around and I would run this race again in a heartbeat. Great race and a well-kept secret! Nice job, Erie, PA....

Now the course/race... they're ok. It's a small race, with a looped course. It seems like a lot of thought was put in by the director to make the runners as comfortable as possible. The course was kind of boring, but it was convenient to see it twice, and it was very pretty. Ending a race on the beach is always a plus!!!

This race is probably the best I've ever seen as far as support, (huge) number of volunteers, frequency of aid stations, and quality of the race in general. Not only is it very scenic, but it feels great to have so many people staffing the aid stations, registration, etc. Nothing seems to be an afterthought.

This is a very well run event on a flat course. I didn't feel that you needed the spectators, with the water stops at every mile. I would strongly suggest that anyone who would like to PR run this course, as I was able to PR here. The only con I have is that the parking is cumbersome.

This is an excellent marathon on a nice, flat course. Nothing fancy here. The people were all very friendly and supportive. There were not a lot of spectators along the course but lots of cheering at the finish. I've run big-city races, including Boston, and would definitely recommend this low-key marathon. I'll be back.

I'm trying to do all 50 states and thought this would be another so-so marathon, but this one had it all. I thought the Heed on the course and the 180 Energy Drinks at the finish were amazing. It was flat and scenic the whole way through. I wasn't too worried about the double loop - two loops or not, the last few miles always hurt. Best part: after the finish, take your bagel and 180 and walk into Lake Erie on the beach and cool off. Thanks for all the food and drinks; there was tons of food.

I drove six hours to run Erie based on comments I read here, and I was not disappointed. The race is well organized, from packet pick-up and the tasty pasta dinner, to race morning and post-race support. The home-cooked dinner was good, the staff friendly, and the local runners welcoming. On race morning, it was easy to get ready for the race and the start was timely and efficient.

This year, the weather cooperated, with high-50's at the start and mid-60's at the finish. The course is attractive, flat, and easy to navigate, though I do wish there were less pavement. Most of the course is tree-lined and in many places runners can look out over Lake Erie. In my view, the best part of the race was the presence of many water stops. There were 11 stops on this two-lap course, meaning water and Heed were available in 22 places! The stops were supported by local volunteers and each had a theme, something that helped take one's mind off of the mounting miles. In general, the volunteers were loud and very supportive, which is important given that for much of the distance there are few supporters, if any. That said, the folks who were present at the start and finish were raucous, which made for enjoyable and memorable reaches across the line. The post-race food was plentiful and good.

All in all, this was a really enjoyable race. I met so many helpful, friendly people, something that does not often happen in the big races. Kudos to the Erie folks for putting on a good race.