I have run the half for the past three years and had such a terrific time. This year I did the whole thing and the first half is tougher but it is the best, scenic 13 miles. I absolutely loved it. The people are just great; they make you feel so welcome. I look forward to next year.

This was my first marathon. The course is set in the Adirondack Mountains and goes around the perimeter of Schroon Lake. Amazing views of the lake with the fall colors of the mountains for the backdrop. Along the way volunteers actually yelled your names to personally cheer us on! Small-town marathon with first-class organization and support.

The first half of the marathon is a truly humbling experience, not to be attempted at full marathon pace, unless you want to crash and burn half way through. Before running, I strongly advise adding some serious hill repeats to your training. Apart from the many hills (one of which could have used a Sherpa guide), it was a very relaxing run around a beautiful mountain lake, with easy access, ample course volunteers, and good crowd support. If the sun is out, you may even wish to swim in the lake afterwards.

This race is a hidden jewel amongst marathons! Organization is excellent. Pre-race dinner is exceptional. Course is challenging, beautiful and scenic. Train on hills - very hilly 1st half.

This was my first try at a half marathon after 5 fulls in very very very big cities and thousands of runners. This was by far the best of them for so many reasons. The 'vibe' this whole event put out was the best. I am a proud back-of-the-packer, and you would have thought I was in a tight race for the overall win the way the people were cheering. Quaint, wonderful, friendly town with people that remember your name and 'appreciate your business'. I stayed through the entire awards ceremony even though I wasnt about to hear my name...because I didnt want the weekend to end. Congrats to everyone is Schroon Lake, and see you next year for sure!

I stashed my gatorade along miles 6 and 10 of the half-marathon. I could not believe my great good fortune...they already had gatorade at every mile marker!! Bathrooms were never an issue. The race organizers thought of everything! I only wish they would open up the half-marathon to more people. I personally know of 5 who were shut out! Great half-marathon for me with some delicious food at Flanigan's afterwards.

This is the best race! I ran it for the first time last year. This year (today) there was perfect weather. The homemade chocolate chip cookies at the end - great touch! I went with my best friend of 33 years!! She ran the full - I the half. We both agree - the people there are the best! It might as well be family yelling for us - they make you feel so welcome!!! A very personal race that is so relaxing!!!! Love it!!!

I have run many, many marathons throughout our country and even two in Japan. The Adirondack Marathon is one of the best! The volunteers are real people and they are concerned about all of the runners. Schroon Lake is such a quaint little town and we always have our family reunions in Riparius. The Adirondack Marathon is a personal favorite. Make sure to train on HILLS before attempting this one!!!

What a spectacular course! Everything about this race is great: nice small expo, a wonderful pre-race dinner, friendly people, and the course goes up and down through very scenic woods and has gorgeous lakeside views of Schroon Lake. The hills during miles 4-12 are challenging, but beautiful and shaded. Miles 12-20 are flat, giving your legs a chance to recover for the rolling hills on Rt. 9 to the finish. In many ways, I found the course easier than Boston: you hit the hills early when your legs are fresh while Boston's are 16-21. It is possible to run a PR on this course if you train properly. This was my fourth marathon and I beat my best time by almost 3 minutes, and Boston time by 13 minutes.

To quote a recent newsletter article I wrote about this marathon: "I like the trend of marathons starting to spring up in beautiful destinations: Mount Desert Island, Maine and Big Sur, California to name a few. The courses aren't flat, but the scenery makes it all worth it. These races (and this race!) are why many of us run (the challenge, the exhilaration, the sense of accomplishment) and are presented in the best possible running tradition - unsurpassed beauty in a challenging and unbelievable gorgeous course."

I encourage you to try one of these races, you'll be glad you did.

The day was beautiful and the course was excellent. The course was much hillier than I had anticipated. I knew it was a little hilly, did not expect it to be as bad as it was. For the first half of the course I was on target to finish in the time that I planned for. The second half was much more challenging. I met many people along the way and they were very encouraging. I met another racer around mile 24 and his encouragement kept me going until the end. I would consider running it again, but I would train much differently. I would train more for the hills throughout the course.