You will love this marathon. Where else can you get big-time organization, great competition, and be able to stroll out of the expo to the start line 10 minutes before the race? Fast course is great for first-time marathoners and BQers. This was my 6th marathon this year and I ran a huge PR. Nice small expo. Packet pick up stays open 'til 9 p.m. the night before and re-opens on the morning of the race - a HUGE plus for travelers!

I was able to use the Rocket City Marathon to get the state of Alabama - and I am glad that I chose this one. The whole weekend was great. I stayed at the host hotel, and the expo, pre-race dinner, start/finish lines, awards ceremony, and post-race dinner were all there! The course was flat for the most part - the weather was great. If I wasn't trying to do 50-states, I would definitely return. The only downside is that the crowd support is minimal, but I prefer the smaller marathons to the mega-marathons.

This was my third marathon, and second in 6 weeks. The course rolls, but there were no major hills. The expo was small, but the organization was good. Volunteers were excellent and very sincere in their commitment to making this a runner's marathon. There were not a lot of spectators, but those on the course were enthusiastic. Traffic control was excellent. I enjoyed the race, and had a PR at 3:16. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-run, small marathon.

This was my third Huntsville Marathon. The weather was perfect as was the course. The race officals make a big deal about starting on time and we the runners appreciate that very much. This year the starter also made a big deal about not wearing headphones. He told us if you were caught by officals you would not be able to return next year. This course is a safe course to run, so I guess it's the liability. So if you are used to running with headphones, you might want to skip this one. The crowds are small, but the folks out there really cheered the runners on. The finish is one of the best out there.

PROS
Flat course, safe course, great finish, time called out at every mile.

CONS
No headphones, course measured a bit long every year.

Wow, you couldn't ask for a better marathon experience! This was my 18th marathon and I would honestly rank it as one of my favorites. From the efficient race packet pickup to the extremely plentiful buffet food line after the race to the caring support of the finish line personnel, this race was top-notch!

I mean, how cool is it that you could hang out both pre-race and post-race in the comfortably warm host hotel? The disposable timing chips were a nice touch as well, enabling runners with "jelly legs" at the finish to focus on getting their bearings rather than fumbling to get their chip off.

Another huge plus for the race was the free massage at the end. I have had a number of massages after races, but this one was definitely the best. These folks definitely knew how to give a thorough massage to work out the lactic acid.

Besides the slight wind that occasionally blew during the race, the conditions were ideal for running a marathon with temps in the 30's and 40's throughout the race. This is definitely a PR course if you train well and in cooler temps. Although personally missing a PR by about 3 minutes with a 2:59, this was due to this being my 4th marathon this year and my lack of extensive training versus any difficulty of the course. In fact, this course, with its relative flatness, lends itself to PRs.

Summing up this race, all I can say is YOU MUST DO THIS MARATHON!! This is a great race for first-timers, 50-staters, or PR-seekers. Trust me; you will not be disappointed.

I have run the big ones - Boston, Chicago, New York and Marine Corps - but there is something very nice about a well run smaller marathon too! This is a well organized, friendly race event on a very easy course. It's also nice to run a race where you don't have to worry about falling at races where there are so many runners all bunched up at the start line and without the few at those big events that feel the need to dart across in front of you and cause near accidents. Another plus: with the smaller entry field of this one, there is no great difference between the chip time and the official time because it doesn't take 5 minutes to get to the start line. I would definitely run it again. A bit more race memorabilia would be nice, though - like a glass beer mug with the race logo and a polo-type shirt.

Great organization, great course, great weather! I enjoyed every minute of it. The pre- and post-race meals were also worth every penny. Thanks for putting on a such a good race.

I had a great time. I made this just a day trip, so I did not get the chance to explore Huntsville at all. Spectators are limited, but the ones that do come out are great!! The course is very well marked, both with permanent paint and volunteers at every turn. I ran a 5+-minute PR and placed in the top 15 overall (6+-minutes faster than I ran in Chicago). Weather was perfect here. The finish area leads you right into a massage, food, and a warm area - great idea. My only recommendation would be at the aid stations to put the Gatorade on one table and then the water on the same side of the street about 100 meters down the road, so people can use both if they need to.

This marathon will give you a great running experience with no hassles. Registration was easy. Expo, packet pick up, race start, and finish line all take place at the same hotel, which makes it very convenient if you are coming from out of town. It is a huge plus to be able to stay inside until right before the race starts and be able to go inside a warm hotel right after finishing instead of having to stand around outside in the cold. Everything was well organized, the course was pleasant and flat, and the volunteers and spectators were very enthusiastic. Police and volunteers did a great job of keeping the course clear. The food line at the end was a little slow, but food was plentiful and there was a good variety. I especially appreciated the hot soup. Another nice touch was having volunteers ready to fix your bagel for you (plenty of choice for spreads) instead of grabbing one out of a box. The shirt is a Nike tech shirt, the medal is nice, and you get a finisher's hat. Overall, a great experience!!

This was a very good small marathon. The small ones are SO much better than the big ones. Very organized, very friendly volunteers, and a flat course. The only thing is: runners need a beer after the marathon!! Where was the beer? They did have a great tech shirt and very cool cap. Pretty nice medal too. I'm glad I did this marathon!