It's flat, fast, and uncrowded. Put these qualities together, and you have all the makings of a personal record. The split of opinion about this race you may have noticed from other comments on this site really reflects the different marathon experiences some people are hoping for. If you want to run in a big city mega-marathon with lots of doo-dads in your goodie bag, marching bands with flaming baton twirlers at every waterstop, and enough fellow participants around you to make you feel like you're in a cattle drive, sign up for Chicago, NYC, or Disney. BUT if you want to run in a more quiet setting through well-shaded residential streets, run Jax.

This marathon is also perfect for anyone looking to really bust a fast time. I ran it in 1998 and 2002 and had significant new PR's both times. The course is as flat as everyone else says. Because it is largely out-and-back, it is very easy to have a sense of how close you are to landmarks. This factor and the well-marked mile splits make it easy to stay focused on your pace. It's also small enough that you don't have to trade elbows with other runners. For instance at the start, I was able to stand on the side of the road within 25 yards of the line, kiss my wife goodbye when the gun went off, and mosey my way to the starting chip time mat all in 40 seconds. I didn't have to do any weaving around other runners after the 1st mile.

Bottom line, I qualified for Boston for the 1st time at Jax, so I'm more than a little biased in favor of it. I think there are enough good qualities to overlook some parking and port-a-potty hassles. Run it if you are looking for a quieter marathon experience or really want to run fast.

The course is flat, generally shaded, and principally on asphalt roads, so it is fast, and it is in a beautiful section of town with many nice homes and public parks. The 2002 race took place on a cool, overcast morning in mid-December. It started in the dark, but there was plenty of light 15 minutes later. Overall, it was a very nice route.

There were very few porto-lets on this course (none, as I recall, between about mile 6 and the half-marathon finish line, and there were only two there, with correspondingly long lines; ditto for miles 14 to 20, since the course was basically an out-and-back). I ran this race about 6 weeks ago, and, sad to say, my most vivid memory of it is that of guys urinating on trees and women desperately dashing behind buildings. I also remember what seemed to be an incredibly large number of police officers, who were actually a bit irritating as they traversed the roads back and forth along the course. There really seemed to be very little need for such extensive police protection, since most of the race took place in a very quiet residential area, early on a Sunday morning.

The only significant group of spectators I noticed was at the end, where there was a large stadium with spectators, good refreshments, etc. An announcer called people's names and hometowns as they crossed the finish line to the cheers of the spectators. Other than that, there were very few spectators along the course - mostly dog-walkers, local homeowners, volunteers manning the water stops, and motorists waiting for a break in the runners. Frankly, many of the volunteers seemed less than enthusiastic. Ditto for some of the homeowners and motorists.

With a few more porto-lets (at least one every 2 miles) and some enthusiastic volunteers at the water stops, this could be an excellent marathon. It certainly has a great route.

Yes this was my first marathon so I am no expert but I can not imagine a flatter, faster, more scenic (!) course. The organization was great (plenty of refreshments including tootsie rolls, gels, etc.), map of course, local hotel shuttle, and a great post race meal, medal, and tee shirt. One relatively minor drawback on the course. The end, where I must agree it appeared they needed mileage, took us through a forgotten neighborhood jaunt at mile 25 (many, I talked with afterwards including myself forgot about this on the map) and it seems like we were a bit back and forth on the soccer field.

Of course at mile 26 it all seems pretty wicked anyway. No worries. Next year I will know. :-) Great marathon and memory. The JAX marathon will become an annual event for me now. Thanks to all the wonderful volunteers.

Final Comment - stay away from 'The Hotel's' Pre-race CARBO-LOADING dinner. It was probably the only negative experience I had the whole weekend.

I've run Jax about eight times. The weather this year was the best since 1992. This is a very fast course in cool weather but can be miserable on a hot, humid day. It's a good medium-sized marathon. Fan support is sparse but those out on the course are very supportive. The race was moved from Saturday to Sunday for the first time this year. That seemed to alleviate some traffic problems. Contrary to other opinions, I really enjoy the 'cross country' finish as a means to wind up finishing on the track. It gives the race a unique and memorable twist.

I was leary of this course based on numerous negative comments on this website. I came away thinking either they represented a conspiracy by disney , or they all ran it last year when the temp was 80 degrees and the heat index probably 86. This is a well organized, ideal course for a fast time given the right weather. Motorcycles do cruise the course, but they ensure a full lane in residential streets just for runners, a protective plus not a minus. The so-called cinders in the last approx. 1/2 mile is actually running across a soccer field( I used to play soccer) and a smooth path to finish around a cushioned track where the grandstands were sparsely filled.
There was plenty of water and poweraid, with gu gels at 13 and 18 miles, I think. Though I was better prepared for this race it was the fastest of three I've run this year, and all three were in good weather.

A very cool start, but perfect conditions for a marathon. Flat,well marked course. Support was very, very nice and encouraging but Could have used more. The soup and the huge bagles were a real treat. I must say, I met some of the nicest Local runners I have had the privelege to run with. Real southen hospitality. Parking was very good, Could have had more port-a-johns on site. The ending of the race was a lot of fun, finishing in the stadium. Could have had a better sound system to announce the names of the finishers. Very nice metal. Area near race has lots of nice motels and great restaurants. The suggested restaurant for the carbo loading was great (nice local runner owns the business) Overall, very nice marathon. Jacksonville is one of the best kept secrets on the marathon circut. I take it over Chicago anyday!

This was my 6th marathon and my 1st Jacksonville Marathon. The course was extremely fast and flat. At times, vehicular traffic was rather annoying and caused runners to break stride. Overall, the combination of the flat course and cooler temperatures made this race a great opportunity to achieve a PR and qualify for the Boston Marathon. In addition, the fans were very encouraging and supportive eventhough there were not many of them. The one major disappointment I had about the race was the last couple miles of the race. There needed to be a greater build-up leading to the finish. Instead, you were all alone in a subdivision running in a circle as if the course designer struggled to find 26.2 miles. The last mile led you through a trail with poor traction and muddy conditions. Finally, the last 200 yards ended on a track. Bad finish!

After running the Dublin marathon seven weeks earlier, I was quite impressed with this 'little' marathon. I was able to use the port-a-john before the start with no problems other than waiting in line, which is to be expected. The volunteers were incredibly helpful and supportive, especially the teen-agers. There was plenty of water along the course. The sports gel Carb Boom! was also in abundance, lasting even for us at the back of the pack. Loved the medal and the flat course. Spectators were few and far between, which was surprising since a chunk of the course ran us through neighborhoods. I was grateful for those who came out anyway.
I would not recommend this race for anyone who wants the hoopla of a Chicago or New York. If you're looking for a good, smaller marathon on a flat course, this is about as good as it gets. Unless of course, it's an unseasonably warm day...

This was an easy course proceeding through some pretty neighborhoods. They kept you off of main roads and secluded. Traffic was a problem at times and the guys on the motorcylces attempting to control the runners vs. the traffic were fairly rude. No spectators to speak of, some areas of the course spectators were not allowed due to the narrow road I assume. It was fun to finish on the track and I didn't think the soccer field and parking lot were that bad to run over. I would run this marathon again simply because the course is so easy and I thought the volunteers were great. Very small, no hoopla but well run I think.

This was my sixth marathon this year. Jax marathon has the potential to be great, but not as long as the course is an open course. The traffic was a real problem. Lack of porta-lets didn't make things any better. With some work, this could be a nice marathon.... I hope that the 'powers that be' will consider it....