It was a great pleasure to be involved with this well-organized marathon. I am a part of Team Diabetes Canada. I participated in the half marathon and finished within a decent time considering it was a bit of a hilly course than I expected and the headwinds we faced when we were running beside the water. We were blessed with a beautiful day, which was not what I had anticipated at all. I expected it would be raining and what a pleasant surprise when the sun appeared. Overall I would recommend others to enjoy the experience of being part of this marathon. The people are wonderful and supportive in Reykjavik.

The course was very nice, and we had great weather. Better, than I think they've had in years!

There were lots of supportive fans on the course, but I found overall, there were many that said nothing as we ran by, and there were long stretches with no one around. It would have been nice to have more cheering.

Even if you're a 5-hour marathoner, you can live out you fantasy of leading the pack by starting a hour early with the charity runners. A young woman, a first-timer, passed me at the 7K mark and took away my lead and my bicycle escort. I went off course for 15 minutes and finished in my usual time. What the race lacks in sentries for direction and traffic control, it makes up for in scenic beauty and the magic of Iceland.

This was my 5th marathon (I ran 4 and worked at an aid station at another), so I'm not much of an expert; but I really enjoyed the race. Unlike past years, the weather was perfect for running with clear skies, only a hint of a breeze, and the temperature was about 55-60 degrees. The weather here can be very unpredictable; we were pretty lucky this year. I enjoy international marathons because of the diverse nationalities represented; I chatted with runners from Canada, Italy, the USA, the UK, and Iceland.

I found the course to be fast, with only a few moderate hills. The majority of the course was on foot paths and bike trails through parkland or following the shoreline of the peninsula on which the Reykjavik is situated. I found the course to be very scenic; where else can you see a stainless sculpture of an extinct Great Awk standing hauntingly alone in the off shore tidepools. The fan support was good, with local residents beating on pots and pans while others shouted encouragement or applauded. The number of spectators was low; but then again, the weather was great, so probably a lot of the locals were out of town enjoying a rare sunny and warm summer weekend.

It was my first metric marathon; luckily I printed out a pace strip in kilometers. It was worth it! Each of the 42 kilometers of the race was marked with a numbered traffic cone. I preferred having 42 reference points to gauge my pace and progress to the 25 reference points offered in non-metric courses. The aid stations were located every 5 kilometers and I think there were WCs spread out in 3-4 locations.

I do have one cautionary note about the cost of living here in Iceland; it's very expensive! Meals can run $40-50; so expect to pay 'airport prices' for just about everything. Also there was a glitch with the chip computer that delayed race registration about 3 hours, but that stuff can happen. All in all, I thought it was a well run marathon for its small size. I recommend it.

The best features of this marathon include:

Nice course, with the exception of one poorly marked area through a neighborhood. Much of the race was run on great pedestrian paths, with views of the city and the water;

Predictably cool weather. The entire week saw temps that rarely ventured away from the mid-50's - day or night. The unpredictable feature was rain. Reykjavik seems to be able to generate showers on a whim;

Getting out of Reykjavik puts you in an incredibly pristine and beautiful environment;

The thermal baths (especially the Blue Lagoon) are perfect for post-marathon legs; and

I finally know how to spell Reykjavik.

This was my first international marathon (with Marathon Tours) and I had a great time! My only expectation going into this was that 'it could be cold, so bring a running jacket and gloves just in case!' I was right... I used them both and was still cold! What I learned is that Iceland's weather is very unpredictable... and the day of the marathon was not exactly a good weather day. The course was relatively flat, with some rain and very blistery wind at some points. Since there are not a whole lot of people in this marathon you may find yourself running alone at some points. No spectators around - kind of like going out on a long run on Sunday. Really, the only negative was that at the end of the race there were only bananas ('where's the spread we usually see?!'). Aside from the marathon, this country is truly fascinating... and the Blue Lagoon will make you feel wonderful after the marathon!

This is a small marathon with all that typically means very few spectators and rudimentary organization. That said, they did well for something this scale. The city itself is worth the visit and the Icelandic countryside (not showcased by the marathon) is superb. You are more likely to be bothered by rain than heat, and that rain is typically gentle (more drizzle than rain this year). There were chunks of the loop course in which the wind was annoying, but you know you are going to be taking chances with the weather in a North Atlantic venue. The marathon met my expectations and more, but this is not where I would send the first-time marathoner unless he (or she) was running with a group. I will think seriously of returning another year.

A fairly flat new course with a few drags, and a small second loop near the finish. Great sea views of mountains, but the inner portion is a bit bland. A laid back, small marathon with not many fans, but the Icelanders are a very welcoming people and the city is the safest I have ever been to.
A bonus was the race coincided with culture night in Reyljavik with lots to entertain you.

A fairly flat new course with a few drags, and a small second loop near the finish. Great sea views of mountains, but the inner portion is a bit bland. A laid back, small marathon with not many fans, but the Icelanders are a very welcoming people and the city is the safest I have ever been to.
A bonus was the race coincided with culture night in Reyljavik with lots to entertain you.

A fairly flat new course with a few drags, and a small second loop near the finish. Great sea views of mountains, but the inner portion is a bit bland. A laid back, small marathon with not many fans, but the Icelanders are a very welcoming people and the city is the safest I have ever been to.
A bonus was the race coincided with culture night in Reyljavik with lots to entertain you.