I signed up for this race last-minute after my original marathon got canceled, and boy am I glad I did! The course is STUNNING - easily the most beautiful road course I've been on. Don't expect to PR, but you'll love the scenery.

Organization was precise and simple, from packet pickup to the finish line (awards ceremony was the one spot where some confusion/time-wasting was apparent). The race went off within a minute or two of its scheduled time, which I consider a pleasant, if rare, event.

Volunteers were enthusiastic and well-prepared at the numerous aid stations; the kids who came out to cheer and hand out water were great. Not a ton of spectators, but that's to be expected and shouldn't be why you're running this race.

If you want a beautiful, low-key marathon, without the hoopla of big-city events, put this on your list. I will definitely be back again.

Great race, organizers, nutrition stops, water stops, spectators, hotels, restaurants. t-shirts, marathon store, course, awards and weather.

I have run 273 marathons and ultras, so I know scenery, and this is the very best there is. The hills are very tough and it was unseasonably hot this year (no one's fault).

There are minor organizational faults as in any race but almost everything is well done. Very few spectators but who cares when scenery is this good?!

In all fairness, this race is not a course for a personal best time because of the steep hills.

Finally, the race director has a wonderful, cooperative attitude that is a joy.

This is my first venture into ultra running, and it was an incredible experience. All of the participants and organizers were so supportive and friendly, and the organization of the events was great! I participated in the Triple Marathon; I found the first two races to be challenging, beautiful and just a little stressful due to the traffic and lack of closures or escorts. Friday was the worst, but assistance with traffic got better on Saturday with all of the cycling events going on, and of course, the road closure on Sunday was great! Amazing views, challenging, hilly courses each day, and beautiful, unique medals each race, not to mention the cool "Triple Marathon" tank and the Lake Tahoe Marathon windshirt! The VIP lunch was pretty delicious! It was well worth the money spent. I stayed at Camp Richardson, which proved to be ideal lodging, as it is a resort with lots of fun things to do the week before the race, and has a wonderful restaurant as well! Overall, this was an excellent experience. At the end of my race I saw the coordinator of the Triple, and I yelled to him, "Can you believe I finished!?" His heartfelt, "Yeah! I can!" exemplified the support the organizers offered the runners.

An absolutely amazing event! Bagpipes and a true shotgun start, perfect weather, a challenging course, easily some of the most inspiring scenery you will ever be exposed to on a race course and by far the BEST finish location for a marathon period. Wading out into the cool waters of Lake Tahoe is the perfect therapy for aching muscles after having run 26.2 miles. This is a course deserving of the marathon title as it will test your resolve on the hills; and these are hills worthy of being called "hills." The payoff is worth the effort. If you need to be encouraged by thousands of spectators along the route, then this race is probably not for you. I found the solitude on the course to be a bonus and I think it makes you appreciate the few spectators and all the aid station volunteers that much more (that is why I gave a 5-star rating for the spectator category).

The aid station volunteers were excellent; however, I gave low marks on organization for two reasons; first, the course was not adequately marked during the last two miles through Pope Beach (historic park area). There were some tape arrows at some intersections and nothing at others and no volunteers to guide you. This caused me to break stride on a couple of occasions, slowing to a jog to get my bearings and at one point I had to rely on a competing runner to guide me in the right direction (he wound up passing in the final stretch and won our age group). Congrats to him, but I am a little miffed by the lack of direction. The other issue was that the awards ceremony should have been emceed by an adult. No offense to the young lady who directed the awards, but it should have been more organized. The buses on race day were great, and as a tip, I would recommend staying in Tahoe City (at the start). I absolutely recommend this race to anyone who is up for a challenge and will definitely be back next year.

This was my 10th marathon this year. I'm a new "marathoner." This run was the most spectacular and the most challenging of the 10 to date. The hills are definitely something to train for and the altitude too. But the bright blue sky and views made it so worthwhile. Wonderful experience.

Well organized. Don't miss the sunset cruise. I waited til the end to decide, and I'm happy that there were tickets - it was wonderful.

Thanks to all who volunteered their time to help us reach our goals!!

This was a great marathon, my 90th. The scenery lived up to expectations, but I would have liked a wind-shirt that fits me. I took an XS and it was far too big, and I am an average-size female. At an expensive race, I would have liked something better.

However, the marathon was what I traveled from Australia for, not the shirt, and it was memorable. I didn't expect the huge climb at mile 15, and it was quite an experience, and so was the sight of those elite half-marathoners skipping up the hill as if it were easy peasy.

I stayed at Mont Bleu because I didn't like the reviews I read of Horizon. Mont Bleu is just as convenient, not too expensive, and my room was great. I got the shuttle van to and from Reno Airport. The only problem was arriving at Reno at the same time as the Street Vibrations Harley Davidson festival, so the place was jam packed with bikers - not the best way to see a place. I was going to stay a night in Reno but I packed up again and shot through to Tahoe straight away. Marathon runners should be made aware of this clash of events.

Course:
Very scenic; be ready for tough climbs and altitude if your coming from sea level. Awesome views of the Lake.

Organization:
Great aid stations.The crowded start and finish area really needs to be moved to the street for the beginning. It was almost dangerous.

Excellent aid stations with outstanding themes. The finish needs more stuff at the corral - a cup of water or two. Come on, people; give out H20 bottles. We runners are green and will recycle them. There may have been more stuff on the beach, but my legs did NOT want to walk around.

Spectators:
They were good to go where they were, but very sparse in many areas.

This is NOT A PR marathon or a must-do, but it is a good event with lots of accommodations in the area and things for the family/friends to do.

Yes,I would run this event again. I give it a B (84 points out of a 100).

This marathon is a great California marathon, and it's really scenic. I would definitely run this marathon again and again. I never get tired of it. The support is great! Train for altitude and enjoy the scenery.

This was on my list of marathons to complete and it lived up to my expectations. Lake Tahoe is amazing and the mountains are spectacular. The packet pickup was a bit confusing and super crowded. Excellent support at the water stops. The weather was beautiful and the post-race party at the lake was an event I hope I never forget.