This was marathon #19 for me. I loved the event: great people and a beautiful course. I do not really understand how it ranks #11 for BQs on this website, however. When I took the bus tour, I knew that a BQ was not going to happen of these "mild undulations." The climbs into Beacon Hill Park, over each of the headlands, and up into Oak Bay Village are relentless. And most of the hills must be run on the way back again, and be descended of course (hello, quads!). I just don't want others to be misled about these hills, as I was. I run huge hills every day, I run hill repeats, and my mileage has been between 55-60 miles per week; but my legs were like rubber by mile 18, where I fell off my pace and said goodbye to my BQ goal for this race.

Having said all of that, I do recommend this race - it is gorgeous, interesting, friendly, and well worth the trip. Victoria is also a great destination for a family trip.

Expo: crappy. Speakers: awesome.

We stayed at Chateau Victoria, which I also loved: Free shuttle to/from the Clipper, free WiFi in our room, lots of space for family, a refrigerator in the room, a heated indoor pool, etc.

This marathon is a definite winner. The scenic course, while undulating at times, visually cannot be beat. The volunteers are fabulous and the aid stations are well stocked and manned. The race director even shakes finishers' hands as they cross the finish line. I have nothing negative to say about my marathon experience in Victoria. It was absolutely flawless and I will return again.

While I'm not a seasoned marathoner, I have run races in many other distances and I know what makes a great event. This was a great event. The volunteers and spectators are nothing short of incredible. The route is breathtaking and the start/finish will leave you feeling misty. It helped that the weather was perfect ('08 and'09), that I got a BQ, and that I won a door prize. My advice: sign up for this race, grab your beer shot from the Hash House Harriers (sp?) around the 33K mark (great fuel for that last leg), thank the volunteers, and show up for the awards afterward (great chance of winning a door prize). All around, this was a great event!

This was a very well organized event. The volunteers were FANTASTIC!!

I thought this was an excellent marathon. It is very well organized and supported. The weather was perfect, with no wind, and temps in the upper 40's at the 8:30 start. The course is not comparatively difficult, but it has a lot of rolling hills, so please be aware of that. The course is very scenic, with supportive crowds throughout. I would suggest going on one of the course bus tours on Saturday; it was very informative for me. Also, do not miss the Saturday night dinner/pasta feed at the Empress Hotel; while it may seem pricey ($35), it is well worth it and you will probably win a door prize.

I had a wonderful time in Victoria and the RVM is highly recommended

This event is a first-class affair. The course has enough turns and gentle rolling hills to keep it interesting and varied in regards to intensity for the first several miles, and then the run along the coast and through the town of Oak Bay(?) is spectacular. Well placed Gatorade and water stations. The spectators were sparse at times but were very supportive, calling out your race number, etc. Volunteers were informative and helpful along the course. Nice finish area in front of Parliament and the Empress Hotel. Psychologically it helps to have the course marked in kilometers, as you get rewarded more frequently for passing each kilometer instead of each mile. Victoria is an easy city to walk around with several very good restaurants. I'd recommend this highly to those in the US looking for a nice, fall, destination marathon.

Aside from the lack of music on the course, everything else was spectacular. Organization was impressive. The runners were very tidy, the organizers very efficient, and the weather perfect. As a walker-runner, the integration of the runners gave motivation for a fast finish. A must-do. A personal best plus a wonderful vacation. Who could ask for more??

I ran my 7th Royal Victoria Marathon in October of 2008, and this race continues to get better as it approaches its 30th year in 2009. Rob Reid and the organizing committee do a fantastic job and Rob personally shakes every marathoner's hand as they cross the finish line. This year they had we marathoners starting one hour after the half-marathoners and those in the 8K race; this meant that we got to watch the faster 8K runners come in, which was just great. I hope that this becomes an annual feature of the race. The weather was superb and the community support was, as usual, just excellent. Hats off to Victoria, to Oak Bay, and to the RVM team. Try this wonderful "destination marathon" - you'll be glad you did!

This was my 3rd marathon and it was my best so far. The clean, cool air, friendly residents, and varied scenery make it a must-do event.

The first few miles took us on a meandering tour through downtown Victoria. The twists, turns, and gentle hills kept things interesting. We passed the Empress Hotel, the harbor, and the stately legislative buildings.

At mile 5, we found ourselves in the green and gold foliage of Beacon Hill Park. The clouds parted and warm, golden light spread out across the sky.

The next phase took us into the established residential streets of Oak Bay. Quite a few local neighborhood folks were encamped on the ends of their driveways and in their front yards with noisemakers, signs, and refreshments. What the crowds lacked in numbers they certainly made up for in sincerity.

After we left the residential section we settled in for a long march along the Pacific on Dallas Road from mile 11 to 16 and back. Here, as well as throughout the rest of the race, there were evenly-spaced gentle hills to keep things interesting. The spectators thinned out even more and for the most part it was just the runners, the road, and the shore. It was a very peaceful atmosphere with the wide expanse of the ocean spreading out on one side and a winding road unfolding beneath our feet.

The crowd support picked up a lot those last few grueling miles, and were much needed! The heartfelt cheers and shouts helped a lot.

And when I crossed the line I got the most beautiful medal I have seen so far!

I ran the half-marathon with a group of my girlfriends who all ran the marathon. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and we really enjoyed our weekend in Victoria, BC. The course has rolling hills, but none of them were too difficult. The route was varied and it was fun to see the faster and slower runners as we passed them coming back. They gave us great technical shirts and very beautiful medals. The carbo-loading meal was held at the Empress Hotel and was one of the best I've ever attended. Thanks to the City of Victoria and the race directors for putting together such a great race.