I am a resident of Chicago who has run the Chicago Marathon twice now (2004 and 2011). My previous marathon was Big Sur (May 1, 2011); at a team dinner for ACS DetermiNation the night before the race, the organizers/coaches made the comment that Chicago was probably one of the best destination/big city races they could recommend , this from people connected with Big Sur, probably the most scenic destination marathons in the world!

I can't disagree with them, though. Chicago provides a beautiful urban setting, the spectator turnout is pretty strong throughout the city, and Bank of America did a terrific job of making sure there were plenty of volunteers, water/Gatorade stations, runner aid stations, etc.; clearly, they learned their lesson from the unseasonably hot 2007 race that was canceled midway through the event.

The mostly-flat terrain is perfect for those seeking a Boston qualifier, as well as for first-timers who are easing themselves into the world of marathon running.

My only complaint would be that the leg of the race that goes out past the United Center before turning back toward Greektown is tedious: I wish they'd reroute the course to go farther north along the lakefront or else bring you closer to the lake (near McCormick Place & Soldier Field) before the finish line.

This was my 46th marathon and my 15th Chicago. I wasn't even supposed to run since my blood counts are so low, but I knew if I took it easy with the great support Chicago has to offer, that I would finish. Thanks to Carey Pinkowski and Chicago. Thanks to Chicago Endurance Sports and Coach Mike Norman.

This is the best organized marathon in the country. It was rather warm in 2011 but there were more misters and water and gatorade I have ever seen. The water stops seemed to go on forever. The expo was great as it always is. I ran this race in 2007 when it hit 90 degrees and it needed room for improvement then, but it is so much better today. Congrats to Cary and his team. And thanks to the fans on the streets, it is almost impossible to stop. If the weather cooperates it is a perfect pr course. There is almost nothing I can think of to make this a better race experience.

I have only run two marathons - this one and the Marine Corps. The course is truly flat. The people are great. The scenery is great. Except for the heat, this was an exceptional race. And as a side note, I train in Florida. But I run before the sun rises. The chance of hot weather would scare me away from running this again. I do not see why they don't move the start time to 6:00 a.m. The extra 90 minutes would make all the difference. Otherwise, excellent.

Loved the race and crowd support. I've never been offered ice before in a race and it helped to hold 1-2 cubes in each hand at mile 22 until they melted. Cooled me off considerably. It was really hard to run through the water stops later in the race, with so many walkers at that point. Also, the Niketown and expo clothing prices were too high. I would think that the companies would want to get as many of their products out there for race day, as all the race photos would mean free advertising. I'm not saying give them away, but $80 jackets and $30 T-shirts? Too high. I also thought that the throng of spectators that packed the area just outside the finish/runner exit could have been dispersed. They were all obviously waiting for their runners to exit, but they should have been at the runner reunification area. The pack of people made the exiting runners neck down single file to get out of the runner area. I had to push thru, which was somewhat stressful immediately after running a marathon. I loved the placement of the post-race photo/backdrop. That's my favorite picture from the day. Also, there was a guy berating us, saying we all had to finish our last swig of 312 beer before leaving the area. I had 1 swig left and he wouldn't leave me alone about it. (I did finish it just before leaving; he just kept "reminding" me to do so.)

Everyone knows that Chicago is a world-class marathon. Everything about the race was basically perfect except the weather. It is frustrating that it is so completely unpredictable - one year in the 30s, the next in the 80s. But they did a good job of managing the heat and almost every water stop was perfectly staffed and ready. I really enjoyed this race and the crowds really are awesome and make it a joy to run 26.2.

Chicago really knows how to host a marathon! If you're into running, this is the marathon to run. I've runa few others but this one is THE BEST!

Be ready for variable weather patterns when selecting this race. Yes, the course itself is fantastically fast; just use a pacer instead of a Garmin, as they know the course. And, just smile a lot. There are a lot of funny people to make you laugh out there on the course.

I will give the organization, volunteers, and course five stars. I knew what I was getting into, so I should not have been disappointed. But just to comment, if you like running through mobs and stampedes of people, then this is the marathon for you. It is hard to keep a consistent pace. I guess I am getting too old for this type of marathon.

This is the third time I've done the Chicago marathon and it's really a wonderful race generally. Great course and community support, and perfect organization.

I will say that it's been extremely warm 3 out of the last 4 years. That's not the race director's fault, obviously, but when it happens 3 out of 4 years, it seems like it's no longer the exception but the rule. That's a huge issue for the many people who come to Chicago to run fast on a flat course in predictable weather. I won't be signing up for this one again because I don't want to take the chance on the weather again. It's unfortunate because I love this race. I'm sure it will still be able to draw record crowds without me. Thanks for a nice weekend of eating and touring though Chicago!