This was my 4th marathon, first time in Clearwater, and I enjoyed it a lot. A picture-perfect Florida winter day, AKA WAY TOO WARM to run 26.2; but hey, that's the way things work out. I was happy not to have the kind of wind we've had a lot this winter.

Race volunteers and especially law enforcement support were great -- they did a great job (including busting some idiots in a dune buggy who decided to gun it across an intersection in downtown Clearwater right through the runners -- about 10 feet in front of me right near the finish line).

I like the course a lot, especially the vehicle-free Taylor Park and Pinellas Trail. Let's get more trees planted along that trail! Whew! Sunny!

Beautiful medals!

Coming from Massachusetts it was great to run in shorts, a singlet and sunshine. The first 16 miles were OK, but it was the last 10 that were tough because of the heat. Yes, there were water stops with no Gatorade, but the Race Director took care of it in the last half of the course.

The police were the greatest and stopped traffic for you no matter how slow you were. The running starfish medal was real nice and the website was second to none.

I truly believe that the Race Director really puts forth a great effort. This was my 11th marathon and second in Florida.

I have read all the comments on this race. My name is on this message so runners can go and see the variey of races that I have done from Chicago, Disney, to a small 30-runner marathon. I always find it difficult when runners complain about small matters in races, especially the small races. The directors try their very best and they should be praised for their efforts. Sure some stations ran out of Gatorade, but not water. The line up for cans at races ia always long, no matter how many they have.

The races do pay a lot for traffic control. Personally I think that they should have used some volunteers at some of the crossings since they were not too busy and having one cop instead of two at some crossing could have saved money.

The race does not have a major sponsor like Miami, so the runners should bear that in mind when making comments.

I would much prefer to do small races like this one rather than Disney, even though I like lots of runners and spectators.

I would encourage runners to do this race if they are in the area.

Many others have commented on the lack of hydration and this caused me a problem, but I won't let it detract from a good experience. Despite doing much of my winter training in doors, it was tough for an Ohio resident to acclimate to temperatures in the upper 70's. My guidance to other northern runners is to give yourself several days to acclimate to the warmer climate.

Loved the scenery, nice volunteers, traffic control and fellow runners. Those of us at the back tried to maintain each other's spirits which always makes for en enjoyable experience.

I probably won't run this race in the future unless it moves to the fall. It was really nice to be warm for a few days, but the temperature transition was too great. Although I did not PR, the race turned into an excellent training run for my goal marathon in May.

First, I would run this race again.

O.K., let?s get the negative out of the way. You cannot ever run out of water. I?ve never been a race director so I am not speaking from direct experience but... How many cups will each person consume at each station? Factor in different consumptions levels for the different parts of the run. Then double. Running out of water and/or Gatorade can be life threatening.

As a volunteer, and I will learn from this marathon, always have a contingency plan ? what would I do if I ran out of water? Cups?

That?s the only negative, in my opinion. Porta potties? The lines at this race were no different then the lines at others races, Boston included. There are plenty of men and women using the Hopkinton bushes just before race time. Medals? I?d be bummed but would expect to get one in the mail eventually.

The course was nice... a mixture of nice water views and residential. Some boring parts in the middle but overall pleasant. Flat with some bumps to make it interesting. This is my 10th marathon and this course ranks in the top half, scenery-wise. I choose a race based on location and Boston-qualifying potential. In this case Liz, my sweetheart, wanted to qualify for Boston and I had family in the area to visit.

All of the volunteers were wonderful. As a race volunteer over the years, I know that it can be difficult dealing with runners who are tired and cranky but I didn?t see any volunteers that let things get to them. The police were great, attentive and knew how to deal with runners and cars. We thanked every single one along the way (well, at least until the last mile or so when we were extra tired). The bagpiper was great. He played our request as we passed by - a definite highlight for my Irish lass.

The start and finish were the best ? can?t beat the water. The group sing of our national anthem was a first and a nice touch. The course was well marked. There was never a problem with traffic as we were always kept separate by cones when we were on the road.

My sweetheart PR-ed and qualified for Boston. She was third masters woman. The emcee called out our names as we finished. Very nice touch. It was a very special day for her and our family was there to witness it all.

Thanks for the times on-line... both gross and chip ? very helpful and timely.

The bottom line is that the marathon is a selfish event. You are trusting in others but also need to take care of yourself. Be prepared for anything. On an extra warm day, carry water. Carry your own gel (I carried 4, Liz carried 3). If you are a back-of-the-pack marathoner or walker, carry lots of water.

If you're a beginner at the marathon, the Florida Gulf Beaches Marathon isn't a proper beginning. Adequate hydration was nearly absent at the first two water stations, and I didn't see a drop of Gatorade until the 18th mile. Fortunately, I was cell phone equipped and was able to plan for my wife and mother to meet me with Gatorade. The volunteers and police municipalities were excellent, thanks for the support. Given the temperature, I'd ask the organizers to focus next year on anticipating the proper amount of water and Gatorade at each aid station. Big thanks to Bob from Orlando who helped me through the race.

This was my 4th marathon. I was looking for a P.R., but due to my own stupidity (not eating properly the week before), I bonked at mile 18, finishing 45 minutes later than I had planned. Nonetheless, the course was great, the fans along the beach area were really nice and added a lot of encouragement.

Organization was great - except for the dearth of porta-potties at the start. Aid stations exceeded my expectations - none of them ran out during my running time of 4:15. The expo was pretty good for a small race, and the pasta dinner was excellent. The hotel did a nice job of that. The hotel definitely needs to learn that marathon runners need coffee - early! This was a problem in the early waking hours that we all know so well.

Overall, this was a great experience. I plan to run this one again next year.

This marathon was a lot of fun. The course was superb with a lot of variety. First you crossed over a causeway to the beach, then ran on the road along the beach (with condos mostly obscuring the view) for the next 10 miles. Then its back inland again before running on the reclaimed railroad track. There is also a portion that goes around a small lake in a park before finally winding up in downtown Clearwater. The water/Gatorade stops were plentiful. The 'hills' were composed of bridges, and not at all steep. I enjoyed the run, and only wish I could have kept up with the pacer for my desired time. I would like to run this race again!

The course itself was nice and the traffic control was great. However, three of the stations on the first half of the course had no water or Gatorade -- only orange slices. And gel paks were nonexistent for those of us near the back. Also, I only saw two port-o-potties during the race, but due to the lack of hydration, this wasn't such a big problem! It was a nice race, one I thought was supposed to be walker-friendly, but a lack of water is inexcusable, I feel.

Excellect course overall. The directors, spectators and fellow runners were all super helpful and friendly. Parking, registration and the host hotel were excellect. If you plan to run this marathon, I suggest you take a mini-vacation and plan an extended weekend as there are many worthwhile attractions in the area. I'm hoping to run this marathon again next year.