This was my first marathon, so I'm not sure if my expectations for this race were realistic or not. However, I am very disappointed with this race, and I can't believe that so many people rate this run highly.

My thoughts:

1. First of all, I will agree that the high school students at the water tables were terrific. They were a great motivator, and it is true that you could hear their cheers from about 1/2 a mile away. The fact that they were able to keep this up for hours in lousy weather is really commendable.

2. However, I have to say that I am extremely disappointed in the aid stations themselves. All of the stations offered only Gatorade and water (no gels), and I found that the strength of the Gatorade was iffy. At some stations the Gatorade was extremely diluted, to the point where it tasted like water.

3. The race organization was very poor overall. First of all, this race was run a week after a major storm knocked out power in Buffalo. My family was contacted on the Thursday before the race to tell us that our hotel accommodations (in Buffalo) had been canceled because the rooms were needed for emergency workers. When we contacted race organizers to ask if the marathon was still on, to ask about problems that we should be aware of given the state of emergency, etc., they seemed annoyed that we were asking questions and did not seem to care about our predicament. But I'm sure other people in Buffalo had a similar problem - so why no guidance on the part of race officials? Also, it was very difficult to find the race expo in the hotel on Saturday (signs were few and far between), and the signs to the art gallery on race day were also few and far between. There were also no pace bunnies at the start, which may simply be because it was a small race (<1,500), but this seemed unusual to me.

4. The finish was pretty, with lots of spectators, but it was also poorly organized. The weather was awful throughout the run (some rain, wind, etc.), and many of us were feeling very cold at the end. Despite this, there was no place to keep warm at the finish line. Basically, you finished the race, were given a cheap plastic bag of food (bagel, apple, banana, chips), and left to fend for yourself in the rain. I came in much earlier than I had anticipated, and my family (and ride) was not at the finish line waiting for me. There was no place warm to wait for them. In retrospect, I suspect that I was mildly hypothermic after this run, and I am very concerned that the race organizers make no effort to ensure that people are OK after the run. We pay $80 for this run - can't the organizers 1) get a better bag of food (with something hot to drink, maybe), and 2) a hall or building for runners to relax in after the race? Paying to take a bus to the hotel was likely not an option for many people who were also expecting to meet family/friends at the finish.

My first time at this marathon. It was very enjoyable. Not too big, not too small. A nice sized crowd, and a very well run event. I dreaded the weather because of comments from prior years, but actually enjoyed running in the rain and wind, most of which was at my back! It's neat seeing the Niagara Falls skyline and the mist in the distance as you approach the finish. All in all a good time. As a Buffalo native, running through the old neighborhood was a nice touch too.

This is a nice marathon for those runners looking for a smaller marathon on a fast, flat course and who don't need a lot of crowd support.

The marathon course itself is very flat, potentially fast (if the weather cooperates) and scenic.

The marathon has a smaller field (typically around 1,000) so you don't have to worry about getting held up at the start, but you also may not have as much companionship on the run.

If the weather cooperates, the course has definite PR potential because it is so flat. I beat a previous time run at Columbus by several minutes. The issue is typically the possibility of rain and wind in October, so it's a bit of a roll of the dice -- which I guess is appropriate given that the event is sponsored by a casino.

The event is well-organized and the transportation to the start was no-hassles.

The crowd support along the marathon route and the opportunities for friends/family to watch along the route are very limited because the second half of the course proceeds along a single road that borders the Niagara River. That road is cut off to traffic and has limited access from crossroads that occur only every few miles. The water station volunteers are undoubtedly enthusiastic but the fact remains that the second half of the marathon can be a somewhat solitary experience. There is a nice crowd at the finish at the Candadian falls. The finish itself follows a slight downhill that allows runners to build up some speed before the homestretch.

Overall, this is a nice race if you do not need the excitement and drama of the 'big marathon' experience.

This was my first marathon, but I have done a few triathlons, and some smaller running races. Once I got to the packet pick-up, it was smooth and efficient. However, it was not too easy find out how to get there, since there were no directions to the hotel on the race web site. Hotel employees were absolutely no help with anything regarding the race. They would not even tell me where the packet pick-up was(I know it was stated on the web site, but I did not have that info on hand while I was driving there.). Every time I called, they would simply transfer my call to the Marathon hotline, which was obviously just a voicemail during packet pick-up hours.
As bad as the weather was, I did not have a problem with it. The first impression was tough to get over, because there was a harsh wind in our faces. However after mile 6-7, the wind was at our backs.
The course was decent, and it was amazing to finish at the Falls. However, the parkway is secluded, and closed to traffic, so spectators were at a minimum. Maybe that is just to be expected in a small marathon. I don't know what the reason is, but the lack of spectator support was detrimental for me. I would rather vary from the parkway to be able to allow more spectator support.
Water stops were excellent!!! You could hear the cheers from 1/2 mile away!!!
At the finish line the announcer called out my race number but some woman's name. I can't figure out how that happened, but I was disapointed as were my little children.
ABSOLUTELY NEED MORE PORT-O-POTTY'S. They were few and far between(at least they were not around when I needed them). I had to use a Burger King and several trees. When there was a port-o-potty at a rest stop, there was aften a line of 1-2 runners waiting to use it.
The expo was superb!!!

Although the cold and the rain could be expected for a race this late in the season, I was surprised that the water stops and even the mileage markers were pulled before the cutoff time.

I didn't go to the pre-race activites or take the bus, but everything else was great.

Number pick up is a cinch, the start area is organized, and the course is flat, fast, and well marked. Water stops at every mile. The finish area had food/water/Gatorade. And the medal was nice.

Spectators were sparse, but that was expected.

This was a great marathon for me! As long as you go into the race knowing that you are probably going to get hit with a little rain/wind you will be fine. The rain/wind only was bothersome at a couple points of the race, and other times the wind really helped give me the push I need. It was a fast course, and I got my PB doing this race. The drink stations are awesome and volunteers are so loud you can hear them from half a mile away cheering for you which is very motivating. Overall, it was a great race with great scenery, and the spectators are very supportive. It's a week before Halloween so have fun with it!

I just ran the half marathon yesterday.

As usual, the weather for this race was wet. It seems to be cursed...

I felt that pretty much everything about this event was good, but not great: the course is scenic but monotonous, there are very few spectators but the ones who were there were quite supportive, the first couple kilometres are too congested (two lane road for 1400+ runners) but after that it's a lightning fast course...

However the thing that stood out for me at this event was the enthusiasm of the high schoolers manning the aid stations. They must have rounded up the 300 most positive 16-year-olds in Canada and shipped them all to this racecourse! It was awesome.

I ran the half-marathon in 2005 and enjoyed it greatly, despite a little rain. The fans were great (although few and far between) and the refreshments were also great. However, I found the course boring. Most of it was one long road; nothing to look at but the river and houses.

I don't recommed this race for a PB. Apparently they have chosen the rainy season for the date. Running into the rain with big winds is the same as running an uphill course. If you are good at hills and like hypothermic races, then this is the one for you. This could be avoided if the race was run in reverse so that the wind was with you, or if the date was two weeks earlier. However, my understanding is that the date fits the race director's life. If you want to do this one for the experience, then do it soon because I can't see it lasting more than a few more years due to the negative conditions, which also leads to a lack of crowd support.