The furthest distance travelled ever for a marathon run, being bounced off continents, must be mad. Ferry across the harbour to start was just amazing, then to come running back over the harbour bridge added to its scenery. That nasty hill at around thirty odd kilometres must be someone's idea of a bad joke. Overall, pretty good, although I did witness one fellow jump into the sea as we ran along the coast road, crazy or what! Reception after at City Hall exceptional, they gave me a huge bag of gifts, thank-you Mayor Christine Fletcher.

Actually I ran the half marathon. The course was shared with the marathon course too.

Good things:
- Nice but rather difficult course
- Nice weather
- Unique ferry travel to the start
- Nice volunteers

Bad things:
- Water station placed on every 5km. It should be placed at least on every 2 miles (3.2km)
- Very early start and yet short traffic cut off times
- No kilometers marks from km 13th till km 16th (bridge crossing)
- Poor variety of food (I could see bananas only) in the finish area

I'd like to do it again, but I'd like to see some of the above mentioned things improved.

Race could have been good had it not been for the fact that 1,000+ of the runners (including me) missed the start due to the fact that there weren't enough ferries from Auckland City to Devenport. I started 20 minutes late and I wasn't even on the last ferry. The response to my complaint on this matter was very unsatisfactory and I wouldn't recommend this race to anyone.

I was looking forward to the race despite the 6:30am start (which means eating breakfast around 4am!) The ferry to the start was unique. There were not enough toilets - but then again there never are at these races. The queue moved so slowly that I missed the start of the race. Never mind, I enjoyed the first half of the course through Devonport and over the Harbour Bridge.

The people at the drinks stations could have spread out a bit more. Why do they have to stand shoulder to shoulder? After all, allowing for spillages, 1/3 of a small plastic cup of water is nowhere near enough when you're running 42K.

The worst thing by far was the last mile where the marathon route joins up with the walkers... thousands of them... many walking in groups spread right across the road. At first I thought it was a political rally or march. I spent the next 5 minutes dodging in and out, trying to avoid an accident. You could run outside the cones but cars were coming in the opposite direction at speed - not wise! There should have been a seperate lane for runners - at least on the final circuit around Victoria Park. At the end of a race, you should be sprinting to the finish line, not zig-zagging or shouting to warn people or being elbowed in the ribs!

Good shirt at the end though, but an accident waiting to happen at that 'nightmare finish'.

The weather for the 2002 race was perfect and made the coastal route even more attractive. The organization was good but not closing the whole route to traffic was an issue for some runners. Spectators were a bit thin on the ground at the turn-a-round point past Mission Bay - just when you really need them! However, the atmosphere at Victoria Park and the finish line made it all worth while in the end.

The course is excellent, the volunteers great,the weather fabulous. So why did the organisers screw up by: A.) opening the course up for traffic 45 minutes earlier than advertised, B.) requiring runners to wait for the green light to cross the road into Victoria Park for the finish [see A] C.) placing the baggage pick up on the far side of the park most distant from the finish line? The fact that I nearly got hit by a car on Beaumont St at 21k is also a problem! This could have been a great race.