I loved this race. This was my 3rd full marathon and most difficult. The course was mostly on dirt trails large enough for one vehicle. Lots of sharp turns with steep hills throughout. The refreshments were frequent, about 7-8 points, and served warm tea and sparkling water. The last one at ~38-39k had beer and chocolate. The course ran around the breathtaking Rursee lake, one of the most beautiful places I have seen in Germany. For WWII buffs you can still military defensive works around the area. This was a small race. Fans and racers probalby didn't outnumber 1,200; however, the organization was excellent. Plenty of first aid people. Their was a fest area with running stuff sales, food, showers, music, and great beer. And because it was so small, I found my family right away and they were able to take some good pictures. Another advantage was we didn't have to worry about traffic, lodging, and the overall headache of doing a big city marathon.