Tampa is awesome! The course was very flat and fast - perfect for a PR. It's too bad that this was the final voyage for the Gasparilla 26.2. It was great seeing the sunrise over downtown from Davis Island and finishing along Bayshore Blvd. The volunteers were great and the spectators toward the end of the race were inspiring - especially all of the kids high-fiving at mile 25. That really helped me finish strong. Tampa, please bring this race back!

I am pursuing the 50 states and am so thrilled that I was able to run this marathon before it disappeared. There were so many great things about it. I'll list just a few here:

The expo was awesome and well-organized
Bart Yasso at the expo!! Woo hoo!
MORE than adequate fluid stations
Flat and fast course
Plenty of food and liquid at the finish, even for slower runners
Plenty of awesome swag, including a tech shirt with embroidery, a hat, and a towel. Plus, an amazing medal!
VERY QUICK responses to email and Facebook questions!!
Volunteers were top-notch at the expo, on the course, etc.
All miles were marked (though I missed a few)
Excellent traffic control
Wonderful host city and great host site at convention center

Just a few things that would be great to improve, but these are MINOR compared to the MANY awesome things:

The baggage line before the start was super-long
Can you add more volunteers to this area?
There were few spectators in certain areas, especially in the first 10 miles
It would be great to offer a pasta dinner

Overall, I give this marathon very high marks. I felt so cared for! I loved the young people around mile 24 with the white shirts. I could see and hear them from far away, and they ROCKED! It truly is sad that the marathon is going away. I'd recommend the rest of the races anyway, and I suggest staying at the Westin or Hyatt or Embassy Suites, all within a 5-minute walk of the expo and starting line.

So glad that this was my FL marathon!!! Thanks so much to Susan and her crew!

This was one of the best ever, and it really is a shame it was the last year - which is why I came out. Every detail was perfect. And when I apparently forgot to pre-register and didn't have enough cash on me at the expo, which had just closed, the wonderful volunteers took what I had and gave me a bib anyway. The course was beautiful, if a little crowded at points with the half runners; the aid stations were wonderfully staffed; and the banquet at the finish... wow. Great job, Susan!

Ran the Mich Challenge. Loved everything about all three races. The expo was well done. Received three tech shirts, and an awesome pullover hooded sweatshirt. Let's not forget the hat. The 5K was a little tough in the rain and nearly 10,000 people, but the 15K earlier was just perfect. Marathon weather was just perfect. I'm sorry to see this be the last. Overwhelming aid, water and Gatorade on the course. I cannot not say enough about the finish line - open till the last finisher crossed. Awesome marathon medals; the Mich Challenge medal was HUGE, and we got a finisher towel. I stayed in HOJO Plaza, within walking distance of the start line. Overall, a great experience.

Flat, well organized, beautiful marathon.

I entered this race at the last minute after Myrtle Beach was canceled. This was truly a great race. This was one of the most organized runs I've done. The runners' packet was well stocked with a tech shirt, hat, and snacks. The course was pretty, with a combination of city streets and waterfront views. The only negative was not anything the organizers had control over. Like at most marathons, you had those walkers who for some reason just think they have to start at the front. They jammed things up for the first few miles. It's too bad that this race hadn't grown fast enough to keep it alive. If you missed this one, you missed a good one.

I had to run this race since it was the final chapter (hopefully someone will bring it back).

It is an excellent course close to many downtown hotels. I stayed at the Hyatt and they did a tremendous job. The crowds were spread out, but were also very vocal and supportive. Davis Island and the Bay Boulevard (the out-and-back) section were very nice.

Excellent:
- Shirt
- Medal
- Expo
- Pace groups

The only improvement: they need to cover those darn bridges with a rug or red runner, like they do in Chicago.

I would NOT fly there for only a half marathon.

This was my second marathon, so my only comparison is the Flying Pig in Cincinnati, a much bigger race. I found the Gasparilla to be a lovely and well-organized run, very clearly marked with plenty of helpful volunteers. It's flat and scenic, though the wind coming off the Tampa Bay for the last 6 miles dried me out. I am very slow (5:27) but never lacked anything on the course, and the finish line was still fully manned with food, drinks, fans and a really nice medal. The second half is out-and-back, which meant I actually saw the marathon winner running toward me at one point with his lead car and all, which was exciting to me because I usually just sees other slowpokes.

The dark start with the random traffic cones was a challenge (I saw more than one person bite it), but the sun coming up over the bay was worth it. The section over uneven cobblestones was not so welcome, but the buses bringing fans out to the distant miles to cheer WERE.

Great weather; great people. Fewer fans than at the Pig, but the last three miles were lined with school kids yelling their hearts out, which was very helpful. I'm sorry that I won't get to run this one again.

As a director of a race myself, I know how much work goes into putting on a great event. Susan and her crew did an excellent job. From the expo, to the marathon start, to the course, to the finish-line, the event was top rate. Congratulations, Susan, and thank you for a great marathon.

This was the first time I have run the Gasparilla Marathon and my first time in Tampa. Overall, a very positive experience, and I am sorry to hear this is the last year for the full marathon.

Positives:
-Decent expo. Information booth was helpful for the questions we had. Packet pickup went quickly.
-Nice, blue, long-sleeve, tech shirt and running hat. The towel at the finish line was a nice touch.
-Start was easy to get to and line up at.
-Course was almost completely flat and scenic, with a nice section along the waterfront.
-Plenty of water and Gatorade stations.
-Not a lot of entertainment and spectators, but those there were great, especially that section with all of the kids yelling for you.
-Finish line went smoothly and I loved the medal.
-Lots of food, including fruit cups, bananas, bagels, water, soda, and rice and beans.

Negatives:
-Only real negative I had was that the course really seemed bogged down for the first seven miles until the half marathoners turned off. Early into the race we came to almost a complete stop and we narrowed down to go over a bridge. But part of this was my fault, as I should have lined up farther up.

I would recommend this marathon to anyone, so I'm sad to hear it is going away.