Ditto on all the positive comments below! Hearing all the great things about this event, I've wanted to run this one for a long time. Went down with my husband and close running friend and what a great time we had! I've run many marathons and always get nervous at the start. But not this one. With the overwhelmingly warm welcome and the many fellow Marathon Maniacs (and there were lots of us!) I felt like was was running with family and friends. The pasta dinner (included in your entry fee by the way!) was fun and loved seeing everyone again the next morning on the course. A fun, scenic, challenging course and the friendliest people anywhere (they were genuinely glad we were there)! A great place for a run. Thanks for a great experience! Your marathon career will not be complete if you don't experience this event.

BTW... I hope the black lab that ran with us for 11 miles found a happy home!

A run to experience the actual cause of running... to have fun.

What a wonderful place to hold a marathon. Ditto to everyones comments. I can not believe how hospitable EVERYONE was during our stay. We invaded their towns and roads but I never once heard anyone complain. Loved the people cheering us from their porches and even offering up a hosing down on that hot day. I will definately be back. I'm guessing so will many others so I will register early to make sure I get in.

Luckily we heard about the hills so we trained on hills for 3 months. It seemed like a piece of cake. Loved the half marathon. Everyone was so nice, lots of water, gatorade, food and potties. The pasta dinner and BBQ was fantastic. Thank you so much for a great marathon. We are walkers not runners but it was great.

I thoroughly enjoyed running this marathon! I wish I had discovered it 10 years ago when I ran my first marathon. Lord willing, I will be back! The T-shirt is beautiful and the medal is awesome! I liked all the different terrain, from pavement to dirt to a golf course to a swinging bridge. I liked seeing the historical sights. My husband and I enjoyed our stay at a bed and breakfast. We are born and raised in the country and love small country towns, fresh air, grass, and sunshine. The volunteers were fantastic. The water stops were life savers. This marathon is really close to home for us, and we like that. If you haven't run Hatfield McCoy, then you should!

This was my second marathon and it is challenging, the hills are something to be respected but the scenery and the people are wonderful. The fee is very reasonable and this is the kind of run that makes you want to run it again. I will be back next year!

I am overwhelmed by the organization and the truly beautiful course. Who needs flat when it can be this pretty! I will be hard-pressed to find a friendlier marathon. From the race director to the fellow runners, it was the best. The course is definitely challenging with many hills. The other runners are more than supportive and we all encouraged each other through the hills. I had a deer run in front of me at mile nine, a couple of very friendly dogs, heard lots of chickens and had many people calling encouragement from their porches. What a pleasure to be so welcomed. This is beyond a good deal with all of the extras. It was so convenient, I cannot wait for next year. I cannot say enough about the entire event.

I don't want to repeat all of the great comments and descriptions of this race already posted, most notably the great organization by David Hatfield and his wonderful volunteers. A special thanks to the Belfry Fire Department and Knee Jackson for making our stay there Saturday night comfortable and pleasant.

This was my 6th consecutive year running this marathon and it gets more enjoyable each year. The race director, David Hatfield, has skillfully utilized the prominent local history of the Hatfield and McCoy family feud to create a great running experience for marathoners. With the airing of the History Channel's 'Hatfields and McCoys' we all have a better and more complete understanding of the region's history and landmarks which are part of the race course.

For a very reasonable registration fee you get an excellent pasta dinner, door prizes, skit by 2 local residents which nicely summarizes the major events of the feud, transportation to the race start from all over the local area, post-race BBQ meal with watermelon, grapes, bananas and drinks, nice shirt with race logo, unique finishers medal, and mason jar trophy with your overall finishing place. From the shotgun start by Devil Anse Hatfield the challenging course has something for everyone. There are uphills, downhills, flats, trail, golf course and swinging bridge. The beauty of the mountains, creeks and river is unsurpassed.

Spectators on a course such as this are sparse but friendly and enthusiastic. Many will greet you from their yards and porches. You might even have a dog or 2 join you on your way. Water and Gatorade is available at every mile beginning at mile 2. Devil Anse Hatfield and Randall McCoy greet you at the finish. Unlike some marathons, the whole community supports this event and David Hatfield, his volunteers and the people of the area are the nicest, most helpful folks you'll find. I look forward to this race more than any other on my marathon calendar each year.

The large number of repeat runners speaks volumes about this marathon experience. Come and run it and you will be an annual Hatfield/McCoy runner as well. See you all at the Tug River in June, 2013!

I have run 5 previous marathons and this was by far the most fun! The course was scenic with so much variety. It was also very well supported for a small race; there were water stations just about every mile, plenty of gel, and everyone was so friendly. The course was challenging, with Blackberry Mountain, an off-road portion, a swinging bridge to run over, and historical sites well-marked along the course; it was quite the adventure! The post-race festival was also fun, with great food, music, and hospitality. For a small, inexpensive race, you can't beat it. Mr. Hatfield, you did a great job organizing this race! I did almost step on a snake and got chased by two dogs, but I chalked it up to a unique running experience! I would highly recommend this race to anyone searching for a challenging course with unpredictable elements who isn't afraid to go a little off the beaten path.