Imagine putting a group of experienced marathoners (of any and all abilities) in a room and asking them exactly what they'd like to have in an "ideal" race. The MDI Marathon feels as if the race directors did exactly that, and then delivered 100 percent. This is an amazing race on all dimensions, a "must do" for any runner. It's a celebration of what running and marathoning is all about. Pure joy. I loved my experience in 2009, and certainly plan to be back in 2010.

Here is a marathon that reminds us of why we love to run. It starts with amazing organization, and a website that has so much information that it would take you several hours to read it all. I loved the mile-by-mile description of the course and the "Locals' Recommendations." My wife followed the detailed directions for spectators, and as a result we have great pictures of the race from nearly every scenic point. The volunteers were friendly and helpful, and the course was amazingly well supported for a marathon of this size.

The scenery was incredible. Peak fall foliage and panoramic views of the North Atlantic abound. Bar Harbor is welcoming as well as scenic, and I don't think there was an unkind word uttered during my entire stay. Acadia National Park is part and parcel of this marathon and is stunning.

I can't say enough about the race director whose attention to detail, tireless hard work, and passion for running are seen at every turn from sign up to the after marathon party. The rain jacket included in the pick up packet is top-notch - and is now a full-time part of my running gear and not just another t-shirt for a quiet drawer. If there is one thing I would change, it would be the finishers' medals, which never change from year to year (other than the date). I think a unique design each year for medal snobs like me would make me even more likely to come back.

Bottom line: Run the MDI Marathon. You won't be disappointed.

Kudos to race director Gary Allen and his top-notch volunteers and staff for making this is a gem of a marathon, one that I keep coming back to.

Possibly due to the hilly course, there is a high percentage of walkers in this race. Suggestion: walkers should be mindful of runners coming through behind them. They tend to walk two to three across, forcing runners to run around them, often into on-coming traffic.

The natural beauty of the course was fantastic. The last six miles are tough - tougher than a normal marathon. There was only one monster hill. I liked the fact that they served all-natural drinks. The race avoided the high fructose drinks and served GOJI and ACIA drinks! They were great! This race did everything right - from the drinks to recycling to the fall colors to the perfect weather. Nothing beats running by the ocean - hearing the waves and losing yourself in the peak of autumn. Before you know it, the race is over.

Wow. I had glimpsed the views I was to see on the course through MDI Marathon website's photos and video... but experiencing them firsthand was breathtaking. This was the sixth marathon I've run, and the only one where I continuously heard other runners exclaim about the beauty around us. The hills were challenging as promised, but I ended up coming within a couple minutes of my PR. I think the cooler temperature helped. This was the first time I needed a med tent at the end, and the volunteers were SO kind and caring. A local doctor even gave me the down vest he was wearing to wear to help me warm up! The kindness of the volunteers and the amazing views are what I'll remember most. I'd highly recommend this one!

This race is everything the RD promised - a beautiful course through and around Acadia National Park in peak foliage season, a "tough but fair" race, great organization, and a real feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line in Southwest Harbor. Great aid stations, nice finish line amenities, and spectators who make up in enthusiasm what they lack in number. I kept seeing the same spectators (and dogs) over and over - that's cool!

If you need a fast time, thousands of spectators cheering you on, or marching bands, then this isn't the race for you. But if you want an incredible, memorable marathon experience, then run MDI.

This was my 31st marathon/ultra, and it is my favorite.

Mount Desert Island has to be one of the most scenic places in the US.

It seems like every mile of this race has an incline of some sort. Despite that, the hills are not all that steep. This was my fifth marathon, and my first time running MDI, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone considering it.

There were 600 marathon finishers in 2009, making it a very enjoyable small marathon. The other runners were very friendly. The race is very well organized from information on the website, to packet pickup, to the start in Bar Harbor, and throughout the course to the finish line in Southwest Harbor. The course is mostly open to traffic, making for a tight squeeze in some areas where the shoulder is narrow or non-existent. There were water stops every two miles, and GU was available somewhere around halfway. The GU wasn't near a water stop, though, so it might be better to station it just before a water stop to help with digestion. The spectators were kind of sparse, but those that did show up were very enthusiastic and encouraging. The jacket and race medal were nice. Personally my own race went very well; I somehow managed to knock over five minutes off of my PR. I'm still at a loss to explain why that was on a course such as this.

One gripe is that the course description on the website says, "The final 1.2 miles to the finish line in charming Southwest Harbor descends; yes, that last 2,000 meters will be all down." But there is an uphill in the last 1.2 miles. It's not all downhill. You can even see the uphill on the course profile. It might not be a big hill, but after 26 miles, the slightest ripple in the road feels like Cadillac Mountain.

This was my first marathon and I wanted it to be a destination marathon, a beautiful course, and an experience to remember. It lived up to all of my expectations. The course was hard, but not unfair. If you are from the Midwest, go in with the attitude that there are no flat spots and you will be fine. The town was welcoming and very supportive throughout the days we were there. It is not a major marathon like Chicago, New York, etc., so if that is what you like regarding spectators, this is not the race for you. I thought that the spectators and volunteers were more than adequate, extremely enthusiastic, and very supportive. The race was well organized. There was a great post-race party. The course is fantastic. I highly recommend it.

This was my first marathon, which may have been a tough way to start, but it was well WORTH it. The course was hilly as advertised, with rolling hills and some long gradual ones in the middle and near the end, but the scenery helped distract you from them.

It is so true what all of the other runners say - that this race is a gem. Definitely put this one on your list, as it has given me the marathon bug to keep running. The course was beautiful and well organized from the water stops to finish line. The fans were spaced out along the course but were great - people playing instruments and blasting music, encouraging you at every water stop and screaming for you at the finish. It was just awesome! The host hotel the The Acadia was great as well, with nice, clean rooms and very helpful staff.

I will be signing up for this marathon again in 2010 and recruiting some others to join me on this unique and fantastic run. Nice job, MDI Marathon and Bar Harbor - and thank you!

If you run the MDI Marathon, don't be surprised if you run a bit slower, because the scenery will take your breath away. This marathon takes place in the fall, so the weather is nice and chilly (if you're into that sort of thing) and it's not too hard to get a hotel room in Bar Harbor.

The race organizers do a fantastic job with overall logistics. I was pretty impressed with the amount of swag at the end, even though the race is relatively small.

The fans are very nice, but there aren't a lot of them. At the finish, it was quieter than one may have expected, but all is forgiven when they give you ice cream (!!!) in the finisher's tent.

(For the record, I have run the race once and spectated once, so the N here is 2.)