This marathon is about as far removed from the big city marathons as you can get when it comes to spectators- and in my opinion, that is part of its charm. In the rugged isolation of Connemara in the West of Ireland, the sheer majesty and beauty of the mountains and valleys more than make up for the lack of spectators on the route-words just can't do it justice! The run itself is brilliantly organised and can't fault it in the slightest and the marshals really knew their stuff. Buses ferry runners to and from the start and finish areas from towns in the area and an after party is organised later that evening. If your running the Ultra you are allowed to have 3 items left at 3 points along the 39.3mile route- eg sports bars, drinks food. At mile 22 (mile35 for the ultra) you begin a 2 mile climb up a hill that is known as 'The Hell of the West'. Once you get to the top, just off the road on the left hand side, there is a plaque dedicated to the memory of a runner who died on that spot while running the half marathon in 2006 to raise funds for his local charity. I would recommend the Connemarathon without hesitation-be it the half, the full or the ultra and certainly hope to return to the Hell of the West in the future.

If you want to sample the scenic beauty of the rural West of Ireland, then don't miss this run. Absolutely stunning if the weather is good, which it was in 2010. The organization was excellent and the support along the way (while scarce) was great. The course is tough and caution (pace wise) is advised in the first half as the second half is much tougher. Finish it off with a night in Galway or Clifden and you will be back for more.

This course is remote, so this race is great for those who don't need a lot of spectator support. Considering the location, the organization is terrific. Runners and bags are all efficiently transported. The hills are tough, but it's well worth the effort for the scenery. And this year it was even sunny!

Spectacular course of continuous rolling hills (and two steep ones) with stunning vistas of lakes, fjords and mountains. The finish of the race was absolutely amazing - viewing a meandering line of runners (mostly half-marathoners) climbing a two-mile grade over a mountain pass  and realizing that you had to run up it. It was a relatively warm day for Ireland 20C (68 degrees) and there were lot of people suffering from the heat. This was mitigated to some extent by the excellent water stops and the individual water bottles handed out to the runners - a great idea that should be picked up by more races.

Organization was superb: busing ultra runners, marathoners and half-marathoners to separate locations, seeing that all aid stations were fully stocked, and then returning the runners to three separate cities.

All in all, a fantastic experience and a nice break from the typical road race format.

For all runners tired of participating in overly-crowded, big-city marathons, this is a great alternative. An extremely beautiful landscape, a handful of runners (even fewer in the ultra) and nearly perfect organization. A breathtaking experience! I will definitely be back (probably for the ultra to make this wonderful experience last longer).

I ran the half marathon.

The course is beautiful - period.

The organization is excellent - especially considering that nearly all participants are bused to the starting line and from the finish line. Volunteer support is great. Little touches such as having open water bottles are very much appreciated.

The fans are sparse but encouraging and enthusiastic.

If I could never run another race, I'd be happy with this one.

Great run. Great organization. Great co-runners. Great support. Great hospitality. Etc., etc. I ran in 2007 and only injury prevented me from coming back this year.

Breathtaking scenery... the first half of the run was amazing. No spectators - unless you count sheep! Problems started at the halfway mark... they started the half marathon (with 1000's of runners) 13 miles into the marathon course. This meant I went from pacing myself with 3 or 4 other runners to being stuck behind 1000's of slow runners. Also there was cars queued along the narrow country roads - this meant I was dodging between slow runners and cars, which was dreadful. I'm normally generous in my reviews but would seriously advise you not to enter this run unless they start the half marathon at the same time as the full run, or afterwards.

I ran the 39.3-mile ultra in 2007 after completing the marathon in 2006. The race is held in spectacular scenery, far away from the nearest city. If you want loads of spectators on the roadside, this is not the race for you. And if you are looking for a PR, this most definitely is not the race for you. But if you want to run in a beautiful setting and enjoy an incredible atmosphere, give this one a go. The "Hell of the West," a 2-mile climb 4 miles from the finish line, will stay in your memory for good.

Special praise has to go to the organizers. Despite the nightmare of having to ferry over 3,000 participants to and from the race on rural backroads, they try their hardest to make the experience a great one for every single runner in the field, and they're very good at that.

I loved this race, although it's about 80% uphill. Yeah, I know that's not possible but since the Hell of the West (2.25 uphill climb) comes at mile 22, it feels all uphill. The logistics of moving 3000 runners around roads barely wide enough for cars was a feat in itself. The spectators who were there were great, but it's mostly sheep and open fields so if you need external encouragement, you're doomed.

The course is rolling hills, out in the middle of one of the most beautiful places in Ireland and one of the least populated. We ran along the fjord (the only one in Ireland) and over the mountaintops and alongside fields, and the sun shone. What more do you need in a marathon?