Race dthis year run in heat wave more than 90 degrees; aid stations on second loop mostly unmanned, esp after mile 17. Got heatstroke mi 23 - nobody around to help. I mean NOBODY. Took more than an hour to stumble to finish line, when I realized there was no help. Asked for medical attention at finish - sent to umbrella where they offered me milk. When I asked for ice, lots of it, saying I had heatstroke, nobody registered there was a serious problem. I eventually made my way to my car, but people die out there when this stuff happens. I have done more than 40 marathons, luckily knew what was happening although have never experienced this before. Advise more medical help and attention out on the course to condition of runners.

Weather this year was perfect. Great organization, support on course about every 1.5 miles which was water and sports drink. Volunteers were abundant and they all were very friendly and helpful. This is not a flat course, but the hills can be managed, drive the first four miles to get the idea for yourself, you do the loop twice. Start and finish are very well organized as well as packet pickup. Shirt was excellent, moisture whicking and Northwest Univ green. Thanks for the great small town event with the care built in.

This year's marathon brought battle conditions - a thunderstorm hit Maryville within seconds of the starting gun and dumped pouring rain off and on for the first four or so miles. The race was a true grinder; about half the distance was along US 71 Highway and there were some rolling hills in the first half of the loop. The volunteers along the course could not have been friendlier, the aid stations were well stocked and some during the second loop had ice cold towels. The Chamber did an excellent job with everything, I had no problems of any kind, and Maryville was a great host city for a small-town marathon. It was also nice that proceeds went to buying a digital mammography machine for St. Francis Hospital. I was definitely glad I chose Maryville for my second marathon and was even happier to break 4 hours despite the conditions. I will certainly be back again

Great time - very organized and safe. Not a lot of spectators, but it was nice and peaceful. The water/Gatorade stations are spaced out evenly and helpful! Loved it, and will be back again next year!

The chamber does an outstanding job putting together this race. They are very friendly. The volunteers are great and full of energy when you have lost most of yours. Every water stop has ice cold water and Gatorade. It was hot and humid. The first 4 miles are hilly, but the rest is pretty flat, with slight grades here and there. About 2 1/2 hours into the marathon I needed salt badly, but the water stop had none. I kept going. About a mile later a very nice couple came alongside me with salt, water and Gatorade. My thanks to you. Be careful of cops; they have a not-so-friendly, protect-and-serve approach. No, I didn't break any laws. God help me if I had. Apparently you couldn't enter the park until 5 a.m. Upon explaining why I was there, he didn't believe me. There was only a 30-foot banner 200 yards away, and two of us in our running gear and tags. I think this officer missed the notes on a marathon in his town. I understand him pulling me over (4:30 a.m. with out-of-state plates, pulling into a park), but once it was obvious why we were there, he could have been polite. I have run 26 marathons, and I must say that the cops have always been so welcoming. MPD needs to get some personality; it isn't hard to smile a little. Despite this encounter, I recommend this race for anybody looking to run one.

Ran the '09 marathon and had a great time. I really enjoy running smaller, less crowded marathons once in awhile, and this one was perfect. The two-lap course is hilly but manageable (set a PR). The volunteers and organizers were great. Weather was unseasonably cool considering it could have been very hot and humid. I probably won't run it again for awhile because I don't need MO anymore, but if you're looking for a fun little marathon, you should consider it. Go into it with an open mind and don't expect a Chicago or New York experience. Just run it for the fun of it.

This was a great small-town race. The hills were not that bad. This was a loop you repeated twice for the full marathon, so you knew what to expect the second time around.

There were plenty of aid stations - one each mile - and you never had to worry about dehydration.

Some people have said that they do not like running with traffic on the highway. I didn't think it was a big deal. The first time around there was virtually no traffic, and the second loop was less crowded, so it was easy to stay well onto the shoulder. I understand the course used to run the reverse direction, so the runners were facing traffic. I much prefer the way it is now, so that the worst of the hills are encountered earlier rather than later.

All in all, a very enjoyable race. I highly recommend it.

This course was challenging with all of the hills, but having to run a majority of the race on a highway is not my idea of a good time. The traffic was noisy and irritating. In addition, the aid stations really needed to have some food available, even if only pretzels. The people working the aid stations were very nice and the Chamber did a great job of organizing everything. However, I would never run this race again because of the course.

A wonderful event for the money. Friendly volunteers, and a small community with surprising large college campus. The course is a double, with lots of challenging hills; some were steep, while others had a gradual climb of over a mile. Few spectators, but to me that is not a requirement.

There is a beautiful lake about 6 miles from town, with RV and tent camping, if you are so inclined.

I have to mention that the chamber members are so thoughtful. I registered on a whim because I was traveling through the area, but was going to have my dog along. I sent an email to the Chamber asking if they might know of someone who could "baby-sit" my dog while I ran. One of the members had a son who "volunteered." Both Tommy and I had a great time. Now that is what I call a friendly group!

Well worth the trip!

This was my first half-marathon, and I was a little leery about running it at first because I had read all of the comments about the hills on this course and the stretch of highway part of the course. The weather could not have been more perfect: cloudy and cool (60 degrees) at the start of race, and it didn't change much. The hills, mostly in the beginning, were not as bad as I feared. The long stretch of highway I loved; I was able just to cruise along and not worry about the next turn, and was able to take in the country as I ran past it. I posted one of my fastest paces for a long run, and felt great afterward. Water stations every 1.5-2 miles with water or Gatorade were great. The only thing I didn't notice were any snacks or nourishment along the way. I brought my own, which helps on these long runs to avoid hitting the wall. I plan on coming back next year, but to run the whole marathon.