This was my first full marathon. The course was nice and flat, and the spectators were loud and very supportive. I can't wait to run it again next year, where I hope to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

This was my 2nd PF Chang's Marathon and 16th overall. I swore after the 2006 race I'd never run it again, but a last minute change of plans had me here at the start!

Pluses:

-Expo was great and easy to navigate
-Getting to the start with the buses were a breeze
-Separate start lines and times between the half and full were VERY much appreciated!
-Bagels, bananas and fluids before the start were much appreciated!
-Water stations were plentiful and well stocked

Minuses:

-The race feels like a half marathon with a full thrown in there rather than the opposite. Running a half is a HUGE accomplishment, but I think there should be something a little more for the full!
-As others have said, the course is pretty boring. I'm not sure how you could make it better but I'd be interested to know how many strip malls we ran by.
-The fan support wasn't bad but could be better. I don't think the city supports this race as much as some of the other non-marathon major races I've done.
-In addition to the course being a bit on the boring side, it's also VERY exposed. I don't remember much shade for the last 15 or more miles. Good thing there were overcast skies for the first 90 or so minutes!

With all of that said, it is a unique experience and I did set a PR, so it definitely was worth it! I doubt I'll be back, but then again, I've said that before.... :D

Good luck!

I read some negative reviews about this, but since it's a near-flat (no elevation) marathon and I like the view of the camelback hills, I decided to run this. As usual, elite racing has this down to perfection. The course was good; running next to the power plants was less interesting but still offered a nice view of some huge solar panels. Contrary to reviews from previous years, I think there were enough fans out there (and I do not run fast!).

Organized finish and family area were great. All of the bands were fantastic. The beer was cold! Could have used more "timed" recordings: 10K, 20K, 30K, half, etc., since you had the distance marked with signs. My brother-in-law said there was trouble getting into the area so that could be worked on some. Thanks for a great marathon experience.

This was my first half-marathon ever, and the experience was incredible. I have lived in Phoenix for 3 years now and have been trying to run it since I moved here. Two years ago my sister competed and the traffic, crowds, etc. were horrible. A real nightmare actually! This year? WOW! It was a whole new "ball game." Everything was done SO well. The traffic, the crowds, the hydration stations, the VIP tents, and even the expo were nothing short of the best! Next year I plan to run the full. Thanks for an unforgettable experience!

This is my 10th marathon and by far the most boring. The medal, the t-shirt, the expo, and even the start and finish line were great. I was so excited to be able to grab a banana before the race! I was just very disappointed in the course - 26.2 miles, and there was nothing to distract you. My favorite thing about running all of these state marathons is taking photos along the course. I took 1 picture and that was at the start with John McCain. I think it would have been so much better if you actually ran through and saw the city!

The first thing many of us marathoners or half marathoners want to do when we get to a race is use the bathroom. I was in the half marathon, and at the start of a race for 25,000 people I could only find four or five portable facilities on about every third block. The lines were crazy!

Otherwise, the course was mostly flat, with some hills between miles 9-11, the music and cheerleaders were inspirational, and the aid stations were well stocked.

Great from start to finish. Rock 'n' Roll has the organization down pat. There were plenty of water stations and more bands than I recall from the San Diego version.

Fans were boisterous and plentiful. All around great event.

This is my third marathon, and by far the best. Crowd support was great, and the weather was perfect. My brother and I were dropped off at the starting line with no real traffic, giving us plenty of time to enjoy the starting village. The finish area was wonderful, with lots of food and plenty to drink.

I only have two complaints. First, some of the music at the concert was not appropriate for my young kids. Second, the directions for spectators were not accurate; it took over an hour for my family to get to the finish area because roads were closed that were not supposed to be (according to the directions).

Other than these two minor issues, the entire weekend was perfect. I highly recommend this marathon.

This was my first R 'n' R race, and it was a great winter marathon location. Perfect temps in the 50's, with cloud cover, and the course was super fast and very flat. The organization was great, down to the support on the course, aid stations not being at mile markers (so you can take splits) and clocks all along the course to show your time.

Highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a fast Boston qualifier with good support.