I ran the full in 2013 after running the half in 2011. This is a nice race run on a pancake flat course. It can be hot even in Feb (altho in 2013 we had ideally cool temps) so be forwarned.

The expo moved to the convention center. It gave much more room for the actual expo but getting into the convention parking garage is a traffic nightmare, and you have to pay to park.

The start and finish are 3 miles apart. Runners can park at finish and catch the shuttle to the start (I've always done this and it has worked effortleesly) or park by the start and catch a post race shuttle.

There were enough pre-race port-a-potties but they ran out of toilet paper an hour before race time. There is no excuse for this to happen. I saw a good samaritan couple who left and bought a four pack from a nearby 7-11 and folks were passing this around. Other than this major mistake I would've given the race 5 stars for organization.

The race begins 6:00am. I think this is done to help avoid the heat but it creates a memorable atmosphere for the early miles. We run down Las Olas Blvd a picturesque street and are then greeted by the sun rising over the Atlantic ocean.

Early in the race we run about 2.5 mile through a nice state park then head back out to A1A. From miles 6 or so on the entire race is on A1A. Traffic control is excellent. After about mile 7 you lose views of the ocean however and only get the backs of continuous beach front hotels and condos. So after the halfers split off (around mile 9) its lonely with nothing scenic to see.

There are plenty of water stops and I noticed gel being handed out also. I carry my own so I'm not sure how often. All the water stops also had a sports drink (poweraid this year). Unfortunately all the stops were all set up differently. Late in a race I feel it really helps when every stop has been set up the same.

The final 3 miles or so we get back to ocean views and that really is great for the final push.

This race's medal has long been an award winner and this year's continues that tradition. I read JT's criticism of the shirt and I really liked this years after feeling that the shirt in 2011 was awful. It just goes to show that design elements are a matter of personal preference.

I had to catch a flight so I can't comment on the post race set-up.

The organization of the event was good. Support for the participants, including transportation,the water stops and security were timely and well appreciated. I will definately participate in subsequent race events. Medal is impressive.

I have run this half marathon every year and it is so much fun. Great scenery, well organized, and fantastic crowd especially along the beach. A huge measure of gratitude this year especially to the many volunteers who braved the 40 degree temperatures and wind chill. The cold temps were unique and made the event even more memorable. The only negative is the T shirt. It was deplorable. The Tshirt does not do justice to the event. Heard many runners say spend less on the medal and create a shirt runners want to wear. Hope the organizers will create a unique shirt that represents the great quality of the A1A Marathon.

I have run this half marathon twice and ran the full this year. The half marathoners have the better part of the course. Once the halfers split off, it was a very long loney run. There were no spectators, but the volunteers were enthusiastic and supportive. Crossing the finish line in under 4 hours was anticlimatic. There was no one left to cheer for me. I feel bad for the 400+ finishers behind me. The race was well organized and the medals were outrageous. The shirts were too big and terrible quality. I would definitely recommend the half, but not the full.

The race itself is fairly well run, lots of cops and traffic cones keep all but the most aggressive drivers off the street. The course itself has some nice bits and some not-so-nice bits- you go through a very pretty park during the first quarter, but by mile 20 you'll be sick of the Condo Canyon that is A1A. Water stations could have been a bit more organized, and the water itself tasted *horrible*. They should think of a better place to hold the expo- the Fort Lauderdale convention center is essentially part of the cruise ship terminal, which makes it a hassle to get to. If you're pondering a winter marathon, I'd suggest Miami instead of this one.

This was a great marathon in sunny southern Florida. Everything was organized extremely well! The race was fun, the other runners were very friendly. I enjoyed the course. Water, Gu and Poweraid stations were frequent and the volunteers were great! Music and bands were light for the marathoners between 15 and 22 miles. Couldn't predict Mother Nature though, a warm day!

The course is flat and fast. Beautiful ocean views. The water points are plentiful, which helped on a hot and humid day. The start was a gaggle, and not really monitored which lead to crowding in the beginning by slower runners and walkers. Took a little while to break through zigging and zagging by the slower runners. The half marathon is run at the same time and uses the same finish line. So by the end of the marathon, I had to fight the same issue with slower walkers and runners that still had not finished the half marathon. They were clogging the finish line when I was trying to cross it. They should consider using real actual corrals next year, or separate starting times for both races. Also request those that are walking to stay single file and to the right side of the course. Some of the water stations were poorly managed. I actually got hit by a rake at one station, where they were trying to clean up. Other water stations, were slow, and I had to call out for water. The medal was great! The shirt disappointing with advertising on the back and ugly brown, yellow and orange print on the front that states 'Half Marathon & Marathon.' The organizers should consider having separate shirts: one for the marathon and one for the half marathon. The expo was great!

Flying in from Chicago, I knew this was going to be a tough race due to the weather. Sure enough, it was hot and humid! Despite the conditions, I had a great race. Stayed one mile away from the finish line. It was an easy walk to the park and we had no problems catching the shuttle. We even overslept and still made it on time.

Had difficulty finding the bag drop, but this was due to us getting their late. I loved the course, especially the the part through the park. Race got lonely once the half'ers split off. Aid stations were staffed lightly. Wasn't a problem for me, but I heard it was a problem for others behind me in the pack. Loved the finish along A1A by the beach. My only complaint was I hit the half marathoners around mile 23. It was hard to navigating around them. The finish area was great! Plenty of food and beer for everyone! I will do this race again.

Most of my previous events have been large (Disney, MCM, ING Miami), so I was interested to see how a smaller event would be. I think they did a great job. The weather was unseasonably hot and humid and the headwind for the last half of the race made for a brutal day. With that said, every water station was well-stocked and well-serviced. There were wet sponges available at some of the later stops. At the finish, they called out the finishers with their name and city which was a nice ending. The large flip-flop medals were a nice touch. Being sponsored by Publix, there were ample refreshments and food available at the end. If you like a fast course, in better conditions, this would be a good one. I gave the course 4 stars for those out of area. I'm from Florida and the view of ocean condos for miles and miles wasn't the most exciting. There isn't a lot of crowd support, but a lot of the half runners stuck around and cheered for those who did the full which was nice. Overall, it was a nicely done event. If I had one recommendation, it would be for some sort of first-aid station along the way that offered vaseline, biofreeze, etc. With all of the humidity, clothes were soaked early (I could hear feet sloshing in sweaty shoes less than 10 miles in), so some people may have benefited from that.

This was a great race. Water stands were plentiful. The course is pretty much flat the whole way and the volunteers were great. Down side is it can be warm (yesterday was a toasty 73 at the start) and I did not see medical stations along the way. The finish line was congested and a little wild but with lots of goodies. The medal was great!