This is an outstanding smaller marathon. I traveled a long way to participate in this event (Maryland to Wisconsin). I have to admit I pestered the staff with emails asking various questions about the course, parking and such. They answer them all promptly and cheerfully. It was especially nice to be able to start the race at the Wisconsin Dells Center. It provided ample room for runners to stay inside and warm until the race started. There were nice warm restrooms inside the Center. They had a gear check there also.

There was plenty of support on the course with water, Gator Aid and Gus.

It is true that the race had hills. So do many others. I measured an elevation gain of 955 feet using Garmin. That's a bit more than Boston but less than The Quad Cities Marathon or San Francisco. But being able to run out in the country on a Sunday morning made it easier to run the tangents. Also the fact that the race was fairly small meant that you were not constantly having to maneuver around other runners. In addition, the weather is normally good with ideal temperatures for a run.

Some people complained about lodging. I did not have a problem. I was able to get a over night stay 4 miles from the start with a 1PM check out using a Choice Privileges membership. For those who would like to bring along family, the Chula Vista Resort and Water Park seemed like an ideal location where the whole family could have a great time.

All things considered, this is a great marathon supported by an outstanding event staff.

Pre-race unorganized. One early website showed date of Oct. 30. Main website indicated travel information soon to come but as of the night prior, nothing. Could sign up day of race at start/finish location but not able to pick up packet morning of race....?? Once beyond these items, run was hilly but expected that so can't complain. Spectators sparse but appreciated the ones who were out. Water/gu stations very well spaced out. Mile makers excellent. Route open to traffic but didn't seem to be an issue. Nicely controlled by local LE. Finish line non-eventful. No announcement of name when crossing the line. Pleasant person giving you a nice medal with about 10 people standing around and then it was.......over. Very nice shirt, jacket and hat that came with registration!

I ran the half marathon last year. The race was organized excellently with lots of volunteers which made it a great racing experience. One problem - It was a really beautiful but super hilly route. I just recently went into the web site for the 2011 race and noticed to my surprise that the new route this year is one I am really familiar with. I love the new route for the marathon this year going from river road and continuing down city rd N. I run along standrock road/ hwy N all summer long. Awesome rolling hills. One of the most beautiful places to run in the dells area. Hwy N has many rolling hills with views of the beautiful countryside. It passes campgrounds, horse farms and even a small railroad station. Mile after mile of beautiful peaceful scenery. It should be a beautiful race

From what I can recall, there was never a section of the course that was flat for longer than 1/4-1/2 mile. You are constantly climbing or falling. On the plus side the scenery is beautiful and allows you to see how beautiful Wisconsin is.

Aid stations were all well stocked, volunteers were great, course was well marked, and the parking was possibly the best I've ever seen. I literally parked less than 100 meters from the starting line.

A few things to improve on, but most are minor and after all this was an inaugural race: No age-group awards, which is rather lame. The organization at the finish line seemed rather lacking; people were friendly but seemed a bit overwhelmed at times.

My biggest complaint would be the cost of the race and the host hotel, etc. If you really want people to enjoy the entire experience, the cost needs to be brought down and a 2-night minimum stay just doesn't cut it. I stayed a few miles away from the race activities in town and saved mucho dinero.

This course was worse than Boston. It's definitely not one to run if you are looking for a PR. There was no pasta party and the host hotels that were closer to the start had a two-night minimum. I only wanted to stay for one night so I did not stay at either. I'm not sure why I couldn't have picked up my packet on race morning. There was nothing at the expo! There were fewer than 300 people in the full marathon. There were more spectators out on the course than I thought there would be, which was very welcome, but it was pretty lonely in spots. And, the course was not closed to cars. There were a few places where I thought this was pretty dangerous (blind curves in the road, hills). A couple of water stations at the end ran out of Gatorade, but they did have water. The post-race party was non-existent. There were no bananas left when I finished (in under 4 hours). The food that was left was not being watched and people were taking fistfuls of granola bars. It would have been nice to have a band and beer after the race. On the plus side, nice medal (though finisher's medal does NOT differentiate between the half and full). And the jacket and hat were okay. It was nice to be able to wait inside before the race. I would not run this again, but this is mostly due to the hilly course.

The marathon route was a surprise, with ups and downs all the time - very fun. Easy parking; waiting for the start could not be in a better place. Fleece was beautiful and practical. The route was wonderful, the temperature was great, and there was perfect organization. Anyone who was home during the journey was on the street cheering. My only suggestion is that the organization make different medals and shirts for full marathon and half marathon. Congratulations to the inaugural Wisconsin Dells Marathon.

Another great, small marathon in Wisconsin! I believe the Wisconsin Dells' refusal to let the marathon run on its streets didn't hurt it - just the opposite. The course was set instead on rural roads through the forests in full fall colors. What could be better? The expo was OK for an inaugural marathon, but it was difficult to get into. The race day organization was good; however, there was not enough water for the mile 24 hydration station. It was not critical, though, because the next one was just a mile away. There were not too many fans along the race, but they all were very supportive. A lot of hills, so do not expect a PR. Overall, a great experience.

Inaugural race, so there were some growing pains; but overall it was very well organized. Hilly out-and-back course with several challenging hills in the latter part of the race. Spectators were sparse, but aid stations were abundant and staffed with very lively volunteers who were animated and helpful. The expo was rather meager but I'm sure it will grow. I took in a ghost cruise on the Wisconsin River the night before and caught some events in Madison (60 miles south) the night before. Nice, small race but probably not a PR course. Lots of activities and restaurants in the area.

I got into this race because another marathon I was training for filled up unexpectedly and I didn't want to waste weeks of training. The folks at the Wisconsin Dells made a good effort at their first marathon, but the course they laid out was incredibly tough. It was literally like running a roller coast trackup - down and up and down.... In fairness to the organizers, I was told that they tried to get a flatter course but the local sheriff and township boards wouldn't cooperate. But I (and most of the people I talked to in the race) ran about 15-20 slower than what we were anticipating. One guy who had run nearly 100 marathons said this definitely ranked with the top five toughest courses he's ever run. Unless they change the course, I won't be back.

I ran the half marathon and spoke to lots of people, and everyone agreed that it was a really difficult, challenging course. Food for the post-race runners left a lot to be desired (no fruit left!!), and the traffic was allowed on the road up to the finish line, which freaked everyone out - drivers and runners alike! What's with that? And no date on the shirts and hats?? Even first-race organizers know we like the running date on our gear! That's a given! Even this questionnaire doesn't give me credit for running in and finishing five half-marathons. That's cool too, isn't it? A for-profit race has to get this right even if it is the first year! Rookie mistakes, but those things will turn off lots of runners. On the up side the water stops were plentiful and the people were great and so were the spectators. The spectators, although not very numerous, really rocked it!