Well after 41 straight marathon finishes, this one tested me and I had my first DNF! But the race was a blast! I had so much fun (despite the heat and humidity) and saw many friends and met new friends. Great to see all the 50 stater and Maniacs there too! I would totally recommend this race. Thank you so much for the incredible race direction! And please tell Joanne, my race angel - thank you from Ted!

This sounded like a blast when I was researching races during this year's chilly Midwestern winter...running in Georgia in a gated community would certainly be a welcome change to freezing my buns off in the cold. Fast forward six months later and the 90 degree/98 percent humidity that greeted me on race day had me questioning my sanity (note to self no more southern summer marathons!) and running a marathon that took me 1 hr longer than normal.

Not that these feelings of regret have ANYTHING to do with the race/organization. In fact this event went very smoothly! Directors did a great job updating participants on course details and information with an email sent well ahead of the race containing all necessary information. Course was well marked (even at night with glow sticks which were a great idea), and hilly which made for some interesting running. This does take place in a little gated community and while the aid station volunteers were fabulous there was virtually no one else on course (except for several loose dogs and cats) and quite a few people driving the streets and giving runners odd looks. Also highly suggest using a head lamp/flashlight as course was extremely dark after sun down. RD did warn about this but still saw way too many runners with little to no lighting which in my opinion was a dangerous situation. Aid stations were fully stocked (like ultra running stocked with pretzels, cookies, sandwiches, etc), race medal and shirt were cute and price can't be beat - must register for this early as it is capped at 150 runners and fills every year.

All in all a good Georgia marathon but if you don't like running in the heat I would suggest you avoid this one!

This Marathon was well organized. Plenty of aid stations. Dedicated volunteers and spectators made the 4 laps go by quickly. It took me an hour longer than usual, but it was really fun. The medal was nice, and the Pink Tiara made a good finish picture. The course was hilly and shaded. Temp in the 80's and high humidity. This one was just fun.

This is a very unique race. I highly recommend it. First you have to sign up early as they capped the entrants at 125 and we learned many more people had wanted to apply. The race director is awesome and provided a lot of info about the course and logistics about the race. The t-shirt is a black technical one and is one I will actually wear - really cool. There weren't a lot of spectators, but the ones that were on the course and at the finish were very supportive. Four friends and I ran the half. My PR is 2:01 and I ran this in 2:14 -but it is hilly, and it is at night, and it is in the summer, and it is in the South - but that all made it a great experience. Will definitely be back!

I need to pay more attention to the race website and MarathonGuide comments; I was not ready for the hills! Fortunately, the first decent hill is less than a quarter-mile into the race, so you either accept the hills or go home. In 2010, the race had 4 loops in a residential gated community on roads that are not closed to traffic, so if you get aggravated the first or second time around you can always quit. I actually like the multiple loops on a marathon, which allow you to learn the turns and get prepared for the hills and water stops, which can help with running strategy later in the race. The race starts and ends at the local clubhouse, but other than that and a couple of residences along the way, the course has very few fans. However, at the clubhouse, there are all kinds of wonderful fans and food - and more food - and everyone gets a glow band for increased visibility during the later hours of the race. The goody bag was the best ever - and incredible for a race that costs just $30. There was an aluminum water bottle, flashlight, granola bar, lollipop, lapel pin, and at the end of the race you get even more stuff depending upon if you finish before or after midnight. My kids really enjoyed the orange pumpkin-faced whoopee cushion and collapsible pumpkin-shaped fan that I received for being one of the last finishers. The only downside is that the turn markings are relatively difficult to see in the dark, but the directions are both published online before the race, and printed copies are given to all runners to carry with them. A great, small, local race: I'll be back in 2011 - better prepared!

This small-town race had more to offer than I would have ever expected. The course itself was a loop in a residential neighborhood with hills, hills, and then more hills. The main aid station was filled with the most incredible amount of food, snacks, drinks, and assortment of GU-like products. The best part of this race was the personality. Because of the small number of participants each runner was treated as a VIP. I finished my race before midnight and got a wonderful tiara for my effort. I'm looking forward to doing this race again.

This was one of the best and most difficult marathons I've ever run. If you like having a personal connection with the people you're running with, this is a great race. The entry fee is dirt cheap, and there are finisher's medals, as well as great aid on the course. It's a rare race where the race director will take a financial loss just to ensure that the runners have an optimal experience.