I loved this race. I had an easy walk from my hotel to the start. The course was beautiful. The spectators and volunteers were wonderful. The course was a bit more rolling than I expected, and miles 15-18 were tough. I needed water at mile 19, and angel spectators were handing out bottles of water. Thanks for a great race.

I wasn't so impressed with the Richmond marathon. The streets on the course are in horrible shape. I was constantly avoiding potholes, I ran on an angle most of the course, and we just bad road conditions in general. It is hilly! And I train on hills. I saw several people having to walk through the finish line because the downhill finish they brag about is a very steep downhill, and after 26 miles your knees and hamstrings aren't up for it. The aid stations were poorly organized. One would have water first and PowerAde second. The next would have water on the left PowerAde on the right, so people were bumping into each other at the aid stations. Consistency! The traffic was an issue. Where were the volunteers/police to keep cars from turning in front of us at intersections? I finished in 4:06, so it's not like I was waaay behind. Cars were not friendly in several areas. And the cold, wet wash clothes were dry and hard... not good for rubbing the sweat off of my face.

The weather could have been better. But, for me, that's not really an issue. The fans were great! And it is a pretty route. The James River was really moving because of all of the rain and it was fun and peaceful to watch.

I was hoping it would be a race I'd do again since it's close to my home, but I don't think so.

Worst of all... they lost my time! My husband received one text during the race with my time, so I know the chip was on right. But so far there are no results for me. I did hear that the timing company had to rush out for another race on Sunday and that a lot of the times were lost! Bummer. I hope no one who qualified for Boston had their time lost.

I can't say enough good things about this race. This is my fourth marathon and my favorite one to date. Great organization, and a great course that is varied and fair, but by no means easy. Great spectator support throughout. Great scenery, from the monuments, to the neighborhoods, to the river, to the skyline. And great amenities during and after the race. Water stops were frequent and run well by the volunteers. And at the end, pizza! I even liked the shirt, which I've heard has been weak in the past.

I did encounter quite a few nice people along this course, so I can see how it earned its moniker as the friendliest marathon (well, it is at least one of the friendlier ones, in my opinion). The expo was pretty easy to get through, and pre-race was well set up. (It was nice to be able to walk a few blocks over and see the first finishers of the 8K run.) The marathon itself was fine, with a good amount of variety - over the river and through the woods (well, not through the woods, but next to some natural areas, and alongside the river). Of course, there was also plenty of urban running, past shops and homes. There were lots of people along the course offering words of encouragement, and the good music at spots was nice. Some parts were flat, but there were also some ups and downs. The post-race area was small, but close and adequate - well done. And picking up checked gear was easy and close; there was no need to walk all over! Overall, nicely put on.

This was my third Richmond Marathon in seven years, and it gets better every time. Moving the expo from the Omni to the Community Center was a big plus. I hope the use of this venue continues. The route change near the end of the race heading downtown was also a stroke of genius. For the most part, the aid stations were well stocked, but a couple were short on hands. I also want to thank Dave, who led the 3:15 pace team; this was the first time in 21 marathons that I ran a negative split. Awesome job! Since I trained in Tampa, the humid weather did not both me at all, as the temps remained in the 50's the entire race. The light wind was actually a nice bonus, which I thought cooled things off a bit. This is a must-do marathon or half for everyone: the course is runner-friendly; there's plenty of support during and after the race; and the mid-November temps are usually very marathon friendly also. Thanks again to Richmond and all of the volunteers.

It was another great marathon in Richmond, Virginia. Plenty of aid stations, porta-johns, and food at the finish line. Even Patrick Henry showed up to provide support!

This was my ninth Richmond Marathon; count me in again next year.

I've done Chicago and Marine Corps and now Richmond. This race is definitely worth checking out. Being a medium-size race means you're never crowded or impeded. The course is scenic and has lots of variety. It is pretty flat, but it does have some steeper sections that are followed by downhills. The spectators were better than at both Marine Corps and Chicago - the party zones were awesome. The mile markers were EASY TO SEE and the water stops were perfectly timed - every two miles exactly. Shirts were gender-specific and pretty nice. I liked the heavy medal a lot. This is my favorite marathon thus far!

This was my sixth year in a row running Richmond and it is my favorite marathon for several important reasons.

#1. Location: it is only a couple hours drive from my home.
#2. Course: enough variety to keep me happy and interested, although coming back across the Robert E. Lee Bridge at mile 15 is always a character builder, especially when it is windy like it was this year.
#3. Organization: top-notch.
#4. Spectators: the best around.
#5. Most important to me for personal reasons, the official race charity/beneficiary is Donate Life. Gives me the opportunity to help spread the message every year about the importance of organ and tissue donation. My teenage daughter was an organ donor in 2002 and saved five people's lives. There is a reason it is billed as "America's Friendliest Marathon" and was selected by Runner's World magazine as the marathon they were going to highlight this year.

Richmond has everything together. Great organization; great post-race food. The course is good - relatively flat and at times scenic. Running around the monuments and through the beautiful neighborhoods is an impressive hook. The field is not so large that you can't quickly get into your pace and be able to hold it. The only negative is that the few partially closed streets, with coned-off lanes for running, are at times a little narrow. I ran this race in 2007 also, and the best improvement is that the '07 t-shirt was awful, but this year it is first-rate - a long-sleeved, moisture-wicking shirt with nice graphics.

I like everything about this race and will no doubt run it again.