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 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.

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.

This race is perfect size - there are just enough folks to make you feel part of an event, but not enough to interfere with your pace. The course is moderately hilly but very fair, and the last six miles are flat, with a downhill finish.

Organizers did a great job, and though there weren't as many spectators as last year (weather), the ones that were out were loud and energetic.

Overall, a great race. This is my hometown race, so I'm a bit biased, but the title of "America's Friendliest Marathon" is justly deserved.

This really is a friendly marathon. It is easy to get to the start with ample parking. Everything is set up perfectly (except the weather - drizzle followed by humid, but nice 50's). The Party Zones were so loud that they re-energize tired legs. The aid stations were easy and the volunteers wonderful. Riverside Drive, with loud rapids on the James River, was awesome. It seemed that there was a gradual uphill from mile 15 to 20. After that it was much better. Some hill training is recommended. The screaming downhill finish is great. Good time to smile!

I left Richmond with good vibes, despite not getting my BQ. My transformation from a runner to a tree/signpost/parking meter-hugger starting at mile 15 up and going right up to the finish set me back a full nine minutes. The course certainly isn't Chicago-flat, but I thought it was fair, even scenic at times, and the inclines were manageable. Organization was almost perfect - this is minor, but please don't have us select shirt sizes when we sign up if you can't stop people from getting sizes they didn't sign up for (I signed up for a small, and all they had left were L and XL). I couldn't say enough of the spectators, though. There were a lot of "deserted" stretches, but THE SPECTATORS AND VOLUNTEERS ALONG THE COURSE WERE SIMPLY AWESOME.