I'm from a hot country and we don't run in this heat starting at 8.30 a.m. Our own Barbados Marathon starts at 4:30 a.m.; we respect the heat. The weather on this day was 29 C, 37 C with Humidex (feels like 104 F). Not a cloud in the sky. During normal weather, the marathon route I imagine would be nice on the Levis side, and a bit boring on the Quebec side after the bridge as it's just highway and highway. In hot weather, however, this route is not so much challenging as dangerous. After this has occurred several times now in the 13 year history of this marathon, you would think that the organizers would either 1: make a last-minute time change to 6:30 a.m. start time announced the day before or 2: change the route permanently to avoid having a 21.1K second half that is completely unshaded.

A 47-year-old man had a heart attack a few miles before the finish, and there were many, many people being treated for heat sickness along the route and at the end (including myself) in the medic tent. I think there was a fatality in the second year of this marathon - a 32-year-old male, also on a hot day.

Despite the heat, the citizens on the Levis side were great, lining the route with their chairs and makeshift sprinkler showers, and clapping and cheering, telling you to "keep on going" in French. I waved and thanked everyone as I passed. What amazing support. The fans died out before the bridge, and there were few after that until the end, but those that you saw, especially near the end of the race, would yell at you in French that you were almost there.

I want to add as well that almost everyone speaks a bit of English in Quebec City and anyone wanting to run this would not have any problems at all with the language barrier. Quebec City is a very old city, and its architecture is very European. Also, Levis is like a French seaside town; the houses resemble homes in Brittany in the north of France. Amazing!

Overall the organization was good, except one caution: make sure you get on the correct bus for either the half or full marathon. I got on the wrong bus because the organizer spoke only in French. Luckily a very kind volunteer and bus driver drove me to the correct start point at the last minute. The aid stations were excellent, the course is beautiful, and yes, there are only a few "hills" but also some rather long, 20-30-degree inclines. The inclines did not bother me and I was pleased with my time at this race. It was hot on the day we ran, with the occasional nice breeze, but by taking full advantage of the aid stations I did just fine. I would recommend this marathon if you enjoy both a physical challenge and a cultural experience.

I registered for this race with relatively low expectations. I wanted to run a half-marathon relatively close to home and one that was scheduled at the end of the summer. I do not know of anyone who has run this race and therefore had no prior knowledge of what to expect. I had an excellent experience!

The race route was nicely planned out. It was scenic and interesting enough to keep my mind busy throughout the run. It ran through a charming waterfront neighborhood, across the bridge into Quebec City, along the St. Laurence River, and into the city. A couple of hills, but it was generally flat and fast.

It is relatively well organized. I stayed in one of the event hotels, which offered a shuttle service to the ferry. The volunteers were very friendly. Everybody I encountered spoke English better than I had expected.

There weren't too many spectators along the way, but the closer we got to the finish line, the more people there were cheering on runners.

Tons of food at the finish line: chocolate milk, fruit, yogurt, bagels, cookies, broth, water, and sodas.

So, if you're looking at running a race in the province of Quebec, this one is definitely worth the trip.

Marathon swag: Finishers' medals have LEDs that flash. Extra batteries are provided too! The tech shirt is not bad; unfortunately, they are all men's cut, which is not a great fit for the ladies. Also, a reusable cloth bag with pictures from previous marathons.

This marathon is one of the best-kept secrets in the marathon world! I hadn't heard of it until I had to scramble to find a late-August marathon in a state/province I hadn't run yet. I am so happy I ran across it!

This was my 36th marathon and it absolutely was the most beautiful course I have ever run. We saw the St. Lawrence River, which was spectacular for about 2/3 of the race. The architecture in the cities is absolutely unbelievable. The race starts in Levis and finishes in Quebec.

I don't know of a race with better organization, better volunteers, or any more friendliness. Fan support was second only to Boston - we ran through neighborhoods with everyone out supporting us with smiles, applause, water and sprinklers. The race shirts were great, two-color, technical shirts, and, the medal was absolutely one of the best I have received (it even lights up). Yes, there were some hills, particularly going up to, and yes, after the bridge crossing the river. The worst was a congested construction area leading up to the bridge where I got plowed into by a non-marathon-related bike. Outside of that, and the unusually hot day (record set for that day at 85 degrees... it was 40 something last year), it was an event that I would recommend to everyone!

The Marathon des Deux Rives (two shores marathon) is a great course in a fantastic city that I targeted for my 2009 destination marathon and I was not disappointed

There are many fine hotels in the Old City within easy walking distance of the ferry that takes you across the St. Laurence river to Levis and the start. My wife and I took advantage of the pasta supper the night before and it was worthwhile, but there are many restaurants to choose from. The expo was good and it was nice to get a runner's shirt that was not black nor long-sleeved for a change.

Taking the ferry was unique and well-managed (my wife, a spectator, bought a $5 ticket at the expo and went with me to the start, and then after we began, the race was bussed to the finish). When we got to Levis, it was nice getting off the ferry and then breezing by the long line of half marathoners waiting for their bus and walking right on the marathon bus (worth the extra 13.1 miles of effort!). Toilets are adequete at the start, with (tip) port-a-potties available outside the school.

It was overcast and drizzly to start the race, which limited vista views of the area, but the course was very fair, with no major uphills and plenty of water/Gatorade stops. There were many open toilets at the halfway mark, used for the half-marathon start, that I felt guilty not using. Spectators were sporadic but enthusiastic, and it's a great setting at the finish. The course allowed me to be on a pace for my PR, but a leg issue in the last six miles derailed that result. The only negative was that, without renting a car, the only two times my wife was able to see me was at the start and finish.

Quebec City is the most picturesque city in North America and there is so much to see and do either before or after the race. The four days we were visiting were hardly enough. Language is not a problem, as all service people (except a few cabbies) are bilingual and very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended.

I would highly recommend this marathon. Quebec City is a beautiful place to visit. We stayed in a hotel in the old city, which was only five minutes from the finish so we could walk back. The ferry ride to the buses was a great way to start the day. The marshaling area was at a school and you could wait inside to keep warm, which was great.

The first half of the course is enjoyable, with nice views across the St. Lawrence, but I was unprepared for the hills leading up to the bridge and the rollers after the bridge in the final 10K. This was my first marathon, and compared to other half marathon courses I have run, I think it was significantly tougher!

All in all, a great weekend, and I loved limping/shuffling up and down the hills of Quebec City the next few days!

Running this race was a last-minute decision, and I wasn't sure what to expect when coming to Quebec, but I'm glad that I went. Everything went very, very nicely. People in this city went out of there way to accommodate the runners. I had a very, very bad run, as I was not properly prepared. I did San Fran the month before and was not ready for this race. That being said, I loved everything about this small-town race. It reminded me of San Fran a little bit, but not because of my time! I will be returning to make amends For my poor showing.

Thank you, Quebec, for making my visit so comfortable. See you next year.

This was my 3rd marathon and I was thrilled to take part in such an organized event. The spectators were wonderful along the route, and there were plenty of water stations and gel stations (all exactly where the website indicated they would be). I found the course to be my toughest to date. I was really tired after this run.

One disappointing note: there were a lot of us that ran the marathon in 4:30 or less, and I met some runners who were doing their first marathon from Boston - they were very excited that on the other side of the river there would be music, but by the time we all got to the other side of the river, the bands had packed up and left. That was very disheartening for us slower marathoners, who need all of the support that we can get. It's a very long, lonely run for us at the end.

As an overseas runner I found it very welcoming as my first marathon and was delighted to finish in under 3 hours. It's a tough course with plenty of inclines, especially before and after the bridge, and you probably won't PB here. But they really do put on the effort in organizing the event and making it enjoyable, and the scenery is top-notch. One criticism, though: there was not enough water and too much Gatorade. Who drinks that disgusting stuff, especially during a race?!

Overall, it was very well organized. It had a decent expo for an event with only about 900 marathon runners, though the shirts are small (my XL-marked shirt is an L) and the goodies are underwhelming. There were good lodging options, and in an interesting city. They had many helpful volunteers, the pace bunnies were great, the clear markers at every kilometer made the time go quickly (which was helpful, as course was a little dull), and though there were a few tough hills, they had good water stops. The finish was the weakest area, with poor crowd control (pedestrians crossing your path near the finish). After finishing, you moved through a food station, which I passed through to find my family. After I was settled, I tried to go back for a bagel, but was not blocked by two guards - bad, bad, bad. There were no space blankets, and I could not find Gatorade. There were also lots of people milling around at the finish area, with no-purpose/closure. I don't mean to sound ungrateful; I'm just telling it straight. All in all, I had a great time, hit a PR, and would recommend it, but I will not come back since there are so many others.