This was my first marathon, so I don't have anything to compare it to. And I'm just an average runner, so I don't have any expert review of the course.

But what I can say is the experience was great, especially for a first-time marathon runner. It's a small race, so if you're not running competitively (like me), you still feel comfortable.

It was a well marked course. Plenty of water and food along the way.

But the one thing I will always remember are the volunteers. Cheering you along every step of the way and encouraging you when you just want to quit!

The only reason I gave it a four-star rating is I don't have anything to compare it or expectations (because like I said, this was my first). But I would highly recommend and run this course again.

I ran the half-marathon here in preparation for my sixth marathon elsewhere. I must say that the event organizers for this Run Fest in the Fox Cities have done an awesome job! Whether it is your first time in a marathon or in any running event, you can't go wrong with this one! The elite level marathoners will also find this one challenging enough to make it all worthwhile! Its high ratings in running event surveys from across the country is well deserved. I am just so thrilled that the marathon event in my hometown is so well organized.

I don't think I could have picked a better place to run my first marathon. Everywhere you went people offered you encouragement and did whatever they could to assist you. Many of the towns had themes as you ran through them, which helped to keep a smile on your face. There were plenty of water stations, and medical staff was always close by. A great experience.

This race had the highest number of aid stations of any marathon or half that I have completed, including four stops in the last couple of miles. Fans are awesome. Lots of shade. GREAT race for spectators since there is so much spectator access to the course. Late hotel checkout is great, and access to start and finish is smooth. No lines at porta-potties pre-race; where else can you find that??

It was a pretty good race.

Course: It was pretty flat and fast, but as pretty as the area is, there are some pretty boring parts of this race. Being in several small towns you ran through some completely asleep downtown areas, some nice riverside areas and a few neighborhoods but at other times there were stretches of boring roads and occasional strip malls. As far as the running surface goes, I remember much too much concrete. The roads, however, were wide. I started near the back and was able to easily pass from the beginning because of wide roads. It finishes in a park where I was able to jump into the river for a cold bath (something I consider a huge plus). Transportation from the start line to the finish line easy.

Organization: They know what they are doing, can be contacted before the event, and have ample water on the course. On the downside, there is little parking at the start and I don't like being told to show up at 6:45 for an 8 a.m. start (sure for a big race but not for a marathon with 1,200 runners). There is a half that starts at 7 and closes down the roads. But they do open up the community college for a warm place to hang out.

At the finish line there is no beer. No specially brewed micro-brew like at GB, no two free samples of Mich Ultra, no brat fest and beer tents like in Madison. To have a marathon in Wisconsin without beer just feels wrong.

Spectators: There are some. Getting the various cheerleading squads out is fun. Having the marathon relay helps get the crowd there, but it is a small race, so don't expect big crowds. The water stops and relay stations were well maned, which translates to a group of people at least every mile.

While this was a good race, I don't see it as a great race and am a little confused by its very high ratings. I find it utterly runnable and might do it again, but I wouldn't fly halfway across the country to run it.

For Wisconsin runners (not living in greater Appleton), they don't tell you about morning packet pick-up, but it might still be available; they just don't encourage it. Had I known, I think I would have just driven up there that morning instead of booking a hotel room like I did.

I enjoyed this race overall. The size was great (although I am not a fan of the ultra-crowded marathons, so I may be biased). All of the details that matter were taken care of - the expo, course, volunteers, shuttles, and the finish line area were easy to navigate. The start area was nice, and it is in a college building where you can spread out and find a quiet place to get ready, stretch and stay warm. Food at finish line and water on course was plentiful and in ample supply. I loved the themed aid stations as well - Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, etc.

The only thing that marked this marathon down for me was that the course was pretty rural/residential, but that being said, with it being residential meant a TON of wonderful fan support. So I'll take the fan support over a prettier course. I'll close with another huge plus which was that the hotels had late checkout (4 p.m. - unheard of!) and a very helpful shuttle service to and from the race. You can tell that the organizers put a lot of thought into this race, and the community supports the marathon.

I've run the half marathon two times, and it's a wonderful race; from the organization to the workers to the spectators, Fox Cities has worked hard to make this a great race! The course is flat, fast and scenic.

I have run 5 so far, including Disney and Philly, and this one takes the cake. Crowd support was awesome. Great shuttle bus system. If not for the 50 states, I would return every year. Course had a nice mix of everything.

This is a nice "small"-city race. It is nothing like the big-city races so don't compare it to one. I thought for a small event that there was a lot of spectators and that it was run well. The one real big complaint I have is that, at the end, they mixed in walkers and half marathoners. My biggest complaint was the walkers! As far as elevation, it's not like Chicago. There are many elevation changes. With that said, they were not a big deal.

I really liked the organization of this race. The race organizers had 23 water stops, with port-a-johns at every one and many medical volunteers on bicycles. They could drop the motorcycles; they were stinky and seemed to be just in the way. As other people had said, the cement roads can be a problem for runners who train on asphalt and dirt. I had to walk most of this race because of an I.T.B. problem, which might have been caused by the cement. Who knows? There was nothing special at the end of the race - just the usual bagels and bananas - but with all of the other good points, of the 40 other states I have done, this race would rank about 25th.