I wanted to do Tennessee and looked at several marathons but this seemed like a nice small marathon and that is exactly what it was. I really liked the low-key atmosphere, it was all about runners. The marathon had less than 100 runners, but the aid stations were just great&well-stocked and well placed. The race start and finish are in about the same place&.about 100 feet apart&and it starts at Union University which is a local smaller religion-based university. The gym is the location of the Expo, plus near the race start and it is the race finish line. Nice amount of food at the end and a great Finishers medal, really attractive and well made. I gave spectators a 5 even though there were none and in a race this size I really dont expect any.

The volunteers were great even for a slow runner like me. They hung in there.

PROS:
The course has some rolling hills but is basically kind of flat except for a long uphill right at the end. The aid stations are well stocked and well positioned throughout the course, about every 2 miles. They even had a porta potty or two out on the marathon course which for such a small race was a surprise.

The university gym has showers that are right at the finish line. So if you are going to travel after the race, it is very easy to shower and change. If you have a gym lock take it with you and you can grab one of the locker room lockers as your secure gear drop.

Any lodging is close because the city is not too big. I stayed at the Highland Place B&B and was just a couple of miles from the start. If you fly into Memphis, it is about an 80 minute drive to Jackson.

CONS:
No major complaint other than late in the race around mile 21, there were some road markings for another race that let me and a couple of other runners make a wrong turn. It was my fault because on this one stretch of road they wanted the runners to go with the flow of traffic, but I am not comfortable doing that on an open road, so I went against the flow of traffic and that is what enabled me to see the other races arrow and make the wrong turn.

The university is easy to find but the gym is not something that jumps out at you. I followed the cars and people with bib pickup bags and figured it out.

OVERALL:
If you like a smaller race, this is one you want to run. Nice scenery, never boring, and relatively flat.

Ok, so the positive: beautiful course, nice medal at the end, water/Gatorade every two miles and plenty of porta potties, and it goes to a great charity.....and the list ends there. This is a TINY race and seems to only be declining as the years go on and I think there's a reason. While this was my first full marathon, I have done several other half marathons.

There were only 96 finishers this year and by mile 7 or 8 I rarely saw anyone anywhere, which isn't a big deal, but it's weird and not what I'm used to. There were very few signs posted for where to pick up your packet and no signs at the end telling where the food was. I later learned it was in he gym but someone should have pointed me in that direction. You shouldn't have to ask about that. Oh! Then, at the beginning the person to start the race wasn't even there until 6:50, 10 minutes before the race and NOTHING to get you excited.

I've never been in a race that didn't have music or something in the beginning. Now, I will say, I'm not the fastest person out there. In fact, I finished dead last (though way before the time limit), so maybe I shouldn't have a say on this. But if asked to do it again, I'd pass.

This is a hot race...best part of this race was the cold towel at the end. I understand this is a fund raiser but the organizers should spend a few $ on the runners. 1. ICE, weather is hot and cold water on the course would be nice. 2. Gatoraid was only at half the stops, this is a HOT race. Medal: Not worth saving  sticker on plastic. Either upgrade or don't bother. 4. Post race: NO cold beverages, no salty snacks...did I mention this was a hot race?

The organizers and volunteers were just tremendous! So, well prepared and so well done. I did the Half Marathon and the other runners were also so encouraging. Awesome experience!

I ran the half marathon in Jackson a number of times, but it never fit into my schedule to do the full until this year. And even though the weather was really warm for me, and I bonked pretty bad, I loved running in my hometown. It's only hilly depending on how you define hills. I like the up and down to give my legs a little break from the mainly flat course. It is mostly rural, and this is where I train, so the lack of spectators is not an issue. The race organization has been much better over the prior two or three years and I expect will only get better. Try this one next year as a warm up to another race.

10th marathon, 6th state in my quest for 50/50. I train on the hills of Northern KY and felt fairly prepared for this race. The mixed reviews on the hills were the big question mark for me. Some have said they are just rolling easy hills, others have said they are brutal. I was mentally prepared for both. As it were, with the HEAT (it hit high 70s/low 80s by mid race), the hills on this course became brutal.

On a cool day, this course would be challenging, but with the heat, it's a rock polisher. As for everything else with the event, it's one of the loneliest races I've ever run. There is no one on the course other than the fraternities and sororities at the aid stations (which were good). Medal is terrible (there are some 5ks with better). The course is open and easy to get around for spectators (which was bizarre because other than my wife I saw NO OTHER supporters on the course!).

Post race food is very average. Tech shirt is nice, yet unspectacular. I would not recommend, nor run this race again. They need to move this race to an earlier date, the heat the last two years are going to keep people away.

The race director evidently read the reviews from previous years. All items that were not up to par from previous years were corrected this year. The finisher's shirt was a first-rate, technical T. The finisher's medal was very nice and the results were promptly posted. I enjoyed the race, with its rolling terrain and nice views. There were not a lot of spectators but this did not bother me. Like previous comments note, the cows were the main spectators. The water stations were spaced about every two miles with excellent volunteers at the helm. Things cannot be done about the weather, but this was a HOT one. To compensate for the temps, volunteers handed out cold, wet towels at the finish. THANKS!! The finisher's area was well stocked, with post-run food and drink. I did have a good time talking to other runners/Maniacs during the run. People were very friendly and this was a well organized event. Only recommendation I can add is to have a gel packet or two added to a few water points later in the course. I would recommend this to all, from the first-timer to the Marathon Maniac looking for a nice, smaller event in a great location.

I signed up for this race due to the reviews from past years. This was my first marathon. The course had a few slight hills and nice scenery, and was marked very well. There were volunteers stationed at intersections to direct runners and traffic. The parking was close to the start/finish area. The aid stations were every two miles, and stocked with orange slices, water and Gatorade. The volunteers were very encouraging despite standing in the hot sun (the temperature was unseasonably high). All of the above plus a nice medal, technical shirt and the results posted promptly. A great stress-free experience for a first marathon.

It was brutally hot. Still, this was a very fine event. The support staff and volunteers were some of the best I've encountered in many years of running. The shirt and medallion were first-rate. I look forward to this event next year.

This was my first marathon, and with the high temps, I am thankful to have finished! The organizers did a fantastic job of listening to past runners' suggestions in ways to improve. I was happy to see a tech shirt and especially happy to receive a medal at the finish. The course support was fantastic! The volunteers at the water stations were very encouraging. The water stations had plenty of water, sports drinks and even orange slices! At the finish, we were given an iced towel, which was awesome considering the temp was a near 85 degrees! The only negative of the race was the weather, and that is out of anyone's control; you just have to adjust expectations and goals a little! One suggestion I have is a possible earlier start time. :)