Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon - Race Reviews

I agree with the posts from 2019-21. I highly recommend this marathon. My 24th marathon, 21st state. We arrived at the Wingate Hotel just off I75 late Fri night from VA. Maybe another hotel would have been cleaner and more updated, but for the price it was fine. Packet pick up Sat am was great. My husband dropped me off and later parked on the field adjacent to the start/finish after the 5k runners had left, so after a much longer time on my feet than I anticipated, I was able to walk just feet to our car. The volunteers were fabulous! The group at the turn-around at miles 4 and 16 was fantastic! They gave me so much energy. The 4:30 pace leader, Suman was top notch. I couldn't stay with him past 9 miles, but up to that point, he was spot on every mile and he was so entertaining with his conversation and music! The announcer who gave instructions at the start and announced every name at the finish gave a tremendous amount of energy and personal touch - and stayed the duration! So impressed by all this Southern hospitality! After race, we had a nice stay at the Doubletree downtown Chattanooga. Walked the Market St Bridge and had dinner at Whitebird at the Edwin Hotel. Ruby Falls tour the next day. For all 50 State Marathoners and all other runners, I highly recommend this race!

My 13th marathon, and this one might be my favorite. If you're looking for a big, flashy marathon with lots of spectators and entertainment, this one isn't for you. If you're looking for a quiet, reflective run through beautiful, hallowed grounds, this is definitely the one to do. Everything about this race was superbly organized: easy packet pick up (even available the morning of the race!); plenty of parking practically right next to the start/finish line; plenty of portapotties (first race I've been to with NO giant porta potty line before the race!); and well-stocked aid stations. This was the first race I've ever been to with volunteers on bikes riding around the course ready to help - brilliant idea! The course starts at the 6th Cavalry museum, runs a quick loop around it, then heads onto a bumpy semi-paved path for a mile or so before heading into the national park for two loops. Half-marathoners and marathoners both start at the same time, but with only 250 or so full marathoners and maybe 1000 half marathoners, it never felt too crowded or like you needed to dodge other runners. The full marathoners split off around mile 4 for a quick out and back segment before re-joining with the half marathoners. Then it's two loops around the park, with the half marathoners splitting off at the end of the first loop. I was a little worried that doing two loops would be mentally tough, but I actually think it helped a bit to know what was coming the 2nd time around. (It also helped we didn't have to run through the start line when starting loop 2 - I find going through the start/finish area with another 13 miles to go to be extremely demoralizing...) The course is just beautiful, with lots of gently rolling hills through wooded areas and the occasional grassy field. Running past canons, markers, and monuments was a moving experience. We had absolutely perfect running weather this year with nice crisp 45 degree temps, sunshine, and little wind. Fall foliage was maybe a week past its prime but still gorgeous. Two deer jumped out at various points in the course. The course is definitely not flat, but most of the elevation is due to gentle inclines/declines. A lot of the time I didn't even realize that I was running up or down hill. There are a couple of short, steeper hills in the second half of the loop, but nothing too taxing. I think the hills actually help by working different leg muscles -- I finished the race with my legs still feeling relatively good, and I was barely sore later that day or the next day. The second half of the race can be a bit lonely without the half marathoners out there and relatively few other marathoners. I do most of my training on my own, so I'm used to long quiet runs by myself and enjoyed the solitude of the second half. But if you're the type of person who prefers running in a crowd to help energize you, this might not be the race for you. Spectators are pretty sparse, but the ones out there were enthusiastic. God bless the two women in full Southern belle costumes cheering their hearts out for us runners! The quietness of the course and relatively few spectators also helped provide opportunity for reflection on just where exactly it is that you're running and what momentous events took place there 150 years ago. Post-race area was small, but had an announcer calling off names as runners crossed the finish line. The post-race food was excellent: pizza, Georgia peanuts, moon pies, and my personal favorite, hot salty soup. Usually I don't want to eat much immediately after a marathon, but that hot soup tasted so good...They also had banana pudding but that sounded too much like eating another Gu so I didn't try any. Overall, I cannot say enough great things about this race. It was well worth every penny (and cost a lot less than most other races I've done!). Highly recommend.

I'm very happy I made the trip from Pennsylvania to run this marathon. I felt honored to run through such sacred ground. I took the free shuttle from the Spring-hill Suites in Ringold to the start. My wife was able to sleep-in for a change. It took about 20 minutes for the shuttle to get to the start. The 2:00pm hotel check-out was very welcomed! Plenty of parking near the start/finish as well. This is an extremely well organized event. Volunteers were awesome. You can pick up your bib and shirt the morning of the race if you like!! Very quiet run on paved roads. The course is well marked. Approximately 250 marathon finishers. Temperature at start was 23 degrees! It was a sunny day and temperatures warmed-up by mid-race. Great medal, shirt and water glass. Plenty of food during and after the race. Be aware there are about fifty, small elevation changes. The other runners were mainly from TN and GA and they were very friendly. I would highly, highly recommend this race for anyone trying to run a marathon in every state. My wife and I used the trip to visit the Biltmore Estate in Ashville (3-1/2 hrs) as well as going to Nashville (2-1/2 hrs) for fun on Broadway. This was a fantastic trip!. THANKS

This was my first marathon so I don't have much of a comparison point, but I loved everything about this race. It was well organized and the logistics were seamless, right down to the on-site parking. The course was beautiful with minimal traffic and officers assisting at the few road crossings. The changing leaves, historical markers, monuments, and deer bounding through open fields made for a contemplative, lovely run. Spectators were few but supportive and the race was relatively small, which I prefer over noise and jostling for position. I liked that the marathon consisted of a double loop; it was nice to know what was ahead at the end of the race. Full and half marathon runners start together but there was a brief out and back around mile 3 that created a bit more space. It was a chilly 27 degree start with temperatures in the mid 40's at the conclusion of the race but layers and hand warmers made the temperature a non-issue. The long-sleeved tee, pint glass, medal, and framed bib were all good quality and nice mementos. Be sure to bring your own nutrition; Powerade and water ware available with bananas and oranges along the route but Gu was limited.

This is a great marathon. It's small (240 marathon finishers). It's a two looper run in conjunction with a larger half. It loops around a historic Civil War Battlefield which is now a National Park. There are monuments and cannons everywhere. In fact, they set off a cannon to start the race which is very cool. it's not a super difficult course but it is a challenge. It's run on small paved roads through woods and fields. I loved everything about it and am glad that I used it for Georgia on my 50 state goal. The Chattanooga area is awesome with lots to see and do (lookout Mountain, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Ruby Falls and great food).

This was my very first marathon, and so I don't have much to compare it to, however: the reason I picked it is because it was small, and would surround me with natural beauty at a time of year that is ideal for the colors of autumn. It did NOT dissapoint. The aid stations were plentiful and frequent. The spectators were few but awesome. I LOVED the fact that they had a framed plaque of my bib for me with my name on it for my first marathon. I live in Kennesaw and am used to running hills, so I did not really notice the hills until I was super tired later in the race. It is nothing that can't be mentally worked through. The ONLY thing that left me a bit disappointed was the visibility of the different pacers at the start of the race. I wanted to align myself further back, but could not locate that particular pacer. Overall though, It was lovely and I am going to make this an annual event for sure.

I had a wonderful experience running this marathon. This was my third marathon and definitely the nicest course I've run so far. As the other runners noted, it's peaceful and beautifully scenic. What I liked best though was the tribute paid to veterans (the race was on Veterans Day) and the fact the course takes you through a battlefield that honors the soldiers who fought in the battle. I was concerned about the hills, but they were not a problem on the first loop and slightly challenging by the second. If you're a novice marathoner like me, I'd recommend some hill workouts if you plan to run this course. Weather was over the top beautiful and the temp was 32 at the start. Plenty of water/aid stations. Not a lot of spectators but the ones that were there were great. I highly recommend this marathon!

I absolutely loved this marathon. The course is scenically beautiful, with gentle rolling terrain and no major hills-just enough to keep it interesting. I was afraid that the double loop would be terrible, but it was almost a non-issue. The aid stations were frequent and well stocked, and I really like the medal, shirt, and swag. I will definitely return to Fort Oglethorpe for at LEAST the half next year!

I loved running through the battlefields. No traffic was a definite plus. The hills were there but not horrible. The volunteers were very supportive and there were no difficulties with the half and full marathon starting together. My only suggestion would be to have the same color arrows throughout the race. In places the arrows were yellow for the half and blue for the marathon yet there were also yellow arrows along the full marathon course. A very small complaint for a wonderfully run race in a beautiful area. I was a little surprised at the cool temps for the start but also appreciated them. The after race food was plentiful and well done. I highly recommend this race.

Very small full marathon field, but so well organized for such a small race. Pros: Perfect weather this year Running through the park was really enjoyable. Seeing the monuments and beautiful fall leaves added to the day. Expo small but all you need. Easy to get in and out. Cannon start very cool. Funny signs hung throughout the course I actually enjoyed the 2 loop course Nice swag, long sleeve shirt, nice medal, and choice of blanket or arm warmers. Postrace band was great. Cons Too few portalets. The road from mile 25-26 is in poor repair making a really hard end to the marathon. Easy to trip on uneven surfaces when you are tired and not lifting your feet so well. Spectators almost non-existent. Overall I would highly recommend this marathon if you don't mind a small field and few spectators.

Top 10 Reasons for Running Chickamauga 10) This is a medium-sized marathon in a peaceful serene setting offering the runner an inward, reflective type of experience 9) You run the same loop twice which means you will be completely familiar with the course for its second half 8) Running the loop twice also means you will know where the mile markers are for those crucial last few miles of the race - somehow that seems to make it psychologically easier to reach them 7) Fall colors 6) Beautiful serene forests and fields 5) The history 4) Not a lot of spectators but the cheers of those that were there could be heard across the battle field much like the shouts of soldiers would have been heard 150 years ago 3) Herd of deer running next to us at mile 10 2) The finisher's medal 1) The boom of the Civil War cannon to start the race

This is a race with spectacular setting or a race that keeps you honest. With a 700+ gain in elevation it constantly moves you up and down rolling hills. Nothing of great magnitude like Antietam battle field marathon but still lets your legs know its not flat. Well organized, great weather in 2016 and the course made for a memorable race. Nice medal and tech shirt.

Marathon morning dawned cold (temps not far above freezing). Large half marathon field and much smaller marathon field. Course was through Chickamauga Battlefield. Marathon did two loops while half did one loop. Footing was a bit rough getting from start area to roads in park. There were three places where the loops for the marathon and the half were different. They were well marked but you need to be alert. Marathon sometimes aligns with prime foliage, but not this year. Spectators were few. Volunteers were many. Tech shirt was a bit bland. Medals and post race food were well done. Plenty of parking near start and finish. Needed to go to Chattanooga for hotels - about 10 to 20 miles away. Overall Chattanooga Track Club did nice job organizing this marathon.

This is a beautiful, well-organized race. I urge runners to visit the museum first so you get a sense of the history you are running through. I found the whole experience very moving. The double-loop lets you see the many monuments as well as the occasional deer crossing the roads. They start the race with a canon. Imagine hearing hundreds of them and having them pointed your way! The medal changes every year and is based on the design of a state's memorial at the battlefield. One of my favorite marathons - great volunteers, and good, plentiful food at the end. Parking at the beginning is easy and well worth the $5 at the Catholic Church parking area (there is also a warm bathroom in the church entryway!). I would definitely consider running this race again.

This was my third marathon in three weekends and definitely my favorite of the three. I'm not usually a fan of double loop courses, but this one felt different. I really liked the fact that we didn't have to pass through the start/finish line to start the 2nd loop. I was a little concerned when I found out the course wouldn't be closed to traffic, but it wasn't an issue. I think I had a total of 4 or 5 cars go by on one small section of the road. The course itself was interesting and just challenging enough. There was one hill I had to walk both times around, but I was able to run all the other hills (on the first pass anyway). The course was well marked with people posted at any corner that could be confusing. Good support with water, poweraid and gels at some stations. There weren't large crowds, but that's not a problem for me. The chicken tortilla soup at the finish was awesome. I have a hard time eating solid foods at the end of a race (bagels, pizza) so I love soup or beans. Plus, there were oranges at the finish. Yay! Unfortunately, there was no chocolate milk. The weather was perfect. Low humidity, cool and sunny.

It's Small Really small. According to the race results posted online, 420 people finished the marathon. There's a half marathon that is run concurrently, and about 800 people finished that. There is also a 5K, that starts a half hour later than the marathon, and a junior marathon for children that starts 4-1/2 hours after the marathon start. It's Friendly The Chattanooga Track Club put on a professional, well managed race for sure, but it still felt very homey and personable. It's Beautiful Yes, the weather can be cold this time of year, but the foliage is all autumnal and the scenery is wonderful and rural. It's Reasonable I registered early, for $70. That's a pretty cheap marathon. When I started to consider races as my stab at a BQ, I really didn't want to spend too much or travel too far. I had read that traffic on the road leading into the Battlefield really backs up on marathon morning, but we were too early for any of that. The field was covered in frost and it was cold out there when we grabbed a quick port-a-potty break. I hadn't thought to bring a flashlight, but it would have been handy. The sun wouldn't be up for another 45 minutes to an hour. The colors were presented, and the National Anthem was (beautifully) sung. The race was started by a replica Civil War cannon... the shock wave literally rattled me. The course starts by running a little loop around the start/finish staging area, then makes its way towards the Battlefield Park. Lots of spectators were through this entire section. After a mile and a half, the course changes from road to a (poorly) paved trail. On this portion, the footing isn't great - there are a lot of potholes and portions of the trail have been damaged by tree roots from below. It certainly isn't like a technical trail, but it's just enough to demand your concentration. And honestly it didn't bother me on the way out. That portion lasted for perhaps a mile, maybe less, and then we popped back onto the road and onto the meat of the course: the two big loops around the Battlefield. I went back and forth about how I thought I would feel about doing a double loop course, but I was happy with this. Doing two loops really helped me focus on staying relaxed and positive for the first half. Once I got through the first half, I felt confident and ready to tackle the second half, because I had already seen it! The first loop was sort of a blur: there were water stops very regularly every two miles or so. Each one was run a little differently and some were more organized than others. The stops weren't very crowded, but it was very helpful just to look someone right in the eye, even point at the cup that they were holding and say 'water?'. Only one stop was organized so that Powerade was on one side and water was on the other. The volunteers from that stop had made signs to say that, and the volunteers were yelling out: 'Powerade on the left, water on the right!'. That was super helpful. Crowd support was very light, but there were patches of lots of spectators at maybe three or four spots on the course. The highlight, though, was two women dressed in elaborate southern belle costumes, cheering their hearts out at around mile 5-1/2 and 17. God bless those women. They deserve a special award. I thought that the management of the marathon/half marathon would be pretty straight forward: the races started together, and I assumed that the half marathoners would be running exactly half of the marathon's course. Somewhere after mile 8, though, the half marathoners run down a road, do an out-and-back and then re-join the marathon course. It's not a problem, really, as long as you don't get caught up in trying to keep pace with people around you; the half marathoners that we joined up with were running a little faster than we were, because they were farther along in their race. It evens out after mile 9, when the marathoners go down a little out and back as the half marathoners continue on. All this means that the mile markers aren't the same for the marathoners and half marathoners. Add that to the fact that the marathon course is a double loop, and there were a lot of mile-markers on the course. It didn't bother me, though; it was just something to pay attention to as the miles clicked by. I'm terrible at accounting for scale of elevation profiles, so this race honestly intimidated me. It looked very hilly. According to the stats on my Garmin, however, I gained 514 feet over the entire race. My normal 6 mile easy route has about 300 feet of elevation gain, so this felt very rolling and manageable to me as an Atlanta area runner. The marathon route crosses over a timing mat at the half marathon point and the half marathoners are just past their 11 mile mark. They head for home, and the marathon course starts its second loop. When the second loop is finished, it is back again on the poorly paved trail. I'm pretty sure that we just re-traced the same steps, going the opposite direction as the first part of the course, but it seemed never-ending this second time. You know, sort of like you were at mile 24-1/2 of a marathon. I wasn't saying much at this point, but I know i said 'At LAST!' when I saw a normal street ahead. Then it was through those streets with lots of turns. Each turn had a friendly volunteer yelling directions 'This way, to the right!' and encouragement. 'Looking strong! All the way!' as well as the helpful '400 meters to the finish!', which is really nice when you can't see the finish line. All of the sudden, we were back on the road that we had looped in the first mile of the race, moving along a wonderful downhill towards the finish. There are people milling around in the giant field off to the side of the start/finish area and I could hear the announcer over the loudspeaker. They even announced my name as I came close the finish line. (I may have filled out something on the registration page that said it was okay to do that.) I crossed the finish line, had a medal put around my neck and was handed a sport bottle (with the lid already popped open) filled with ice cold water. I always have a ton of trouble opening lids on containers and bottles right after finishing a marathon, so that gesture was so wonderful. After walking a bit, I walked over to my car and put on my warm clothes. There was no need for my to check a bag, because my car was so close. Then I took advantage of the food tent, but was having trouble processing all the options. I just needed some food, so I grabbed THINGS: a slice of pizza, soup, a cup of pudding and a moon pie or two. The soup was the best choice. It was easy to get down, it was hot, and it hit the spot. The pudding was easier to stomach than the pizza (which I gave up on after a bite), but was so much like Gu that I wasn't excited about eating it. Had I known that I wouldn't be able to go back into the food tent again (oops), I would have taken two soups and maybe looked around for some pretzels or something. There was a band playing, the sun was shining, our children were there along with my mother in law and some friends. We were able to sit ( I even laid down) on the grass and just enjoyed the time. It would have been good to have stashed a blanket in the car along with my warm clothes so that we could have spread that on the ground for everyone to sit on. Just before noon, we lined the children up for the mile race and they were set off with a booming start as well. As each child finished, they were given a miniature version of the adult's finisher's medal and a water bottle. We walked over to the food tent so that the kid's could pick out a little snack, but there was a kerfuffle happening between a parent and the person in charge of checking wristbands. Apparently he was told to not let the children from the kid's race in; that the food tent was only for marathon and half-marathon finishers. That made perfect sense to me, so we just moved on; after all, if 150 children come in and even just take one piece of pizza, there wouldn't be much left for the marathon finishers who were still out on the course. The best parts: beautiful scenery, family friendly, budget-friendly, low-key and easy logistics. A good race to run with a buddy or a group if you don't want to be lonely on the course. The no-so-great: a little solitary, that bumpy paved trail. None of these things would be deal-breakers for me. I hope to be able to come back again and again. The race was fantastic for me personally. I PR'ed and BQ'ed.

I just ran this marathon and everything was awesome. Pros: 1) Convenient packet pickup at church (or before race start). 2) Convenient parking before race (right next to start/finish). 3) Nice shirt. 4) Nice medal. 5) Canon start! 6) Beautiful course. 7) Bus for spectators to take them to different locations during the race. 8) Soup and pizza at the finish. 9) Lots of aid stations with friendly volunteers. I loved this marathon - one of my favorites and I have done 48 marathons so lots to compare with.

I chose this race because of the comments that this was family friendly. It was my fourth marathon. I brought my two year old and my mom along for the run. They tried to ride the bus around the course to see me. Unfortunately, the bus driver was not helpful. They had to get off the bus and drive the course. The race advertised a food area and a kids zone with jumpies after the race. I planned for us to spend the afternoon together. There was no kids zone. I asked the race director herself about it and she said she never saw one so there probably wasn't one. My son was extremely disappointed. The food vendors was really one vendor in a truck with hot dogs and soft drinks. The volunteers for this race were not very helpful. Again not what advertised. Most importantly, I think the course was not measured right. My gps said 26.91 miles. Usually it is alittle over, buy never that much. Also, there were no gloves this year as they had in the past. So, bring your own just in case. All in all this was a beautiful course that had a number of interesting monuments on it. If you want to run this marathon do not bring small children because it is not kid friendly.

Loved the swag and post-race food. 1st time marathoners got a framed certificate. There were plenty of port a johns at the start and there was also a race day packet pick-up in a heated tent. A cannon was the start of the race, perfect for the battlefield. I liked the course, really pretty. Very chilly the morning of so dress in layers. The two loop course through the battlefield was not the easiest; there were hills and it was a little confusing at times but the volunteers were great at directing. It was also a little annoying that cars/horse trailers would occasionally drive through the runners. Very well organized smaller race. The race provided shuttles to and from some hotels but the downside was that you would get back after late checkout. Driving to the race was easy though, parked in Save-a-lot's parking lot a block from start.

What a great race! If you like smaller, well run smaller races that really capture a local feel then this race is for you! Small to mid-sized race (400 full; 800 half) that is run thru the Chickamauga Battlefield. It is organized by the Chattanooga Track Club. My experience is that races run by local running clubs really get it! Expo is a modest set up a local church where the pasta dinner is also held. I got in and out quickly. Runners could buy some gel or a few modest supplies but don't expect any serious shopping opportunities. Besides the long sleeve tech shirt runners could chose between a tech hat or running gloves both w/ the race logo (I chose the hat). I stayed in Chattanooga which was only 15 or so minutes away. My only real complaint is the traffic getting to the start line race morning. I arrived 85 minutes early and it still took almost 25 minutes to go the final 4 blocks. Once I was parked the logistics were easy. We were close enough to the start that most runners just kept warm in their cars. There was a gear check but I just left stuff in my car a few minutes before the gun. There were plenty of port a johns the start and there was also a race day packet pick-up in a heated tent. The starting gun was actually a cannon befitting the setting. I really liked the course. It is a two loop course thru the battlefield. It is very pretty and most of the time there are no cars at all. There are many small hills but I feel they are the kind that actually help because they work differant muscles not the steep long kind that kick your butt. I ran my fastest time in almost 3 years. There were plenty of water stops and all had a sports drink. I didn't see any gel but I did see fruit and candy. Each stop was set up differantly and that is a pet peeve of mine. Sometimes water was on one side of the road and sports drink the other. Sometimes both were together. Sometimes water was in a plain cup other times in a cup marked poweraid. Late in a race when fatigue is setting in I feel consistancy really helps. This complaint is not as big of a deal in a smaller race like this but I still feel it helps. There are not many fans on the course but the race shuttles fans out to a few stops along the way so runners get the occasional pocket of support which was fun. The post race is nice. Plenty of traditional post race food plus banna pudding. Never seen that before and I enjoyed it! The MC was great and they had a local band playing music. The race has a great perk for first time marathoners or half marathoners. These runners get a framed certificate acknowledging their accomplishment. I saw lots of first timers proudly getting their picture taken with their awards. Nice touch! The medal is nice but nothing special. It does change every year honoring differant armies that fought in this battle which was the second bloodiest of the Civil War.

What an amazing place to run! Chickamauga Battlefield is absolutely beautiful at this time of year with the Fall colors in full effect in the forests. You can feel this history as you go around the double loop course. The weather was beautifully cool. THE GOOD: The packet pickup was simple and having a race day option made it easier for those people traveling to the race. The aid stations were well spaced and well organized by enthusiastic volunteers. You really got a sense of history as you ran past the monuments and placards that described what what happening on this battlefield a century and a half ago. The start/finish area was well stocked with porta-johns and runner needs. Chicken noodle soup at the runner food shelter was awesome! They gave out framed bibs to first-time finishers which I thought was a very nice touch. THE BAD: The out and back stretch needed to get in the distance was annoying. Is there any way to use some of the access roads/trails to make this up w/o having to do a 1 mile out and back...twice? If you want specataors, you're out of luck here. It's very peaceful but beyond the aid stations, there are only a couple places to see the runners. I will throw props out to the people who used the spectator shuttles to move from place to place to cheer. THE UGLY: The bibs need redesigned. The holes are too close to the edge and I was lucky enough that all 4 didn't give out at the same time. I ended up having to MacGyver my bib to keep from losing it mid-race. I love races with a sense of history and this one is no exception. I will come back and do this again. Well done to all the organizers and volunteers. You hit a home run here.

This is a wonderful race. I ran my first marathon here on 2013. The course is gorgeous and scenic. The small number of people running gives it an intimate feel that I personally loved. I love that they bused my husband to mile 15 so he could see me there as well as see me finish. If you are from Atlanta or Chattanooga you'll be saying 'what hills?' It felt basically flat with max 3 small rollers. I would highly recommend this race.

A superb, small race obviously organized by experienced runners. The course was a double loop through a beautiful National Battlefield setting on a perfect racing day. Great medal, nice shirt and good post race setting. I heartily recommend this race.

My first marathon in Georgia and it was a terrific experience. A wonderful course in a beautiful setting. Very flat for Georgia...some rolling hills, enough to keep it interesting. Loved the park setting. Highly recommend this race.

THE GOOD: You can park about 200 yards from the start/finish line. (I suggest that you show up about 1.5 hours early for a great parking spot.) The organization was great. Loved the running gloves. I appreciated that they gave free registration to NY Marathon runners who couldn't run a week earlier. The bike first aid volunteers were without a doubt the best I have ever seen for my many marathons. THE (MINOR) CHALLENGE: Call me old school, but I would prefer a cotton t-shirt, which I am more likely to wear (when not running). I have enough technical t-shirts, and the one given had long sleeves that are too loose and baggy.

I first heard about this race in RunnersWorld a few years ago, and I scoffed at how some marathon in rural Georgia with a silly name was named one of the top marathons in the country, but now I get it. The course is beautiful, and the race has a very laid back, small town feel. Organization is superb, and even without having my family there, I liked how family-oriented the whole event was. Medal is nice, but nothing special. I really like the shirt, because of the fit and thicker material, but it's just a generic tech shirt. It's a bit challenging, lots of hills and turns, but I ran it faster than my average time. Also got some nice gloves with race logo (why haven't other races thought of this?). If I was ever in the area, I would run it again and bring the family. This race gets a lot of hype in the running community, and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it met my expectations.

Excellent race put together by Chattanooga running club. The course is 'wavy' but not bad. Water/GU/Poweraid stops are enough for the course as well. If you're looking for crowd support, this isn't your race, but the water stops and the family buses are enough to keep you going.

I loved everything about the 2012 Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon. The course was beautiful and the organization was stellar. The post-race treats of soup and pizza were nice touches.

The course was fantastic! Small, shaded, tree-line roads that snaked around the battlefield. It was also peak time for autumn colors and the weather was perfect! The cannon start was a nice touch too. I have run quite few marathons and this is the first I have encountered with mobile first aid cyclists. I was in need of Vasoline for my chaffing but didn't want to stop. The cyclist left the bike and ran alongside me while I applied the Vasoline. Wow! Only complaint: need better control of the morning traffic - it was a free-for-all.

I really enjoyed this race. The course is beautiful: rolling hills on a gorgeous fall day on an historic battlefield. The course is fairly hilly and a bit challenging, but definitely doable, even if you are a flatlander. I would try to do as much hill training as possible though. The shuttle bus system worked very well and my family was able to see me at several points during the race. However, spectators on the course are limited compared to many urban marathons. Everyone was very friendly and the race was fairly well organized. Parking is somewhat limited and traffic is congested as the start time approaches. They had to delay the race a bit to allow for everyone to get to the start. However, there was a heated tent and it was only a minor inconvenience.

I recommend this race for anyone looking for a fast time in a beautiful setting. It was my first time doing a double-loop course, something that initially made me hesitant to sign up, but it proved to be a non-issue. The familiarity seemed to help the second time through. Coming from the flatlands, the hills had been a concern, but they were mostly rollers, and what goes up does indeed come down. Weather was ideal, as I'm sure it usually is the first part of November. Not a PR, but I was less than a minute from my first BQ (it helps to get older). I give high marks to the organization for the same reason others might give low marks: the delay of the start. While I was there in plenty of time, I would have been sorely disappointed if I had been one of the folks stuck in traffic. Kudos for the organization not being a simply a by-the-book group and instead being willing to change things on the fly to benefit more people. The fact that there was a heated tent made the wait a little easier. That said, if you're driving to the race, be sure to get an early start. The cannon boom was a great way to start the race. It was mistakenly fired off to start wheelchair racers, but no problem: The re-enactors quickly reloaded and off it went again. And then some four hours later, just as I was sampling the delicious soup, it was fired again. Whoo-hoo! Three booms!

This was my 18th marathon in my 13th state. The setting for this race was lovely, but the organization was awful. Overall, a disappointing experience given the past positive reviews. Pros: - pretty setting with lots to look at, including monuments, signs with battle information and fall colors - course was hilly enough to be interesting but not so bad as to be torturous - plenty of shade from the trees to protect runners from the sun - nice medal, long sleeve tech shirt and running belt - race day packet pickup available Cons: - shuttle buses from the hotels dropped runners off over an hour before the start, leaving them to stand in the frosty grass with freezing temperatures and little shelter - though we were already freezing, the race was delayed 20 minutes because of traffic problems in town - there's only one way into the park, so traffic was backed up for miles - spectator shuttle was run on southern time, meaning whenever the driver felt like it. Family was left stranded at a shuttle stop because the buses never came around again or maybe the driver was taking his time - twisty course meant you could run extra distance if you didn't run the tangents - cars on the course in the second loop made it impossible to run the tangents without being run over - post race food consisted of Oreos, pizza and water - race directors didn't reply to email query several days before the race Unless you're a civil war buff, I wouldn't recommend this race. There are other Georgia races in areas with better restaurant/hotel/sightseeing options that would have more to offer.

This is my 4th Chickamauga and 20th marathon over all. There is really not much to complain about this one. Since my last Chickamauga in 2009 there has been some improvement such as moving the packet pickup to a better location. This year's race started 5 or so minutes late because of last minute folks in line for bathroom stops, but certainly not a fault of the organizing folks. The course is a double loop which makes the few hills a lot tougher the second time around. The volunteers are excellent as always. The only improvement I could suggest would be setup the water stops consistent such as water in front and Poweraid in back. Each stop seemed different. Overall just a great marathon.

The course was so lovely and scenic. I loved that they limited the number of runners: no dodging people and everyone crossed the starting line within a minute of each other. I was able to pick up my packet the morning of the race with no problems. The course is rolling, but nothing too bad. It's flat for that area. There aren't big crowds, but it's peaceful and there were enough aid stations.

This was my first marathon. I'm glad I chose Chickamauga. The course is attractive with gently rolling hills. They give a framed certificate to first-time marathoners. My wife was a spectator and had a good time.

This was a really great race. The packet pickup was very smooth and efficient. Race shirt was a nice long sleeve tech shirt, with a small expo if you needed it. Race morning was OK, I got there early, and parked about a block from the starting line. Although they did have to delay the race start by 15 minutes since traffic was backed up near the gun time. The race starts with a real cannon blast, very cool. The course is wonderful. It's a nice mix of rolly polly hills. Nothing extreme or steep, but welcome nonetheless to keep it interesting. The course is on roads in the Chickamauga Battlefield, and mostly tree covered, and was two loops. The fall foliage was in full bloom, with mostly tree covered roads. Just fantastic running. Aid stations were plentiful and stocked with water, Powerade (various flavors), and bananas and apples, and a couple had Gu. Finish line festivities included drinks, soup, pizza, cookies and banana pudding, and was very plentiful. The medal changes every year, and commemorates one of the monuments in the park. The medal was customized for the date, along with a customized ribbon for the date. Overall, a fantastic marathon in the hills of northern Georgia.

Very well organized, pleasant atmosphere all around, very family friendly, can park within 100 yds of start and finish line. I had run Boston earlier in the year, and this is like the anti-Bostonno crowds, no cheering co-eds, no world records, just a PR-kind of course in beautiful scenery and a lot of camaraderie. I rate it my favorite marathon ever, partly because the weather was perfect and it allowed me to break 3 hrs for the first time in 18 years!