Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon) - Race Reviews

The most important aspect of a race, to me as a former marathon director, is the organization, and this one hit high marks. Good expo, good scenic course well marked, staffed. Ample water stations, great medal, nice shirt. The amount of people was more than we were expecting...there were over 1800 finishers in the full marathon! Well done, Madison. I recommend this race to anyone wanting to do a Wisconsin race. Madison is a cool town - be sure to see the state capitol building. The botanical garden, zoo, and arboretum are all worth a visit too.

This was a great low key marathon with about 1000 participants, and a last minute day before registration at the expo for me. The course offers easy access parking and corals, uncrowded and pretty course through a mix of parks and residential areas, and good community support through most of the course. The hills make this a less than ideal course for a PR but add enough challenge to keep it interesting. The frequent fluid stops are uncrowded and well staffed with friendly volunteers, and the cups were plenty full enough to hydrate. Other marathon organizers should look at Madison for the innovative use of the MARATHON BACK HALF for the Half marathon. This is great for the runners and spectators, the field was wide open as a result. If I need to have a con or 2, I would point to the Expo - easy in and out, but not much in terms of vendors or shopping options. I would have liked to see a a bit more stuff, and spent more time and money. Also, given the relatively late date for a race at this latitude, this race has the potential for weather to be a factor, though we were pretty lucky this year. Overall a great marathon, with lots of smiling runners and fans I am glad I decided to run it, and happy with my time.

This was my first time running the Madison Marathon. The course was a great mix of urban and scenic/wooded roads. There are a couple of brutal hills but plenty of declines that balance it out. Fans were mostly at the start/finish line; however, many people around town would cheer as they went about their day. It was super fun to start and end at the state capital. Warning- mid November in Wisconsin is cold. I, personally, prefer the cold, but I heard plenty of out-of-towners complaining.

Madison really delivered on the things that matter to me as a runner. I like things to be easy and low key. At the expo I want to get in, get my bib, and get out. At the start I want to be able to get there easily, without onerous and illusory security, and have plenty of porta-johns without crazy long lines. On the course the volunteers were great and at the aid stations it was a breeze to get a cup. Being a small race made it so nice as there's no congestion at the aid stations or while running for that matter. There weren't a lot of spectators, but what do you expect at a race with only a little over 1,000 participants in the full? The folks who did come out to cheer were very supportive of all the runners. The course was hilly, but still very nice. You just have to run it smart. A free beer post race is a really nice amenity and much appreciated. Free race photos are another perk that make this race a real stand out. Everyone in Madison was super friendly.

I signed up for this because I love visiting Madison, and I've gotten tired of marathons that advertise themselves as 'fast and flat'. That said, it's a surprisingly small event and the course is unapologetically tough. We stayed in the BW Park Hotel on the Capitol Square, so our car stayed in the lot and we got everywhere on foot. I've never run a marathon where businesses at the starting line were unaware it was happening the day before, but the Madison Marathon played third-fiddle to a Wisconsin basketball game Friday night and a Wisconsin football game Saturday. The 'expo' wasn't really an expo - just a packet pickup with a couple vendors. It was quick and smooth. Getting pre-marathon food was easy enough, but surprisingly expensive, as the less expensive places were all packed due to the sports events. Race morning was fantastic - the race is so small and the hotel so convenient that I literally walked out of the hotel ten minutes before the start and walked into the start corral - no need to wait for port-a-potties, no throwaway clothes despite the 30 degree start temperature. The course is absolutely the star of this event, or the demon, depending on your attitude. It's beautiful and gives a nice scenic tour of the city, but it's the most difficult course I've run, much more challenging than Boston. There are plenty of hills, but the bigger issue is that there's lots of short but very steep inclines and declines that wear on your muscles and force you to slow down. Locals have a definite advantage, as they seem to be used to this type of terrain. I know Madison well enough to have been training for it, but the hills where I train tend to be long, slow inclines, so they only somewhat helped. The course was pretty well marked with cones and signs and I was never concerned about going the right way, though there were some intersections that could have used to have a volunteer directing the racers. The mile markers were early from the start, despite the fact that the timing mats (at 10K, HM, and 20 miles) were set in exactly the right place. The mile marker issue was especially odd given that the 20 mile sign was probably .2 miles before the 20 mile timing mat. My guess is that the timing company placed those mats very carefully, while some volunteer using a GPS set the signs wherever his/her GPS said the distance had been reached. The course registered as 26.38 miles on my GPS, meaning it was definitely the right length, so there's no excuse for every mile marker being early through marker 24. The volunteers were boisterous and helpful, but water stations were a bit chaotic, with water and gatorade dispersed somewhat randomly through the aid stations. I like to take a little gatorade and then wash it out, and I was able to do that when I wanted to but I had to pay attention to get the right thing from the right person, as the stations weren't laid out really at all. Madison is not a small town - I've run marathons in much smaller places - but it had a surprising lack of spectators along the course. I like quiet marathons, but would have appreciated the occasional boisterous cheering section, and there really wasn't, aside from the enthusiastic volunteers. Even the finish was pretty sparse, despite being right on the Capitol square. I don't really care about race amenities, but I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything by going straight from the finish line back to my hotel - there was some water, bags from Panera, and terrible Michelob Ultra beer, but no real energy at the finish. I like the shirt's design, but wish it were a real technical shirt, as I like to wear my race shirts on my hard workouts to remind me what I'm training for. This shirt will see little use. All in all, I'm really glad I ran this race, and I appreciated the challenge of the course. It's not one of my favorite marathons and I'm unlikely to run it again; it certainly won't become one I run on any regular basis, despite being in a city I love that's not too far away.

I ran this race in 2015 and was pleased with the water stops having well organized volunteers. There was many hills on this course and it was challenging. The only negative thing I can say about this race was that I was disappointed in the actual race shirt given away, and the shirts offered for sale at the expo were not very well designed. The course was beautiful with many great views but as far as spectators there was not many at all. I did feel that that is was a very well organized race and the food Panera provided runners after the race was awesome. I have run Chicago many times and like that this race was more personal and had a more local small town feel to it. You didn't need to be in the start corral a long time before the race started and the finish line area was well organized. Everyone was very friendly before, during, and after the race. I rank this even with the Indy Lawrence Marathon race in that the smaller field makes the race more personal. The race directors did a fine job this year. My suggestions for improvement is better design race shirt, and possibly add some music to this race.

Absolutely no complaints! I registered for this race at the last minute due to a disappointing race a month before & because it was close to home. Course was beautiful, hills were challenging but manageable, spectators were great, & organization was perfect! Of the 25+ races I have ran, this was one of, if not the, best. Absolutely no complaints!

I ran this marathon with a family member for her first marathon. Needless to say not a good choice. This is a very challenging marathon. It has more hills then you may think would be in Wisconsin . Also, the pavement in much of the middle of the course was uneven and very slanted. If you like a challenge this marathon is for you, but if you are running your first marathon I recommend a different one.

There have been mixed reviews on this race from previous years which set my expectations lower. But having completed the Twin Cities, Detroit, and Ogden marathons I thought Madison was terrific! Madison in 2015 was like a hilly version of the Twin Cities race, albeit with far fewer spectators. That said, there were more spectators out than I'd been expecting. I think due to the gorgeous fall weather there were plenty of people on the course cheering with signs and lots of cow bells! The volunteers for this race were amazing- there were official race volunteers on bikes constantly plus bike EMT/Fire, too. There was a water/gatorade stop almost every mile and multiple port a potties at each one of these water stops- I used the potty twice and didn't have to wait at all. The course was really scenic- I grew up outside of Madison and enjoyed the tour through town. The arboretum was pretty, the run back through town and past Camp Randall was cool, then through Warner Park and past the Gov's Mansion in Maple Bluff before the awesome finish up State Street to the Capitol. Nailed it! That said, this was a hillier course than I'd imagined, especially in the last 10k. Ouch. Lots of walking for me. I still pulled out a PR by 7 minutes and broke 4:30 for the first time, so I'm very pleased. Another major pro of this course was that the organizers designed for the half marathon to do the back half of the marathon course- so the marathoners run without the half racers, which was really nice. Two totally separate races, but I felt completely supported the entire time. Loved the addition of the 'PR bell' at the finish line, too. Great medal, shirt was a cool design but sheer material, could be better. On a whole, I was totally impressed with Madison- no reservations at all. Two thumbs up, way to represent my home town!!

I signed up for this one closer to home just the week before after plans were changed to keep me from an out of state one I had planned to do the following week. I was able to find adequate lodging in Madison at a very short notice. The course is very scenic and will give you a nice tour of the city. I would not recommend this race for anyone to do a BQ or a PR, the course is very hilly. Madison is not known as a hilly town but the course says differently. One suggestion I might make for folks coming in from out of town: There is lots of free parking just off the square downtown (especially the northside) so it will be worthwhile to take a short walk to Monona Terrace for your packet pickup. Plenty of parking on race day all over no fee is required on Sunday. The entry fee I thought was a little pricey but for most of you it may be well worth it for a good well managed fall marathon event. Just don't plan on a PR.

I loved running this course! The weather was perfect...cold (about 35 F) in the beginning but it warmed up to about 50. It was the most challenging course I've ever run, but it felt good. There were many breathtaking parts of the course. For example, when you go to the top of a hill at UW, you could see the lake and the beautiful Fall colors...awesome!!! I also loved the shirt we received in our package! The State Capital is a beautiful place to start and end the race as well. Plenty of hotels within walking distance. All around....a great destination!!! Thank you Madison, Wisconsin!!!!

I did this race several times when it was held in May and started at the capitol square, finished in Olin Park or the Coliseum. The weather was much better this time of the year, except for the wind, but I prefer the old course - lots fewer hills. Even though I managed to pull out a BQ this time, I would not reccommend this race for a BQ or PR attempt. Spectators were sparse to non-existent, probably due to the cold, windy weather. Organization was good, except for the Tyr (ick) sports drink that all the water station workers were calling 'gatorade'.

My husband and I ran Madison one month following Chicago in hopes of improving our times. We were able to despite quite a few hills and some strong winds. The course itself was beautiful, I found it prettier than Milwaukee which was also along the water. The first few miles through the Arboretum were very scenic, despite a lack of foliage. Running back into the city and college in the next 3-4 miles provided a nice view of the campus with an abundance of crowd support. The worst hill of the race was here, at mile 9 along Observatory Drive. It was quite steep (something like a 75 foot gain). Miles 12-15 were by far the most lackluster, as we were running into oncoming traffic along a street through the city. Things became more exciting after that, as we ran through a secluded neighborhood before running back to and along Lake Mendota for the next 5 miles. This was my favorite part of the course, aside from a killer hill at mile 21ish. The ultimate 2 miles were back to downtown and campus, ending at the Capitol (don't forget about the hill in the last 1/2 mile, it's a killer!) Post race food was perfect: water, TYR endurance formula (ick, but it was something), CHOCOLATE MILK!, Milio's sandwiches, Lays potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, oranges, and bananas. Volunteers and water/aid stations were abundant, as were race officials/aids on bicycles in case of problems. Packet pick up was easy, race day parking was a breeze due to a ton of ramps for 5$, simple gear check, and immediate start time with no wait in the corral. It was really nice that the 1/2 started 10 min. later and ran a different route primarily. I was hesitant to run this race based on previous reviews, but I will say that the heat and cancellation issue is moot now that the race is in November. Also, there is no confusion on where to run while running the course. The hills were tough, but not a deal breaker if you knew to put a few into your training runs and ran them carefully. This race had about 2000 marathoners, which was perfect. I was never alone on the course but was far from cramped. Most of the runners seemed to be serious and race etiquette was ideal. I highly recommend this race based on its beautiful course, awesome food, and friendly midwestern city!

This is where I went to college so of course I had to run this marathon. Such a neat mix of the capital, the university, the arboretum and the lakes. It is hilly so make sure you train for the hills! Perfect weather! Well organized.

I really had high expectations for this race but was pretty disappointed. The race is priced like a major city race but feels like a mid-level for sure. The community doesn't really seem that involved and the course wasn't as 'scenic' as described. (I expected a lot more lake front views) I just did the half because my training had been derailed but don't really intend to go back to do the full. Just not enough value or experience for the high entry price. *Given the wrong shirt because they printed the wrong amount in my size **Post race food was meek as was the beer. For a race with a beer as a major sponsor I expected more than one beer and not a $5 charge for beer flavored water.

This was my fourth marathon and by far the most hilly. (I have run Disney, Chicago and Bayshore prior to this one). The hills are tough if you don't train for them. It's a beautiful course with great views of the city and surrounding area. The arboretum is pretty to run through as is the downtown area. The only downside for having moved the race to the fall would be the potential for poor weather. The day before the '13 race was incredibly windy, the day after was sleet and snow showers. Thankfully race day was sandwiched in between those two days and was just cold but sunny. I said after the race that I would never run this one again because of the hills. We'll see. Maybe I can conquer my hatred of hills. It's one of my favorite cities and a well run race.

I live in Madison, so it made a lot of sense to register for this race as my first full marathon. The course was nicely laid out and well-supported by volunteers. To avoid the potential for excessive heat, Madison has been moved to November; that's a great time to run here. Temps were cool at the start but comfortable as the race went on. The course layout is a challenge but not overly so. Mostly flat, with a few rolling hills that get your attention. Luckily, Observatory hill is early in the race. The hill in Maple Bluff is tough - but once you get through that (mile 18), it's flat flat flat until the climb to the Capital. Water/aid and potty stops were abundant. Spectator support was mostly centered around the start/finish, around Camp Randall stadium, and along John Nolen Drive...elsewhere, it was a more sparse collection of people waiting for their special runner to pass through. The marathon started 10 minutes after the wheelies and before the HM, and that (along with the # of runners) seemed to work well to avoid chaos in the first few miles. The expo was downtown at the Monona Terrace, which is a great location...just a few blocks from the start/finish. Course amenities were as I'd expect...and what I'd seen at several half marathons before running this full. Water/gatorade stations were well prepared and stocked. One bummer, I never saw (or found) the chocolate milk at the finish line...just the standard bagels, chips, bananas/oranges. The medal is pretty cool, and the shirts are terrific. Something that I'd actually consider wearing other than on a run! Overall, I'd do this race again....and I probably will, eventually. I'm not on a 50-state mission, but I would like to experience some other races to compare.

Due to the predicted high heat the marathon was cancelled for 2012. It is a real disappointment to train, spend the money for a hotel and travel, and not run a marathon. If you are a 50 state runner, I cant advise signing up for a marathon whose director will cancel the race if the temperature is predicted to be high. They did allow the marathoners to run the half marathon so all these comments relate to the half marathon course. Packet pickup was well organized and the expo was pretty good with lots of interesting booths for a mid-size marathon. No real swag like posters or bags or cups but the tech shirt is good but not outstanding and the finisher's medal is nice but not memorable. There are hotels located within 5 blocks of the start and finish which make things convenient. I would recommend the Double Tree, it was very nice although a bit more expensive than I wanted to pay. They did pick me up at the airport and had a shuttle which would take you to packet pickup and local restaurants within a 2 mile radius. All the local hotels seem to raise the rates to unfortunate prices for the marathon. I would like to see the race directors negotiate some hotel discounts. There are numerous restaurants within walking distance from the start / finish / hotel area. The half course is a 13 miles loop and relatively flat. If I remember correctly the high and low points are only separated by 80 feet. The first 4 miles the road is a little bit rough but the biggest problem is the cones. The course follows a 4 lane road but they put cones in 1 lane to try and keep the runners in that lane. With the ex-marathoners and the half marathoners starting at the same time, the problem is that there are so many runners they spread out to cover 2 lanes and now you have the middle of the pack tripping over orange cones for 4 miles. In my opinion the cones were more dangerous to the runners than if they had not put any cones out there to separate cars and runners. The traffic was very light at 7 AM and the drivers were courteous and not a factor in my experience. I have entered more than 45 marathons and have never had one cancelled on me. Back in the old days, a race was held rain or shine. I guess today's marathoners are too delicate to run in the heat.

So, my quest for marathon #13 failed when the organizers decided to cancel the race. While profoundly disappointed about weeks of training and a 500 mile drive for a half marathon, I grudgingly have to conclude that this was probably a fair call. It was actually a little cooler than the pre-stated cutoff race temperature at the start but it was very sunny with a high dew point so it felt draining even though the humidity wasn't awful. It did warm up as predicted reaching eighty by the time the average finisher crossed in 2:08 The organizers clearly erred on the side of caution putting the word out a few days ahead that the race was in jeopardy. My hotel offered to let me out of my reservation even though I was past the cutoff when the warning came out. I travelled anyway hoping for the best, realizing I might only see a half. The downtown area was very nice with lots to do. I stayed in a host hotel on the capital square. The expo was small but adequate given the size of the race. Didn't see much of the campus since only the full course went there but the views along the lake were pretty good and traffic control was well done. I was a little afraid when I saw that the half course included seven turns in the first mile but it really wasn't a problem even with the more than normal half field of ~4,400 (including those who had signed up for the full). They offered $20 off for next year and I still dont have Wisconsin so maybe I'll be back. The weather is looking better for South Bend this weekend as a plan B.

This was a great race. It was perfect weather and the course was very nice. For Wisconsin, this is my favorite marathon - it is not super hilly, which is tough to find around here. The gels were well placed and the water/aid stations were great. It's a really nice size, after about a 1/2 mile you have more room, and after 1 mile there's a good amount of space between runners. Madison is a great city and I'd highly recommend this race.

The race was very well organized and everything went very smoothly. I liked the staggered start for the full/half/quarter marathoners, which allowed the course to be shared without any collisions between the half/quarter runners. The course was very nice - a great tour of Madison for me as an out of towner. We ran through the arboretum (very serene), through campus and by the stadium, through lots of neighborhoods and parks, and along the lake on the bike trail. We did run through a couple of industrial sections which were not so nice. The course was pretty flat but there were a few short/steep hills and one cruel one at mile 25, but overall it seemed fair. We lucked out with the weather - absolutely ideal conditions. It was 60 degrees and cloudy the whole time and then it rained towards the end which helped cool things off. This helped me beat my PR by 9 minutes! I especially liked the fact that the marathon was small, but not too small. It was big enough for a respectable expo and pretty good crowd support (especially when we ran through the downtown, which the course goes through 4 times). But it was also very easy to get a flight, hotel, restaurant table, and the course was not congested. And everything was quite inexpensive in Madison, and everyone was so friendly. I read about the problems from last year and I can say that I experienced none of them this year. I highly recommend this marathon.

This was my 10th consecutive Madison Marathon and 11th overall. I was very pleased with all aspects of the race. Weather in the past has been tough, but this can't be controlled. This year was perfect if you like a lot of clouds and a little rain. Organization was very good from packet pickup to finish line. No complaints. Excellent volunteers throughout the weekend. Course was changed just a bit from last year and was an improvement. Nice job. I never saw a half marathoner on the course until the last few miles (walkers), so the staggered starts and course alterations helped a lot. A few sections of the road were rough, but you can't have perfect pavement the whole way. Please put this on your list for 2012. I think that they have things figured out and this is a beautiful course in a great city.

I was a little hesitant to sign up for the race, given the reviews from last year, but I decided to take a chance. Overall, it very well organized and I could not have asked for a better race-day experience. Great course and fantastic finish at the capitol. The hill at the end was torture but I ran a PR by 6 minutes.

The negative comments from last years race nearly kept me away but I came and I'm glad I did. The things I liked best about this race were {a} no relays {b} the marathon started before the half and the races went in different directions.The course was a little hilly but not too bad [my recovery was very quick]. whatever problems they had last year seemed to be fixed. Two Thumbs Up.

This was my first Madison Marathon, though I ran the half a few years ago. This was the best Wisconsin marathon I've done. With WI being such a hilly state, this is a nice flat course with just enough hills to ward off boredom. It was such a GREAT course and perfect day for the marathon. This year the weather was around 60-70 and cloudy, with rain towards the end. The expo was so great, the course materials and organization were also great. I really enjoyed the route running near both lakes and up by the Maple Bluff area, that was so pretty and the trees made it nice and cool. I couldn't say enough nice things about this race. I ran my PR by about 7 minutes, and felt great. I appreciate all the support from the wonderful spectators. Great job, Madison! Awesome Marathon!!!!

Whatever problems they experienced last year were not evident this year. This race was well organized from expo to finish line. The course was not the best I've run but it had a nice balance to it, and the spectators that were out were great. This is a fantastic town, and my experience was extremely positive.

I was totally disappointed with this race. I was expecting a somewhat nicer expo, but that was the least of the problems in Madison. The start was disorganized, the water stops were a disaster and the course communication was almost non-existent. The heat was a huge problem. I've run on hot days before - good races have sponges and ice. I'm pretty sure Madison didn't have either, but then again, there was no energy gel at one of the stops and I seem to recall no water either. On the pro side of the race, the medal wasn't awful and the course weaves through some nicer areas. I do not think I'll run this race again any time soon. There are really a lot of other WI marathons that are better.

Very bad experience. I will not be back ever again. It's too bad because I am in Wisconsin.

I ran the half marathon recently. I enjoyed the course, the spectators were out in good numbers and encouraging, and the organization seemed good. My only issue was the medical tent. I finished with a strained IT band, bad enough that I had to swing my leg around like it was wood just to walk. I went in the tent, and they told me to sit and wait. There were a handful of other runners there, but the cots were only 20% full. Five minutes later, I politely asked one of the not-very-busy looking young people if I could just have some ice; he said, "Yeah, I guess." (???) I continued to sit on a cot, icing my painful, pulsing knee, and one of the young women helping people kept walking by me, glowering at me. Why? I don't know. There were people there with more serious issues, for sure (heat issues), but I was waiting patiently and was definitely injured. The last straw was when some woman walked in the tent, and the only official doctor then on-duty went and greeted the woman as her friend; they started gabbing like it was a lunch date. I watched 3 minutes of this, and realized I would not be helped any time soon. I got up and hobbled out the tent best I could, right past the doctor, who didn't notice me, and had never noticed me. That was a bit disgusting, but it was still a good race. I just hope most people have a better time in the med tent than I did.

I have run 4 marathons and 13 half marathons, including Madison in 2008. I came back in better shape, hoping to PR. Between the heat and the new course with more hills, this did not happen. Madison is beautiful and the fans are great. The course is tough, especially the new finish, uphill for the last mile. The timing company seemed to have trouble, the weather was unseasonably hot, and even Brightroom still doesn't have race photos posted after over a week! I also thought it was strange that we had to use a plastic band strapped around wrist or ankle for the timing chips. Madison is so great that I would still come back, but I don't think this is a PR course. Admittedly, I live in a really flat area, so any hill training is a challenge. Fans were great - especially with the hoses in the last few miles.

This race was the worst I have ever seen. Ever. The marathon met with the back of the half-marathon pack at about 7 miles - there was no way to get through without weaving through, stepping out of the marked lane, or stopping completely. There were actually LINES at the water stations during this part of the course. The organization of this race was completely inexcusable. Yes, it was hot, but there is no excuse for this kind of total debacle. No reason to even think about running Madison again with so many other good spring/early-summer races.

I concur with all the comments about the course and half marathoners. But my big complaint is that they weren't prepared for the heat. Here's the email I sent the race organizers after the event. "I ran yesterday's Madison Marathon. Your organization's closing of the course was haphazard and disorganized, and I and other runners could not get information on the situation. Given that this was the second closing due to heat in five years, you should have had better contingency planning for the closing. "I understand that the conditions are out of the control of the organizers, and agree that steps needed to be taken to deal with the heat and humidity. I have run 8 marathons previous to this one, and one other in similar extreme temperature conditions last year (Grandma's Marathon). So I take no issue with the decision to close the course. "Somewhere between 18-20 miles into my run, the red flag came out. I understand and support the decision to do this. I had already been alternating running with walking. "At the water stop at the end of John Nolen Dr. (approximately mile 23?), officials rode up on bicycles and told us to stop running - the race had been canceled and black-flagged, and the course was closed. I asked the volunteers leading the water stop and those at the medical desk at this stop what this meant - would there be transportation back to the start? Would there continue to be support? No one knew. I, and other runners, asked what we should do at that point. None of the officials at the water stop or medical stop knew - so we started walking along the course, towards the finish. "At the next (and last) water stop just before 25 miles, the RED flag was out and a clock was still running. I asked the official what had happened - that we had been told that the race was black-flagged and the course was closed. He said that he had not been informed. When I reached the finish area, I was surprised to find it still open - which is inconsistent with your black flag/course closing guidelines. "I am left wondering if your organization is capable of managing weather emergency for a race of this size. I will not be running this event again. With a previous closure in the past five years, your organization should have developed contingency planning for shutting down the course, including informing both your officials and the runners of the situation - whatever the situation is/was, because I still have no idea."

The Good: -Geographically the course was nice -Aid stations were well stocked, although on a hot day it would have been nice if more of them had ice -Finish area was well setup and stocked (a big improvement from the last time I ran this race, 2005) -I liked the finish at the capitol, even though it made for a painful, uphill finish The Bad: -Confusing packet pickup - no bags, no way to verify that the chip was set up correctly, etc. -Weirdly arrangement of porta-potties at the start: on a closed street, they faced in, causing longer lines than necessary -Having the course intersecting with with walkers made the race less enjoyable, as I spent a lot of time dodging them -I finished before the course was closed, but I am not sure what the benefit was, since times were posted anyway; given the race's late date, they need to have a better-communicated, hot-weather plan

This was my first marathon. Overall, it was an incredible experience, but there is room for improvement. First of all, I had read that there would be bananas along the way, and was really wanting one, but never saw them. Second, the fact that pedestrians and bikes were on the route was a bit irritating. Third, I thought the beginning of the course through the arboretum was great. The part after mile 17 was pretty awful: two straight miles, with no shade, right alongside traffic on Sherman was bad, bad, bad. I thought it was pretty demoralizing to have to go past the capitol, where you know you need to end up, out along the narrow bridge on John Nolan, around and up West Wash to end. Thought the whole course would have been much better had it been reversed. The spectators were fantastic. Cheering us on by name, high-fives, hoses, ice, music... thanks! Also, the early marathon finishers who stayed to cheer on us later finishers were terrific. Really gave me that extra boost at the end.

This was to be my 46th marathon and my 39th state. About 17-18 miles into this event, word came out that, due to the hot, humid weather, the clocks were turned off, and no times would be recorded after 4:00. I pushed on; water and medical were still on the course. At mile 23, a group of young men told us to give up our chips since no times were being recorded. My chip was TAKEN from my ankle. Turns out the clocks were still running and there are finishers with times 30 minutes behind my unofficial time. Neither the race director nor the timing company has found time to answer my emails about how I can get an official time to be able to count this race for the state of Wisconsin. I now see that this is the second time this race has shut down the course early because of heat. A reputation like that calls out for a new race director or find another race in Wisconsin. I won't be back.

The temp on race day got up to the high 80s this year. Here's a quick rundown of the good and bad of this race: The bad: there was a lot of non-marathon traffic on the course (bikers, non-marathon runners, etc.) which made it more crowded than it should have been. There was also a section where the marathon collided with the half marathon walkers and although the walkers did a great job of staying to the left there really wasn't enough room for both races in the given space. The water/Gatorade stations were well stocked when I arrived, but I had several friends who ran the half who said the stations near the end were completely out! The medical tents weren't marked and I only remembered actually seeing one on the course. No one had informed the volunteers about where they were, either, and I asked about medical tent locations at a couple of water stations with no one being able to give me any information (I just needed sunscreen and a kind volunteer gave me hers). The timing system was a disaster - signing up to track runners didn't work at the expo and we ended up scrolling page by page (there were 419 pages) to find our names to sign up to track each other. And after all of that, it still didn't work! The timing chip was on a Velcro band to be worn around the wrist or ankle, and I think I speak for all runners when I say I'd rather have the disposable plastic bands on my laces instead. The good: the spectators were fabulous; many used their hoses to cool us down and several were passing out water/fruit along the course. There were also a couple of cycling groups who were going back and forth along the marathon route (but staying out of the course!) cheering on the runners. The course itself was very scenic and provided a great view of the city, especially the areas along the lakes (however, there was no shade along the lake path so it was less enjoyable than it could have been). The new finish at the capitol was fun, but I'm still torn about whether it was better to have it at Bratfest since it's much easier for spectators to come and park there. Although the race was red-flagged, I still found my race time online even though I finished after the 4-hour cutoff. Overall, I would recommend this race with the assumption that the organization/logistics will greatly improve next year.

This was my 3rd Madison, and 19th marathon overall. I was optimistic, having run barely over 3 hours there in 2009. No bags at pickup??? Ok, save some money. Downtown: beautiful. Course: aaaaaahhh. WHAT a mess! Mile 8 joined the masses through 12, had to weave through them, up hills, got blocked from aide tables]. I asked race crew on bikes to help and they were clueless. MILE MARKERS were off!! And missing!!! Medical tents were not identified! Under-staffed aid tables. No music on the course - having some would have helped. Great town, but terrible organization ( the course was unforgivable) this year. I almost thought they didn't have an advisory panel. If they did, it must not have had any runners on it. Add in high heat, and this one really disappointed. Worst course - by far - of the 19 I've done. Bring back the '08 or '09 course.