Dupont Forest Trail Marathon - Race Reviews

I really enjoyed this run; it took everything I had. I had done a couple of road marathons and don't know that I'll ever do one again. I'm trying diligently to convince my family that I can fit in the training for this year as well. I hope to see you there.

This was the best marathon I've done. I have done three road race marathons in the past and by far this was the easiest on my joints. I loved the trails!!!!! I can't wait to do it next year.

I train on hills in Marietta, GA - but this is the big league! This race was a great experience from start to finish. Well organized, great volunteers at every turn and the scenic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, a hand-crafted finisher's medal and plenty of good food at the finish. I was fortunate enough to place in my age group and received an award plaque that is more impressive than those from larger races. This was my 15th marathon and is in my top 3 favorites. Greg and volunteers: thanks for a memorable day.

This was a great race that's very true to the trail marathon spirit. Low-key, no hassles, and everything was as simple as can be - except the race itself. This is a very runnable trail marathon, with a great set of alternating ups and downs, none of which were killers, even though they were challenging. The best part for me (and my wife) was the single track around mile 17-19. This is a great section and more fun than you can believe. This is not an easy run by any means, but it is intended to be a fun and beautiful run, which it is. The alternating up and down course makes it fun and allows you to challenge yourself as much or as little as you like. Thumbs up on this course and to the race organizers.

This was my first trail marathon and after having done a few training runs on some of these trails, I was more than a little apprehensive about the race. Having only run one other marathon, I wasn't sure what to expect. The volunteers very friendly, the aid/water stations more frequent than I expected, and the other runners friendly and fun to run with. I felt amazingly good throughout the race and finished feeling very good (even after running up that miserable Buck Forest Road for the umpteenth time...) and having a much better time than I expected. I appreciated being able to pick up my packet on race day, which was very convenient. Thanks to all who helped make this fun and memorable!

What can I say that hasn't been said before? This is a great trail run. The hills are challenging, but that is the reason we run marathon, for the challenge. The volunteers are unbelievable. I think there were more volunteers than runners. Greg, you have done a great job with this race.

This was my first trail marathon. The course was challenging, but the views were well worth the effort, especially from the old airstrip and the waterfalls. The volunteers were very supportive. Keep up the good work.

My first trail marathon and my second-ever marathon. It was quite challenging. The weather was perfect, and the scenery unbelievable. The support was great. Keep up the good work, Greg!

Great views, support, and goody bag. This was a tough but fun course to do. Will have to do it again.

"Wow" is the best way to describe the beauty of the course. It was truly incredible. And the course, while tough, is very doable. The majority is on service roads, with just 3 to 4 miles of single track. It is almost constant up or down, including a mostly uphill 2 miles to the finish, but it's definitely worth it. There were almost as many volunteers as marathoners and all of them out on the course were incredibly supportive. It's not a race with fans along the course, but the volunteers you do encounter do their best to make up for it. This was my first trail marathon, but won't be my last!

A group of us came from Tallahassee for it - some (including myself) for the marathon, others for the relay. We all loved it and plan on coming back next year. If you train well and pace yourself properly, you can do it well and you will LOVE this run!!

This was my first trail marathon and it was a positive experience all around!! Everything from packet pick-up to the pre-race dinner to the starting line was so organized it was superb!! I can't say enough wonderful things about the volunteers at the Dupont Forest Trail Marathon!! Greg Walker and these wonderful volunteers make this marathon!!! I was worried about getting lost on the trail, but as promised, the miles were all marked very well and there was never a doubt in my mind which way to turn because there was always a smiling volunteer to offer direction, a smile and some encouraging words! The views were spectacular, especially running by the waterfalls and down the old air strip!! I will definitely be back for this one next year!! If you've never run a trail marathon, this is THE ONE to do. The course is challenging, but as others have said, definitely doable!!

I have run in several marathons just this year alone and by far this was the best supported, well organized event thus far. Each mile is marked along the course and there is more than enough aid, with plenty of fluid (no more than 3 miles apart). Never a question on the correct direction you should be going or possibility of getting lost. Emergency workers throughout the course for safety. Swag bag included running tech shirt, trail socks with the event threaded into the socks, water bottle, and plenty of event information for family members. Post-race food and massage tables were fantastic. Great finisher medal. A must-do trail event with views that can't be beat!!!

It was nice to get off of the road in this beautiful setting. The course offered a lot of variation and beautiful features. The technical single track at about mile 17 is tough. Race volunteers were at every turn with a word of encouragement. I recommends it.

This marathon was a fantastic experience! I have run 11 previous marathons, but this was my first trail marathon. I'm sold! I may never run a marathon on roads again. This marathon had excellent organization, beautiful scenery, attentive volunteers, and good pre- and post-race amenities. The low-key, family atmosphere was a welcome change from the "wake up well before dawn, wait hours at the start, run with the masses" mega-marathons that are so common today. If you want a totally different kind of race experience, then the Dupont Forest Trail Marathon is for you! But be sure to bring your lawn chair, because if the weather is good after your run, you are going to want to hang out in the grass of the meadow, sip some sports drink, and cheer on the other runners as they head toward the finish line.

This was my first marathon, I have run an ultra marathon (Holiday Lake in Virginia... highly recommended as well), but this was my first 26.2-mile marathon. I have only good things to say. The course was wonderful and beautiful, although not as much single-track as I would have liked. I trained on single-track and hills, and I think that if you include both of those into your training, you will be happy. The support was great, with many water stations, and I loved the part on the runway - I had a truly positive experience. I liked the Chik-Fil-A pre-race dinner the night before, but be prepared, it is Chik-Fil-A food. Overall, it was a great race, and I plan on coming back next year.

Outstanding race! Weather was perfect! All the volunteers were on time and ready with plenty to drink and eat. Parking was easy and well coordinated. Pre-race dinner was excellent. Course is challenging with plenty of hills. This is one of the best marathons I have ever run. Will certainly plan on running again.

This is a best marathon trail that I've ever run. My family and I had a greater time at the race and DuPont Forest Trail. While I was at the race, my family took the opportunity to hike the beautiful falls in the forest. For me, the DuPont Forest Marathon was awesome. A must-run, if you are a trail marathoner; and if you've never run a trail marathon, this should be you first choice. Here are top 10 reasons that you should run the DuPont Forest Trail Marathon. 1- The course is stunningly beautiful. 2- The organization was excellent and friendly. 3- Warm snack before the race: biscuits and hot coffee. 4- Hot Chik-Fil-A sandwich and plenty of food after the race (bananas, apples, cookies, bagels and even doughnuts) plus plenty of water and soda. And a space blanket to keep you warm after the race. I did not expect his for a small race. I'd been a larger race that do not even give you a space blanket after the race. 5- Free pre-race dinner and motivation speech. Did I say "free"? 6- Beautiful finisher medal. 7- Free Dri-Fit running shirt. 8- Parking was right at the starting line; help keep you warm up to minutes before the race start. 9- Great weather. 10- Greg Walker, the race director, was very accommodating and helpful. Thank you to the Hendersonville folks and the entire DuPont Forest Trail Marathon support team for a great experience. I definitely will run this course again.

This off-road marathon was very nice. The scenery was absolutely wonderful. The fall colors were amazing. The volunteers and sponsers did a great job. Probably 80-85% of the course is on dirt/gravel roads with a few loops and out-and-backs. The remainder of the course is on trails. It has constant rolling hills. I would definitely spend my training doing long runs with a lot of hills mixed in. Well worth it. I will probably do this one again.

Without a doubt, the most beautiful and enjoyable marathon course I've ever seen!!

I met the nicest people, saw the prettiest scenery, was pleasantly challenged throughout the course and experienced the most accommodating and friendly volunteers. I truly had a great time.... If I lived closer, I would make this an annual event! If you like to run trails, definitely give this one a try, it's worth it!

The challenging course and beautiful scenery took my mind off the miles and before I knew it I was done. It was a great time! Hey, S.H. I've always been taught to respect my elders; therefore I let the OLD MAN have his day! Oh yeah, I did need a ride back home too.

R.D. Greg Walker and all the volunteers did an outstanding job with organization. As other comments highlighted, the course was beautiful, including a runway that looked like your were ready to take flight into the Blue Ridge Mountains. Single trail from 16-21, which had some challenging footing and a stream crossing, so if you're strictly an 'on-road prima donna,' you need not apply. If you're looking for a great trail race with outstanding small-town friendliness and support, this race is for you.

This marathon was very well organized and the volunteers were fantastic. I would recommend it for anyone considering a trail marathon. It's a tough course but well worth doing just for the scenery and varied course. It was great to finish 9 minutes ahead of one of my running partners who's 15 years younger than me!

My 18th, and one of my favorites. Nice shirt, free Defeet socks, excellent dinner (free), great dinner speaker (FURST program) - and that's all before the race started. The course is challenging. It's not as easy as you might hope, but it's not as tough as you might fear. Let's just say you get your money's worth in hills. The course design is a work of art, the only negative being a 5m out and back repeat at the end of the race. You hit support 16 times during the race, so you are well taken care of. The footing is good, almost entirely gravel forest road with a very fun 3m single track section around mile 16. The folks volunteering and the runners are as nice as you could imagine. This was a great year to run it since there wasn't a championship or other big draw that caused it to fill up early, but you will still do well to get in early for next year for this fabulous race.

This was a very pretty marathon course. The hills were a little tough at times, but the scenery took your mind away. I thought the race organizers did a great job along with the volunteers. Mile markers and water stops were excellent. If you depend on spectators for motivation you may want to rethink this one. I remember being on a track in the woods around mile 23 and not seeing anyone ahead or hearing anyone behind me. But hey, that's why we do trail runs.

This is a tough trail course, but the scenery is absolutely stunning. You run through DuPont Forest, up and down hills, past three waterfalls and across a small creek around mile 20. The organization was stellar, and the medals were great. Running a marathon in a forest is invigorating.