Two Cities Marathon - Race Reviews

INTRODUCTION: I am a racewalker with a median marathon completion time of 5:27:10. The Two Cities Marathon was my seventy-fourth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was an excellent day for a marathon: 50 degrees, 87 percent relative humidity, overcast, and wind from the northwest at 9 miles per hour. Starting at Clovis College in Fresno, the first ten miles of the almost entirely flat course was mostly on the straight Willow Road, Sheperd Avenue, and Friant Road. All three streets were closed to traffic. We then entered into Woodward Park, home of but one California Interscholastic Federation State Cross Country Championship since its inception in 1987. (Devotees of the Disney film; McFarland, USA; might have observed the incorrect setting of Griffith Park in Los Angeles as the premier race championship venue.) Perhaps the most scenic part of the marathon, roughly two miles were covered on the park's winding road and bike trail. Returning to Friant Road just before the halfway point, we turned left and retraced our steps for two and a half miles on Sheperd Avenue. At mile 16, we were directed onto a bike trail that ran parallel to North Willow Road before diverting onto the Clovis Old Town Trail at mile 17. Going out and back, the mostly flat trail was interrupted by gradually sloping underpasses at Willow Road, Nees Avenue, Villa Avenue, and Herndon Avenue. Just past mile 19, we jogged over to Pollasky Avenue travelling six-plus blocks into Old Town Clovis before turning around and retracing our steps back to the trail. Around halfway into mile 22, we diverted onto the out-and-back, mostly shaded, Dry Creek Trail before returning to the departure point a mile later. We then returned to Clovis College on the Clovis Old Town Trail and, just past mile 24, Willow Road to finish our marathon journey. Finish time temperature was 57 degrees, 67 percent relative humidity, clear, and wind from the east at 8 miles per hour. ORGANIZATION: I remember meeting the race founder taking notes on the 2008 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon bus tour prior to his inaugural race that same year. Clearly, his observations of the OKC event had translated well into his own event over the past several years. Well organized expo. Great swag that included a hoodie and technical tee shirt. Excellent traffic control and course support. Explicit direction signs placed throughout, thus preventing any possibility of getting off-course for those paying attention. SPECTATORS: The decibel antithesis of its more famous and larger counterpart held in New York City on the same day; even the ducks on the pond at Woodward Park did not seem to take notice of the marathoners. It simply was a quiet course that allowed the participant to focus on one's performance. One high school band was observed on Friant Road just before mile 5. CONCLUSION: Roughly one-fourth of the course is in Clovis, the balance is in Fresno. In terms of population, Fresno is four times larger than Clovis, so there is no possibility that the cities, or the marathon, would be confused with the marathon held in Minnesota's capital. No one would accuse the Two Cities Marathon as being a marquis event in the Golden State, much less the country, but given its easy course, excellent organization, and great weather, it is a marathon worth consideration. Well done!

I think this is a very well organized race. From reading the previous comments, they have made a lot of improvement and split the starting time of the 3 races. No traffic problem as previously described. The Clovis half is more fun and flatter than the Fresno half. Clovis half runs thru the old town bike trail and old town Clovis. There were more shades and only few bumps going in and out the tunnels. The Fresno half has a long stretch of uphill around mile 21. It is an out and back downhill and then uphill. I wish it was the other way around. The last couple miles were flat and finish line area was not far from the startline in a nice park. Very abundant post race food and hot breakfast. One of the best post race food give out I ever been in. The finisher jackets were very nicely made. Overall it is a 5 stars organized race. I can't say the course is bad and I know runners PRed in this race so it is doable. Fresno is not much a travel destination, so you wont travel across the country to run in this race. There are many more faster courses or better scenery races around. So u would expect to see a lot runners are locals or nearby town runners. Very small size for the full but tons of half runners. Can't complain, it is still a very well organized race!

The course has nice parts: the trail between Fresno and Clovis, and the pretty, small town of Clovis itself. The trail did get crowded, as it's shared between full and half marathoners. Organization and support are above average. Hot breakfast and ice cream sundaes at the finish! I felt like the schwag was not as good as in 2011, when it included a heavy sweatshirt. Also, they ran out of size L finish shirts before most full marathoners finished. (The half marathoners got them.) Spectator support is good along the trail and in Clovis, but there's an out and back from mile 16 to 24 where it's just you and the aid stations.

For a small marathon (387 total), this was really well run and thoroughly enjoyable. Previous years comments complained about having to mix back in with slower half marathon runners on the narrow paved trail section, but this must have been solved by changing the start times of the various events. The marathon started 45 minutes before the Clovis Half, which for me running 7:30 pace meant I didn't meet up with the bulk of them (running the opposite direction from me) until after the out and back section at 10-11 miles. No real issues there except for one water station when the half marathoners didn't pay much attention to runners coming the opposite direction. A little yelling solved this problem! The Fresno half marathoners were not a problem at all as the course was on a four lane street split so that one half was for marathoners and one half for half marathoners. We got a nice running hat, a tech tee, an awesome medal, and a finishers long sleeve hoodie t-shirt. The food afterwards was top notch - sundaes, eggs, potatos, sausage, bananas, plenty of water. They also gave out free massages, although it was an hour wait when I finished so I skipped it. Not a lot of spectators, but those that were there were very supportive.

I've run this a few times, in previous iterations there was a half that essentially took off in a different direction from the full. This year a second half was added, unfortunately they were sent out in the same direction as the full marathon (not a problem at first since people did a good job lining up according to pace), HOWEVER their turn around came before the turn around for the full. This meant that those running the full did a few more miles after the half marathon turn around, then made their turn around only to run smack into slower half marathon runners just before the point where the course narrows! Shortly thereafter, there was another short out-and-back for the full, but not the half, so we then re-entered the course with even slower half runners. Other than that, it's still a great, reasonably-priced event, the weather's almost always perfect, the hooded sweatshirt and hot breakfast at the finish are if anything getting better, every year there are a few more spectators. All of the good comments below are true, this really is an excellent example of a friendly local race put on by runners for runners. In its current form, it would make an outstanding first marathon experience or a great alternative to big corporate events, but as a fast course for those looking to BQ or PR, I have reservations.

I like the new course and the organization much improved. I am ok running without too many spectators. i went to try to break 2:50 minutes but i got discourage after mile 4 when I come almost to a full stop on a wall of people running the half marathon. It takes too much energy to weave and go though hundreds of runners who are walking. on mile 8 or 9 i was tripped right entering the tunnel and stumble almost hitting my face on the ground. then after getting up and started to regain my balance , I was hit right on my face by a lady walking and waving to her friends and she got very upset. the bike path is too small to have so many people walk and run it is just unsafe and reduces the chances of improving better times. at least make a 3 feet lane for faster or elite runners. good luck

First off, organization of this race is top notch relative to other small marathons. The Aid stations were well stocked, goodies were excellent, and there was a very nice expo for the bib pickup area. The only gripe for the expo was that the baseball stadium where they had it was in a sketchy neighborhood, and there weren't clear signs for where to park. The weather couldn't have been better. There was a threat of a rain storm the day before, but it was done before the start. Better yet, there wasn't any annoying wind to deal with. The course was ok, but nothing exciting. Lot's of straightaways, which I actually like, but a significant section of the course is on a bike path that runs diagonal through town. This means there were several short tunnels under roads we had to run through with slight dips and inclines right before and after. They weren't as bad as some bike paths I've been on, but they did break up your pace. The bigger issue was the ~3 mile incline after the 20 mile turnaround point. It's not steep, and you really can't call it a hill, but right at the time your legs are getting really tired the last thing you want is a long steady incline for three miles. It probably slowed everyone's finishing time by at least a minute to deal with it. It might be a good idea for the race director to consider adjusting the course, like adding more distance in Clovis (it is called Two Cities) to avoid that long incline. The Finish area food and goodies were great. There was a FULL breakfast waiting for us at the finish, which I've never seen before. The Finisher medal was nice, although they neglected to put the year directly on it (just on the ribbon part). I really liked getting the finisher sweatshirt at the end as well. Mine had a sewing issue on the shoulders, but that's easily fixable. It was neat going shopping and eating after the race in Fresno and seeing the sweatshirts everywhere. The Tech shirt given at the expo was also nice and unique looking. The crowd support for the race was pretty good for a small marathon. The bike path section was pretty quiet, but because of the cross traffic of the marathon course, there was plenty of cheering going on. The marathon added your name on the bib, which meant complete strangers knew my name and cheered for me. Really nice to have that. The biggest crowds were actually on the last section from miles 17 to the finish. Overall a well run race on a 'flattish' course. I'd like them to consider adjusting the route to avoid that incline (especially when they advertise flat and fast), but in reality it's a minor quibble.

We picked this race because of the great reviews on this site and because of the flat course. Because we live in a place that has absolutely no hills (inclines are even hard to find!) it is hard to train for hilly courses. The race lived up to its reputation for being well organized. Everything ran as expected: hotel shuttles were great, volunteers on the course were plentiful, and exuberantly friendly and encouraging, and as other have mentioned there were tons and tons of porta-lets. I also really liked the finish line and finish chute: lots of space to move around before encountering the rest of the finishers in the food area. We didn't mind the basic out-and-back structure of the course, nor the urban/suburban nature of the scenery. That was fine if not the most exciting thing to see (mind you, the mountains in the background were nice to see). The course is not completely flat, however; from miles 17-25 there is first a gradual decline and then a gradual incline, with a mid-sized hill thrown in. As flat-landers, this didn't in fact bother us, but it was noticeable. Overall, this is a marathon worth returning to from our perspective and we plan to be back in 2011. The volunteers and organizer really made us feel like stars, even though we finished well down the field. It is fun to run in such circumstances.

I did the 1/2 marathon and it wasn't just one, but two out-and-back courses! I prefer loops or point-to-point running, but the promise of shirt, medal, sweatshirt and sundae swayed me to enter. We stayed at the Spring Hill Marriott: very nice hotel, wonderful service, great marathon rate. The shuttle service ran like Swiss clockwork and our driver was very enthusiastic. The music on the course made for a great pick-me-up. I couldn't vote because I enjoyed so many. My one complaint on the finish area: I was going to go to the beer garden and asked if I could return to the food/finish area. I had a friend running the marathon and I wanted to return to see her finish. I was told that I could return, as I had a finisher's medal around my neck. However, when I tried to reenter, I was stopped as I didn't have a VIP pass! Perhaps a miscommunication with volunteers?

In looking for a fall marathon, I saw all of the great comments here at MarathonGuide about this race, so I decided to try it. I was not disappointed. Well organized, and the shuttle buses between the hotels and the start/finish area were great. Not big buses that they waited until full before moving, but rather vans that once one or two people were on them would take you! And with about a dozen vans, there was never a wait. One big problem with most marathon is the long wait at the porta-potty before the start. Not here. There were more porta-potties at the start line than I could really count (at least a 150 - minimum). Nice-looking, long-sleeve tech shirt; running hat; finisher's hooded sweaty; and a nice-looking medal. Full breakfast, ice cream sundae, beer. Lots of water/Gatorade stations. VIP treatment. All of this without an overpriced entry fee. Seems like a race that was put on by runners for runners. The only negative was probably the long out-and-back on Friant Road at the end of the run (miles 17-25). A boring stretch of tilted road with an incline on the way back. But other than that, a great event. Definitely would recommend it.

The race organizers don't miss much. There was even an option to pick up my race packet the morning of - an extreme rarity in a marathon. I am hard-pressed to remember one of my 126 marathons that offered more "swag": Long-sleeve technical shirt, a hat and a hooded finisher's sweater. A full breakfast, ice cream sundae and a beer garden. Plenty of electrolyte replacement and water every mile. A relative flat course with only one significant hill around mile 21. The contained starting and finishing corrals and chutes really "spotlight" the runners. Though it's run in fall, the course is not particularly scenic: typical, urban, big-city surroundings.

I have been with this race since it was a small point-to-point and have watched it grow into a world-class event. The directors make ALL of the participants feel like world-class athletes. They make you feel like you are an Olympic gold medalist even if you are a back-of-the-packer... like me. At the Eye-Q Two Cities Marathon you don't need to be an elite Kenyan to be treated like one.

I've never run a marathon that's as well organized as the Two Cities Marathon and of equal value. Half marathon and full marathon shared course, but were completed separated for the entirety of the overlap by cones. Didn't have to run around walkers/half marathoners. Swag was top-notch, with a tech running hat, a long-sleeve tech shirt and a hooded sweater. The hot breakfast and coffee post-race were just on a different level. I've never seen a race organizer provide hot food at a marathon. Best of all, the volunteers/organizers were the most patient/encouraging I've seen at any race. One of our friends came in last in the marathon; they waited at the finish with us with the finisher's medal and food until he came in. We were just blown away by the dedication these folks had in putting on a top-notch event. This group of 6 of us run a marathon together every year in various places. Never in a million years did we think the marathon in Fresno/Clovis would be the number one marathon in our book. My most sincere thanks to the event organizer for the great experience.

Fantastic. Course support was great (Gatorade and water every mile, and two GU stations - although the 2nd station ran out), expo surprisingly good, and free stuff couldn't be better (very nice, long-sleeved, tech tee; tech hat; sweatshirt; ice cream, etc. - just like they advertise), and all with low entry fee ($70 for full). Shuttles from hotels to start made it easy to get there and back. ZERO lines at porta-potties and bag check! Course is mostly flat with some hills at the end. Time is called out by volunteers at each mile (no clocks). I was worried about bottlenecks along the bike path and tunnels, but there were only 741 full marathon runners! The "thousands" stick to the half, so it's really nice for the full runners to get the support without the crowds, and they did a good job with the course and timing to make sure there wasn't a ton of overlap between the halfers and full runners. Would suggest 2 changes: 1. The water and Gatorade should be offered in different-colored cups, so you don't have to ask every volunteer what they're offering (all cups were handed to runners - not picked up off tables). Also, the medal for the full and the half was the same - would have liked different medal for us. Overall, VERY nice atmosphere (it felt like the runners were all in it together, and while most long-distance runners are nice, this race seemed to attract more than its share of friendly people), the few spectators along the course (more than I expected) were great, and overall it was very well organized. Would recommend to anyone.

My buddies and I heard good things about the Two Cities Marathon in Fresno and signed up for the 2010 edition, last Sunday. * the amenities are the best: long-sleeve tech shirt, running cap, and a sweatshirt at the finish. Full hot breakfast at the finish! * very well organized. * always important: plenty of port-a-potties! Never a line. * I can't say enough good about the volunteers. The people were genuinely kind and friendly. They waited until the very last runner was in, and presented him with his medal and all amenities. This was even though he came in after the "cut-off time." * the course was OK but not great. I enjoyed the trail to Clovis, and running around downtown Clovis itself. But the out-and-back miles at the end were taxing, especially since they held the only hills on the course. * although we didn't run the half, we heard there was a SNAFU at the start and it went off too early. I'm sure this mistake won't be repeated.

I ran the 2010 marathon and was quite pleased with the whole experience. I have never gone back and run a race that I have done before since I like to sample different races, but I will return to this one. The second time I will run Fresno and consider the ultra and then take the week after on vacation to spend the week at Sequoia and Yosemite Parks. They are fabulous. Now back to the race. This is a small marathon but I much prefer these to a Rock 'n' Roll disaster. The race coordinators were excellent and their hard work was evident. This is a very flat course except for a somewhat hard hill on mile 22, but nothing real big. Other that that it is flat and a great course for a PR and/or BQ. The course scenery was pretty good as well. The traffic control was excellent. You get a nice medal, a long-sleeved tech t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt. To get all that for a very reasonable entry fee (I think it was $75) is a real bargain. The expo was very modest but I haven't been real impressed with any expo. What made this expo different was the speakers. Dean Karnazes was a very good speaker and was very entertaining. Other presenters were good as well. There was one major screw up, though. There was plenty of water and Gatorade support. That was great. GU was supposed to be at mile 13 and 20. No problem at 13 but I ran a 3:35 and I got the LAST GU at 20. The rest of the marathoners and ultra marathoners did not get GU at 20. That was a major mistake. They told me that they had given all the GU to the walkers and half marathoners. That needs to be addressed for next year. All in all, this is a great race and I would recommend it to anyone. I will definitely be returning.

I ran the Ultra in 2010 and had a great time. Race hotels, shuttles, pasta dinner, and race were all excellent. Ultra participants received an extra medal and group photo shoot with Dean. Very organized race. Course received a 4.0 because it has two out-and-backs rather than being point-to-point. Spectators were sparse in sections, but were enthusiastic when they were present.

This year's running of the Two Cities Marathon was better than I imagined it would be! The addition of the 50K ultra was just what the race needed. The weather was beautiful and the crowd support has increasingly improved. The change in course was okay. I'm not too excited about out-and-back courses, but it was nice seeing other runners along the way and cheering for the leaders. It also allowed me to see my friends and cheer for them as they were running (some ahead of me, some behind me!). The goodies you get for entering this race are second to NONE - the hooded sweatshirt this year is my favorite! The tanktop for finishing the ultramarathon was a nice touch, too. I feel so lucky to have such an amazing race in my hometown. Special thanks to Eye-Q and Sierra Challenge Express for all they do to make this an amazing experience! I'll be back for the fourth running next year. :)

This is my second time running this one, and it was as good as ever, with some improvement. Great: the price is right, and the perks are fantastic. You get an attractive, long-sleeved tech tee (in men's and women's sizes), a mesh cap that matches the tee, and at the finish a hooded sweatshirt. The medal is attractive, and there's a hot breakfast (scrambled eggs, potatoes, link sausage, rolls, fruit). Seating for breakfast is busy, but you can always find a spot. Free hot fudge sundaes and one free beer per person. This year they did a MUCH better job separating the full from the half runners, so that the fast full finishers weren't weaving around slow half participants at the finish. Good: The expo is small but they usually seem to get a decent guest (last three years: Switzer, Beardsley, Karnazes). The course is pretty darn flat (a couple underpasses and one easy hill around mile 20) and nicely uncrowded (less than 1,500 for the full). Plenty of aid stations, 2 with GU, weather almost always perfect. Moderately fast people have a chance to do well (there's a small cash purse). The bad: I read that the half started around 10 min. early! Ouch! The contenders were unhappy, and I don't blame them. Fresno itself doesn't offer too much, but there's cool stuff nearby, three national parks being the highlight.

Well-planned course  it was nice to run along the trail system. The spectator presence was much better than I expected. That was a nice surprise. The finish area was a bit chaotic, but that's not unusual. Overall, the support was top-notch, the people were friendly and helpful, and the weather was great. I'd do this one again.

Mike (and crew) really go above and beyond to put this race together. The love of the sport and the desire to never stop improving is the backbone, heart, and soul of this race! Most races are held for profit. This race is held for the love of the sport... seriously! Think I'm full of it? Come and see for yourself. There is a reason people are flocking to Fresno to this sell-out event.

I ran the inaugural marathon last year and I thought it was great. This was was even better. It was very well organized. The food was great. Many of my co-workers ran either the relay, the half or the full. They all thought it was great. I have run the SF and Sacramento Marathons, and the energy at this year's marathon matched that of SF and Sacramento. I am looking forward to next year's run on November 14th. You folks will have a hard time topping this one. Maybe not!

I only did the half marathon, having switched over from the full after getting into the Nike women's marathon (which is held only three weeks earlier). What a fantastic, well-planned event. The race start/finish venue is at beautiful Woodward Park. Porta-potties were plentiful and had no lines, and the trucks for the sweats bags were conveniently located adjacent to the corral area. The half marathon course is mostly flat, with one good hill between miles 9-10. The course was more scenic than I had expected, with views of palm trees against a backdrop of mountains in the distance. The post-race festivities were great - after receiving their medals, finishers received a hooded, zippered sweatshirt (perfect for the post-race chilly conditions), a hot breakfast (eggs, sausage, and hash browns), an ice cream sundae, a free massage, and two free beers. Although many of the tables/chairs that were set up for eating breakfast were already taken when I finished, there was ample room on the dry lawn for enjoying the meal. The beer was available at the amphitheater, where a live band played. I would highly recommend this race to anyone - it was that good. The only problem is that the experience could spoil you for future races.

Want to feel like an Olympian? Then run the Two Cities Marathon! This was a very well organized race. I didn't have to wait for a porta-potty at the start because they had plenty of them. The organizers treated the athletes so well that they made us feel like professional athletes. They gave us a nice technical shirt, medallion, and finisher sweatshirt. I loved the Runner's Village - it had plenty of tables and chairs for us to sit down at to eat the ice cream sundae with brownie; plenty of fruit; and hot breakfast (although I couldn't eat much post-race). Also, they provided free massages and beer. The volunteers were very helpful and accommodating, cleaning up trash and bussing tables. I felt like a queen. The course was relatively flat, with small hills, and plenty of volunteers at aid stations. The spectators and entertainers were enthusiastic. This was a relatively small marathon (683 marathon finishers), but I predict that it will grow. I recommend it to everyone, especially the newbies. Go Fresno/Clovis! Thank you, Two Cities Marathon organizers and supporters.

Of the 139 marathons I have completed (all 50 states plus a couple other countries), this is probably the best organized and supported event yet. Kudos to all concerned - from providing a multitude of porta-potties (ZERO waiting lines, if you can believe it); great shuttle transport to/from expo, pasta feed, and race site; terrific shirt, cap, and finisher jacket; the best post-race food ever; free massage; to the fast course, I honestly can think of nothing they could have done better. Spectators along the way were a bit sparse, but the ones who were there were very encouraging, and the water stations were frequent and well supported. Great job, folks!

Last year I ran the marathon in honor of my cousin, Frank, who is a Madera native and is also a Vietnam veteran and a Purple Heart recipient who had just gone through organ transplant surgery. The date of the event is so close to Veterans' Day that it kept reminding me throughout the race how fortunate we are to live in this country and how grateful I am for our brave men and women in uniform. Thank you for this very fine event. It has the potential to become a major player in the marathon circuit. As runners we are treated in first-class fashion by the friendly people of the Central Valley. I can see how this event will grow more than you can imagine. - Art Hernandez

If you're like me, part of the marathon experience is walking away with all of the swag, and at this event you better have someone with you to help you carry it all. Early entry gets you a nice hat. At the expo, everyone gets a goody bag and long-sleeve technical shirt. Then finishers walk away with a hooded zip-up sweater (very nice quality) and maple leaf medal. At the finish line, they feed you like a king. Hot breakfast, fresh fruit, and ice cream sundaes. Well worth the super low $70 entry fee.

I ran the half marathon. Perfect layout and so well organized. I was amazed at how well I did with recovering from ITBS and still have sciatica pain. Everything was available on the course, including running bananas! What a hoot! One of my most enjoyable races; I plan to run again next year. Count me in.

This is a marathon you will want to run again and again. The course was mostly flat with a few rollers; the organization was excellent; and the post-race food was out of this world. I had never washed down an ice cream sundae with beer before this race!! Check it out if you have a chance; you will not be disappointed!!

It was a great day! Nice course, well marked. Well organized. The breakfast and coffee were great. Love the hat, shirt and sweatshirts. Thanks to the organizers and sponsors.

Best organized marathon. Post-race food and activities again were well organized. Food was great.

I have nothing to compare this to, but I had a great time. My longest run prior to training for this run was to volunteer for Bay to Breakers. This is a great run for newbies. Plenty of parking right near the start. Flat course. Volunteers at every turn, every mile... just everywhere. Entertainers along the course. Lots of local runners, so their friends and family are out there cheering. Scenic finish area with lots of food and geese. Beer and music. It was hard not to splash beer all over myself at mile 24, because the plastic cups are harder to pinch, and besides I never could walk and drink at the same time, but the beer was cold and felt really good. For slower runners, it's a long stretch between the first GU station and the next (not at mile 20). Don't be scared when they call out your full name and where you're from at the finish line. That startled me. I stuck with their last pacer, who talked to - and encouraged - everyone in our group, and brought us in right on schedule. Thanks, Michael! Tip: I heard that seriously early registrants got a cap, also. Is that true?

Thank you to the organizers, sponsors, spectators and supporters... and to my fellow runners (especially my daughter, who roped me into this), for a truly great adventure. Maybe next year, I'll be ready for the full marathon!

I am happy to see Fresno finally has a marathon that goes through the greatest part of Fresno's history. The run through the fruit orchards and Clovis is great. The temps were great this year. The convention center was a bit light, but my guess is because this was the first year.

This was the marathon of the year. What a great event. At this marathon everyone is treated like an elite. From the tech shirt you receive at the expo to the finisher's sweatshirt at the finish line, the hot breakfast with tables and chairs, free massage, ice cream sundae and much more. They even have shuttles to take out-of-towners to and from their hotel. I've run 20 marathons and this was my favorite from the course to the organization. My two friends and I qualified for Boston. I will certainly be back next year.

Challenging course with numerous turns. A few minor hills. Rained and was VERY windy last year (probably kept spectators away?). Part of the course was muddy. Organizers need to separate the half-marathon and marathon finish areas (have two chutes). I had to run around numerous walkers who were four and five abreast. Very nice medal, shirt, finisher sweatshirt, and hat!

This was my very first marathon, and all I have to say is, "Thank you!" This was a wonderful experience and it made me want to participate in more marathons. I am not the fastest of runners; in fact, I was at the back of the pack, the very back, and I could not believe or be more grateful to the volunteers who stayed to cheer us (those of us in the back) on. I am not just talking about a few people at every mile maker and water station. There were quite a lot of people there yelling their support, and I have got to tell you at around mile 21 or 22 that made all the difference to me; so, to all of them, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. As for organization, it was great. There was no shortage of water or energy gels or Gatorade; in fact, there was plenty, even at mile 25. If I had any complaint, it is that when I did finish, they had run out of finisher medals. But I did get my sweatshirt. To be honest, I was so proud of myself for finishing that I was not very upset about the medal, which they said would be mailed to us later. But all in all, a wonderful first marathon on a relatively flat course. I can't wait until next year.