Air Force Marathon - Race Reviews

This is tough for me, because I love this race, but a lot has changed. The new route this year was fun, if a bit full of turns. The biggest change is fewer aid stations. If you look back at previous year comments, people talk about having water and sports drink every mile. No more. Often about two miles, particularly in the second half of the course. This is fine if you plan for it, I recommend carrying water, but don't count on the same level of support as this race used to be known for. Seems like the overall organization is still solid, just plan ahead.

Decent hills at miles 1-3 and 23. These hills could have a significant impact to your performance. The rest of the course is relatively flat. The Gourmet pasta dinner was well worth it. The free shuttle buses from the start line to Fly Zone spectator area and back at the finish are convenient. The fly over of the world war II P-51 Mustang and F-22 Raptor was quite nice. Volunteers were very cheerful and helpful. Plenty of water stations: water, gatorade, gel, bananas, etc. Small race, but quite well organized.

This was a great experience. The Air Force aspect, running on the base, museum, Air Force personnel, fly-over and expo were fantastic. The course was very nice with a wide range of scenery, from old town to military to woods to fields and ponds. The weather was perfect in 2017. The medal is one of the best I've ever seen. So nice. My negatives are: 1) Complications with getting in/out of event. The shuttle buses pick up at the university Nutter Center which is within walking distance to several hotels. I read that parking and traffic would be a nightmare so I walked. There was actually plenty of parking and moderate traffic so I wish I had drove. 2) Bus Schedule. The buses into the event start at 4am and end at 6am. However, the run doesn't start until 7:30am so this created a lot of downtime waiting around the start area in the cold and dark. This also impacted the usual breakfast-to-run timing that most people train with. 3) Messy start. The Full marathon, Half marathon, and *10K* all start at the same time with NO corral separation. The first 3 or 4 miles were a big huge mess of walkers vs elite runners vs casual groupings. To make it worse, the first few miles are up hill. 4) Messy finish. The Full and Half marathons merge again around mile 20 and are on a single, shared roadway until the end. This created a problem at the end when people are out of energy and you need to start dodging each other. Overall, this was a fantastic experience but I would not count on it as a hardcore marathon with any time goals in mind. Think of it as more of a casual marathon and enjoy the experience .

THE GOOD This is a run with majority of the route inside the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The route is relative flat, although there are some moderate up and down hills. The roads were smooth, most of the time. The weather was fairly cooperative. It was not hot with breeze. There was a rain after I finished. There were a couple of CV-22 Osprey aircraft flew around the starting area before the marathon started. We ran through the aircraft parking lot before you reach the finish line. That was cool. The arrangements made everyone felt the special of this Marathon. There were plenty of aid stations with Gatorade and water supplied. Some of them had Gel, banana, and cookie for you to grab. When we ran to outside of the base, and at the finish line, there were plenty of people to cheer up the runners. There was a large digital clock to telling the time we have spent on the course at every mile, although there were a few not working. There were many volunteers at each aid station. They were very enthusiastic, cheerful, and very helpful. There were quite a few entertainment stations. Some soldiers voluntarily on the roadside cheer up the runners with some jokes and funny lines. Because the route was mainly inside the base. Majority of the area were not accessible by spectators. The finish medal was well designed and it was fairly large. The medal design differs each year. The air force museum is an excellent place to visit. It is highly recommended. It is worthy a trip to Dayton, OH even you go there for visiting the museum only. THE BAD I had a muscle cramp. I stopped at every station after I had muscle cramp problem. There was no muscle spread at any station including the emergency rescue vehicles. The race delayed for 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. There was no announcement via common ways, such as text, email, official web site, or post a sign. I heard the news from some other runner who heard from some others. THE UGLY It took me 40 minutes from high way exit to finally having my car parked. The entire distance was about one mile. There were plenty of parking space. I have no idea of why it was so bad. This is unexpected to an event have run yearly for 20 years. And especially, it is unexpected for a military organizer.

At first I was a little apprehensive about running this race since I knew that there would be some quiet stretches. This race is run mostly on Wright Patterson AFB land therefore many areas where spectators do not have access. I was surprisingly pleased and so glad I did this race. Race started with a U 2 fly over. There are many energetic volunteers and many service men and women along the course. The town of Fairborn goes all out and there is a few mile stretch running through there 'fly zone'. The course does have a few small hills but nothing major ( I still was able to PR). The medals are shirts are very nice in addition to a towel. Post-run food is average at best although the Jimmy John's sandwich was good.

I loved this race (although it wasn't my day for a PR). The course showcases the Air Force base and the surrounding communities. The community is supportive of the runners and loved the hotel (Marriott) which had personalized 'good luck' signs, course maps and a special runner's breakfast for us. Take some time to visit the AF museum while you are there - you won't be disappointed. The organization of this race was top notch, from the shuttles to the start area, to course directions and to the finish. How can you beat finishing under a tunnel of enormous AF planes? And the flyover at the start was a blast. There are plenty of portopotties, which is always a plus. Aid stations are numerous and huge thanks to the volunteers handing out sponges on a warm day. This is one I will definitely return to. It's a small race, with quiet sections, so if you're looking for the craziness of a Chicago or NYC, this probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for excellent organization, on course support and an enjoyable and scenic course, as well as a chance to honor our USAF, look no further.

I really like this race! Easy to get to, from packet pick-up to the race start and finish is so well done. All you have to do is run. Volunteers are fantastic, water stops everywhere, ton of port-o-pots, bag drop is perfect, AND the feature plane flyover can't be beat! Some say it is boring and quiet ? The only part of that course is the backside of the flight line to me, BUT what other marathon course doesn't have a boring section? For some reason I can't wait to do it again! I've done 34 marathons now, and I just enjoy this race. Well done Air Force. I will be back next Year !!!!

Just finished the 2015 AFM and thought I would post my thoughts. There were decent hills at miles 1, 8, 21 and around 23 or 24. The mile 1 hill was the worst, followed by the mile 8 hill and the mile 23-24 hills were rollers that you felt because it was later in the race. There was a section of the race that went through a downtown area that was very nice. The race started out with an air force plan fly over that I think was a U2 and it was awesome. Today was a bit warmer than ideal, but I guess weather is a wildcard for a Sept event in Ohio (70 at start, 74 at finish). The town of Dayton was actually quite enjoyable. There are parts of town that seemed a bit risky and unsafe, but the Oregon district was fantastic and we had several nice meals there. Volunteers: Water stop volunteers were plentiful and enthusiastic. And, overall, there really were plenty of volunteers and they were friendly and supportive. It seem like, however, many of the volunteers knew a lot about the area of the event where they were volunteering, but not necessarily a lot about the event as a whole (i.e., if you asked a general volunteer about where the shuttle pick up was, it took a few tries to find one that actually knew). Water and Support: There were tons of water stations - I am sure I am wrong about this, but it felt like there was a water stop every mile and that each one had plenty of volunteers, water, gatorade and more than one of them had bananas, gu, etc. Big kudos for all the great water stations, especially on a pretty warm day. They also had a ton of ports-potties, which was AMAZING :) One pet peeve of mine that really isn't the end of the world (because you can just ask a lot of questions to work around it) was a lack of great signage in the main race area to direct you to the bag drop, shuttles, etc. I realize this is more of a nice to have than a need since you can ask people, but it would have made navigating the main venue easier. The Expo at packet pickup was a little weak for an event this size. Shirts and medals were very nice. Shuttle: Based on the recommendation by the event, we decided to take the shuttle from Nutter to and from the race venue. Getting to the venue at the start seemed to work fine, but getting back was a little frustrating. We waited at least 20 min for our return shuttle and then it took at least 20 min to get back to our car. We thought we had plenty of time to get back to our hotel for late check out at 1 pm, but we actually got back late due to this. That said, in prior years, they did not offer a return shuttle - so this is the first year they have offered this and I am hoping they will learn from it and improve the logistics for future years. Spectators: I thought that there were really nice spectators for the first 6-10 miles, but then they kind of died down on the course until you got back within a few miles of the finish. Having the marathon on a military base probably means there are parts of the race where spectators don't have access.

I've run the full once, and the half twice. Running the full again this year. This is without a doubt the best organized race I've ever run. Great number of Porta-Pottys at the start (in fact more than some races have for the entire course). Very friendly and polite people. LOVE the flyovers.

I never had attempted a September marathon and this race reminded me why. Perfect starting temps and a rapid rise. The course is largely around Wright Patterson base so you are exposed to the elements which this year included a fairly stout breeze and direct sun. The theme is great and the service men and women giving you medals was awesome. Post race food was plenty. There were a couple of major flaws. One, less than a week before the event I received an email that the Passkey system messed up hotel reservations and I had been moved to a hotel 45 minutes away from the race. Second, the shirt goof up is almost inexcusable and the quality of the hat was much worse than year's past. I can check this one off my bucket list, but I would not do it again.

I ran USAFM in 2008, so 2014 was my second attempt. I bonked in 2006, finished well this time. I liked the course. I enjoyed seeing all the military stuff and marveled at the size of the HUGE airstrip we ran all the way around. I liked the varied open and tree-canopied portions of the trail. The water stop volunteers were awesome, particularly the 'alien invader' station!!! The finish is awesome, just awesome. I was moved to sprint down that range of people with the huge planes watching over us. I received my medal from a 2 star general, to boot. Food was fine,

With the exception of one (I injured my knee) I have ran every AF Marathon since 2009. They have tweaked the course a bit over the years (not necessarily for the best) but I still plan on running this race annually. Again there was no flyover at the start this year which was a disappointment... Would have loved to see the F-35 in action! Still, considering that the aircraft is not in operation yet (and the military's budget having been slashed to pieces) one can hardly be surprised. The biggest disappointment was the t-shirt this year. Previously they had given racers technical shirts made by New Balance with a great design. They switched suppliers this year and the shirts really sucked. I hope they switch back next year. Otherwise, another great event. Pros: - Every year, the medal is quality - Great racing environment - Not a huge race (unless you like that thing) but not especially small either - The fans (where they are permitted) are always great - Those staffing the aid stations are always great - A spectacular turnout by the military and their families. Being able to shake the hand of an Air Force colonel at the end is a true privilege Notes: - As mentioned previously, the full and half marathons merge around mile 22 without a divider between the two groups. This really becomes a problem for those who are running the full, but are finishing 4+ hours as you encounter many walkers. Most of the half marathoners stick to their half of the road, but you have the occasional ones who get in the way - If you are a runner who needs consistent encouragement from fans, this probably isn't for you. Most of this race is on the air force base, which means entrance only for those who have permits to do so. The back half is in a secluded wooded area, and aside from the aid stations it is a empty trail. In the more inhabited portions of the base, the staff and their families will sit out and show their support which is very admirable. While briefly off base in Fairborn there is a spectacular turnout for a small town. Personally, I find the empty areas peaceful, but others who I have spoken with hate it. Something to take into consideration. - With the exception of the first and final five miles or so, this is an extremely flat course. If you set your pace accordingly, this course can result in a good finishing time. You will find a lot of runners who get through the first five miles, burn through the next sixteen but get destroyed when the hills return at mile 21. I will admit to having had it happen to me. Be Prepared! :) Overall, a great race to choose if you want to support the US Air Force and get one in for Ohio. Personally, it is one of my annuals. Happy Running!

This race was such a great surprise. This was my first trip to Ohio and I could not have asked for a better experience. The people of the the town of Fairborn as well as everyone at Wright-Patterson are very welcoming and proud of their community. I was very impressed at all of the military personnel that volunteered. General Wolfenbarger has done an amazing job working with the racing community. Parking is very easy. I would highly recommend the pasta dinner. It is held at the Museum of the Air Force the night before. The museum stays open for the participants. The only surprise I had with the race was the heat. The marathon started in the 50s and ended in the 80s. Many runners struggled in the last 4 or 5 miles, myself included. I would definitely return for this first class event.

Good organization overall. Crowd support was pretty sparse (Fairborn section excluded). Scenery along the course was okay, but there were some good stretches of vast nothingness as we ran through the back end of the air base. Miles 22 through the finish are painful. Long rolling hills and a giant merge with 1/2 marathon runners. Elusive finish line as well...'I can see the finish arch, but now I must run a loop around to reach it and my legs are dead.' Mentally challenging. Definitely a challenging course, especially if the day turns warm towards the finish (we started with 55 degrees at the start, but rose to mid-70s by the end). Humidity still a factor as well since it's run in mid-September in Ohio. A good number of runners hit 'the wall' after 35K. Preview the results splits and you'll see proof. Many great aspirations of BQs were shattered by the end of this run. Expo was disappointing. Forced to walk through entire concourse of merchandise, advertisements, paraphernalia, before reaching bib pick-up stations. Relatively inexpensive marathon and close to home (Cincinnati), but I do not plan on re-running in the future. Much better courses out there to tackle and/or re-run.

Going into this marathon I knew what to expect based on previous reviews read on this website. They were all accurate and no hidden surprises. Here is what to expect: Boring course mostly through Wright Patterson Air Force Base. It was flat and fast (only two small hills). Great organization. Amazing fan support in three areas of the course (Wright State U twice and Fairborn). A neat finish under the wings of large military planes. A great finisher medal (it is by far the best I have received). Hats off to the RD in regards to the race shirts. The shirts arrived with apparently a bad misprint. So, the RD got a replacement shirt in time for the expo. Mistakes happen and I think the shirt I got is nice. Many people complained about the replacement shirt, no complaints here. All in all the Air Force Marathon delivered exactly what they advertised.

Nothing but the greatest respect for the men and women of the Armed Forces. Thank you and thanks to all the volunteers that made it a great Day, and as always thank God for all his blessings.

Excellent race, really well organized and very impressive. Only one complaint, but it was a major one. Last 5 miles were back with the half-marathoners who started 30 minutes after us. Major crowds on skinny roads. Spent a TON of effort weaving in and out of people casually walking the last 4 miles of the half. VERY FRUSTRATING! Other than that, this is a world-class marathon.

I wanted to do this race because my husband is retired USAF & it was a good chance to visit the museum. The race was well organized & though a good part of it goes through rather mundane areas on base with few spectators, I knew that ahead of time & it didn't bother me. Where there were spectators, especially in Fairborn, they were extremely supportive & enthusiastic. The volunteers were wonderful. The water stops all had themes and were just plain fun to go through. I'm always toward the end & have at times encountered closed water stops, tired, even surly volunteers, these guys were cheering us like we were the front runners. I would do this race again, but probably won't just because of the distance to travel to it.

I decided to compete in this race since I'm an aviation enthusiast! The weather didn't help much in that regard, missing the fly-over. I thought the race went very well. Not as flat a course as I imagined. But was true to the elevation graph. Awards are great! Food afterwards (pizza) was good. No complaints! I left right away, so getting out of the parking area was not an issue. My girlfriend and I both PR'd (for what it's worth). She finished 16th woman OA, and 3rd AG. Would recommend this race to others!

I found the Air Force marathon to be quite enjoyable. It was only my second marathon, but I found everything to be well organized and only have minimal complaints. Things you should know: The course doesn't have any excruciating elevation changes, but there are definitely some hills along the way, primarily at the beginning and the end. I found the scenery along the way to be pleasant, if not breathtaking. Aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were great. Fans in Fairborn were especially amazing as well as those dispersed throughout the rest of the marathon. Medals looked great and I was impressed with the senior officers that volunteered to hand them out. Negatives: The long walk from parking to the starting line felt like it would never end. I was running a little behind, but still wound up parking the car 30 minutes before race time. It took so long to walk over that I barely had time to line up before the race started. Make sure you arrive early! Also, you only get one chance at food at the end of the marathon no going back for seconds. I would have liked to get another water or gatorade at least, but was unable. Overall, I would run this race again if the opportunity presented itself.

My wife and I flew to Dayton from Albuquerque specifically to run this race and we werent disappointed. A couple of the earlier comments are true, you do park about a mile from the start so be prepared to do some walking but the parking was super organized and it was easy to find our car among the sea of cars. It's also the case that you join the half-marathoners for maybe as much as the last 7 or 8 miles but I didn't find it to be a big deal. The majority of that time they have half runners on one side of the street and full runners on the other and there are sings and volunteers indicating such. However, I can see if someone were on the bubble for their BQ time the intermingling with half runners at the end could blow it for you because for the last three miles or so you will almost certainly have to do some bobbing and weaving. Even so, I can't imagine you'd lose more than a couple minutes at the very most. I thought the course was pretty good as well. I drove around on base a bit and believe me; they could have come up with something much less appealing. I really enjoyed the effort they made in creating the 'Fairborn Fly Zone' where you are actually off base in the town of Fairborn. It's an out and back section that is maybe two miles in total length and it is an area where there are a lot of spectators. Its definitely not the girls of Wellesley from the Boston marathon but then again, what is. It was still energizing and a lot of fun to run. I also liked the finish line because there were a lot of spectators there as well, again, not Boston but the crowd support was greater than what you receive at most other marathons. The port-o-potty situation was amazing. Maybe that's a weird thing to comment on but I know my wife really appreciated it because she was having issues from the get go and said she never once had to wait to get in and there always seemed to be one nearby. I suppose that if a 50-stater were reading this review trying to decide on an Ohio race then I would say that I doubt anything in Ohio beats the Flying Pig but the Air Force marathon is a good, solid race; definitely a cut above average.

Dayton Air Force Marathon was an OK race. It was actually pretty fun, I PR'd, and it was my first affiliated with the military which was cool. I'd say it's more of a race you just do once though. Pro's: Mostly flat course (only big hill was in first 2 miles). Smooth and well organized. Visible security throughout the course. Running through Fairborn provided the best and most lively scenery. Nice cool weather (rain even stopped right before the start!). Wright State students/fans were great. Water station and traffic/course control volunteers were great. Loved getting bananas at some of the later stations. Very helpful and friendly staff and volunteers. Con's: The roughly 1.5 mile walk from parking to start/finish wasn't so bad in the morning, but after running 26 miles, it really sucked walking back. No restrooms between parking and start/finish. Besides Fairborn, scenery was kind of boring. No flyover at the start this year. Unceremonious start - all of a sudden they called the wheelchairs to the line, started 1-2 minutes later, then the runners 5 minutes after that. Stark contrast to the guy yelling on the loudspeaker at the finish (find somewhere in the middle?). Getting into the parking area was a little slow, but nothing compared to getting out (took a good 30 minutes to get out). Merging the marathon and half marathon around mile marker 22 was kind of a pain. I know now what previous reviewers were talking about with having to dodge happy-go-lucky walkers for the final couple miles after running for 3+ hours straight.

I ran this race about 5 years ago, and reviewed the comments from the 2012 race. Almost all of what they could fix, they did. The half marathon start was scheduled after the marathon, and the course was set up to minimize conflicts when the marathoners were sharing the course with the half marathoners. I heard and saw plenty of course marshalls where needed. The bigest hassle five (or so) years ago and now is the traffic to get in and out of the base. With the bombing in Boston, I am glad of the close (but reasonable) scrutiny by the security forces. They also instituted a shuttle bus system so runners could be dropped off near by, and brought in by free buses, which helped with trafic. The race is mostly on a military base, but apparently based on comments, this comes as a surprise to some folks. It shouldn't. Because it is on a military base, there are not many spectators along the course. If you run marathons to see numerous high school marching bands, this race is not for you (there was one, and it was good). In my experience, this race has more aid stations with enthusiastic volunteers than any other marathon (I've run more than 40). The pasta dinner in the Air Force Museum is beyond awesome. Approximately one-third of the finishers were active duty military, and the piggish behavior I have seen from some runners at every other race was entirely absent here. It was a pleasure and honor to run this race. Runners should be aware that there are long stretches with no shade, but I have certainly run under much more difficult circumstances, and I burn easily. I highly recommend this race, but runners should be aware of the shortage of spectators,that the security needs of the military (and unfortunately nowadays, the runners)causes some logistical delays, and you might need to wear sunscreen.

The previous night's downpour brought a wet and drizzly morning start for the marathon. I started the full even in wet shoes, and met with little or no sunshine for the duration of he course. This was one of those races, tailored to the crowds, spectators, visitors, (and half-marathoners), more than to the runners. But that's ok - it was largely a fast course minus a dual-crossing of the freeway overpass, and the 21-mile marker merger with the half-marathon course. The weekend's festivities are definitely the highlights, so you ought to bring your family and plan to stay awhile in order to check out all the Air Force heritage stuff. While not yet a rival of the Marine Corps Marathon, the AF does offer it's own flavor. If you're an all-business racer, you may not find this your favorite due to there being 3-times as many halfers as full racers - all of which you seem to encounter in the last 6mi stretch. But the water stations, med support, and port-o-johnnys are unrivaled!

What a terrific job the organizers do! Every detail is carefully orchestrated and carried out to perfection. Well done! That being said, there are two things (and really only one that they can do anything about) to complain about: 1. Parking. The parking lot is a looooong haul from the start/finish line. This has been pointed out before, and I am sure it has been considered by organizers, but it is tough to know you have a mile slog back to the car after running 26.2. 2. Spectators. Other than Fairborne (what a great turn out!! The rain and temps sucked, and they were still there to cheer!) there were basically a couple of dozen or so people along the course, and most of them were security. It can make a huge difference to have someone yelling from the side of the road. I understand it is a massive military installation and security makes it impossible to let everyone on, so I am willing to give them a pass on this one. Just sayin' don't run this race if you need crowd support to get it done. Other than that, it was amazing. Very cool to have a three-star general draping a medal around your neck at the end. Wish the fly over could have happened this year, but I understand the politics and they put the money to better use.

The race expo was easy to navigate, however boring in content. This being the US Air Force you would think that maybe they would look for US made products, but alas the techno shirt was made in Egypt and the hat in China. Global economy aside - take care of the home front first. While port-a-potties were numerous most places there should have been some placed upon the sidewalks along the north side of Col Glenn Highway since the entries into the parking areas was so pitifully slow. 1/4 mile in 15 minutes - really guys - do better! The weather cooperated nicely with a gentle mist at the start and the sun didn't commence in full till the finish. (all relative) The course itself was tweaked a tad from last year and it still has more hills and canted roads than Cincinnati, Nashville, or even Atlanta. The medal remains top-notch, but I can't help wondering where it was made.

This was the most boring course I have ever run. There was nothing to look at, very few fans, just UGLY! I realize it was an Air force base, but man. It started by feeling like we had to walk a mile from where we had to park to the start line. It finished by having to weave my way through all of the half-marathoner who were walking! That was really bad. People I know running the full marathon were sent on the wrong path which of course ruined their race. I am very skeptical that the race was 26.2; I had almost 26.5. I had a good race, the weather was nice but, I would never run this race again.

This is the 3rd year running the half. It all started at the corner of Hebble Creek and Skeel Ave. Everyone ahead of me crossed the median, and I followed. When I saw the 3 mile clock on the other side of the road, I thought? This won't be good, we're going the wrong way. I ended up doing about 14 to 14.25 miles. I still finished at 1:51, so I was happy, and I got my half marathon moneys worth by doing an extra mile or so. HEY, I caulk it up as a mistake, and an easy fix for the organizers, either a race official on the corner, or orange cones routing you around the corner and not over the median. I've run 25 full marathons so far and have heard worse horror stories than this. Moral of the story, if you want to compete... know the course. I thought maybe the course changed ? I'll look at the map next year to see. This mistake will not keep me from coming back. I enjoy this race too much ! I'll be back next year AND stay on the correct side of the road !!! Air Force does a wonderful job, and I will be back !!!

I went to the Air Force marathon in 2011 and came back in 2012 with four friends this time. I was hoping to run a 1:23:00 and qualify for New York but not once but twice we were directed off course. I ended up running 15.4 miles. Not sure I would have made the 1:23:00 but I would have placed in my age group. I emailed the marathon the next day just asking what happended and what their plans were. I never received a response. I understand mistakes can happen but after this same thing happened the year before I would think it would be a priority. The 5K and the rest of the race I really enjoyed. I'm sure they will fix this issue and would recommend the race. I spent a lot of time and travel expense for this goal race and the disappointment will not bring me back again.

This is my 12th marathon and it was awesome! I've run NYC a bunch of times, and it of course is a very different experience, but I really enjoyed myself. Beginning and ending among the planes was super cool. There weren't a ton of spectators (obviously, since it's partially on a military base) but the ones that are there are great and enthusiastic. I wasn't bored at all in the quieter parts. It was peaceful. I LOVED the volunteers. They were sooo encouraging and supportive. I really liked how they made it clear who had water and who had Gatorade. There were plenty of fuel stops, too, which was much appreciated. The flyover at the beginning was really cool. Though I am never hungry at the end of a race, I thought it was nice that they had pizza at the finish. I only have one complaint- people participating in the half need to be told more clearly to stay on their side of the road when the half meets up with the full. Having already run ~22 miles, it was really annoying to have to go around people walking 5 abreast. It didn't bother me that much, though, and is literally my ONLY complaint. Overall, this race is great and I am sure that I will be back!

Air Force Marathon Saturday, September 15, 2012 Dayton, Ohio The first Air Force Marathon was held on 9.20.1997, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force & since then it has been held on the 3rd Saturday in September. Each year, one aircraft is featured & this year's was the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber which was displayed on all official marathon gear. The flyover by one at the start of the marathon was eye-catching indeed. The packet pickup at Wright State University's Nutter Center was very efficient. Each runner received a nice short-sleeved technical shirt, a runner's cap, & a few other goodies. Race morning temperature ranged from high 40s to low 70s. It was sunny & wind was not a factor. The start & finish lines were at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. There were 3 entrances into the two parking lots; be prepared for a long walk to start/finish area. Marathon & 10K started at 7:30 AM; half marathon at 8:30 AM. The scenic course was within the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. There were a couple of hilly sections around miles 1 & 21. There were sufficient water/sports drinks stations, sports gels, food items, & wet sponges throughout the course, as well as musicians who entertained us. There were pace teams. Splits were displayed digitally. Finisher's medal was really nice. There were plenty of recovery food items & drinks (beer too!) at the finish area. In short, it was a first class running event . There were 3298 (2233 males, 1065 females) finishers in the average time of 4:46:14. The winning times were 2:28:58 (overall male), 2:37:45 (masters male), 3:01:09 (overall female), & 3:17:07 (masters female). There were 5449 (2991 females, 2458 males) half marathon finishers. There were 1233 (711 females, 522 males) 10K finishers. There were 1443 (813 females, 612 males) 5K finishers. This was my 95th marathon & I liked it a lot!

I was among the unfortunate mass that ran longer than the advertised 13.1 miles for the half marathon-according to my GPS I logged 14.6! I suffered 2 u-turns after following the crowd (and being directed the wrong way by volunteers) causing abrupt changes in pace and abundant frustration as each inversion forced me behind slower runners. The winner of the men's half, and personal friend, was somehow able to break his own former course record but even he was impacted as the sheer volume of the wrong-way crowd forced the pace car to divert leaving him and the other front runners yelling to clear a path as they struggled to weave their way upstream. (How much faster could he have run unimpeded?) I understand that this was the result of an unfortunate mistake, but a similar mix-up occured during last year's event when the pace car inadvertantly led the elite runners the wrong way extending their race by nearly a mile. I register for races in order to gauge my ability against that of other runners-I like to compete! Last year I had a great experience and was even honored as the fastest military female in the 10K. While I had no illusions that I'd even come close to winning this event, I have no way of knowing how I faired. For me, this race fell horribly short of all expectations. I do recognize and appreciate all of the hard work that was obviously put into hosting this event. The logistics supporting the parking plan alone were impressive and the events surrounding the race were a lot of fun! However, it cannot be ignored that there is a recurring problem with the half marathon that needs to be fixed!

I ran this as my Ohio marathon on my quest to be a 50-stater. Overall it was a great experience. Pros: 1. Hydration stops were frequent, with gels at 3 places, and sponges at 2 places, and bananas at a couple. 2. Volunteers were awesome and plentiful. 3. Crowd support in Fairborn from miles 8-10 was great. 4. The course was mostly flat. 5. The baggage check was easy and efficient. 6. The flyover of the B-2 stealth bomber was awesome. 7. T-shirt and medal were nice (also got baseball cap). 8. Several bands along the course provided motivation. Cons: 1. There was very little shade on the course. If it was a hot day, the sun would have been brutal. 2. Parts of the course are desolate, not attractive and with no spectators, especially miles 13-20. 3. Getting out of the parking lot took nearly an hour. It seems there was one open gate (not enough). 4. Had to park a mile from the start, which was okay in the morning, but not a pleasant walk after running the marathon. 5. We had to get food and beverages immediately after finishing, without the option of going back. After running a marathon, I need to let my stomach settle a little before eating. I suggest checking out the Air Force Museum during your visit to Dayton. It was excellent and it is where the race starts and ends.

Organization was good. Course was pretty but very boring. Since most is on a military installation, there are very few spectators. Much of the course is running the 'perimeter road'. Start and finish at the AF museum (and the pre-race fly by) is excellent. Unless you live close, this is a race to do once, just to say you did it.

Thumbs up to a fun event put on by the Air Force! I would run it again. Pros: Flyover of the B2 Bomber at start. Excellent medal. Good medium sized expo. Very nice tech shirt. Runners cap and Air Force Marathon patch Plenty of water stations Plenty of porta-potties Around Miles 9 - 11 going through a very fun and patriotic town Good overall course. Cons 1) After finishing they asked us to keep moving which I did thinking I'll come back for food since I wasn't ready to eat yet. However once away from the area I was not allowed back to get food. My daughtor did the same thing and ended up buying pizza from a vender near the finish line since they wouldn't let her back to get food. 2) Long walk to/from parking area 3) Photos have the half marathon gun time in them which started after the marathon. 4) Some logistics of the race could have been helped with more signs. I saw in the news that 500 - 1000 half marathoners ran around 2+ extra miles because of the lack of good signs. The race director has apologized for that on the marathon site and stated they will fix that issue next year. Also a sign letting you know that either you get your food now or lose access to it once you cross a certain threshold would be helpful.

Ok, brutally honest review coming up. I'm active duty Air Force, and I was really excited run this race. Unfortunately, a few key details spoiled it for me. Number 1, the parking was confusing. There were numerous lots with the same numbers used for the rows, but with different colored backgrounds. At six a.m. it's difficult to distinguish the colors, and I lost my car. For two hours. AFTER running the marathon. 2nd, the journey from the parking to the start line was a good 30 minute walk, and I don't walk slow. My hubby walked me to the start, and planned to go back to the car because his half marathon didn't start for another hour. He ended up running there, looking for the car for a half hour, then running back without any of his gear. Good thing there is plentiful water, Gatorade and gel on the course. Photo support is pretty minimal, and the run tracking was the same. There isn't staggered corral starting, so the beginning was a mess. The course was pretty, but a large portion of the roads were canted and my ankles were killing me. Oh, and BIG overpass hills. It seemed like about four of them. Fairborn at mile 10 was cool, but the last half of the race was kind of boring. Zero spectators... how about volun-telling some Airmen to come out and cheer? :-D I had so much fun in the Rock-N-Roll series marathons, and this was a let down in comparison. Bummer. :( I wanted it to be more.

Loved the fly over prior to the start. At the start/finish area another runner described the porta potty area as porta potty heaven! I would have to agree - no wait 1/2 hour prior to the marathon start. Only issue was the last few miles joining back with half marathoners at a 2:30 or greater pace had to weave through a few. Other than that great job. Thank you to all who serve our country!