I ran Marshall for my WV race and selected it for two reasons: first, it fit into my race schedule and second, it's not billed as "hilly and hot" like another WV race that's popular out there. The weather was ideal, and the course had only small hills, enough to keep it interesting and not wear out the same muscles for 26.2 miles.

Race communication was excellent with lots of updates coming from the RD, especially on Facebook. The swag was also great - a nice Asiacs jacket with the logo plus a gym bag, and you could buy a t-shirt for $8 after the race (worth it, it was a good shirt). The medal was cool too, with the head of the buffalo on it (Marshall's mascot). PLUS race photos are included! Such a nice perk!!

The course itself is not particularly exciting, but it's not bad. It's two loops starting and ending at the football stadium. Obviously at the 13 mile mark, the half marathoners go finish while the full runners keep going for another loop, which is slightly disheartening but not the only race to do it that way. Parts of the course are blah, with old industrial buildings and some homes lining the roads, but a big chunk of the loop is in a park, which is very nice, and makes up for the other less interesting areas. The highlight, I'd say, is finishing the last .1 miles or so inside the stadium where they give you a football to run into the end zone - very cool! Great volunteers and 11 aid stations on the course rounded out the support side, so definitely no complaints on any of that.

The after-party was small but complete. Massages, water, beer tent, etc. They were also grilling burgers and hot dogs - I scarfed a burger before hitting the road back home, and it hit the spot. You could also buy merchandise that was leftover which is when I got the shirt. As far as parking and getting in and out of the area, that was a piece of cake, especially if you arrived early; lots of parking at the stadium.

Overall, I thought it was a nice race. The organization and swag were great, the course was pretty good, and the weather was beautiful. There are several hotel options (pretty cheap) nearby, and some good restaurant options as well. Definitely worth doing, and especially a great option for fifty staters.