This is by far one of the most fun I have had at a race. Unfortunately, I cannot pin my enjoyment on one single aspect of the race; I guess it is just a combinations of many things. First off, this is a trail marathon. That may not sound very inviting at first, but the constant changes of direction and variable footing causes you to work different muscles instead of the same muscles over and over like you do during a road marathon. Second, the views are great. You get to see all sorts of wildlife as you run through miles and miles of singletrack the follows a stream and crosses multiple bridges. Lastly, since this takes place in a state park, you can camp mere yards away from the start and finish! We elected to camp the night before and the night after, using a fairly basic camp site that cost next to nothing. The energy was awesome, the race staff was great, and the weather couldn't have been much better. If you are looking for a small trail race, but want to stick with the marathon distance, be sure to throw this one on your race calendar!