Growing up in Marion (right next to Cedar Rapids) and now living in Iowa City I have driven this course/distance many times but never imagined I would run it. When this marathon was established I was excited because I wouldn't need to travel to participate in my first marathon.

Overall, it was a great experience. The communication from the race organizers leading up to the race made it easy to plan for and you knew exactly what to expect. The volunteers along the route were engaged and did a great job. Aid stations were well placed along the route generally well stocked and easy to get through. There were, however, a couple of aid stations that were out of supplies when I went by. My guess is that this was due to the fact that the number of people who ended up registering for the event far exceeded the expectations with it being a first time race. I expect this to be improved for next years race.

Going into it this race and going through all the training, I wasn't sure if marathons would be my thing or if this would be my first and last. After this experience, I am looking forward to more.

Happy Running!