This was my very first marathon so I do not have much to compare it to. This is a small race but it was the only fall race that fit into the calendar. Overall I thought the race was very well run. Registration was easy and packet pickup was easy the morning of. I live about an hour away from the race so I picked my packet up the morning of. There were frequent aid stations with water and gatorade and later several of the stations also had pretzels, gummy bears, Guu and other items. The did not set those items out until later so that the 5k and half marathon runners did not eat them all. Note: I did not pay too much attention to what the other options were I stuck to pretzels, guu and gummies.

The race is several races at once a 5k, 13.1, 26.2 and 50k. The course is designed so that all racers start together and stay together until your race ends at which point the longer races keep going. The race starts with a 5k out and back (where the 5k finishes), and then you start your way around the lake (the path around the lake is about 6.5 miles), about a third of the way around the lake there is about a 3 mile out and back that has probably the toughest hills of the course. After this out and back you complete your circuit around the lake (and the half marathon finishes). For the marathon you then have 2 more laps of the lake to complete (during the third lap of the lake there is a very short (.2 mile) out and back to get you up to 26.2 miles. The 50K racers continue for another out and back going not quite 1/2 around the lake.

The course is nice for the most part you are on an asphalt running path. There are a couple road segments and there is one small part (maybe 100 meters) on a dirt path that you run through 3 times. There are no huge hills on the course. I would describe the hills as rolling hills for the most part. The hills on the three mile out and back during the half marathon portion are the are the biggest rollers.
The scenery is pretty nice. Some field views, many lake views and some wooded areas. There is a bald eagle nest on the course! Pretty cool, but I didn't see the eagle. It was a cold, gray November Michigan day so the metropark was not presented in the best light.

My only complaint would be about the frequency of the bathrooms. The race takes place in a metropark so I assume there were bathrooms in the area but they weren't clearly labelled (and may not have been close to the course path). The only close bathrooms were about 1/2 mile before the finish line (or the point where you start each of your loops again) or at the finish line itself. There is also another bathroom on the 3 mile out and back in the half marathon portion of the course (but they ita little bit off the course). It would be nice if there were some portajohn's later in the course (or if there were signs showing where the other bathrooms were and how far off the course you would have to go to reach them).

I was one of the last to finish so there were not a ton of people around when I finished but there was still plenty of food left (bananas, water, bagels, chips, etc.).

Overall a really well run race in my limited experience. The race director was out on the course on a bicycle and I saw him many times and he always had words of encouragement. I do not know if I will do a mid-November marathon again (mostly because running in the cold and wet to get ready stinks) but if I do this would be on the list as one I might do again.

I think the same group also handles the Kensington marathon and half marathon. I ran and reviewed that half marathon earlier this year.

This was my first half marathon so I do not really have anything to compare it to. I choose it because it was close and fit into my schedule. The weather was hot (temperature reached the 80s.) The course is nice a relatively short out and back and then one clockwise loop around the lake. It is also a small race, which was nice for a new runner.

The course was nicely marked and easy to follow. There are several hills but they are mostly of the rolling variety with no real back breakers. The only steep hill you run downhill and it is not that long.

The course is nice and for the most part you have a view of the lake or woods. There are a few spots where you are near parking lots but that is the nature of the beast in a metro park. I was running a little late so I was worried about packet pickup but that went very smoothly.

The medal and shirt were both very nice in my opinion (but I don't have much to compare them against.)

Having read the earlier review of the marathon, I was warned about the water issues. I did not find them to be that bad, except there was one long strech after the out and back where it felt like the gap between the water/gator aid stations was a little too far given the heat. I felt the stations were appropriately manned and did a good job getting your choice to you on the course so you did not have to break stride to get water. There were not many people running my pace so my experience may differ from others.

Being a metro park there are also several bathrooms! (not porta potties) along the course. Most of them had a clear sign letting you know there was a bathroom nearby.

Overall I really enjoyed it .