Hatfield McCoy Marathon
South Williamson, KY
- Marathon, Blackberry Mountain Half Marathon, River Road Half Marathon, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved), Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
The Hatfield McCoy Marathon has been ranked one of The Weather Channel’s Toughest Marathons, Road Runner Magazine’s Most Fun Races, RRCA Championship Race, Red Bull’s Must Have Medals and RaceRaves Best Marathon and Half Marathon in West Virginia! Do you need more reasons to run? The Hatfield McCoy Marathon was … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jun 13):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 85 | 85 | 72 | 89 | 86 |
| L (°F) | 68 | 58 | 53 | 72 | 66 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
They go Above and Beyond
You wouldn’t know this race is basically in the middle of nowhere. Every runner is cherished. There are an abundance of aid stations. The volunteers, the town as a whole, … MORE
You wouldn’t know this race is basically in the middle of nowhere. Every runner is cherished. There are an abundance of aid stations. The volunteers, the town as a whole, truly go the extra mile for accommodations. And the course itself is beautiful and difficult (ie, fun!). The elevation chart should have you scratching your head, yes the course starts up a 650ft hill over the first 7 miles, with a sharp 500ft ascent over miles 5-7. Then you promptly descend 400ft over the next mile. Its fun.
Hot 🥵
It was a tough run. Great organization and cool finish. It was a beautiful route but will have to be back for that sub 4 hour marathon! Not sure what … MORE
It was a tough run. Great organization and cool finish. It was a beautiful route but will have to be back for that sub 4 hour marathon! Not sure what else to say
Small awesome race
What I like about this race was the aid station and the community for this race. This was pretty hard race. This was my first time running in a "rural" … MORE
What I like about this race was the aid station and the community for this race. This was pretty hard race. This was my first time running in a “rural” area. What I like that people where going back to back to see how everyone is doing. The course was very straight forward. Everyone was very nice! I might do this race again in the future. The medal was really nice and pretty big.
Ready for a real Challenge, this is it!
This race was no joke. A hot hilly challenge. I really enjoyed it, and everyone i ran with on the course did too. Its not always about a BQ. Lots … MORE
This race was no joke. A hot hilly challenge. I really enjoyed it, and everyone i ran with on the course did too. Its not always about a BQ. Lots of country scenery. Many of the local residents came out to cheer and offer water. There were some isolated parts with little or no homes around. The Hatfields and McCoys were at the expo and at the finish line. The included pasta dinner was a nice touch too. I stayed in nearby Pikeville, there were a lot more hotel options there. Lots of nice local restaurants in Pikeville and Williamson. A great option for 50 Staters looking for either Kentucky or West Virginia
A small but fun and challenging race!
A small race with about 500 runners and walkers, offers a marathon or a choice between the Blackberry Mountain or River Road half marathon. I did the Blackberry Mountain half. … MORE
A small race with about 500 runners and walkers, offers a marathon or a choice between the Blackberry Mountain or River Road half marathon. I did the Blackberry Mountain half. Hill training definitely pays off when preparing for this course through the rolling hills/mountain of Kentucky and West Virginia. The race director and volunteers stay until the very last person crosses the finish line, definitely a plus! And the aid stations every two miles are some of the best I’ve ever seen offering watermelon, grapes, oranges, candy, salty snacks, pickles, ice, and more. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this race!!
HARD! Hilly, hot, and humid.
Great race! But very challenging due to heat/humidity/hills. Pros: - The most water stations I've ever seen. 21 water stations over 26 miles. This was very necessary given the heat/humidity. … MORE
Great race! But very challenging due to heat/humidity/hills.
Pros:
– The most water stations I’ve ever seen. 21 water stations over 26 miles. This was very necessary given the heat/humidity.
– Fun shirt and medal.
– Great small town feel, overall a lot of fun.
Cons:
– Pre-race bus transport was slow. Probably not enough busses given the number of people.
– Very hot/humid (did I mention that?). Be prepared with your own water in addition to what they provide and probably not the race for a PR
A fun little weekend escape
I chose this race for my Kentucky marathon based on reviews from other runners. I like smaller races and will happily trade spectators for scenery. Overall this race was “meh” … MORE
I chose this race for my Kentucky marathon based on reviews from other runners. I like smaller races and will happily trade spectators for scenery. Overall this race was “meh” for me. My main takeaways for this race are:
-Did not attend expo so can’t comment; I didn’t feel comfortable as a solo female traveler in a remote small town, so I stayed nearby in Huntington and drove to Williamson to pick up my bib prior to the start
-Shuttles to the start were late getting to the designated pickup spots so I didn’t make it to the start as early as I’d have liked
-This is a VERY small event. The only spectators were dogs and water stop volunteers. Personalized signs along the course for repeat runners were a really nice touch!
-Most of the course runs along rural roads with minimal traffic, but there are many miles where no shoulder is available and there are no lane closures. Police and medics came through pretty frequently but especially with how small and spread out the field was, there was a lot of reliance on drivers to be mindful and aware of runners.
-The on-course support was unmatched. Truly the greatest aid stations EVER! Only complaint was a 5 mile stretch without a portapotty. I happened to desperately need one (as a female runner, if you get what I mean) and found myself walking, desperate for a reprieve, for several miles.
-Finish line was well-stocked and close to parking so gear check wasn’t necessary (and may not have been available, uncertain as there was no info about it anywhere)
-Showers were available at a local gym but I didn’t utilize them
-It’s a June race in KY/WV so weather was bound to be gross and it was – incredibly humid at the start, mostly overcast and then eventually the sun came out.
Personally I’m happy to have this be a one-and-done race, not a single bit of me can find any reason to return, but it was a fun little escape. On the drive there I listened to Dean King’s book about the Hatfield/McCoy history and found the more immersive approach to add to the experience.
Hilly, Hot and Humid with the Hatfields
Very fun race and very challenging. Very hot and humid this year. Good aid stations with cool water and sponges. Had to watch for cars on the course. Beautiful rolling … MORE
Very fun race and very challenging. Very hot and humid this year. Good aid stations with cool water and sponges. Had to watch for cars on the course. Beautiful rolling hills of Kentucky and West Virginia. Great medal and great people. Loved all the Hatfield and McCoy history. Fun!
Hilly hilly hilly
All around a great time. I could pick up was simple and they even honored my request of bib number 47 as it was my 47 state. Not much of … MORE
All around a great time. I could pick up was simple and they even honored my request of bib number 47 as it was my 47 state. Not much of an expo, but everyone pack a pick up was polite, friendly, and helpful. You even got a complimentary Pasta dinner the night before the race. Everybody was very kind, the food was good and we all got a full belly and a good time.
Reyes morning was very simple, parked where they told us to and only a short walk to the shuttle which took us to the star line. It was hot, humid and hilly, but there were aid stations everywhere. Don’t think I have seen this many eight stations in all of my 59 marathons. And once again everybody was very supportive. All along the course you will find many historical markers relating to the Hatfield ann Mccoy family feud. Very cool history and running along the river the whole time. Found the flood walls and gates pretty interesting.
Got the finish line and received one of the biggest medals I ever ever gotten. It was nice to have a good small town race with plenty of locals. If you get the opportunity, help support, a small town and a great race.
Forest bathing with a lot of sweating !
Overall it was enjoyable race with community support in beautiful wild nature. We were lucky without rain or sunshine, but the humidity was 90%! I took 2 hrs+ and I … MORE
Overall it was enjoyable race with community support in beautiful wild nature. We were lucky without rain or sunshine, but the humidity was 90%! I took 2 hrs+ and I ran mostly alone. The roads stay open during the race, so I felt uncomfortable sometimes even car were not too many. Some fuel stations had no bins or just next to it, so it would be helpful to have them with some distance for us to be able to keep running.
It’s great for a destination race to discover small villages with history. It’s also recommended for people who take longer time. No road closure means no time limit ! We saw the organisers were still welcoming the finishers for many hours !
Very Hilly and Humid!
There are wonderful organizers who are super welcoming to all the out of towners. There are also an abundance of aid stations, although there was a bit of a gap … MORE
There are wonderful organizers who are super welcoming to all the out of towners. There are also an abundance of aid stations, although there was a bit of a gap between say mile 10 and 16 – that was tough in the high humidity.
It is also a very hilly course, particularly the first half which goes gently up for several miles and then gets steep, before going back down around mile 7. Not for the faint of heart.
Lots of character – the Hatfield and McCoy legend is a big part of the local show – its interesting but kind of strange to have such a terrible feud be your big tourist attraction! Great, friendly people though
Lives up to all the hype
The course is hilly. The weather was brutally hot and humid. The course is completely open, with cars flying past you (but you're safe!) This race is worth it, though! … MORE
The course is hilly. The weather was brutally hot and humid. The course is completely open, with cars flying past you (but you’re safe!) This race is worth it, though!
The race is very small (maybe less than 500 running the full). With a race being this small though, it is very personable and well put on. Each aid station was stocked with fresh fruit, gatorade and water. Some aid stations had extras, like sunblock, vaseline, Coke, pickle juice. Every single station was manned by the sweetest, salt of the earth people I have ever met. So many genuine smiles and the nicest people. Other races claim they are the friendliest marathon, but they lie: this is literally the friendliest group of folks assembled in one place.
The course itself was very pretty, with no shortage of “rolling” hills. The course was also well-shaded in most parts. The expo was very small and in a high school, and there was a great little pasta dinner held in the high school cafeteria. The finish line had some fruit and drinks, but that was it. The only thing that would help the race would be more of an after party.
I’m not big on repeating races, but I’ll definitely come back to run this one again.
Fun race
Nice weather except for the heat. Cars pass by in both directions without any road patrol for most of the course. Because of recent floods, they had to revise a … MORE
Nice weather except for the heat. Cars pass by in both directions without any road patrol for most of the course. Because of recent floods, they had to revise a section of the course. It was fairly muddy in sections and lots of rocks so be careful. It’s a well organized race. It’s a very difficult course!
Well Organized
This is not an easy race! I chose the River Road Half Marathon because the Blackberry looked pretty intimidating and I liked the idea of crossing a swinging bridge (the … MORE
This is not an easy race! I chose the River Road Half Marathon because the Blackberry looked pretty intimidating and I liked the idea of crossing a swinging bridge (the recent storms knocked it out). If I had been training like I was supposed to, it probably wouldn’t have taxed my body like it did. There are a few rolling hills and one big one around mile 10. The thing that zapped me more than anything was the humidity which hovered right around 99.
There were 12-13 stops with water and Gatorade. The last 8 or 10 had plenty of fresh fruit, popsicles, and various other snacks. Some had first aid supplies, mustard, and pickles.
They really took care of us slower runners.
The only complaint I have is the traffic along river road. Some motorists seemed aggravated we were out there and I slipped off the curb once because a vehicle scared me. But these things can’t be helped. There were police paroling constantly, up and down the road to keep us safe.
I definitely recommend this race but get the training in.
Fun Course!
I had heard about this race for several years and finally got to run it. It lived up to the expectations. Loved the hilly course and the production. Best parts: … MORE
I had heard about this race for several years and finally got to run it. It lived up to the expectations. Loved the hilly course and the production.
Best parts: Course is hilly, scenic, and interesting. Many variations of elevation, terrain, and obstacles. The theme itself is fun. Ample aid stations throughout. This year (2024) it didn’t get too warm until about 3+ hours in.
This is one of my favorite courses!
Okay parts: There is not a close airport, so you do have to drive a little to get there. The drive is scenic and well worth the effort.
The expo is small and not much SWAG. Remember, despite the popularity, it is still a small race. Despite this, I loved the short-sleeve cotton-mix t-shirt and wear it often!
Fun Themed event with options
First time in VW and found this smallish race fantastic. The Blackbeery half course starts with beautifull scenery a challenging gradual incline and a big hill in the middle .The … MORE
First time in VW and found this smallish race fantastic. The Blackbeery half course starts with beautifull scenery a challenging gradual incline and a big hill in the middle .The aid stops were perfectly spaced well stocked and entertaining . Loved the Mason Jar award for AG win and the finish photos with Hatfield and Mccoy. Also nice having the option to choose from 2 different halfs which were very different. Finsher medal was a very impressive keepsake as well!
Rough hills, nice course
Such a pretty course and despite being in June, there was a decent amount of shade along the course. The hills were killer, especially in the heat, but nearly every … MORE
Such a pretty course and despite being in June, there was a decent amount of shade along the course. The hills were killer, especially in the heat, but nearly every mile had an aid station with water, gatorade, and snacks to keep you going. Plus all the volunteers were super nice. The swag, expo, and finish line festivities were a bit lacking, but overall a decent race.
No Feudin, Just Runnin' an awesome race!
This review is for the River Road Half Marathon beginning in Matewan, WV. Flew into CRV, picked up car rental, stayed in Charleston. Note: Do not eat at Captain D's … MORE
This review is for the River Road Half Marathon beginning in Matewan, WV. Flew into CRV, picked up car rental, stayed in Charleston. Note: Do not eat at Captain D’s Seafood because of terrible and slow service. Explored Charleston and drove down to Matewan on Friday. Stayed at Blue Goose Inn in downtown Matewan, which is a small, historic town known for being the center of the famous Hatfield/McCoy family feud. Drove to Belfry High for packet pickup, then back to the Inn to enjoy the Magnolia Fair right outside. Race start line was directly next to my Inn. First four miles were shaded and easy peasy, mile 5 had muddy trails, mile 6 crossed the swaying bridge. Sun came out the rest of the course, but there was still some moderate shade. Race had great crowd support at aid stations, and had the most water and potties stations I’ve ever seen on a course. Finish line had “Devil Anse” and “Randall McCoy” there for a picturesque high-five finish. Post race had bananas, wet towels, bottled drinks. RD was super friendly and quickly coordinated the shuttle back to Matewan. Race swag was a black tee, drawstring bag, and really cool finisher medal to commemorate the race’s 25th Anniversary . I spent the rest of my time exploring the Hatfield McCoy historical sites. If you are reading this and interested in running the River Road half, stay at the Blue Goose Inn! The owner’s name is Wild Bill and he is super chill. Recently the town has hosted the Magnolia Fair Festival the same weekend as the race, and the fair is directly outside the Blue Goose Inn so it was an unexpected pleasant surprise. I cannot say enough great things about the friendly and helpful race staff and event. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the area and at the race. I highly recommend the Hatfield McCoy race as the one for West Virginia/Kentucky!
One of the best ever...
You gotta do this race & tackle B-berry Mtn! Sure it's tough but do the training & it's worth it! Great organization, volunteers & theme. Killer bling & awards. The … MORE
You gotta do this race & tackle B-berry Mtn! Sure it’s tough but do the training & it’s worth it! Great organization, volunteers & theme. Killer bling & awards. The town comes out and the weather was fab. Pickle juice & watermelon never tasted better! I wanna repeat too. Be sure to stay in the the local firehouse the night before & join the locals at a spaghetti supper. One of the best I’ve ever done!
It was Hilly, Hot & Humid but I Loved It
This is easily a 5 shoe race, especially when you consider its size. It sells out a lot of years by the time the race happens. I think this is … MORE
This is easily a 5 shoe race, especially when you consider its size. It sells out a lot of years by the time the race happens. I think this is one of those races that would sell out in a matter of weeks if it wasn’t so hard to get to.
I chose this race based on several factors: The primary one being nothing but good reviews on this site (Along with the great race report by raceraves founder Mike on his Blisters Cramps and Heaves blog), and a decided lack of compelling options in West Virginia. Having now run the race myself I think I made a great choice choosing the Hatfield Mccoy Marathon for state #20. This race can also count for Kentucky if you do the full, or the Blackberry Mountain Half, as of 2024 they are no longer offering the “double half” to check off 2 states in one day. If you are traveling from out of state like me there really isn’t a close airport option. I flew in to Cincinnati which was a 3.5 hr drive to my hotel in Pikeville which was still 30 minutes from the race location. You could fly in a little closer, like 1.5 hours away and drive if you are willing to pay a premium for that convenience in the form of more expensive airfare. I was able to convince my best friend to run this race with me for his first marathon which really helped to have a friend to split the long drive with.
EXPO/PACKET PICK UP:
This was a pretty bare bones expo in the traditional sense but has several things about it that make it worth your time to spend more time than normal at it. The expo was held at Belfry High School not far from the start/finish in Williamson West Virginia. There was plenty of parking in the school parking lot. The first thing you should do when you arrive is take some pictures with the people dressed as the Hatfield and Mccoy family patriarch’s at a booth leading into the school, they create a new booth every year, this costs you nothing just a fun photo op. Once inside you will be directed to the balcony that circles the Gymnasium where you walk the perimiter and pick up your bib. They had a peg board asking everyone to put a pin on the US map to show where you traveled from. Because of the limited West Virginia options and the quality of this race this race draws and outsized proportion of 50 staters and marathon maniacs/half fanatics. As such you had a map that showed the race drew runners from all over the country, more so then you would expect for a race of this size. Bib pickup was simple and quick, you got a customized race draw bag that also serves as your gear check bag. The race shirt was a T-shirt this year as opposed to a nicer running Tech T that they have used in the past, that being said it looks like they went all out this year spending their money on an amazing finishers medal instead and I think that was a good choice. (See attached pictures). The remaining tiny expo was maybe 3 booths, 2 of them selling local wares. One of them jewelry the other alcohol/moonshine infused jelly and jam. There was also one booth for the charleston marathon. The reason however to stick around this expo for longer is this. Your race entry includes a pasta dinner at the expo. This isn’t anything fancy: spaghetti, salad, roll, cake, gatorade. But considering you get it pretty much for free and due to the rural nature of the area your Italian food carb loading options and extremely limited I highly reccomend that you have dinner at the expo, just make sure you say you are going to do it when you register so they make enough food. The other thing to do at the expo during dinner is watch the Hafield Mccoy history skit/show. Note that this is usually pretty early, like 5 pm. Sadly in 2024 a last minute illness by one of the two main characters meant that it was canceled but you can’t blame the organizers for that.
Parking/Access: There is no parking at the start line for this race. You park at the finish line and take a small school bus to the start line. It seems like you can park most anywhere in town although I am sure there are some exceptions. Most business lots I saw seemed to have parking still available before and after the race. The shuttle was pretty easy, stand at one of the assigned street corners, get on the bus, ride it 5 minutes up the road and get dropped off at the start.
T-Shirts/SWAG: The medal for this race was amazing in quality, it is well made, sturdy and VERY heavy (See attached Photo). The medal has a picture of Devil Antz Hatfield and Randall Mccoy on the front on top of two saloon doors that open to reveal the race logo on the inside, two Hatfield Mccoy silhouettes with their frequently used picture of kentucky and west virginia along with a couple of crossed revolvers. Even the ribbon for the medal was top notch, very wide, high quality with the race name and date on one side, and the race motto “No Feudin, Just Runnin” on the other. Maybe this is the new standard that this race has set in terms of swag, maybe this one was extra special for the 25th Anniversary, either way it gets an A+++. The medal 100% reminds me of the race. The marathon medal was huge, the half and 5k medals were smaller versions of the same medal.(See Attached Photos). The race shirt was a T shirt, I prefer a Tech T that I can race in but I do understand that in the long run I will likely get more use and wear out of a T-shirt. As someone who prefers to run in the race shirt to give all of my race pictures a feel unique to that race I was a bit let down. The race bib also deserves a special shout out because it had a unique design with pictures in the back which was very cool.
Aid Stations: The aid stations were well stocked and plentiful. There were 24!! aid stations on the course. This is by far the most aid stations that I have ever seen during a marathon. When I saw how many there would be I thought it was clearly overkill, however after doing the race in the heat (and this wasn’t even as hot as it had been some years but I found that I appreciated every single one of them. It was a warm 64 degrees this year at the start and in the mid 70’s when i finished and climbed into the 80s for the slower finishers. During a hotter and humid year those aid stations would have been life savers. They did great with this and should keep the high number of stations. Every single aid station had water and Gatorade. There was also an aid station competition going on so many were dressed up and playing music. Many had cold sponges to hand out along with fruit or Gu or even popsicles. I didn’t hear anything about supplies running out at any time during the race. Unfortunately the aid station at mile 15 was not manned although they left the water out to self pour, I kept running as I assume most front of the pack people did but I definitely came to regret not having taken on some liquid later in the race. It was a spot where it meant nearly 4 miles with no water. I was near the front so I was never really in a group, but the number of volunteers was more than enough at each station. The volunteers were really clear about who had water or Gatorade. If I could make one critique it would be to have a few more garbage cans 100 yards after the stations so you could have time to finish your drink before trying to toss your cup.
Course Scenery/Elevation Difficulty: The course starts in the parking lot of the food city grocery store. The race starts at 7:00am which was a huge help in beating the heat/humidity, in past years it has sometimes been much warmer. I found plenty of room to warm up around the large parking area. They had plenty of outhouses which never had a line and the Food city also let people inside to stay warm or use the bathroom. The start chute was very informal but everybody got in their correct spot and around their correct pacers. The course was definitely a hilly experience. The first about 1.5 miles was run in the middle of the highway before turning onto a smaller side road. The walls of the canyon were sheer walls of rock that went straight up, a very unique landscape for this west coast guy. The next 5-6 miles were mostly flat with a slight uphill next leading the Blackberry Mountain, mile seven climbs nearly 5-600 feet over the course of a mile.
While this climb is very long and hard the steepness of the grade was never overwhelming. The downhill on the back side was quick but not knee pounding steep. From the bottom of the hill you continue of the road another mile or two before turning onto a slightly busier road that winds to the half way point in West Virginia. You cross a bridge at the 12.5 mile mark then go to the half finishing town making a loop through the town then back accross the bridge into Kentucky and the River Road half of the course.
The river road half is deceptively hilly. It is almost never flat only about 50% paved. Miles 14-19 were on a combination of dirt roads, mud, gravel and a golf course. The vast majority of this was shaded which helped keep the heat down. At mile 18.5 you cross a wooden swinging suspension bridge.
This caused an unexpected disruption to my normal running cadence but never felt unsafe, just something to slow down for. Miles 20-26 were more exposed but on paved roads which constantly turned and went up and down slowly allowing their elevation to take its toll. Then the hill at mile 24.
It is only .3 miles but was very steep, this hill was the first time that I have ever walked in any race I have ever run, but due to the heat and the fact that this isn’t a PR course I allowed myself to power walk up it which was likely a smart call to make sure I could finish without being in distress. At mile 25.5 you get back on the highway where you started, run a quarter mile then cross a bridge back into West Virginia and the finish town. The scenery on this course is honestly beautiful. If you take the time to look around when you run you will really enjoy the views. Crowd support around the course was minimal, but there were lots of aid stations with people cheering you on.
Race Management: This Race was very well run, especially so for a small- race (~600 finishers for the halves and full). I found their website to be the best source of info, along with facebook. They oddly seem to have two websites, one where you register and one run by the tug valley road runners I’d make sure to be checking both. They also email you a few bits of advice including a race guide and a guide of things to do in the area. Other things to compliment this race on: They had age group awards. Not just age group awards but a finishers moonshine mason jar for every single finisher that comes with a race logo sticker to put on it. If you placed in your age group then they give you a cap to put on your mason jar with the details. They had port-o-potties at the start to use which never seemed to have long lines, perfectly supporting the # of people were there I’m impressed that they got the # seemingly correct. The start area had a bag check area by the start line that was open until the start. The finish line had the Hatfield and Mccoy characters giving finishers high 5’s. They stood there for literally hours taking photoes with people between finishers, and I do mean hours, this race has no time limit and the slowest finishers finished in nearly 11 hours. They also offered cold towels to finishers with the event organizer logos on them as an additional free souvenir. They had pace setters which was impressive for a race this size ranging from 8 minutes to 18 minutes per mile. The finish had some of the usual finish line fare like (oranges, watermelon, water, electrolytes, pickle juice). They have 1 timing mat set up along the marathon course at the half way point, both the halfway point and full had a video set up which you can see after.. They also have some free race Photos which they post on their website which I always love but this comes with a caveat. The finish line photos are free after they get posted after a few weeks. The other photos from the course are practically a crime they are so expensive. In a normal race you might pay $50 for every digital image of you. This one charges $90 for just 10 that you pick. Every race should just increase prices by $5 and make all photoes free, but as stated it does look like the finish line photos will be free for this race as they have been in past years.
Overall I would say this race is a very good way to check either West Virginia or Kentucky off your 50 state list. I’m normally a half marathon guy, I really only run full marathons to try and complete my 6 start major marathon journey. I’m still glad that I chose to do the full marathon here. There are too many unique and challenging aspects to each half of the course that I would have been disappointed to miss out on either half. This race was extremely hard, I was 26 minutes slower here than I was in a Chicago marathon PR just 18 months earlier but even with that said I would 100% recommend that people do the full marathon here. The people are wonderful and welcome you to their town with open arms. I highly recommend this race.