Andrew Jackson Marathon - Race Reviews

This was my fourth marathon and first in 17 years. The new course is pretty good. Lots of volunteers at turns and intersections to stop traffic. Half marathoners outnumbered us marathoners by 5 to 1 I'm guessing. This course is two 13 mile loops. Second half was extremely lonely after the half crowd finished. Aid stations/volunteers stuck around for us slower runners. I do think this race definitely caters to the half marathoners more than the full. Guess the beer garden and food ticket were for the half marathoners unless you finish the marathon in less than 5 hrs. We marathoners are used to long, lonely training runs, so finishing with not many people around isn't that big of a deal. All in all, a good route, some good hills, great volunteers, a few enthusiastic, encouraging spectators in their front yards. I think something should be done to help encourage more full marathon participants to enter and the food vendor/beer garden should be enlisted to stay at least through the 6.5 hr mark.

For as many years as this marathon has been held, I was surprised by the small field of runners. The marathon is well organized, the right frequency of water stops and porto-johns, interesting scenery (farms and neighborhoods) and good post-race refreshments.

This was my first year for Andrew Jackson. I really enjoyed the size of the race. The aid stations were every two miles, no guessing. This made it very easy to plan my stops. Weather was great, a bit of rain but not too hot or cold.

This marathon ran like a well-oiled machine. The volunteers were some of the best I've ever experienced. So polite, helpful, & encouraging. Seriously, I've never had a bad experience with volunteers, but these guys managed to take excellence to a new level. Class acts, all of them. I did find the course a little dull and the spectators a little sparse, but I acknowledge that's a personal preference, and in no way detracts from the race as an event. The medal was super cool, as was the shirt. All in all, very happy with this race.

This was a great change of pace compared to the large and medium sized marathons I have previously ran. I really enjoyed not having to worry about parking and logistics. My hotel was just a mile from the starting line and I was able to park right by the start/finish area. Their are no really steep hills but it is a hilly course. Two comments to organizers would be to do the race the last of Feb. or the first week of March and add Gels to the aid stations. One last thing, the volunteers at the aid stations were great. I would recommend this race to any serious marathon runner who simply loves running and is tired of the big crowds.

I would be summing up what others had already said but this small marathon was organized with plenty of stocked first-aid stations and I felt a little special when the volunteers said 'sir' to the runners.

I wanted to do Tennessee and looked at several marathons but this seemed like a nice small marathon and that is exactly what it was. I really liked the low-key atmosphere, it was all about runners. The marathon had less than 100 runners, but the aid stations were just great&well-stocked and well placed. The race start and finish are in about the same place&.about 100 feet apart&and it starts at Union University which is a local smaller religion-based university. The gym is the location of the Expo, plus near the race start and it is the race finish line. Nice amount of food at the end and a great Finishers medal, really attractive and well made. I gave spectators a 5 even though there were none and in a race this size I really dont expect any. The volunteers were great even for a slow runner like me. They hung in there. PROS: The course has some rolling hills but is basically kind of flat except for a long uphill right at the end. The aid stations are well stocked and well positioned throughout the course, about every 2 miles. They even had a porta potty or two out on the marathon course which for such a small race was a surprise. The university gym has showers that are right at the finish line. So if you are going to travel after the race, it is very easy to shower and change. If you have a gym lock take it with you and you can grab one of the locker room lockers as your secure gear drop. Any lodging is close because the city is not too big. I stayed at the Highland Place B&B and was just a couple of miles from the start. If you fly into Memphis, it is about an 80 minute drive to Jackson. CONS: No major complaint other than late in the race around mile 21, there were some road markings for another race that let me and a couple of other runners make a wrong turn. It was my fault because on this one stretch of road they wanted the runners to go with the flow of traffic, but I am not comfortable doing that on an open road, so I went against the flow of traffic and that is what enabled me to see the other races arrow and make the wrong turn. The university is easy to find but the gym is not something that jumps out at you. I followed the cars and people with bib pickup bags and figured it out. OVERALL: If you like a smaller race, this is one you want to run. Nice scenery, never boring, and relatively flat.

Ok, so the positive: beautiful course, nice medal at the end, water/Gatorade every two miles and plenty of porta potties, and it goes to a great charity.....and the list ends there. This is a TINY race and seems to only be declining as the years go on and I think there's a reason. While this was my first full marathon, I have done several other half marathons. There were only 96 finishers this year and by mile 7 or 8 I rarely saw anyone anywhere, which isn't a big deal, but it's weird and not what I'm used to. There were very few signs posted for where to pick up your packet and no signs at the end telling where the food was. I later learned it was in he gym but someone should have pointed me in that direction. You shouldn't have to ask about that. Oh! Then, at the beginning the person to start the race wasn't even there until 6:50, 10 minutes before the race and NOTHING to get you excited. I've never been in a race that didn't have music or something in the beginning. Now, I will say, I'm not the fastest person out there. In fact, I finished dead last (though way before the time limit), so maybe I shouldn't have a say on this. But if asked to do it again, I'd pass.

This is a hot race...best part of this race was the cold towel at the end. I understand this is a fund raiser but the organizers should spend a few $ on the runners. 1. ICE, weather is hot and cold water on the course would be nice. 2. Gatoraid was only at half the stops, this is a HOT race. Medal: Not worth saving  sticker on plastic. Either upgrade or don't bother. 4. Post race: NO cold beverages, no salty snacks...did I mention this was a hot race?

The organizers and volunteers were just tremendous! So, well prepared and so well done. I did the Half Marathon and the other runners were also so encouraging. Awesome experience!

I ran the half marathon in Jackson a number of times, but it never fit into my schedule to do the full until this year. And even though the weather was really warm for me, and I bonked pretty bad, I loved running in my hometown. It's only hilly depending on how you define hills. I like the up and down to give my legs a little break from the mainly flat course. It is mostly rural, and this is where I train, so the lack of spectators is not an issue. The race organization has been much better over the prior two or three years and I expect will only get better. Try this one next year as a warm up to another race.

10th marathon, 6th state in my quest for 50/50. I train on the hills of Northern KY and felt fairly prepared for this race. The mixed reviews on the hills were the big question mark for me. Some have said they are just rolling easy hills, others have said they are brutal. I was mentally prepared for both. As it were, with the HEAT (it hit high 70s/low 80s by mid race), the hills on this course became brutal. On a cool day, this course would be challenging, but with the heat, it's a rock polisher. As for everything else with the event, it's one of the loneliest races I've ever run. There is no one on the course other than the fraternities and sororities at the aid stations (which were good). Medal is terrible (there are some 5ks with better). The course is open and easy to get around for spectators (which was bizarre because other than my wife I saw NO OTHER supporters on the course!). Post race food is very average. Tech shirt is nice, yet unspectacular. I would not recommend, nor run this race again. They need to move this race to an earlier date, the heat the last two years are going to keep people away.

The race director evidently read the reviews from previous years. All items that were not up to par from previous years were corrected this year. The finisher's shirt was a first-rate, technical T. The finisher's medal was very nice and the results were promptly posted. I enjoyed the race, with its rolling terrain and nice views. There were not a lot of spectators but this did not bother me. Like previous comments note, the cows were the main spectators. The water stations were spaced about every two miles with excellent volunteers at the helm. Things cannot be done about the weather, but this was a HOT one. To compensate for the temps, volunteers handed out cold, wet towels at the finish. THANKS!! The finisher's area was well stocked, with post-run food and drink. I did have a good time talking to other runners/Maniacs during the run. People were very friendly and this was a well organized event. Only recommendation I can add is to have a gel packet or two added to a few water points later in the course. I would recommend this to all, from the first-timer to the Marathon Maniac looking for a nice, smaller event in a great location.

I signed up for this race due to the reviews from past years. This was my first marathon. The course had a few slight hills and nice scenery, and was marked very well. There were volunteers stationed at intersections to direct runners and traffic. The parking was close to the start/finish area. The aid stations were every two miles, and stocked with orange slices, water and Gatorade. The volunteers were very encouraging despite standing in the hot sun (the temperature was unseasonably high). All of the above plus a nice medal, technical shirt and the results posted promptly. A great stress-free experience for a first marathon.

It was brutally hot. Still, this was a very fine event. The support staff and volunteers were some of the best I've encountered in many years of running. The shirt and medallion were first-rate. I look forward to this event next year.

This was my first marathon, and with the high temps, I am thankful to have finished! The organizers did a fantastic job of listening to past runners' suggestions in ways to improve. I was happy to see a tech shirt and especially happy to receive a medal at the finish. The course support was fantastic! The volunteers at the water stations were very encouraging. The water stations had plenty of water, sports drinks and even orange slices! At the finish, we were given an iced towel, which was awesome considering the temp was a near 85 degrees! The only negative of the race was the weather, and that is out of anyone's control; you just have to adjust expectations and goals a little! One suggestion I have is a possible earlier start time. :)

The weather kicked my tail. Record high temps and 20 mph winds. But the people I ran with made it a great experience despite being over an hour off my goal. Even one of the veteran Marathon Maniacs said it was one to remember because it was going to be impossible to forget. I really appreciated the large towel dipped in ice water at the finish. I gave a 3 for the fans because the only fans I saw were cows standing in cool ponds, looking at us like we were crazy. Which was kinda cool.

The marathon field is under 100 runners. It starts on the campus of Union University and quickly heads off to suburbia for 5 miles followed by 15 miles of rural country roads, back through the development and a finish on campus. You will see more cows than spectators. And unless you are lucky to find someone doing your pace, you will also be running alone for the duration. It features easy rolling hills at worst - nothing on the course you'd call a hill. To say the road is open to traffic is true but misleading - there is no traffic. There is no chip timing and it is not really needed. It is informal but well managed. The course had reliably placed and well staffed aid stations with water and Gatorade every 2 miles. Porta-potties were on the course as well. Once off campus, the road was marked with arrows on the pavement so there was never a doubt about which way to turn; the university did not want their roads marked up, so directions were lacking there. Next year I think they will have arrows staked in the ground. I never missed a mile marker. A new race director just took over this year and was very interested in hearing reviews and suggestions from all the runners. Improvements could include: a technical shirt, and a medal instead of a paperweight (although I was able to trade my paperweight in for the medal given out years ago, which is excellent), and finally, it needs someone to boost up info on their website and get the results posted. The race attracted local people and those who drove from neighboring States as well as the obligatory handful of 50 Staters and Maniacs. Trophies were given out three-deep in age categories. The host hotel, the Jameson Inn, held the "expo," which was really just the packet pickup-in the lobby and directions for the pasta feed. The Jameson had a runner-friendly breakfast on race day. The Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse benefited from the race, and I always like running where my fee is put to good use. The course was patrolled by police and bicyclists, so I never felt like I was out there on my own, at least in that sense. A trophy, a medal/paperweight, a shirt, post-race food and beverages, easy parking, a gym to hang out in... this race has a lot going for it. The only thing it could use is more runners.

The course has not changed over the past few years, so I knew what to expect. It has some low, rolling hills but is mostly level. Water and Gatorade were about every two miles, with numerous porta-johns. There were also a number of roaming dogs after you leave the city limits, but they were all friendly. The university gym/restrooms were available before and after the race. Showers were also available post-race. The registration fee has increased over the years, but no increase in services and perks. There is no timing chip, but their timer was identical to the second to my watch at the finish. I have had better food at post-race. The finisher's medal was awful. It was a plastic sticker on a plastic medallion, glued to a hard, plastic paperweight. I know this race was for charity, but don't get too cheap here. As mentioned in an earlier post, it took a while to post the results. Twelve days to be exact. Improve the website, finisher's medal and post-race food and you will have a quality race, again.

The website was greatly lacking in information. I had to email the RD to find out where to go and when for the packet pick up, and to ask if there was an expo. Also, no finisher's medal but a paperweight instead. Course was mostly flat and well marked with volunteers at most turns. I would guess more than 15 miles were on country roads, but all were well marked. However, during the last quarter-mile, there were no signs to the finish line. I had to ask people in the parking lot for directions to the finish line. I was one of the last finishers in the full and had no one to follow. This is one of the few races that still gives out cotton finisher shirts. It's now 10 days after race and race results are still not posted.

This is a great race if you like running in a nice country setting! I like running alone in the country and this small race is just that. The organization is great, and the course and volunteers were amazing! I will run this race again for sure and would recommend it to anyone!

This was the least "stressful" marathon or endurance run I've ever participated in. I can't say enough positive things. It has a small-town feel to it that was pleasantly appealing. As I was told, the hills aren't too bad, and there are more cows than spectators. The only downside is that, at the faster pace, it got pretty lonely out there. :) Maybe it's ideal for 4-hour runners. I will definitely do AJ again.

I did the half-marathon (this was my third half). It was a small race but very well organized. The crowd support is minimal but great nonetheless! I live in an area that is pretty hilly so the course was flat compared to what I normally run. There are a few rolling hills, but the course takes you on some scenic country roads, which makes for a nice run. I drove 4.5 hours to get here and I'll definitely come back to run the full next year!

Great race. The course is awesome. It does have hills, but they are rolling and my legs never felt better after a marathon. I've done 11 or 12 marathons and was able to get a PR. The hills combined with the scenery and the turns make this race go by quickly. The awards are great. The accommodations at the start and finish are perfect. You can't ask for better - 5 minutes before the start I was able to go to the bathroom without waiting in line. I parked literally 30 yards from the finish line. The course was well marked with plenty of water stops. If I would have to make a suggestion it would be to have bigger cups at the water stops. I just grabbed 2 each time, but I was by myself at most of the water stops. Other runners may not have been able to do that. I drove 8 hours to get to this race and it was worth it. I stayed at the host hotel and they provided a late check and all of the info I needed. Excellent job on their part. I gave the spectators a low rating only because there weren't that many, but the ones that were out there were great. Thank you to the directors and volunteers. Great experience.

Only 89 runners, but by the end of the run I felt like I had met half of them. Roads were not closed to traffic, but this was not an issue except for three or so short stretches on busy streets near the end. The middle 14 or 15 miles were on very straight country roads with almost no cars and really great sight-distances (more horses than cars). These stretches were very pleasant, even though I do almost all of my training on dedicated green-ways and get paranoid around cars. Large portions of the beginning and end were in neighborhoods. The volunteers at the (well-stocked) aid stations were cheerful, friendly, and helpful. The stations were reliably placed every 2 miles. Even though the runners predictably got really spread out, when we did encounter each other we tended to run along together and converse for awhile, comparing home towns and race experiences. It made the hours go by quickly. The weather was perfect for a marathon - cloudy and in the low 50's. There were almost no fans, but at around mile 24 a family and neighbors had decorated a yard with balloons and signs, played music, and met us at the curb to offer water and cheer us on. Also, with the roads being open to traffic, there were a few runner family members slowly circling the course in cars from time to time to check on the progress. The organization was really good, and the brownies at the end were worth the run. The age group awards were three deep, and since it was a small race there were only three women who did not get an age group award. (Nice trophy.) I'll probably do this one again. It was definitely worth the trip.

I always have heard that AJM is a great little marathon, and it really lived up to its reputation in 2008. It is difficult to figure how they can put on such a fine race with fewer than a hundred competing. I have never run a marathon with better support; they must have had more volunteers than runners. The course is rolling and pleasant, though with just a bit too much hugging the side of busy roads. No spectators to speak of, but the few made up for it with their enthusiasm. After-race activities, refreshments, and awards were all nicely done as well. Jackson's AJM was twice as much fun as Nashville's CMM for half the cost.

This is a community run through beautiful southern country. No extras, but none are needed here. The folks are friendly and provide all you need at aid stations. I've done it for many years and always intend to be back.

I decided to run this race at the last minute and the late registration afforded me that option. The race fee was reasonable, compared to the over-priced bigger marathons. There are lots of hotel choices and I stayed in the Best Western, which is only a little over a mile from the start/finish. Some of the benefits of this marathon include: 1. Post-race sandwiches, brownies, fruit, drinks at the end. 2. Indoor facilities to keep warm in and lounge around before/after race. 3. Showers available. 4. Beautiful course in the rural countryside of Tennessee. 5. Few runners, which allowed for no congestion at the start. 6. No chip timing, but not necessary. 7. Finisher's medal to all, and trophies that go three deep in age groups. 8. Start/finish in the same area on the Union University campus. Things that were not necessarily problems, but you may want to note: 1. It's an open course to traffic. Be careful. 2. No clocks/timers at mile markers. If you want splits, wear a watch. 3. Headphones are discouraged, but people wore them anyway. 4. No pre-race meal. Overall, a really nice race. I would run it again. Course has some gentle hills, but not anything too difficult, daunting, or intimidating.

I'd like to be realistic about this. This was a laid back race - not my first - but this race needs more organization. The Jameson Hotel (host), did not have information available for the runners when we started showing up late Friday morning, and they had difficulty getting a race official on the phone. No information about "packet pickup" was available through the hotel or online. The course map had the US 45 Bypass on the wrong side of the starting line so it was not clear where the starting line was. These are easy things to fix. Check-in started at 5:00 p.m. at the Jameson, and numbers were assigned as you got to the table, which was fine. No timing chips were used - no big deal. Ten minutes before the start of the race, there was nobody at the starting line. A few of minutes later, a car pulled up, and a guy got out with a bull horn, and directed the start of the race. Wow! The race course was runner-friendly, a back roads-type event run north of town, with only one major intersection to deal with coming back - and no law enforcement help on that corner either. Anyway, there were uphill sections the first mile, a couple inclines during mile 14, and a less significant incline last half mile. There simply were no spectators, but that was not surprising. There were water/Gatorade stations every 2 miles, and later stations had orange slices for carbs. The water station volunteers were cheerleaders too - the only fan support we got. I understand that there were only about 90 marathon runners, and folks got pretty spread out. I ran the whole second half alone, except when being passed by other runners. The 26-mile marker was right by the starting point, but after you passed the 26-mile marker, you kind of had to chart your own course through a couple of unmarked turns to get in line with the finish gate. There were flags, and right at the end you could see the clock, which helped. This was a good race, and I recommend it, but if you are used of a highly organized race, come prepared and with an open mind, and you should do fine. A couple of added notes: I missed one of the turns heading back, and some friendly neighbors and a runner's husband, stationed at that corner, were right on top of it, keeping me on the straight and narrow, for which I am much obliged. Also, being from Colorado and alone, it was really cool that my brother and his wife came over from Nashville to meet me and cheer me across the finish line. At the finish line they gave me a card with a number on it to take inside. It was 86 (I believe), probably my finishing position. I put my name on it, turned it in, and hoped somebody correlated that number to my finishing time.

I ran this race for the first time and liked the way it was organized. It was funny when the organizer mentioned to 200+ half marathon participants that you are the biggest crowd so far. :-) The organizers ensured there are no complaints and the course is beautiful landscape. Must run once. Probably they should think of having this race during fall time as this race conflicts with the Nashville Marathon, and most of them may not opt for this race. Run once and you will know the difference.

It is amazing what a dedicated race director and staff can do with meager resources. The Andrew Jackson Marathon is the oldest in the state and is certainly in the highest echelon of any of the 47 I have run. The support and course were planned with the runners in mind. The views on the route were beautiful and the after race meal was great. It is mindboggling to me that so many smaller marathons can "get it right" and the some of the "big boys" with "big name sponsors" have major logistical problems on providing the bare essentials (water, PowerAde, signage). It is a tribute to the director and event that there was such a cross-section of runners from throughout the country attending. These hardcore folks know who will take care of them! Thanks, AJM staff!

I found this marathon to be a very nice surprise. I knew it would be small, but it turned out to be only around 60 runners, I'd guess. One of the smallest I've participated in so far. But definitely not disappointing! I enjoyed the quaintness and simplicity of it all, compared to the mega-events in the cities. The sweet country ladies at the check-in table, the coziness of the marathoners hanging out together in the gym of the local college as we waited for the thunderstorms to end (they did, just in time) and for the race to begin (right on time), the race director (who reminded me of my dad) telling our small group of runners the last minute instructions and then just shouting, "Go!" which signified the beginning of the race (kind of caught me off-guard!), the well-marked race course with its signs and arrows, the reliable water/Gatorade stations with their fresh-faced, cheery, youthful volunteers (every station well-stocked and well-manned, despite the threatening weather earlier that morning), port-a-potties along the route (despite the easy access to bushes out in the countryside!), the lovely green Tennessee countryside, the course with just enough gentle hills to give our legs an even workout, the finish line with American flags proudly lined up on either side, the hamburgers waiting for us in the gym, the excellent massages, the t-shirts and medals that were better than some bigger marathons have awarded, and the huge line-up of trophies that were handed out. All pretty amazing for a home-town marathon! Also very surprising: The wide range of participants. We had everyone from one of the top ultramarathoners in the U.S. (Tom Possert) who was using this as a practice run for a much longer run in the near future, to a sweet young 16-year-old fellow running his first marathon. There were also several members of the 50 States & DC Club and also some Marathon Maniacs (your truly, for one). When running by one guy, I asked him if he ran many marathons. Reply: 63 last year! His added note: "Now that I'm divorced, I can do anything I want!" When I asked another fellow at the hamburger luncheon if he was the guy who had run 63 marathons last year, he said no, but he has run 100+ in all (I forget the number), did that count? Some pretty impressive resumes there at that little event! For a nice, low-key run in the green Tennessee countryside, friendly, reliable support from the race director and his band of volunteers, in the company of a wide range of runners, count this race in.

Nice country and residential roads with just enough hills to make the course go by fast. No noise, little traffic. Aid every two miles. Start and finish at Union Univ. with showers, free massages and lunch. And late checkout at the host hotel. All the volunteers were helpful and nice. And a hotrod car show at the fairgrounds.

As a seasoned marathoner and race worker, I'm certainly sensitive and sympathetic to the challenges that all smaller marathons face. I'm also typically turned off by reviews where marathoners whine about the shortcomings of those who do the most to make our lifestyles practicable. The 2006 race ended up with what must have been a larger-than-normal walk-up registration on the day of the race. To make a long story even longer, they ran out of everything from safety pins to water. Their closing of aid stations on an unseasonably warm day while runners, albeit slower ones, were still on the course, was later acknowledged and denied depending on who you talked to. Because of loose race management in the race's latter stages, the fact is, it took local EMS almost 30 minutes to respond to a heat exhaustion call. One can only conclude that there might have been a cruel one-time April Fool's joke perpetrated on this April 1st 2006 race. I understand this race has had better days and is generally appreciated by the regional running community. It probably should consider raising its walk-up registration fee to discourage runners who are indifferent to the problems their spontaneity may inadvertantly set in motion. In the absence of this, slower runners should be prepared to be logistically self-sufficient and to be especially charitable and appreciative of the good intentions which will doubtlessly be evident. The volunteers are kind and responsive. Their resources are, as one might reasonably expect, constrained, however. Particularly if you're a slower runner, keep your fingers crossed that faster last-minute entrants don't end up drinking your water in the race's latter stages. There will as always be many good folks running and working this race. I wish them the best of luck in the future.

A delightful, small marathon with a scenic, rural route that begins and end at Union University, which is .8 of a mile from the Jamison Motel (which has a low marathon rate and is the location of the package pick up). No expo or pasta dinner to bother with. An Olive Garden is a few blocks from the motel. There are large trophies for age-group winners, and a coin-like medal with Andrew Jacksons's head.

Nice rolling course, which is only partially out-and-back. Small race and often pleasant pastoral scenery. On-course volunteers, especially in the more rural portions, were friendly and supportive. No spectators to speak of due to the nature of the course and the size of the race. It could have been marked a little better near the end; I was afraid I'd missed a turn in the last mile or so. If you like small races and a mix of terrain, this is a good one. As I believe was mentioned before, this is probably not a good first marathon due to its small size, rural course and fair number of hills.

All the volunteers were very friendly and helpful. There were nice amenities including medals, t-shirts, showers, massages and a post-race luncheon. Course support is a little on the no-frills side. Sports drink and water only - no gel or other solid fuel. The course is marked with arrows drawn on the road and there are not enough volunteers to work every turn, so you have to pay attention or you could easily miss a turn. They had officers stationed at a few major intersections, which helped a lot. There were very few spectators, but there were probably fewer than 100 runners, so you wouldn't expect many.