Great event, set in fantastic scenery. Almost like a countryside marathon, set in the city. Parking was ok (got there early). Limited toilets near start, and a few points on the way round. Good running surfaces, a few hills repeated over multiple laps. There were 200 runners and at least 50 were "100 marathon club" members, one doing her 200th, and one doing his 700th. Great atmosphere. Excellent marshalling, including management of some road crossings. There were some walkers, cyclists and other runners around, but no hindrance, and most actually supportive. Had to stop to allow some red deer to cross the path at one point, fantastic sight. Definitely recommended, but with Runners World scoring this as the best new marathon in 2011, you'll need to book early next year. Weather was cool and cloudy, otherwise views would have been even better. Much of the route is shaded by trees, so for future reference, would be ok on a very hot sunny day.
My run? Pulled the same calf at 9 miles, but it eased up whilst jogging the remaining 17 miles, and walking the steep hills. Time: 4:55:21.