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Apr 30, 2024

Clarence Demar Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Clarence Demar Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.6

Organization 4.8

Spectators 3.6

Number of comments: 141 [displaying comments 61 to 71]

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J. P. from Schenectady N.Y. (9/28/2010) "Rural and Sensational" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 WOW! It turned out to be an awesome day. I can't express enough how much fun the course was. We started right in front of a small church. I took the first school bus up the mountain to the start. When I got there it was quiet and peaceful. Slowly but surely more buses arrived. I would suggest to anyone who runs this marathon to get to the start early. First dibs on the porta-pots and water are a must. A small part of the course this year was diverted because of construction. This caused the mile markers after mile 13 to be off by almost a tenth of a mile. I didn't mind but I am sure others did. We were warned about this at the start. The tap water at the water stations was a bit funny tasting. I wish I had brought my own water on the course. I hung out in Keene in my youth; I should have remembered. I must mention the George St. hill (mile 22) that people like to complain about. YES, it was steep, and YES, it was a little annoying at such a long distance, but I liked it. I see it as a challenge to overcome. I hope the organizers don't get rid of it. There is no chip timing in this race, but my time seemed very accurate in comparison to my stopwatch. Great course; great support. I will return next year.
L. G. from Manchester, VT (9/27/2010) "Great race in New Hampshire" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I loved everything about this race except for the hill at the 22nd mile. The organization is top-notch and all of the volunteers are super friendly. The small-town feel extended to the runners; I talked with more people during this marathon than I did at the previous 5-6 marathons. NH is beautiful at this time of year, the water stops were great, the medal is classy, and I'm thankful the technical t-shirt isn't gray (the last 2-3 I've received are all gray!).
tyler post from stockton, ca (10/7/2009) "New England in the Fall!!!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 33rd marathon, and it was as epic as any other. The fall colors were starting to come, the off-and-on drizzle was perfect, and the course was fabulous! The help at all locations was fine, and check-in was simple. The start of the race was fun, as the small-town was cozy and not jam-packed with people. If you like to RUN without hassles, do this marathon....
M. P. from East Lyme, CT (10/3/2009) "As good as marathoning gets!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Clarence Demar Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Not many fans for this year's run in the rain. Even so, all other aspects of the marathon were superb. The course was well marked, and crossing the major roads not an issue thanks to the local police. The water and Gatorade stops were well-placed and staffed with friendly, encouraging volunteers. You just can't beat the scenery on this course - the neighborhood zigzags in the second half are a good contrast to the rural, serene setting of the first half. Finishing to the cheers of the enthusiastic supporters on Keene State's Apian Way is as exhilarating as any marathon. The finishing medal is sharp and post-race refreshments were very satisfying. Great to get a well-designed Dri-Fit t-shirt instead of the typical heavy weight cotton T. Also a huge plus: having access to hot water showers in the school's gym. In its low-key way, the CDM is as good as marathoning gets!
Tresa Casaletto from Massachusetts (10/2/2009) "Nice Little Marathon for Self-Sufficient Runners" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My only complaint was the "rush" to close down the timing and the food table. I say, "rush" because timing stopped at 6 hours as advertised and the food table closed at 5:30:00. The massage tent was a treat; I was the last runner out. The aid stations were well staffed. We were encouraged to be environmental kind and not litter. The village where we started was cute; many of us huddled under the awning of the post office. The race was so well organized that in the pre-race material of the course I was told the finish is not marked (you have to rely on the finishing gate; there is no mark of the sidewalk). However there is a thorough description of the finish using a manhole cover as a marker. Kinda cute. Unless you need cheering crowds and GU packs provided for you, this is a great race.
Eric Schneider from Los Angeles, California (10/2/2009) "Top-notch small marathon" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The totality of what needs to be corrected about this marathon: Nothing. Everything went smoothly. The bib pick up was organized as were the transportation to the race, the course monitoring, the course marking, and the finish. As a Californian, fall colors were quite the novelty. From start to finish, the course was gorgeous. There were a fair number of turns (which I view as a good thing), and all were clearly marked. It dawned on me how amazing it was that there were people literally at every turn providing direction. It appeared that there were more volunteers/police officers than runners. I would recommend this race to anyone.
J. R. from Bennington, VT (9/30/2009) "Great, small, classic, fall, New England course" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I agree that this was like a large, group, Sunday run. This was my second small marathon (sixth overall) and it was definitely very friendly. You could find people (and people found you) to talk with during the run if you desired. Being a transplanted Vermonter, the hills were not a surprise. Unfortunately, the ITB on my left leg and the ITB on my training partner's left leg both took a hit due to the fair share of running "with traffic" in the first three quarters of the race. We're so accustomed to the "against traffic" cant of New England roads that crossing over to the other side did give us some fits. Great organization, and it was friendly too. I liked the medal. Terrific traffic control and no issues with getting lost. Sparse but supportive spectators who cheered for everyone not just their runner. I missed the 21-mile marker, which played with my head, but otherwise it was very well marked. I wouldn't recommend this for a first-timer, but it's definitely worth running if you're looking for a quality small race.
B. R. from NJ (9/30/2009) "Organization would get 6 stars if I could" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First, you need to understand that this is a small race that has no delusions and wants none. It likes being small, as the race director said at the start; they take pride in the fact that there's no prize money and no advertising, and just runners out for the sake of achievement. I've been in big races and small, and they both have their advantages; this one was the best small one I've done. Organization was flawless - it took literally 30 seconds from the time I got in the door at the registration area to get my race number and t-shirt (even though I was about 15 minutes early for the posted pickup times). For a small race there were plenty of water stops (probably about every 1.5 miles), plus well-staffed medical and massage tents at the finish. Post-race showers were, as usual, about the best perk you could ask for. All organizers, volunteers, and police were very helpful and very friendly. This was a theme throughout the weekend, as my wife and I found Keene to be one of the friendliest places we've visited. We stayed at a B&B nearby (cheaper than the chain hotels) and visited the area's covered bridges on Saturday - a great way to relax and enjoy the scenery. There was no "official" pasta dinner for cost reasons, but Keene is a college town and there are plenty of nice little spots to have good eats before the race. For bizarre decor, nothing tops Papa Gallo's - good food and lots of parrots. Check it out if you can; it adds to the experience. The course is gorgeous, with the early part smack in the middle of the White Mountains and the majority of it (20+ miles) through wooded areas. With the race scheduled near peak foliage time, it's an absolutely beautiful time to run through this area (even with a constant drizzle). At around 15 miles or so there are more houses, businesses, etc., but there are still trees everywhere and you run from about 19 through 21 on a bike path through a nice park. The early part is significantly downhill, so be prepared for sore quads in the second half if you haven't trained for that. The second half has one real notable climb, around 22 miles, and otherwise is gently rolling. If you can handle the early downhill, you can definitely PR here. The t-shirt was great, simple but cool design and nice quality (nice to have a short-sleeved one, too). The medal was really cool too, I thought. I gave a 5 for fans because although there weren't many, everyone who was out was really enthusiastic. I saw several people I hadn't met before a few times throughout the race and enjoyed their support, including one nice older couple who actually stopped their car as they were passing me late in the race to cheer one more time. If you live in the area, do this race whenever you can. If you're a 50-stater (as I aspire to be), make this one your New Hampshire race. We couldn't be happier with the experience.
Bob Hoffman from San Juan, PR (9/29/2009) "A TRUE Marathon!!!" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Clarence Demar Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first Clarence DeMar Marathon, and also first small marathon. The route, the organization, the volunteers, the finish area were all terrific. The scenery was out of a picture book, and the interaction between runners beforehand made it a great overall day. As previously stated, it felt more like a group long run than a race (this is a positive). The course is fast with lots of downhills, but you need to save a little something for the park area section, as well as the steep climb on mile 22. The support after the race was just as good, with great food, and much-needed massages available. Thanks to everyone who supported this race. I had a blast and am grateful for the opportunity to have participated.
J. V. from Boston (9/29/2009) "Great, scenic, little race" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I had a great time on this course. The first half was beautiful - going along a creek and a lake - and the net downhill wasn't too bad either. We had rain the entire time, which wasn't that bad, and it was a little chilly, but good running weather. The organization was great, with nice shirts, medals, and an excellent food tent afterward - along with FREE massages. I'd highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a very small, New England, fall run. Also, I PR'd it, and beat my overall goal by a whopping 12 seconds.

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