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Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 4.4
Number of comments: 330 [displaying comments 261 to 271]
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Shane Garner from Salina, Kansas
(10/4/2004)
 "What a run - don't miss it" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My second marathon and I could not have picked a better one. Extremely well organized. Great course and OKC loves its runners and it shows it by the turn out. The water and aid stations were something else - very supportive and energizing. The wife and I will be there in '05 for her second and my fourth. | |
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J. G. from Monroe, LA
(8/13/2004)
"Just Fantastic!!!" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The weather was just perfect! I've already run 10 other marathons, most of them around 4 hours. I ran a new personal record of 3:31. It was really exciting to do that on a great course in a beautiful city!! The aid stations and all the organization are really great!! Just about everyone I met over there in OKC is really nice. | |
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Geneva Hampton, Little Rock Marathon from Little Rock, Arkansas
(5/11/2004)
 "Absolutely Awesome!!!" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run marathons all over the world and this race is one that I proudly train for and run each year. It is very humbling to know what you are running for and the reason this marathon exists. The whole organization is passionate about lifting up the victims and their families, celebrating those that survived, while caring about the experience of each participant no matter how young or old, or how fast or slow. We brought a small herd from Little Rock and some in our group were among the last finishers. When I asked a very tired volunteer (committee member I believe) if I could get a couple medals for our finishers in case the finish line was packed up, she very proudly smiled and said that she would be here until the very last participant came across the finish line - and she was! This is a race I plan to run every year if my knees will let me. The course is lovely...except the wind...but hey that's not their fault. Guess that's why they have that song... The banners on the street with the victim's name on the banner is such a motivator at times when you feel weak. The kindness of all the residents when you run through the neighborhoods is amazing! When you make that last turn and see the finish line, the crowds, the families, the children, you know that you have completed a very special race! Well done directors, sponsors, volunteers and spectators! | |
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d. s. from USA
(5/7/2004)
"Very nice race!!" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This is a great race until you get to the finish line. I was on the verge of needing to go into the medical tent. I decided against it. I grabbed and water and walked out of the fenced area to find my family. After finding them I decided that I would need a sports drink and some food, but I was quickly informed by one of OKC's finest that I was not allowed back in the fenced area. Keep in mind that everyone else that I met in OKC was very nice. This cop was not one of those people. I was very dehydrated and asked if I could please get some refreshments. He replied with a very stern 'NO!' I'm sure he just felt inadequate, so he went out and got a job that would give him automatic power over the always delinquent marathon running crowd. I'm thankful for our civil servants, but please keep people on a power trip away from this festive event next year. | |
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Sam Balandran from Bedford, Texas
(5/4/2004)
"This Marathon Keeps Getting Better!" (about: 2004)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the very first Oklahoma Marathon and enjoyed it. Now, after running this year I am going to add this marathon to my list of marathons to do every year. The fans are the best! | |
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Pascal Demeyer from Oklahoma City, OK
(4/30/2004)
"Definitely one to remember!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 As this was my first marathon, I have nothing to compare it to, but I have to say that it was an amazing experience. Very well organized and plenty of fluids and food at the finish line even after the last people crossed the finish line. Fluid stations at every mile for the first ten might be even better. With over 5,000 participants, it was really easy to get your race packet and move around the expo. The pasta dinner was awesome and it was really cool to hear stories from running legends like Frank Shorter and Dick Beardsley while you were eating. Of course, everyone is very friendly here and it was easy to make new friends (hey Chris from Tulsa). On race day, the weather was perfect! And living locally, everybody knows that it could have been a whole lot worse. We were blessed: barely any wind and not a cloud in the sky. Of course I made the rookie mistake of starting too fast. The adrenaline was just pumping and I was feeling great. I wanted to qualify for Boston, but by mile 16, all I wanted to do was finish. Countless leg cramps in the last 10 miles forced me to walk a lot, but I wasn?t about to quit and still finished in 3:47:00. I was so happy to cross that finish line! One of the things that kept me going was to think about those 168 people who died in the bombing. At least, I was fortunate enough to be there running and walking. The other thing was the great support from the other runners. I?ve never experienced this kind of camaraderie. It was great! I?m hooked! And the medal was awesome! After I crossed the finish line, I just waited for my girlfriend to come through so that we could wobble into each other?s arms! :o) If you don?t do this marathon (which I hope you do), at least do one for the unforgettable experience. I?ll probably run this one every year until I can?t run anymore. This was definitely one to remember. God bless! | |
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G. T. from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
(4/28/2004)
"Great Experience" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is the second time I have run this marathon and although I do not have much marathon experience, this event is very organized compared to similar events in the region. The weather was fantastic as anyone from Oklahoma knows how windy it can be this time of year. I appreciate all the work by the volunteers. I definitely plan to do it again next year. | |
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D. T. from South Dakota
(4/27/2004)
"Wow." (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My brother, sister and I run a marathon together every year and this year we headed to Oklahoma City. We weren't disappointed. The course was great, the pasta dinner at the Memorial Site was well done and the race itself was filled with touchpoints I'll remember for a long time. When I ran my first marathon, I actually bawled when I saw the finish line. This was a few years ago in Wisconsin and it really hasn't happened again until last Sunday. I was a complete emotional wreck coming in: The people were incredible, the volunteers outstanding. Our sister died last fall and I thought of her and I thought of the victims at the Federal Building and I felt honored to a part of their lives and their memories. This essay sounds corny and a little confused, but I will certainly cherish this run. Thank you, OKC. This Northerner felt like he came home for a day. | |
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Jerry Matlock from Hot Springs, Arkansas
(4/27/2004)
"Staff, support, and organization were superb" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the third marathon I have run, so I'm not really seasoned yet. But, this one really had a strong impact on my motivation and running goals. I had not anticipated my own personal response to seeing the memorial area downtown and the race itself. It was very moving to see how the staff, support, and the people of the city really extended their giving spirit. It had a healing effect on me personally. The race and experience was one of the best I've had in 30 years of running. I liked the course with its flat areas and downhill stretches. Running out by the lake was cool and there was an awesome band playing on the street somewhere around mile 8 or so. You can't lose on this one. I would recommend this race to everyone who can make it to OKC. | |
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P. B. from Kansas City
(4/27/2004)
"Everything you want and need in a marathon." (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 15th marathon, which includes 4 Bostons, 1 Chicago & 1 NYC. The weather was almost perfect. There was a little wind, but I never could figure out which way it was blowing, so I figured I can't do anything about it - so don't worry about it. The organization was great! The volunteers were great! They had an electronic clock at each mile and someone giving your estimated finish time. There were only a couple of long inclines we had to address but overall not much of a hill issue. We started at 6:30am with about 51 degrees and ended in the low 60's. I would highly recommend this race to everyone. The expo wasn't the greatest in regards to clothing and shoes, HOWEVER, they had Bill Rodgers, Frank Shorter and Dick Beardsley there signing autographs and holding seminars. It was pretty awesome. Dick Beardsley's seminar was very emotional and had me thinking I could win the entire race! I got pictures with Bill Rodgers and Dick Beardsley and had all three of them sign my bib and the marathon poster. You know, I'm framing that one!! |
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