May 19, 2024
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Lakeshore Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Lakeshore Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 1.8 
Spectators 2.7
Number of comments: 209 [displaying comments 171 to 181]
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Karl Dentino from Princeton Junction, New Jersey
(5/26/2003)
 "Fantastic small town race in big city" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This race was my 40th marathon around the country and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a nice, small, quick marathon in a large convenient city. The course is the high point: flat, fast, friendly, with fantastic views. We snaked along the coast of Lake Michigan northward then reversed direction. Beautiful vistas of the lake and the skyline the whole time. Park like setting. Very few cars. Gentle tail wind all the way home. Water and energy drink every 2 miles. Host hotel (Hyatt) walking distance from start and finish. About 1,000 runners this year. Nice postrace event. This one is destined to become a Spring Star in coming years as more sponsors and fans get on board! Check it out. | |
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S. T. from Iowa
(1/24/2003)
 "Now I know how Boot Camp feels." (about: 2002)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I knew going in that this was to be my first and last Marathon. I had planned for 6 months so felt compelled to finish. The mental trickery of never knowing how far I had left to run was very defeating. I wanted to quit at many points- especially when the wind shifted and the tail wind I had been counting on never happened. At about mile five, I was forced to run through 3 inches of water. Just as I was ready to lose hope with drenched feet, a runner appears, hands me a fresh pair of wigwams and I changed into fresh feet and went on. At the jump off point of the retaining wall, a kind man stopped and helped me down. The joy of the horrible race conditions was how everyone helped and encouraged each other. We were in this together and we all understood how everyone was suffering. Glad for the experience. I feel very proud for finishing this marathon still running strong - perhaps more proud than if I had finished a 'run of the mill' marathon. | |
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A Runner from Aurora, Illinois
(11/10/2002)
"Sub-Par Marathon, at best..." (about: 2002)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I run on average one marathon a month and this one ranks at the bottom. Expensive, lousy expo, lacking course markings. The amount of publicity promoting the marathon did not seem commensuate with the organization of the race. There are *much* better choices. | |
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A Runner from North of Chicago
(10/20/2002)
 "Beuatiful Course" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Despite all other comments about the weather I ran this one dressed appropriately and thought it was fine - of course I like it colder. The course is beautiful, a few glitches could have been worked out where path construction was in progress. It's Chicago's special effect to have enough public lakeshore to run a marathon. Seeing the huge waves coming off Lake Michigan was invigorating - even if it included a bit of spray. There weren't enough volunteers but those working were friendly and tried to be very helpful. It was unfortunate that the mile markers blew away - that's Chicago - and hopefully will be improved next year. With a few fixes this will be a terrific marathon to do. | |
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A Runner from NJ
(8/21/2002)
"Not worth it next year" (General Comments)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The surface was terrible and the race organizers did a sub par job. It seemed like it was thrown together in a week. I was so mad I wasted money on this marathon. better to stick to the established LaSalle Bank marathon or Boston, or NYC. | |
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A Runner from California, USA
(5/29/2002)
 "A positive first marathon experience" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Running in downtown Chicago was well worth the trip from California. This was my first marathon, and with the exception of cold and windy weather, I had a terrific time. I would have appreciated more mile markers (or at least more well informed spectators), but it was a positive experience and one in which I would like to repeat. I look foreward to more visits to Chicago. | |
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A Runner from Illinois
(5/20/2002)
"Disappointing first marathon" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The course might've been beautiful in better weather, but the wall, the waves, the winds, the temperatures, and the poor mile markings all combined to give me a disappointing finish time and a mild case of hypothermia. Before the cold actually sunk in, I had a great 1/2-way time, but when my body finally froze up, my 7:45 pace slowed to an embarassing 10:30 or so. Where else but Chicago could you get a 25mph head wind BOTH directions on the course! In better weather this could be a beaut! (Provided the miles are marked.) Thanks to the massage worker who finally warmed me up to the point where I could shiver! Thanks to the fans who braved the cold! | |
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A Runner from Jacksonville, FL
(5/10/2002)
"Incredible potential not realized first time out" (General Comments)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 Positives - Kudos to the volunteers and to the Chicago Police for supporting us in the wind and cold. Fans few and spread out but very enthusiastic. Negatives - 26 miles of watching your footing to avoid injury. Laziest and least imaginitive race photographers of an event in marathon history. Move the start/finish closer to parking. Keep trying - you'll make it work. | |
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A Runner from Suburban Chicago
(5/1/2002)
"Get Over It" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 On a sunny spring day with temperatures in the 50's we'd all be talking about how pretty the course was and that the organizers should set up mile markers next year. We had a crummy weather day when everything went wrong. Next year's lessons from this year will be learned and hopefully the weather will be better. It's worth another shot. | |
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A Runner from Wilmette, IL
(5/1/2002)
"Give it a break!!!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 Ok, so this is a first marathon attempt and we got a terrible day with breaking waves, gusting winds, and occasional sheets of rain, not to mention 38 degree temperatures. If I eliminate all of that and replace it with a sunshine/blue sky spring day, everyone would be raving about how beautiful the course was, complimenting the medals and nice shirts, and saying something about mile markers at each mile to make this more managable to try to pace. That was the only real problem, and not really uncommon to have something like that in the first year. The real test is whether this gets corrected for next year, and I expect that it will. Hopefully we'll get one of those pretty spring days that put everyone in a great Chicago mood. |
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