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☰
Delaware Trail Marathon (formerly the Triple Crown Trail Marathon) Runner Comments
Back to Delaware Trail Marathon (formerly the Triple Crown Trail Marathon) Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.0
Number of comments: 52 [displaying comments 41 to 51]
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Dave James from New York
(5/7/2005)
 "Muddy & Rainy Day" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Delaware Trail Marathon (formerly the Triple Crown Trail Marath
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The double-loop course was slow the first time around (if you run it be sure to start fast to get out ahead of all the 1/2 marathoners, or be content to wait a while on the 1st trail head). I came through the half under 2 hours and kept jogging to my truck for a dry hat, gloves, and shirt, and people started yelling that I forgot my mug. (I guess they thought I was doing the half?) The 2nd loop was more peaceful with less company on the trails, but tougher because the trails were shot. The shoe-sucking mud caused a necessary walking break in some places. From what I hear they pulled the last water stop(s) early, but when I came through the volunteers were helpful and cheerful. To make the day worthwhile, the rain let up the last few miles and I almost had to use the sunglasses when I crossed the finish line. As a fellow widower, I want to thank the race director for his dedication to the event. At the end of the day we all will remember the race and left with a sense of accomplishment. Thanks again John. | |
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J. M. from Mechanicsville, VA
(5/2/2005)
"You gotta do it at least once!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 The rain soaked us, the mud caked us, and the creek washed us off. Then we got to do it again! The mud got so bad on the second loop that we had to walk for two miles. I changed shoes at halfway; just make sure you use trail shoes that you wouldn't mind throwing away. Surprisingly, the creek crossing was a relief. Fun to share the water with the fly fishermen! Under the conditions, the water stops and post-race lunch should have been extended. Last six miles had no water. Logistical mistakes were made (and have already been admitted). Flags were removed in some areas. But that was part of the 'fun,' finding out which way to go. Needed more direction at the crossover points, particularly on the second half when you are by yourself. I really enjoyed this run/walk, my first trail marathon. Hard to rate the spectators when you only see them at the start, half, and finish, but they were very supportive. Volunteers may have not shown due to the adverse conditions, which probably contributed to the organizational breakdown. Worth checking out! | |
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P. S. from Annapolis, MD
(4/30/2004)
 "Great race organized by great volunteers." (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Delaware Trail Marathon (formerly the Triple Crown Trail Marath
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first trail marathon. I came in expecting a slow time and I wasn?t disappointed. The race began with everyone running a short distance and then trying to cram onto a 2-foot wide trail. If you really care about your finishing time or you are running the half-marathon, you have to start near the front and get in front of the pack. I didn?t know this and spent the next 5 miles jogging in line behind people that were running a slower pace. There was plenty of time to catch up to the leaders as I soon discovered. I came through the first lap in an even 2 hours and decided to run the second lap faster since the field had thinned out a bit with the half-marathoners finishing. For most of the race I had no idea what mile marker I was at or what place I was in, until late in the race I passed an aid station and found out I had worked my way into 3rd place. After passing a few more people I was alone in first from Mile 20 to 24 (approximately) until I missed a turn. Eventually I ended up back at the river and had to run another 3+ miles. In all I ran approximately 30 miles in 4:22. The lesson to be learned? ? watch the trail markers CAREFULLY ? they were somewhat confusing for a trail running novice like myself. The Race Director and his team marked the course as well as it can be marked ? but this is a trail race and figuring out the course is part of the fun. I loved the course and the fact that it rarely included pavement. Avoiding the fallen trees, the roots, and the stumps was tiring but it kept your attention. I met several friendly runners along the way and thoroughly enjoyed myself despite the extra mileage. The four river crossings were exhilarating ? don?t even think about wearing a nice pair of shoes (this was the last run for my Mizunos). Every volunteer was tremendous and they all wore smiles throughout the day. The barbecue at the end was a pleasant reward for a day spent running the trails. It also gave many of us the chance to lay out in the sunshine and applaud the efforts of the other finishers. This was by far my favorite marathon course to date. | |
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G. B. from Niskayuna, NY
(4/26/2004)
"Great course, only 1 flaw" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The course is extremely enjoyable, no boring long flat parts. Only a few feet of asphalt in the entire marathon course. My one complaint is that it was very difficult to figure out where the course went at many cross-paths. There were several flag colors to follow. I would like to see one color flag per course. In areas where two or more courses coincide, simply use the flag colors for both courses on those stretches. One word of caution for those with no prior experience in long trail runs: bring your own water container! I made a near fatal error at a late (~22 miles) water stops; I had Gatorade and dried fruit instead of just water. A mile later, I had some of the classic symptoms for dehydration: nausea, blurred vision, cold forehead, exhaustion. I had to slowly walk about 45 minutes in this dangerous condition to the next water stop. Luckily, a great samaritan runner saw my lousy state and gave me some of his water. That's what I love about (trail) runners! I finished only 1 hour after my expected time. | |
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P. W. from Towson, MD
(5/22/2003)
"FUN run on beautiful rolling trail--even in rain!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I had a great time with this run in a beautiful well maintained state park. The people were just fantastic. And they had a great BBQ afterward. I would echo everything that has been said so far. This was my second marathon (not including my one trail ultra) and I can't wait to do more - and I'll definitely return next year to do this again - and I'm telling everyone in my running group that they've got to do this one! It's not too challenging - but the organizers have plotted out several different terrains to run on - which kept it very interesting (and I loved the stream crossing!) So I applaud the organizers on their inaugural marathon event (they've already got their Triple Crown - 1/2 marathon, 10k, and 5k - down to a science). So there's something for everybody. And nearby Newark, DE is a great quaint college town. | |
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J. G. from New Jersey
(5/4/2003)
 "Simply beautiful and beautifully simple" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Although the weather didn't exactly cooperate, I thoroughly enjoyed this race and would definitely return. It's nice to have a Saturday race that starts early (7 am). There were no surprises for anybody who read all the race information beforehand. This was a simply beautiful, and beautifully simple trail marathon. Compared with other trail runs I've done, I found the course to be pretty gentle, although the rain made it very muddy and quite challenging in parts. I laughed a lot. I especially liked the fact that it drew a diverse group of runners (50 staters) from all over the country. I found the creek crossing (thigh deep for me at points) to be very energizing and also it washed a lot of mud off! Thanks to all the volunteers who were out there in the rain. | |
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j. m. from kansas city, mo
(5/1/2003)
"the best (and toughest) marathon I've ever run" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I had never before run a trail marathon, and didn't really know what to expect. The course is through the woods, through meadows, crossing creeks, and just beautiful through the forest. Everyone- fellow runners, organizers, volunteers, were just so NICE (and obviously also CRAZY for being out there on a such a rainy day.) It was an experience I'll never forget- a real challenge. I highly recommend this race. Its all about what running is supposed to be. No whiney runners, no cars, no unending views of strip malls and boring road terrain. Just you, your shoes, and mother nature--the reason we run in the first place!!! A challenge- what a marathon is supposed to be. | |
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R. P. from Wilmington, DE
(4/30/2003)
 "Wow! This was really a lot of fun!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My fifth marathon, and my first on trails. It was a blast -- my favorite so far. The course was full of hills, woods and meadows, and yes, a couple of nice stream crossings. Only five out of 182 finishers beat four hours. Maybe we were a slow group, but this was a very tough course. Organizers did a super job. After-race BBQ was a welcome sight at the finish line. Spectators? Other than my loved ones at the finish line? Well, I saw a few rabbits and squirrels (probably wondering what the hey was going on), but that was about it. Didn't bother me. I enjoyed the peace and quiet. Volunteers and participants in the concurrent 5K, 10K, and half-M were friendly and encouraging. I'm glad to see that not only does my home state have a marathon for the first time in a while now, it has a really good one. I hope it returns. | |
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d. w. from corning ny
(4/29/2003)
 "outstanding trail run" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I highly recommend this event to those who enjoy trail running and to those who haven't tried it yet. The course is excellent with plenty of grass/packed dirt and not so many rocks. This year (2003) had lots of slippery mud due to overnight rain, but challenging conditions are just part of the trail experience. The stream crossing was more like fording a river, but it was a nice diversion in any case. Support along the course was good and the people were very friendly and helpful. All-in-all I think was a great run and I highly recommend it. Thanks to the organizers/volunteers for an exceptional event. | |
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Dave Swenson from Des Moines, IA
(4/29/2003)
"I had a great time!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was simply the most fun I've had with my clothes on in years. It was muddy, sloppy, slippery, and, despite the protestations of the organizers, anything but a modest trail run. We forded streams, slipped down (and up) hills, dodged brambles, and frequently emptied our shoes of mud, muck, pebbles, and other forms of crud. The organization was fine, the aid stations were exactly where they needed to be, the course was well laid out, and the people were a delight. The picnic afterwards was a nice treat. I thank the organizers and the community for a great visit to Delaware. This is one that I'll come back to. |
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