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Charlottesville Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Charlottesville Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.0
Number of comments: 240 [displaying comments 31 to 41]
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J. B. from New York
(4/18/2011)
 "Best time ever!" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved everything about this marathon. The expo was fantastic, and right by the start/finish (at the Main Street Arena, right in the downtown area). The course was so spectacular that I could not believe the views. The volunteers were the friendliest I had ever encountered, and everything was really well organized. The post race was a blast! I will definitely go back! | |
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B. R. from VA
(4/11/2011)
 "Been There, Done That" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 A bit overhyped. Weather was perfect and course was challenging. Knew going into it that it was an out-and-back with two loops. Barely avoided getting lapped by the leader! The hills kept it very interesting, but this is no place for a PR. No starting corrals (just one big gaggle) and amateur mile markers and people holding small directional arrows. Only one announcement: on you mark, get set, go - and that was it. No call to starting line, countdown, or entertainment. Packet pickup and starting line are literally at the Omni Hotel, and I'm glad we stayed there. Would like to visit C-ville again, but probably would pass on the marathon. | |
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K. G. from Raleigh, NC
(11/12/2010)
 "Too many other good marathons around" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 The main reason I enjoyed the weekend so much is that we planned a mini holiday with the marathon thrown in. Charlottesville is a lovely place and there was lots to do for a long weekend. For many of the same reasons already mentioned, I'm not really sure if I will run this again, but I will definitely visit Charlottesville again. | |
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K. B. from Washington
(10/28/2010)
"Fantastic race" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Best time of year for a race in Charlottesville, and I highly recommend it for the course, the organization, the volunteers and the post-race atmosphere. The volunteers and race staff did a fantastic job, and I had a blast at the post-race party. The organizers did a great job, and I will definitely be back in 2011. | |
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J. T. from Lynchburg, Va
(8/25/2010)
"Great Spring Race" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Charlottesville Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The Charlottesville Marathon is a super fun race, which takes one along the beautiful countryside and the city's historical areas. Though challenging, the race is forgiving enough to allow for some fast times for the seasoned runner or an obtainable goal for a newbie/casual marathoner. The aid stations are perfectly spaced throughout the course, providing many hydrations and nutritional options. My wife and I make this race a part of our spring routine each year. There is no other marathon in the area at this time of year that provides such a spectator-friendly race in such a great and enjoyable location. | |
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S. A. from Reston, VA
(8/2/2010)
 "This year was the best" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Charlottesville Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was another year of a great marathon race. I have been doing it since the first except the 2 years that I was pregnant with my kids, and I love coming back to Charlottesville for it. This year I had about 20+ people come from the northern Virginia area, and they also ALL LOVED IT. it was great. I loved everything. I cannot even come up with something that would be helpful to know and change... it was all great. I loved: * the new course (although I do also love the old course) * that everything was so smooth - registration/ packet pickup, start, volunteers, etc. * the great energy of the race, etc. | |
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M. E. from Bronx, NY
(5/25/2010)
 "OVERRATED" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I totally agree with the two previous comments... the lack of bathrooms and the lack of water stations/GU was worse than I've seen anywhere. This race way overpriced and way overhyped. It is currently 5/25, and still no official race results!!! | |
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a. l. from New Jersey, USA
(5/7/2010)
 "Small-town marathon attempting to go big-city" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 First, thank you to all of the volunteers for the Charlottesville Marathon - without these hardy people who give up much of their time, there would never be any runs. I would have to agree with many of the more recent reviews. This is a somewhat overrated marathon struggling to decide if it can go big time while retaining the best of a smaller marathon vibe. Let me break it down by PROS/CONS: PROS: * As stated, the downtown mall and immediate area are very nice. Most restaurants have outside seating and there is an amphitheater connected that has outside shows the night before. There was also a farmers market on race day so the family/friends could shop while one ran. The hotels can be overpriced, so maybe stay at a town 15-30 minutes away if you want to save money and see all of the great mountains/scenic areas, etc. * The course is quiet (not much in big crowds but the people outside their houses were nice enough) and goes out into some very secluded/woody areas with some nice views - not as beautiful as some other marathons, but still scenic. There is active traffic, so you need to be aware, but the police were good at getting the runners through, etc. CONS: * I know every runner complains endlessly about bathrooms but this time it was a valid concern. Luckily, I arrived an hour early and was able to get into a bathroom just before the madness started. For so many people there were only about a dozen or so bathrooms - I even noticed runners dashing back to the start line to touch the chip mat after the gun went off from a McDonald's around 5 blocks down the road, just so they could get some sort of bathroom break! There were no noticeable bathrooms on the course, which I do not think I have ever experienced in the nine marathons I have run. * The course is hilly - more than almost any other marathon I have experienced - which is not bad if you are prepared. Just go in expecting the second half to be just as hard (if not harder) than the first half, so save your energy. And make sure you do not get caught up with the first half crowd - most will be doing the half or 8K, and going all out, so hold back and go for a negative split on the back end if you can. * If you like crowds and need to feed off of their energy, avoid this one. After a few miles, you will only see a few nice people outside of their homes, etc. If you like seclusion and hills, then you may really like this race. * The start has all of the runners - marathon, half, 8K - going off at the same time. It needs to be staggered, and with course directors shouting out orders and directions to get everyone settled in well before the race starts. Up until a few minutes before the race, many runners were well past the start line and had to run back and cram into the small start chute area. The start is too small an area for so many runners and needs to be moved to either of the streets that parallel this small alley area. * The GU situation - again, I am not one to complain about the food services, but this was a glaring mistake. My time was above half of the marathon runners and never saw any rest station with a GU or GU box. If you place it on your map (in BIG letters) and note it in the handout, you better make every effort to have some there for the runners. As a frequent marathon runner, I understand that we have to prepare for the worst case scenario, but by that point in the race, my GU rations were depleted and I could have really used a quick boost from an extra GU - which, it had been stated, should have been available at various aid stations but was not. Since the race was directed by a running store, maybe someone could have cracked open some of the ones they were selling the day before and brought them out to the course as an emergency supply? Overall, a nice city and area with a marathon that is struggling to decide if it wants to go big-city or stay with a quirky, but disorganized, small-town marathon style. | |
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m. b. from north syracuse,ny
(5/5/2010)
"It was ok... I guess..." (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This marathon needs to either use a point-to-point course or go with the half-marathon exclusively. The up-and-back and "round and round" has to go. I had no interest in seeing the same neighborhoods twice - particularly when the motorists were yelling at the runners to move! I dearly love the C'ville area; however, the organization needs some work to earn the raves in RW. Having said this... I did run a PR! | |
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M. W. from Cary, NC
(4/26/2010)
 "Good, but overrated" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlottesville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Compared to the 10-miler that was held two weeks previously, this marathon was a disappointment. The course is pretty, but not anything that knocked me over. The organization of the race itself was the most disappointing factor. For $95, I would have expected a lot more. Having the 8K lead runners returning to the start/finish up a narrow greenway with the entire marathon/half field going the other direction was just poor planning. Some of the aid stations had GU, but they weren't handing it out. The post-race food was limited considering the price, and they were only putting out water. Having to repeat a second loop of the downtown for the marathon was also a bit mentally taxing, not to mention boring to hit the same terrain. I guess I am spoiled by the number of marathons I can run in NC for a lot less money, organized by non-commercial clubs in equally pretty places. The least impressive thing about the race is apparently that they gave our information to the insurance sponsor for them to cold call us. I got my call during dinner with my family tonight. Overall, I sum this marathon up as "highly overrated." |
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