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May 5, 2024

Tecumseh Trail Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Tecumseh Trail Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.8

Organization 4.6

Spectators 3.5

Number of comments: 97 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 10 > ]

D. S. from Broken Arrow, OK (12/22/2010) "Tough! Great volunteers!" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 The race director had to make a last-minute change due to 4" of snow. Course was changed from point-to-point to out-and-back. I was glad that the race wasn't canceled and started on time. The volunteers on the course and at water stops were great. This was my first trail marathon, 3rd marathon in 90 days, and 2nd in 2 weeks. I would like to do it again with fresh legs.
R. M. from Indiana,USA (12/18/2010) "Challenging - tough course" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 7th marathon. I knew it was going to be hard, but it was beyond what I thought. Snow the night before caused last-minute course changes, but hats-off to the director for making it work. Now when I hear road marathoners talk about hills I just laugh.... You seriously don't know what hills and a hard course are! I had cramps in quads, hamstrings, and calfs! I've never had cramps like that before (and they started at mile 12)! I added over an hour to my previous worst marathon time, and yet this event is the one I would have to say I'm most proud of. The aid stations were great! They were little oasis in the middle of the woods. I do wish there were more aid stations with porta-johns, but the last-minute course change (because of snow) probably affected that.
J. L. from Michigan, USA (12/15/2010) "Great fun" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Overnight snow made this more challenging than expected and turned a point-to-point into an out-and-back. Hilly, but great fun.
Mark Linn from Goshen, IN (12/7/2010) "Extra Challenging" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 3 Tecumseh Trail Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My favorite race of the year! Extra challenging due to weather this year. Normally a point-to-point race, it was forced to be an out-and-back due to heavy snow and lack of bus transportation. Props to the race director and volunteers for pushing through and not canceling the event. Although different from years past, it's still a great event. Hills were extra difficult due to the slippery conditions. Still in love with the TTM!
R. R. from Cincinnati, OH (12/6/2010) "First ever TTM out-and-back" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Tecumseh Trail Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This year, the buses refused to run due to the weather - 4-5 inches of snow. So, the RD had to make a tough call, and made the race an out-and-back for the first time ever. This made for a bit of congestion during most of the first half, but still enjoyable race. Prefer the wind-shirts over the sweatshirts.
C. C. from Bowling Green, OH (1/27/2010) "Difficult and fun!" (about: 2009) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This marathon was very hard; the hills just keep coming. I suggest running it with someone who can pick you up when you're down, and you can do the same for them. Everyone - volunteers and runners - was kind and helpful, the course was very well marked, and the hot soup at the finish line hit the spot. This is not a PR run; do it for fun. Bloomington is great, but for a family fun on the days before or after the race, check out Nashville just down the road.
J. N. from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (12/12/2009) "Extraordinary Marathon!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Tecumseh Trail Marathon is a perfect event and an unmatched experience. The race director and DINO team were helpful throughout (even on emails prior to race day). The course is serene and - at once - both brutal and inspiring. The volunteers were the best I've ever met, with Hoosier friendliness, words of encouragement and humor at each stop. And the post-run meal - inside a state park stone picnic shelter with fireplaces roaring - was a tremendous experience with runners chatting, laughing and sharing trail tales (plus, the soup is remarkably good!). The trail itself is hard. It's at least 19 miles of single-file running on terrain that you'd never expect upon hearing the word "Indiana." The elevation changes, frequent stream crossings and slippery passages will affect your "normal" marathon time dramatically, but even if it's your all-time slowest marathon (sure was mine!), the event will also, surely, be your favorite. Several days later, I'm still sore, but I haven't yet stopped smiling at the great memories.
David Wood from Bloomington, Indiana (12/10/2009) "Will do it over and over again" (about: 2009) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was only second marathon (my first was Akron in September!), and my first trail marathon. I'm from the area, so I'm glad I was able to train these hills, but it didn't make it a ton easier. Expect at least an hour added to your road marathon time. The spectators (generally those few brave souls running the aid stations) were great - especially the folks with the speakers in the trees playing, "Run, Run Rudolph!" The food was great, and the people too; and we couldn't have asked for a better day this year. I'll definitely make this a permanent part of my race calendar!
J. R. from West Dundee Illinois (12/9/2009) "unbelievable" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have done 25 marathons including running Africa, the Inca Trail, and the Great Wall. The only thing that compares in difficulty to this was the Great Wall. This was the second hardest and hilliest marathon I have ever done. If you think you are in decent shape, give this marathon a shot. It will humble you. Everything about it is first rate. Be prepared to climb, slip, fall and eat dirt. Loved it. The windbreakers are a really nice touch. And just as a p.s.: when they tell you to wear bright colors because the deer hunters are in the woods on the course, they are serious.
D. S. from Michigan (12/9/2009) "A great way to finish the year!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tecumseh Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 What an adventure! My 20th and most difficult run to date. I share the sentiment with many runners who can declare with a grin on their face that this was their absolutely worst time ever! But who cares? It was a blast! It was 15-20 degrees at the start, but for trail runs it always seems to come out that the weather was always worse the year before. They bused us all out into the backwoods where we shivered on a grassy knoll until someone said, "Mark, Set, GO" and we proceeded to track pink ribbons through the woods for 26 miles. There is a better sense of humor and camaraderie among trail runners as we pulled and dragged each other across the 21+ stream crossings (I lost count), over and under logs, and up and down muddy and icy slopes in a collective effort. As the obstacles thinned the line of runners, you got to know your little cliques pretty well, following them for miles on end zigzagging through the trees, tripping over rocks and roots together and trading the point position like migrating geese. The aid stations were little social breaks, with plenty of snacks and hot chocolate (and tissues for perpetual running noses), where we made jokes about the hunters back on the trail who were part of the devious rigid course management system (no stragglers!). Then they kept promising beer at the NEXT aid station (liars!). By late in the course, most runners simply resorted to walking every incline, slogging up the hills like muddy zombies. The path was obviously prepared by someone "directionally challenged" who managed to capture every hidden nook, cranny, ravine and hill in the region. I'm sure more than a few of us wondered if the course was measured from A to B or if all the incessant switchbacks were taken into account. At the finish, we were met with sandwiches, soup, a heated cabin, and a sense of accomplishment beyond the normal road-pounding marathon experience. Don't be afraid to come over to the "dark side" and give trail running a try. Your quads will hate you, but it's a great new perspective into the running experience!

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