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☰
Grand Rapids Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Grand Rapids Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 329 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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A. B. from Boston area, MA
(11/3/2015)
 "Excellent choice for MI" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I'm pursuing a marathon in all 50 states and this was my choice for Michigan. It was a great choice and I highly recommend this marathon! I review each marathon I run and I usually list the good things as well as the areas for improvement. However, for this marathon I can think of only one thing to complain about. Everything was truly that good! I'll list the pros anyway: -Beautiful course (after you get through the industrial section in the first few miles) -Loved the traffic-free sections on the bike path and appreciated that non-racers stayed off the path early start for the velocity-challenged was great. -The overall support for slower people was appreciated. -Excellent communication from RD Don -Nice to have everything in one place with ample parking (expo, start, and finish) -Though I didn't take advantage, nice to have showers available at the Y -Course was well-marked. I was never confused. -Loved the pickle juice at an aid station late in the course -The best part of the race was getting a high-five from RD Don at the finish!! I could go on, but I think you get the picture that this was a well-organized race with attention to detail. If I had to complain about something it would be that I couldn't always run the tangent on the out and back section, thus ending up with a 26.47 mile read on my Garmin. Also, the food at the finish was mediocre but I did appreciate the pickles. I am so glad I ran this race for my MI marathon. I really enjoyed sightseeing in the area. I highly recommend the Fredrik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. | |
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R. P. from IL
(10/22/2015)
 "Great Fall Race" (about: 2015)
50+ previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Well organized, nice course except too much out back layout. Great beer at the end. Highly recommend it. | |
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j. d. from Michigan
(10/21/2015)
 "good race lacks crowd support." (about: 2015)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is a good run. It is really geared towards elite runners though as there is no crowd support on this race and the volunteers are really only at the major mile markers and water stations. Plan on the fall colors bringing you into the finish. Most of the runners have music stuck in their ear and there isn't much support from any crowds. | |
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C. S. from OH
(5/11/2015)
"Wonderful Fall Marathon" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Grand Rapids Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon three years in a row 2009-2011. It is a very well organized event, that also typically offers great race weather. The course is flat and fast. A great place to PR/BQ. A great midsized marathon where you can avoid the crowds. Definitely a Marathon worth traveling for. This race holds a special place with me because it was my first marathon. | |
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S. E. from Chicago, Ill
(1/8/2015)
 "By far the best race I have run!" (about: 2012)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose to take on this marathon as a first time ever running event. I started my training on January 1, and I couldn't even run a 1/4 of a mile! I ended up running the marathon with my brother (veteran marathoner), and I finished in under 5 hours (just barely). I loved it! The scenery was beautiful, the organization was spectacular, the expo was well organized. . I can't say enough about it. I have since then ran 5 halfs, and now I am training to do another full. I think I was spoiled by picking this one as my first. | |
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T. H. from Michigan
(11/7/2014)
"Great Race!" (about: 2014)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Grand Rapids Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Ran in 2012 and liked it so much I did it again in '14. It is run the same day as Detroit and I can honestly say I will never run Detroit again. GR has a great course, easy to get to (free) parking, you can wait inside a nice warm building before the race, the number of runners is just right, plenty of hotel space and free beer at the end! Not sure what else you could want. The only downside is the paucity of spectators around miles 22-25. Not sure what else could be done, but that won't stop me from coming back in '15. | |
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M. Y. from MI - Michigan
(11/2/2014)
"This is the marathon you should run!" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I couldn't have asked for a more positive experience. If I never run another marathon again (though I plan on many more) I would be happy with the decision to have run in Grand Rapids. It was small enough to avoid the confusion and crowding of a big city race but large enough that they are well-equipped and know what they are doing. The course is beautiful and crowd support was constant but not overwhelming. Don Kern's marathon news is the icing on the cake! | |
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M. C. from Dearborn MI
(10/25/2014)
"First marathon" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was to be my first and only marathon. Three days after the race while telling a coworker about my experience, we decided to run it in 2015. It was the best race experience I ever had! | |
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N. B. from Mason, Michigan
(10/24/2014)
"Best First Marathon Experience One Could Ask For" (about: 2014)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I have to say I absolutely LOVED every minute of it! The course was BEAUTIFUL and well planned out. The spectators were great and help keep the morale up. I had several friends/family come to spectate and it was easy for them to meet me at several different points in the race. The aide stations were fully equiped with anything you could need and the volunteers seemed to be having a great time and were very encouraging. Because of such a great experience, I think I am a marathoner for life! | |
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A. K. from St. Charles MI
(10/23/2014)
"Awesome!" (about: 2014)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I promised my family that I would only run one marathon, but after Grand Rapids, I am hooked! The view around the lakes was beautiful. The fans were great. There was a great selection of real food on the course. There's nothing like an Oreo after 20 miles of running. |
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