Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

May 16, 2024

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 271 to 281]

More Comments: [ < 1 .. 26 27 28 29 30 .. 33 > ]

J. S. from Grand Rapids, Michigan (10/31/2006) "Well organized with a great shirt." (about: 2006) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first GR Marathon, although I ran the half two years ago. It was well organized and has a fun-loving staff. Aid stations were plentiful on the course. I actually kind of like the out-and-back sections because it gives you a chance to cross paths with the leaders. The shirt was great. It's by far the best race shirt I've received from a race so far. The course is generally flat without any difficult hills. The crowds were sparse but where they were present they were enthusiastic. If you like wooded, scenic courses, you would like this course. I have two suggestions that I think would be worth considering. 1. I love the outdoors and the woods but after having run this marathon and multiple River Bank 25K runs which follow a similar course, the route is getting so-so. I would love to see this race move into some of the many cool neighborhoods in GR. I think it would attract more runners and get more citywide attention although I'm sure it isn't cheap to shut down city streets. 2. Look into moving the race to a Saturday. This is a heavy church-going town and I know there are a lot of people in this area that head up to the Bayshore Marathon in the spring because it is a Saturday run. I'm sure it costs more to shut down streets on Saturday then Sunday but if it stays on the same course, which uses minimal busy city streets, it might not make that big of a difference.
S. S. from Ann Arbor, MI (10/31/2006) "Awesome running experience!" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Enjoyable, informal, yet effective race organization. Beautiful scenery, great weather, fantastic volunteers and voluminous spectators! Free pictures online, a free DVD, and great treats during and after the race add up to a surprisingly fun marathon.
D. W. from Cleveland, Ohio (10/31/2006) "Fast and flat." (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Pretty much park running; very little city running, more of which would have been nice.
J. W. from Minneapolis, MN (10/31/2006) "Well run, small-market marathon" (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Overall, I would recommend this marathon to someone who is looking for a Michigan marathon. It is small, but well organized. The porta-johns and water stops were great. There aren't a lot of spectators though, so if you need that, this may not be the race for you. The course was usually quite scenic, with fall colors, and it was not hilly. But there were some parts that I didn't like - a lot of out-and-backs and a run through an industrial area around mile 18, which was VERY windy. I thought it was strange that they didn't have a a chip timer at the half. If they could add some of the course to the actual downtown Grand Rapids area, that might be nice - and remove some of the odd out-and-backs. The technical t-shirts were Brooks, and VERY nice. I didn't like how the spectators crowded the course at the finish.
J. W. from Minneapolis, Minnesota (10/31/2006) "Well-run small-market marathon" (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I thought that this was definitely a runner's marathon - it was flat and fast, although the weather (high around 45 and pretty windy) wasn't all that great this year. It was so windy that my eyes dried out and I lost a contact lens. There were some very pretty parts of the course that showed off the fall colors, but I didn't necessarily like the out-and-backs where you had to cross paths with the other runners. You never quite knew when you would finally be able to turn around. I thought that it was a bit strange that there was not a chip time at the half marathon mark either. Maybe in the future part of the course will run in the actual downtown of Grand Rapids, and skip some of the odd out-and-backs. The industrial park around mile 18 was very windy and not fun - not to mention it was sort of strange running past a sewage treatment plant. Yet if anyone is looking for a marathon to do in Michigan, I would still recommend this one. The technical t-shirts were GREAT! The water stops and porta-potties were plentyiful. Another suggestion I would say would be to make sure the spectators STAY off the course at the finish line - I almost tripped over a toddler who ran in front of me. The medals were nice, and the hotels were very close to the start. Maybe the half marathoners could start at 7 in the future; it was sort of de-motivating to be running with them. I REALLY loved the celebrity pace groups (I almost managed to stick with the P-Diddy pacers, but ended up just beating Oprah).
Richard Fannin from Jacksonville, Florida (10/30/2006) "Fast Course" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I was severely disappointed by my race. Hoping for 3:30 and ran 3:37. Weather was absolutely perfect: 38 degrees, dry and not a cloud in the sky. It was windy, though. The one-mile loop in Millenium Park should be taken out. It got too crowded. A few too many hairpin turns. I am nit-picking, though. The course was beautiful, and organization superb. the best "small" marathon I have ever run. The race director, Don Kern, is great. He was giving hugs at the finish!
J. H. from Fishers, IN (10/30/2006) "Has its ups and downs" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Overall, I enjoyed the race, but there were a few things I was less than wild about: The three out-and-back sections for the full marathon got a bit tedious, especially the middle one that went through a business park. It was a very windy section, and going by a sewage treatment plant twice didn't help. Most of the course was very enjoyable. Lots of trees, no traffic concerns at all, and the volunteers were fantastic. Few spectators along the course, but that never bothers me at any race. The organization was great and everyone involved was friendly. I'd come back.
S. S. from Dayton, OH (10/30/2006) "Everything they said it would be!" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Sunday October 29, 2006 was truly a fantastic day. The marathon was everything the website and previous reviews said it would be. Fun and fast. From the fun spirit of the website to the smooth packet pick-up, then onto the course and to the finish line with my personal best - AWESOME! Thanks for a great time.
C. S. from Sparta, MI (10/30/2006) "A fun and creative race!" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I love the fact that GR is finally host to a great 1/2 marathon/marathon event. My only issue (which I must take partial responsibility for) is that there was not anyone at the fork for the 1/2 marathon when I reached it. I took off with the early runners and was never waved to keep straight. There were no postings that separated the two courses. I was at mile 10 of the marathon before anyone could answer the fact that I needed to head back 1 1/2 miles to the bridge to get back on the 1/2 marathon course. I had asked two aid stations prior and no one seemed to know where the fork was. Had I read the map I would have known... but of couse this time I didn't. The extra three miles were a real drag!
Derek Opperman from Granger, Indiana (10/30/2006) "First-class marathon all the way!" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first time running the Grand Rapids Marathon and I am very impressed with this first-class event. You can tell that this is a race put on by runners for runners; from the technical long-sleeve race shirts, to the great medals, Mylar "space" blankets at the finish, lots of port-o-johns at the start and at each aid station, well stocked aid stations and overall organization, Marathon Don and company put on one heck of a marathon. Do yourself a favor and try out Grand Rapids for your next fall marathon. It may lack the crowds of Detroit (which is a good thing) but it does not lack quality. A wonderful, scenic course with some city running and paved trails along the Grand River - it never gets boring. The packet pick-up is great too; being able to get your number on race morning is always a plus for those who need it and the host hotel (Amway Grand) is great and not far from the start. The only negaitives of the race (believe me - this is kind of a stretch to find anything negative about the race) is that there are not very many spectators to cheer you on and there are a couple of sections of the course that are through an industrial park and could be improved a bit. The course offers a few out-and-back sections, which is good to cheer on your fellow racers and get cheered on by them as well. The course is relatively flat and fast (I was able to PR by over 7 minutes) but offers some terrain change and twists and turns to break things up. Overall, a great race put on by great people. I am planning on coming back next year and shooting for another PR.

More Comments: [ < 1 .. 26 27 28 29 30 .. 33 > ]

Quick Links

Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools

Become an Advertiser

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Click Here: Please visit our Sponsor

Become an Advertiser

© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC

Privacy Policy Refund Policy Terms of Use