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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 311 to 321]
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D. R. from Southern Illinois
(10/30/2005)
 "Great day for a marathon, for sure" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 What a beautiful day, and a well run race. It isn't my favorite course but not without its charms. I love woodsy trails, but 26 miles worth of so-so bike trail got as little repetitive. But, not bad, really. The weather was perfect, and the organization and volunteers were great. There are almost NO spectators on this one though, so take note. I didn't think it would bother me, but it did. I was often all alone for a hundred yards in each direction and mile after mile was without spectator encouragement. But please don't take this as too much of a negative. The volunteers were great, and there is much to like. I loved the YMCA, for a warm place to wait for the start and a warm shower after the race. I got an all-over good feeling from this race. | |
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C. D. from Kalamzoo, Michigan
(8/12/2005)
 "Out...back...out...and back AGAIN!" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Although this was my fastest marathon, it wasn't the most stimulating. Due to the out-and-back course (which you had to run twice), I was a bit defeated when I saw the same scenery for the fourth time. It was fun to see other runners (like my dad who was a few miles ahead of me), but it was nearly impossible for spectators to take part along the course. It was a very cold morning, and the race started late, but I think it was done very well considering that it was an inaugural event. One of the biggest perks was that the course was VERY FLAT! Overall, it was an enjoyable experience, and it was nice having a marathon so close to home. The only thing that would make it better would be a little variety in the course. | |
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J. K. from Grand Rapids, MI
(11/15/2004)
"Great small marathon" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 This was a great small marathon on a very flat course, with only one very minor hill of any note at all. This is a good race for a PR because it is flat and not congested with other runners. There were some minor glitches that I'm sure will be ironed out next year -- a couple of stations ran out of Gatorade (pretty early in the race, too) and the start was delayed a few minutes. Crowds are sparse for the most part due to difficulty of access in the race's park setting, so if crowd support is important, be aware. But if you've run a few and some big ones, and you are looking for a good race to just put the hammer down, this is a good one. I hope to run this one every fall. I really appreciate the race director's efforts; he obviously is a runner who knows what he is doing, and he did a phenomenal job for a first-time marathon. | |
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S. F. from Goshen, IN
(11/9/2004)
"Great Inaugural Race" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I can see this race was put on by a runner. The water stops along the way were great. The only downside was running on a trail and not sure which side to run on with runners going both directions. Other than that, the race was put on great. | |
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R. B. from Millington, MI
(11/8/2004)
 "Excellent inaugural event" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I don't have a lot of marathon experience, but it doesn't take a lot of imagination to think of all of the things that could go wrong on a first effort of this magnitude. Aside from running short of Gatorade and food on the course and a few parking headaches, there is very little that anyone could find to criticize. Despite the burnt chili there seemed to be adequate food and the beer was cold at the post-race. The race was top-notch and I am sure it will get even better as some of the rough edges are knocked off in coming years. | |
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K. G. from Michigan
(11/7/2004)
"Expectations = ????/Satisfaction = ++++" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This one was great!! My expectations weren't real high - first-time event, small turnout, double out-and-back course, run on a paved bike path, etc., etc. But, the organization was excellent, the course was beautiful (all along a river), the logistics were well planned and the execution was well done. And the amenities were comparable to the big races. I'll run this one again and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice fall marathon. | |
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joseph sanders from Jax Florida
(11/5/2004)
"nice course" (about: 2004)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I was surprised by the out-and-back, usually not so nice. Good little bumps on the course, and the small hill at the end. Chili was burnt, fire was too high. Loved the t-shirt, much better than the plain old cotton. The race director put out a lot of effort on the one. Only real negative thing was the grand prize drawing at the pasta party. Maybe make something next year that can be taken on an airplane for those of us who travel to races. | |
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C. B. from adrian michigan
(11/2/2004)
 "6:00 am shuttle to 8:20 am start?" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Cold day, no food during race... why? Don should run the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon to pick up ideas. | |
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N. M. from Portage, Michigan
(11/1/2004)
"Great Inaugural Event" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first 1/2 marathon. The pace teams were fun to watch, even though I couldn't keep up with any of them! I love the cool finisher's medal. Great event, nice people and Krispy Kreme donuts at the finish, YUM! Thanks! | |
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Steve Rice from Kalamazoo, MI
(11/1/2004)
"Beautiful inaugural marathon" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 What a great job that was done for this first time event. Highly reccomend this if you want a well organized race on a beautiful, fast course, with a friendly, personal feel to it. The course is a double out-and-back with plenty of opportunities to see all the other runners. Beautiful course, mostly on a paved path with lots of trees and great views of the river. Well marked, plenty of aid staions to support the runners. Crowds were small-ish, but to me, that's the trade off for running in a park-like setting instead of downtown or through a subdivision. What the crowd lacked in size, they made up for in enthusiasm. Post-race food was delicious and plentiful. Nice laser-cut medals and long-sleeve tee completed the day. The race director sent out lots of emails prior to the race keeping you up to date and motivated. |
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