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Vancouver International Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Vancouver International Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 224 [displaying comments 31 to 41]
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E. J. from Surrey, BC
(5/10/2010)
 "Very well organized and fun race." (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Vancouver International Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Vancouver Marathon does an excellent job of showcasing Vancouver. The crowds were great and the organization was fabulous. There are numerous water/Gatorade stations and a lot of gel stations. I also enjoyed the out-and-back loop in the first 5 miles, giving us the opportunity to see the elite runners. This year the marathon did not have access to BC Place for the finish, so we were outside. That being said, this was not the organizer's fault (BC Place roof is being replaced) and I think, given the circumstances, they did alright with it. I would think they would have access to BC Place again next year, so it's likely a non-issue. Overall, a great experience. | |
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Alex Loewen from Blumengard, Manitoba, Canada
(5/3/2010)
"Excellent Organization!!! Superb course." (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Vancouver International Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great event. Great course. LOTS of volunteers and fans. The course is lined with encouragement from beginning to end. Please... give us mile markers! | |
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J. D. from BC
(5/3/2010)
 "Beautiful course; below average organization" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Vancouver International Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon are beautiful courses in gorgeous Vancouver, BC. The many volunteers are always friendly and helpful. But in 2010, the organization and infrastructure were not the best. Unfortunately, the official t-shirts were ruined in the screening process, and thus runners received unisex white t-shirts. Along the course, many runners were going into the bushes, as there were too few toilets. Also, it was a rainy day and runners did not have a warm, dry place to go after the race. The post-race atmosphere was crowded and confusing. Runners had to stand a long time in the rain waiting to funnel through a very narrow area into the secured zone. Most runners I talked to couldn't find the refreshments area, and when they did finally locate the tables, were faced with poor choice of snacks, and long line-ups in the cold rain for a simple coffee. Hence, most runners just left the area to warm up at their hotels or to find food and a hot drink. Overall, the Vancouver Marathon is a beautiful course to race in a warm and welcoming city, but hopefully the organizers learn from the difficulties of 2010, and find their way back to the great organization of previous years. | |
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H. S. from Washington, DC
(5/2/2010)
 "great race - with one glitch" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Vancouver International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is an excellent marathon. The course offers a nice tour of Vancouver, including some pretty parts of Stanley Park. The weather (in 2010) was cool with light rain, and on a flatness scale of 1-10, with 10 being pancake flat, I'd put this at about a 7. It's mostly flat, but with two bridge crossings and some small hills. The weather and topography make it a good race to PR at. The water and gel stops are frequent and well organized. The expo was a little crowded, but had lots of goodies. On the downside, there aren't terribly many spectators, but that might have been caused by the rain. There was one irritating glitch. There was a sign saying, "1 mile to go." That would be helpful except that the sign was located where there was only about one-half mile to go. I am wondering if the organizers confused miles with kilometers and put the sign where there was 1K to go. I had a GPS watch, so it didn't bother me that much, but for those who didn't, it may have been disheartening. That aside, this is a great marathon, and I recommend it strongly. | |
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Bob Delava from Woodland Hills
(12/21/2009)
"Beautiful course to run" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Vancouver International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first half marathon five years ago. The weather is always perfect for running. I really enjoyed running through Stanley Park. The event was organized very well. Plenty of water stations along the way and plenty of food at the end. The medal was nothing spectacular. I will be running again this year. - Bob Delava | |
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C. M. from Edmonton, AB
(9/13/2009)
 "Great Event - Highly Recommended" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Vancouver International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've done the Vancouver Half Marathon four times, and will continue to do it. Vancouver is a great city to visit, and the marathon organization has always been outstanding. The expo was too small this past year, and the location was difficult to find. We would have given up except we needed to pick up our race packages. The food tables at the end have always been plentiful, with a great variety of choices. I wouldn't bother with the pasta party - it's too expensive for the quality of the food. I love the tech shirt that I can actually use afterward! A well run event with a great course through downtown, Chinatown and along the sea wall. There were lots of cheering spectators along the course. The volunteers have always been great, but I wish the water stations were more plentiful. We've only had rain once and even that was just a drizzle. What do you expect? It's Vancouver. If doing the half marathon, make sure you do your hill training, because the hill in Stanley Park is tough! | |
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P. R. from Calgary, Alberta
(6/10/2009)
"beautiful course, great vibe; a "must do" race!" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Vancouver International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 When the sun is shining (or at least it is not cold and rainy), this is a beautiful course! There are a few short sections through some drab industrial areas, but for the most part the route takes you on a scenic tour of Vancouver, complete with harbour, ocean and mountain views, a tour of the downtown waterfront, Chinatown, Stanley Park, and some nice residential neighborhoods west of the downtown core. As always, the climb up and over the Burrard Bridge (twice) was a bit of a grind, but overall the course is fast and runner-friendly; just don't neglect the hill training for the final push! Organization was superb. Other cities should come and watch how Vancouver does it, especially in terms of staggering the starts for the different races, getting the walkers away early, and avoiding the usual congestion at the start and finish lines. The start/finish got bumped from B.C. Place (large domed stadium) this year, but the replacement outdoor area was still okay. Support along the course was amazing. Maybe it was the perfect weather, but almost all of the course had cheering spectators, sometimes several rows deep along English Bay and into Kitsilano. Water stations were well organized with lots of cheerful volunteers, and there were lots of bands and entertainment along the way to keep spirits up. I've done this race four years in a row, and can see it being one that I continue to return to until I am no longer able to drag myself across the start line; this race should be on everyone's list to do at least once. Way to go, Vancouver! | |
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Ray Miller from Vancouver, Canada
(6/8/2009)
"Great Marathon" (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Vancouver International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon, and I really enjoyed it. The water stations were spread out around the course at odd distances, but the crowds were excellent, and the weather was perfect. Great for my first time at this distance in Vancouver, and I look forward to challenging this course again. Look for me on the bike team next year. | |
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A. J. from Seattle, WA
(5/13/2009)
"Scenic and well organized course" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Vancouver International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon, and I was really pleased with my decision to choose the Vancouver Marathon as my first. The course is flat, scenic and well laid out, with literally thousands of volunteers. The race starts out wrapping around downtown. It was a little daunting, with all of the turns. But then it quickly wraps up to gorgeous Stanley Park. There's even a portion of the race on a trail, which was a great break from the pavement. The only hill was literally crossing a bridge (over and back) - about 100 feet, which is nothing! I can't thank the volunteers enough for making this such a great experience for me. My only suggestion would be to make package pick up a little easier to find. But I'm a newbie. Who cares about the tents and schwag? I was there to run a marathon! The weather turned out to be amazing, and the course was well marked. Overall, a great race. | |
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D. S. from Coram, New York
(5/12/2009)
"I expected more" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Vancouver International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Vancouver is a wonderful city. Thus, I expected a wonderful race also. Unfortunately, I was disappointed and therefore do not recommend this race. The organization was very minimal. On the other hand, the course was good, there plenty of drinks, and they had free coffee at the start and finish. The negatives: Small expo. There weren't many souvenirs for sale. Not much clothing. The running shirt was horrible. And most importantly, the medal was ridiculous. The medal does not have the city name or the date! Again, Vancouver is a nice place, but I think the marathon needs some improvement. While this is just my own opinion, I think some of the negatives mentioned above were also noticed by other runners. |
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