May 16, 2024
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☰
Pittsburgh Marathon (defunct: 1985-2003) Runner Comments
Back to Pittsburgh Marathon (defunct: 1985-2003) Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 85 [displaying comments 21 to 31]
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D. Rudy Mansfield from Sandy Hook, CT
(5/7/2003)
 "Well Organized Pennsylvania Marathon!!!!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is my fourth (Hartford, NJ Shore, & Ocean State). Hilliest of the four, but not too bad. Hill in middle and downhill during last six miles. Lots of water & PowerAde every 1.5 - 2 miles (Official Stations). Some fruit handed out and water from free lance supporters (Thanks Pittsburgh!). Baggage check, Portalets and Stadium bathrooms at start, all you can eat bananas, bagels, & water at finish. Pacers easy to spot at start of race (they held up signs so I could see them through 3,000 people). Downtown gorgeous, and people very helpful on directions. Crowd support pretty good for medium-sized race. Pittsburgh definitely showed up on race day. Would recommend this one, its #4 of my 50 states. | |
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L. v. from Pittsburgh
(5/7/2003)
 "Last leg of the relay" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I fully enjoyed the race. It was my first competitive race and I ended up running the 5.2 mile section of the relay (last part of the marathon). The support was great, bands kept me going, and the finish was great and well organized. The ankle bracelets are very nifty and accurate! Last but not least, the shuttle buses with their volunteers were very helpful to get me back where I came from. | |
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Tim Palmer from Manlius, New York
(5/6/2003)
 "Third marathon, first Pittsburgh" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I have run the Flying Pig and Marine Corps prior to this. This wasn't as much of an 'event' as those, but I enjoyed it. I thought that the course was challenging, but certainly not extreme. Series of gradual hills, nothing major. Spectators were very friendly, bands and music were entertaining and the water stops were frequent and well run. The expo was average at best. Post-race massage tent was GREAT! (only 10 minutes in line). Parking/driving in Pittsburgh is far more challenging than the race. A beautiful city though, and I loved the Renaissance Hotel. | |
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John Taylor III from Monongahela , Pa.
(5/6/2003)
"Excellent" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The people of Pittsburgh are simply the best.I am back of the packer , with times of 5:30 to 6:00 and the crowd support is still strong all along the course right up to the last runner. | |
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Mark Sillitoe from Washington, North Carolina.
(5/6/2003)
"A great marathon in a great city" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my third marathon and it was a far cry from the quiet calm and peaceful serenity that is Kiawah. BUT this is a fabulous race. I had to pull out last year with an injury a month before the race, but went to watch as a spectator. Now having watched and run the Pittsburgh marathon, I can say that it is a truly a great race to either run in or to watch from fabulous Heinz Field. The hills are worse than the elevation chart suggests (1 out of 10 for the elevation chart !).....and there were more of them than 'Jim' the 4 hour pacer kept telling us....'This is the last hill' he would announce at the top of his voice, only for us to turn another corner and see another incline! Of course he was from Pittsburgh so his definition of a hill is not the same as mine !! However the course is great and the crowds in the various neighbourhoods were fantastic. If you want to really see the city of Pittsburgh from Heinz Field, PNC Park, Oakland and the University of Pittsburgh, some georgous old homes, some desolate areas, the Strip District and three famous rivers, you can run 26.2 miles and see it all. If you have never run a marathon and are interested, you can have a seat in Heinz Field and watch the whole race on the Jumbotron and experience the thrill of marathon running. I ended up running a PR thanks to 'Jim' the pacer, and although I live in a very, very flat part of North Carolina, if you train properly, the hills won't kill you. I'll be back next year! | |
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t. m. from New York
(5/6/2003)
"challenging hilly marathon" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a great marathon for an experienced marathoner. The hills undulate and there is a huge incline between mile 10-11. You will see a constant stream of relay participants blasting out of their exchange points. Aside from the top 50 female and 50 male marathoners, the field is not as competitive as at other courses. The crowds are nothing like NYC, but the still very nice and diverse. This is not a course to PR on but rather one to feel the burn in your 'buns of steel', quads, and calves. It's certainly worth a try. | |
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Christian Arriola from Washington DC
(5/5/2003)
"Very Challenging Course" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I avoided this marathon in previous years because I heard stories about the hills and I finally decided to run this race because of the start and finish at Heinz Field (I'm a big Steelers fan). The course indeed was challenging, but with the support of spectators, the great volunteers, and my fellow runners, I managed to finish the race with a PR. Seeing yourself on the Jumbotron once you enter the stadium is a great. The live music and DJs throughout the course are great pick-me-ups. My only complaint is not having the water station on both sides of the street. | |
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g. b. from greenville, South Carolina
(5/5/2003)
"perfect for a first-time marathoner" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Being a first-timer who is 51 and just started running 10 months ago, the Pittsburg marathon was perfect. I did a lot of research online and looked at a lot of marathons before deciding on this one. What a great choice. The course had enough ups and downs to keep it interesting, and the down hill from mile 23 in was great. The organization from the expo, the pasta dinner, the symposium, and race day were all fantastic. It's not too big that you get lost in the shuffle. The actual race started right on time. The music along the way was entertaining and the crowd support was phenominal. (If I do it again, I plan to carry a roll of gold dollars to throw out to all the kids who on their own gave out water, oranges, and bananas in between water stations - they were fantastic). The massage afterwards was great. Plenty of food at the finish line, and finishing in the stadium was neat. The only suggestion I have would be to have Powerade available at the finish (in addition to the water). If you're looking for a first marathon, look no further. | |
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D. C. from New York, NY
(5/5/2003)
 "Hills, Hills and more Hills" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 3rd marathon and I just ran it yesterday. Even though my body isn't in bad shape, I don't even want to think about another hill for quite some time. Hills are fine and great to break up the monotony of generally flat courses, but this course was a bit ridiculous. There wasn't ample time to really recover from any of the hills. You'd climb one, turn on a flat or slight downhill, and then there was another one. It has a serious impact on the mental part of your game. The course description needs to shed a little light on these hills, and the elevation chart didn't do these hills any justice. Mile 22 hill is a joke. I felt like I needed to get a scope on my knee right then and there. The expo was a bit disappointing. Maybe 25 vendors at most. Could have been better production there. People of Pittsburgh were great and everyone who ran and participated were in great spirits. If you're considering this one to add to your list, read all the comments to get an idea of what lies ahead. I don't think I'll be back for this one, but then again... | |
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Ashley Wood from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(5/4/2003)
"This relay was great and I loved it." (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran on a relay team. I am fourteen and I loved it. Next year I am definitely doing the 26-mile. This marathon is great and I really enjoyed it. |
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