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May 8, 2024

Rochester Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.3

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.9

Number of comments: 164 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 17 > ]

D. R. from Cincinnati, OH (9/23/2013) "Great small marathon that I recommend!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a really nice marathon: Good stuff: 1) nice medal 2) nice shirt 3) very organized expo 4) friendly volunteers 5) very pretty course (especially East Avenue)...Erie Canal was nice also. 6) Plenty of aid stations along the way 7) Excellent traffic control 8) Chocolate milk at finish (my fav) 9) The start was great...full marathon starts 15 minutes before half, so never crowded. 10) Nice finish line...lots of cheering and they call out your name. I went to Letchworth State Park (about a one-hour drive south of Rochester) the day after the race...strongly recommend going there, as it is beautiful!
Dave Bapst from East Aurora, NY (9/23/2013) "Best of the 5 I've run so far" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Loved the Rochester marathon. Small - just the way I like it. Just enough enthusiastic spectators. Loved running along the Historic Erie canal through some neat little towns. Gravel was a nice break for my feet.
B. K. from Richfield Springs, NY (9/25/2012) "A wonderfully run small marathon!" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I have run approximately 15 marathons and find the MVP to be a great event! The course is close to flat, with a few minor hills. The first portion is on the streets of Rochester. The roads are more suburbia than anything with a great deal of trees (very little direct sun) With about 2/3 of it on the Erie Canal path. The last mile or so is back on the streets. The parking is easy to access and there are numerous reasonably priced hotels in the area. This is a great run for the BQ Boston runner and the price is very reasonable for what you get! The volunteers did a fantastic job and did it with a smile!
J. R. from NY (9/25/2012) "decent race, but not a destination marathon" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Pros: Nice, mostly-flat course on city streets and 12 miles along the Erie canal (which is about 1/2 gravel and 1/2 paved) Crowd support was better-than-expected for a small marathon The Hyatt was a reasonably nice hotel, with friendly employees Bag drop / pick-up was well-organized Free massages at the end Cons: There's nothing for visitors to do in Rochester The expo closed too early on Sat (4pm) Unattractive race shirt and medal Food at the end was poor Faster marathoners will spend the last 6 miles passing by the 1/2 marathon walkers some water stops weren't organized (the same volunteers had gatorade and water, one in each hand) There aren't any race clocks along the course, but that's not an issue for anyone with a Garmin
A. K. from Rochester, NY (6/25/2012) "Awesome well organized smaller marathon" (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the Rochester half, my hometown race, in 2011. The course is mostly flat with a couple of bumps and inclines. The course starts on the Andrews bridge and goes through downtown neighborhoods for a few miles. Wide streets with excellent traffic control by marshals and police. For the last several miles the half course merges with the final portion of the full marathon course that runs along the paved Erie canal and Genesee river paths. All races end with a downtown finish by the Frontier Field. The event was very well organized. Nice expo that stayed open until late in the evening the day before. Water stops were available, but I didn't end up needing them since it was cool out. The weather that year was perfect, dry and cool. Plenty of volunteers and spectators everywhere on the course. Although it's a small town, it's got an active running community and lots of people come out to (loudly) cheer. I registered fairly late but still got a red long-sleeve cotton top. The registration fees were not high compared to other races.
T. P. from Boston (9/30/2011) "Great flat and fast marathon" (about: 2011) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Ran this as my second marathon in an attempt to BQ for Boston '12. Weather was great (50ish at the start a little over 60 by the finish). Course was good - I like the section along the Erie that others are calling boring - but I'm glad that I rode the course a few days before to find out that there was 5.5 miles of gravel in the middle. Water stop support was top notch and everything was plentiful as I went by. Gus were positioned after water/Gatorade which is tough if you want to take them right away. Ran past a lot of half-marathon walkers in the last 4 miles of the course. I was all alone at that point, so it was tough to pace. Walkers were generally good about making room when they heard me coming though, which was nice. Thanks Rochester - it was a well run marathon overall and everything I needed. Signed up for Boston '12 the next morning.
J. V. from Flowery Branch, GA (9/20/2011) "Awesome Marathon!" (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Wow! This is a superbly organized marathon. The course is great and scenic, running along the Erie canal, the hills are negligible, and the organization is stellar. Highly recommended!
Andrew Thomas from Buffalo, NY (10/29/2010) "Okay marathon" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I thought the marathon was okay. The course is somewhat boring as you travel out against traffic to the Erie towpath and run it until about mile 24. It's nice but by mile 20 it's a little redundant. The last 2 miles you do nothing but tell half-marathon walkers that there is a runner coming. I ran this race on the back half of the Highlander cycle tour and would not consider running the just the marathon. Too many other fall marathons to choose from.
K. R. from Rochester, NY (9/16/2010) "Another good year" (about: 2010) 2 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half again this year. I have run as a relay team member twice and I have run the half 3 times. My wife ran as a relay team member for the first time this year. We had a great time. I may run the full marathon next year. I feel that this was the best year yet. We had so much fun. The relay stations were crowded and exciting. I enjoy running down East Ave., on the canal, through the park and on the U of R campus. The people at the water stops where really fun and encouraging. It just keeps getting better and better each year. I can't wait until next year.
Lichu Sloan from New York State (9/15/2010) "Class Act! Rochester, You Rock!" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Rochester Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is my first Rochester Marathon, and my number 88 marathon. I loved it! Being skeptical about running for more than 10 miles on the Erie Canal Pathway, both from a support and a boredom prospective, I wrote to the race director. Greg replied to me and was very supportive and encouraging. I really did enjoy running on the canal pathway; it was so beautiful, had so much history, and there was plenty of support on the pathway from course marshals, water station volunteers, relay teams and spectators, and medical doctors! They were awesome! They talked to runners and offered words of encouragement. The rest of the Rochester Marathon course was very nice. We ran on East Ave., with all the beautiful mansions and houses. Rochester Policemen did a great job controlling traffic; they also cheered the runners and shouted words of encouragement. Two policewomen were on the mound on the canal pathway, showing their support. I would like to thank bib # 83, Tom Butler, his running friend, and his wife for supporting me on the course when I was not feeling well. Thanks to Tom's wife for taking some of my running gear to the Fleet Feet baggage pick-up at the finish. I highly recommend that everyone run Rochester. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, a very luxurious hotel, with great service, for only $99 per night! We were given a late check-out to 3 p.m. I was sick to my stomach during and after the marathon; I took a nap, and sent my husband down to ask for late check-out to 3:30 p.m. It was honored. A pasta dinner at the Hyatt was great; the food and service was great. The manager, hostess, waitresses and waiters were so friendly and very professional. The salad was healthy and consisted of high-quality greens. NOT A PIECE OF WILTED GREEN! I would like to run it again next year if I don't have a conflict with another marathon. We stopped and stayed Sunday night at Letchworth State Park (the Grand Canyon of the East), and hiked to the Upper Falls, Middle Falls and Lower Falls. It was so beautiful. I have lived in New York State for 39 years, and this was the first time that I visited Rochester and Letchworth State Park. I feel so lucky to have had the experience!

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