Cox Sports Providence Marathon
Providence, RI
Sunday, May 3, 2009
8:00 a.m.

I flew into Providence on Friday afternoon and stayed in the host hotel, Westin, which provided late check-out on Sunday. The packet pick-up/expo was in the hotel on Saturday and before the race on Sunday. The technical short-sleeved shirt each runner received was nice. Race morning temperatures ranged from low 50s to mid 60s. It was mainly overcast, and wind was not a factor. The start and finish lines were outside Westin. The out-and back/looped course was through Providence, East Providence, Seekonk, and Barrington. It was fairly scenic and included several hilly sections, which deserved plenty of respect. We ran the first eight miles with half-marathoners. There was a large number of volunteers throughout the course. Traffic control was very good. There were enough water/sports drink stations, which could have been organized better, as it was hard to know who was handing out water or sports drink. There were also sports gels in a few locations. The finisher's medallion was nice, and there were plenty of refreshments at the finish, which included pizza and beer. I saw several selfish runners and non-runners taking boxes of pizza and began to wonder if any would be left for late finishers. There was a band entertaining the finishers. In short, it was a well organized running event.

I am a 50-stater and this was #46.

What a huge improvement from last year. Everything about the race - from the expo to the free pizza and beer at the end - was awesome. The course was much improved from last year as well. Very scenic. Like the last person said, there were plenty of police and volunteers along the course. The water stops were much improved over last year too.

One of my favorites!

I had a great time running my first marathon. I was a little nervous after seeing comments from last year, but because this is my home state and because of the ideal timing of this race, I signed up. And I'm glad that I did. The course was well marked. I never had a doubt about where to turn. Spectators were great - even as we were running through some of the quiet neighborhoods, people were out showing support. Many of the police officers were showing their support, and the aid stations were all stocked with more than enough volunteers handing out supplies and cheering on the runners. I can't wait to run this one again next May.

The complaints about 2008 had me concerned; however, nothing seemed out of sorts this year. A fairly flat course with well stocked/placed aid stations. Nice post-race "party" and medal. Only issue was the mile markers - either I missed a few of the 26 or some were not there and a few, per my Garmin, seemed to be placed more than a few tenths off. For example, number 25 was definitely off. Overall, a great race and location. Not sure what happened last year, but they corrected any problems and the result was well done.

I was amazed at how fun this race was, having read last year's comments. From the mellow start, to the well marked and varied course, to the amazingly happy and helpful volunteers and great aid stations, this race should continue to grow. Kudos to the race director and staff. Providence rocks!

I really enjoyed myself at this race. This was a small-town-type marathon, with a handful of spectators and lots of beauty along the way. The first seven miles are rolling, but not much more difficult than a loop around Central Park. The rest of the race is fairly flat. A lot of the course is on a quiet recreational path, with some gorgeous water views. The quiet was almost zen-like. Support on this course was top-notch, from the policemen to the terrific volunteers. I highly recommend staying at the Westin or Courtyard Marriott - can't beat sleeping in and then heading just down the block for the race start! I somehow missed the pizza and beer at the end, so that was a bummer. The technical shirt wasn't bad - it could use a little more color though. I paid extra to get a very cool tie-dye shirt, with my name listed alphabetically on the back. Bravo, Providence! My finish completes my marathons in the Northeast. :-)

I ran the Cox 1/2 Marathon in both 2008 and 2009. It improved dramatically in that time. It's super organized and there's always help available for your questions. I will run it again.

The 2009 marathon was my 35th marathon. If anyone has a qualifying effort in them, I would recommend this race. There are lots of turns, so you have to be engaged. This will prevent you from being lulled into a state of complacency. The terrain offers nice variety. Aid stations always seemed to be there when I needed one. It's nice to see the Providence skyline after 20 miles - a nice reminder that the finish line awaits!

I've done both years of the Providence Marathon and I think the organizers really figured it out in Year Two! Nice expo (so much better to have it at a hotel), nice start/finish location (no buses! same place to start and end - woo hoo!), nice course (yay to Barrington), and nice volunteers. Thank you for a challenging run yesterday!

As head coach for Dreamfar Newton South and a veteran marathoner and Ironman athlete, I was extremely pleased with the care and support the race gave to its athletes, including our 22 athletes - New England's first high school marathon team. We chose this event because of its timing and availability, but will return to it because of it's hospitality, personalization, and professional organization. It is a fast course with a great tour of Providence, and the run along the bike road has some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen on a marathon course. Highly recommended!