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May 5, 2024

Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for Via) Runner Comments

Back to Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for Via) Information & Reviews

Course 4.1

Organization 3.8

Spectators 3.5

Number of comments: 82 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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L. B. from nyc (11/4/2016) "Run 17 marathons, this was MY least favorite" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Everyone's opinion of their preferred course is different. I know that many people love this marathon because it's super flat and therefore supposedly fast. But my fastest marathon happens to be when a few rolling hills are involved. I've run 17 marathons in all different locations and this one ranks for me as my least favorite. Yes the course is flat, but there are NO spectators along the way and you are on the same boring bike trail besides an unattractive and bug filled stream for over 15 of the miles - if you think marathons in general are boring, this one should frighten you away. Support along the sides with water was ok - not great, but better than expected for a small marathon. I would highly encourage you to talk to people before running this marathon to see if it's right for you.
J. M. from Lehigh Valley (10/21/2016) "Poor Planning." (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 Was hoping for a BQ but poor race planning led to a train crossing and holding up the BQ group for 5+ minutes. Two months later and still waiting for an apology and a response to my emails. They should be ashamed of themselves.
M. H. from New Hampshire (9/16/2016) "Loved it... except for the train" (about: 2016) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and I did it purely to qualify for Boston to join a bunch of high school track and XC buddies. I needed something as close to the BQ deadline as possible (since I only decided to try to qualify in the Spring), within driving distance, and flat. In all respects, it fit the bill. I stayed at the Days Inn which was a few hundred yards from the finish line. They had a marathon package which allowed us to check out at 2pm which was awesome. Plus they brought out breakfast at 4am. Totally rolled out the red carpet for us which I really appreciated. I took the morning bus to the starting line which left right outside the hotel. There were a big line of school buses and I didnt wait for more than 3 minutes before we were off. Great job on that front. Hot day. Mid to upper 70s on the 7am starting line. Frustrating because 24 hours later, it was 51 degrees which would have been fantastic. There were plenty of porta potties but I went into the big medical center at the starting line which was the beneficiary of the race charity. It was beautiful. I stayed cool in the AC, used the big long halls to do my warmup jog, used their indoor bathrooms, and got a hand full of ice cubes from the café to chew and swallow before heading to the starting line at the last minute. This, after sipping on my slushie I made in the hotel with my blender from home and Gatorade ice cubes I made in the hotel freezer overnight. Also dumped water on my head moments before the gun went off (made the local paper with that one - http://www.mcall.com/mc-thousands-participate-in-the-annual-via-mar-015-photo.html) Loved the course overall. 10 miles of trails that were well-packed and provided good traction. I run on rail trails quite a bit and they were very similar. The big downhill a mile in is where people not used to running hills need to hold back and save their shocks. The uphill at 21 miles isnt big. But it comes at just the wrong time and really sucks the wind out of peoples sails. And the gravel road there was the only objectionable surface. The shade and breeze were lifesavers on this hot day. Volunteers were great. I had no problem with the quantity or spacing of aid stations. Im a newbie and am not good at drinking from a cup at full speed. So I only got a couple gulps at each station. That wasnt enough. I was dehydrated enough at the end to need IV fluids although I didnt seek them out. <possible TMI alert> After chugging Gatorade nonstop after the race, I finally peed six hours after the start and it was, like, nine drops of dark yellow sludge. Finish area was fine. I dont think anyone does or doesnt do a race because of the finish area, honestly. Live music, adequate food, first aid, porta potties, hydration, vendors, beer (couldnt possibly imagine drinking one in my condition, though). All good. The train. OMG what a cluster. Just google it and youll see everything you want to know so I wont reiterate. Totally inexcusable. Seems that anyone going faster than about 6:30 pace made it through. I was doing 6:40s and there were a handful of people waiting when I arrived. I waited 6+ minutes. Agree with previous poster that race directing is about details and repetition. If theres one thing Ive learned from managing employees, its Trust But Verify. Emails back in June (and maybe or maybe not with the right people) are insufficient. Get the confirmation the week of, 3 days before, the day before, etc. I BQed by almost 20 minutes even with the train delay so Ive got nothing to complain about. But my heart goes out to those who missed qualifying because of this. And my heart goes out to the race organizers who pulled off such an otherwise flawless experience. And most of all, to the medical charity that serves such a good and necessary cause and will surely see lower attendance and funding as a result in the future.
M. J. from Raleigh, NC (9/15/2016) "Beautiful course" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first Lehigh Valley Marathon, so I was pleased at the detailed, online instruction booklet that outlined every aspect of the race from course maps to transportation. The volunteers were exceptional. Some were high school XC runners who treated us older runners with great respect. I was enthralled by the tour of the Bethlehem Steel plant I took at the Expo. The course itself was mostly on well groomed trails along canals and the Lehigh River, with a few miles in the middle through historic Bethlehem. Some of the paths were dusty, but volunteers handed out cool towels for us to wipe off the dust. The only part of the course I did not enjoy was a gravel road towards the end of the race which was hard on my old feet. Nevertheless, I qualified for Boston with 20 minutes to spare and enjoyed the scenic route. Bravo to all who put together this wonderful race! I highly recommend it..
C. K. from N.J. (9/15/2016) "Nice race, can't control the weather" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This year's race was warm and humid, but that's the chance you take with a September marathon. After seeing the forecast, I ditched the PR effort, and just set out to have an enjoyable race. I was drenched in sweat from the first mile. The course is really scenic, and the trail portion is shaded, which is huge since when we were in the sun, it was punishing. Aid stations were plentiful and volunteers were awesome. Many thanks to those handing out wet towels and ice. The trail portion isn't bad at all. It is flat and straight, for the most part, so not a difficult trail run. I encountered a little congestion when we first entered the trail after converging from the road, but it spaced out after 1-2 miles. The expo is easy to find and I was in and out quickly, which is what I look for in a race expo. Parking at the start was hassle free, and there were plenty of port-o-potties. The start was well organized. The finish had a little congestion and confusion, the reason being they understandably had the medical tent first. My apologies for interrupting a paramedic to ask for food. Oops. The finish festival looked nice but I didn't stick around. I easily found the bag check and a volunteer there directed me to the shuttles back to the start. Overall, I enjoyed this race and if the weather had been cooler, I think I would've been able to push for a faster time. I will add I cannot comment on the train interruption, since it didn't affect me, and I only heard about it afterwards.
J. H. from New Jersey (9/14/2016) "Well organized and improving every year" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for s COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the sixth time I have run this marathon. It has improved every year. Any prior problems always seem to be addressed and solved for next year's race. It will never be the fastest course due to the tow path portion and there will never be spectators lining every inch of the course because of the nature of the course. However aid stations are well stocked and the volunteers were great. Spectators were loud and encouraging in all the places along the course they were able to access. I haven't participated yet in a perfect marathon, some are very good, some good, and some not quite as good. This is one of the better ones and is getting better each year. I'll be back again next year.
R. G. from Philadelphia (9/14/2016) "The Great Bethlehem Train Robbery" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for s COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 The word has probably spread far and wide of the debacle that was the 2016 Via Marathon. The bulk of the race front runners were held captive for up to 10 minutes waiting for a train to pass at a train crossing. Unfortunately, I was part of this spectacle as I watched in partial disbelief that some runners would be desperate enough to actually jump on to the moving train to get across. The race organizers were quick to pass blame on the railroad, citing a few email communications 3 months before the race as confirmation that no trains would be running. For such a crucial element to both runner safety and race integrity, how about getting a confirmation on the matter the week before the race?? Hard lesson learned at the expense of those who trained for months and paid to participate in this event. So no amount of regret or 'I'm sorries' from the race organizers will grant my forgiveness. Secondly, there were insufficient in number and poorly spaced water stations. Considering the potential for hot weather and this being the 10th iteration of this race, you would think this other crucial runner safety issue would be better managed. Course: Minus the potential for train delays, the course is reasonable. The trail section is serene and shaded and mostly hard packed. However, in dry weather conditions, it will get quite dusty from all the runners and there are some rougher sections. Post-race: It was adequate, with an unremarkable supply of food available, beer (if you were willing to wait in a line of 50 or so people), and music. However, it was poorly laid out and difficult to know where anything was. Also, the only cold water seemed to be at the med tent. What I like about this race is that it is logistically very easy. But after 10 years, this race should be a smoother operation than it was this year. Because of this and the potential for extreme weather, I won't be running it again.
M. L. from New Jersey (9/13/2016) "Needs more organization to be truly BQ-friendly" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I should say that that weather was quite warm for an early morning in September, and I fell well short of my time goals. That is obviously nothing the race organizers could have controlled, so take the rest of my review with a grain of salt. I might have been able to overlook some of the things I didn't like if I had run better. Of the marathons I've run, the one that this seems to match best is the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in Albany/Schenectady. Both courses are mostly flat with a net downhill, along river paths. I would guess the number of marathon runners is about the same. Both races market themselves as good for BQ-seekers. But I felt Mohawk was a much better race and more worth the registration price. Now, for this race: I liked the venue for the expo, because once I got my bib I was able to walk around the old Bethlehem Steel plant and I learned a lot about its history. But there wasn't any signage at the expo (at least, none that I saw) branded with the Via Marathon logo. So it took me a while to understand that I was in the right place. The expo was pretty small, with only a few vendors and no freebies. Most expos I've been to collect used sneakers, and I had brought about six pairs with me. But instead I had to lug them back to the car. Also, there were no pace runners for this race. I know pace runners aren't necessary to have a good time, but if youre trying to attract people looking to BQ, those people probably want pace groups. At the starting line they had people grouped by anticipated finish time, but I fell in the '3:05-3:30 range which is pretty wide. Plus nobody had any idea what their realistic time goals should be given the weather. So it was kind of unnerving. Other than that, the start went well. Parking was easy and there were plenty of porta-potties. The course is pretty, running mostly along a river trail. I didn't mind the amount of cinder surface, but the one stretch of gravel road in about the 21st mile was brutal. Spectators were supportive and the hydration stations were plentiful. I especially liked it when volunteers were placed a few hundred yards ahead to let us know we were close to water. The finish line setup was disappointing. When people have just finished a marathon, theyre disoriented and incoherent. There should be a single chute that directs people to what they need. I got water and a colt wet towel right away, but I had to ask directions to the food tent. It turned out I needed to make a U-turn and walk about 100 yards to get there. The food was pretty meager - one small bag of trail mix, one small bag of pretzels, an applesauce, a banana, and a small bagel (Why do they hand out bagels at marathons? Ive been carboloading for three days; the last thing I want is another bagel! Same thing with pretzels. When I finish a race I crave fat and protein.) They had beer for the finishers too, but the line was over 100 deep, and I really needed to sit in the shade, so I skipped it. Bag pickup was very good, though. The most frustrating part was that I had trouble finding the shuttle bus back to the starting line. I was in a hurry because I had hoped to get back to my hotel for a shower before I hit the road (I had gotten a slightly later checkout time). When I got to the end of the finish line there was a sign with Shuttles and an arrow to the left. I followed the arrow and ended up wandering up Northampton Street to the main square. When I figured I had gone too far I looped back down South 3rd to the race finish, and the volunteers directed me to the same spot where I had gotten lost. Eventually I discovered that the shuttles were straight ahead, not to the left. The sign I had followed before had been removed. I dont know if that sign was in the wrong place, or wasn't supposed to be there at all. But there should have been clear, correct signage, branded with the Via Marathon logo. The result was that I walked an extra half mile in the hot sun, confused, sweaty, shirtless, and grimy from the cinder trails, and I missed my shower. So to sum up, the experience offered didn't match that of other races of this size that Ive run, and wasn't worth the registration price. I'd go back for another shot if they had pace groups, and now that I know my way around the expo and finish areas I might feel more comfortable.
Natalie Staines from Maryland (9/22/2015) "Beautiful course but more trail than I expected." (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I chose this course for its net downhill and BQ reputation. The trail portion of the course was significantly more than I expected and was terrain I wasn't used to running on. The field of runners was fast but also small, so on 12-ish miles worth of gravel trail with little spectator support and small packs of runners, my mental motivation was challenged. It was mostly shaded which was great and the river was indeed serene. The field was a fast group and I had a way too fast first half trying to keep pace. That made what otherwise would be short and tiny hills in the second half seem brutal. The areas that did have spectators were an awesome uplift! Finish line area was also awesome. I'd recommend it IF you are cool with trail running and don't need major crowd support. Miles 15-21 were pretty darn quiet.
L. H. from Pennsylvania, USA (9/15/2015) "Nice small-town marathon... if you're not slow" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Via Marathon (formerly the Lehigh Valley Hospital Marathon for COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The course: beautiful, although I agree with a reviewer who said it's one of the fastest because of who's running, not because of the course. The volunteers: wonderful. The spectators: sparse, especially because so much of the trail was in the woods, but enthusiastic and great when they were there. The parking: no problem this year. The finish line festival? Well, I wouldn't know. Despite the fact I finished well under the course time limit (5:10 gun time, 6 hour course limit), the finish festival was done. To be fair, it did say that in the materials, and if I'd seen it, I wouldn't have registered. This wasn't just bored people- this was planned. Food was hard to find (I spotted a few bananas, but nothing more), although there was at least water and Gatorade. Pretty sure the beers were packed up. The announcer and the finish line were still there, but not much else was. Look, I get that I'm slow. I get that these things cost money and that they can only be open so long. But if that's the case, then make the course limit shorter. That's fine- I have no issues with an event that says 'we can only be open 5 hours, so you have to finish by then.' But it's really disheartening to be treated like a second-class citizen like that. (And I had a good day. I can only imagine how much it must suck for someone who bonked and was already upset with their performance.) This was my 11th marathon, and while I've seen finish lines starting to come down, I've never had this experience of the entire festival officially wrapping up substantially before the course time limit. (To be fair, the water stations were still well-stocked and well-manned when I ran through them, and that is definitely more important.) It was a beautiful course, a well-organized, no-frills small marathon, but even though it's local, I won't be running this one again.

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