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May 9, 2024

Cleveland Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 3.9

Organization 3.9

Spectators 3.3

Number of comments: 295 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

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K. B. from Canton, OH (5/19/2014) "Not a top tier Marathon" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 3 Cleveland Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I have run CLE three times. Previous had some issues but not a big deal. This year was by far the worst. They combined 10K with half and full runners. The corrals were not monitored. Start line excitement was nonexistent. No music, no band, just an announcer and a mic. I have run in club races that had better atmosphere. The course itself was modified for construction, but I felt like the amount of turns and short side streets were very excessive. Moreover, due to the amount of short streets, fans were basically nonexistent in that part of the course. The Goo stations were way undermanned, so bad that the first station open boxes were on left on the water station table. Water stations was a mix of 30 plus to an s little as 5ish. Finally, no clocks on the course. No spilt clock no mile clocks nothing. This is always marketed as a top 50 event in the country but the atmosphere and presentation did not live up to it.
J. M. from Columbus, OH (5/18/2014) "New cou" (about: 2014) 2 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Cleveland Marathon is advertised as a big event with 20,000 people-it's not. The 10k, half marathon and marathon all run together and totals a little less than 11,000. Its advertised as being flat, and its not. The course entertainment was severely lacking, but the crowd made up for it. Best expo I've ever been to. Lots of water stops. Running on Lake Avenue for about 12 miles isn't a whole lot of fun, but is probably better than running on the east side of Cleveland. Lots of potholes and uneven running surfaces. I wish the course ran through downtown Cleveland more, instead of just the two miles at the start and then the tiny bit at the finish. Great medal and great shirt. Mile markers were off by about 0.11, which threw everyone off. Start wasn't exciting at all- you would think for the Rock and Roll City it'd be killer- but no. Great pace teams who were spot on. Wish there was more support from local organizations and professional sports teams. I probably would not run this race again, but I think people liked the new course and I think it has a lot of potential (even though its been run 37 years). Perfect running weather. Oh, almost got hit by a car toward the end of the race because an old lady needed to leave her high-rise condo- this did not make the Police very happy.
I. M. from US (MD) (5/18/2014) "fast and mostly flat course" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This morning was my first marathon and I had a wonderful experience coming from MD. The organization, spectators, signage and water stations were all really good. The course is pretty flat except for the last 2 miles at the end but then ends going downhill. Great weather made for a great run. Only con: had to miss a few of the sights because I had to look down for the first part of the marathon to avoid uneven road pavement. Last part of the marathon, the roads were a lot better and amazing neighborhoods along the Lake. Overall- a great experience with an awesome medal and Nike Tech shirt.
Suzanne Bansley from Brattleboro, Vermont, USA (12/13/2013) "Nice Race, Well Organized, and Fun" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 It's difficult to map a scenic course in Cleveland. There are a lot of brownfields and abandoned lots sprinkled throughout the city. But this race did well enough to pick out the best roads to showcase Cleveland's positive attributes. Spectators lined the course, especially in the first half, and all were super excited to have a race there. Some parts were crowded on the sidelines; it looked like people were there for a parade. Several bands on the course were rather entertaining. Volunteers at the water stations were very helpful and encouraging. The tee-shirt and medal are great! The start and finish lines were difficult to get to and parking was a pain. It was quite the walk from where I parked, not a problem before, but tough after the race. Post race food was lame, just simple bagels and bananas, but there was an ice pop and I hadn't had one in years so that sort of made up for what food they lacked. It was a really hot day and the organizers did so well in compensating for the heat with extra water. It did take me down though. I walked the majority of miles 18-22, fortunately that part took us through community gardens and city parks, so it was a highlight. Overall, this was a nice race, well organized, and fun. Read my detailed take on the race on my blog: http://empoweredbyrunning.com/?p=29
M. P. from Cleveland (5/29/2013) "Bad Organization" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 6+ Cleveland Marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 You can't control the weather, but you can control how many water stops you have. There should be one every mile during the second half. This was my 6th Cleveland Marathon(The Medal has not changed) and the roads keep getting worse. I tripped over a pot hole at mile 21 and got scraped up pretty bad. Many runners stopped to help me up and see if I was OK. When I finished I went to the first aid tent, they told me I needed to exit and go around the back, when I got to the back they told me they were not allowed to let me enter in that way. Therefore I got no medical attention, and no one seemed to care. The gear drop off was in the most inconvenient spot possible. After running a marathon they make you walk another 1/2 mile to pick up your gear. These guys have been organizing this marathon for a long time, and keep on making rookie mistakes. It's time for someone else to take over.
L. N. from Orlando, Florida (5/27/2013) "Loved every minute of it!" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon. The weather was cool at the start and wamed up for us slower runners but Im used to running in 85-90 degree weather so it didnt effect me. Other runners struggled because of the heat. I really enjoyed the crowd support-especially at the very end when I really needed it. After the 1/2 split from us the crowds cleared out but thats pretty normal. There were a lot of potholes and you have to be very careful throughout the course-thats the main reason I didnt give 5 stars. The marathon HQ hotel Hyatt left much to be desired. They did have a shuttle to the expo but there was nothing going on for the runners to make it feel like you were at the HQ. wont stay there again. I agree that there should have been more to choose from to eat at the finish. I had to wait to get to the hotel. All in all, I truly enjoyed the volunteers, entertainment, people hosing us down and the crowds that came out to cheer for people they dont even know. I will do Cleveland again.
E. A. from Columbus, Ohio (5/23/2013) "Great race, could be improved" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Pros: -one of the best and definitely the biggest expo I've attended. Tons of vendors to shop and free samples. -plenty of indoor bathrooms are available pre-race inside the Browns stadium. I was able to use the restroom multiple times without much of a wait and didn't have to hold my breath in a port-o-pot. Major plus. -I've heard the water stops in 2012 were not supported well enough, didn't have enough water, etc. Not the case this year. The volunteers were awesome about calling out what they were holding and having plenty of cups ready. They also started spraying runners with a hose after mile 15 or so when the temperature rose close to 80. -the course is a lot of fun and takes you through so many areas and landmarks of Cleveland. Miles 19-21 are run through the cultural gardens on MLK drive, probably my favorite part of the race. Shaded by trees and beautiful scenery. -more than enough refreshments at the finish line. I've never seen so many bananas! The cold popsicles were great and runners get one free drink in the beer tent. -finisher's medal is fun and great quality Cons- -course is not what I would describe as 'flat and fast'- the first mile is almost completely uphill and there are many other long, gradual inclines. Nothing unbearable, but don't expect flat. -this has been mentioned already, but beware of potholes!! Completely out of the race organizer's control, just be ready if you plan on running this race. Less than a mile in I twisted my ankle in a hole- thankfully was not injured but had to pay close attention to the ground the rest of the way. -crowd support on the second half is pretty non-existant. There is a long stretch down Chester Ave (miles 14-19) that was completely dead minus 1-2 people every 1/4 mile or so. In general the second half is very open- I was surprised how few people ran the full compared to the half. If you plan on running the full, bring music because you'll need it. -not nearly enough water stops. I know this has been mentioned many times before and I really hope the race organizers will do something about it. Every 2 miles for a full marathon simply does not cut it, especially since the last two years have been exceptionally warm temperatures. The space between stops at mile 17 and 19 was brutal. I eventually started walking the stations and taking a full cup of both water and power aid to stay hydrated. I would highly recommend bringing a fuel belt or hand bottle. Overall I did enjoy this race and I'll most likely return in 2014- prepared for the potholes and wearing a fuel belt. It's a fun race and you get to tour a pretty cool city.
R. W. from Canton, Ohio (5/23/2013) "Adding to review-Course description" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 These comments are in addition to the review posted above. If you don't factor in the potholes. The course holds its own. It's not excessively hilly but nor is it outright flat. Like many courses, the first half is more scenic than the second. It's hard to get much inspiration running on St. Clair the last few miles. The course can't compete with views of Miami Beach for the Miami Marathon or the Towpath Trail segment in the Akron Marathon. The course goes by many Cleveland landmarks including West Side Market, Tremont, Progressive Stadium (where the Cleveland Indians play), Tower City, the city center, Playhouse Square, Cleveland State University, a tiny bit of Cleveland's de facto 'Chinatown' area, the Cleveland Clinic and University Circle. While I'm not a big fan of expressway segments of courses, when you're on the Shoreway, you run over the Cuyahoga River and you get a good view of Lake Erie and even a lake breeze. It's nice going through the center of Tremont. It's also awesome to run up the Lorain/Carnegie bridge and then you have this fast descent with a view of Progressive Field before going through the heart of downtown. After departing downtown for the second half of the course, you don't get much scenery except MLK Drive and University Circle. On Chester Avenue and St. Clair Avenue, there's no shade and we caught the full brunt of the sun. MLK Drive has plenty of trees and shade and it descends toward Lake Erie. There used to be a bike trail segment here around MIle 22 in the 2012 course, but it got washed out due to Hurricane Sandy, so the organizers had to improvise. You can't see much of the Lake here for the short stretch at Marginal. You have to run uphill Mile 22/23 at East 72nd Street to return to St. Clair, which I would argue is the worst part, maybe the 'armpit' of the course as you're hitting the wall. You get to run under a bunch of I-90 bridges. St. Clair is nothing to write home about. You feel like you're running through a rundown industrial/commercial area. But then you get to finish going downhill on East 9th back to the stadium. As for the first 10 miles, the course starts in Cleveland Browns Stadium. Goes uphill toward the city center, then goes west on the Shoreway expressway until past Mile 3, loops around the scenic Edgewater residential neighborhood, goes northeast through the residential and somewhat commercial Franklin Boulevard area before going through Ohio City and West Side Market and Tremont and returning to downtown via the Lorain/Carnegie bridge. The organizers for 2013 did remove a steep hill in Tremont from the 2012 course because Abbey Avenue was closed for construction. At the start, you climb West Third and then a ramp on Lakeside to get to the Shoreway, which has uphills and downhills. Streets that appear to climb in elevation: Edgewater Drive, W. 85th, W. 44th St, Chester Avenue, E 72nd Street, St. Clair Avenue (very slightly) Streets that appear to descend in elevation: Lake Avenue, Franklin Boulevard, MLK Boulevard, East 9th Street Streets going down then up: West 25th Street Streets going up and then down: Lorain/Carnegie bridge
P. J. from Indiana (5/22/2013) "Big City Race with Small-Town Feel" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I entered Cleveland because I had two friends pacing 3:35. I was able to keep up with them for exactly half the race. Temps started rising, and the second half of the course consists of three very long stretches without turns. Not a lot of fans, but those who were out there were very supportive. Water stops weren't very long - not a problem in second half, but it is in the first half when the Half Marathoners share the course. Fairly flat and fast, but unpredictable weather for this time in May isn't necessarily conducive to a PR. Organization was fine, could use more post-race refreshments as there was only bananas, water, Powerade (not good after drinking it on course), chocolate milk and popsicles. But it's a good marathon if you want to run one in the spring and you live in the midwest. Cleveland is a nice city.
R. W. from Canton, Ohio (5/21/2013) "Prepare to dodge potholes" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Cleveland Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The Good: - You get to use the numerous restrooms in Cleveland Browns stadium at the start and finish. While people were waiting an half an hour or so to use port-o-potties outside, I never had to wait for urinals once I walked far enough into the stadium where there was only a wait for men's room stalls. (I can't say how long the wait was for women). As I'm someone who's suffered through bathroom bladder emergencies before marathons, this is super-awesome. Any other marathon and you have to wait 10-20 minutes for a dirty, disgusting port-o-potty. - All the water stations, spaced one to two miles apart, were sufficiently staffed with volunteers with plenty of cups of water and Power Aid, at least those running 3:40. As the heat rose to the mid-70s, volunteers were hosing runners off after the half marathon mark. You could argue that given the heat, there should have been more stations but there are only so many volunteers. A runner who ran 2012 Cleveland under three hours told me that in 2012 due to a mishap transferring volunteers from early water stations to late water stations, there was no water for him from Mile 14 to Mile 23. The organizers fixed this issue for 2013. - For those who started with the 8:30 a mile runners, crowding at the start wasn't that bad. While reviewers have complained about Cleveland's system where runners, except those faster than 3:10, choose their own corrals, I didn't see this being a problem. I had no issue getting into the 8:30-a-mile section at 6:55 a.m.! Once in a while, there'd be a walker ahead of me, but I needed to avoid going out too fast, and the crowd, which dispersed by Mile 2 wasn't an issue. - Cute finisher's medal honoring the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame with a swiveling guitar and in sponsor Rite Aid's colors. Lovely addition to your collection. - Free parking at I-X Center near the airport where the expo is held. The year before it was $8. Good work negotiating this, organizers! (They provide shuttle service for the 13 mile ride from downtown for those from out of town). - It wasn't too tough to find parking downtown, and I spent minimal time stuck in traffic around 6 a.m. I found $5 parking at East 9th and St. Clair. Much more pleasant experience than pre-race chaos of Akron and Columbus marathons last year. - The course is somewhat flat but not completely. It starts uphill and finishes downhill. - Gear check - the area is on an upper level of the stadium and you get a gorgeous view of Lake Erie. Probably best backdrop of any gear check area of any marathon in the world. - Medical Assistance - Everyone I saw hurting or collapsed was getting prompt medical help. - The 3:40 pacer was very engaged and did what he could to motivate people to stick with the group. I could not after Mile 16 due to the heat. (The first half was overcast in the 60s but the second half was into the sun in the mid-70s with red alert flags) The OK: - You get a banana, popsicle, bottle of water and chocolate milk at the finish and a free beer if you want from a sponsor. No bagels or chips. I understand funds are limited but more types of carbs would have been nice. - There were neighborhoods with good crowd support such as Edgewater, Ohio City, Tremont, downtown and the last half mile. But it was quiet much of the rest of the time. There's not much going on St. Clair Avenue except for some peppy music before East 13th Street as you're struggling to finish. The Bad - Out of control of marathon organizers - but potholes, potholes and potholes. You'll see the winter and years of Cleveland's lack of funds for capital improvements have taken their toll on its roads. Some roads are better than others. I nearly twisted my ankle on West 44th Street on Mile 8. The 16-year-old running prodigy Alana Hadley injured her hamstring on a pothole downtown around the half marathon mark. After you leave the Shoreway at Mile 4, you have to concentrate on the road ahead of you the rest of the course to avoid getting your foot ensnared in uneven pavement. This can't be remedied without tens to hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the city, and the organizers can't do anything short of moving the course out of Cleveland. - The weather - For the second year in a row, it got too hot, reaching the 80s by noon. People were struggling after the clouds parted at the two-hour mark. Prepare to adjust your pace and let go of that goal if this happens again in 2014. I carried 32 ounces of water and that still wasn't enough.

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