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May 2, 2024

Oakland Marathon Running Festival Runner Comments

Back to Oakland Marathon Running Festival Information & Reviews

Course 4.4

Organization 4.7

Spectators 4.3

Number of comments: 38 [displaying comments 31 to 38]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

P. S. from Petaluma, California (3/29/2010) "Well done inaugural race!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I live in the Bay Area, but never spend much time in Oakland. I was very pleased to get a chance to tour the entire city. It was wonderfully organized and supported by the city. The marathon only had 1,000 runners and still had many spectators on the streets cheering for us - much more than SF or some other bigger-city marathons I have run.
A. H. from Oakland, CA (3/29/2010) "Now I know why people rate spectators" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I never cared about spectator ratings. But after this race, I might change my mind! Oakland really came out and cheered for this race, and it was great. Logistics: It started on time, and there were enough porta-potties. This was likely party a result of the half, with many more runners, starting 1.5 hours later; for us marathoners, we had the run of the start area for a much bigger race to ourselves, which was nice. Along the course, there were well stocked aid stations (I'm mid-pack), and a lot of impromptu neighborhood aid stations, some of which were so extensive that I at first mistook them for official aid stations. They had GU on course, as well porta-potties on course - usually with no waiting (except at the relay exchange points, of course - avoid those for any necessary potty stops). The finish area was a little tight (the reverse of the morning - now it was halfers and marathoners all together) and they'd either run out of bottled water, or I didn't find it. On a warm day like we had, I would have really appreciated someone cramming a bottle in my hand as soon as I stepped into the chute. Instead all I found was a table with Dixies of Gatorade. (March in Oakland... now, this week it's supposed to be cool and rainy). Anyway, when I found my family, they had water for me. The marathoner shirts are long-sleeve, and are separately sized for men and women, which is great. I loved that the course went through so many different neighborhoods. The hills at the beginning are daunting (the particularly good crowd support along there helps); but, hey, it's a chance to experiment with pacing strategy. I didn't find any portion of the course dull, although there were some short stretches where you're transitioning from one neighborhood to another. Full disclosure: I'm a local, so I knew what to expect there, which is just the nature of cities. Looking forward to this event in the future!
J. C. from Oakland, California (3/29/2010) "Glad my first was in Oakland!" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had a great run yesterday and am no longer intimidated by the number "26.2." Though the cramping towards the end was wrenching, it's just something small I need to work on. The organization, the fans that came out in support, the musicians that performed (loved the 8-foot long alp horns and the Emeryville Taiko Dojo), and the businesses that showed their colors made it clear that this is an excellent race not just for the organization, but for the amount of community support it received. I did feel bad for the drivers who don't read the news and didn't know about the road closures though. Whoops! The event took us through many different neighborhoods, supporters were all over spread out thick and thin. The first 10 miles were up hill, followed by a quick descent, which I really enjoyed (chin down, hips back, and just fly). I'll definitely be doing this race again next year and I hope the organizers continue it year after year. I'm browsing this site right now looking for my next marathon in about 2 months.
A. S. from Sparks, NV (3/29/2010) "Wow! Impressive inaugural event!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I was very surprised by the number of spectators that turned out for this marathon. There were a lot of people thanking you along the course for running Oakland. Tons of police were on the route for traffic control, and as one of the other reviewer said, they were cheering for us! I have not seen that very often. The Oakland hills were very scenic. True, some parts were were a little rough and gritty, but that added to the experience. The first 10 miles are hilly, followed by a fast, quad-busting, 2-mile downhill. From mile 12 on, the course was relatively flat. Only negative comment is that they need to make the water stations longer and have them staffed by more volunteers. Aside from that, I had a wonderful time. I'd do it again.
D. K. from California (3/29/2010) "Up-and-Coming Marathon" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is an excellent course for the first 13 miles, as well as the last 4 miles. Broadway, Rockridge, Montclair Village and Fruitvale make for a wonderful first half. But the 9-10 miles between the halfway point and the final 4 are sort of blah, with some charming spectator supporters being the only bright side to an uninspiring 10-mile stretch. As for the final 4 miles, they are outstanding, with a beautiful circle around the 3-mile Lake Merritt shore (with amazing crowd support) followed by a thunderous sprint back to the downtown finish. The last half-mile features a 4-deep crowd cheering like it is the final lap of the Olympic Marathon. Then the Raiderettes at the finish!! Great stuff. Overall, this is a wonderful community event that has the potential to grow in stature to a destination marathon. Regarding feedback, I would encourage the organizers to explore different routes that would avoid the Mandela Parkway and warehouse areas. There must be better routes for that 10-mile stretch. BUT KUDOS TO THE ORGANIZERS FOR AN INCREDIBLE INAUGURAL EVENT... I'LL BE BACK NEXT YEAR!!!!
Aileen Cota from Paso Robles, CA (3/29/2010) "Well Organized Marathon with Great Spectators" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 When I heard that Oakland was putting the marathon back after some quarter-century of absence, I knew I wanted to be a part of history. It could not have been any better with the perfect weather, the enthusiastic Oakland residents coming out to cheer us runners on, the beautiful medal, and the wonderful volunteers. The best souvenir for me is the tech sweat-wicking zip shirt. This is the best shirt I've gotten out of all of my 15 marathons. Good job, Oakland! Here's to next year and many more to come!
A. T. from San Francisco, CA (3/28/2010) "Oakland rocks!" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 For an inaugural marathon, kudos to the organizers and the spectators. Well organized, well supported race with enthusiastic spectators. The course goes through quite an eclectic group of neighborhoods, from affluent Montclair to gritty Fruitvale. West Oakland was the only boring part. The first half was a little tough (especially the downhill) while the second half was fairly flat. The best part of the marathon was the spectators. They were amazing and very supportive. They put San Francisco to shame (having run the San Francisco Marathon for the last 10 years). Furthermore, even the cops directing the traffic were cheering and clapping! Oakland, keep up the good work!
P. M. from South bay, CA (3/28/2010) "Good organization; enthusiastic crowd" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Oakland Marathon Running Festival COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The City of Oakland managed to put up a great marathon, the organization was great, and the mayor was in the crowd giving high-fives all around. The organizers and the city really went all out to showcase all of the areas of this city. The course is hilly to start with but tapers off towards being flatter after mile 15 or so. I wish the start was much earlier; starting at 7:30 a.m. means that an hour later the sun is beating down on you with ferocity. Overall, a good marathon to try.

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