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Apr 28, 2024

Tobacco Road Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.3

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.6

Number of comments: 66 [displaying comments 41 to 51]

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V. B. from NY, NY (3/26/2011) "Delightful small marathon" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The race had 1,200+ marathoners and 2,500 half-marathoners. I ran the full and thoroughly enjoyed the rural setting and Tobacco Road trail. This is not a fast course, compared to Phoenix for example, and the grade is deceptively demanding. Can't say I loved the turn-arounds - a bit sharp. Well-organized (I was spared the drama of the buses on the return journey as I jumped in a taxi when I saw the long line) and the pacers were excellent. Masses of GU and drinks along the way. The volunteers deserve a special mention as there were many of them; all were upbeat and couldn't do enough for you. A lovely escape for a New Yorker tired after a long winter. The North Carolinians were charming and welcoming, from fellow runners to hotel staff to everyone at the expo. The t-shirts were terrific in men's and women's sizes.
J. T. from Raleigh, NC (3/25/2011) "Great trail marathon through gently rolling hills" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I really enjoyed this event, even though it was riddled with organizational/logistical issues this year (2011). This is a local race for me and a great chance for me to run with friends on the Tobacco Trail and support the local race scene. I do most of my long runs on the tobacco trail anyway. The Course: I love running through the woods of the NC Piedmont, and for this race this is what you do. This is NOT a city course; you spend most of the day on an old railroad grade. I love this, but running through the woods all day may not be for you. The woods also provide some protection from wind/sun/rain. While the course is a loop, I also enjoy that there are 2 out-and-back portions, so you get a chance to see all the other runners a few times. The Start/Finish: Plenty of porta-pots and lots of space. Great gear check right at the line. The halfers start 15 minutes before the marathoners, but all the speakers face the starting line, so if you are a marathoner, don't expect to hear a single word that is said, including the singing of the national anthem, etc. Post-race amenities (for me) included empty fruit boxes and cold, inedible pizza. Boo. :( The Spectators: Those who were there at the road crossings were great - just not a lot of space for them to get out and support the runners. Tough course for spectators (through the woods, remember) because of so few access points. Hashers came through, dependable as usual with PBR available on the trail. No bands - the only music on the course was from the aid stations (and not at all of them). The Aid Stations: Well staffed with great volunteers and plenty of water/Gatorade/GU gels and chomps. For some reason the organizers chose TINY, TINY cups that were so small that many runners had to take 2 cups, which caused much more work for the volunteers and for them to almost run out of cups. If it had been a warmer day this could have been a real problem. Not an issue for me (running through the woods, remember?), but some female runners commented on the lack of porta-pots. Transportation: If you had a parking pass, chances are that you had a great race. If you had to rely on the shuttle buses, chances are your opinion is quite different. There were huge issues getting folks to the start on time (even with a delayed start) and then getting them back to their cars. My recommendation? If you can't get a parking pass ($5 when you register) then DO NOT DO THIS RACE. Pacers: Local run club NCRC provides the pacers and they did a great job. Pacers wore a yellow pacer jersey and carried yellow balloons on a stick with their race time written on them. Volunteers: Plenty of eager volunteers all worked hard to ensure a great race. Thank you! The Organizers: Respected members of the local run/tri scene and committed to the sport, and I know the effort require to pull off an event like this. As others have said, I take no pleasure in criticizing their hard work but there were a number of issues this year that absolutely have to be addressed. In closing, this race is a good alternative to pounding pavement for 26.2 and could be a great one when the organizers learn and improve from the issues experienced this year.
D. M. from Illinois (3/22/2011) "One of the Best" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the marathon for 2011. Considering everything, I'd have to rate it as one of the best. Temperature at start time was around 45 degrees and did not get above 60 degrees the entire race. Fans were terrific. The trail was spacious and scenic. Only two major complaints: if you parked in the remote parking lot, you had to walk 1/2-a-mile from the finish line to the bus stop and had to wait 45-60 minutes for the bus to the lot. After the marathon, it's tough to walk long distances and wait... but considering the weather was good, that's only a minor complaint. The only other complaint relates to the chip readers. The course had only chip readers at the 7 1/2 mile-mark and halfway (13.1). Miles 16 to 19 and miles 19 to 23 overlap on the trail. As such, they should have had another chip reader at the turnaround point at mile 19. While I cannot be specifically sure, this presents the opportunity for cheaters to turn around before mile 19 and unfairly reduce their time. I hope everybody abided by the honor system. Pros * Flat course * Trail was very scenic * Plenty of stops for water, GU, Gatorade and gels * Not too crowded * People were friendly and helpful Cons * Remote parking was a hassle (after the race) * Limited porta-potties during the race (1 porta-potty every 3-5 miles) * Opportunities to cheat
M. S. from USA (3/21/2011) "Nice Attempt, but Need to Work Out Some Kinks" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I must say that overall I was pleased with the race and I think the organizers should be pleased with themselves given that this is a relatively new event. I arrived 45-minutes early to the race and parking was a breeze. And this is a very important tip. It is well worth spending the extra cash for the privilege of parking close to the race. The alternative was taking chartered buses from remote lots. I am not sure what the problem was but buses were dropping of panicky runners up until and even after the start time of the half marathon. In fact, the start of the half marathon was delayed so that more runners could get to the starting line. After the start of the half marathon, the full marathoners lined up and we were off to the races. The start appeared relatively free of bottlenecking but for me, I ran into some difficulties around mile 2, when the fast end of the full marathon pushed up against the slow end of the half marathon. I witnessed some bumping, definitely nothing major, but enough to throw a few runners off their stride. Around mile 3 the half marathoners split to the right while the rest of us took a left hand turn down the trail. At this point it became smooth sailing and it was truly a beautiful course with nice scenery and trees. The spectators, though few and far between, were very friendly, supportive, and energetic. The drink stations were well organized and my only complaint here (and this is just a personal pet peeve of mine) was that the water and sport drinks were handed out in the same cups making it difficult to tell which was which. Also, the cups were small meaning that 3 or 4 cups at a time were needed later on in the race. The course was relatively flat but I wouldn't consider this to be a 'fast' course. The hills were definitely not steep but they appeared to go on for a while. I really enjoyed running this race and things were great until about mile 14 or 15, when the fast end of the marathon merged again with the slow and sometimes walking end of the half marathon. The half marathoners had every right to the course but the runners would occasionally walk in groups 3 people wide, which necessitated some zig-zagging by the marathoners. The end of the course was nice and it was exciting hearing the crowd and announcer about one mile from the end. The amenities supplied after the race were superb. There was one area supplying the racers with microbrew beer and pizza. This was much better than the stale bagels you are typically given. The medal was nice. The port-o-johns for after the race (and for before for that matter) were numerous and lines never got too long. However, the port-o-johns at the start/finish did seem to be a far way from the course. I hope I don't sound too critical because I do think it was a good race and I plan to run this event again next year. It's a good race but it's a new race. And with new races come plenty of kinks that need to be worked through. I have a good feeling that many of these issues will be solved by next year.
B. B. from Texas (3/21/2011) "Almost perfect" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I have to disclose up front that I PR'd yesterday, so of course I love this race, but it's a PR course if there ever were one, and we had PR weather (which is primarily why I chose this one for my NC race in my quest for all 50 - this was #25). Pros: 1. Beautiful area with lots to do - make sure you see the Duke and UNC campuses, for starters. 2. Good airport - very close by. 3. Good host hotel (Embassy Suites) with sweet rate of $89 that included a nice bus to the start and shuttle in a Suburban back - the parking/bus situation was not good due to an overflow of spectators/runners, late checkout, free computer, breakfast, etc. 4. Nice, uncrowded starting area with plenty of amenities, including indoor bathrooms. 5. Beautiful, almost flat course, mostly on a dirt trail through the pines and over creeks on wooden bridges. 6. Loop course with downhill finish; announced names as you crossed. 7. Immediate results. 8. Massages for $1/minute. 9. Gorgeous weather. 10. Good pacers. 11. Friendly crowds when they could see runners. 12. Good vibe. 13. Competitive field for such a small race. 14. Nice (and big) medal. Cons: 1. Transportation - needed more buses; race started late. To RDs' credit, they issued an apology immediately and promised to fix this for next year. 2. Award ceremony lightly attended, mainly because no one seemed to know it was going on/where it was. 2. Half walkers sometimes in way at first 3 miles, but nothing too serious - would be better if signs had directed them to the far left. 3. A little monotonous running up and back on the trail, but it was ok; it was called the T.R. Marathon, and the trail was lovely.
Z. S. from Florida (3/21/2011) "Awesome race with room for improvement" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 This is my 5th marathon and 1st Tobacco Road. The course was awesome, the trail was beautiful and the spectators were out in full support. All of that was great. The transportation obviously needs improvement. I'm not sure if more buses is the key. There was no room for the buses to turn around outside of the park and that caused a whole other set of problems. More/better parking seems like a better idea to me. The main areas for improvement that are not obvious have to do with food on the course and port-a-potties. I was feeling sick on the course and needed to use a restroom (going into the woods was not a good idea). There were lots of places with port-a-potties, but they were always full. I eventually had to stop and wait for one to be empty. I lost about 3 minutes on my time because of it an missed Boston qualification by 2 minutes. I also ran sick for about 10 miles because of full bathrooms, which was extremely unpleasant and stopped me from being able to drink water and eat gel. The other area of improvement is with the refreshments offered on the course. Part of my problem was being sick and not being able to eat, but I would have loved some oranges and bananas while running. I was extremely hungry by the end of the race and my muscles hit lactic threshold and cramped up during the last 4 miles. 26 miles is too long to run without food. All in all I would recommend this race. I'm sure the transportation issues will be fixed for next year, hopefully there is food and more bathrooms.
S. A. from North Carolina, USA (3/21/2011) "Great course and all. Not many negatives." (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was a nice course to run. It was relatively flat and had long downhill grades to take advantage of. My time was my best ever, and much better than I expected for my 4th marathon. The only negatives were mile markers on the first half, which were hard to find, and the bus drop-off point, which was way too far away. Not sure why, but it was too far. Organization was terrific and post-race had all of the pizza you needed - plus beer too, which I didn't take advantage of.
M. M. from Carrboro, NC (3/21/2011) "Poorly organized race" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 This was the WORST organized race I have ever participated in. I showed up in the overflow parking lot at 5:50 a.m. - plenty of time to catch the shuttle to the start of the race, except the shuttle didn't come to get us until 7:40 or so, 25 minutes after the start of the marathon course. By this time I had missed my pace group and my entire nutrition plan was thrown off course. I had heard that this was a great BQ, but given that my entire plan was off because I couldn't get to the start on time (through no fault of my own), I had the worse race. The course itself is pretty. It's on the tobacco trail, which is beautiful, but there is not much variety. Large greenway with trees, so it gets repetitive. There were a lot of spectators, though, which was the only bright spot.
J. C. from Richmond, VA (3/21/2011) "Beautiful course, organization lacking" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tobacco Road Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my seventh marathon and I have never been to a race where the race started 15 minutes late like this one did. The course is in a remote setting and there is no easy way to get runners to the site. I know that when the half marathon started, there were runners still trapped on shuttle buses. I am sure a number of those runners missed the race completely. In addition, the lines to get on the shuttle buses after the race were a nightmare. We were lucky enough to have a fellow runner drive us to the remote parking lot or we would have been waiting in line for a long time after the race. The race also apparently over-sold the parking passes for on-site parking and tried to tell runners they had to turn around and take the shuttle buses after they had already paid for on-site parking! I hate to say all of these negative things about this race since the course is beautiful and nice to run on, but runners need to be aware of the importance of getting to this race early and having their parking issues worked out. I think the organizers of this race really need to re-think how many runners they allow on this course for the next year so that these parking issues and transportation issues can be resolved, as this is a race worth running.
M. F. from North Carolina (3/21/2011) "Took a big step back" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Tobacco Road Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I have run both years of the Tobacco Road Marathon, and actually set two PRs on the course. It is a fast track, and very shaded for all but the last three miles. Sadly this year's race took a step back from the first year. Some comments: PARKING - We had paid for a parking pass, and arrived very early so we had no problems. That being said many of our friends had 60-90-minutes waits to get back to their cars, and several others missed the race start. START TIMES: The race started 17 minutes late. Even with the delay over 100 people arrived well after the start. Over 100 people have a gun time 7+ minutes off their chip time in the half (the race that started first). SPLIT START: The half was supposed to get a 15-minute head start over the full to help with crowding. This backfired. Because of the late start, they went too fast, and did not leave a 15-minute gap. Full runners were hitting half walkers before mile 1, and the course did not split until mile 3. This caused lots of dodging early. CROWDING: The course is very nice on the Tobacco Trail, but becomes very crowded. From miles 15-22, it is very chaotic. There are runners in both races going both directions. There are also local runners just out using the trail. It makes for lots of dodging. COURSE: As mentioned above, the course is shaded, pretty flat, and soft - 20 miles are on the trail. Most trail events are smaller and more personal. If this race had fewer runners, you could really enjoy the trail more, but the number of runners makes it hard to enjoy. AWARDS: On a positive note, the medal was fantastic. I have over 20 medals, and this is at the top of the list. Very large, very heavy, and very sturdy. TIMING: Another positive was the timing. Having a big chip made it easy to start and finish. No need to hook a chip to my shoe, or wait for a volunteer to take it off after the race. I had high hopes for this race after year one, but feel like some serious changes are needed make this style of course work. Don't sacrifice quality for quantity.

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