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May 3, 2024

Shires of Vermont Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Shires of Vermont Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.6

Organization 4.6

Spectators 4.0

Number of comments: 50 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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M. C. from Massachusetts (5/20/2014) "Beautiful no frills course" (about: 2014) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 After having done some of the bigger marathons (Boston, Chicago, Honolulu) where the logistics are a challenge in themselves, I was glad to register for Shires of Vermont. I was very happy to sleep a full night and casually make my way to the staring line 20 minutes before the gun. The course is what I would describe as primarily rolling with the exception of two sections (mile 7? and mile 15?) where there are rather challenging hills. The ups and downs do take a toll on your legs and the last few miles of mild/moderate upgrades were tough. I really enjoyed being on unpaved roads for quite a few miles of beautiful countryside where you pass by farms and lakes. Spectators are few but are very enthusiastic. Plenty of water/gatorade stops along the course and officials at every turn to keep you on the right track. The finish had plenty of food, including ice cream, and a nice woman would make a sandwich for you just how you liked it. A wait for the massage table was only about 10 minutes and there were showers available. If you want a low hassle race in a really beautiful area this is a great one! Yes, there are some hills, but it's nothing that you can't handle, so don't miss out on fun little race.
B. L. from Delmar, New York (5/20/2014) "Scenic course with great organization" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What a treat! This was my first marathon, and I'm so glad I picked the Shires. The course is beautiful, with rolling hills and terrific views of the Green Mountains. The volunteers were helpful and enthusiastic. The organization was great, with lots of little touches - musicians on the course, ice bath and free massages at the finish, showers - that made the experience special. The post-race spread was extensive. It's a small race, with about 300 competitors in 2014, so there aren't a whole lot of spectators, but the ones who are there were very supportive. I highly recommend this race, and plan to run it again.
E. N. from Vermont (6/5/2013) "Beautiful and sweet!" (about: 2013) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I agree with the other poster who said a 7am start would've been best in case of heat...happily it was cool and cloudy most of the time, even a little drizzle here and there. Spectators were sparse but very supportive, no lack of water, Gatorade, or gels. The ceramic medal seemed a little drab but nothing to complain about, the post-race Mylar cloaks were a great idea, the food was kind of nice. My only wishes: wet sponges and heat ointment at the stations after mile 16 or so, please!
Rich Clark from Feeding Hills,MA (6/3/2013) "Third Time is a Charm" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is the third time I have run Shires and this time the weather was great. The first two were rough weather days. The race folks do a great job. They are oraganized and allot of support. This is not a PR course, but a very scenic marathon run thru about a third dirt roads and really great country. It will be one of my favorite marathons and I have done 50 plus.So if you are looking for a low key New England marathon do this one.
R. G. from USA (5/29/2013) "A great race" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I picked this race largely based on timing (it was being run when I was in the area) and I was a little nervous about such a small race (350 finishers), but it was one of the best marathons I've ever run. Packet pick-up was easy to find and the volunteers there were very friendly and suggested a great lunch spot. The course was a beautiful (You get to run through a covered bridge!!!) point-to-point route along rural roads with beautiful scenery the whole way. This is unquestionably a more challenging course than many, but I was still able to PR by 6 minutes. While there were not the wall-to-wall spectators that some races offer, I still felt there were a large number of people cheering us on (and the fact that the route parallels 7A allows support people to stop at a number of points to cheer their racer on). There were more than enough aid stations, all fully staffed with cheering volunteers. At the finish (which was also very easy to access) the medals were hand-glazed ceramic, and the food on offer was ample and varied. I've run races of all sizes across the US and Canada, and I have to say this was one of the best organized and most pleasant races I have ever run.
D. F. from Canada (5/28/2013) "Stunningly beautiful" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 'The Shires of Vermont.' The name of this race sounds like it could be a chapter title taken from a novel by J.R.R. Tolkien. After running this race, I can say confidently that the gorgeous scenery I beheld rivals that of anything Bilbo or Frodo Baggins might have encountered in any of their epic journeys to faraway lands. This race was hands down the most beautiful course I've ever run. I was never bored with what I was seeing at any point. How many marathons can one truly say that about? Organization was top-notch. The hand-made ceramic medal with blue glaze was very attractive. The food after the race was bountiful and varied. Highly recommended.
Henry Art from Williamstown, MA USA (5/23/2013) "Everything a Small Town Marathon Should Be!" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is my favorite marathon, and I have run all three of them to date... it just keeps on getting better. Great start, beautiful course (uphill first half, downhill second half), wonderful organization and support, the best food at the finish of any of the 50+ marathons I have run. What the sparse fans lack in number, they make up for in enthusiasm. This is a marathon with soul.
C. B. from Vermont (5/22/2013) "Still needs some tweaking..." (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Last year people complained about the 9:00 AM start time. Vermont in the spring is always a trick, and 8:00 will almost certainly be a bit cold. With a point to point race and buses shuttling runners, a later start would be nice. I know awards aren't for everyone, but something a little more than Maple Syrup might be nice. First place age group awards were bigger than 2nd and 3rd place overall awards. We're not talking big awards here, but some sort of keepsake/commemorative type thing would be nice - even if it's just the official finishers certificate with photo (costs an extra $30 through the photographers...) Nice course, wish there were more dirt roads, but the paved roads it is on aren't awfully busy. Little more polishing and this will be a real nice race.
A. S. from Massachusetts (5/21/2013) "Tough course, great race organization" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is not a flat course or a course you should expect to PR. But it is a very well organized race with great scenery. Very rolling terrain with steep couple of miles before the half. Second half rather flat with some downhills. Very easy bib pickup and Bennington is a classic New England town. Race volunteers were great, weather was perfect(cloudy and low 60's) and very nice food spread at the finish. My kids even filled up on sandwiches and ice cream. My only suggestion would be to start at 7 am as an 8 am start would have been tough if the weather was warmer. Not many spectators on the course but those who were out there were very supportive. All in all, a very nice experience and I hope to be back.
J. P. from Albany, NY (5/20/2013) "Beautiful course, top-notch hospitality" (about: 2013) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Small, well-organized event I highly recommend. Crowd support was sparse, but terrific where present. Wonderful scenery along the entire route with plenty of water stops, a superb post race spread, and a unique finisher's medal that I really enjoy. Only caveat: I would argue the website's claims about the last six miles being mostly flat - there were plenty of climbs after mile 23.

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