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☰
Air Force Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Air Force Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.6
Number of comments: 344 [displaying comments 61 to 71]
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R. W. from Colodaro
(9/17/2011)
 "180 degrees from last year...I'll be back" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 If any marathon was going to respond to negative feedback and adjust I'm pleased it was this one. Last year I loved the course&but the logistics were clearly not thought through. Everything that was wrong last year (the 14th running) was fixed this year. Parking was a breeze. The Dayton police who stood around last year watching the traffic jam were engaged and on top of it this year. There was a greatly improved parking process&the field flags were a nice touch. Last year some of the top-20 finishers started 7-15 minutes after the gun (!!!) the parking was such a nightmare. I'll be surprised if there are any repeats this year. The course is well supported with water stops even and organized. There were many more marshals on the course directing traffic and as a result the merge of half and full marathon runners wasn't a problem. Finally the finishing tent was well placed and the medical tent was no longer in an area that runners were barred from returning too once they left (good thinking, since last year shock victims had to argue their way back to the medical tent). I waited by the finishing tent this year for a friend to finish and the kids that they had manning the re-entry point could not have been nicer or more professional. Kudos all around. This year was my I'll give them one more chance race and while my time was 20 minutes slower than last year, my experience was much better. Good job. The one thing that my wife mentioned was that a SMS service notifying friends and family of runners status would be a good addition. It's fairly standard in many large races and for a couple of dollars at race registration it's a nice feature to add. | |
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J. P. from Conesville,Ohio
(1/27/2011)
 "Great medal; good expo; arrive early" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I'll start with the positives first: Good expo; great medal and swag; the flyover at the start really amped me up; the aid stations were well stocked; the volunteers were great; but most of all, the people of Fairborn were awesome (I may have gotten a few extra cheers because I was carrying a small American flag). Great job, Fairborn!!! And, oh, by the way, the finish was unbelievable as well. The last quarter-mile was lined with spectators 2, 3,and 4 deep in front of, beside, and around all of the planes, and you could see the finish from a mile away, which helps keep you moving when you're on your last leg. Now to the negatives (sorry, USAF): Not much USAF Marathon merchandise at the expo; packet pick-up lines were quite long; entry fee was a little pricier then comparable marathons; and traffic was pretty backed up before the race. I got there early as suggested and had very few problems, but all I could see was headlights for miles by the time I got parked, so take the RD's advice and get there EARLY!! And although I liked it, there is about a mile walk to and from the start/finish line, which some might not like, but it is a good warm-up/cool-down. Having to deal with the half marathoners after mile 18 was a struggle to keep your pace around slower runners and walkers in your road but it was manageable. Lastly, although Fairborn was awesome, if you need crowd support, you're in trouble because this is an active Air Force base and crowds are nonexistent almost. Although it's not my least liked marathon that I've run, it is in my bottom 3 (I've run 8), but it's still worth supporting our troops and the USAF. Thanks for all that you do for us!!! I almost forgot... this was my second fastest time, and I was using this race as a tune-up for another marathon in mid-October, so it could be a PR course for you. | |
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W. F. from Greenfield, IN
(10/4/2010)
 "Awesome first event!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The 10K was my first event ever, and I could not have asked for a better introduction. The race was well organized, and the fly-overs were awesome. The volunteers were great. Regarding parking - with the number of vehicles to accommodate, plus security concerns, I thought they did well. Thanks, USAF Marathon, for making my first experience memorable! | |
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K. L. from Columbia, Missouri
(9/30/2010)
"Well organized and filled with patriotism" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 A good course. The hill at the beginning was gradual, and a non-issue. The one at the end is even smaller. Beginning the race with a flyover was a lot of fun. We were advised to arrive early for parking. I did, followed their instructions, and had no trouble. The aid stations and volunteers were the best I've seen in my 6 marathons. There was never any question of being taken care of, and of being strongly supported. The town of Fairborn pulls out all the stops as you go through miles 8 - 10. It's fantastic. As you run in and out of the base gates, the guards are there watching. It's a special feeling having them open up to the runners. I appreciated the extra work they went through to allow us to see the base that many of us wouldn't get to see otherwise. The finishing chute is lined with aircraft and cheering crowds. A senior Air Force officer presents you with your medal. The shirts are fantastic, with a great cut and fit, and the expo and packet pick up were goo, and well organized. Swag is great, medal fantastic. We even got a B-52 patch and a towel. My only complaint would be the line to pick up baggage was long. | |
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J. B. from USA
(9/30/2010)
 "Parking and Merge Problems Need to be Fixed" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I'm a local runner and love running the USAF Marathon every year, but they need to address the parking and merge issues. To address the parking issues, they need to hire professional event parking services and should seriously consider dropping the 10K. This year, the parking bottleneck occurred AFTER the cars made it through the gates, when the traffic flow reached the parking aisles, which were attended by 1 or 2 overwhelmed volunteers escorting 5-10 cars at a time into individual slots. Slow, slow, slow. The parking attendants and traffic flow directors were simply understaffed, inexperienced, and overwhelmed. This year's new course and event schedule was disastrous when it came to the merge with the half marathoners at mile 18. I met a wall of half-marathon walkers occupying the entire road, including the shoulders of the road. This congestion lasted about 2.5 miles. I was running about three times the speed of the walkers and nearly knocked a few folks over. In my view, this merge presented a serious safety concern and the directors need to remedy this. At the very least, they should return to the previous year's course and starting schedule. | |
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D. R. from Cincinnati, OH
(9/30/2010)
"I love this race!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I strongly recommend running the full, half or 10K at USAF. I have run the full twice and the half three times and always have a great time! I love the medal, as it features a different plane every year. Medals for all the events are awesome with impressive detailing. The ribbon is well-designed as well! The course support is superb and the start is organized (except getting into the base... allow a lot of time for this). | |
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L. B. from Vandalia, oh
(9/30/2010)
 "Great first-marathon experience!!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I only arrived 60-75 minutes beforehand, but still had plenty of time. I detested the long walk to and from my car at the time, but it was probably great for my muscles to warm up and cool down. I had a quick recovery (1-2 days of sore muscles), and I owe most of it to the walking I HAD to do. More hills than I expected... but I didn't train for any hills either. Spectators were sparse on the course, but the water stations and bands were awesome and supportive. The spectators in Fairborn got me so amped, and I loved having my name on my bib. I thought it sounded so lame to have your name on your shirt so people would call you by it, but it really did keep my spirits up. Pizza was scarce at the finish line, and it took 20 minutes to vet throughout the food line. The raspberry gel they had was the first gel That didn't make me gag. I'll run this course again, and I'll bring my friends. | |
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T. G. from Celina, Ohio
(9/29/2010)
"Great time" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Well organized, with lots of hydration stations, and the medical crew was top-notch. Parking was not very good. The rest of the experience was AWESOME! I loved being able to thank soldiers during the race. | |
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G. F. from Dayton, OH
(9/29/2010)
"Very exciting course to run!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I have run this marathon 3 times and have loved it every time. The flyovers are breathtaking, and the medals, shirts and towels are spectacular. The course is fairly flat, yet challenging. The finish is the best... running under the wings of historic airplanes and then receiving your medal and a handshake from a high-ranking officer. | |
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K. B. from Cincinnati, OH
(9/29/2010)
"Adapt and Overcome" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I am a 58-year-old man and this was my first marathon. Two of my sons are Air Force pilots so I could not think of a better place to run my first marathon than on an Air Force base. Were there problems with parking? Yes. My oldest son and I ran from the parking area to the starting line and made it just in time. Lesson learned? The gates open at 5:00 a.m.; take advantage of it. Adapt and overcome. You have the opportunity to run on an active military base. In today's world it is a wonder this race even takes place. It was an honor to be with so many military personal. I felt the support was excellent hydration stations and medical support were great. Because of so many restricted areas, spectators were sparse. But the City of Fairborn at the 10-mile mark really showed up in style as did so many military families as the race made its way through base housing. Complaints about not enough aircraft flying over the race?? Are you joking?? When was the last time a B-52 or a flight of F-16s made multiple passes over your race? Had they been flying the entire race someone would have complained about the cost to taxpayers. The course was not flat. But I loved the upward change in elevation at mile 21. Someone on the course design team has a sense of humor - priceless. Do the full or half Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, OH and then talk to me about hills. I guess my view from the back of the pack is different from those who finished hours ahead of me and were home in the ice bath by the time I crossed the finish line. I loved this event. Can't wait to do another one - can't wait until next year's USAF Marathon. I will be there when the gates open and walk to the starting line. |
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