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☰
Indianapolis Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Indianapolis Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 3.1
Number of comments: 157 [displaying comments 61 to 71]
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J. E. from West Lafayette, IN
(10/21/2008)
 "Well-run race on a beautiful course" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Indianapolis Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 On a perfect day for running, the race went very well. I found the organization excellent. The course is very scenic. I've run it the past two years and this is THE fall race in Indy. I got to the site early and had zero problems with traffic or parking. I don't think criticisms of that are accurate. Plan your day and the day goes well. The finishing tent, food and volunteers were terrific. Very supportive; they consistently thanked ME for running!! How nice! One of them pointed out to me numerous recipients of the charities supported by the race. Very cool. Hope to run this marathon again. | |
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H. R. from Naperville, Illinois
(10/20/2008)
"Well organized, not too big, great volunteers" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a very well organized race, with plenty of (free) parking. A big enough race that you're never running alone, but you're not elbow-to-elbow either (at least after the first few miles). Most of the course is in a very nice state park. Great volunteers and good crowd support. Highly recommended. | |
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D. S. from Chicago, Illinois
(10/20/2008)
 "Great Family Event" (about: 2008)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thanks to the organizers. This was my first full marathon and I really enjoyed it. Both my kids ran in the kids' one-mile event and we all really enjoyed the pasta dinner and post-race cook out. The course was a bit hilly and my legs are very sore, but it was worth it. Indy is a difficult town to get around in for an out-of-towner and the pre-race traffic was a bit of a problem. Get there early. | |
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M. B. from Chicago
(10/20/2008)
"Nice Course, Sparse Crowds" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Indy has a nice course and it's well marked. That's good, because after the half-marathoners split off, you can end up running by yourself for long stretches. The course was a little tougher than I thought because of the hills. I agree with a previous poster that it may have been too long, although I didn't have my GPS with me and am basing that only on how my finish time compared to my expected time. The crowds were good, but they didn't appear in too many places. That's not surprising, though, considering that much of the race was through the park. There was plenty of water and Gatorade. One minor complaint is that there was no clear system for identifying water vs. Gatorade. You had to listen for the volunteers shouting out, "Water!" or "Gatorade!" I thought the race was very well organized. I had no problems parking, but I arrived very early. | |
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J. S. from Indianapolis, IN
(10/20/2008)
 "A Great Event" (about: 2008)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I was admittedly a first-timer at the full. The course is nice and fairly flat, but scenic with the fall colors at peak. Difficult for spectators to get to but a few spots along the course between miles 12.5 and 25, so there is not much to go on except your own strength. Great weather with 49 at the start and 58 at the finish. Aid stations and toilets on the course were frequent and nicely spaced. With 2,500 in the 1/2 and 1,500 in the full, the first 12.5 (while running with the 1/2 runners) was much easier/more enjoyable. This race is on a growth curve, but if you want to run the full here, make sure you aren't someone who relies on the people around you for continual motivation. | |
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Mark Piercy from Naperville, Illinois
(10/20/2008)
 "Good small marathon. Was the distance off?" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Our GPS indicated 26.64 miles, so we asked around. Two others read 26.60 and 26.47. This could make for some unhappy people looking for qualifying times or PR's. Needs to be looked into. I'm curious to know what the actual distance was. The course was a nice mix of scenic and urban, trail and pavement. A few more strategically located porta-potties are needed. Otherwise you did a nice job... thank you. | |
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J. A. from Minnesota
(10/20/2008)
"Nice fall marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 As others have mentioned, we had perfect weather. The course is relatively flat with a few hills thrown in to mix it up. I had heard that there was a big hill in the state park, but it wasn't too bad. The first few miles had lots of turns, but this made it nice for my family to see me a few times. The parking was difficult, but the organizers did warn runners to get there early. I would plan to arrive at least an hour early to find a space. There were massages advertised for a small fee, but when I went to sign up there was only one person giving them and 10 people waiting - so I left. I would run this race again but I am on the 50-state quest. | |
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M. W. from West Lafayette, IN
(10/20/2008)
"Great fall marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 11th marathon in my 11th state. Weather for this race was perfect for the area. You can't be much better than the park area running, around miles 7-12. While I am not a fan of the out-and-back portion in the second half, it wasn't that bad. The water and Gatorade stations were fully stocked and frequent. Probably one of the best organized races for refreshment support that I have been in. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a smaller-field fall marathon. It's a welcome refresher from the mammoth marathons run in Detroit/Chicago around the same time. | |
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E. S. from Atlanta, GA
(10/20/2008)
"Wonderful race!" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a great course! There were only about three hills throughout the entire course and the first two were pretty short. The last mile had a pretty tough hill that lasted about a half-mile or so. The scenery was very beautiful, as it went through two parks and was near fall foliage season. The organization was great! They keep the race small, so I never felt too crowded or like I was trying to weave my way through people. The packet pickup was very smooth. The food at the end was good - they had a free cookout for all participants. The course has a lot of out-and-backs, but they count the numbers at mile 19 to ensure that everyone stays honest. The fan support was less than ideal. There was plenty of support during the first half of the race, but the second half - where you really need it - there was hardly anyone. My fellow racers became my fan support. Overall, a great race! I would definitely recommend it to others! | |
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T. S. from Superior, WI
(10/20/2008)
"Half-marathon should start at a different time." (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Indianapolis Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The setting for the start at the Fort Benjamin Harrison parade grounds was quite impressive, and nicely complemented with the band music performances by the military band. The course was scenic through the park, not too challenging, and sometimes boring; but overall, it's a good course. It was a bit congested with a half-marathon. Did not like that at all. Packet pickup and pasta feed were fine. A map of the area would have been helpful. All of the aid stations and volunteers were excellent and much appreciated. A nice-looking medal, but we shared with the half-marathoners. Go figure. A real plus of this race is the full meal at the end. Great idea! Overall, I enjoyed the race and would recommend it to other 50 Staters. |
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