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May 5, 2024

Mayor's Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Mayor's Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.3

Organization 4.3

Spectators 3.6

Number of comments: 127 [displaying comments 51 to 61]

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M. T. from Lincoln, Nebraska (7/3/2008) "Most fun ever" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've just returned from my trip to do the Mayor's Marathon. The entire trip was great, and this was by far the most fun I've ever had at a marathon. This was the 50th state for one of my friends, and I decided to go along for the occasion. Neither of us had an agenda beyond finishing, so we decided ahead of time to just take it easy and enjoy it - and we did. The organization and support for this race were tremendous. The packet pickup was very efficient, with volunteers meeting you at the front door to give directions, assistance and advice. The pasta feed was not extravagant, but was held at a unique venue - a museum that offered a beautiful flower garden and lots of interesting art. On race day, there were convenient free shuttles to the start, an open school building in the starting area (so you could stay warm and use the facilities), and a friendly and efficient system to get gear to the finish. The course was a little congested for the first few miles, but, as usual, that was primarily the result of runners not lining up where they belonged or insisting on running abreast down the middle of the bike trail. Once you got off the bike trail, the course was really great. It certainly wasn't a PR course, but that was far outweighed by the gorgeous scenery. The complaints about the tank trail and the hills are really overblown. Besides, it's the element of challenge that makes the undertaking enjoyable and worthwhile. There were ample facilities with enthusiastic volunteers all along the way. The course didn't particularly lend itself to lots of spectators, but there were more than I expected, and given the setting, it really didn't matter. This race was all about the runners, and that fact was really made clear by an incident that occurred after the race. Somehow in all of the activity that was going on at the finish, my friend managed to misplace his finisher's shirt. He had to leave for home before he had a chance to try to address the problem. Since I was staying for a few extra days, I decided I'd see if I could at least gather some information to help him out. I called an Anchorage Parks and Recreation number that I got out of the materials in the race packet. The person who answered the phone was a gentleman named John McClary (sp.?). I explained the situation to him and he said he'd get back to me. He then took it upon himself not only to track down a shirt, but also to deliver it to my hotel. That kind of consideration and willingness to go well above and beyond what is necessary to simply put on an event really typified the attitude that I experienced with every aspect of the race. I would heartily recommend this race to anyone. Congratulations, and thanks to everyone who was involved in putting it on.
P. N. from Austin, TX (6/29/2008) "Tough but lovely" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the half and my husband ran the full marathon. The two courses are almost completely separate; only about the last mile (complete with wicked steep hill) and the finish line are shared. My husband said the tank road on the marathon course was challenging for him, and the miles of running on wet grass in the half were hard for me. That said, the scenery was lovely, the volunteers enthusiastic, the weather perfect for running (cool and mostly cloudy) and the organization flawless. I liked the watermelon at the finish. Now, if they could just get someone to donate some hot coffee. :-) We loved this race, and would go back if we had the opportunity.
M. G. from Anchorage, Alaska (6/27/2008) "Don't make this your first marathon" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A tough course. A big part of the course is gravel and then a dirt trail. If you're not worried about your time, it's a fun run. You don't get to see much of the city of Anchorage; this is a good nature lover's marathon.
Kami K. from Corpus Christi, TX (6/26/2008) "Highly Recommended!" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Mayor's Marathon Anchorage, AK Saturday, June 21, 2008 8:00 a.m. This was the 35th edition of the marathon, held on the eve of Summer Solstice and managed by the University of Alaska at Anchorage. The packet pick-up was efficient and there was also a small expo. Race day temperature ranged from low 50s to low 60s. It was mainly overcast, rained some, wind was not a factor, and the sun was out for several minutes around 11:30 a.m. In short, we enjoyed a good running weather. At 6:30 a.m., buses began transporting the runners to the start line at Bartlett High School in east Anchorage. The point-to-point route ended at Davis High School and buses transported the runners back to host hotels. The race was very well organized. There were ample water/sports drink stations, volunteers were friendly, crowd support was sporadic, and there were adequate refreshments at the finish. Each finisher received a nice medallion and a short-sleeved cotton T-shirt. The course was scenic and challenging. Most of it was on trails and we experienced a variety of surfaces (gravel, rocks, and paved). Miles 7 to 15 were through the forested Chugach Foothills, and although the scenery was excellent, the footing was less than desirable. Racing flats are NOT recommended! There were rolling hills. I was aware of the mother of all climbs at about mile 25.5, which I must say was cruel and punished us! It is not a PR course, but I doubt if any marathoner wouldn't enjoy running it. I am a 50-stater, and this was #39.
D. S. from Michigan (6/23/2008) "Best Moose-Spotting Marathon!" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Only really "boring" part of the course was the first 4 miles or so along the highway. Once you are in the woods and then into the trail system down through Anchorage, you are watching out for the wildlife (and potential bear poo). I finally saw moose at mile 21 and a half. The gravel portion of the trail is not as bad as previous comments, but it does slow you down as you maneuver for the best footing. Any hills were promptly rewarded with long downhill stretches (except for that mean uphill at the very end). The volunteers shaking bear bells (?) and staffing the stations were great; however, there was lots of confusion between water and Ultima. Multiple runners dumped Ultima on themselves after being told it was water. Then there is the Ultima. It's definitely not a fan favorite! Although there were oranges and pretzels available at the various stations, it was not enough to supplement GU-type packs. I wish I had carried along a couple more gels than I usually carry for races. The finish venue was OK; big, chunky marathon-finisher medal; short-sleeve cotton finisher shirt. With Subway as a sponsor, I was rather looking forward to more substantial food at the finish than bagels or fruit (again, I should have carried more gels). I liked the convenient shuttle bus support from the hotels to the start, the use of the high school gym to stay warm prior to the race, and the shuttle buses back to the hotels from the finish. From an out-of-towner viewpoint: Reserve hotels early. They are going to be crazy expensive for what you get, and beware the late checkout situation if you plan on leaving the same day as the race. They are not very accommodating for late checkouts. Red Roof Inn assured me a 2:00 p.m. late checkout was no problem when I reserved, but they did not oblige, forcing me out within minutes of returning from the race at 12:15 p.m.! (Race started at 8:00 a.m.).
Danielle Whitehead- Firth from Lansing, MI (2/17/2008) "beautiful trails, fun spectators, a great race!" (about: 2003) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Time flies when you're having fun. I love the mix of dirt trails and pavement. Nice scenery to take your mind off of work. Lots of water stations and fans. Despite the large numbers, fellow runners were fun and motivating.
N. H. from Stevens Point, Wisconsin (7/27/2007) "A great excuse to visit Alaska!" (about: 2007) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The marathon was probably the least exciting part of my trip to Alaska. My advice is to finish your race with lots of energy left over so you can hike, kayak, and fish. Do it for the vacation.
R. F. from Florida (7/14/2007) "Challenging & Exciting" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon ever (I registered as a walker, and finished as a runner!). Team In Training told us that there would be 8 miles unpaved, but unless you train on a mountain somewhere, nothing can prepare you for numerous rocks and boulders on your path! (I had trained in PA, mostly at Valley Forge, so I was prepared for the hills, but it was difficult to maintain speed while also navigating around those rocks.) It poured rain when I reached mile 18, so miles 20 and 21 were a little soggy (and a bit confusing). The last two-tenths of a mile to that finish line led you through a weird set-up at a school. Other than that, it was absolutely beautiful! Nothing like seeing a few moose on the way. There weren't a lot of spectators (after all, we were in Alaska), but the ones who showed up kept the momentum going. Even though I finished in just over 8 hours, there were still lots of people cheering at the end of the course. The 8-mile stretch in the middle was so far from civilization that you looked forward to the water stops. All of those were fantastic! (Thumbs up on the number and placement of port-a-potties, too.) There was very little contact with traffic, which was nice. I definitely could have done without the bus driver after the race. There were plenty of shuttles, but it was disorganized and the driver was incredibly rude. Overall, it was an awesome first experience. The wildlife and scenery was beautiful and awe-inspiring. The temperature was perfect on race day, and the never-ending sun (land of the midnight sun) was especially neat. My family flew out to cheer me on, and between the marathon and the vacation that followed, it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
D. O. from Minnesota (7/8/2007) "A delightful marathon" (about: 2007) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Pros: * Organization was very good. A few bugs, but nothing that detracted from an overall great experience. * The course was beautiful and even though the tank trail was tough (described well in other comments, which I echo), the rest of the course made up for it. Very little concrete. * Good water stops - and they were staffed well even in the last miles. * Good fan support. There weren't lots of people, but they were very enthusiastic and encouraging. * Beautiful Anchorage - running in Alaska is wonderful and beautiful. Cons: * None. Minor bugs: * The false finish line - they needed to put a mileage marker at 26.0 miles. * The hill at the end was a funny joke - I laughed as I walked up it. (But I still finished under 4 hours.) * The tank trail punished the feet, but it is part of the total experience. I only lost two toenails. * No bananas. * No end-of-race showers. Highly recommend it. And when you run it, make sure you relax and take in the whole experience. It is wonderful and beautiful.
T. H. from Cincinnati, OH (7/7/2007) "Great weather, tough course" (about: 2007) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Mayor's Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was a challenging course. The gravel road was much longer and looser gravel than I expected. The race was well organized and had adequate water stops overall. I would have liked to have seen a few more but that was not a huge factor since the weather was just about perfect. Organizers and others along the course provided a lot of snacks, which was appreciated. My biggest complaint was the non-descript finisher's medal. There are so many interesting and unique ways that the medal could have been done (I am all about the medal and t-shirt) but it was very plain and the same medal was given to the finishers of the youth cup that my children ran. The t-shirt could have been more reflective of the unique state as well.

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