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May 3, 2024

Circular Logic Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Circular Logic Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 5.0

Spectators 4.8

Number of comments: 49 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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J. P. from St. Louis (4/26/2016) "Great small marathon" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I really enjoyed this marathon despite the overwhelming wind this year. The volunteers and spectators were great, and the overall atmosphere was fantastic. I would like to send my thanks to the volunteer who was near the turn onto the sidewalk - he was so energetic and enthusiastic for the whole race! I also really liked being able to see my mile splits each lap. There were always people nearby on the course, so you never feel isolated. Passing people on the narrow sidewalk was a bit frustrating, especially since some people would walk in the middle rather than stay to the right. I had mixed feelings about the water station. I was expecting the volunteers to be watching and hand you your drink when you were approaching, although I guess this might not be feasible. There were never any volunteers nearby and I always had to stop to pick up my drink, whereas most marathons I would get a drink from a volunteer without having to stop. My bottles were also regularly filled with the wrong drink (my Gatorade bottle would have water and vice versa). This wasn't really a big deal, but at one point both of my bottles were filled with water, so I had no Gatorade available. However, if I had to pick one thing about the race that I really didn't like, it would be the hairpin turn from the sidewalk onto the paved trail. It was difficult to navigate with other runners around you, and it completely zaps your momentum. I was hoping to finally break 4 hours, and I think this turn really slowed me down especially near the end of the race. The course is overall very flat and fast, but keep this turn in mind if you have time goals.
J. N. from Arkansas (4/8/2016) "Great race to PR" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this race because of the great comments I saw on MG and was not disappointed. This is a great small race. I loved the hydration plan and not having to carry anything extra for 26 miles, and also knowing I could drink exactly what I wanted, when I wanted it. The RD has done a great job in sizing the running field to keep the course from feeling too crowded. Also he was great in responding to emailed questions. There was plenty of close parking and only 15 minutes from hotels in Lafayette. Top notch effort all around.
Rob Klein from Paradise Michigan (4/5/2016) "Great Race, Great RD, Challenging Weather" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 In early March, it is still a bit early to find outdoor marathons in the mid-west, so I felt fortunate to find this race for the first weekend in April, though I found out about it just 3 weeks ahead of time. By then, they had finalized T-shirt design and medal count. But since there was an e-mail address for the race director, Joe, I e-mailed him to see if it was too late to get in and be included as a recipient for a T-shirt and medal. Joe got right back to me told me to go ahead and register online and included me in the count (in this race you had to pay extra for a medal and T-shirt). This is the first race I participated in where they actually put the names of the runners on the back of the event T-shirt. Cool! But you had to register before they finalized the T-shirts (and I did not make the cut-off). Also, they did not use the normal Tyvek material for the bibs. It was some kind of synthetic material, I think, and it held up in the 30 mph winds that were coming. The RD must have done the bibs himself, because they individually personalized each bib; you could choose your number, and they'd print your name, nick-name, or alias on the bib for you, along with the event name and date. And they provided bibs for both the front and back. The course was a one mile paved loop, part of it a sidewalk, and part a path through the park. Near the start line, there was a bathroom. An adjacent parking lot had port-a-potties that were brought in too. Across the path, they had several banquet-sized tables set up end to end with a long strip, designating a place for each runner, by bib number, to set their refreshments: Water-bottles, Gator-ade, gels, or whatever. Additional carb snacks were available on another table nearby. It worked great, because runners did not have to carry anything with them, but after completing each loop, just past the timing mat, you had access to whatever you needed for carbs or re-hydration. Volunteers would return numbered bottles to the appropriate numbered place on the tables. This race had both a one-hour and a two-hour early start, and then the course was open for 6 hours. So runners really had up to 8 hours to finish; someone could have walked the whole thing if need be and still have finished in time. I love flexibility! There were perhaps 50 runners for the first wave of early starters. We gathered near the designated start-line as 7:00 a.m. approached, to be told that the timing officials were delayed in arriving, because of a flat tire en route. When they did arrive, and the timing devices were handed out, the race began - though a bit late. The course was well marked, and after one time around, you had the turns and curves figured out. Also, the course was flat. I was concerned about 26 times around the same course, but it was not that bad. I think by lap 22, I was ready to see some new scenery, but by then, I was almost done. There was a 0.1 mile spur - out and back - that everyone had to complete one time to get the proper 26.2 mile distance. Another unique thing they did with this race was to set up a video monitor a 100 or so feet past the timing mat. The display only showed about 5 names at a time, and when you crossed the mat, your name showed up on the top line; it showed the number of the lap just completed. The drawback was if 6 runners were right behind you, by the time you could see the monitor, your name had already dropped off the bottom of the display, and you had to wait until the next time around. That display also showed elapsed time for the lap just completed. So each runner could see from lap to lap how well they were holding out. And somewhere past the 18 mile point, my lap time just kept edging upward - go figure! Adjacent to the timing mat, there was a tent canopy set up with post-race refreshments. They had the typical refreshments. It was also the place spectators could hang out and encourage their runner. The uncontrollable thing with this race, as with any race, is the weather. Forecasts winds were supposed to be about 30 mph. The wind did come. When it did, it wreaked havoc blowing canopies over, water-bottles, and anything else not tied down. About that time, the tornado warning siren came on. I feared the worst! A local gal was telling runners that it was just the weekly test that they do every Saturday morning. Relief! After I finished, the wind blew the timing mat off the path. We quickly re-positioned the mat with stones & wood to hold the corners down. Other weather factors were a cold start at 32 degrees warming to near 50. The sun was out early, but overcast skies ruled for most of the morning. The couple of brief sun-breaks did little to warm the air. Shortly after noon, there was what looked like cross between snow and hail that started to fall. Never a dull moment. This was a great race. Joe & his staff put on a race without runners having to cross any roads, they provided an environment where runners did not have to carry fluids or snacks, and they eliminated having cups on the course too keeping it clean. And they made use of computer/graphics to keep each runner informed of his/her progress through the race. It was a pleasant experience being able to participate in this marathon. And it was my first marathon since heart surgery only 5 months ago. And I finished with a very respectable time. Well Done!
R. M. from Illinois (4/5/2016) "Low cost, great quality" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Circular Logic Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Other races would do well to look at this event and learn. I have run it three times, a great family feel and flat course. Spectators are great and race director and volunteers are very humble and love all about what the running community means. I love the low cost and options to decline t-shirt and/or medal.
S. C. from West Lafayette (4/5/2016) "A well run, no hassle, full marathon." (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Some marathons seem so big that you get lost in the shuffle. This one is sized right so you get individual questions answered. The price is right. Thought the loop would get boring, but it was great for keeping track of pacing. The electronic lap counter and screen were super to keep up on how many laps you've done. The no litter water plan worked well. There was always spectators around to cheer you on. No traffic to mess with and parking was a breeze. The volunteers were outstanding.
B. T. from Il (4/5/2016) "Great Spring marathon" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Circular Logic Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Running 26 laps around a park seems to be boring - but it is not when you do it with many other people. Very friendly and festive, supportive and accommodating. You can start early if you wish. However, this race is not for the ultra-fast PR's - there could be a bunch of kids in a narrow sidewalk ahead of you to go around.
J. W. from Illinois (4/3/2016) "Wow! Well done. One of a kind down home feel." (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Amazing one of a kind experience. Talk about spectator friendly - you see them 26 times! Course was fine. Volunteers amazing. Wind was brutal. Do yourself a favor and do this one before it becomes too popular!
R. B. from Indiana (IN) (4/2/2016) "Absolutely outstanding race director!" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was blown away by this raceit was so well-organized and many of the things that have bothered me about larger races just weren't present here! Nice flat & fast course with enough variation to keep things interesting; I was able to keep my effort consistent throughout. (Only complaint was the concrete sidewalk section, but that's just because I'm a few months out from a stress fracture that is still a little tender on concrete.) Loved being able to see other participants over and over; everyone was very friendly and developed a real sense of community during the course of the race. Incredible bargain for the low price (I paid less than 1/3 of what I paid for my last marathon!), and the race director is phenomenal. He greeted me by name both at packet pickup and at the race, and was super quick to answer the questions I had prior to race day; I also saw him responding very quickly to any questions asked on the Facebook page. This is definitely a race put on by someone who knows what matters to runners and what makes for an amazing race-day experience!
P. H. from IN (4/22/2015) "Great race at a great price." (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 With an Ironman on my bucket list, I wanted to make sure my knees would hold up for a marathon. They did and the finisher's medal was the best ever for any race I've done. The race organization, communication, and implementation were fantastic. Volunteers were many and incredible, encouraging to all, even the many of us who were velocity-challenged. A couple of narrow areas and one tight turn or I would have said the race was perfect. Definitely will be back. Great marathon for a beginner.
M. J. from Michigan (3/30/2015) "Excellent" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Circular Logic Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A great team or single person marathon. A lot of spectators without being too crowded or competitive. The course is completely flat.

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