May 19, 2024
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☰
Seattle Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Seattle Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 3.9 
Spectators 3.1
Number of comments: 182 [displaying comments 151 to 161]
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M. E. from Waterville, Wash
(12/6/2003)
 "What a race!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Perfect combination of scenery, water stations and fans. I'm doing this one again. | |
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D. G. from Seattle, WA
(12/3/2003)
 "A beautiful course with some hills and wind" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The course for this marathon is varied, interesting and - on a clear sunny day - quite beautiful. Several times, snow-capped mountains seemed to appear out of nowhere, particularly toward the middle of the course. There are two challenges to keep in mind: first, the headwind on the floating bridge out to Mercer Island and returning from Seward Park, and, second, the hills around miles 18-22. While the overall elevation gain is modest, the gradual ascent through the Washington Park Arboretum is a challenge so late in the race. The hills and winds are certainly something to consider when choosing a pace for the first half. The many spectators were very encouraging. At one intersection around mile 20, a cellist serenaded us as we reached the top of a hill! Water/Powerade stations were ample. There were two well-stocked Gu stations. The recovery food included smoothies, crackers, clam chowder and fruit. The volunteers serving food were all very encouraging. In fact, the spirit throughout the event was very positive and invigorating. I was a bit disappointed to find that there were no bread slices or bagels. I found myself really craving such things at the end of the race, and I'd assumed that they were standard post-marathon fare. Next time, I'll be sure to stash some bread in my backpack, just in case. All in all, the Seattle Marathon was a terrific experience--I even qualified for Boston during this, my first marathon. I'm eagerly anticipating my next marathon in the spring, and my next Seattle next fall. | |
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JOHN CONNOR from NEWPORT KENTUCKY
(12/2/2003)
 "Challenging but fun" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The weather was perfect. The volunteers were great... you cannot do a marathon without them. I cannot thank them enough. Only negative was that the soup was gone before I finished, but I guess I have to run faster... | |
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Dave Niles from Rochester, NY
(12/2/2003)
"Topnotch work!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon. Although I had to empty my poor college-student bank account to travel to Seattle to run this thing, it was worth every penny. The organization was among the best I've seen in any race, and volunteer and fan support were awesome. It felt like people were genuinely cheering for you. I also enjoyed that after the turn-around we passed people farther back in the race and got to cheer for each other. The only lonely stretches of the course were during the last few miles through a park or something. People complain about the weather being poor, but I find that the cloudiness of every single day in Seattle is perfect for racing. If there's one thing you can count on in Seattle, it's consistent weather. Although the course was very scenic and beautiful, I did not like that we spent so much time running on concrete. Over a 26.2-mile distance, you can really feel how much harder concrete is than asphalt, and since many of those miles were on the expressway there was no option of finding anything softer. Overall it was an excellent marathon. I plan to keep coming back for more, and I highly recommend it to both experienced and beginner marathoners. | |
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Tim Steege from Mercer Island, WA
(12/1/2003)
"The best tour of Seattle!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The course is through downtown, then across Lake Washington (with great views of Cascade volcanoes, weather permitting), then along a very pretty lakefront road to and around Seward Park, then back up the lake to a tough 1/2 mile hill and then through the Arboretum. Then it winds along a country road in the middle of the city, and finally breaks out into views of the Space Needle and Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. We had a spectacular day and the organization was perfect. 2,325 runners made it uncrowded but with plenty of people to run with. I loved it! Hard course to PR on, though, with hills late in the course. | |
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J. B. from Bellevue, WA
(12/1/2003)
"A perfect day for a marathon" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Maybe the weather in 2002 was an anomaly (see earlier comments). If so, then we're getting a string of anomalies here! The weather was FANTASTIC! The sun was out, the air was crisp, and the sky was absolutely clear. In short, it was gorgeous! It was a perfect day for a marathon. I'm not much for the course (the best course I've run in Seattle was in the Goodwill Games marathon open to the public in '90... a great tour of the city). This course was okay. There weren't many spectators out in Seattle on a cold, late fall Sunday morning, but if your looking for a good off-season marathon in the Pacific Northwest to work off all that turkey you ate, this is a great one. | |
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S. C. from O'Fallon, IL
(12/1/2003)
"Well organized race" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The race lucked out again for 2003, with great weather (just some wind to contend with). Everything was very well organized. The expo was bigger than I expected, with lots of free samples. The course was very scenic with good volunteer support. The first 20 miles were reasonable, but the last 6 were much hillier than I expected with a couple of real killers in there! The only slight disappointment was the fan support. With such nice weather in a running town, I expected a few more spectators out there. I highly recommend this marathon, but be sure to save your energy for those last 6 miles! | |
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T. B. from Richland, WA
(10/19/2003)
"A wonderfully organized race!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I have run the half marathon three times ('99 - 01) - my first race ever - and volunteered the last two years due to injury. (This will be the first year that I'm not involved with the race at all). I've been part of the planning process for this race and the people at the Seattle Marathon spend a year preparing for this race. It's a huge process and they spend a lot of time making sure they cover every detail for the race. As for the race itself, the views, although sometimes grey, are beautiful. You get to run through the middle of downtown Seattle while watching the sun rise, see Lake Washington and the beautiful homes of that area, run through Seward Park for the full marathon version, proving to yourself that you are a tough human being who can take on any hill in Seattle - and have it reinforced with the awesome welcome into the Memorial Stadium at the finish. The organizers think of everything and make sure that they see every runner/walker to the finish line. Some of the head organizers have even been known to walk to the finish line from the course with the walkers who are still out there at 4pm. To me, that shows dedication, concern and respect for those who take on the challenge of the Seattle Marathon. Come on out and prove to yourself that you are a tough human being! | |
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T. J. from Moses Lake, WA
(2/20/2003)
"Rain? What rain?" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 2002 was a bit of an anomaly, but the usually rainy Seattle weather was bright and sunny. The course is beautiful, crowd sparse but supportive, and the dreaded mile 24 hill not that big a deal. With all the fun things to do in Seattle, great restaurants, etc, this marathon is a must. | |
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A Runner from Missoula, MT
(12/11/2002)
 "Gorgeous, but tough" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 What a wonderful course - one of the most scenic, urban races I've been in ! But, as others will attest, those hills are the end are quite the challenge ! Organization was just fine, but a little on the barebones side -- not really enough bathrooms, only one food station, and little entertainment (other than the scenery !). For such a nice day, it was surprising that there were so few spectators. RECOMMENDED ! |
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