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Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 3.7
Number of comments: 240 [displaying comments 181 to 191]
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D. S. from Singapore
(3/22/2006)
 "Would recommend this race" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 A nice course, mostly flat. Friendly and enthusiastic supporters. Really fun post-race party. Beware the wind though; it was blowing in my face for quite a bit of the way. Small hiccups include mis-spelling in the medal and some complaints about t-shirt sizes. Otherwise, organization was top-notch and definitely an easy and enjoyable first race. | |
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J. S. from Chapel Hill, NC
(3/20/2006)
"Terrific Marathon Weekend" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Great event in Virginia Beach. I really enjoyed the course, good mix of scenery and terrain. Running through a couple of military bases cuts down on spectators, but spectators aren't a big draw for me in choosing a marathon. Field was ideal size, around 2,000. Expo was good without being oversized, very easy and organized number pickup. A wealth of hotels to choose from at off-season rates; I stayed right at the start and was only 8 blocks from the finish. Great runner goodies, nice looking long-sleeve technical shirt, fantastic medal and a very nice running "finisher's" hat given out at the end. It was a cool and windy day but what can you do about weather on the coast in March? The finish-line party was one of the best I have seen. Lots of post-race Killian's Red beer was flowing, hot steaming bowls of Irish stew which was much appreciated on this chilly day, plus massages and the usual supply of bagels, fruit, cookies, water etc. I will definitely be back at this race in the future. | |
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D. M. from Phoenix, AZ
(3/20/2006)
 "Fun Marathon!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I loved the course! The variety kept things interesting. We started out on Atlantic Avenue, did a little "run about town," then headed out to Fort Templeton, passing the aquarium and crossing a concrete bridge. Seeing the barracks gave me lots of thought about those who are serving our country. The woods were beautiful! Then back across the bridge, back through town (cheering family on the hotel balcony), and another loop up north of town around Fort Story and the Cape Henry lighthouse. Great finish line on the concrete boardwalk, and post-race celebration the beach. The beer post-race was GREAT, but the awards ceremony was disappointing (started 15 minutes late, didn't present age-group awards). There were parts of the race with few spectators, but that was great for meditating. The loops in and out of town were wonderful for waving to family. This is my 12th marathon, and I would highly recommend it! Be prepared for potentially COLD weather at the start (wind chill factor in the 20's), but beautiful, sunny low 50's at the finish. What's not to like about Virginia Beach? | |
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T. K. from Pittsburgh PA
(9/28/2005)
"Best hassle-free marathon in the country" (General Comments)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I have run several large and small marathons. Shamrock and Virginia Beach are up great for a laid-back, easy experience. Great for the entire family. | |
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N. C. from Southeast USA
(7/29/2005)
 "Course Highs & Lows" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Shamrock is a flat, fast marathon. The size of the field makes it a great option for those wanting to run without bobbing and weaving. For first-timers, the lack of crowd support or entertainment can be tough if you are running solo. The course weaves around some nice spots, and finishes on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk, which, while scenic, is hard on the legs! The 2005 marathon failed to provide the level of support seen in previous years -- fluid stations without Gatorade and confusion nearing the finish line area. If you are a middle-to-back-of-the-packer, you may find yourself fending for yourself. Security issues in Fort Story prevented spectators from a majority of the race which was disappointing for runners and family/friends. Overall, a good marathon with an established reputation that could be easily improved with more attention to course logistics. | |
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A. E. from Phoenix, AZ
(5/25/2005)
"Think about the slower folks!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Having run both giant (20,000 +) and smaller (-4,000) marathons, I have to say I prefer the smaller ones! I liked the course. It was very scenic, and the weather this year was awesome. We also got a great rate at the hotel because it is still technically the off-season. I would like to comment on the course security. The course is open for 6.5 hours and I came in at 6 hours. There were people walking all over the boardwalk, oblivious to the fact that runners were finishing a marathon. There was no clear way to get to the finish for 2 miles. No course marshals were present, no cones or markers set up to provide a path for the runners. I had to tell people to move! At this point there was no course security. This is a real issue. When I finished, the organizers were packing up the after-party. There was no food or beer left. If you are going to keep a course open for 6.5 hours, do it right by providing the slower finishers with the support they deserve and a clear path to the finish. There were 150 people that came in after me. I know that having to dodge random people on the boardwalk really put a damper on the way I felt when I finished. | |
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L. M. from Bushkill, Pennsylvania
(4/23/2005)
"Two thumbs up" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 First spring marathon and my time showed it. Went from snow to flowers blooming; can't beat that. Beautiful day, beautiful course. Great job for a small marathon by all involved. Looking forward to next year. | |
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J. Z. from Washington DC
(3/24/2005)
"Great Boston Qualifier" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 The race is well organized, great start and finish, and very fast. Small marathons never have the crowd support of the big ones, so I knew what to expect. The website was excellent, one of the best marathon sites I have seen. The medal and Coolmax long-sleeve shirt are great. Overall, excellent marathon and I qualified for Boston! | |
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S. M. from Lexington, KY
(3/24/2005)
"Good, flat marathon" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon. I choose this one because it was flat. This isn't a big marathon, but well organized. Not a lot of crowd support, but a flat course was more important to me. The weather was perfect...we got lucky. The expo was small but ok. The pasta dinner was good but overpriced. Nice medals and neat Coolmax running tops instead of t-shirts. I would recommend this race. | |
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K. M. from Columbus, OH
(3/23/2005)
"Great Marathon" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Shamrock Sportsfest Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I thought this marathon was excellent. The only reason I gave the course 4 stars and not 5 was the concrete boardwalk, but I think the view of the ocean was worth the short time on the boardwalk. Loved that the start/finish was near each other and conveniently near lots of hotels. The organization was perfect, and the expo was larger than I expected. I thought that having the expo go so late on Friday night gave plenty of time for those coming in from out of town to pick up their packets the night before. Volunteers are EXCELLENT. I loved the themed water stops and enthusiastic volunteers. They must have had fun. Finish was great. Loved the announcer calling off everyone's name. Especially the beer tent. The after party was a blast. Food was good, band was great. Belly dancers were a great addition. But, free beer and you have to pay for the water? Interesting... Quite honestly, I wouldn't change a thing. This one was definitely worth it! |
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