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☰
Rocket City Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Rocket City Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 285 [displaying comments 231 to 241]
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Charles Tomlinson from Union, Mo USA
(12/15/2004)
 "excellent organization and volunteer workers" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 A good marathon to run due to the non-excessive number of runners and excellent organizational skills of HTC. The course is not very hilly. I especially enjoyed the accordian player cheering and playing for the runners. I highly recommend her! She appeared at several places along the race course because she was on roller blades. I only give 2 stars in the spectators category because there were not very many spectators. | |
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D. T. from Atlanta, GA
(12/14/2004)
"Great time at Rocket City" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is a well organized and somewhat small marathon (around 800 runners). The course is mostly level with a few hills (most in the last 8-9 miles). There are lots of turns, but I enjoyed the route changes. If you're looking for lots of spectators then this isn't your race. If you're looking for some serious running then this is your race. The expo, pasta dinner and post-race party were great. I won't repeat many marathons, but I will probably do Rocket City again. Maybe next time there won't be a headwind for the last 9 miles. | |
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R. M. from Birmingham, Alabama
(12/13/2004)
 "No frills marathon worth the price." (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Rocket City Marathons
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The Huntsville Marathon is a good marathon for runners who want a no frills race without a lot of hassle. Parking is easy and there are no shuttle buses or long lines. The organization is smooth and the entry fee is very reasonable. Critically speaking, the course is pretty bland and the finish is a little anti-climatic. All in all, it's a good marathon. | |
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Keith Whited from Alexandria, VA
(12/13/2004)
"Ho-Hummmmmmmmmm!" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 This one is certainly NOT one of my favorites. VERY boring course primarily through well kept residential neighborhoods - although it was very flat, I'll give them that much. Can't blame the weather on the organizers but the WARM soup was a NICE touch after the cool temps, stiff breezes and light rain - too bad the soup didn't have more salt though. One thing I thought was particularly odd was that the shirts didn't say 'Marathon' anywhere. If it wasn't for the HTC (Huntsville Running Club's logo) you wouldn't even suspect that it might be a shirt from ANY footrace. I don't know if that was intentional or not but the date on the shirt was certainly someone's mistake. The date said December 13, 2004 (the race was on December 11th)!!! The card timing system is clearly outdated for a race of this size. Spectators were nearly non-existent. I've done over 40 marathons and usually feel pretty positive about them afterwards. Unfortunately, this one has to rank somewhere in the bottom 5. Fifty Staters - if you need Alabama, try the marathon in Birmingham. | |
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S. G. from Atlanta, GA
(12/13/2004)
 "An Excellent Race and a PR Course" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Like many others reviewers, I achieved a personal best and qualified for Boston on this course. Yes, you will see plenty of turns, but all of them well marked and most attended by volunteers. It is mostly flat, and the few hills that were there just gave me a chance to switch gears a little and use different muscles for a change. I didn?t think the course was boring, like some reviewers before me. But I must admit that I concentrated on my race, and not so much the scenery. Organization was excellent. The course was controlled very well, and traffic was never a problem. Crowd support was great as well, although of course the number of spectators could not match New York. But those who were there were very enthusiastic, and I saw some of them more than once at different points on the course. It was definitely better than in other races of this size (Jacksonville and Cherry Blossom come to mind). There was a great number of volunteers, and all were very supportive. Be mindful of the headwind in the last ten miles or so. I was told that I was going to feel it by someone who did this race a couple of years ago, and sure enough, it was there. So you may feel colder after the turn-around near the 15-mile mark. In fact, my wife, who accidentally ended up helping out at the Whitesburg School water station, said that she saw a number of cold and disoriented people come through at mile 21.7. Water stations: most of them had water first and Gatorade last, but on some the order was reversed. If it matters to you what you drink, listen carefully ? volunteers will let you know what they serve first. At two (or three?) points on the course they also handed out sports gels. | |
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L. S. from Tullahoma, Tennessee
(12/13/2004)
"Great first marathon!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my first full marathon and I knew going into it that there would be little crowd support, so that didn't bother me. If you are one that needs that extra yell or cheer, then don't do it. If you are one that prefers to run with very few crowds and very few runners, then this is the one. It's an easy, flat course, and for a first-timer a great marathon. I did it to help prepare myself for the Country Music Marathon in April (now there are your crowd support and thousands of runners). The t-shirt was messed up but from what I know at this time, it will be corrected. This run is low-key and I felt very comfortable doing it. Plenty of people at the corners. You won't get lost, that's for sure. Overall, a great marathon and I would definitely do it again in the future. | |
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D. T. from Fernandina Beach, Florida
(12/12/2004)
"Well-organized small run!" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Congrats to the race director on a final job well done. Hope the new directors do as well. I would not agree with the description of a 'flat course,' however. There were several rolling hills. One boring stretch of out-and-back on exposed road. But overall a good course. Pre-race booklet was great. Organization was superior for this size race. Wish you could control the weather. Cold and windy was tough! At least the rain was only a mist. Brrr! I would recommend this one. | |
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P. P. from Tennessee
(12/12/2004)
"Great Marathon!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville was my first marathon. The race was very well organized. There were traffic directors at every turn and every red light. The spectators along the course were friendly and encouraging, as well. The course is flat and very well marked. The scenery is kind of boring, but the flat, fast course makes up for it. I loved this race! | |
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G. G. from Birmingham, AL
(12/11/2004)
"Better than I expected" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 These guys do a great job with the resources available... it's a small marathon, don't think that spectators will be lined along the whole course. However the course support was awesome, water and Gu were well placed, splits were called at each mile and the finish area worked well and food was readily and closely available - I had soup and a peanut butter sandwich within 15 minutes of finishing. It's a good marathon, and for the price it's hard to beat. I ran Chicago and don't remember conversing with anyone... but Rocket City is more personal and people were talking and urging each other on and that was cool. And being from B-ham I liked the little hills on the course to break the monotony. I recommend this race! | |
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J. S. from Dickson, Tennessee
(12/11/2004)
"Cold, flat, fun, low-pressure, classic run" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 To start with, I qualified for Boston here, so whatever else is said, this was a great marathon. Road construction made getting to the headquarters hotel a little challenging. Price was low and we were all on the gun time (chips must cost more). T-shirts had the wrong date and didn't have the word 'marathon' on them, but were otherwise nicely done. Volunteers shouted the times at each mile and that was great. The Boy Scouts passed out Gu somewhere in the middle with their uniforms on. That was a nice touch. A cold wind at about 10 mph from out of the northwest made this a cool run with the start temp about 38 degrees F. There are a lot of nice people in this run, which made the social times before and after highly recommended. I will probably do it again. |
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