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☰
Hartford Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Hartford Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 306 [displaying comments 61 to 71]
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J. E. from Philippines
(5/12/2013)
 "Marks or signs on the road" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Hartford Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran this race every year. But in 2012 , I was very disappointed because they took the directions early...so I suggest that you carry a MAP of the course. It is a well organized race but I wish that they would make marks on the ground to give the slower runners where to turn. | |
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M. M. from Cornwall UK
(11/15/2012)
 "An Unexpected Gem" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I achieved my goal of a PB under 4.00 Hrs. which might influence my comments a little. Pros 1) Largely interesting, flat course along city, suburban and park roads 2) Excellent food and beer at finish 3) Enthusiastic volunteers at water/fuel stops. Cons 1) Slow start due to congestion. Overall the marathon was far better than I was expecting. Well done Hartford. | |
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W. F. from Rochester,MN
(11/2/2012)
 "A great day in Hartford" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon was well worth the trip to get here. Flat and scenic course with tremendous volunteer support all along the way to a wonderful finish. Need to keep on the inside of all of the turns or this could easily be a 26.6 run. Very well organized event, a joy to run. The perfect conditions and autumn colors really helped make a memorable day. The medal was truly an artistic statement, the best I have ever received. | |
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R. S. from Aurora, IL
(10/18/2012)
"If YOU take over 5 hours, better read this!" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 WARNING FOR 5 HOUR PLUS RUNNERS: ****Take A Map WIth you!***** Although the finish will stay open until you get there, the RD makes it a challenge as course marking and guides are pulled prior to the 6 hour people finishing. Our Group had 2 people finish before 6 hours and the course markings were already being pulled along with the individuals directing traffic. I added another mile to my race as a group of us weren't sure which way to go and one person said to turn right. We found out a half mile later she was wrong. Thankfully a bicycle went and we got directions. It's not an out and back course so you're on new territory a lot of the time, and there are over 60 turns so without a guide or markings you questions which way to turn at each intersection. THE RD's attitude was slow runners should have carried a map. My recommendation is CARRY THE MAP! THe rest of my comments are all Fantastic for the Crowds, the volunteers and even the expo was fine for the size of the race. | |
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C. S. from Newburgh, NY
(10/17/2012)
"Great first time marathon experience" (about: 2012)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The course was flat and enjoyable. It was well organized and I liked that they gave me the option of having my bib mailed to me, so I didn't have to get into Hartford earlier and try to find it. The support was wonderful (water, Gatorade, Gu), the medal is super nice and the shirt, eh, ok. The baggage check wasn't crowded when I went to pick up, but I had a tough time finding it. The food was a joke! I had to spit out the cold rice in a cup after unsuccessfully trying to swallow it. No need to be fancy, just give me something to eat! Overall, I liked it and plan to do it next year. | |
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A. M. from New York
(10/17/2012)
"Terrific Marathon! Highly recommend it!" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 73rd International Marathon, and what a great surprise!!! The course is beautiful, very green and scenic, and very flat. The organizers are too honest and display hills on their elevation chart, but their chart is way too detailed showing every smallest change in elevation. Most of the other Marathon organizers present theirs as flat while even a small bump on their charts is actually a 150 feet ascent. No such things in Hartford! It IS flat! The weather in 2012 was nothing less than spectacular - perfectly cool for the race, no wind, a deep blue sky without a single cloud, and beautiful foliage. There were lots of enthusiastic spectators along the course. The finish line in front of the State Capitol which you approach under the famous Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch is quite dramatic, but when I received the Finisher medal, I couldn't help but to say 'Wow!'. Of all 73 Marathon medals that I have from all over the world, this one is by far the most beautiful one. It is nothing less than a piece of art! You can check the photo on their website, but remember that the medal is quite large, heavy, high quality, and looks even much better than its photo. Great job, and many thanks to the organizers and volunteers that built a really memorable event. I highly recommend this Marathon! | |
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N. C. from northern NJ
(10/16/2012)
"Great tour of city and suburbs" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a well-run race in near-perfect weather. A few comments to supplement previous ones: The start with the 1/2 marathon was slow but we broke apart after 1 mile so it actually kept me from going out too fast. I thought the brief mix was fun. The occasional hills were a good way to break up the flatness and use different muscles. The stairs at 25 miles were not an issue until maybe 6 hours into the race when the bridge was reopened (I realize that's no consolation to the 6+ hour runners who could not have been very happy). At the finish, I could really have used clearer guidance to the baggage pickup. Huge signs at the end of the chute steering people to the right (vs the left, where everything else was) would have been helpful. I left Hartford with a very positive impression of the city and its people. | |
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N. K. from Lancaster, PA
(10/16/2012)
"Not bad, could be better." (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Positives: Beautiful course, great finish location, expo, water and GU stations, spectators, medal. Negatives: Starting line logistics, bag check, food tent. The course was beautiful, as was the weather, making for a great race. The expo was great considering the race's smaller size, and the spectators were great. There were plenty of aid stations with fun things like chocolate, flat soda, and fruit, so great job! The starting line was a huge disappointment. I lined up 15 minutes prior to the start and ended up stuck behind the 4:20 pace group and couldn't make my way to where I needed to be. The beginning of the race was so crowded that I was stuck in a slower group until the half marathon split off. This race should really implement a staggered start. The bags they handed out at the finish line were nice, but the food tent was pretty terrible. The soup was cold and bland, and the portions were extremely small. Finding the bag check was difficult as the signs for it were limited. | |
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M. B. from Albany, NY
(10/15/2012)
 "Excellent mid-sized marathon" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Hartford Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this marathon as part of my quest to run one in all 50 states. This was my 8th state. I generally enjoyed the whole experience. The weather was unusually cool (30-45) but perfect for running. The volunteers were great at the fluid stops, and there was plenty of water and Gatorade, with gels at 3 stops and from bicycling volunteers. The course is almost completely flat and scenic at times. I loved the out and back section, with pretty homes, farms, and foliage. Much of the course was free of spectators - to be expected at a race of this size. The shirt and medal were very nice, and the expo was adequate. It was a bit confusing at the end trying to find the food, with vendor tents all over. | |
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Bill Fine from Franklin, MA
(10/15/2012)
"A lovely race!" (about: 2012)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first time running Hartford, and I found the entire experience to be terrific. The expo was manageable..after all, this isn't Boston! With only about 2500 runners, the field size was about perfect and the ING folks organized everything quite well in and around Bushnell Park. The course was well marked and as flat as advertised. I actually enjoyed the out-and-back section (miles 10 - 24) and thought the on-course support (on bicycles, GU on demand) was terrific. The volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful, and the locals who came out to cheer were fantastic (great signs!). All in all, a great day (and a 7-minute PR!) for a great race in a great city! |
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