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May 18, 2024

Toronto Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 3.8

Organization 3.8

Spectators 3.1

Number of comments: 160 [displaying comments 111 to 121]

More Comments: [ < 1 .. 10 11 12 13 14 .. 16 > ]

L. L. from Brandon, Manitoba (10/22/2004) "Overall very good" (about: 2004) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Course had some boring points, but overall quite good. The start was well organized, but the finish needs some work. There is no direction of where to go or what tent has what inside. Overall a good day, thx T.O.
R. W. from Toronto (10/19/2004) "Better each year" (about: 2004) 4-5 previous marathons \| 3 Toronto Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Every year this event gets better. Period. Each year more fans, each year better organized. This is my third consecutive year of running Toronto.
Tracy Lyn Adkins from Youngstown, NY (10/19/2004) "First half marathon & a great experience" (about: 2004) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I am glad I had not read those discouraging reviews prior to running! I felt that they truly did an amazing job and I had a wonderful experience. This was my first half marathon and was not disappointed. The carb dinner the night before was excellent and the speakers were wonderful. The music along the course helped keep my spirits up along with the crew on the bikes that continuously rode up and down the course talking to us and giving us encouragment and motivation. Some parts of the course were a touch on the dreary side and the finish line can definitely trick you as to its location. I found the hills and curves to be a nice challenge as well as a helpful distraction. The police did and excellent job controlling traffic and handling any irate drivers. This race has motivated me to start planning for more long distances and I will be back next year!
r. d. from Rochester, Ny (10/18/2004) "very few fans" (about: 2004) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 It was my second marathon after Chicago last year and was struck by how few fans were there. Bad weather (5C, rain and strong wind) certainly contributed to this fact and I am thankful to those fans who came. Transportation to the start was an issue. The course is hilly, but it did not bother me too much. Some parts of the course are beautiful, but 35-40K is under a highway. No fans, just concrete and dripping water. A lot of water stops. Energy drink was really disgusting. Free massage after the race, but I did not use it; I just wanted to get to my hotel and take a warm shower. Good organization overall.
Sergey Korjenevski from Rochester, NY (10/18/2004) "great fun" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Organization: Registration was fast and effective. One point has to be subtracted for the transportation though - I'm from out of town so getting to the starting line was an issue for me since I booked the wrong hotel. With subway starting at 9, it was quite an irritating thought through all Saturday and eventually spoiled my good-night-before-the-race sleep. Course: Sometimes beautiful - but ugly too, when at 37 km gets to Front street and then under the highway for the next 3 km. It is rather depressing to finish the race that way, surrounded by cars and with no support from fans. However, I won't remember that; instead I will remember beautiful G Ross Lord Park, Casa Loma, Riverdale Park and hill 369 :), right in the middle of the course! Support: Huge thank you to all who came to support us! At 5C, rain and 55 km/h gusting wind, that was a heroic effort as well. Thanks to all volunteers, policemen and drivers who all together made this race a nice, positive and successful event. Too bad I didn't win. But there is always a next time! -Sergey.
A. F. from US (10/18/2004) "Not what they said it would be!" (about: 2004) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 They advertised "More Music... More People... More Fun... More Than Just A Run!!!" Well, there was 1 band, 3 places had music including the start, and very little spectator support throughout the course. The majority of the course is run on the right lane of the road so the slant really takes a toll on the right leg. Bike support and the first aid tent were both great. They ran out of t-shirts even for those pre-registered and the massage people left too early. They advertised a place to take showers, but no one knew where it was. Overall, very disappointing and I would not recommend it.
C. T. from Toornto, Ontario (10/18/2004) "What a day!" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Toronto Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This year, Mother Nature threw everything possible at the runners... except warmth and sunshine of course. The weather conditions were impossible. However the organization was fantastic. Huge thank you to the many volunteers who handed out water and worked so many hours in the cold, wet, windy weather. The course has hills and some great scenery in places - and is more interesting than the flat Scotiabank race held a few weeks earlier. Personally, we should have one fall marathon in Toronto and this should be the one. All we need is more of the city to get behind the great job Jay and his team do in putting this event together. Only down side: more companies should participate in the expo and the sports drink really needs to be changed to one with more carbs.
stephen toronto from Toronto (10/17/2004) "Got lucky with the weather" (about: 2004) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Toronto Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Even with temps around 4C, a tough wind for the first 15km and a little misty rain here and there, it could have been a whole lot worse. Got to thank Alberto, the 4:15 pace bunny, who did a great job getting me to a PB. Finish line organization has improved, lots of volunteers, the usual jerk Toronto drivers and what seemed a great # of international runners (thanks for visiting). All in all a good race. One helpful hint, lose the Styrofoam cups at some of the aid stations, runners want waxed paper cups as they are easier to use.
T. M. from Regina, Saskatchewan (12/18/2003) "Overall, it was a fun event" (about: 2003) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 It seems that runners of this marathon have glasses that are either half full or half empty. For my part, I expected to enjoy myself and I did. The organization was good, from the registration (a little confused, but not bad - I was a last minute registrant) to the start line to the bag check to the traffic control to the fans to the finish line. Official race hotel was expensive, but I stayed with relatives so it didn't affect me. I wanted to run this race because I grew up in North York and lived in Forest Hill Village back in the 1950s, and the course went through some familiar territory, including right by our old house on Spadina Road. And Winston Churchill Park and Casa Loma - places where we used to play when I was 8. The half marathon starts a half hour before the full, and about 500 meters further north, so the runners in the half go by the start line of the full. This is a nice touch, as it gives the marathoners a chance to cheer on the other runners. The ten-mile loop around North York wasn't particularly scenic, except for the park, but it was a good flat warm-up. Also, it was good to go back past the start line. Too bad about the number of roads that had to be blocked, but the drivers didn't seem too bad (although I was in the 4-hour crowd) and the police did a great job. Hogs Hollow Hill had me worried (my previous 5 marathons were in Regina and Winnipeg - what's a 'hill'?) but it turned out to be a pleasant break from the flat stuff, as was the long downhill stretch from essentially Spadina and St. Clair to Front Street. Having read the comments on this website I was forewarned about the loop around Queen's Park - otherwise I can see where it would be bit of a jolt to find that the finish is about a half a kilometer past where you thought it should be. Had a great time - will do it again someday, maybe, but it's a bit of a long trip from out here.
B. K. from Toronto (11/21/2003) "Good race, unforgiving course, few spectators" (about: 2003) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was my second year participating in this event, and my first try at the full marathon. I found it to be great with a few exceptions. The good: 1) Compared to last year, drivers were a lot less pushy and rude (although some still were). I enjoyed speaking to some of the relay participants as they ran their race concurrently. 2)Police handled the marshalling a lot more effectively this year and water stations were prepared. The volunteers, marshalls, medical bike patrol and police were vocal in their support of the participants. 3) For a change, runners had access to two full lanes on most of Yonge St. The course itself is moderately challenging - it is definitely not a good course for novice runners. Now the bad: 1) Besides family, friends and a fellow who spiritedly banged away at a pot near the start line, there were few spectators to cheer on the runners. 2) The sport drink at the aid stations was pathetic. It tasted like heavily diluted Gatorade. 3) City of Toronto: why not allow for an early start for slow runners and walkers? And how about closing off some intersections all together, where possible?

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