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Apr 27, 2024

B&A Trail Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.3

Organization 4.7

Spectators 3.2

Number of comments: 93 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

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D. L. from Washington, DC (3/5/2012) "Great, small race" (about: 2012) 2 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran the half. If you don't need large cheering crowds and changes of scenery, this is a fun little race. It was well-organized, logistics were easy, great swag (track pants!), the in-door availability of a large high school was great and it was a very pretty, quiet course. I have only one criticism. The map doesn't have an elevation chart but says that it is a flat course with a hill at mile 7. Actually, mile 7 starts with a pretty significant hill but it is followed by two miles of an incline. Had I known I would be running for three miles uphill, I would have paced differently.
F. L. from Frederick, Maryland (10/7/2011) "Awesome Race!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first B&A Trail Marathon. I have run more than a dozen marathons, mostly in the past two years and this one is by far my favorite. I arrived about 40 minutes prior to the start and found parking behind the school. Packet pick-up was quick and well organized. My favorite part of the race was the gear drop off at mile 3. I didn't use it at 3 miles but dropped my jacket and other items on the return trip and the volunteers bagged it and marked it and I retrieved my stuff at the post race awards area. I was energized by the volunteers at every aid station. This was the friendliest bunch of volunteers I have ever encountered at a race. The volunteers really kept me pumped up during the final 13 miles. The police officers were great and even took time to offer encouragement as well. My thanks go out to all the volunteers, support staff, police and anyone else who had a part in this great event. I will be back and I will recommend this race to others. Semper Fi!
Paul Hackley from Leesburg, VA (8/23/2011) "Great for the price and location" (about: 2011) 3 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I really, really wanted to run a BQ in this race and needed a 3:20. But....my training wasn't the best and I wound up hitting the wall at 20 miles and finishing in 3:35 in the rainy and windy 2011 race. But....who cares? There will be other opportunities to run a BQ. This race is everything that others have commented about. Cheap, well-organized, low-key, flat, fast, great and enthusiastic spectators, though few. It does get lonely after the halfers peel off and the overpasses on the last miles seem like mountains. But you can shower in the locker room at the high school afterwards. The lady with the sign 'just keep running' at mile 24 kept me going. The hat and medal rock and the tech shirt is a keeper. For me, this is close to home and cheap, a real no-brainer. But I would recommend it to anyone who wants a fast, flat course and doesn't mind low-key. I would do it again.
T. S. from Indianapolis (3/21/2011) "Great town, good race" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Having never been to Annapolis, we really enjoyed our visit and would recommend anyone check it out - marathon or not. Because I typically run on a similar rail trail, the course was nothing special for me, though I think because it's relatively flat, and it's a good one on which to post a good time. The organization was great and the volunteers were out of this world. Special thanks to the guy with the orange slices who ran after me near mile 19 to hand me one after I had fumbled my grab at a slice. Like others, I also wondered about the length of the mile near the end when we briefly went off the trail. Unlike other posters, I don't have a Garmin, but my watch said my last four miles were 8:45, 10:25, 8:52, 8:43. Just didn't seem that the third-to-the-last one was much slower than the other three. But since I wasn't on the cusp of PR anyhow, that was a minor issue. It still was a fun race.
B. C. from D.C. (3/16/2011) "Great race, but was the distance right?" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 B&A Trail Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've done this race four times and loved it every year. It's not the most scenic course, and crowd support is sparse. But it's very well-organized, and there are lots of goodies for the low registration price. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a low-key, early-spring marathon. My one caution is that the course should be a PR course, but I've never run that fast mostly because the weather tends to be iffy (as it was this year). My one beef is what the previous reviewer had said: I think the course was mis-measured this year. I'm used to having Garmin readings being a little off due to zig-zagging and the imprecision of the watch. Still, the readings were dead-on accurate for every mile except mile 23, when the race veers off the trail for a half mile. I also got a reading for mile 23-24 that was about 1/4-mile longer than it should have been. I hope the organizers will remeasure this stretch and let all of us know what happened.
S. W. from United States (3/15/2011) "VERY WELL DONE!!! Would LOVE to run this AGAIN" (about: 2011) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Parking - Great. Had no problems during the packet pick-up on Saturday or on race day. Was able to park in a side parking lot, which was close enough so that I could leave stuff in and feel comfortable that I could pick it up quickly if I changed my mind and decided I needed it last-minute. Packet Pick-Up - Very easy. Parking was good. Pick-up was quick. Very nice, premium, long-sleeve, Under Armour shirt. We also received hats and pins at the finish. Great value for the price!!!! Course - Well, I ran a PR by 9 minutes, so I can't complain. I had friends run with me and I really needed their support during the 2nd half since the majority of the runners turn off after the half. It is a paved, flat path with 1 appreciable hill at mile 7. It looked worse running down it; then when you turn to run up, you realize it isn't bad. I had no issues with crowdedness on the course. Runner were very supportive and cheering each other along the way. The only problem with the course was that my Garmin registered 26.48 miles. I still ran a PR but I can only imagine it without the extra .28 miles added! This was my only frustration since there were plenty of places where they could have corrected this on turn-arounds. Water Stops - Stellar. Loved the Mad Hatter/Alice in Wonderland-themed water stop. The weather was calling for rain and the volunteers couldn't have been more cheerful and supportive. They had great energy. Plenty of refreshments at each water stop. Plenty of food at the end. I had been concerned about this since I had read that the half marathoners ate all of the pizza in past years, but I had plenty of every type of food I desired at the end.
B. P. from Alpharetta, GA (3/8/2011) "Nice Surprise!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I really enjoyed the access to the school before and after the race. The surface ('soft' asphalt) is great, as were the volunteers (a large, supportive contingent!), and the food and beverages (lots!). The shirt is one of my favorites (low-key, yet cool). Way to go, B&A!!
D. S. from Stafford VA (3/6/2011) "In Praise of Volunteer Spirit" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I can't review this race w/o sending a shout out to the fantastic volunteers who made this event happen. Incredible job....y'all made the day! The course was a basic out and back on a long bike/running path with a couple short diversions into the neighborhoods. For the most part it was very flat with only one hill near mile 7, and it wasn't a hugely challenging hill. The weather in 2011 was very ugly with spitting on and off rain all morning and a headwind the last 7 miles. The weather and the course pretty much knocked out any spectators.....that's where the volunteers come in.The volunteers played the role of the enthusiastic crowd as well. Their morale and spirit as you went past the water stations and the road crossings was infectious. I looked forward to each stop when I saw how fired up the vols were. The check in (race day) was simple and being able to stay in the school (30 seconds from the start/finish) made the weather palatable. They had plenty port-a-johns at the start and on the course. Every water station was well spaced and well stocked with ample provisions from fruit, pretzels, Gatorade, and water. The post-race food spread was quite well put together and for a small race to have massage tables was a blessing. The tech shirt and medal were spot on. Having the school gym showers available after the race was a bonus. Last year a comment was made about IDing the early starters...they took the comment to heart and early starter bibs were a different color. I highly recommend this race to anyone looking to do a marathon in Maryland. Did I mention the outstanding volunteers?
Dorothy Beal from Northern Virginia (9/27/2010) "Awesome Low-Key Marathon" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I really enjoyed this race! The 2nd half is a bit lonely, so if you feel like you need company then sign up for this race with a friend. I was pretty much running alone and with no one in sight for a good portion of the last 13.1. The race fee is relatively low compared to other races and the swag is fantastic. This year they gave you a technical long-sleeve shirt, a pin and a gym bag! The race was well organized and I felt the volunteers were very helpful and prepared. The post-race food was great, the option to take a shower was fantastic, and the high school was a 30-second walk from the finish. I don't have one negative thing to say about this race other than I wish there was not an early start. During my first 13.1, I was slammed into by an early starter who was running on the wrong side of the path?!?! Everyone was dodging her - it was pretty ridiculous. I also had no idea what place I was in while running because the volunteers could not distinguish between an early starter and a regular runner. Other than that minor thing, I think this race is fantastic and would recommend it to anyone!
F. C. from MD (5/27/2010) "Overall a good race" (about: 2010) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Half-marathoners outnumber marathoners by almost 3:1, so the race changes from crowded in the first half to desolate in the second. Great course, volunteers, and aid stations. My big complaint is that the pizza ran out for anyone who didn't finish under 4:30. I ran the half last year, and they marked everyone's bib to limit runners to one slice of pizza each; but apparently in 2010 it was a free-for-all. I was looking forward to the pizza (that I paid for!) in those last tough miles, and was very letdown when I found out it was gone. That left a bad taste in my mouth and I have no desire to do this race again.

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