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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 31 to 41]

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A. M. from Cleveland, Ohio (4/14/2010) "More Than I Expected!" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Decided to run the half instead of the full because a harsh winter impacted my training. I was very pleased overall with the race. Small, but very well organized. Everyone helping out was very excited to be there. Scenic course, and I was impressed that they put forth the effort to remove the last patches of ice from the trail. Race is also very close to downtown Annapolis. This makes for a great little vacation weekend (which is what I did).
R. E. from Florida (3/30/2010) "Super easy logistics. Flat. Great organization." (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 My comments mirror the others... this is a great race with great organization. I loved starting and ending at the school. Able to stay warm before and able to take a shower afterward. The volunteers even held my two large suitcases in bag check. It offered amazing goodies - a great tech shirt, a duffel bag, a pin, and a medal. There was loads of food afterward (but I missed out on the pizza). Annapolis is a great city. Flying in and out of Baltimore was so easy and cheap. The course is flat, but hills around mile 7 and mile 18. The course is fairly scenic, with some really pretty scenery scattered throughout. The second half was not as pretty as the first half. I was worried about congestion with the up-and-back on a single trail, plus the half mixed with the full, plus the potential for other users on the trail. No worries. Well stocked water stops; I wish there had been more, but I was prepared. I would definitely recommend this race, especially if anyone is looking for a Maryland race.
Jeff Shadley from Idaho Falls, ID (3/12/2010) "Great, small race with big-race organization" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was a very high-quality race that really caters to the runners (put on by runners and it shows). The cost is great, and the swag was awesome, but even better was the overall organization. Having the start/finish at the school with plenty of parking and warmth to wait in before the start is an awesome idea. The aid stations on the course were well stocked (but like most small runs the volunteers need a little more training). The course was actually a lot of fun for me, flat but with a bit of challenges on the rollers, especially in the second half. The finish line celebration was great (food, showers, timely awards, etc.). Finally, the RD and volunteers were top-notch! A great destination race for anyone!
L. E. from Arizona (3/11/2010) "Great, small race" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 50th marathon overall and my 40th state. I have to say that this is a great, small race, and I highly recommend it. Great organization; the race director responded to e-mails. A big concern for me was a shower afterward (before jumping on flight home). She made it happen, and even brought towels! Packet pick-up was a snap. The early start was nice, very organized. The gym was open so we could stay warm prior to the start. Great price for the amenities, sturdy gym bag, tech shirt and awesome medal! Relatively flat course but had some icy sections - no fault of the organization. Volunteers are some of the best I have ever seen; kudos to them as well. Only complaints: 1. Not enough aid stations, although the ones they had were well stocked with water, Gatorade, Coke, pretzels, oranges, Swedish Fish, etc. 2. I didn't see any medical assistance on the course, but it is possible that I missed them. 3. I heard there was pizza at the finish, but it was gone when I finished. However, there was plenty of soda, chips, bagels and oranges left. There was a problem with my finishing time, but the race director investigated and quickly resolved the issue. I highly recommend this marathon to anyone, whether you are a 50-Stater, Marathon Maniac or a first-timer. I plan to return in the future!
J. V. from The Great State of ... well Texas at least (3/10/2010) "Great swag and a good event." (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The star count is sort of low... you run on a paved rails to trail. If you like that sort of thing, this is a GREAT course. Even if you don't like that type of course (I don't like marathons run on paths), this is an excellent event, even if just an OK course. This race is in a wonderful destination run! Annapolis is so much fun, and Baltimore isn't bad either! Great food and great sightseeing alone would make this a great trip... but then a smaller race with a low entry price sweetens the deal! But wait! There's more! You get some of the best swag of any race at any price of any size!!! I mean, we got a great travel bag, complete with a removable computer sleeve in it! We got a great, long-sleeve, tech shirt and dandy finisher's medal... but that's not all! We got a finisher's pin. I collect race pins and never expected a small race to have a pin. Somehow (very sadly, I might add), I lost my pin already. I put on my board at work and took it off to show somebody... and poof! I lost it! I might have to beg for a new one. I truly loved the swag, and the event. I did not like the course that much; the second half may be flat, but it seemed to go on forever! I see why everybody runs the half. The two races run along together until just about mile 13, and the half IS the signature race here. But alas, I am a marathon freak and can't pass up the longer runs... This race had race-morning packet pickup - great for people running doubles - and had race morning expo for people that thought that it was going to be cold and windy. Grab some shorts! The rest stops were fun and fully stocked - almost like an ultra they had so much food and soda. You never see soda other than in an ultra. A complete event. Pre-race you were in the school - a nice, dry, warm school. The race was even chip timed! Warm food afterward, good awards, great swag, cheap price, great location, easy to get to... a darn near perfect event! I can see why it sold out this year. I'm not sure why it doesn't sell out every year! If you need Maryland, or want a nice March run, this may be your race! Plus next year is the 20th anniversary and should be even more special... if that is even possible. So sign up early if you want to try a nice, small event in a great location for an excellent price!
S. C. from Glen Burnie, MD (3/9/2010) "Very well organized, small marathon" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran the half marathon and it was a great experience. The expo/packet pickup was very fast (5 minutes tops). On race day, the school was open for runners to stay warm in and use the bathrooms. The race itself is flat with the exception of the turnaround point (mile 6-7), which had a small hill section. If you are looking for big crowds, look elsewhere. Everyone was very friendly - race organizers, volunteers and the other runners. I would run it again and would consider running the marathon.
David Williams from Houston, TX (3/9/2010) "Great, small race on a scenic, paved trail" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is an excellent small race. The course is relatively flat, with gradual ups and downs on the rail trail. There is one signficant hill at one end of the route, going down at about mile 6 and coming up at mile 7. Excellent organization. We got a great gym bag with a beautiful race logo on it, along with the race shirt, a lovely medal, and all of the other amenities you could want. Donna, the race director, is great. The weather was nearly perfect, starting in the low 30's and rising to the low 50's, but with a nice breeze to keep you cool enough. Some snow remained in the woods from the record snows this area has had, but only a couple of spots had a little water and ice runoff - nothing to worry about (I just slowed down for a few steps to be careful). This was my 50th State and I ran with a couple of wonderful friends, and the entire event was amazing. I got recognized at the finish, including receiving a gift from the race director. The only improvements could have been a couple of more porta-cans early in the race, while the half marathoners were still with us, and larger mile markers or maybe a balloon on them so that they were more noticeable. I missed 3 or 4 along the way. Annapolis is a lovely area to visit, and hotels there are an easy 15 minutes away from the start/finish. The year 2011 marks this event's 20th anniversary, so I expect an even better race.
A. D. from Arlington, VA (3/8/2010) "Nice, Small Marathon" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my MD Marathon and the first one this season. Since it was a cold morning, it was nice to be able to stay in school before the event. Good value (thank you for the bag). The weather was perfect. The course is flat, except for mile 7, but you know what to expect since mile 6 is all downhill. Nice support. I think there were more water/food stations than announced, which is always nice. Great volunteers. Few spectators, but that's to be expected. I think that there should be more than just water at the finish line. Maybe Gatorade bottles or something. Obviously, they had food and drinks in the school, but it seemed so far away.
A. L. from Great Barrington, MA (3/8/2010) "flat and simple" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A great and well run race - you will be happy you ran it. They organizers take care of all of the details: + pre-race, a warm building with lots of toilets + the best stocked water stops + nice volunteers + out-and-back on a rail trail, so you can think about running - not looking for arrows + post-race showers and lots of food + runners from different places Only negatives: - a little ice on the trail in the second mile - trail was a little congested early on A race worth running.
E. B. from Philadelphia, PA (3/8/2010) "Great Small-Town Race" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 B&A Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon that wasn't in a major city, and I loved it. Packet pickup the night before and parking the morning of the race were totally stress-free. The course was flat and charming. I ran a PR and a BQ. I wouldn't call the scenery breathtaking or anything, but the B&A Trail is a pleasant place to run. The participants were very friendly, offering encouragement to other runners during the race. The only downside for me was that, even though I finished in the top 50, by the time I made may way to the showers an hour or so later, there was no hot water left. All in all, I would highly recommend this race for someone looking to kick off the spring season with a relaxed and friendly run.

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