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Apr 30, 2024

Virginia Creeper Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Virginia Creeper Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.9

Organization 4.9

Spectators 4.0

Number of comments: 93 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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A. S. from North Carolina (4/22/2017) "Best No Frills race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Virginia Creeper Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 By far, best bang for your buck. No you don't get a shirt or a medal, but what you get is probably the most scenic marathon. Volunteers are very encouraging and Frank, race director Frank, does an excellent job. Running along the river and over the restored RR bridges makes for a uniquely scenic race. Remember, its still 26.2 miles, so who needs the large crowds.
J. N. from Springfield, VA (3/25/2017) "Excellent Event" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great small/cheap marathon with great scenery & organization. The race director was outstanding. I hope to do it again.
A. F. from Eastview, Ky (3/22/2017) "Awesome Race well organized" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Limited to 100 racers, this low key marathon has all the perks for an awesome price. Great volunteers greet you at well stocked aid stations. The event is very well organized and supported. The course is a fun, winding, mostly gravel (well packed) path that has beautiful scenery. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, it was a blast.
Michael Harnage from Virginia (4/20/2016) "Most awesome first time marathon." (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Not much interested in crowds and hype, this marathon, seemed the perfect place to attempt my first marathon. Ran in high school and college with decent results. Took 30 years off and started up again a few years ago when a daughter started to run. All I can say is that we had a fantastic weekend. Race director Frank and the State of Franklin volunteers are top notch. Wouldn't call the course hilly but the 8 mile gradual incline from about 13.5 miles to 21.5 miles could grind you down if you didn't know about it beforehand. Just don't go too fast during the 8 mile decline immediately prior and you should be fine. Fell in love with the town of Abingdon. Reminded me of the small town where I grew up. Would definitely do again. Best low key event ever!
T. B. from Tennessee (4/19/2016) "VA Creeper is a Bucket List Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Virginia Creeper Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Do you want to run a fast but deceptively challenging marathon with a fantastic race director and the best volunteers? Then the VA Creeper is the one you want. Not only will you run perhaps one of your fastest marathons, you will get to enjoy some incredible scenery and usually ideal weather and temperature. Further, the course is such that you can stage you own race nutrition and drink if you have a sensitive gut (which is me). What really, though, makes this the marathon of choice are the race director, Frank, and the world class volunteers. Each time I've returned, they made the marathon a fantastic, enjoyable run even if I didn't run such a fantastic time (meaning I am old and slow). I look forward to seeing and spending time with them. Oh, and where else can you run a fast marathon time, experiencing the best support and encouragement at any marathon, for a mere $15? The VA Creeper is the only marathon I know where you can at a budget-loving entry fee.
D. S. from Kentucky, USA (4/17/2016) "Great course to create PR" (about: 2016) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It is a low profile, low key marathon but it is a great course to create PR. It feels fairly flat except for first 2 miles of rolling hills, although some very gradual incline and decline are present. It is a trail marathon. So you don't have to run on asphalt for 26.2 miles. Arranged very well with fruits and home made cookies for nutrition. Considering entry fees is probably the cheapest for any marathon race, amenities are great. Crowd consists of families of runners. Good thing is that they can see you four times before finish by staying close to start & finish line. Obviously there are no Gu every gels but anyone who is used of that kind of nutrition can always carry some with them or keep them close to start/ finish line, which is crossed four times during the run. I wish there are more races like this. I am going to run it again next year.
T. B. from Atlanta, GA (4/8/2016) "Wonderful Race" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I like (and prefer) smaller races. I prefer the lack of complicated logistics that come with smaller races, and the price tags usually reflect the simplicity of race day. The Virginia Creeper Marathon is no exception. For $15, this marathon is quite the bargain. The course is USATF-certified, so if you want to BQ, you can do so without fighting through crowds. Aid stations are well-run, and the volunteers are wonderful. Aside from the natural beauty and scenery of the course, an impressive point was the bathroom:runner ratio. There was never a line for the toilets, even before the race start. Other runners were so encouraging and nice and the race director was awesome. I've recommended this race to everyone who will listen. - This race is worth every penny. Do it.
A. C. from RTP, North Carolina (3/21/2016) "Pleasant Race Experience w Dirt Cheap Entry Fee" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've taken a different approach to exploring races this year: if I feel good enough 3 days before a race is slated, I'll check with the RD to see if there are last minute spots available. Understandably, many large marathons have expo signup, but I've got very little interest in paying exorbitant race fees to: be stuck in close proximity with 2,000+ people (for example, the combined Wrightsville Beach marathon and 1/2 marathon were on the same day); get a race shirt that will inevitably end up at a thrift shop in the next calendar year; have an adventure finding parking/getting to the start line; being stuck with the same 2,000+ people after the race to get my free American adjunct lager. So what an exciting venture when I saw this race on Marathon Guide 3 days before the race and upon emailing the RD, was informed that due to fluctuations in the wait list, I could actually run. For 15$. Not missing a decimal point, and not a typo. The 'downsides', according to the race website: no frills and low key. A few notes: Organization was flawless and well-executed. After 18 years, the organization knows what to do, when to do it, and how to make the most people happy. They've worked out a deal with America's Best Value Inn so that if you stay there, you get a late check out of 4pm the next day at a nominal surcharge (maybe 5 dollars more?). The RD stayed in the same motel, and consistent with the messages on the website, he was available the evening before (at around 9pm) so I could pick up my packet and paper weight memento. Granted, the motel is in need of some repairs and aesthetic remodeling, but the 4pm checkout essentially means that runners who aren't as quick can still finish the race, get back, and shower before having to leave. Race day logistics were also easy. Park at the elementary school (plentiful and free parking), and take a trolley to the start line. About 3hr and 40min after the mass start, the trolley began making return trips back to the school. Amenities on the course were low key but sufficient. Each aid station had water, Gatorade, and some snacks (fig newtons, some crackers, etc) with the main aid station that racers pass about 4 times having more snacks (cookies, candy, etc.) No gels were provided, though based on the logistics of the main aid station, I saw that a fair number of people brought drop bags/boxes. The race is not chip timed (oh darn, in today's day and age of having GPS devices, how will anyone know his or her finish time?), but the mass start has produced some BQ qualifying times (CR is under 2hr40min). Surprisingly, there were 8 total porta-johns: 1 at the parking lot, and 7 at the start/finish/main aid station area. With an advertised cap of 100 people, the bathroom to racer ratio was very favorable. The course was largely scenic, though on an overcast day with no new leaf growth yet on the trees, was not as pretty as the photos I'd seen. For anyone reading this that cares, the first 2 miles are an out and back on the roadway (not too scenic), the next 7 miles are an out and back with a slight and gradual incline out, and a slight and gradual decline back (remember this because you'll run the same portion again). Miles 9 - 18 are an out and back on a largely pastoral scene where you'll see lots of cows who were not impressed with my running time. Gradual decline out, gradual incline back. You follow with the 7 mile out and back, which puts you at 25 miles. The last 1.2 are an out and back on the 9 mile segment with slight elevation changes, though at that point you should be excited to finish. The course does reside on the VA Creeper Trail, but 24+ miles of the running surface is packed gravel with a few wooden bridges. No need for technical (singletrack) running shoes.
Sara Daehn from Indiana (7/2/2015) "Breathtaking course, friendly runners & volunteers" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Virginia Creeper Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Virginia Creeper Marathon was my second marathon, and I would not change a thing about it. The course is absolutely beautiful, the runners are some of the friendliest I have ever had the pleasure of running with, and the volunteers and spectators were very friendly and supportive. The race director, Frank, did a wonderful job with this race. He was friendly and very quick to respond to questions I had via email prior to the race. He put on a well-organized race with a welcoming, small-town feel. This is a very small trail race, so if you are looking for a lot of crowd support, this isnt the race for you. There were miles I went without even seeing another runner, let alone any spectators, and I enjoyed that solitude. The trail is mostly flat/slightly downhill one direction and has a very slight incline the other direction. I highly recommend this race and hope to run it again.
S. G. from North Carolina (4/20/2015) "Incredible Marathon Experience" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Virginia Creeper Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I love this marathon. Have run it twice and will be back. Logistically, it is about as easy as it can get. No hassles of the huge big city marathons of getting to the start line. And though it is small, they haven't left out anything you need. The organizers and volunteers are very capable and know what they are doing... plus, they are super friendly and will go out of their way to make the day special for you. Register early. I will say, if you need throngs of cheering crowds along the whole route, this may leave you unfulfilled. But if you love easy logistics in an incredibly beautiful natural setting, you can't beat this one.

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