Marathon Details - Akron Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > OH > Akron > Akron Marathon

FirstEnergy Akron Marathon & Half Marathon, Team Relay, 10K, 8K

Akron, OH USA

September 28, 2024

http://www.akronmarathon.org/race-series/akron-marathon

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Address:	453 S High Street, Suite 301 Akron, Ohio 44311
Phone Number:	877.375.2786
Fax Number:	330-434-0738
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.8

Spectators 4.5

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Number of comments: 309 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 31 > ]

K. B. from Alexandria, VA (10/14/2019) "Nice Race!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This race can be challenging. Scheduled for the end of September, it is likely to have higher temperatures and humidity. In 2019, we were lucky it was mostly overcast because the temps and humidity were pretty uncomfortable for a long run. Add to that the hills, and you have a recipe for cramps. I experienced them myself, and witnessed a lot of runners who appeared to be in good shape struggling to finish as well. That said, the race is well organized, with excellent support/volunteers. The cause is also superb ... benefiting the Children's Hospital, there are kid heroes at many of the support stations, and you run though the hospital campus just before the finish line. All in all, a really nice race ... which I imagine is pretty great when the weather cooperates!
J. H. from Howell, MI (10/2/2019) "Great run" (about: 2019) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was great run. The course had some hills but given the terrain, I think they did well. Most of the hills were on the first half. Very scenic run through downtown and along the river. Route was not marked very well in a few areas along the river. I had thought I ran off course for a minute. Spectators were awesome, people along the entire course. Hydration stops were plentiful. Gu packs along the course were good as well. Expo was smaller than expected but still had everything you would see at a larger one Starting area was well organized. Volunteers were great. Shuttle to the start line was easy to follow. Post run party was great, could have gotten more food though. This ended in a baseball stadium. It was cool to be on the field.
Erin Rock from KY (10/3/2018) "Loved it even more than Boston!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run hundreds of running races and triathlons over the years. This was my favorite of all. Having never been to Akron, I didn't expect much. However, I was blown away. This was the most organized, high-energy, smooth-sailing race ever. Even though it's a smaller city, it has a big city vibe and the people go nuts for it. Everyone was extremely nice and welcoming, and the spectators were plentiful. The start had all the fanfare of Boston in the form of loud music, lights and crowds. The course was perfect- just enough hills to keep it from being boring. The blue line runs throughout the course, so it is impossible to miss a turn (not that you would with 9000 runners and about the same number of volunteers, haha!) The best part was seeing the hero zones- kids from the hospital decked out as superheroes and high-fiving the runners! For those of you looking to PR, this course certainly has potential. I missed my 1:31 PR for the half by one minute, even though I was six days earlier in the med tent at a half Ironman. Anyway, Akron is a beautiful city (tons of parks, water and green space) and this commitment-phobe already has it on the calendar for next year.Highly recommend! A++++ race!
C. B. from OH (10/19/2017) "They've diluted the brand!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Akron Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I've run Akron many times, either in the full or in the relay. For reasons I don't understand, the organizers transitioned from operating one of the very best marathon/relay events in the country, to a race 'series' format that includes multiple smaller races throughout the summer. They've greatly diluted the 'brand', and I've never understood why. The Akron marathon itself doesn't get the full attention of the organizers anymore, and this year the energy leading up to the full was lacking. It's still well managed and organized, but it has lost its mojo. It also doesn't help that race organizers refuse to move Fall marathons back a few weeks. In the midwest, it has become the norm for late September-to-mid-October to feel like extended summer. Standing at the start, before dawn, wearing shorts and a tank and feeling comfortable, that's a bad feeling. If I run a full next Fall I'll probably look for an event the last week of October, even into the first week of November.
J. S. from Quincy, Illinois (10/6/2017) "Very well organized and fun race!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this marathon for it to count for Ohio on my 50 state marathon quest. The course is challenging and I really appreciated the Facebook videos that the race director put together to give advice on how to run tough sections of the course. This proved VERY helpful. I also LOVED how there were signs put up throughout the course indicating the aid stations that were coming up. They were placed in enough time for me to consume a energy gel pack if needed and then to follow up with water. There was course support all throughout the course from residents to hero zones which I loved! The event is very well put together. I would highly recommend this race for my fellow 50 staters for Ohio!
J. L. from Connecticut (10/5/2017) "Great time - first marathon - hometowner" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Akron is my hometown - so I am biased. But, despite the 80 degree + heat by the end of the race, and the unexpected hills (I grew up on these roads and never noticed so many hills!), it was a great course to run. The course gives you several different views of Akron, coming across the y-bridge for example, that you can only get by running a race like this. I would like to run it again, and I would hope for better (cooler) weather. The gear was top notch (this was my first marathon, but not my first race, and I know good gear from bad). Full marathoners got Asics brand half-zips that are very nice. Very nice medals and hats too. The expo the day before was fun too. note: there are many more half marathoners and relay runners than full marathoners. I think it was about 4000 half, 5000 relay, and 1000 full give or take. aid stations: Powerade and water about 17 places throughout the race. Every mile or so by the end. finish: Awesome finish line in Canal Park (home of the Akron Rubber Ducks) with 'olympic style' finish line. Fun party there too. Also, I agree that my pacer too went out way too fast, which may have contributed to the tough time I had fighting the hills in the second half.
N. T. from Pennsylvania (9/24/2017) "Top notch as usual" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Akron Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 As always, the organization was superb. I'm not fond of the new course; bring back Sand Run! Very hot day, but many homeowners assisted with hoses and sprinklers. Thanks! Great medal and post-race party. Love the free hat! One negative- my pace team leader was WAY fast. I thought the idea of pace teams was to prevent runners from going out too fast, not lead them into that mistake. As Trump would say, 'Total Disaster'.
A. O. from Pennsylvania (10/1/2016) "Akron wasn't that bad. In fact, it was quite good" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Akron has a big-league marathon. Runners from other states may attempt to dismiss Akron because it is not a big-league town and not want to run it. This would be a mistake for those 50 state runners who need a marathon in Ohio. Columbus is another good Ohio marathon worth traveling to from out of state. Columbus has a flatter course and will yield a faster finishing time but Akron offers everything that big town marathons do. I will sign up for Akron again in 2017.
J. S. from Washington, DC (9/26/2016) "Great small city race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I recommend this race. The course is a rolling course with very little flat ground, but there's really only one long hill (mile 13-14) and neither that nor the handful of steeper, shorter ones will hurt you much. Most of the hills are of the sort that make the run more interesting, changing the stride and muscle use a bit. I normally prefer flat courses and my PR is from Chicago, but I didn't mind the elevation here. It's a curvy one, too, with lots of scenery changes for a city race far from any mountains or coastlines. Run your tangents - not the blue line that goes from start to finish. The race is extremely well organized. Seemed like there were more volunteers than runners out there, and it appears that they had the leadership and materials necessary to put on a great race. The start was right on time, to the second. Water stops were often on the wrong side of the course if you were aiming for the perfect line through the turns, but they were the right size and kept clean of dropped cups. The race has a large number of relay competitors, something I've never tried myself but I like seeing out there for company's sake. The relay zones were set up appropriately, no interference with those running half or full races. Crowd support was varied throughout the race. There weren't ever any cheering throngs until the stadium finish, but it was never a solitary experience. Lots of small groups of friendly Midwestern people. The Children's Hospital patients out to cheer certainly added some perspective. The Expo had Meb and plenty of vendors, and the packet pickup was silky smooth. I stayed at the new downtown Courtyard Marriott, which was an easy walk to the start and put out a nice breakfast spread for the racers. Give the race a try.
l. z. from Pennsylvania (10/9/2015) "One of the Nicer Marathons" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My first time for this marathon and I was impressed. Organization was amazing. An army of knowledgeable volunteers. The course is not hilly at all, pretty easy in fact. My only gripes were too many repetitive loops through the city until mid race when then send you out to the Burbs. Also, nobody was holding Vaseline on sticks at the aids stations. They had it but it was packed away and not easily available unless you were willing to wait. Other than these two things, it was a solid 4 of 5. Cheap and easy to get to. Not much pre-race traffic congestion either.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 31 > ]

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K. B. from Alexandria, VA (10/14/2019) "Nice Race!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This race can be challenging. Scheduled for the end of September, it is likely to have higher temperatures and humidity. In 2019, we were lucky it was mostly overcast because the temps and humidity were pretty uncomfortable for a long run. Add to that the hills, and you have a recipe for cramps. I experienced them myself, and witnessed a lot of runners who appeared to be in good shape struggling to finish as well. That said, the race is well organized, with excellent support/volunteers. The cause is also superb ... benefiting the Children's Hospital, there are kid heroes at many of the support stations, and you run though the hospital campus just before the finish line. All in all, a really nice race ... which I imagine is pretty great when the weather cooperates!
J. H. from Howell, MI (10/2/2019) "Great run" (about: 2019) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was great run. The course had some hills but given the terrain, I think they did well. Most of the hills were on the first half. Very scenic run through downtown and along the river. Route was not marked very well in a few areas along the river. I had thought I ran off course for a minute. Spectators were awesome, people along the entire course. Hydration stops were plentiful. Gu packs along the course were good as well. Expo was smaller than expected but still had everything you would see at a larger one Starting area was well organized. Volunteers were great. Shuttle to the start line was easy to follow. Post run party was great, could have gotten more food though. This ended in a baseball stadium. It was cool to be on the field.
Erin Rock from KY (10/3/2018) "Loved it even more than Boston!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run hundreds of running races and triathlons over the years. This was my favorite of all. Having never been to Akron, I didn't expect much. However, I was blown away. This was the most organized, high-energy, smooth-sailing race ever. Even though it's a smaller city, it has a big city vibe and the people go nuts for it. Everyone was extremely nice and welcoming, and the spectators were plentiful. The start had all the fanfare of Boston in the form of loud music, lights and crowds. The course was perfect- just enough hills to keep it from being boring. The blue line runs throughout the course, so it is impossible to miss a turn (not that you would with 9000 runners and about the same number of volunteers, haha!) The best part was seeing the hero zones- kids from the hospital decked out as superheroes and high-fiving the runners! For those of you looking to PR, this course certainly has potential. I missed my 1:31 PR for the half by one minute, even though I was six days earlier in the med tent at a half Ironman. Anyway, Akron is a beautiful city (tons of parks, water and green space) and this commitment-phobe already has it on the calendar for next year.Highly recommend! A++++ race!
C. B. from OH (10/19/2017) "They've diluted the brand!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Akron Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I've run Akron many times, either in the full or in the relay. For reasons I don't understand, the organizers transitioned from operating one of the very best marathon/relay events in the country, to a race 'series' format that includes multiple smaller races throughout the summer. They've greatly diluted the 'brand', and I've never understood why. The Akron marathon itself doesn't get the full attention of the organizers anymore, and this year the energy leading up to the full was lacking. It's still well managed and organized, but it has lost its mojo. It also doesn't help that race organizers refuse to move Fall marathons back a few weeks. In the midwest, it has become the norm for late September-to-mid-October to feel like extended summer. Standing at the start, before dawn, wearing shorts and a tank and feeling comfortable, that's a bad feeling. If I run a full next Fall I'll probably look for an event the last week of October, even into the first week of November.
J. S. from Quincy, Illinois (10/6/2017) "Very well organized and fun race!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this marathon for it to count for Ohio on my 50 state marathon quest. The course is challenging and I really appreciated the Facebook videos that the race director put together to give advice on how to run tough sections of the course. This proved VERY helpful. I also LOVED how there were signs put up throughout the course indicating the aid stations that were coming up. They were placed in enough time for me to consume a energy gel pack if needed and then to follow up with water. There was course support all throughout the course from residents to hero zones which I loved! The event is very well put together. I would highly recommend this race for my fellow 50 staters for Ohio!
J. L. from Connecticut (10/5/2017) "Great time - first marathon - hometowner" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Akron is my hometown - so I am biased. But, despite the 80 degree + heat by the end of the race, and the unexpected hills (I grew up on these roads and never noticed so many hills!), it was a great course to run. The course gives you several different views of Akron, coming across the y-bridge for example, that you can only get by running a race like this. I would like to run it again, and I would hope for better (cooler) weather. The gear was top notch (this was my first marathon, but not my first race, and I know good gear from bad). Full marathoners got Asics brand half-zips that are very nice. Very nice medals and hats too. The expo the day before was fun too. note: there are many more half marathoners and relay runners than full marathoners. I think it was about 4000 half, 5000 relay, and 1000 full give or take. aid stations: Powerade and water about 17 places throughout the race. Every mile or so by the end. finish: Awesome finish line in Canal Park (home of the Akron Rubber Ducks) with 'olympic style' finish line. Fun party there too. Also, I agree that my pacer too went out way too fast, which may have contributed to the tough time I had fighting the hills in the second half.
N. T. from Pennsylvania (9/24/2017) "Top notch as usual" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Akron Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 As always, the organization was superb. I'm not fond of the new course; bring back Sand Run! Very hot day, but many homeowners assisted with hoses and sprinklers. Thanks! Great medal and post-race party. Love the free hat! One negative- my pace team leader was WAY fast. I thought the idea of pace teams was to prevent runners from going out too fast, not lead them into that mistake. As Trump would say, 'Total Disaster'.
A. O. from Pennsylvania (10/1/2016) "Akron wasn't that bad. In fact, it was quite good" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Akron has a big-league marathon. Runners from other states may attempt to dismiss Akron because it is not a big-league town and not want to run it. This would be a mistake for those 50 state runners who need a marathon in Ohio. Columbus is another good Ohio marathon worth traveling to from out of state. Columbus has a flatter course and will yield a faster finishing time but Akron offers everything that big town marathons do. I will sign up for Akron again in 2017.
J. S. from Washington, DC (9/26/2016) "Great small city race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I recommend this race. The course is a rolling course with very little flat ground, but there's really only one long hill (mile 13-14) and neither that nor the handful of steeper, shorter ones will hurt you much. Most of the hills are of the sort that make the run more interesting, changing the stride and muscle use a bit. I normally prefer flat courses and my PR is from Chicago, but I didn't mind the elevation here. It's a curvy one, too, with lots of scenery changes for a city race far from any mountains or coastlines. Run your tangents - not the blue line that goes from start to finish. The race is extremely well organized. Seemed like there were more volunteers than runners out there, and it appears that they had the leadership and materials necessary to put on a great race. The start was right on time, to the second. Water stops were often on the wrong side of the course if you were aiming for the perfect line through the turns, but they were the right size and kept clean of dropped cups. The race has a large number of relay competitors, something I've never tried myself but I like seeing out there for company's sake. The relay zones were set up appropriately, no interference with those running half or full races. Crowd support was varied throughout the race. There weren't ever any cheering throngs until the stadium finish, but it was never a solitary experience. Lots of small groups of friendly Midwestern people. The Children's Hospital patients out to cheer certainly added some perspective. The Expo had Meb and plenty of vendors, and the packet pickup was silky smooth. I stayed at the new downtown Courtyard Marriott, which was an easy walk to the start and put out a nice breakfast spread for the racers. Give the race a try.
l. z. from Pennsylvania (10/9/2015) "One of the Nicer Marathons" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Akron Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My first time for this marathon and I was impressed. Organization was amazing. An army of knowledgeable volunteers. The course is not hilly at all, pretty easy in fact. My only gripes were too many repetitive loops through the city until mid race when then send you out to the Burbs. Also, nobody was holding Vaseline on sticks at the aids stations. They had it but it was packed away and not easily available unless you were willing to wait. Other than these two things, it was a solid 4 of 5. Cheap and easy to get to. Not much pre-race traffic congestion either.

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Marathon Details - Akron Marathon