Marathon Details - Memorial Day Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > MA > Great Barrington > Memorial Day Marathon

Memorial Day Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Great Barrington, MA USA

May 28, 2017

http://www.MASSGathering.com

More Info:	News Press Releases
Results:	2016 \| 2015 \| 2014 \| 2013 \| 2012 \| 2011 \| 2010 Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact

Name:	Matt Linick
Address:	MASSGathering 2263 NW 2nd Avenue Ste 211 Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone Number:	561-470-7966
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 3.9

Organization 3.7

Spectators 2.6

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Number of comments: 37 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

C. D. from Illinois (9/6/2016) "Quick note - received personalized dog tag" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I had stated in an earlier comment that the personalized dog tag never came. Today I received it. It was 3 months later than promised, but it came and it was with an apology note.
J. T. from Boston, MA (8/13/2016) "Marathon is a minor part of the organizers efforts" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The organizers have added a lot of other events to the race weekend and now the marathon is just one event in many. So the details that go in to making a marathon good seemed to be lost. The new 2016 course is as hilly as they come, and not particularly scenic. The water stops were every 2 miles and just had water and gatorade. The day of the race was extremely hot, Burlington VT stopped their marathon mid race the same day. So I was glad we got to finish, but even carrying a water bottle I was wishing for more ice and water tables. And there was even a helpful friend of another runner who was driving leapfrog to hand out water, ice cubes, and wet sponges to anyone, she was the bright spot of the whole race. With your race bib you could get in free to the associated concert going on at the finish, but after a marathon that is not something I was interested in. Between the hills, the course, sparse water stops, lack of spectators I can't say I would run this again even though I have friends in the area. It seems like a good idea to have a variety of races and events linked together but it did not make for a good marathon.
C. D. from IL (7/15/2016) "Hot, hilly, humid, broken promises" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Prior comments were positive so I thought it would be nice to run this. Nothing could be done about the weather, but I heard it got into the 90's and it was very humid. Day before was just as hot for the other runs, but still had minimal water stations and small cups. Not enough for conditions. Last water stop at mile 24 had no one at it and 1 small cup of water out. (I was under time limit too.) Someone was sitting in a car close to that stop and asked me if I was 'enjoying my walk'. I was not feeling well, was cramping, and dehydrated so didn't appreciate the comment. Wasn't sure if that was supposed to be the volunteer for the last water stop or not. Extremely hilly course. Too many ups and downs to count. My Garmin elevation chart was wicked looking. I could take all of this if it weren't for the fact that the website stated within 2 weeks we would get a personalized dog tag in the mail. I was really looking forward to that after the tough conditions. It's been almost 2 months and nothing. I've tried contacting them with no response. Also saw on Facebook where course was not certified as it said it would be and the winners had not received their money. No National Anthem for a Memorial Day race. I really am thankful for a person on their lawn giving out ice cold water bottles and juices. That saved me and I carried that water bottle for over 10 miles since the water stops felt pretty spread out. Nice volunteers filled up the bottle at a couple of stops. The water was warm, but better than nothing. Some bananas and oranges at the end, but that was it that I can remember. This was my 43rd marathon and my worst by far. Like I said, can't do much about the weather (except start the race earlier), but many other items such as the aid stations, course, and finishing experience (medals, food, etc.) could have been fixed.
T. B. from Cambridge, MA (6/2/2016) "Inconceivable Marathon Course" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 It's hard to imagine who planned this marathon route - the course includes a 1500 ft ascent with very steep rolling hills beyond the main climb. On a hot day (high 80s, high humidity - typical New England summer day), the lack of shade and constant hills make this an absolute killer. Course is poorly manned with infrequent aid stations and primarily runs along busy state highways without shoulders. Do yourself a favor and pick a different marathon - as beautiful as the Berkshires are, this race is absolutely not worth your time.
W. B. from Fairfield, CT (5/31/2016) "What were they thinking with this course???" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Memorial Day Marathons COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 This is a new location for the Memorial Day Marathon. It used to start in Lenox and was tough and interesting. They called it a challenging course and it was- hard, rolling and fair. This new race starts in the parking lot of ski hill - Butternut in Great Barrington. It may be the most ill conceived marathon routes I have ever seen. While there are no killer hills it has miles and miles of climbs without a break. I counted 4 sections that are continuous inclines of 2-3 miles each! The worst is the final 3 miles from town back up to the ski hill. Miles 23-26 just keep going up. The route includes the main highway through the area - Route 7. You are protected by traffic cones! I can only assume that whoever planned this new route is not a runner. It is not a test of anything except a survival instinct. I doesn't even reward you with rural vistas as most of it is routed through clusters of summer homes or residential neighborhoods. Too bad. I respect the causes they support but I can not support this event. Too few water stations on a hot day. Some unmanned with leftover cups. Sorry but this can not be recommended at this new location. I'll be back when they return to Lenox. If not, try the Vermont Marathon up the road. I talked with other finishers who were equally disappointed in the new location and organization. Oh yes, I had to remember to ask them for a medal at the finish line. Just sad.
Larry Macon from Republic of South Texas (5/25/2015) "Great people, Beautiful Course, A Few Hills" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I highly recommend the race. The course is gorgeous, and the volunteers and spectators are very supportive. As I brought up the back of the pack, the crew picking up the cones loudly cheered me on. I especially want to compliment the race officials and EMS on the speed and professionalism that the race officials and EMS used to assist a friend of mine who had a bad day and fainted at the finish line. He quickly recovered. Thank you.
P. T. from New Jersey, USA (6/26/2013) "Great course, great people, great marathon." (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Thanks for a wonderful experience. The cool weather helped. However, it is always about the people - you were great!
A. J. from Cincinnati, OH (6/1/2013) "A scenic marathon in bhe Berkshire hills." (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 It was a very rainy week on Th, F, Sat but on Sunday, one hour into the race the rain stopped. There were cool winds at time - when we were on top of hills, then pleasant. Water and gel enough and support adequate. Well coned highway, cars very watchful, lots of support people in vehicles to watch out for us. The medal was a nice touch.
Bradford Hammer from Old Tappan, NJ (5/30/2013) "Tackling And Taming The Beast" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 It's clearly a point of pride for locals and organizers to refer to the Memorial Day Marathon as the 'Toughest Marathon in the East,' warning participants about the rugged nature of Prospect Hill and posting elevation charts showcasing the final six uphill miles. But, on a rainy cool morning, tackling the 'Beast' was surprisingly easy. Shocking, actually. Yes, there is a half-mile hill at Mile 20, and 24 is an entire mile straight up. (There's also an earlier up tick at Mile 18.) That noted, these northward ramps make for nice walking breaks, and the terrain in-between is relatively flat and quite 'runnable.' Thus, I ended up with a finishing time only two minutes off my PR, on a loop course that seemingly went down more than it went up. I'm still amazed as I had girded the loins for those last six 'brutal' miles. The temps obviously helped, as the 2013 campaign was 40 degrees cooler than 2012. A wonderful woman I know bettered last year's time by a full hour and she didn't train for this run. The course is bucolic, with ample tree shade against sun and rain, and several lovely parts near water. However, it tends to skirt sites and towns rather than embracing them; a bit of a shame for those interested in Berkshire hamlets. For example, we zip by the entrances for Kripalu, Berkshire Botanical Gardens, and Norman Rockwell Museum and Studio without going through them; and we turn off Main Street in Stockbridge right before entering the blocks celebrated in his famous town painting. Additionally, we never visit downtown Great Barrington or Lee or the historic part of Lenox. Volunteers were wonderful, and all aid stations I remember had water and Gatorade and gels and bathrooms. Outside of a scheduled pasta party there are no pre-race festivities; the bib pickup is in a tent on the grounds of Tanglewood (which is not open, unfortunately). Speaking of grounds, they were absolutely soaked. A soggy, part-flooded, muddy mess. I didn't brave the muck to the finishers tent so I can't report on any post-race spread, but I did feel bad for the organizers and volunteers; they were basically stuck facing cold and rain all day. Why Tanglewood couldn't open its doors (or some of the facility) is beyond me; even with the usual 85 degree day it would have been better to shelter runners after hours on the road. Loved that event organizers staged a weekend running festival with different distances and road types available to participants. And the personalized dog tags are very cool. Plus, if you're visiting the area, the aforementioned Norman Rockwell Museum is pretty amazing. All-in-all a really nice regional event.
J. D. from CT (5/28/2013) "Great scenery. Great potential." (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I loved a lot of things about this race. 2013 was 40 degrees most of the marathon and light rain and occasional wind. This was my first marathon. It was a great experience, but a tough route. I walked mile 24-25 steep, long, uphill. PROS Small crowds, but great enthusiasm Great route, with wonderful scenery Visible support in bikes, in cars, and on side of road Good bathroom and parking All staff very accommodating and pleasant Personalized finisher medal, with announced runners names at the finish Nice aide stations with Gatorade, water, porta pots and ( gels at some stations ) Band could be heard from mile 24 Photos free online, prints could be purchased CONS Need a climate control large tent - humid, hot complaints other years, cold wet this year. Need more vendors for a more festive feel Need 'summer sound' tickets to be free Need small amount of free food: bagel, cookie, fruit, something Need band to be closer to tents, if they are a mile away, it might as well be a stereo Half marathon and Full should have different bibs in some way.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

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C. D. from Illinois (9/6/2016) "Quick note - received personalized dog tag" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I had stated in an earlier comment that the personalized dog tag never came. Today I received it. It was 3 months later than promised, but it came and it was with an apology note.
J. T. from Boston, MA (8/13/2016) "Marathon is a minor part of the organizers efforts" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The organizers have added a lot of other events to the race weekend and now the marathon is just one event in many. So the details that go in to making a marathon good seemed to be lost. The new 2016 course is as hilly as they come, and not particularly scenic. The water stops were every 2 miles and just had water and gatorade. The day of the race was extremely hot, Burlington VT stopped their marathon mid race the same day. So I was glad we got to finish, but even carrying a water bottle I was wishing for more ice and water tables. And there was even a helpful friend of another runner who was driving leapfrog to hand out water, ice cubes, and wet sponges to anyone, she was the bright spot of the whole race. With your race bib you could get in free to the associated concert going on at the finish, but after a marathon that is not something I was interested in. Between the hills, the course, sparse water stops, lack of spectators I can't say I would run this again even though I have friends in the area. It seems like a good idea to have a variety of races and events linked together but it did not make for a good marathon.
C. D. from IL (7/15/2016) "Hot, hilly, humid, broken promises" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Prior comments were positive so I thought it would be nice to run this. Nothing could be done about the weather, but I heard it got into the 90's and it was very humid. Day before was just as hot for the other runs, but still had minimal water stations and small cups. Not enough for conditions. Last water stop at mile 24 had no one at it and 1 small cup of water out. (I was under time limit too.) Someone was sitting in a car close to that stop and asked me if I was 'enjoying my walk'. I was not feeling well, was cramping, and dehydrated so didn't appreciate the comment. Wasn't sure if that was supposed to be the volunteer for the last water stop or not. Extremely hilly course. Too many ups and downs to count. My Garmin elevation chart was wicked looking. I could take all of this if it weren't for the fact that the website stated within 2 weeks we would get a personalized dog tag in the mail. I was really looking forward to that after the tough conditions. It's been almost 2 months and nothing. I've tried contacting them with no response. Also saw on Facebook where course was not certified as it said it would be and the winners had not received their money. No National Anthem for a Memorial Day race. I really am thankful for a person on their lawn giving out ice cold water bottles and juices. That saved me and I carried that water bottle for over 10 miles since the water stops felt pretty spread out. Nice volunteers filled up the bottle at a couple of stops. The water was warm, but better than nothing. Some bananas and oranges at the end, but that was it that I can remember. This was my 43rd marathon and my worst by far. Like I said, can't do much about the weather (except start the race earlier), but many other items such as the aid stations, course, and finishing experience (medals, food, etc.) could have been fixed.
T. B. from Cambridge, MA (6/2/2016) "Inconceivable Marathon Course" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 It's hard to imagine who planned this marathon route - the course includes a 1500 ft ascent with very steep rolling hills beyond the main climb. On a hot day (high 80s, high humidity - typical New England summer day), the lack of shade and constant hills make this an absolute killer. Course is poorly manned with infrequent aid stations and primarily runs along busy state highways without shoulders. Do yourself a favor and pick a different marathon - as beautiful as the Berkshires are, this race is absolutely not worth your time.
W. B. from Fairfield, CT (5/31/2016) "What were they thinking with this course???" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Memorial Day Marathons COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 This is a new location for the Memorial Day Marathon. It used to start in Lenox and was tough and interesting. They called it a challenging course and it was- hard, rolling and fair. This new race starts in the parking lot of ski hill - Butternut in Great Barrington. It may be the most ill conceived marathon routes I have ever seen. While there are no killer hills it has miles and miles of climbs without a break. I counted 4 sections that are continuous inclines of 2-3 miles each! The worst is the final 3 miles from town back up to the ski hill. Miles 23-26 just keep going up. The route includes the main highway through the area - Route 7. You are protected by traffic cones! I can only assume that whoever planned this new route is not a runner. It is not a test of anything except a survival instinct. I doesn't even reward you with rural vistas as most of it is routed through clusters of summer homes or residential neighborhoods. Too bad. I respect the causes they support but I can not support this event. Too few water stations on a hot day. Some unmanned with leftover cups. Sorry but this can not be recommended at this new location. I'll be back when they return to Lenox. If not, try the Vermont Marathon up the road. I talked with other finishers who were equally disappointed in the new location and organization. Oh yes, I had to remember to ask them for a medal at the finish line. Just sad.
Larry Macon from Republic of South Texas (5/25/2015) "Great people, Beautiful Course, A Few Hills" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I highly recommend the race. The course is gorgeous, and the volunteers and spectators are very supportive. As I brought up the back of the pack, the crew picking up the cones loudly cheered me on. I especially want to compliment the race officials and EMS on the speed and professionalism that the race officials and EMS used to assist a friend of mine who had a bad day and fainted at the finish line. He quickly recovered. Thank you.
P. T. from New Jersey, USA (6/26/2013) "Great course, great people, great marathon." (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Thanks for a wonderful experience. The cool weather helped. However, it is always about the people - you were great!
A. J. from Cincinnati, OH (6/1/2013) "A scenic marathon in bhe Berkshire hills." (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 It was a very rainy week on Th, F, Sat but on Sunday, one hour into the race the rain stopped. There were cool winds at time - when we were on top of hills, then pleasant. Water and gel enough and support adequate. Well coned highway, cars very watchful, lots of support people in vehicles to watch out for us. The medal was a nice touch.
Bradford Hammer from Old Tappan, NJ (5/30/2013) "Tackling And Taming The Beast" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 It's clearly a point of pride for locals and organizers to refer to the Memorial Day Marathon as the 'Toughest Marathon in the East,' warning participants about the rugged nature of Prospect Hill and posting elevation charts showcasing the final six uphill miles. But, on a rainy cool morning, tackling the 'Beast' was surprisingly easy. Shocking, actually. Yes, there is a half-mile hill at Mile 20, and 24 is an entire mile straight up. (There's also an earlier up tick at Mile 18.) That noted, these northward ramps make for nice walking breaks, and the terrain in-between is relatively flat and quite 'runnable.' Thus, I ended up with a finishing time only two minutes off my PR, on a loop course that seemingly went down more than it went up. I'm still amazed as I had girded the loins for those last six 'brutal' miles. The temps obviously helped, as the 2013 campaign was 40 degrees cooler than 2012. A wonderful woman I know bettered last year's time by a full hour and she didn't train for this run. The course is bucolic, with ample tree shade against sun and rain, and several lovely parts near water. However, it tends to skirt sites and towns rather than embracing them; a bit of a shame for those interested in Berkshire hamlets. For example, we zip by the entrances for Kripalu, Berkshire Botanical Gardens, and Norman Rockwell Museum and Studio without going through them; and we turn off Main Street in Stockbridge right before entering the blocks celebrated in his famous town painting. Additionally, we never visit downtown Great Barrington or Lee or the historic part of Lenox. Volunteers were wonderful, and all aid stations I remember had water and Gatorade and gels and bathrooms. Outside of a scheduled pasta party there are no pre-race festivities; the bib pickup is in a tent on the grounds of Tanglewood (which is not open, unfortunately). Speaking of grounds, they were absolutely soaked. A soggy, part-flooded, muddy mess. I didn't brave the muck to the finishers tent so I can't report on any post-race spread, but I did feel bad for the organizers and volunteers; they were basically stuck facing cold and rain all day. Why Tanglewood couldn't open its doors (or some of the facility) is beyond me; even with the usual 85 degree day it would have been better to shelter runners after hours on the road. Loved that event organizers staged a weekend running festival with different distances and road types available to participants. And the personalized dog tags are very cool. Plus, if you're visiting the area, the aforementioned Norman Rockwell Museum is pretty amazing. All-in-all a really nice regional event.
J. D. from CT (5/28/2013) "Great scenery. Great potential." (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Memorial Day Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I loved a lot of things about this race. 2013 was 40 degrees most of the marathon and light rain and occasional wind. This was my first marathon. It was a great experience, but a tough route. I walked mile 24-25 steep, long, uphill. PROS Small crowds, but great enthusiasm Great route, with wonderful scenery Visible support in bikes, in cars, and on side of road Good bathroom and parking All staff very accommodating and pleasant Personalized finisher medal, with announced runners names at the finish Nice aide stations with Gatorade, water, porta pots and ( gels at some stations ) Band could be heard from mile 24 Photos free online, prints could be purchased CONS Need a climate control large tent - humid, hot complaints other years, cold wet this year. Need more vendors for a more festive feel Need 'summer sound' tickets to be free Need small amount of free food: bagel, cookie, fruit, something Need band to be closer to tents, if they are a mile away, it might as well be a stereo Half marathon and Full should have different bibs in some way.

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Marathon Details - Memorial Day Marathon