Marathon Details - Buffalo Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NY > Buffalo > Buffalo Marathon

Buffalo Marathon & Half Marathon, Marathon Relay, 5K

Buffalo, NY USA

May 26, 2024

https://www.buffalomarathon.org/fullmarathon

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Reviews

Course 4.1

Organization 3.8

Spectators 3.3

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Number of comments: 315 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 32 > ]

k. b. from Colorado Springs, CO (5/29/2023) "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" (about: 2023) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose this race because there were good reviews and I had never visited the city. I also needed New York for my 50th state, and I prefer smaller races. I have to say, it was awesome. This marathon is one of the best organized and best supported runs I have done. As with most races, there are more half-marathoners, so the field thins at the 13 mile point. But the course has lots of spectators and support at every mile on the back half. Aid stations are very well stocked and staffed by many volunteers. While the day began cool in 2023, temperatures quickly rose. Late mile stations offered ice as well as sponges soaked in ice water, something that was extremely helpful to me! There were bike-mounted course marshals checking on runners too as the heat rose. Spectators were plentiful along the route, and volunteers were gracious. The announcers made a big deal about my 50th state as I crossed the finish line... not too long after, I also got to see a proposal at the finish line, so that was super exciting. Bottom line: great race, lovely city on Lake Erie, lots of fun things to do, and great people. Put this one on your list!
J. A. from North Carolina (7/5/2021) "Definitely worth doing" (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A very well-run race on a fairly flat course. Absolutely worth doing if you want a mid-sized marathon in a decent town to visit. Crowd was thin this year but that was mostly due to covid.
C. Y. from TX (1/9/2020) "Loved This Race!" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I made a last minute decision to run this race to check NY off my list, and was pleasantly surprised with every aspect. Wonderful course with nice mix of urban, waterfront, & neighborhoods with fabulous architecture. Great expo, organized start/course, plentiful volunteers & aid stations and cool hoodie-shirt. I took a bus tour of the course the day before the race which was a delightful experience. I will recommend to EVERYONE!
G. H. from Illinois (5/29/2019) "A good time!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a good race. I've run a lot of marathons in a lot of places, and this is definitely above average. I prefer smaller races outside of urban centers, but Buffalo did a great job of hosting a large event that was well organized and enjoyable. From someone who has run a lot of marathons in lot of different states, here are my observations: * This isn't a perfectly flat course, but it's pretty easy. * Organization was really good. It definitely did not feel like a race with over 1,000 marathon finishers (not to mention all the halfers). * Good vibe from the crowd from start to finish. Lots of people cheering on runners throughout. * Buffalo isn't the most scenic of locales, but there were nice stretches through a park and along the waterfront that broke up the monotony of city neighborhoods. * Lots of aide stations and great volunteers staffing them. * One thing that Buffalo did that I've never seen before is they had volunteers at aide stations holding out paper plates with pads of petroleum jelly on them. A nice touch! * I love my medal and the long-sleeve, lightweight hoodie I received. They even gave finishers a bottle opener/key chain that matched the medal. * The Embassy Suites couldn't have been closer to the start, but man, I did not have a good stay there. Dirty room, poor service. Definitely overpriced. * I noticed the line at the expo was super long for half marathoners. It was probably only 3 or 4 people deep for the full, but I would have been super annoyed if I had to wait in the half line which was maybe 30 people deep. And I got there pretty early in the morning too to try to beat the crowds! * Post race food was disappointing. Water, fruit, and pretzels.
J. H. from Boston MA (6/4/2017) "This race loves their runners!" (about: 2017) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A great race! The organizers have thought of everything and it is clear they love their runners. The free water, bananas, and energy bars (and indoor bathrooms) pre-start were so appreciated, as were the fireworks at the start. Beautiful views and architecture along most of the course. Lots of communication before the race and great race swag. Let's go Buffalo!
N. H. from Pittsburgh (6/3/2017) "Needs a little fine-tuning" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The website did not make mention (or if it did I could not find it) that the race was sold out. I feel sorry for anyone who may have shown up at the expo to register and been sent away The weather was nice this year, a little warm towards the end but much cooler than in 2016. Race day logistics and parking are super easy, with plenty of porta potties. The starting corrals are a bit crowded; if the pace per mile signs were spread out, it would alleviate that initial congestion. I was lined up about 60% of the way back, and could not hear any of the pre-race announcements and only the last few bars of the National Anthem. Fluid stations were plentiful and well managed, and were usually right at the mile markers, which is helpful. It would be even better if the aid stations were just past the mile marker, to allow us to hit the watch for that lap prior to slowing down for fluids. The course is flat but has quite a few twists and turns, so the extra distance you will inevitably run partially offsets the flatness. Good finish line area, and free beer after! A couple of the pace teams I was near at the staring line went out too fast, which kinda defeats their primary purpose. And please try to find another location for showers as you did in prior years, as it induces us out-of-towners to hang around after the race.
E. I. Bufrun from Central Pennsylvania (6/2/2017) "Run With the Buffaloes!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was very impressed with the Buffalo Marathon. It's a solid mid size marathon with all the amenities of a big city race but without the crowds and wait times. Course is very fast. If you're in shape for a bq or pr you can do it here. I ran a bq time. Logistics are easy with lots of hotels and free street parking near the start/finish. I arrived an hour before start time and found a free street parking spot only three blocks from the start. It's a fairly scenic course too, with parks, neighborhoods and a beautiful lakefront stretch along Lake Erie. Enthusiastic crowd support for an event this size. Memorial Day weather is a crapshoot, but I like that they start the race at 6:30 to avoid mid day warmth. Temps were perfect this year, with low 50's at the start. Plenty of porta potties, gels and fluids on course. Free massages and nice post race party at the finish. Local brewery makes a special beer for the race, very cool! Volunteers were extremely helpful and friendly. You can tell the race management has worked hard and pays attention to detail. My only very minor recommendation for improvement would be to get rid of the 180 degree turnaround at Mile 26. I heartily recommend this race to anyone looking for a late spring/early summer race with a fast course and solid organization. Well done Buffalo and thank you!
K. C. from Maryland (5/31/2017) "Well done buffalo!" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great race. Very organized, good course, after party food in convention center was spot on. It is a small race with less spectators for the second half of the course (after the half marathoners exit) but those who were spectating were great. I especially appreciated the neighborhood sprinklers. My only 'con' would be the 3:50 pacer was WAY too fast.
Walter Mak from Toronto, Ontario (6/15/2016) "Tremendous crowd support, superior organization" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run many large and small marathons all over North America. This race is particularly meritorious given the top-notch organization and crowd support. Race day was a hot one, and instead of throwing up their arms and cancelling the race, the organizers e-mailed all participants a few days before, warning runners, in addition to ensuring that ice and sufficient water were available at many of the aid stations. Proving that they were ready for anything, they even still handed out heat sheets at the finish line. The clearly marked course through predominantly parks and residential areas treated participants to cheers from a never-ending stream of enthusiastic spectators and well-wishers, many of whom set up their sprinklers to keep us cool during the race. The flat course is amenable to PR times/Boston Qualifiers, as advertised on the website. Overall, this was a top-notch race experience that competes admirably and favourably with its bigger (but not necessarily better) siblings. I will definitely be back.
R. M. from Buffalo, NY (6/2/2016) "Amazing, growing,fun race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon has really grown over just the past five years, and for good reason. Although mother nature didn't corporate with us this year, running Buffalo was a fun time. Pros: Flat as can be course. My garmin showed less than 100 feet min/mix elevation. Organization was the best of over the 20 marathons I've ran. Once we all knew the conditions would be hot and humid and that many of the runners, including myself were not acclimated (it snowed to weekends prior), the RD added many water stops, added ice cold towels and cups of ice to each stop and did everything they could to ensure our safety. Echoing the above,the entire community came out to support us. I had to have ran under 150-200 sprinklers on peoples lawns or hoses. We were all suffering out there but the community did all they could to guide us to the finish. 6:30 am start. I like this small change. No reason to let memorial day heat possibly become an issue, get er started early. Could park right at the start and finish for free and walk no more than five minutes. Hotels and everything you need is down there. Expo has grown in size with some good deals to actually be had. Pretty cool swag with the 1/4 zip longsleeve. Finisher march was Nike too. Buffalo bills handing out the medals. Pretty nice medal, I've definitely seen worse. Lots of food and chairs and tables to sit at right inside after the finish. Mile 27 beer,too. Cons Can't really dock this rave for the weather since the entire east coast was hot and humid. But just be aware that this is a later spring marathon. So you can definitely watch a warm day like this. Miles 17-22 kind of bake you with minimal shade. You do run up and down Delaware Ave three times, but it's a flat straight away so it's not that bad. Thank you, Buffalo Marathon. Here is to 55 and cloudy in 2017!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 32 > ]

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k. b. from Colorado Springs, CO (5/29/2023) "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" (about: 2023) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose this race because there were good reviews and I had never visited the city. I also needed New York for my 50th state, and I prefer smaller races. I have to say, it was awesome. This marathon is one of the best organized and best supported runs I have done. As with most races, there are more half-marathoners, so the field thins at the 13 mile point. But the course has lots of spectators and support at every mile on the back half. Aid stations are very well stocked and staffed by many volunteers. While the day began cool in 2023, temperatures quickly rose. Late mile stations offered ice as well as sponges soaked in ice water, something that was extremely helpful to me! There were bike-mounted course marshals checking on runners too as the heat rose. Spectators were plentiful along the route, and volunteers were gracious. The announcers made a big deal about my 50th state as I crossed the finish line... not too long after, I also got to see a proposal at the finish line, so that was super exciting. Bottom line: great race, lovely city on Lake Erie, lots of fun things to do, and great people. Put this one on your list!
J. A. from North Carolina (7/5/2021) "Definitely worth doing" (about: 2021) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A very well-run race on a fairly flat course. Absolutely worth doing if you want a mid-sized marathon in a decent town to visit. Crowd was thin this year but that was mostly due to covid.
C. Y. from TX (1/9/2020) "Loved This Race!" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I made a last minute decision to run this race to check NY off my list, and was pleasantly surprised with every aspect. Wonderful course with nice mix of urban, waterfront, & neighborhoods with fabulous architecture. Great expo, organized start/course, plentiful volunteers & aid stations and cool hoodie-shirt. I took a bus tour of the course the day before the race which was a delightful experience. I will recommend to EVERYONE!
G. H. from Illinois (5/29/2019) "A good time!" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a good race. I've run a lot of marathons in a lot of places, and this is definitely above average. I prefer smaller races outside of urban centers, but Buffalo did a great job of hosting a large event that was well organized and enjoyable. From someone who has run a lot of marathons in lot of different states, here are my observations: * This isn't a perfectly flat course, but it's pretty easy. * Organization was really good. It definitely did not feel like a race with over 1,000 marathon finishers (not to mention all the halfers). * Good vibe from the crowd from start to finish. Lots of people cheering on runners throughout. * Buffalo isn't the most scenic of locales, but there were nice stretches through a park and along the waterfront that broke up the monotony of city neighborhoods. * Lots of aide stations and great volunteers staffing them. * One thing that Buffalo did that I've never seen before is they had volunteers at aide stations holding out paper plates with pads of petroleum jelly on them. A nice touch! * I love my medal and the long-sleeve, lightweight hoodie I received. They even gave finishers a bottle opener/key chain that matched the medal. * The Embassy Suites couldn't have been closer to the start, but man, I did not have a good stay there. Dirty room, poor service. Definitely overpriced. * I noticed the line at the expo was super long for half marathoners. It was probably only 3 or 4 people deep for the full, but I would have been super annoyed if I had to wait in the half line which was maybe 30 people deep. And I got there pretty early in the morning too to try to beat the crowds! * Post race food was disappointing. Water, fruit, and pretzels.
J. H. from Boston MA (6/4/2017) "This race loves their runners!" (about: 2017) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A great race! The organizers have thought of everything and it is clear they love their runners. The free water, bananas, and energy bars (and indoor bathrooms) pre-start were so appreciated, as were the fireworks at the start. Beautiful views and architecture along most of the course. Lots of communication before the race and great race swag. Let's go Buffalo!
N. H. from Pittsburgh (6/3/2017) "Needs a little fine-tuning" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The website did not make mention (or if it did I could not find it) that the race was sold out. I feel sorry for anyone who may have shown up at the expo to register and been sent away The weather was nice this year, a little warm towards the end but much cooler than in 2016. Race day logistics and parking are super easy, with plenty of porta potties. The starting corrals are a bit crowded; if the pace per mile signs were spread out, it would alleviate that initial congestion. I was lined up about 60% of the way back, and could not hear any of the pre-race announcements and only the last few bars of the National Anthem. Fluid stations were plentiful and well managed, and were usually right at the mile markers, which is helpful. It would be even better if the aid stations were just past the mile marker, to allow us to hit the watch for that lap prior to slowing down for fluids. The course is flat but has quite a few twists and turns, so the extra distance you will inevitably run partially offsets the flatness. Good finish line area, and free beer after! A couple of the pace teams I was near at the staring line went out too fast, which kinda defeats their primary purpose. And please try to find another location for showers as you did in prior years, as it induces us out-of-towners to hang around after the race.
E. I. Bufrun from Central Pennsylvania (6/2/2017) "Run With the Buffaloes!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was very impressed with the Buffalo Marathon. It's a solid mid size marathon with all the amenities of a big city race but without the crowds and wait times. Course is very fast. If you're in shape for a bq or pr you can do it here. I ran a bq time. Logistics are easy with lots of hotels and free street parking near the start/finish. I arrived an hour before start time and found a free street parking spot only three blocks from the start. It's a fairly scenic course too, with parks, neighborhoods and a beautiful lakefront stretch along Lake Erie. Enthusiastic crowd support for an event this size. Memorial Day weather is a crapshoot, but I like that they start the race at 6:30 to avoid mid day warmth. Temps were perfect this year, with low 50's at the start. Plenty of porta potties, gels and fluids on course. Free massages and nice post race party at the finish. Local brewery makes a special beer for the race, very cool! Volunteers were extremely helpful and friendly. You can tell the race management has worked hard and pays attention to detail. My only very minor recommendation for improvement would be to get rid of the 180 degree turnaround at Mile 26. I heartily recommend this race to anyone looking for a late spring/early summer race with a fast course and solid organization. Well done Buffalo and thank you!
K. C. from Maryland (5/31/2017) "Well done buffalo!" (about: 2017) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great race. Very organized, good course, after party food in convention center was spot on. It is a small race with less spectators for the second half of the course (after the half marathoners exit) but those who were spectating were great. I especially appreciated the neighborhood sprinklers. My only 'con' would be the 3:50 pacer was WAY too fast.
Walter Mak from Toronto, Ontario (6/15/2016) "Tremendous crowd support, superior organization" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Buffalo Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run many large and small marathons all over North America. This race is particularly meritorious given the top-notch organization and crowd support. Race day was a hot one, and instead of throwing up their arms and cancelling the race, the organizers e-mailed all participants a few days before, warning runners, in addition to ensuring that ice and sufficient water were available at many of the aid stations. Proving that they were ready for anything, they even still handed out heat sheets at the finish line. The clearly marked course through predominantly parks and residential areas treated participants to cheers from a never-ending stream of enthusiastic spectators and well-wishers, many of whom set up their sprinklers to keep us cool during the race. The flat course is amenable to PR times/Boston Qualifiers, as advertised on the website. Overall, this was a top-notch race experience that competes admirably and favourably with its bigger (but not necessarily better) siblings. I will definitely be back.
R. M. from Buffalo, NY (6/2/2016) "Amazing, growing,fun race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Buffalo Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon has really grown over just the past five years, and for good reason. Although mother nature didn't corporate with us this year, running Buffalo was a fun time. Pros: Flat as can be course. My garmin showed less than 100 feet min/mix elevation. Organization was the best of over the 20 marathons I've ran. Once we all knew the conditions would be hot and humid and that many of the runners, including myself were not acclimated (it snowed to weekends prior), the RD added many water stops, added ice cold towels and cups of ice to each stop and did everything they could to ensure our safety. Echoing the above,the entire community came out to support us. I had to have ran under 150-200 sprinklers on peoples lawns or hoses. We were all suffering out there but the community did all they could to guide us to the finish. 6:30 am start. I like this small change. No reason to let memorial day heat possibly become an issue, get er started early. Could park right at the start and finish for free and walk no more than five minutes. Hotels and everything you need is down there. Expo has grown in size with some good deals to actually be had. Pretty cool swag with the 1/4 zip longsleeve. Finisher march was Nike too. Buffalo bills handing out the medals. Pretty nice medal, I've definitely seen worse. Lots of food and chairs and tables to sit at right inside after the finish. Mile 27 beer,too. Cons Can't really dock this rave for the weather since the entire east coast was hot and humid. But just be aware that this is a later spring marathon. So you can definitely watch a warm day like this. Miles 17-22 kind of bake you with minimal shade. You do run up and down Delaware Ave three times, but it's a flat straight away so it's not that bad. Thank you, Buffalo Marathon. Here is to 55 and cloudy in 2017!

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Marathon Details - Buffalo Marathon