I used to love this race, but their change to using gun times instead of chip times for a race this crowded is ridiculous. It's not a fair race if someone has a 3 second or 3 minute head start. The race director's response on the race website was to copy & paste some rules meant for elite athletes who start at the same time. I know several people who will not run this race again because of this.

This was a well done marathon. Packet pickup was well organized but there is no real expo, no real swag. The tech shirt is good but not outstanding and the finisher's medal is nice but not memorable.

There are hotels located within 2 blocks of the start and finish which make things convenient. However, I would not recommend the Best Western Four Seasons, try the Cambria Suites instead. All the local hotels seem to raise the rates to unfortunate prices. I would like to see the race directors negotiate some hotel discounts.

The course is out 13 miles and back 13 miles and pretty darn flat. If I remember correctly the high and low points are only separated by 20 feet. Somebody below posted something about hills. 20 feet does not a hill make. The first 2 miles the road is a little bit rough with some pot holes and broken pavement but not too bad. Previous comments about the camber of the road were not an issue. There are a couple spots where there is a bit of camber at the edges of the road but no one is stopping you from running in the middle of the road. One of the advantages of this course is no traffic. You have the whole two lanes to yourself. The water is visible for most of the course and there is a decent amount of shade on the course for those sunny event days.

Half marathon runners start at the far end of the course and run towards you. They might be a factor for really fast runners but for the 4 hour marathoner, you will catch some of the half marathoners but they don't get in your way. The race is large enough that you are not alone and small enough that you don't feel too crowd weaving around slow people. The spectators are few but enthusiastic.

Overall, this race is well done and I have no big complaints. In case you don't know, this is the cherry capital of the world. You can walk to the downtown area and visit some of the local shops selling trail mixes with local cherries that are downright delicious! They make great a great purchase to bring home with you.

This was a wonderful marathon experience from start to finish for me. As others have commented, packet pickup was crowded, but it was close enough to our hotel that we could walk to it without much hassle.

The course itself was great, a simple out-and-back along the lake with breathtaking views of the bay. It's shaded along much of the route; I'd say maybe only 2-3 miles were in full sun, and it was well-supported with aid stations offering water, gatorade, Gu, candy, and soda (and some 'unofficial' ones offering beer and wine from a local vineyard). There are a couple of gently rolling hills on the course, but definitely nothing significant in the way of elevation change. It's really quite flat, and definitely a PR-type of course if you can handle the mental challenge of an out-and-back marathon route.

As far as spectators go, there were quite a few clusters along the course, at least while I was running (finished under 3:30), and the local support was AWESOME! There were a few houses along the way that were passing out ice-cold towels to runners and some offering hoses to cool yourself off if needed.

This year's shirt (2012) is a really nice design, and the medal is definitely my favorite (I like it even more than my Boston Marathon medal). The post-race refreshments were perfect for a warm early-summer dayice cream, watermelon, lemonade, and homemade baked goods (even some gluten-free cookies!), plus the usual post-race fare.

Overall, this is a great race put on by a local track club. It very much has a 'local' feel to it, but in my opinion, that's one of the best things about it. I'm definitely planning to run this one again!

In terms of scenery, this has been the most beautiful course I have run so far.

The organization was good but I must agree with a previous runner in regards to the traffic and parking issues at the expo.
The Bayshore Marathon merchandise at Runners Fit was not on sale and this was a disapointment because they had a lot of Bayshore Marathon apparel but at elevated prices.

The spectators were sparse but loud.

I was concerned during the first half of the race because it was getting hot and the sun was really shining, but, thank God it got overcast on the second half with perfect conditions.

I did not find the course hilly at all and I am from Miami, Florida where you can hardly find a hill.

Overall, this is a great marathon to run on Memorial Day weekend and I highly recommend it.

First off, if your looking for a visually beautiful course go no further than Bayshore.
The packet pick up was easy and effective, so no worries there. Race morning you need to be sure to use the restroom before you get there. The school has all (except a couple single stall) bathrooms closed. The porta potties have lines that are rediculous. All in all, you'll have that at races...
The course has spectator view points but some people had a hard time getting out or were turned away. My wife was able to get out and about (via our car and a shuttle the race set up) and enjoyed watching. Spectators as a whole were limited to the 4 (or so) spectator points, so it got pretty quite out on the course at times.

My biggest beef with the race was the mash up of half marathon runners and the marathon runners colliding. I finished in the top 15 and it was hell trying to get through all the half marathoners. It seemed they divided the two events in the last half mile, but the problem started about 4-5 miles back. I'm sure there were some frustration on both the half and full marathon runners alike.

Can't get much more scenic than this. Course runs along shore of Lake Michigan. Nice, flat, fast course. Weather was 55-60 degrees and sunny. I wish they had a better organized pre-race bag and pickup program. Also, the packet pickup was a nightmare in the parking lot. We were stuck there for over an hour. But other than that it was well organized. Lots of water and GU support during the race, at practically every mile. I'd definitely do this one again.

My first Bayshore and I'll be back. This gets it all right from the big things - great course, awesome logistics, nice size (good energy but not crowded) - to the details of the great swag (love the socks), dedicated organization and volunteers. Of course, helped this year with perfect weather but in any weather this is among that top tier of marathons that are worth travelling for.

Others can comment about the great course, fantastic weather, beautiful scenery, and friendly fans, but I want to say that I've never seen a more enthusiastic, supportive group of volunteers. From the check-in to the numerous water stations along the course to the people at the finish line, this race had plenty of volunteers who were absolutely fabulous. You guys showed Traverse City at its friendliest best and you should be really proud of what you have put together. My hat is off to you. Thanks so much for making the Bayshore Marathon an A+ experience.

Bayshore 2012 was my second marathon, and I will definitely be coming back. If you are from Michigan, you already know that nothing beats that 'up north' feeling on a holiday weekend. TC Track Club hosts a great race, and running up and down Old Mission peninsula was a thrill. Everything about the race seemed well thought out and well executed. Support on the course was enthusiatic. Packet pickup was efficient, but I was a little dissappointed that there was no Expo to speak of. I came prepared to spend money. The course was wonderful - great scenery and mostly flat. The out and back format really works, especially if you are running with a team as I was. It's really nice to be able to give out high fives to teammates before and after the turn-around. The only negative comment I have is that the half-marathon walkers in the race (and there are many) seem to generally be either unaware or unconcerned that walking 3 abreast across a narrow road was poor etiquette. Having to expend energy in miles 20-26 passing the groups of walkers carrying on a conversation in the middle of the road was a bit disconcerting to me. The race organizers were definitely aware of the problem, because it was always mentioned in the newsletters leading up to the race. Maybe get some marshalls out on the course moving the walkers to the side of the road? Other than that, great race! Well done TCTC!

This is my favorite race of the year. I did the full in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and did the half this year. I will come back as long as I am healthy enough and can afford to. The course is awesome and I love Traverse City.

I came here to register a complaint about the awards procedure. A friend of mine ran a chip time that placed him third in one of the older age groups and fourth by gun time. He was denied the third-place age group award. The race organizers said that it's USATF rules to issue age group awards by gun time. The USATF, in fact, says nothing about how to issue age group awards. The USATF does have rules for gun time to be used for overall winners and prize money, for qualifying for the Olympic Trials and for national records - except in masters age groups, when chip times are acceptable, as fast 60-year-olds are unlikely to line up in the front row.

There was nothing listed on the race's web site that awards are based on gun time. Every other race I've done - including Boston - uses the chip for gun times. Race organizers quickly posted something on the web site saying that gun time is used for awards, as per USATF rules, then took some USATF rules out of context. They quoted this line: 'Chip/net times cannot be used for qualifying.' It was a policy about qualifying for the OLYMPIC TRIALS, not for winning age group awards. That policy actually adds that 'special consideration' may be given for chip times in some cases. They are covering their butts and not doing a good job of it. The person denied the age group award is very well-connected and was able to get volumes of evidence to the contrary from respected people in the industry.

Bayshore's stance on chip times is that it's basically an 'FYI' for runners. I actually was able to use chip times for Bayshore to qualify for Boston - though my gun time would also have worked, I was seeded according to the chip. The BAA is fine with chip times.

Bayshore actually has signs at the start for people to line up according to their pace. However, if competitive age groupers have to worry about gun vs. chip times, you could see 50-, 60- and 70-year-old competitive men and women crowding their way to the start line with the young speedsters, making a congested start an even worse disaster.

None of this will ever affect me, as I'm not likely to ever place in my age group here. This is a very competitive race, which is awesome.