Marathon Details - The Walkway Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NY > Poughkeepsie > The Walkway Marathon

Walkway Over the Hudson The Walkway Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

Poughkeepsie, NY USA

~~June 9, 2018~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.walkway.org/walkway-marathon

More Info:	News
Results:	2017 \| 2016 \| 2015 Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact

Name:	Susanne O'Neil
Address:	Walkway Over the Hudson PO Box 889 Poughkeepsie, NY 12602
Phone Number:	845-454-9649
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.2

Organization 4.6

Spectators 3.1

Write a review

Number of comments: 10

K. B. from N.C. (3/1/2019) "Follow-up review" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I ran this marathon the first two years it was on; the third year I did not run but spectated. I am writing to comment on the changes I saw implemented for that year (2017), which reflected that the Race Director listened to earlier comments! The course was changed so that the Marathon went over the bridge first, at the start of the race. This was a huge improvement, so I expected it would be and as I heard from the runners who did the new course. There also were two brands of electrolyte hydration available on the course, Gatorade & Nuun. The post-race ceremony was as nice as previous years. I still think that handing out reusable water bottles (squeeze bottles), as had been done the first year, should have been added back. But I was impressed with the minor changes to the course and the addition of the Nuun, because they indicated that the organizers were eager to please their runners and the changes did improve an otherwise very good overall race experience. I was crushed to learn that the race was canceled for 2018!! I heard it was in response to renovations/construction taking place on or near the course, but apparently the marathon portion was going to be dropped, anyway. This is so disappointing. Admittedly, the primary drawback to previous years was the weather, which had been horrific (SO hot & SO humid) on race day. (Although fine on the days before/after the race). But that was simply bad luck! In 2018, I made a point of noticing, the weather on what would have been race day was pretty darn good: cool/cold in the morning & cloudy all day -- in contrast to the powerful sunshine, heat, & humidity of the previous years. June in NY can be a crapshoot, and this marathon lost that gamble for the first years of its existence, but the weather just as easily could have been fine. There are so many positives about this race, and there is a great deal of room for the race to grow in reputation and attractiveness. Some of the earlier kinks were worked out. I hope the Race Director, organizers, & Dutchess County don't give up on it, because the Walkway Marathon was an excellent idea in a beautiful location.
D. P. from New York (12/31/2017) "Love This Marathon! What a View!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a wonderful marathon. A real gem. The changes in 2017 vs 2016 were appreciated. In particular, you get to run over the Majestic 1 mile Walkway bridge near mile 4 vs mile 21 or so prior. What a stunning view. The volunteers were awesome along the way - even handing out Popsicles to help beat the heat! The June timing makes temp unpredictable but I sure miss the heat running in 10 to 14 degree temps this winter week!
L. S. from Pittsburgh, PA (8/3/2017) "Very hot summer marathon" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Expo: Didn't attend. I did race day packet pick up which is always a nice option for out of town runners. The shirt was a black short sleeve performance t-shirt with the race logo. Course: The walkway was beautiful! The majority of the course is an out and back rail trail and got VERY boring. The full marathon only had about 200 runners so the course seemed empty after the half marathon spilt off. Very little shade on the course. The water stations did have 3 options: nuun, water and Gatorade. Crowd support: Very minimal. Not a good race for those who enjoy a lot of cheering and crowd support. Post Race: The previous year had a wooden medal and I was very excited for that but unfortunately the medal was just a standard one this year. It was nice but nothing spectacular. They had typical food: oranges, bagels, bananas etc. Organization: It was ok. Parking was easy to find but not clear if it was the correct place. Shuttles were provided to one parking lot but the lot we had parked in did not have shuttles to. Overall: Race day was too hot and the race wasn't worth the suffering. Would suggest it be in fall or earlier spring.
K. B. from North Carolina (7/5/2016) "Not as good as last year" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is my second review for this race; I wrote one last year as well. Unfortunately, the best things about last year's race: 1. Nuun at the hydration stations (not Gatorade); 2. burn-out cotton tee shirts (not tech shirts) as the race shirt; and 3. no paper cups after the race; instead, squirt bottles and large self-serve 'kegs' of Nuun & water ALL WERE CHANGED. These are major steps backward; in fact, we didn't even get hygienic 'kegs' (with spigots) to drink from post-race; instead volunteers had filled lots and lots of little cups with truly foul-tasting water & Gatorade. If you wanted more than the 4oz of liquid in each cup, they DIPPED CUPS BACK INTO TUBS OF WATER or Gatorade. That's just gross. Another big disappointment: the course was the same. It really needs to change. I heard that there were 'safety issues' with changing things, but that makes zero sense. Why not have the marathoners, after the first 2 miles, turn right onto the bridge so we can cross it first, instead of after mile 20? Yes, the view from the bridge is spectacular, but by mile 20, the 4+ miles back/forth over the totally exposed (no shade) bridge, with wind, are truly miserable. You cannot enjoy the view when you are suffering so hard. This tiny change would make a big improvement for the race. It's also pretty painful that the first 2 miles are mostly uphill, which means that the last 2 miles are downhill that is a killer on the knees and quads at the end of a marathon. The rest of the course is mostly flat, so it's not bad just the placement of those steep hills make them hurt more. To their credit, this year, they did offer awards for the top 3 overall finishers and offered a nicer awards ceremony. Not that the race director can control the weather, but we had very bad luck for the race, now two years in a row: nighttime lows for the nights leading up to the race were in the upper 40s; the night/morning of the race, it got down to the upper 60s. It was very humid. I am not exaggerating when I say that it felt like a summer morning in North Carolina, which is NOT a compliment. It was very hot; very humid; very sunny. The volunteers are great & the race is well-organized. The people directing traffic this year, however, didn't do the best job. We got there 90 minutes early, as instructed, and were told to park in the very farthest away lot, which was pretty annoying. It was a good 20 minute hilly walk back to the car after the race, which was not much fun. Maybe marathoners should be given priority parking? That seems fair. The medals were the same locally-made wooden medals from the previous year. They are very nice. It was same exact medal for the 5k; half marathon; & marathon, however, which I suppose makes for less waste, but I am not sure that marathoners should get the same medal that the 5k runners do. Crowd support seemed weaker this year than last, and since most of the race is on a greenway, there aren't that many opportunities for spectators to cheer. The ones that were there, however, were enthusiastic & supportive. One big problem this year that wasn't an issue last year (and I heard there were more racers so that might be the reason) Port-o-Potty facilities were inadequate. Very. They are also VERY far away from the parking, and in only one spot. I had a man pass me around mile 3, and he said that he had 'gotten stuck' in the toilet lines, and that it was 'awful.' He was moving pretty quickly, so I suspect that he never should have been behind me in the first place & wouldn't have been if he had been able to get to the toilet. All in all, my initial enthusiasm about this race has dampened considerably. We were VERY disappointed not to have Nuun, and those repulsive vats of water & Gatorade for post-race hydration were . . . unpleasant. I hope the race director brings back the things that were good from the first race & improves some of the other issues. If not, this race will never live up to its potential.
C. K. from NJ (6/28/2016) "Great organization and volunteers, scenic course" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was very impressed with the organization of this race. For a small marathon, they really thought of everything. The volunteers get five stars as each station was well-stocked with water and Gatorade, and each had a theme which was nice to lift your spirits. Plus, the volunteers were great supporters as you ran by. The course is beautiful. The start and finish are at the Marist campus, alongside the Hudson River, and the course takes you through the Hudson Valley Rail Trail (a long out-and-back). The trail can be quiet, especially once the marathon splits from the half marathon, but there were always other runners around, and the spectators who do come out are amazing cheerleaders. After you leave the trail, you cross the Walkway, a converted rail bridge, that has breathtaking views. I was cooked by this point, but that is my own fault. However, it is an uplifting point and the tourists out on the Walkway cheered us on to the finish. The end of the course has some steep downhill through the Marist campus which, again, through my own fault, caused some cramping. Many thanks to the Marist incoming freshmen, there for their orientation, cheering us along. Also, a special thanks to the woman who was at the final hill right before the finish line, cheering us into the finish. She was amazing, coaching us up that final hill, and apparently was out there the entire race. I paid for race-day bib pick-up (always love when races offer that option for out-of-towners), so cannot comment on the expo. The race director's commitment to staging an environmentally friendly race deserves recognition. It was emphasized in the days/months leading up to the race, and evident throughout the race. Overall, an organized, small race that I would recommend to anyone looking for a summer run who does not need a lot of hoopla.
S. m. from Ottawa, ON (6/13/2016) "My 84th Marathon and Tribute to Ali" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The world lost Muhammad Ali last week so I thought I would comment on this hilly and hot race by comparing it to 2 of Ali's most famous fights - against George foreman in Zaire and Joe Frazier in Manila. The heat at this race, and any race is like Foreman hitting you with jabs all night long. The cumulative effect will knock you out in the end. To counter this you sort of rope a dope by taking your time, monitoring your breathing and keeping cool. The hills are extreme at the beginning and end and hurt my calves just walking up them. They reminded me of Frazier's punches. Powerful and hard that leave you feeling beat up for days afterwards. Again, Marathoning is mental so I walked up the hills/ran down them in the beginning and jogged up them and jogged even slower down them due to the steep declines at the end. Other numbers: 90 - the number of minutes to get to the race prior to start infinity - the number of times you want to stop and take a photo over the course; it is prettier than Twin Cities in the fall zero - amount of food left at the finish line The city featured a reptile expo the same day with Sgt Slaughter that I had to miss due to work on Monday. Maybe have the race expo and reptile expo on the same day. With the Sarge!
K. B. from NC (3/15/2016) "impressive for a first-time race" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this last year, with some reservations as even experienced marathon organizers can fall short. I was concerned that the inaugural running of this event would mean some problems, but I was wrong! The entire event went smoothly and organization was top-notch. The pros: small size meant easy: easy packet pick-up; easy parking; easy access to port-o-potties; no congestion (for me) on the course. The organization was excellent and water stops every 1.5 miles was AWESOME, especially given the heat. Loved that the hydration offered was Nuun, which I much prefer to Gatorade. Finishers' medals were wooden & produced locally: WIN. Finally, the course is mostly flat, with some exceptions (see below). Cons: The race begins by going up some short yet steep hills. At the beginning of the race, you barely notice this, but at the end: OUCH. Seriously. I almost had to walk down them, which is frustrating this late in the race. The other major issue is what a previous review noted: the crossing of the Hudson over the amazing Walkway during the final miles of the race. At this point, the blazing sun, lack of any shade, and strong wind from the river conspired with the final few miles to make that last chunk of the race a true sufferfest. If at all possible, they really need to change the sequence of the race, hopefully moving that part to the start of the race, when legs and minds are fresher and the sun hasn't assumed much strength yet. The other con is that it was just SO hot that day. Yes, it was a little above average, but NY in June is often very humid and very hot, as the race day was. It would be great if the race could be moved a few weeks earlier. Finally, the awards ceremony post-race definitely left something to be desired. The food and drinks were pretty good, and I noticed a food truck in the distance to offer some additional options (if you have money with you). But the ceremony took a long time to organize, the announcer did a poor job, and it would have been very easy to miss the entire thing altogether as there was no clear schedule or announcement that let us know when it would happen. Another major con, IMO, is that the race did not award overall winners! After the first place overall finishers, everyone else was lumped into age group categories which spanned TEN years. I know it was a small race, but that's still pretty lame. The prizes were also a nice idea (a model of the Walkway Bridge) but they fell apart, literally, the minute a recipient touched one. Cheap, plastic, and highly breakable. Overall, this was a very good race that has the potential to get better with a few tweaks. I think I will run this again this year, so we shall see if some of the comments from last year (all of the above I noted in a post-race survey) result in positive changes. I also hope they keep this a small race, because I don't think the course or facilities could handle substantially larger crowds.
C. S. from New York (7/30/2015) "Well-Organized Summer Marathon" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The 1st Walkway Marathon was well-organized from packet pickup to the start, etc. The hydration stops were good, although gels were only offered once. The course is scenic at times, but mainly a little boring and repetitive. Fan support was OK given that most of the race takes place on a rail trail. My biggest problem with this race is that it is billed as 'Flat and Fast Over the Hudson.' While it is mostly flat, it cannot be that fast being run in June. I made the mistake of signing up when it was cold and snowy. By June 13, it was extremely hot and humid. The showcase of the course is the Walkway Over the Hudson, but it is the last leg of the marathon and by then almost everyone was walking. What could have been great turned into a torture due to the weather conditions. I'd make two changes: 1) Have the Walkway portion earlier in the race; and 2) Move the race to spring or fall. Summer is just too hot in Poughkeepsie.
V. C. from Northeast CT (6/17/2015) "For the 1st ever Walkway Marathon, Good Job." (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Flat course except uphill at the start and down hill to the finish. Confusing mile markers throughout. Some inaccurate, some not there at all, especially miles 22 through 26. A good marathon for there 1st time. A few tweaks here and there and it could be a 5 star marathon.
B. M. from CONNECTICUT (6/14/2015) "Superb New England summer-time marathon" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a well-organized marathon run almost entirely on rail-trail, which means fast and flat on paved surface, no vehicle traffic, ample shade and breathtaking views from two-hundred feet above the Hudson River. There were plenty of water stops/aid stations and the enthusiastic staff there sufficed for spectator support. Runners were advised at the start that it may get congested when the half-marathon runners come back from their turnaround and it did, so if you are shooting for a fast pace then try to get ahead of the crowd while on the city streets leading to the rail-trail. Once you pass the half-marathon turnaround the course is wide-open. There are few marathons in New England at this time of year and the Walkway Marathon is a welcome addition.

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K. B. from N.C. (3/1/2019) "Follow-up review" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I ran this marathon the first two years it was on; the third year I did not run but spectated. I am writing to comment on the changes I saw implemented for that year (2017), which reflected that the Race Director listened to earlier comments! The course was changed so that the Marathon went over the bridge first, at the start of the race. This was a huge improvement, so I expected it would be and as I heard from the runners who did the new course. There also were two brands of electrolyte hydration available on the course, Gatorade & Nuun. The post-race ceremony was as nice as previous years. I still think that handing out reusable water bottles (squeeze bottles), as had been done the first year, should have been added back. But I was impressed with the minor changes to the course and the addition of the Nuun, because they indicated that the organizers were eager to please their runners and the changes did improve an otherwise very good overall race experience. I was crushed to learn that the race was canceled for 2018!! I heard it was in response to renovations/construction taking place on or near the course, but apparently the marathon portion was going to be dropped, anyway. This is so disappointing. Admittedly, the primary drawback to previous years was the weather, which had been horrific (SO hot & SO humid) on race day. (Although fine on the days before/after the race). But that was simply bad luck! In 2018, I made a point of noticing, the weather on what would have been race day was pretty darn good: cool/cold in the morning & cloudy all day -- in contrast to the powerful sunshine, heat, & humidity of the previous years. June in NY can be a crapshoot, and this marathon lost that gamble for the first years of its existence, but the weather just as easily could have been fine. There are so many positives about this race, and there is a great deal of room for the race to grow in reputation and attractiveness. Some of the earlier kinks were worked out. I hope the Race Director, organizers, & Dutchess County don't give up on it, because the Walkway Marathon was an excellent idea in a beautiful location.
D. P. from New York (12/31/2017) "Love This Marathon! What a View!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a wonderful marathon. A real gem. The changes in 2017 vs 2016 were appreciated. In particular, you get to run over the Majestic 1 mile Walkway bridge near mile 4 vs mile 21 or so prior. What a stunning view. The volunteers were awesome along the way - even handing out Popsicles to help beat the heat! The June timing makes temp unpredictable but I sure miss the heat running in 10 to 14 degree temps this winter week!
L. S. from Pittsburgh, PA (8/3/2017) "Very hot summer marathon" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Expo: Didn't attend. I did race day packet pick up which is always a nice option for out of town runners. The shirt was a black short sleeve performance t-shirt with the race logo. Course: The walkway was beautiful! The majority of the course is an out and back rail trail and got VERY boring. The full marathon only had about 200 runners so the course seemed empty after the half marathon spilt off. Very little shade on the course. The water stations did have 3 options: nuun, water and Gatorade. Crowd support: Very minimal. Not a good race for those who enjoy a lot of cheering and crowd support. Post Race: The previous year had a wooden medal and I was very excited for that but unfortunately the medal was just a standard one this year. It was nice but nothing spectacular. They had typical food: oranges, bagels, bananas etc. Organization: It was ok. Parking was easy to find but not clear if it was the correct place. Shuttles were provided to one parking lot but the lot we had parked in did not have shuttles to. Overall: Race day was too hot and the race wasn't worth the suffering. Would suggest it be in fall or earlier spring.
K. B. from North Carolina (7/5/2016) "Not as good as last year" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 The Walkway Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is my second review for this race; I wrote one last year as well. Unfortunately, the best things about last year's race: 1. Nuun at the hydration stations (not Gatorade); 2. burn-out cotton tee shirts (not tech shirts) as the race shirt; and 3. no paper cups after the race; instead, squirt bottles and large self-serve 'kegs' of Nuun & water ALL WERE CHANGED. These are major steps backward; in fact, we didn't even get hygienic 'kegs' (with spigots) to drink from post-race; instead volunteers had filled lots and lots of little cups with truly foul-tasting water & Gatorade. If you wanted more than the 4oz of liquid in each cup, they DIPPED CUPS BACK INTO TUBS OF WATER or Gatorade. That's just gross. Another big disappointment: the course was the same. It really needs to change. I heard that there were 'safety issues' with changing things, but that makes zero sense. Why not have the marathoners, after the first 2 miles, turn right onto the bridge so we can cross it first, instead of after mile 20? Yes, the view from the bridge is spectacular, but by mile 20, the 4+ miles back/forth over the totally exposed (no shade) bridge, with wind, are truly miserable. You cannot enjoy the view when you are suffering so hard. This tiny change would make a big improvement for the race. It's also pretty painful that the first 2 miles are mostly uphill, which means that the last 2 miles are downhill that is a killer on the knees and quads at the end of a marathon. The rest of the course is mostly flat, so it's not bad just the placement of those steep hills make them hurt more. To their credit, this year, they did offer awards for the top 3 overall finishers and offered a nicer awards ceremony. Not that the race director can control the weather, but we had very bad luck for the race, now two years in a row: nighttime lows for the nights leading up to the race were in the upper 40s; the night/morning of the race, it got down to the upper 60s. It was very humid. I am not exaggerating when I say that it felt like a summer morning in North Carolina, which is NOT a compliment. It was very hot; very humid; very sunny. The volunteers are great & the race is well-organized. The people directing traffic this year, however, didn't do the best job. We got there 90 minutes early, as instructed, and were told to park in the very farthest away lot, which was pretty annoying. It was a good 20 minute hilly walk back to the car after the race, which was not much fun. Maybe marathoners should be given priority parking? That seems fair. The medals were the same locally-made wooden medals from the previous year. They are very nice. It was same exact medal for the 5k; half marathon; & marathon, however, which I suppose makes for less waste, but I am not sure that marathoners should get the same medal that the 5k runners do. Crowd support seemed weaker this year than last, and since most of the race is on a greenway, there aren't that many opportunities for spectators to cheer. The ones that were there, however, were enthusiastic & supportive. One big problem this year that wasn't an issue last year (and I heard there were more racers so that might be the reason) Port-o-Potty facilities were inadequate. Very. They are also VERY far away from the parking, and in only one spot. I had a man pass me around mile 3, and he said that he had 'gotten stuck' in the toilet lines, and that it was 'awful.' He was moving pretty quickly, so I suspect that he never should have been behind me in the first place & wouldn't have been if he had been able to get to the toilet. All in all, my initial enthusiasm about this race has dampened considerably. We were VERY disappointed not to have Nuun, and those repulsive vats of water & Gatorade for post-race hydration were . . . unpleasant. I hope the race director brings back the things that were good from the first race & improves some of the other issues. If not, this race will never live up to its potential.
C. K. from NJ (6/28/2016) "Great organization and volunteers, scenic course" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was very impressed with the organization of this race. For a small marathon, they really thought of everything. The volunteers get five stars as each station was well-stocked with water and Gatorade, and each had a theme which was nice to lift your spirits. Plus, the volunteers were great supporters as you ran by. The course is beautiful. The start and finish are at the Marist campus, alongside the Hudson River, and the course takes you through the Hudson Valley Rail Trail (a long out-and-back). The trail can be quiet, especially once the marathon splits from the half marathon, but there were always other runners around, and the spectators who do come out are amazing cheerleaders. After you leave the trail, you cross the Walkway, a converted rail bridge, that has breathtaking views. I was cooked by this point, but that is my own fault. However, it is an uplifting point and the tourists out on the Walkway cheered us on to the finish. The end of the course has some steep downhill through the Marist campus which, again, through my own fault, caused some cramping. Many thanks to the Marist incoming freshmen, there for their orientation, cheering us along. Also, a special thanks to the woman who was at the final hill right before the finish line, cheering us into the finish. She was amazing, coaching us up that final hill, and apparently was out there the entire race. I paid for race-day bib pick-up (always love when races offer that option for out-of-towners), so cannot comment on the expo. The race director's commitment to staging an environmentally friendly race deserves recognition. It was emphasized in the days/months leading up to the race, and evident throughout the race. Overall, an organized, small race that I would recommend to anyone looking for a summer run who does not need a lot of hoopla.
S. m. from Ottawa, ON (6/13/2016) "My 84th Marathon and Tribute to Ali" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The world lost Muhammad Ali last week so I thought I would comment on this hilly and hot race by comparing it to 2 of Ali's most famous fights - against George foreman in Zaire and Joe Frazier in Manila. The heat at this race, and any race is like Foreman hitting you with jabs all night long. The cumulative effect will knock you out in the end. To counter this you sort of rope a dope by taking your time, monitoring your breathing and keeping cool. The hills are extreme at the beginning and end and hurt my calves just walking up them. They reminded me of Frazier's punches. Powerful and hard that leave you feeling beat up for days afterwards. Again, Marathoning is mental so I walked up the hills/ran down them in the beginning and jogged up them and jogged even slower down them due to the steep declines at the end. Other numbers: 90 - the number of minutes to get to the race prior to start infinity - the number of times you want to stop and take a photo over the course; it is prettier than Twin Cities in the fall zero - amount of food left at the finish line The city featured a reptile expo the same day with Sgt Slaughter that I had to miss due to work on Monday. Maybe have the race expo and reptile expo on the same day. With the Sarge!
K. B. from NC (3/15/2016) "impressive for a first-time race" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I ran this last year, with some reservations as even experienced marathon organizers can fall short. I was concerned that the inaugural running of this event would mean some problems, but I was wrong! The entire event went smoothly and organization was top-notch. The pros: small size meant easy: easy packet pick-up; easy parking; easy access to port-o-potties; no congestion (for me) on the course. The organization was excellent and water stops every 1.5 miles was AWESOME, especially given the heat. Loved that the hydration offered was Nuun, which I much prefer to Gatorade. Finishers' medals were wooden & produced locally: WIN. Finally, the course is mostly flat, with some exceptions (see below). Cons: The race begins by going up some short yet steep hills. At the beginning of the race, you barely notice this, but at the end: OUCH. Seriously. I almost had to walk down them, which is frustrating this late in the race. The other major issue is what a previous review noted: the crossing of the Hudson over the amazing Walkway during the final miles of the race. At this point, the blazing sun, lack of any shade, and strong wind from the river conspired with the final few miles to make that last chunk of the race a true sufferfest. If at all possible, they really need to change the sequence of the race, hopefully moving that part to the start of the race, when legs and minds are fresher and the sun hasn't assumed much strength yet. The other con is that it was just SO hot that day. Yes, it was a little above average, but NY in June is often very humid and very hot, as the race day was. It would be great if the race could be moved a few weeks earlier. Finally, the awards ceremony post-race definitely left something to be desired. The food and drinks were pretty good, and I noticed a food truck in the distance to offer some additional options (if you have money with you). But the ceremony took a long time to organize, the announcer did a poor job, and it would have been very easy to miss the entire thing altogether as there was no clear schedule or announcement that let us know when it would happen. Another major con, IMO, is that the race did not award overall winners! After the first place overall finishers, everyone else was lumped into age group categories which spanned TEN years. I know it was a small race, but that's still pretty lame. The prizes were also a nice idea (a model of the Walkway Bridge) but they fell apart, literally, the minute a recipient touched one. Cheap, plastic, and highly breakable. Overall, this was a very good race that has the potential to get better with a few tweaks. I think I will run this again this year, so we shall see if some of the comments from last year (all of the above I noted in a post-race survey) result in positive changes. I also hope they keep this a small race, because I don't think the course or facilities could handle substantially larger crowds.
C. S. from New York (7/30/2015) "Well-Organized Summer Marathon" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The 1st Walkway Marathon was well-organized from packet pickup to the start, etc. The hydration stops were good, although gels were only offered once. The course is scenic at times, but mainly a little boring and repetitive. Fan support was OK given that most of the race takes place on a rail trail. My biggest problem with this race is that it is billed as 'Flat and Fast Over the Hudson.' While it is mostly flat, it cannot be that fast being run in June. I made the mistake of signing up when it was cold and snowy. By June 13, it was extremely hot and humid. The showcase of the course is the Walkway Over the Hudson, but it is the last leg of the marathon and by then almost everyone was walking. What could have been great turned into a torture due to the weather conditions. I'd make two changes: 1) Have the Walkway portion earlier in the race; and 2) Move the race to spring or fall. Summer is just too hot in Poughkeepsie.
V. C. from Northeast CT (6/17/2015) "For the 1st ever Walkway Marathon, Good Job." (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Flat course except uphill at the start and down hill to the finish. Confusing mile markers throughout. Some inaccurate, some not there at all, especially miles 22 through 26. A good marathon for there 1st time. A few tweaks here and there and it could be a 5 star marathon.
B. M. from CONNECTICUT (6/14/2015) "Superb New England summer-time marathon" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 The Walkway Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a well-organized marathon run almost entirely on rail-trail, which means fast and flat on paved surface, no vehicle traffic, ample shade and breathtaking views from two-hundred feet above the Hudson River. There were plenty of water stops/aid stations and the enthusiastic staff there sufficed for spectator support. Runners were advised at the start that it may get congested when the half-marathon runners come back from their turnaround and it did, so if you are shooting for a fast pace then try to get ahead of the crowd while on the city streets leading to the rail-trail. Once you pass the half-marathon turnaround the course is wide-open. There are few marathons in New England at this time of year and the Walkway Marathon is a welcome addition.

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Marathon Details - The Walkway Marathon