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May 16, 2024

Tybee Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Tybee Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 3.8

Organization 4.4

Spectators 3.7

Number of comments: 64 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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

Rob Klein from Aurora, CO (2/6/2008) "Warm, Flat, & Fun" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 It started out cool - maybe in the mid 40's - then warmed to the mid 60's. It was sunny and pleasant. The course had a central start/finish line with about a 10-mile loop to the south, and 3-mile loop to the north - not really loops, but a zig-zag about town. The course went by/along side of the Tybee Island Lighthouse, which was cool. The course was well marked, and was staffed with supportive and friendly volunteers. The aid/fluid stations had water and Gatorade-type drinks, and some had bananas and orange slices for potassium/sugar. This marathon did not have Clif Shot-type carbs, but I did well on the stuff that was available. The finish line and timing mats were in the road in front of the gym, and it was announced that the time limit was 5.5 hours (though I saw times up to 6 hours, 18 minutes). Apparently they moved the finish line off of the road at 1:30 p.m., - according to their agreement with the community - but kept timing folks, which was a good thing. That is the only thing I thought strange. Next time the finish line should be on the sidewalk, so there is no pressure to move the finish line for traffic considerations. Also, they did not provide for drop bags for warm-up clothes. I think that is important for autumn and winter marathons. The medal was a heavy-duty type, with a sand dollar on it, and I was proud to add it to my collection. I highly recommend this marathon!
Seth Denenberg from Westchester, New York (2/5/2008) "a must-do" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Frommers calls Savannah the one city you must see in Georgia if you have time for no other city. After seeing about 20 cities in Georgia running over 50 marathons in 31 different states I can safely say that if you have time for only one marathon in Georgia this is the one to do and Savannah is the city to see. Take your wife, significant other, loved one or romantic interest and pack the bags for a trip to Savannah and the Tybee Marathon. Plan a three-day weekend to arrive on Friday, stay in a romantic Inn in the Savannah historic district and run the Tybee Marathon Saturday morning. The course is flat and fast. The organization of the race is first rate, the spectators are more numerous than you would expect and very enthusiastic, the weather is good for running, and Tybee is just a special beach community. I had a first-rate time. I loved the sights on the course. Enjoyed the small beach cottages, the lighthouse, and the sites of Tybee. Spend some time there on friday when you check in, climb the lighthouse, see fort Pulaski, spend the day and finish with the pasta party (the pasta party was great). Run the race on Saturday and then go to the Inn you picked in the Savannah historic district. Spend the day walking around Savannah but first have the all-you-can-eat lunch at Mrs. Wilkes Boardinghouse since you earned it running the marathon. Go for a massage at the end of the day with dinner at the Olde Pink House. Wake up Sunday and take a tour of the Savannah historic district with an early dinner at one of the many great southern style restaurants in Savannah. But no matter what you do, pass up on every other race and city in Georgia and go to Tybee and Savannah or you will look back and realize you missed a great event and unique experience.
S. H. from Northfield, Mn. (2/5/2008) "Great little marathon" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I highly recommend this race. The course is flat and fast. Small race, and you can walk to the start from your hotel room. All aspects are exceptional from the packet pickup to the pasta feed to the finish line. It is a great getaway for any marathoner from the northern states. I would suggest early entry next year as it may well fill up. Stay on the island and take an extra day to explore Savannah.
K. K. from Corpus Christi, TX (2/5/2008) "Nice Marathon!" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Memorial Health Tybee Marathon Tybee Island, GA Saturday, February 2, 2008 8:00 a.m. We enjoyed a nearly perfect running weather, temperatures ranging from low 40s to mid 60s, sunny, and a little breezy. We had access to the Tybee Gymnasium before and after the race. We ran the same figure-eight loop twice. The course was flat like pancake, included a large number of turns, and was well marked. The potholes and cracks were marked in yellow and could easily be avoided. There were water/sports drink stations at every 2 miles. We shared the first loop with half marathoners. The second loop was quite lonely, and I ran most of it by myself. The crowd support was sporadic. There were plenty of refreshments at the finish. A delicious stew and a bagel served me quite well as a good lunch! Packet pick-up was very efficient. There was also a small expo. I liked the long-sleeved race shirt, displaying the Tybee Lighthouse. Finisher's medallion was nice too. The pre-race pasta dinner at a local church offered us good food in a friendly atmosphere, and a large number of youth members of the church served us as waiters/waitresses. In short, Savannah Striders did a fine job in organizing a nice running event. I am a 50-stater and this was #34.
Mike Dhunjishah from Columbia, SC (2/4/2008) "Thanks for making this an event to remember!" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I got a PR on this my 26th marathon - I was last for the first time! Regardless of the reason for this, the police kept the course open for me, you kept the finish line open to allow me to cross, I had an angel ride with me from about mile 18, the girls in orange were there to form a line and clap, a lady stayed to present me with my finisher medal, and last but not least, my wife - who had completed the half - was there to give me a kiss.... What a way to celebrate the day before my 63rd birthday and to give thanks my two newest grandsons, Blake (who was 4 months) and J.D (who was two months and had just recovered from septic shock). What more can I say? p.s. Thank the police for me and the group that had beer somewhere near the end of the course.
C. P. from Pennsylvania (2/4/2008) "What a great race" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just wanted to share what a wonderful time I had at your race and in your town. It must have taken great imagination to find 26.2 miles to run in such a small area. The out-and-backs were a little tough but no big deal. The weather this year was exceptional (I heard from other runners that this has not always been the case), which made for a very fast course. The local police, fans and staff were all great. It's a long way from home for me but I would love to come back again and stay longer.
P. L. from Maine (2/3/2008) "Awesome race" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This race was well organized, flat and fun. Check-in was quick and easy and while the course looks confusing on paper, in real life it was so well marked, there was no way anyone could get lost. There was plenty to drink and the volunteers even looked like they were having fun. The only thing I would suggest is that runners remember to bring their own source of nutrition as only fluids are provided.
D. M. from Phoenix, AZ (2/3/2008) "Great Escape to an Off Season Beach!" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was a surprisingly fun little marathon! First, as a "heads up," the drive from Savannah took me over an hour in Friday rush hour. The route to Tybee Island (80 East) winds through residential Savannah, which is pretty but not quick moving in Friday rush hour (when I came in). It took me a little less than an hour on my return on Sunday morning, but be sure to plan for the commute time. Now, the island itself is quaint, but don't look for a lot of shopping or "night life." Basically, you have a few small souvenir stores and an IGA (limited groceries), and a few restaurants. It was nice for a quick weekend marathon trip, but I wouldn't have wanted to stay any longer (unless you just want to walk on the beach and "chill"). Logistically, the packet pickup is stated as the "gymnasium" on the website, with no street address. I worried about that, but there is only one main street on the island (Butler) and you really can't miss the "Tybee Island Gymnasium" on the right. As stated before, the "expo" isn't much but serves the purpose. The good news is the race starts and ends right in front of the gymnasium, and they even have race morning bib pickup! This year the weather was absolutely perfect for running - start around 40 degrees, with sun and little wind. I was surprised to see no "pace signs" at the start, so I sort of tried to place myself reasonably based on the size of the crowd. When they say the course twists and turns, they aren't kidding! I soon lost all sense of direction, even though I had studied the map. I actually liked the double loop, as I knew exactly what I was in for in the second half. It helped me "hang in there" in the last few miles. The finish line is well managed, there was plenty of water, replenishment drink, bagels, fruit, and some yummy soup-thing that really hit the spot. I'm not sure what it was, but I wish they had it after every race. The only thing that would have made it better was a cold beer alongside! Bottom line, I would highly recommend this race, if you're looking for something where you can just relax by the beach and run for the sake of running. Oh, the finisher's medal is pretty cool too (in the shape of a sand dollar).
P. B. from Canada (2/13/2007) "Fast, flat, and quiet in a nice way" (about: 2007) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a great race, I knew going in that the course was going to loop, but after the first half does the scenery matter all that much??? I came here to qualify for Boston, which I did, so I can't complain. Easily my favorite part of the race were the people of Georgia. We were made to feel so welcome that it was amazing. I had a blast running this event and would happily do it again!!!!! Thanks to everyone who helped make this an amazing and unforgettable experience!!!
D. G. from Richmond, Va (2/7/2007) "Decent little race" (about: 2007) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Tybee Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was a nice smaller marathon. Several warnings if you are thinking of this race. In addition to the marathon, there is a half marathon and a 5K. The marathon has about 300 and the other two races have 800+ each. So you get a little overwhelmed by the masses. Also, the course. It is a dead flat seaside course. But it is a double-loop half-marathon course and it has a huge number of twists and turns in each loop. Other thoughts about the race: 1. After registering, I never received and instructions/details about the race that you usually receive. So you have to look up details on the one page of the website and hope you show up at the right place at the right time. (Not that it is that hard to do.) 2. The expo was very small so don't go expecting a lot of goings on at the expo, just pick up you number. 3. We rented a condo at the beach very reasonably and that made getting to the start very easy. 4. With the half starting at the same time/place, you do get lost in the crowd at the start and the first few miles are a little crowded on the road. 5. The crowd support is minimal but those people that were out there were VERY enthusiastic. 6. Fluid stops were plentiful. (But no Gu at the stops. Some had oranges.) 7. I thought the finish line and finish area were done well. (With the basics - no frills.) 8. The road had a lot of potholes, etc. but they had done a good job of marking them. 9. With all the loops on the course, it was very easy for my wife to only move a couple of blocks and still see the runners in our group many times. OVERALL OPINION: This seemed like a very well run club race.

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