Frederick Marathon - Race Reviews

So I did the first and the last Frederick Marathons. It began in snow and slush (2003), and ended with brutal heat (2010). As my surname is Frederick, I know I'll never find another marathon with quite the same meaning for me. Thanks for the memories.

The first half of the Frederick Marathon course was flat and fleet. The second had some nice hills. I was prepared for the hills but not for the heat in 2010. The organizers, however, were well prepared for a hot day. The aid stations were abundant and well stocked, most of them with ice. Medical personnel could be found at all points along the second half of the course. This was my slowest marathon ever, but one of the most fun I've had the opportunity to run. Nice shirt, nice medal, everything you could possibly need on the course, and great neighborhood support.

Very good marathon with an interesting and challenging course. Especially through the residential area around mile 20, the support of the community was terrific. The pullover and medal were both first rate. Organization was very good with lots of water, Gatorade and food on the course. The weather was very hot, but the organizers were prepared. I liked the finish at the fairgrounds, but make sure to arrive early as traffic before the race is a bear. My worst time ever, but I would like another crack at this course under better weather conditions. Well done!

I've done the Frederick Marathon twice - the first one in 2003, when the temp was 31 degrees and snow, sleet, and wind attacked the runners; and 2010, when sun and humidity made the 88-degree heat a challenge. Lots of hills after 15 miles - the hills just keep coming at you at a part of the course where you're stuck along the side of a major four-lane highway and there's nothing to think about but how miserable it is. Spectators in the residential neighborhoods were wonderful - really caring and supportive. Race organizers did a good job; there was water and an energy drink available even for the back-of-the-pack marathoners. Things to watch out for if you come to this marathon: the pronounced tilt of the right side road shoulders in the first half (stay toward the middle of the road), and the hills from mile 16 to 22. BE READY for them.

This is my 3rd time running this race (2007, 2009 and 2010), and all 3 have/will leave me with memories that will last a lifetime. From the day of the expo to the finish line of the race, the whole experience was fanastic. I set a PR at Frederick in 2007, and it is only befitting that I completed my 30th marathon at the 2010 Frederick Marathon. This year's event was a little hotter than normal, and even though I didn't finish with the time that I was shooting for, the race was still a success. The course in someways is similar to the Boston Marathon in that the hills are towards the end - mile 16 and on. I would highly recommend this course to every serious runner who is looking for a challenge, and has yet to run at Frederick. This is one race that will always be on my calendar. Although the crowd support is small, those who came out were very supportive - not to mention the police officers, who were cheering on the runners as well. Frederick, I will be back next year.

The organization of this race is top-notch. There was a 5K race that my 13-year-old nephew ran on Saturday at 6:00 after packet pick-up. You start and finish on a horse racing track! Frederick is a beautiful southern city; I wish I could have spent more time downtown. The race has a relatively early 6:30 start. The first 15 miles of the marathon course are relatively flat and scenic and shady. Then you leave town for the remainder of the race. There are two large hills about a half-mile each between miles 17 and 19. Since it was almost 90 degrees, I smartly walked up these. Unfortunately, once the cloud-cover burned off, there was relatively little shade and it was HOT, HOT. You run through some beautifully manicured newer homes and many of these provided hoses and sprinklers, which I took advantage of - but the heat was relentless. There was ample aid stations with ICE - I don't think I could have finished without the ice. As it was, I finished in 5:17 and had to be treated for heat exhaustion. If you run in this weather, PLEASE take it easy. My wife and daughter were very upset when I passed out 5 minutes after the finish. I thank God for the response of the EMTs who treated me and many others for heat exhaustion and hypothermia after the race. They were great! (I had run a 4:38 five weeks earlier in flat, cool conditions in NJ; 5:17 is what heat and hills can do to your time.) On the plus side, my young daughter ran in the kids' fun run and received a very nice medal. The marathon finishers' medal is excellent and big; it really stands out on my medal board! Thank you, Frederick!!

Kind of a bittersweet marathon for me. Had a very good race - placed 2nd overall. The earlier part of the course is moderately flat, and the real hills begin right around mile 16.5, I would say. Make sure you do some hilly medium-long distance runs. I did 20-23-mile long runs on a towpath that is relatively flat; however, I did some very hilly 16-milers as well. I believe the hilly 16-milers helped me a lot for this race. I was 4th until about mile 19, where all of the hills were, and I ended up catching the next 2 guys. Get to the start an hour before. The course is pretty good, in my opinion; I enjoyed the different areas, and the neighborhood crowds near mile 20 were great! The only complaint I really have is that at the end when you entered the stadium I was told by an official to keep going straight (they thought I was only halfway done so far), when I really should have turned right to the finish. I ended up losing about 2 minutes off my time, but thankfully not my place. Organization could have been better in that sense. Officials, please do a better job of directing the runners out in front. Lots of times I had to point to clarify where to go and get confirmations. I shouldn't have to do that. Your job is to direct; I am doing the running. The runners in front can't possibly memorize all of the turns. Overall, a great race. There is nothing more awesome than the other runners cheering for you in the same race! You all are what makes it so worthwhile!

Kudos to the organizers for listening to past years' comments and making significant improvements. Easy parking. Efficient expo/packet pick-up. Well-run start and finish areas. Course has a great variety of terrain and atmosphere. The high percentage of half and relay runners makes it difficult to hold back on the reins for the first 13, but the hills in the second half will make you wish you did.

This was my first Frederick Marathon, but I have run many much larger events. I did not expect it to be so difficult to park and get to the start line. I needed more than an hour to go the three miles from the interstate to the start line. There are many routes into the fairgrounds, but they were all jammed with traffic that didn't seem to flow anywhere. Police were on every corner, but it just didn't move quickly. Even though I was in the port-o-john when the race started - and it rained steadily the majority of the race - it was well supported by the fans and volunteers at the water/food stops, so they made the run worthwhile. Big thanks to all of those who braved the cold rain from the sidelines. The hills and strange turns through downtown and the Wal-Mart parking lot actually made the race less boring. I suggest exploring Frederick on Saturday. The Flying Dog Brewery has a great tour and tasting. Great location and people. Runners need to plan plenty of time for pre-race parking and prep.

Please improve on the expo. Also, please improve on parking on race morning. Please allow fans with wheelchairs to be let out at the fairground area. The pace group was very good; I ran next to a few for awhile just to check out how they handle people. Marathoners need pacers that are nice and real motivators. I run marathons all over the U.S., for fun. It means a lot to me to see other marathoners being treated nicely. I thank you for having this race.

This was my second full marathon and I found it to be challenging, but rewarding. I loved the start in historic Frederick. There were many spectators supporting us throughout the race. I usually run with music, but left my earbuds out the entire race to enjoy the spectators. I drove the course a few days before, which mentally prepared me for all the hills between miles 17-22. I loved having those hills run through a neighborhood with supportive spectators handing out oranges and cheering us on. I did achieve a PR on this run, which I am very happy about!!!! Thanks to all the supporters and volunteers!!

This is my 2nd time running the Frederick Marathon, and I enjoyed it as much as the 1st one I ran, which was back in 2007. In fact, after running the Boston in 2007, I quickly registered for the Frederick Marathon and set a new PR. I was unable to do the 2008 Frederick run because of an agonizing hamstring pull that I suffered one week from the 2008 Boston. After the injury in 2008, I have run 4 marathons, including the 2009 Boston. All of the times were considerably slower, but than came the Frederick Marathon - my fastest time in awhile. The Frederick Marathon is one of my favorites because of the organization and the friendly people in Frederick. I enjoyed the course too; it's almost identical to running Boston, with challenging hills at the end of the race. One note though: the expo could have been a little bigger. I highly recommend this race to anyone and everyone who loves the sport of running, and marathons in particular. Frederick, I plan to come back next year. Thanks to all in the organization - keep up the good work.

Well, after 3 years and 4 tries I finally broke my PR - and by more than 7 minutes! Yes, the hills after the half were tough (but nothing remotely comparable to the seesaw course of the Charlottesville Marathon). I think that because I train almost constantly on a hilly course, that was not a real factor. The rain? I think it was a blessing. It started raining (for me) at mile 10. By then I was soaking sweat because of the increasing humidity. I was able to breathe much better when the rain started. And I was VERY fortunate not to get blisters (because of the rain). I always get cramps on marathons, but on Sunday's race, zilch. I decided not to come to a complete stop (not even when drinking) and I think that really helped. I was lucky that it was my day. Marathons are like that. I have to express my thanks to the four or five 3:30 pacers whose steady drive carried me to the end - especially one named "Rich." But the top credit goes to my dear wife, who has prepared the best dishes of pasta in the most varied and original eclectic styles the past few months; and our precious daughter who learned the word "go" as she has seen me running over time. We are a team, and this medal is as much theirs as it is mine.

First half was fun and interesting. Even the run through Wal-Mart was neat. After mile 15, you run on a highway, next to cars and semis - not fun. I liked the hills, which provided a real challenge. I liked the start and finish at the fairgrounds. Need to reroute the second half to a better area. It was raining most of the time and that probably kept the fans inside. More food on the course would also help. All that was offered was Sun Chips. I wanted to stop at McDonald's as we ran by on the highway.

This was a pretty tough course by itself but this year we had the added feature of rain - and not a little rain for a short period of time, but constant rain about an hour after the start for the entire day. The course was not too bad, and going through the Wal-Mart parking lot was a hoot because they had shopping carts lined up to keep the runners' lane open for runners only. The placement of the water stops was perfect, about every 2 1/4 miles until about mile 20 and then every mile to the finish line. Again, the 2nd half has some nasty hills, so be ready for them or just walk them like I did. Nice medal and the folks that stood in the rain and cheered us on were great. I saw one lady and her two kids in pink shirts at least 4 times at different points in the course. She and the kids were yelling and cheering us on. Two young gals with rainbow-colored, knee-high socks were there at least twice on the course. The full and the half run together and the full goes right by the finish line, so that can be a heart-breaker, knowing that you've only finished half the course and sometime later you will be back at that same spot to finish. The main thing to watch for is not to burn yourself out on the front half because the back half will be harder.

This marathon is part of the 2009 Maryland Double Series (Frederick and Baltimore), which I am participating in. The course was very scenic. Runners received a good tour of downtown Frederick. The volunteers were encouraging and the course marshals and police did an excellent job of directing runners and traffic. The post-race food was abundant. Unfortunately, the constant rain kept the spectators away, but those that did come out were greatly appreciated, especially those in the neighborhood at miles 19-23. The only aspect of the course that I did not like was the stretch of highway from mile 16-19 - it was relatively boring. However, most marathons that I have run have a "boring" section.

This was my first marathon. I had run the half at Frederick last year so I was familiar with the first half of the course. Last year there was bad traffic getting to the race. I got to the race earlier this year, but it seemed that traffic was much better. I ran with the 4:15 pacers for about the first 16 miles, which helped me not go too fast. The beginning of the course is nice and scenic - around the city, including Bakers Park. The fans around the first part seemed to be fewer than last year, I assume because of the weather. There is an area around mile 8, where cars are using one side of the road and the runners' space is pretty tight. The famous back-of-Wal-Mart part of mile 9 probably had the best fan support and had a shopping theme that made it fun. After Wal-Mart, the next few miles were through a rural area and were uneventful other than the rain picking up. At mile 13, we were back at the fairgrounds where the half-marathoners finished. We then went back downtown and went to Carroll's Creek and turned around, going past the fairground at mile 15 and heading out to a more rural area. My brother met me at mile 16 and ran most of the rest of the way with me. He was a big help with encouragement. Miles 16 through 22 were the hilly part of the race. I think I did a pretty good job with the hills and they did not bother me too much. I maintained a consistent 9:45-to-10-minute-a-mile pace throughout the race. Miles 18 through 22 were through the Springridge community. Apparently there was not a lot of fan support in this area last year. I thought that, considering the weather, there was good fan support this year. After mile 22 we turned on Route 144 and headed back to the city. From mile 20 on there was a water stations at every mile, with PowerAde available as well. Throughout the race, the water stations were plentiful. The rain had picked up over the last few miles and there were plenty of puddles to dodge. My only disappointment with the race was the lack of fan support at the end of the race. Miles 25 and 26 were deserted until the last 50 of so yards that you run in the fairgrounds. It is not how I envisioned the end of my first marathon. My time was 4:17, which was right where I expected to finish; and other than being sore, I felt good. Overall, the marathon is on a good course, with a mixture of city and rural areas and a somewhat hilly second half. This is a very well organized marathon, something I have come to expect from Corrigan Sports.

This turned out to be a very hard marathon for me. I had just run a PR course in March and had high hopes for this one, but the hills in the second half did me in. For me, they were "real" hills and not as described in the race brochures. The first half was a very nice tour of old Frederick and the surrounding countryside - except for the tour of the Wal-Mart parking lot, which was weird. But, as I understand it, the course was supposed to go through parts of Hood College until the permit was rejected and the RD had to redirect. Tough to do on short notice. The second half was not a nice run 0 alongside the highway for most of the race, with cones separating us from high-speed traffic. And the hills! They did me in - bad leg cramps. And I agree with other writers about getting to the starting area - that needs to be addressed. We got there on time only because I used my GPS to find another route. All that said, it was a good race. I might run it again - and if I don't, it will only be because there are just so many to choose from.

The course was pretty average; it's nothing spectacular, but I have seen worse. The best part was running round the back of Wal-Mart - classic. Not that many spectators out, but I would like to agree with JF from Stirling in that the kids handing out orange slices at 20 miles were very much appreciated. The weather was great and I set my then-best time, so I was happy enough with the event. The running top that we got was very nice as well, and I wore it for the Philly Marathon. Would I do it again? Only if I lived there.

The course after the half-marathon was very hilly. It was exciting before the half ended, but boring after.

This was my 4th marathon, my first Frederick marathon and my first Spring marathon. The 6:30 a.m. start time was kind of a pain, especially when your alarm clock is going off at 4:45 a.m., but then, because of the early start, you are done at a reasonable hour in the morning, it won't take up your whole day. The early start is also good for marathons at that time of the year as the weather can go either way; thankfully in '08 it didn't get too warm. The hills in the second half of the race would have been so much worse in hotter weather. The course is a nice mix between urban and rural. When you're only a mile or two outside of Frederick you can be surrounded by farmland. Along with this comes the smell of cow manure in a few places along the course, although I would take that over diesel fumes from trucks as you run along Route 144 any day. One thing I liked about the course throughout was the 6-foot tall mile markers, which are very easy to see from a distance. A few others have mentioned the weirdness of the section around the Wal-Mart between miles 9-10. I think it was even weirder for the employee out back on her smoke break than for the runners. The water stops were plentiful throughout. The two kids handing out orange slices somewhere in the neighborhoods between mile 19-22 were much appreciated, thank you. I couldn't find any fault with the organization, expo, jacket, parking, timing, race size, finish line food were all hassle-free and easy to deal with. I would recommend the race to anyone. My own race went well. I set a PR by just over a minute, and the best thing about the race for me was the leg muscle pain in the couple of days after the race was the least it has been in my previous 3 marathons. Not sure why, but I'm glad.

Thoroughly enjoyed this race this year, with improvements noted over previous years. The addition of that 26.2 company to the expo was great. Nice quality UA tech tees available before the race and after having actually finished!

A very difficult marathon; I recommend steering clear of this one. Organizers claim that the hills are "not that bad" in the second half, but do not expect to get a PR on this course. The hills are extensive and will likely bring your run to a grinding halt. The second half is very uninteresting, as you run along highways, while cars buzz by on other side of red traffic cones. You can find nicer, kinder, more interesting marathon courses in the area.

I really enjoyed both the race and the race experience. I recommend this marathon to others. Online registration was easy, packet pickup was effortless, the race course was scenic, the volunteers were great and the police provided excellent traffic control. Although the course does have tough hills from miles 16-22, I still managed to PR by 10 minutes. One nice thing is that the race organizer sponsors group runs along the course in the weeks leading up to the race. Since I'm not from this area (I was in town on an extended business trip), it helped a lot to have participated in a 20-mile group run. Marathon entrants were provided a running jacket. Very nice! The finisher's medal is also attractive and will be proudly displayed in my collection.

This was my 6th marathon and 1st Frederick Marathon - even though I live in Frederick. The course was really nice, except the 3-mile (or so) stretch that went around Wal-Mart and down Moncacy Road. I thought the fairground was a great place for the start/finish. The hills toward the end were a challenge, but as the second place-finisher asked me earlier, "Who runs a marathon because it's easy?" Wonderful community support for a small-town marathon.

I ran this marathon last year and this year was much better! I thought the course this year was much improved, although a lot more challenging. The hills from miles 15 - 23 were tough! I did miss the run through the graveyard but the run through the canal just before mile 14 that was added this year was great too. I think the fan support was much better this year. The one change I'd like to see is runners' first names on the bib numbers. I saw this at Disney and felt it was great to hear fans cheer for you with your name - as opposed to, "Great job, 201."

Frederick was my first marathon and I enjoyed the experience. The organizers, spectators, and local runners all worked hard to provide visitors with a positive race experience. Parking was easy but I arrived early. I did hear of some people hitting early morning traffic and rushing to the start. The water stops were well stocked and staffed with eager volunteers. The course was generally scenic and the (limited number of) spectators were energetic. The course as designed for 2008 had some challenging hills around mile 20. I saw several 3:30 and 3:40 pace group members walking up the biggest of the hills, which showed me how tough that section of the course was. There were about twice as many half-marathoners as full, so the field thinned considerably for the second half of the race. The finish had lots of energy and live music. There were plenty of bagels, granola bars, bananas, and fluids at the finish as well. Overall, Frederick is a well organized, small (but growing) marathon that makes for a fun weekend. If you are going to run Frederick next year, don't miss the twilight 5K the night before, which includes music and a general party atmosphere.

This was my 4th marathon and 1st Frederick Marathon. The organization was great and the volunteers and community support were fantastic. The course was difficult - the hills from 16 - 22 were tough, but that makes the finish even more enjoyable. I ran with the Geiko pacers and they were great too. They made the last few miles in the 10-20 miles-per-hour wind gusts seem less horrible then they were. The only issues with the course were the run though the Walmart parking lot/loading dock and the "out and back" by the airport in the open area - the winds were terrible. Overall, a great race. I will absolutely run this marathon again!

I ran this marathon last year and enjoyed it so much that I returned. The modifications to the marathon as a whole were terrific from the expo to the finish line festival (which for a small marathon was great!). The new course was challenging in the last 13. I think that it should be reversed to share that fun with the half marathoners. But how about a few more porta-potties at the start?

This was my first time running this race. The first half of the course was very nice running through downtown Frederick and around Hood College. In fact, a better course would have been two loops of the first 13.1. The second half of the course was very hilly and along stretches of highway in direct sunlight and through subdivisions. The hills did not stop from miles 16 - 23. The overall organization was quite good with well-stocked stations with gatorade, water and gu. The marathon website lists ways that you can contribute to a 'green' race, however, they used plastic cups for water. In addition to this being an avoidable environmental waste, they cups don't crimp well and crack when trying to drink while running. Please use paper cups next year! Also, the Frederick County Fairgrounds were a great place to start and finish the race, but please add more portajohns for next year. Many of the bathrooms had non-functioning or overflowing toilets - just gross. I did not do a well as I had hoped but still enjoyed completing another marathon!

Overall a good event with the following comments. Don't see the need for power bars at mile 6. The table really got in the way and created a choke point here, which was also a relay exchange point. Don't agree with the 'gently rolling course' description. Those were real hills, nothing gentle about them. I don't mind hills, not complaining, but it seemed like every course description and elevation profile was accompanied with a statement saying its not as hilly as it looks. In my book, it was a good hilly course, 2nd half anyway. Bathrooms at the fairgrounds are not as reliable as a portajohn, which do not back up. Note to self, given a choice, stand in line for a portajohn over a real bathroom before an event. The website says there are finisher shirts. There were none. At least thats what they told me at the information desk.

For two years in a row there have been significant difficulties getting to the start for many runners. In 2007 the shuttle bus never came to pick up me and about 60 other runners at the Holiday Inn missing the start by 20 minutes. This year, using the directions to the fairgrounds traffic was again backed up on I-70 resulting in many runners, including myself missing the start again by 20 minutes. This was my 77th marathon and I've run marathons with has many as 39,000 participants without these issues. Corrigan sports has to fix this if they want repeat marathoners. Big plus of the race are the spectators, police/traffic control and volunteers. They are #1 and I would say even worth the headaches of getting to the start.

This was my first half marathon and the fans really helped pull me through. For the size of the race, the fan support was phenomenal! Overall I had a great time and everything that I needed was there. I would definitely recommend the half marathon for anybody else. There were some minor concerns though: (1) Parking near the start was very limited and (2) there was a pretty long wait to catch the shuttle from the half marathon finish line to the main expo area (and I couldn't see the first marathon finishers as a result). And (3) there were only a few porta-johns early in the race and the water stations for the first 6 miles or so were a little understaffed for the number of runners. So you either had to wait in line or do without.

First half of the course was very nice! Second half of the course was absolutely terrible. End of the race was okay, but there was no food to speak of (unless you count doughnuts and water). Don't bother with the expo - complete waste of time.

Overall, I thought this race was just okay. Nothing great but I'm glad I did it. I hated the second half of the marathon course. It went through fields and developments and there were very few specators. I would suggest making the race two loops if possible. The police/EMT/volunteer support was GREAT!! I also liked that there were water stops every mile for the last six miles. We couldn't find any food at the end, just Munchkins and Soy Joy bars. Maybe we missed them but it should have been better marked. I love the medal that was given out; it's definitely one of the better ones. We missed one of our friends because of the bus situation which really stinks. We all would have rather run together. All in all, it was an average race.

I ran the half in 2006 and really enjoyed the race, so I came back this year to run the full and had a great time (and BQed). Temps again were great and the wind was tough from the far turn to the finish. I can't imagine tougher conditions coming in from mile 21.5. We took an early 5:45 am bus from the Holiday Inn Express and got to the start at 6am. I can't imagine the distress of the folks who couldn't get to the start but it must have been hard to take. All I can say is, get to the start early! I was disappointed with the expo (even worse than last year), but the shirts and hat were terrific value. I loved the donuts last year and the munchkins this year were a big disappointment. I was better to be able to spread out outside, though, and overall I thought it was about the same at the end as last year. One thing that just cannot be beaten, though, are the volunteers and police. They are simply OUTSTANDING. You'll not find better, more caring and enthusiastic people anywhere. Especially impressive are the water/gatorade/food stops every mile for the last seven. That's exactly right and something too many forget. Run Frederickexcept for the hill at mile 25, the course is rolling and interesting. BTW, the comment about the 'huge' hills in the first five miles - what race were you running? The first five miles are probably the flattest on the whole course! Finally, the finishing times are posted within minutes. I can't remember another race where it's done this quickly. You finish, get a great medal, get some food and drink, and your time is up. Amazing. Great work by the timing company.

Last year I ran the half (due to running a marathon the week before). This year the marathon was the first marathon I ran after a 100 miler. My only goal was to finish under 6 hours. The pre-race pickup was an easy experience. It was a small expo, but there were a few vendors (which made my husband happy because my $$ spent was under $50). Sunday morning, my husband dropped me and a friend/runner off. This meant we did not deal with the bus fiasco. There definitely could be more porta potties at the start; however, I don't worry about lines with chip time. The course is beautiful, especially during the first 15 miles or so. The spectators were very nice and friendly. They definitely thinned out as my race went on, but those sticking it out for the back of the packers were VERY ENTHUSIASTIC! Also, all the sheriff/police officers, EMTs and volunteers were all nice and supportive. One section that I had a little difficulty was mile 19 or so where there was alot of construction. Unfortunately with the exposed dirt and 20+ mph wind led to a massive dust storm which got into my eyes, nose, mouth etc. This somewhat was caused by weather but also the course. I liked the fact that at mile 17 and mile 25 there was a Brusters Ice Cream, I went off course and got myself a treat. They have HUGE waffle cones and very good ice cream/yogurt. Next year I hope Brusters considers sponsoring an aid station there. The aid stations were pretty good. As they promised there was water and gatorade frequently. The banana's and pretzels were a nice treat (I think more pretzels less potatoe chips would be good). Since I eat Snickers Marathon bars, I did not pay attention to the availability of gels or bars for those in the back. Overall, I had a good time. I will do it again. I found everyone to be nice, friendly and helpful. There were enough runners in the back of the pack so I could always run with someone.