Pocono Mountain Run For The Red Marathon - Race Reviews

People sign up for this race because of the fast course. There was a bridge out this year and they had to find an alternate course, but the course they came up with was horrendous.Hardly a BQ course. Most of the race it was 80 degrees which they can't control, but to have warm water at the finish is completely unacceptable. They used to have a nice food spread at the finish but this year was a bag with a bagel and green banana and some other garbage. They advertised plaques for age group winners on their website so when they gave me a cheap medal instead of a plaque for my efforts, I was pretty disgusted. I can not recommend this race anymore and suggest you find another spring marathon.

Beware this is not a closed course!! Due to PennDOT bridgework there was a change from the original course which made it very hilly the first half. Some drivers did not comprehend we were runners and didn't slow down. One point throughout the course I came to a four-way with no markings on the road or directional staff to tell us which way to go luckily a neighbor up the road yelled at us and pointed which way to go. The volunteers at the water stations did an excellent job as well as the those at the end the finish line.

Review The Run for the Red is a purpose built race for BQ qualifiers. I was amazed to stand at the start and see how many people lined up in front of the 3:25 pacer. With that said, there is over 600' of uphills, with many back ended when your quads are screaming. The first half of the race is bucolic and quiet and provide ample opportunity to cut corners. The back half includes open roads with 2-way traffic, but you should always feel safe. The finish is awesome, and the logistics, while a bit complicated, are easy to handle. Race Tips Best pacing strategy - buy a pacing band that takes course profile into account. I ran an even effort strategy, and it's sometimes shocking to see 20-30 sec/mile under your overall pace but reassuring when you check in with the pace band that it's the course, not you. I never got more than +/- 30 sec from my overall target. If I had to run this race again I would probably target a more aggressive negative split - cruising through the cool first half and banking energy definitely helps the tougher back half. Three race tips: 1. There is no nutrition provided on the course, so if you need GUs, bring 'em yourself. 2. At the water stations, they hand out full bottles of water - grab one. While the aid stations are stated to be every 2 miles, sometimes they are a bit further. 3. Keep your eyes peeled for potholes - there are many, especially in the beginning third, that looked like ankle eaters. Logistical Tips This is a nice, small, well supported race. Parking is easy at Pocono Mountain West HS. The HS is open, providing a great place to keep warm and use any last minute facilities. The race organizers provide a drop bag for the finish. If you are coming from out of town and don't want to pick up your bib the night before I recommend paying the extra $20 for race day pickup. I cruised in at 6:10am, picked up my bib, used the facilities and still had plenty of time for warm ups and bag drop off before 7am start. The shuttle buses make the 20 minute drive back to the start after the race and leave frequently.

Great small marathon! This race starts on gentle rolling hills up to mile 5, and ends with rolling hills, miles 18-25; the last mile is mostly flat. I found the elevation profile to be a bit deceiving as the course is challenging! But I made sure to conserve energy going out and did okay getting through the later miles. I think the race is well organized with water stops every two miles, cones lining the road and mile markers at every mile. I loved that actual water bottles were handed out at the later stops. Great spectator support especially for a smaller race. I plan on running this again next year!

My A Goal was to run <3:00, B Goal was to PR with <3:04:25, C Goal was to BQ <3:05. I ran 3:14:55. So this review may be a bit bias, keep that in mind. This is a fantastic race and the weather was perfect however, this course is difficult and challenging. It has several rolling hills, and several very steep descends. The RD does a great job pointing out the challenging hills towards the end but the course has rolling hills immediately. With some hindsight, I should have known better - IT'S the POCONOS! The weather has been very good two years in a row, but this year (2017) if it was held 2 days earlier, it would have been 90 degrees. If you are looking for to PR, keep my previous statement in mind. PROS: The RD - He is clearly trying very hard and is listening to the runners. No plastic cups this year! Kudos! The logistics of this race was EXCELLENT: getting to the start was easy and there was TONS of parking, packet pick up was fast, the start had TONS of indoor and outdoor bathrooms, aid stations all were there approx. every 2 miles. The shuttle back was painless and lots of care and attention were made to the runner before and after the race. CONS: The lead runners were misdirected off course, this is unacceptable. Roads are not closed the traffic, every time a car would come, runners would move from one side of the road to another. Most of the roads are cambered SUGGESTIONS: I had lots of trouble getting drinks at aid stations, many of the volunteers were children. It would be nice if we could pick up our own drinks from the table and have volunteers hand out drinks I missed the station with the energy gels. Perhaps it could be more clear ahead of time where the gels would be.

I took my time to research results from past years on Strava and found that a negative split would be the best way to go. There are downhills in the first half that should be run carefully to survive the 2nd half of the race. I had plenty left to power through the hills using this strategy and BQ'd with an 18 minute cushion. Excellent pacers! Only negatives were the traffic from 14 to 23 and the quick access to food at the finish. The food was somewhat hidden and you had to search for it. A bonus was the showers that were available at the stadium. Our overall experience was exceptional. I will run this again!

The course was much better this year with a lane lined with cones for the runners on rt. 191! More police presence to control intersection crossing in favor of runners!

I came from Cincinnati Ohio. 9 hour drive to this marathon. It was a very good marathon. Pick up was great, volunteers were great. Lots of fireman and police directing traffic. Still the roads are not closed, at times cars did get in my way. That was only negative thing I can say about this race. They work hard to make a good small marathon. It's a down hill course but some up hills, it's tougher then you think.

Flat and rolling hills from 0 to 5 miles, downhill up to mile 17, then rolling hills at miles 18, 20, 22, 24. PR possible course, but need to conserve energy at downhills. You run with traffic for most of the course, with no volunteer or police around after first half guiding Runners running against traffic. I did it in 2015, after 20 miles I was done, almost walked to finish. I did it again in 2017, ran with 3:25 pace group, and finished on time, with PR by 4 mins, with equal splits in two halves.

Wonderfully run race. Course is super fast through the first 30k with hardly any uphills at all. The remaining 12k have three significant hills (19, 20, 22mi) to which the course profile simply doesn't do justice. It would be nice if at least one lane of traffic was closed for the whole race, but I never felt like I was in danger. Everyone was super friendly and helpful and there was tons of great spectator support considering the location. If you're looking for a fast spring marathon on the east coast, this is your answer.

This was my 4th year running this race. I know it has received some poor reviews but it TRULY IS a great point-to-point marathon and the course will prep you for Boston.... if this is your goal. Yes the course is listed as net downhill with rolling hills. Although the elevation change is not great with these rolling hills, most people do not like them because they occur around miles 18, 20 and 22. Then there is another small hill at mile 24. Think of it as prep for the famous 'Newton Hills' which are also not huge, but occur in the higher miles when you have fatigued legs! Again it is a great race worth checking out as it has awesome volunteers, fire and law enforcement support, etc. Over 3/4s of the course is closed to traffic which is another great feat. They also have great pacers available which will help you reach your goals as long as you have put in the training! Pace teams are unusual for a small town marathon. Water and Gatorade every 2 miles as well as mile markers every mile. Organized post race with quick bag retrieval, great shuttles, food and chocolate milk. With the great weather I was able to achieve a great PR and another BQ!

Great small marathon. It's still a marathon though. I think many fool themselves into thinking they will glide down the hill into a BQ. I ran with a great pace group which I had to fall out of at mile 22. I still managed to hold it together and run a respectable time & enjoy the beautiful course. As for previous comments about the roads. You're in the mountains of Pa. in the early spring. Roads are still damages from winter plowing. They are still better than NY roads. My only one complaint was the road kill at mile 8.

I had read many reviews about this course before I ran it so I was well aware that there was no gels or food and the net downhill didn't necessarily mean easy. All that down really tears up your quads. This is to say, there were no real surprises as far as the course goes. It's pretty light on spectators for most of the race, but this didn't bother me. I've done a lot of training runs with no cheering. I found the support on the race adequate. Fluids and a place to deposit them every 2 miles. My biggest issue was the finish. I couldn't believe there was no gatorade (or equivalent) at the finish. It is always the first thing I'm looking for after a long event to keep from cramping. I actually ended up collapsing due to what amounted to a full-body cramp about 30 minutes after finishing. I can't help but think that could have been avoided had there been electrolyte drink available. The bus ride back to the start was pretty awful. I'm not sure how they could improve it, its the nature of a race that doesn't finish at the start. It might look like I'm complaining. I had an overall good experience. It couldn't have been too bad, I did get a PR. However, I think this was my last Run For The Red.

My husband and I selected this race because it gave us a goal race for the spring, it is only a couple hours from home and it had some great reviews. I read how this race has a net downhill and is therefore fast. More specifically it is described as a fast net downhill race with rolling hills with some steeper inclines in the final miles. People wrote of PR-ing and even BQ-ing at this race. We were excited for it and trained through this past miserable winter and early spring. We did a decent amount of training on terrain that we thought would be similar, you know, 'rolling hills'. Such a lovely description right? Blah!! Here's the truth: This race is really hilly! Don't be naïve and fooled as we were! Yes, it is a net downhill but each time we went downhill we had to go up first! By mile 14 I was already quite tired and I had a terrible stabbing pain in the side of my knee that I've never in my life had before. I seriously thought about quitting but soldiered on to a PR (in the wrong direction) I will admit it is possible that being a relatively inexperienced marathoner, I might not understand race course lingo as well as others may. Let me spell it out for the others out there like me, rolling hills does not mean small and idyllic, you know, like it sounds and it certainly doesnt mean easy! Personally, I would describe this race a very challenging and by that I kind of mean grueling! It certainly didn't help that the weather was very hot and humid which of course only made this day that much more 'challenging' for me. My biggest complaint of all though, was that fact that while this race claimed to be along closed roads. Well, it wasn't! Many of the rural roads were indeed closed and the scenery was lovely until&Rt 447, a highway, open for business as usual! I couldn't believe it when I got to it. We were forced to run along the gravely sloped narrow shoulder as cars literally zoomed by! This went on for approximately two or so miles. I was honestly shocked and pretty angry. Frankly, I would never have signed up for and paid for a race that forced me to run in traffic! No explanation nor apology was ever offered by the race coordinators btw. A part of me still feels like I would be within my rights to ask for a refund, thats how ridiculous I think it was! The food at the end was just fine nothing too exciting. I managed to choke down a dry cheese sandwich (a plain burger roll with a slice of cheese inside). Half a muffin (they were cut in half) with some chocolate milk. Meh Since this is a point to point race, we did have to take a school bus back to the start after. This wasn't too big of a deal but we did sit and wait a little longer than comfortable (no air). Not exactly ideal after completing a hard, hot and humid marathon. Something to consider. My husband and I both agreed that we will most likely not return to this race any time soon. I will be very curious to read the reviews after next year. This year was the 10th anniversary of this race ; after ten years I would expect it to run like a well oiled machine but it just didn't feel that way. The highway being open was the biggest example. So here's my two cents, if you are looking for a small, rural, scenic, hilly, challenging race this will fit the bill. If you area mortal like myself and are looking to PR or BQ, mmmm...,I don't know...I suppose anything's possible and honestly, if you do you have my sincere admiration! Good luck!!

While previous comments adequately cover the course,organization and spectators, I want to mention the response this year to the high heat and humidity...(starting with the course specific forecast from their local meteorologist daily on the facebook page) the consistent water stops were the best I have seen. And the medical tent and volunteers at the finish could not have done any better than they performed handling many of us who needed help.( a special shout out to the volunteer marshaling us onto the track at the 26 mile mark who handed me a bottle of water....)

I signed up for this race to achieve my BQ since I was only 1 minute off on my last race, I missed it by over 35 minutes!!! Many reasons why: * Roads were in ridiculous shape. The big potholes were marked but we spent miles of the course dodging and wasting energy. We also had to run over a quarter of a mile on a closed road that had just recently been ripped up! There was re-barb and misc. construction materials ALL OVER. * Water stations were mismanaged. Yes, you can not control volunteers but there was NEVER any consistency as to which fluid (water or Gatorade) was in which cup and which was being served first. The volunteers rarely told you what they had in their hands and it was a constant guessing game when you arrived. Most volunteers just stood there with there hands out saying nothing. The exception was the station at 24.6...they rocked. * ZERO gels or any food support. I did not personally need this but it was 86 degrees that day and runners were depleted...unacceptable. Praise to the people that brought us ice and orange slices out from their homes! * Two-way car traffic! There is a large number of non-runners in this community that do not wish this race to be there. They drove dangerously close to us runners, sped up right next to you, honked (even at those clearly off the side of the road) and had no problem yelling at us from their car windows with four letter words. I was disgusted! * Police officers, while most were nice, did not want to be there. They had no problem communicating to us runners that this was their day off and they did not appreciate us. Not sure what this was about but I can only guess that law enforcement and race directors don't have a great relationship. * Which brings me to my next point. The heat was stupid! It could have easily been avoided by starting at 6am. The reason for the late start posted to FB by the race is that law enforcement refuse to help with an earlier start. In the end, a man dropped from a heart attack, many racers were carried off course by ambulances (of which I witnessed no less than six personally), and the medical center had a television spot the next morning declaring that racers filled up their ERs. * The finish line, while staffed with medical center professionals, was inadequate. They ran out of ice and were constantly scrambling to deal with those in bad shape. Did they get it done? Yes, but not what you would expect out of a race running for 10 years. There was extremely minimal replenishment at the end...it was like they ran out of money. My family took me to nearby grocery store for electrolyte and nourishment. I am a seasoned runner and can honestly say...please avoid this one. It would be good if you have no time goals and were out to run it with a group of friends...and come prepared!

This was a very pleasant small/mid size crowd. Enjoyed the conversations I had during the run. I ran with the 3:15 pace group until midway. The rolling hills towards the end are tough coming after the steep downhills from miles 5 through 15. Much of the course is on curvy country roads closed off to traffic. This is the only event I have ever run with no lines at the potties. Very well organized. The start was at the Mt Pocono High School and it was nice to hang out in a very nice facility and use real bathrooms. The downhill course is fast and very hard on calves & quads. This year the temp rose to 89 in the afternoon following heavy rains the night before (very hot and humid conditions), so times were noticeably slower. If you are looking for a fast downhill course, then I highly recommend this race.

Ran the 2015 marathon in exceptionally hot conditions. Although hardly any spectators on course, this was a well organized event, and one I would recommend. First 13 miles is ALL down hill. Second half has much more up hills so be prepared. Fast course if weather conditions right.

Packet pick up was simple, located at a local high school. Only a few vendors at there, with the essentials, so don't go expecting to go home with lots of goodies. Shirt is long sleeved, typical polyester material, only logo on the back is the Red Cross, which is the beneficiary of the race. You park at the start, which is located at a different local high school. Ample parking, school is open for bathroom use. You could literally park and walk to the starting line in less than 2 minutes. This is a small race, so the start is a simple 'GO' and you're off. There is chip timing (shoe attachment). They have several pace groups, but it's so small that they all seemed bunched together. After the start, they spread out and seemed to hold their own group. Some of the roads are completely closed, so there was a lot of room to spread out. I liked this because you never felt like you were boxed in and running the tangents was easy. There were some roads that weren't closed to traffic though and you had to be aware. The local fire department and police department provided traffic control and were plentiful. Intersections were closed when appropriate. Although when the runners started spreading out, they would let traffic through. At one spot, a tractor trailer was trying to make a turn and got hung up and the runners had to veer around it while the driver got it moving. There were some very scenic areas, quiet, tree lined, which provided some shade, but other places were relatively major roadways. The course overall was nice. A net down hill, but DO NOT BE FOOLED. This is not an 'easy, flat' course. There are rolling hills and a couple after mile 20 that are long and gradual that you wouldn't think twice about in a half marathon, but sneak up on you at the end of 20+ miles. The on course support was fine. Water and Gatorade about every 2 miles. Some stops had ice, and on a blazing hot day, this was welcomed. No gels, but some residents offered oranges, strawberries, and melon. A few citizens had set up spritzing/hose stations to help with the heat. The spectators were few and far between, but they were very enthusiastic and welcoming. One lady thanked me for supporting the Red Cross and many others thanked me for running the race. You finish on a high school track, after you weave your way around the parking lot and perimeter of the school. There was an announcer calling out finisher names which was a nice touch. The finisher medal is simple, but nice, sporting the race logo. There was food at the finish such as fruit, water, simple sandwiches, muffins and chocolate milk. There was enough for everyone, from what I could tell. Buses were waiting to take you back to the start, since this course is point to point. The weather was hotter than usual for this time of year. The medical support was outstanding, especially at the finish where runners were literally dropping left and right. They were quickly attended to by the medical team. Many people were transported to the hospital and the ambulances were waiting, which was good. It was reported that someone on the course had collapsed and CPR was administered by the first responders and the person is going to be okay (per the race organizers). If you are looking for a small, simple, uncrowded, local race and you don't need constant cheering from fans, then this is a great race. If you like crowds, lots of goodies, a large expo, no traffic on the course, a big fancy finisher medal, then look elsewhere.

This is a great marathon  I can't recommend it enough. It's true that the crowds can be thin, but the folks that are out are awesome. The course is outstanding, a net downhill, but as others have mentioned, those rolling hills in the second half are no picnic. The organization of the race is outstanding, great expo. great pace teams, really really outstanding. I went to qualify for Boston, and I am thrilled to say I did. It was a great day, made better by a well organized event. Go run it, you won't regret it!

Really well organized. Volunteers were very nice. I have run over 40 marathons, and this is definitely one of my favorites. I really like the smaller raceseasier to get in and out and no need to pick up packet ahead of time. Not many spectators but that is typical for smaller ones.

This is another relatively small friendly marathon that was well organized and scenic. The course is very much net downhill, but is not quite as easy as one might think because of some of the rolling hills, particularly later in the race. Still it's a good race if you're looking to qualify for Boston. Like so many other races of this type, there isn't that much crowd support, but those who are out there are enthusiastic. What makes this race stand out more than many others, is first the scenery, then the fact that the water stops were consistent, always the energy drink first and the water second. Also it was nice that this race had pacers to make it easier to hit goals. What especially stood out in my mind is how throughout much of the race, how much room there was to run. It seemed like for a good portion of the race we had entire streets to ourselves which made for much easier footing. Finally with race directors who are clearly committed to improving this race every year, this race should definitely start to grow. I'll definitely be back next year.

This was my 4th marathon, and my first RFTR marathon. I ran exactly the time I wanted (3:45:13) and got a Boston Qualifier. Mission accomplished!! However I did not pound the mostly downhill first half, knowing that the second half had a lot more hills. The course is not as easy as you would think. I liked how easy it was to line up at the start and no lines for the bathrooms. The water stops were great and lots of them. Not many spectators on the course, but appreciated the ones out there! I started out with the 3:45 pacer but could not keep up with her at a certain point and I knew I was about 3 min. ahead of pace so I let her go for fear of blowing up at the end if I continued to try and keep up with her. I am not sure how far ahead of 3:45 she ended up finishing but my husband commented that no one finished with her. She was very nice and loved all her tips along the way, but too fast for me! Make sure you bring your own gels, you only get one on the course. The post race massage was awesome!!! Overall I thought the race was great, but you need to train for running downhill and prepare for the up hills too!

Course is great with no traffic. Fast net downhill course but also has major ups at mile 10 and over the last 10K. The volunteers were awesome and sports drinks were optimum. I don't consume gels but they were also offered. Post race foods looked good but not for vegetarians like me. Pasta and veg. Soup would have covered everyone instead of meat sandwiches. Volunteers were also great fans.

This was the first time I ran a marathon but I ran the half marathon relay last year. I may not be experienced but I enjoy this course because it is near my hometown and I like road races. It is very organized and offers water stops & porta potties every two miles. The roads are closed to traffic so there are not too many areas for spectators along the course. A calm & serene race.

I love this race! It's been five years since my last running and my how it has matured. The first half of the course is a bit different than back in '09 when the start line was at the middle school over on 611. Still a great mix of rolling terrain (don't discount the hills) coupled with unsurpassed surroundings. The pace groups were great. I ran with the 3:35. Our pace leader Dan did a great job of getting us in with a very even effort and BQs for many in the group. Great crowd support although a bit sparse in spots. Logistics were great as well. The bus service back to the high school was tremendous. Best I've seen for a point to point. Im already planning next years Pocono getaway.

Great point-to-point marathon, course, volunteers, fire and law enforcement support, etc. Love the fact that we had the entire road to run in and did not have to fight with cars or traffic on the course. They also have great pacers available which helped me obtain a PR and BQ! Pace teams are unusual for a small town marathon. This was my second year running. A touch warm that day but again beat the rain from last year! Water and Powerade every 2 miles as well as mile markers every mile. Organized post race with shuttle, food and drinks. Will definitely be back again next year for the 10th anniversary.

This is was my first time and I will be back. The weather just happened to be perfect. I like smaller field marathons. If don't really care to hear people yelling and clapping the whole race and telling you that you look great then this is the race for you. The roads were closed off to traffic so you did not have worry about cars. The organization was top notch. Replies to my emails were within a couple of hours. Expo had everything in case your forgot to pack something. Loved finishing in the stadium. I could hear the announcer and the spectators could see everything and have comfortable seat in the bleechers. The only problem I had was they skipped a water station at Mile 22. Not sure what happened there but could have really used a drink. Overall it was a two thumbs up race.

It was very organized from beginning to end. Expo was quick. Hotels were all close. The course had lots of dead animals and was full of pot holes and was very cambered. It was scenic at times. I enjoyed the shade. It was very sunny, but it beat last year's rain. They need another gel station, but I appreciate having one at least. Plenty of drink on the course. I usually do well in the standings, but the talent is so stacked that my usual was average here. Fast racers come out for this one. The race director did well with this, plus it was a superb day for weather. It was tougher than I thought it would be. A downhill race certainly doesn't guarantee a PR. It's often an unpleasant surprise, so beware.

Small, organized, very fast field. We were fortunate to have perfect weather. Mid may can be hot and humid. The course is surprisingly challenging. Looking at the elevation chart, you overlook that it has hills. Yes, it's a net downhill...but so is Boston. The expo was organized and had vendors. The start was easy for dropoff. I'd have enjoyed a 7am start, to avoid more heat. The aid stations were every 2 miles, with tremendous volunteers. There was a gel at 16. If you need bands, huge expo, fancy swag, and lots if spectators...this isn't for you. I'm not a fan of point to point races due to logistics, but they made it easy. The finish on the track was really nice for families.

This was my first time running this marathon and I did not know what to expect. I had concerns about the course change. I had a great time. There wasn't much crowd support, but I run alone all the time anyway. The start, the busing, and the weather were great. I ran my first sub 4 hour marathon.

I have run this event every year but 1. A few of them marathons and a few half marathon relays. I like participating in my home town events and Totally support the cause but there really should be a true half marathon. The problem is if you want to do the half marathon (relay), you HAVE to find a partner, maybe even someone you don't know to participate. They don't give the split times any longer (did in 2011) so you can't even go for a personal goal without a GPS watch and there is still no 'record' of your individual time. They would get a lot more runners if you could sign up for the half marathon on your own and run your own race!!!

Faced with changing course at such a late notice this group did a fantastic job. The course however was very hilly and challenging, despite which I still had a great time for my first marathon and still got my bq!

This organization did a great job of pulling this off under the circumstances however the steep downhill in the beginning was brutal. I held back as much as possible but still ended up with big toe jam in my nail bed. I hope I don't lose the nail. This never happened before and I wear running shoes with a large toe box. BQ here back in 2011 on the old route. The only time I will run Pocono again is when you go back to the previous route.

Thank you to everyone involved with this race and espicially the volunteers at the water stops! They did a great job! Really amazed at how easy it was to get through the stops. More than enough help and smiles at each one. It was a cold and wet day and I know it could not have been that pleasant but they did a great job! Thank You!!!

Kudos to the marathon team for laying out a new course in under a month. Having said that; I am looking forward to the regular course next year! The sharp decents trashed my legs and I ended up much slower than anticipated. I have run all 8 races and the experience continues to improve. Packet pick-up/expo was really nice this year (are they ever going to finish Stroudsburg HS); water stops were well manned; and the small groups of spectators enthusiastic. If you need big race amenities (and costs) this race is not for you. If you enjoy small races, beautiful scenery, and a challenging course, give Pocono a try, you will not regret it.

I am sure this is a sweet marathon in regular years. Unfortunately, the course change due to a bridge closing was a huge negative. I traveled from NC to run this 'fast course' to qualify for Boston. The alternate course was a killer. Not just much harder than the original course, but with many unreasonably (meaning bordering unsafe)steep up and down hill slopes. There was two directional traffic on much of the course with sparse course officials to monitor. On a narrow mountain road, I came very close to getting hit with cars coming in both directions. Although I feel satisfied to have finished this course in anything close to my target time, it is dissapointing to have traveled so far planning to run a fast course and miss my Boston qualifying time by 2 minutes. Big bummer all around. That said, organization (other than traffic control) was well thought out. Although the crowd support was sparse, folks were very enthusiastic.