Davy Crockett Bear Chase - Race Reviews

The Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon is a pretty cool little event. It starts and ends at the high school track, which is pretty neat, and it's a double out-and-back, so you have a turnaround on the track as well. There's a couple miles of rocky roads that lead out to the highway, then a 3-4 mile stretch of asphalt highway before you enter the woods on a jeep road for the turnaround. I think this would be pretty awesome, as the jeep road was pretty easy on the feet, but it rained hard the night before so it was very muddy and the footing was pretty tricky. Honestly, I think most people probably lost a couple minutes to the footing in the forest. That said, it got better on the second trip through. There was very little spectator support, but the folks who came out were enthusiastic, as were the water-station attendants and the cops helping with traffic. There were only 38 marathoners this year, which looks to be about half of the usual turnout. I'm not sure what accounts for the low turnout. All-in-all it was a good race though, and the hot dogs and other concessions at the stadium for the finish hit the spot. Also, it's always nice to have a shower available at the finish line even if it was stone cold. It's a great race for the low price they charge, plus it's one of the last in the Spring if you're a Texas runner. Note: there is nowhere to stay in Groveton proper unless you are camping. We stayed about 45 minutes away at a farmhouse B&B in Kennard that was really nice. Also nice was being able to show up at 6:50 for a 7am race and still have time to use the restroom!

I ran this race in Groveton Tx yesterday. Very small town with minimal retail spots. Maybe 50-60 marathoners and 75 half marathoners, but it did not feel lonely on the course due to the out/back/out/back layout. This was my 11th marathon, and definitely smallest and most laid back feel. But that was a good thing. Course starts on the local track, heads down a couple of white rocked roads. You run about 4 miles on pavement before turning into the national forest for about a mile of much softer sandy/pine needle trail running. Although there was mud from the previous nights storm, this surface felt really good throughout the race. Not a lot of fan support, but the ones manning the water stations were very positive and supportive. You run around the track at the midway turn around and the finish. Loved that. Weather was perfect, but that may not always be the case. BQ course and looking at precious results, pretty fast course. I BQ'd by five minutes. Due to only about 16 or so miles on pavement, I woke up feeling much better than I normally do leg wise. Nicely put on, low key small town race that I would definitely run again and encourage others to as well. Nice, cute long sleeve t shirt, an amazing looking medal for a small town race, and a small bear with a place finisher number as an added bonus. Well done.

This is was my 1st running of this race, and I greatly enjoyed it. While there is always a risk of warm weather this time of year in Texas, we got a great day with pleasant temperatures and low humidity. The wild flowers were in full bloom and it was beautiful. This race is very low key, but is well worth the price. https://gulfcoasting.wordpress.com/2015/04/25/davy-crockett-bear-chase-race-recap/

Aid stations manned by enthusiastic and most helpful volunteers. A little bit of country road, some trail, some black top, a perfect mix. Everything geared towards the comfort of the runners. Because the Almighty Dollar is not the goal of the organizers, this is organized with the runner in mind and therefore this is a cool marathon.

Small venue, but great hospitality! Every one was great! The course didn't have too many hills, but it did have a few. Overall it was a great experience!

You better be ready because you will get your moneys worth from this one. Everyone involved was first rate.

I read several of the comments on this guide and decided to give the marathon a try. What an experience! Down-home good hospitality! Local church ladies providing a nice pasta dinner the night before. Friendly, personable organizers and volunteers who really care. Where would you find a water station volunteer that would peel a banana for you? The course is not flat, but not too hilly either. The weather in 2013 was a little chilly but perfect for racing. You see a lot of people while running the in and out couse twice, but mostly you are on your own. Makes for a completely different racing experience. I'll be back for 2014!

flat course, beautiful course, wonderful and supportive spectators and volunteers. so nice to run a small race, no lines at the toilets and no jostling at the start! we never ran with any traffic and the off road areas were not very taxing for those not used to trail running.no backups at aid stations, i would recommend this marathon to anyone, like me, tired of the big congested races, who just want to run! not chip timed.

Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon Groveton, TX Saturday, April 14, 2012 7:00 AM Groveton is a small town in Davy Crockett National Forest in East Texas. The packet pick-up was on Friday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Groveton Elementary School. Each runner received a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt. We were also treated to a pre-race spaghetti dinner. There is no hotel/motel is Groveton. I spent the Friday night in Crockett, about 27 miles north of Groveton. The start and finish lines were at the Groveton High School stadium. The race day temperature ranged from low 70s to mid 80s. We ran the same out-&-back route twice (half marathoners ran it once). A total of 6 miles was on hard-packed dirt roads & footing was less than desirable. The rest was on a concrete country road. There were more hills on the way back than on the way out, which made the last 5 miles of the marathon challenging. We ran alongside pastures & through the forest. There were cows & horses which served as spectators! There were water/sports drink stations at approximately every other mile. Snack items were also available on the course. Each finisher received a nice medallion & a stuffed bear. There were a variety of recovery food items & drinks at the finish area. It was a humid morning. The weather remained overcast during the first half of the marathon, which was helpful. Then sun was out & it became quite hot. We had to deal with some head wind too. And of course the rolling hills. In short, it was a well-organized marathon which offered a scenic, yet challenging, course. There were 101 (67 male, 34 female) finishers in the average time of 4:57:35. The winning times were 3:05:08 (overall male) & 3:43:33 (overall female). There were 215 half marathon finishers, & the winning times were 1:31:23 (overall male) & 1:44:38 (overall female). There were 70 5K finishers, & the winning times were 19:14 (overall male) & 23:16 (overall female). Personally, it was my 94th marathon run.

I ran this race based on previous runners' comments, especially those of Cheryl Murdoch from Pensacola, FL. She's right; this race is AWESOME. I slept in my car right next to the stadium, and the athletic complex (bathrooms and showers) was open at 5:00 a.m. on race-day. Great course with fantastic scenery - horses in pastures, blooming flowers, majestic canopy of pine trees. I loved being able to see runners going both directions, especially on the dirt roads in the forest! Though Mother Nature didn't cooperate - hot, humid, windy - I had a great time running with Nathan, Abby, Courtney, Lee, Gary, and David, just to name a few. Steve and Paula have created this hidden gem in Groveton - free pasta dinner, great course, friendliest water stops in the business, and hot dogs, drinks, and candy after the race. I can't recommend this race enough and I will run it again.

Record temps this year (92 degrees), but the race was well organized and aid stations stocked with plenty of fluids. Paved route with a country road detour for about a mile and a half, and then back again. It was a small marathon with many friendly runners and volunteers. Really enjoyed it!

Great race. Great time. Friendliest volunteers ever. All of the iced lemonade pop sticks you could want. Every participant was treated like royalty. Flexible. Can extend or shorten your race at any time. Beautiful scenery. Well-stocked aid stations. Strongly recommended!

Ran this on a hotter-than-normal, April day. It is a small race in a very small town. That said, it is well organized and very well supported. The course is moderately challenging, with rolling hills and a short stretch on a sandy, wooded road. CONS: Double-out-and-back course - you run out 6.5 miles, back, and then repeat the whole thing again. It would be nice to have more ice at the water stations to keep water and Gatorade cooler, especially later in the race. Running the sand, uphill, wasn't my favorite part, but not a huge deal. Wish there had been more running in the woods. PROS: Very well organized and supported. Food at the end. Running in rural TX, wildflowers etc. Showers afterward. Friendly and laid-back runners. At $70 for race-day registration, it's a steal. WRAP-UP: If you enjoy running in less crowded areas, and well-organized marathons, give this one a try.

I drove down to Groveton the night before the race and didn't bother getting a hotel. I camped out in the designated camping area about 2 miles outside of town. Everything was fine with that, but make sure to bring earplugs and a blindfold. There is a streetlight that stays on and big trucks will drive by throughout the night. The starting line is extremely easy to get to. Just park in the high school parking lot. The race may be a little chilly at first, but as soon as the sun comes up, there is no more beautiful sight in Texas. The race passes by horses galloping through pastures, tall pine trees, and wildflowers blooming everywhere. Be ready for some rolling hills; about 2/3 of the race is on roads, while the rest is on dirt. Overall, a wonderful experience. This is my favorite of the 7 marathons I have run, and definitely the smallest, with only about 300-400 people in the race. Still, it's a worthwhile experience and it passes by some beautiful scenery. Lastly, the people involved are incredibly friendly.

I ran this race to celebrate my 200th marathon, so I have many events to compare this with. This race is now at the TOP of my list. Can't beat race directors Steve and Paula, or the whole town of Groveton. Free pasta dinner, free camping, free parking, fantastic volunteers and a beautiful course. Can't say enough positive things about it. Will be back!

Get out of the big-city mass confusion and logistical nightmares and run a marathon that has perfect aid stations and protected roads, with some miles on hard-packed sand through a canopy of trees. What a refreshing change from the streets of downtown Chicago. Free camping at County Park, free carbo-load meal, friendly folks... if you want to run YOUR race without waiting 13 minutes to cross a start line, this one's for you.

I gave this one 5 stars for every category because it was extremely well planned, hosted, and it was just a great experience. There were hardly any spectators, but the friendly folks at the water stops made up for the lack of people actually on the course. Great hometown feel and everyone was very nice before, during and after the race. You could see other runners throughout the race because of how the course was laid out, which was neat. I will run it again! Thank you, Steve and Paula!

It's great that Steve and Paula put this event together. What a great way to reconnect with what's very important: Meeting real life people, sharing stories, and having a great time. I ran the half marathon, and I highly recommend this small race - it's genuine, the local town people come out and help, and there are runners from all over, most seeking alternatives to the R 'n' R mega events. Beautiful country and the flowers were in bloom. This year the weather could not have been better.

I did the half, and thought it was great. Good support, protected course. Not many spectators (that didn't bother me, as I run alone in rural areas), but the ones there were great. I liked the dirt roads at beginning and end. If you never run on dirt, you may have some problems. Hot dogs were good - but it was too cool for ice cream! I plan on coming back, though I will do the half again, as I don't like multiple loops.

This was my second marathon, and I loved it. It was well organized and started right on time. Because it was small, there were none of the usual issues with crowds or parking. Because it was a rural marathon, the crowds were non-existent. Also, with about 100 marathoners, the course was lonely at times. This provided quite the mental challenge that I didn't experience in my first (larger) race. My only complaint was the 1.5-mile stretch at the beginning/end of the loop. The packed dirt road was a little dangerous, so the runners had to be careful as to not twist an ankle. Overall a great race, and if I don't qualify for Boston, I will probably run it again next year.

I loved the dinner the night before. It was good and the company was fun. Race morning was a bit chilly but the race started without a problem. The two-loop course had a few challenges in the roughness of a couple of the roads. You really have to watch your footing. No one was in the stands to cheer when I finished. That was a bit disappointing. No pictures of the kids' Possum Walk. Hot dogs sucked, but the strawberry bars ruled for post-race food. Of course, getting the bear was an added bonus. My twins enjoyed the nearby playground and the Possum Run. Steve and Paula really did a good job. Water stations were well stocked but no one working the stops cheered at all. In fact, I saw the race leader ask for water and had to skip it because they didn't have any ready for him. Overall, the experience was very positive.

What a great little event! Well organized. Friendly, enthusiastic volunteers. The course was a beautiful, 2-loop, out-and-back. It was mostly run on asphalt, with a little stretch on dirt roads. Tall pines and wild flowers lined the course. The start/finish at the high school stadium was cool. Post-race showers, hot dogs, and frozen strawberry fruit bars were nice perks. Put this event on your calendar.

I can't say enough about how fun this event was. My third half-marathon, and by far my favorite environment - smiling people, wonderful forest, no crowds. I've just taken up this "sport" (age 60) and I enjoy the walk/runs in beautiful natural areas. I achieved a personal best time and am already planning to chase the bear again in 2010.

My better half and I were excited about this race being in an area we have never run in before. Knowing what Steve and Paula Boone have done for the sport of marathoning, and having attended their race on New Year's Day, we were not disappointed here. A beautiful rural course out in the piney wooded country of east Texas, with a few rolling hills, dirt and forest roads, and well monitored highways. As always, there were nice, personal touches, from personalized motivational signs, to a finisher's stuffed bear with your finishing place around its neck (along with a cutesy medal). Friendly volunteers served you hot dogs and ice cream after the race, which was also nice. Do you want a great, organized, low-key marathon, away from all of the big-city hustle and bustle, with a postcard picture course? Well, this is it, my friends. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! My only regret is that we didn't stick around to explore more of the Davy Crockett Forest - B-U-tiful!

What a great marathon this was! A quiet and peaceful run out in the country and into the Davey Crockett National Forest. Gentle rolling hills. Wonderful folks at the aid stations. Even the Boy Scouts manned one of the aid stations. Special thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this a memorable event! Steve and Paula have tons of experience as race directors, so they really know how to put on a race. Even our non-running family members got fed at the pre-race pasta party. WOW! Even the weather was perfect. Spectators are enthusiastic. All runners are well cared for, from the first to the last. Sign up to do this one; it's a great, "small" race! Thanks, Steve and Paula!

Steve and Paula put on a great race. The weather was perfect for a marathon and the scenery was fantastic. I think what really makes this race are the people. If you need hundreds or thousands of people cheering along the course, then this isn't the race for you. But if you prefer quality or quantity, then this is the race for you. The people in Groveton are amazingly nice and the folks along the course are such good people. Also, the volunteers were some of the best of any race I've done. My whole experience in Groveton and the marathon was very positive. I'm willing to bet this marathon becomes one of the must-do races in Texas.

I ran the Bear Chase Marathon this morning. It was extremely well organized. The support at the aid stations was friendly and the stations were well stocked. They closed one lane of the highway and the sheriff escorted the few cars that came along down one side of the road, so it felt very safe. It was fun to run on the dirt road into the Davy Crockett Forest. In addition to a long-sleeve t-shirt and a medal, this year we got a stuffed bear! I would recommend this marathon! Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this a great, little marathon.

This was an enjoyable event. The directors are veteran marathoners and really nice folks who did a lot to make it fun and runner-friendly. The relatively low registration fee included a pasta dinner the night before where the food was good and plentiful. On race morning runners arrived at the stadium to find individual hand-written signs wired to the fence showing each runner's name, the event logo, and a word of encouragement. The weather was cool and clear. The double-loop, out-and-back course gave runners a chance to see all other participants several times. Runner names were lettered onto bib numbers so, although there were few spectators, we could cheer one-another. Most of the 6.5-mile course was on paved farm road but a short stretch at both ends was hard-packed gravel. One end was in Groveton and the turn-around was inside the Davy Crockett National Forest. The event started and finished on the track at the local school where locker rooms were open for post-race showers. Each finisher was announced by name, home town, and finish time then given a medal and a small stuffed bear numbered according to overall finish place. The post-race food included unlimited hot dogs, Fritos, donuts, and ice cream. There were fewer than 100 participants in the marathon but many more for the half that was concurrent on the first loop of the same course. I recommend this event to anyone who likes small marathons and friendly atmosphere. My only modest reservation was that the closest motel was about 20 miles away from the start.

This was a very fun marathon. Steve and Paula did a great job putting this on. I wish we could have run farther into Davy's forest but maybe next year. I will be back because it I want another bear with a lower number on it! Thanks for a great race.

I would rate this marathon an "A+!" The course was so much fun, part trail and part road. Water stops and bathroom every 2 miles, with very friendly and helpful volunteers. One side of the road was closed for the race and the city police make sure that it was safe for us. As soon as you crossed the finish line, you knew your time and placement, and they handed you your bear and your finisher's medal. No waiting! Food and showers afterwards! I loved this race and plan on coming for the 2009 race and bringing all my friends. The race was so well thought out and planned that I cannot say enough good things about it!!

Runners, volunteers, officials, and the few spectators were the friendliest and most helpful I've ever experienced. The only driver I encountered on the sand road around the cemetery stopped so I wouldn't eat his dirt, and I was the only runner in sight. The weather cooperated unusually well. The scenery was beautiful - and the spring-time-mixed pine/hardwood forest offered more late-morning shade than I anticipated.

My first marathon, but I have run two 5-mile races before. I was impressed with the organization, since 300 showed up and the organizers expected only 100. Loved the tall pines in the forest and the wildflowers along the road. Will prepare for the hills better next time.

The weather was perfect. The race route was wonderful and scenic. All the volunteers were so helpful and energetic. I ran the 1/2 marathon and loved it. It was well organized. I plan on returning next year for the 2nd annual race

I hope we had enough people to have this race again! It was great! Locals were very supportive.

I have run numerous road and trail runs and this was a great combination of road and dirt. For a first-time run, the race director (and his wife!!) did a super job. There were plenty of fluids on the course, even with a roving water vehicle! The scenery was beautiful, the rolling hills challenging, and the locals driving by slow and waving. We had an entire lane coned off and nary a driver looked upset about it. I missed the pre-race pasta dinner, but can vouch for a great t-shirt, mug and finisher's "bear" trophy, along with lunch and ice cream afterwards.

Very well organized. Lots of volunteers. Plenty of water and Gatorade on the course. Beautiful scenery. The weather was perfect for a long run. I planned to do the half and ended up doing the full marathon.

For it to be their first marathon, it was set-up very well. Very well organized. The weather was great and the spectators that were there were wonderful. Ran in the half and will definitely do this one again.