Seattle Marathon - Race Reviews

Whoever came up with this course is clearly not someone who has run or cares about marathons. The most egregious fault in this course is having faster marathoners merge into an enclosed trail that is being blocked by slow half marathoners, 12.2 miles in. Once on the trail a faster marathoner is stuck. There is nowhere to get around the slower half marathoners. One almost has to push through them. For those trying to qualify for Boston or New York, that could easily be the reason they did not qualify. Another major problem is 11th Ave E just after leaving Interlaken Blvd. It is a super steep downhill on a rough road 11 miles into the marathon. Never mind the frost we had that day. Also the course involves two loops around Greenlake. The second loop is on the inner path among people not involved with the marathon, including families walking in groups, strollers, some cyclists. It is not a wide path. I have done the Seattle Marathon more than 10 times. It used to be a great course. The organization was stellar. They even had someone at each mile yelling the time to marathoners. Now they are taking liberties in denying basic expectations to marathoners, such as the ability to run uninterrupted. I suspect it has to do with organizers keeping more of the money for themselves, by paying less to the city for a proper course, and providing a marathon that does not meet basic standards every marathoner expects.

The race hotel was 4 miles from the start and finish lines. With no transportation between the two. Crazy, right? The crazier thing is that in Seattle where rain is common, the RD decided it would be a good idea to have the new course go through WETLANDS. The recent and unexpected rains meant having to actually balance yourself on three wooden planks to cross shin deep puddles. It was insane. And oh yeah, the runner tracking system as promised never worked. The tracking company says the RD did not give information to them in time. This race has just become a money grab. Never again.

Sponsored by Nuun but forgot to provide it for 90% of the race. Every support table from miles 7-24 only had water. No GUs provided on course even though it was specified on the course map. Miles 13-16 on a bridge /causeway. No fluid station but that was known. Then fluids and turnaround and then mile 16-19 back over bridge without fluids. Then a trail around mile 20. Covered with lots of leaves which could be a fall risk since stones and twigs were hidden underneath. One section with 3 planks to cover mud. Try crossing planks with tired legs and multiple runners bouncing up and down. Hills were expected. The trail was unexpected. Finished at the University of Washington stadium. Also where the start is. Nice place to wait before race. But it is 3 miles from the host hotel. Finish line on the field is a nice touch. Finishing nutrition and the top of the stairs of the stadium not the best thing after running 26.2 miles. Course was well marked. 3 bridge crossings means very little spectators. It was also 38 degrees so might have had an effect. Nice shirt and medal. Course was well marked. Long time limit of 8 hours. Pace groups were only up to 4 hours 20 minutes so slower run/walkers had no pacers. Combined with half marathoners later in race but groups of walkers on narrow paths made it harder to pass. Also some parks were open so bikers would zoom past without telling us to move to the side a little. No comment yet from the race director about the missing electolyte fluid replacement. I am curious what happened.

We flew from Milwaukee the day prior and stayed at the host hotel, The Westin. Nice hotel with a great location. Marathon expo was average for an event this size. Got my packet and got out rather quick. The day of the race was perfect weather conditions. There were no corrals but everyone seemed to line up accordingly. The beginning of the race ran about a mile down 5th avenue before turning onto an on ramp. We stayed on this freeway until about mile 5 or 6 and then it was a LONG out and back on a small/paved trail. When I say long, we were on this trail until about mile 18. The only thing to see was the University of Washington. After we were done with the trail, the race took us through Gas Works park which was really the one other thing worth seeing on the course. Mile 22 marker came along and it was a MAJOR uphill that went for over a mile. After that, it was pretty much downhill and back to the city. The finish line was in a stadium. Post race food was some of the worst I have ever seen at a full marathon. They had bananas and fruit cups and that was all I could find. Quickly took the bus back to the hotel. This was my 15th marathon and 14th state. Comparing this event to the others, I rank it somewhere in the middle to bottom. Nothing special but nothing really bad. The wife and I stayed an extra 2 nights to check out all the Seattle attractions. This is what made the runcation worth it! Seattle is an AWESOME city with lots to do. We had a great time!

This was my 26th different marathon. Ranks second from the bottom. I am really disappointed. The course is boring- several miles along I-5 and then many miles out and back along a bike path. A few loops around parking lots and random spaces that just seemed silly. Worse- such few aid stations!!! Not 14 as advertised. Miles 3, 7, then every 3-ish miles. They didn't have a lot of volunteers. Ran out of Gatorade (I finished in 3:32 for reference). Positives - logistics are super easy. Several hotels in easy walking distance from start and finish. Great weather this year- dry and low 40s and no wind! Really nice volunteers at finish. Also - City didn't seem to know the race was going on. Zero mention on the local news. I expected the local weather forecaster to mention it. Nope.

Since this has been my first Seattle marathon I can only comment on the 2017 course, and I loved it. Sure, the rolling hills at the Arboretum impacted me mentally, and I had to walk those, but overall and in hindsight, the hills were manageable. I loved the mix of running in downtown and residential areas, and lots and lots of nature. Finishing inside a stadium has always been a highlight for me. The expo and race itself were easy to get to if you stayed at a downtown hotel. No waiting around, no rush, even no lines at the porta potties since the half marathoners had left by then. Better signage for out-of-towners, actually any signage, would be appreciated, as it was quite challenging to find the bag drop at the start, and even more so, after the finish. Not too many spectators (due to the weather I suppose) for which I would give 3 stars, however, there was this one cheerful person who recognized me (and my shirt in particular) at four different locations along the course, and clearly deserves 5 stars from me. Hence, my 4 star rating overall. The logistics behind that stunt must have been impressive! Great job! Overall a very nice, relaxed, and friendly race that I would recommend to anyone.

I have to admit the first 5-6 miles sucked; just when you thought you had a little relief another monster hill was in front of you. It's not an ideal way to start a race, but if you put the training in like you should it won't demolish you. The beauty of the course shines. It was almost magical in many instances, seeing pollen fall off the branches as you ran through Seward Park, or watching the gorgeous fall leaves descend from their branches due to the weight of rain drops. The course is, indeed, challenging, but it's soooo worth the effort and training. I will undoubtedly be doing this race again.

The course, that had been the same for about 10 years, had to be changed because the I-90 express lanes are being converted to light rail. So, instead of going through the tunnel under Mt Baker, you had to go over it. This added two significant hills in the first 5 miles of an already hilly course, so you should not expect to PR. Now, the hills were expected, so no complaints there. However, there were a couple of disappointing aspects to the new course. First, was the choice to use the I-90 trail from mile 2.5-4. This was very narrow in places and was about where the marathoners caught up to the walkers, which made pacing a challenge. Second, because too much distance was needed to get to Lake Washington, they had to remove the iconic Galer/Madison hill and replace it with two dinky out-and-backs. The course is beautiful and the event is well organized. As it stands, it's worth running once and I'm happy I did it, but I'll wait to see course updates before doing it again.

Great spacing of water/Gatorade/GU stations. Volunteers were exceptionally helpful and selflessly supportive throughout the race. Couldn't have made it to the end with out the support crew at each booth. Spectator spots were nicely spaced and critical to pushing through. Beautiful views of Lake Washington and downtown sprinkled throughout. As a novice, the last 3 inclines were brutal and it was hard to gauge progress for miles 21 and 22 as I couldn't find these markers along the way. A memorable homestretch through South Lake Union up Mercer and into the stadium. Nice and warm recovery area. A positive first marathon.

If you're looking for a fall marathon in the Pacific Northwest, choose Seattle over Portland. The Seattle Marathon course is more scenic than Portland's and the course distance is accurate. The weather was not too bad. The rain stopped just before the start of the race and stayed dry for over 4 hours. Good organization.

I came to Seattle for the Apple Cup and stayed to run the Seattle Marathon. This is a good local marathon. The half marathon field is big, which gives this event a big race feeling. The Expo was good. Race day organization was great from start to finish. They really treat the runners well. The course is challenging. Come prepared to run hills. The race day weather was foggy and frosty.

I ran the 5K that was part of the marathon and placed in my age group. There was no one around after the finish to ask about things. There weren't even any signs to direct us to inside, where the post-race food was. Poor planning. I've emailed three separate times about my age-group award. The first time I received a reply that it would be mailed to me in a few weeks. No replies from second or third emails, although I received a receipt confirmation. It's now four months and counting. I don't care so much about the award. It's now about the principle. Not replying is showing total disrespect for a runner. I would not recommend this race to anybody because of how they treat runners.

The 2014 Seattle Marathon was one of the colder races that I have run. Start time temperature was below freezing. I ran the race in running pants, three layers on top, gloves and a beanie that I bought at the expo.

Great job by the organizing committee, from the package pickup to the finish, the weather was cold with a brisk wind, but the recovery area is indoors and very warm, with lots of food etc.The course is not too tough, a few short hills after about 20 miles. I will be back

My wife and I came to Seattle to run the half and are very glad we did. The course was great with a nice mix of city and groomed trail type running. The organization was great and the expo far exceeded our expectations. The course lacked spectators but the volunteers were great. The only problem was the carbo load dinner. It was terrible on many different ways: the pasta was cold and not drained properly. They also ran out 20 minutes in and resorted to all wheat pasta that was undercooked. The room also ran out of table settings and did not replace the silverware forcing people to have to sit at a used spot. The waitress also stated one time through the buffet line which was a joke as they never had a fully stocked line. Lastly they had no speaker or entertainment. Not sure if the Westin or the Marathon should be blamed, probably both. All this for $24 a head. Avoid the dinner and you will have a great experience.

I've run the Seattle Marathon a few times. Organization is consistently good. The race is held on Thanksgiving weekend, so don't expect great weather. Race day was windy but no rain. The start time temperature was near fifty degrees; and I ran the race in shorts, a long sleeve tee, and a running vest. The course is scenic, especially along Lake Washington and the arboretum. The course is also hilly. The hills begin after mile 20. One hill is really steep. Few spectators along the course. Plenty of volunteers at the water stations.

We decided to make the Seattle Marathon our Thanksgiving family reunion destination and we were not disappointed. We flew/took the train to Seattle, took light rail to the Westin, and voila, the downtown unfolded in full holiday spirit. The 5K was fun, and the marathon was foggy, damp, breezy and scenic. Running out to the tunnel was wild, and the finish through the aboretum was gorgeous. My husband ran a marathon PR. I would rate this course above par for an urban event, and the whole weekend of tying it to Thanksgiving was wonderful.

This race is very well organized, lots of water and aid stations, great volunteers marshaling. The course is a great mix of road and trails through some beautiful park areas. The recovery area had a great supply of food, especially the chicken noodle soup, and the results were available almost immediately after the finish of the race. A pat on the back to the race director and his staff.

As long as you understand this is Seattle in November and that means probably cold, possibly rain and lots of hills you will enjoy the actual race. You get to run out and back on the floating bridge, up the lake front and through the arboretum to end with a view across the city. The views are almost enough to distract you from the hills that come in the last 6 miles Medal was pretty nice this year (2012) too. However due to course logistics the half runners start (and therefore end) well before the full which means the end of race food is decimated for all but the marathon winners. Half marathoners fill bags, kids take snacks and some families stock up for lunches for the week.... after 6 years of emails to the race director without a response its clear this won't change. So pack yourself a snack - your $100+ fee isn't enough to pay for bagels...

It was my first time in the city. The course was beautiful and challenging enough. I finished on the slow side and the only thing left in the recovery area was water, bananas and hot chocolate, this was disappointing after being told repeatedly on the course that there would be pizza and plenty of food. Shirt was advertised to be Saucony, it was some cheap brand. Medal is ridiculously small and underwhelming. Bottom line, the course delivered, but the swag did not.

I ran 26.2 miles in Seattle yesterday in 2:39. Unfortunately I had to run 2.5 more because I'd made a wrong turn, which I realized the second time I passed the 13.1 mark. I had made a left back into the crowd, assuming I was supposed to join back with the half-marathoners. It turned out I was supposed to make a right, which I did the second time. I accept responsibility for making this mistake, but it is incredibly frustrating knowing I would have been in the top five finishers. I don't mean to make complaints. I mean to suggest having someone stand in that spot and point into the correct direction. What may seem obvious didn't seem so obvious in that moment.

After the NYC Marathon was cancelled, I was looking for another marathon to run. I chose the Seattle Marathon. I was a little hesitant to run it since I just ran Rock 'n' Roll Seattle earlier in June. It turned out to be a good choice. The Seattle Marathon has a totally different atmosphere than a Rock 'n' Roll race. This event is put on by a local, volunteer organization. It is a medium size race with about two thousand runners. The two races are similar in a couple of ways. First, both races start and finish at the Seattle Center. Second, both courses run on the floating bridge and go down to Seward Park. Despite the similarities, the Seattle Marathon has a better course. It travels through a different part of the city and is more scenic. Race day organization was good. The Center House was open prior to the start so runners could stay warm. The marathon start was separate from the bigger half marathon race. Course support is first rate with plenty of volunteers at the aid stations. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was the Recovery Area. Non-runners (friends and family) were in the Recovery Area and helping themselves to food meant for finishers. The weather was cool and foggy, almost ideal running weather. The hills were challenging and slowed me down. Not many spectators along the course, but those who came out were supportive. Overall it was a good race experience.

The Seattle Marathon is a great race for a runner of any level. There aren't too many people which gives a mediocre runner a legitimate chance to compete. The course is very scenic and mostly flat. Yes, there are a few ups and downs and one moderate, but manageable uphill around mile 21. If you do your hill training like you're supposed to, this course is cake. I mean, what fun would a marathon be if it was completely flat? If you want a PR, expect a PR. There are fans everywhere and everyone is super enthusiastic. It is very well organized. The expo is huge. The post race food was perfect and plentiful - just don't expect a meal. The shirts are really cool and very comfortable. The design is simple and not too flashy. Overall, I'd give the Seattle Marathon a 10 out of 10 if I were to rate it. I highly recommend it to anyone. I plan on racing Seattle every year for years to come. Come on down next Thanksgiving to run around the most beautiful city in America!

I enjoyed this race despite the rain because of its organization. There were plenty of bathrooms, aid stations, and plenty of GU. I especially enjoyed the fact that they were using bottled water and weren't filling up cups with a hose like other races. The Kids Marathon was awesome and my kids can't wait to run again next year. Good job guys! I only have two suggestions for next year. One-Please have more food available for late finishers. Those of us who were on the course for a longer time needed more than a cold bagel. I was thinking about the advertised chicken noodle soup during the last few miles of the race and was disappointed when there was none. Two- I would seriously consider using a different company for the sports massages. My massage was the worst ever and they were not very eager to work. I can't wait to run in 2012.

This is an absolutely great race. It is well organized, has a great EXPO, both the EXPO, start and finish lines , are convenient, and course is great The run takes you through downtown Seattle, across a floating bridge to Mercer Island, along Lake Washington for about 10 miles through some very upscale neighborhoods, and lovely parks. The end is at the 50 yard line of a high school stadium. At times it is hard to believe you are major metropolitan area. One steep hill is at mile one and miles 22-24 have very sharp hills. The fan support is lacking, but volunteers are very enthusiastic. The only negative is Seattle weather is cold, wet, and windy in late fall; therefore, be forewarned. I seriously considered running the RnR LV race rather than Seattle. I am very thankful for my decision. Just bundle up for the weather and enjoy the run.

I ran my second Seattle Marathon yesterday. The race has been consistent in its course and its qaulity of organization. The goods of this race: the logistics are easy, the start/finish are well organized, the course is interesting (specifically if the weather is good), and the temperature is consistently good for running. The bads: there are few spectators, the runners are often rained upon (sometimes hard), and miles 21-23 require significant hill climbs. I love this race but the course is backloaded. I was passed by hundreds during the first several miles but, in the last 7 miles, there were lots of folks who were struggling with the hills. It is definitely something to plan for in your training long runs. All in all, a great run. I am not sure it is worth traveling to Seattle for this race because the weather is consistently bad in November but it is a great home town race.

Ran the full marathon today in Seattle. It was was wet, cold, and windy. The course is fairly flat until mile 20 or so... there are small hills, but nothing over 100 feet. After 20 miles, you are constantly either going up or going down. The first serious hill (Galer St). is a shocker; its only a block, but it's steep! The hardest part however was rounding Capitol Hill and facing a strong headwind and driving rain on the last three miles to the finish; that was more will-breaking than the hills. There weren't quite as many water stations as I would have liked, but it wasn't bad, and the volunteers were super friendly. I think they listened to the comments on marathonguide.com about the food after the race: when I finished at 4+ hours, there was plenty of food of all kinds left, and the recovery area was heated (yay!) and not that crowded (yay!). Mmmm... chocolate milk. Hot cocoa. Fresh bagels. Bananas. Water. I was surprised at how few people ran it compared to Portland. There are huge crowds for the half, but only 1300 people or so finished the full. I'll certainly run it again, but I'll wear a hydration pack and train harder for the hills at 20+ miles.

I have completed the Seattle 1/2 Marathon 4 times now. The 2010 event had a great course and wonderful volunteers. This one lacked in one major area though. I can't believe after finishing the 1/2 that there was next to NO food in the recovery area. The only thing I saw was a little Campbells soup and some bananas. I have been to much smaller events in which the amount and type of food in the recovery area was well thought out. They had plenty for the amount of participants. I'm not sure what happened to the food organization at the Seattle Marathon, but it was the worst recovery experience I've ever had. Hopefully this years will be better. How about some bagels, bread, cookies, or fruit - the standard stuff?

Good organization, breathtaking scenery, and great shirt, though there was a somewhat weak post-race spread, and the software leaves much to be desired from what is thought of as IT country (race results are not searchable except for name, there are no age groups that I can find, no states or stuff that I am used to, and overall results were posted by gun time rather than chip time). I would go back in a heartbeat if and when I finish my 50 states.

Forget doing a PR. Forget running your best time; the course is much too hilly for that. But take it easy and enjoy an beautiful run past parks, trees, waterfront, city center - and just enjoy. I cannot remember a prettier race that I have run in recent memory. The course goes from the downtown to the waterfront, to a floating bridge, to park, to an arboretum, and hills with views of the city that should not be missed. Run this race; enjoy Seattle. The expo was perfect, the organization first-class, the size of the field just right, and the city a charm. Seattle was great. The city is really nice. The weather, while not ideal, is not as bad as people like to say. On race day we did get lucky, having ideal running weather, but even if it had not been ideal, the city and the course are not to be missed.

Seattle has a great course. Weather was just below 40, with no rain and no wind. November in Seattle just doesn't get any better! What needs to be done better? 1) Pasta feed was a joke: $25 for one walk-through a line that had pasta tubes and salad. 2) Long-sleeve shirts are nice, but the logo ruined them. Really, this is Seattle, the home to the most creative people in the country. 3) "Where is my stuff again? I'm freezing...." I was surprised to see the bag drop-stuff was not moved to the other side. Additionally, there was no signage at the finish to direct you that way. Once you did find it you had to walk the stadium steps to find it. Nice job on the actual course: Water stations, first aid and GU. Great volunteers!

Ok, I ran the half not the full, but this comments page doesn't have an option for that. I like the Seattle Half better than the full because of the high probability of cold wet weather. I can put up with 1:38 of any weather, but being out there for a minimum of 3:35 (and maybe longer) doesn't appeal to me. What I like about the Seattle course (half or full) is the variation in scenery. You never get bored because it keeps changing - from cityscape, to freeway, to tunnel, to lake, to arboretum... and who doesn't love Interlaken? In the full you get to add the floating bridge and the "flat" lake section down to Seward Park and back. They've improved the bag check too, from the old days where you had to climb the bleachers in the stadium unless you could snag a boyscout volunteer to run up there and get your bag. And the recovery area is indoors. Things I don't like about the Seattle Marathon: Having to listen to the national anthem (twice) sung by a Mariah Carey wannabe. What happened to the old days when you just plain sang the anthem and put your hand on your heart? Oh well; American Idol seems to ruin everything good. Not much else to beef about. Well, food in the recovery area was a bit slim this year. No salty soup (long gone are the days of Ivors clam soup) and weak coffee (really? In Seattle?). And I know from previously running the marathon that even this food can disappear by the time 7,000 halfers get through with it. Maybe they save some now and don't bring it out until later. Hope so. Otherwise, the Seattle Marathon is great experience and I look forward to it every year. It's not a PR course - don't let anyone tell you it is. It's too narrow for the first 3 miles to go fast without burning up energy passing lots of other runners. The hills knock time off your pace and it's twisty in places. So don't expect a PR; just be happy with what you get, and enjoy it.

Lucked out on the weather (only dry day of the week! and not too cold). The scenery was beautiful in the parks and the hills in the last 6 miles were tough but I guess we were warned that it would be a rolling course. My only complaint is that the ankle band for the timing chip nearly cut my foot off (a slight exaggeration of course but the material was rather rough).Pperhaps long socks would help.

I have to love this race because I ran it very well and I do believe that the course is highly PR-able. The on-course support was great in terms of plenty of aid stations and medical tents (thanks to UWMC). HOWEVER. Organizers need to revamp some details and apparently haven't been listening to criticism for years. The expo sucked - I had to wait in line for 20 minutes to get up the escalator into the ballroom. Have it somewhere bigger than a hotel. Recovery area was even worse - I finished in the top third of marathoners, and if there was more food available other than bananas and canned chicken noodle soup, it was gone by the time I came in. Bagels? Carbohydrates of some sort? Don't let spectators clear out the food that the runners NEED. Just a few ideas. Also, the first aid station was needlessly early and created a choke point. Push that one back or dispense with it altogether.

I ran this for the first time in 2008 and the experience in 2010 was about the same, except I was 25+ minutes faster. I prepared for the rolling course that has a few rather steep sections and so was OK in that respect. The weather was great - between about 38-39 F and low to mid 40s. A few too many turns in some places for my liking but the scenery was solid. As usual, a mass of runners went out too fast at first. I started near the 3:10 pacer (and finished a bit slower than that), but was passed in the first mile by hundreds. Seemingly more than most races that I do (and it seems I spend the rest of the race passing the majority of them). Nonetheless, there were some good, flat sections, and a fair bit in wooded areas, which I liked. Crowd support was good enough for me (I'm low maintenance in this regard anyways). The expo was fair, the food at the end fair (although I can't fathom why the chocolate milk people ran out of chocolate milk so fast, considering that I finished by 11:30 a.m.). Oh wait - I got confused. This is really the Seattle HALF Marathon (over 7,610 runners starting at 7:30 a.m.) - not really the Seattle Marathon (only about 2,340 runners starting at 8:15 a.m.). Looking at the half marathon results, I can see that over 7,500 half marathoners were chowing down in the recovery area (if they went there) ahead of me. Perhaps other food vendors had packed up before the bulk of marathoners arrived? A minor annoyance, I suppose. Seattle Center is a good place to hang out if your hotel is close and you're not heading out of town immediately.

After looking at the simplicity of the shirt design and the lack of food in the recovery area, I found this race to be very expensive for what you got. I found the course to be challenging, but a scenic way to see the various sides of Seattle. However, due to running on highways, in tunnels, alongside Lake Washington and through the arboretum, there were very few spectators. It was fitting though to see all the supporters with their coffee to go in hand.

I did the 2010 Seattle Marathon, my first Seattle Marathon. Perfect weather (37 degrees at the start, 44 degress at the finish, no wind or rain). The course is fantastic along Lake Washington and the floating bridge; for an out-and-back legged course, it is very nice. It is mainly flat, with a few small inclines and declines, until (as noted before) mile 20 when the hills come into play. I was paced at 10 minutes/mile until then. Finished at 4:30. The clothing check is very easy and nicely located at the start; however, when I finished at the west end of Memorial Stadium (a nice place to finish), and followed the signs to the "Recovery Area," I expected that my clothes would be there. But they were still back at the east end, so I have to go back out to the stadium field and up the stairs to get my clothes. Not a real major thing, but still, my legs were tired after the run. I will definitely do this again. I came from Tacoma; I took the #594 bus from the Tacoma Dome at 5:30, and it let me off less than a mile from the start around 6:15.