Two Rivers Marathon Race Festival - Race Reviews

I ran the half marathon on Saturday in 2024, and I found great joy in the experience of this event. I thoroughly enjoyed the environment and atmosphere. The event had the vibes of a small, intimate run combined with support and energy that felt absolutely electric. The race director's flexibility and the structure of the event were welcoming and allowed me to focus on my run that day. I always appreciate being able to get into the zone without any worry about logistics. There were zero logistical concerns with easy parking, easy bib pick up, easy bathroom access, and plenty of ways to make adjustments (starting time options, distance options) to make this run your own. I was beyond impressed that the race included so many pace groups. I have run large marathons that had no pacers, but for such a small event, the pacing team was incredible. I ran with the 2:00 half-marathon pace group for half of the race, and our pacer, Keith, was absolutely incredible. I cannot say enough how much his positivity and engagement with our little group allowed me to run the first half of the race smoothly and without any mental struggle. He kept us entertained and inspired, and I am grateful for his leadership, his work, and his attentiveness to our little group. I later found out he is Keith Straw, one of nineteen people who have completed 100 100-milers. How cool to have this caliber of pacer at such an intimate event! In any case, the bells and whistles of some larger events are not present here, but that was a plus for me. Even though spectating spots were limited on the course, there were groups that were driving ahead a few miles every so often and cheering their family and friends on the entire stretch. By the end of the run, I felt like I had made five new friends just from recognizing supporters from the course. If you are looking for an event with maximum flexibility without the fluff, this is a great run. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. I do wish they could close the road, but I understand why they cannot (it is pretty much the only road in the area...). They did a nice job managing traffic as well as runners. Thanks for a wonderful event! I will run it again!

I ran the half marathon on Saturday in 2024, and I found great joy in the experience of this event. I thoroughly enjoyed the environment and atmosphere. The event had the vibes of a small, intimate run combined with support and energy that felt absolutely electric. The race director's flexibility and the structure of the event were welcoming and allowed me to focus on my run that day. I always appreciate being able to get into the zone without any worry about logistics. There were zero logistical concerns with easy parking, easy bib pick up, easy bathroom access, and plenty of ways to make adjustments (starting time options, distance options) to make this run your own. I was beyond impressed that the race included so many pace groups. I have run large marathons that had no pacers, but for such a small event, the pacing team was incredible. I ran with the 2:00 half-marathon pace group for half of the race, and our pacer, Keith, was absolutely incredible. I cannot say enough how much his positivity and engagement with our little group allowed me to run the first half of the race smoothly and without any mental struggle. He kept us entertained and inspired, and I am grateful for his leadership, his work, and his attentiveness to our little group. I later found out he is Keith Straw, one of nineteen people who have completed 100 100-milers. How cool to have this caliber of pacer at such an intimate event! In any case, the bells and whistles of some larger events are not present here, but that was a plus for me. Even though spectating spots were limited on the course, there were groups that were driving ahead a few miles every so often and cheering their family and friends on the entire stretch. By the end of the run, I felt like I had made five new friends just from recognizing supporters from the course. If you are looking for an event with maximum flexibility without the fluff, this is a great run. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. I do wish they could close the road, but I understand why they cannot (it is pretty much the only road in the area...). They did a nice job managing traffic as well as runners. Thanks for a wonderful event! I will run it again!

There is a marathon both Saturday and Sunday in late March in northeaster PA. The weather this time of year in that region can be very marathon friendly. The race director is extremely flexible with allowing runners to transfer days (no fees, etc). This is a bonus if something comes up or the weather forecast is particularly bad one of the two days and you're looking to PR/BQ, etc. This is a small, well organized and laid back marathon. Parking was extremely easy, and there was abundant access to restroom facilities prior to the race. The course is 6.55 mile two loop out-and-back. There is a slight elevation gain on the way out, and resultingly a slight elevation loss on the way back. Pace accordingly! Certain sections of the road have a noticeable camber. Also, while the vast majority of drivers were very respectful, some were not and intentionally gave runners virtually no space. Stay alert!

Mark does a nice job putting this together at a REASONABLE! price. Great views, scenic run. Well done Mark, Ill be back next year!

This was my first marathon as a competitor, but as a professional photographer I've covered more than 100, including the NYC Marathon for Gannett. I arrived at the fire department lot at 6am for the 6:45 (free) shuttle to the start. Buses were on time. The theatre at Woodloch was comfortable, clean, and spacious, and the restroom was convenient. The start line was a quick walk from the theatre, and the start went off on time. Water/Gatorade stations were every two miles and manned. The first 11 mile section is basically a downhill roller coaster ride that parallels the Delaware River and comes within a stones throw of the Ski Big Bear slopes. The 7.5 miles out and back is a flat, scenic trip along the Lackawaxen River. The RD, Mark, is friendly and as accommodating as could be. He's certainly ironed out any bugs from earlier events. And even the great RDs such as Jamil Coury warn people to expect issues when races are first getting their footing. This marathon has me hooked, and it raises my expectations for future events. The medal is beautiful, it's nice that the shirt is a tech shirt, and the Hawaiian lei, well, why not? I was too trashed to stay for food, but there was a ticket for an included lasagna buffet, with a vegetarian option. Because of the rural setting, it's not a great spectator race. The narrow winding roads mean you're mostly on your own, although there's easy access at 11.7, 15/22, 26, and the finish area. In summary, I had a blast and would recommend this race.

Their is no question how pretty the course and general setting is for the Two Rivers Marathon! Its also so small that you can easily get to know the friendly race director and co-participants. The only complaint was there was actually no shuttle as advertised to the start because you could walk from the Lodge to the starting line. It was a very nice and cozy setting for the race day registration and late packet pick-up in the lodge. Also the course was pretty challenging, with a nice finish near the 2 junction store/restaurant, where a small post race meal was offered, but I would recommend running as fast as possible, because the food doesn't last forever. The small restaurant provides a very nice, over the river view! Overall, this is definitely a unique, and friendly marathon experience.

Course - downhill, cars are on the road; due to a tough winter and a 25 degree day, lots of pot holes and ice Volunteers - gatorade or water every 2 miles Overall - a well-organized, extremely small marathon

It was $80 and I got an alright unisex t-shirt, so-so medal, meal at end &socks...nice touch but too big. The shuttle is an extra $8. There was no finish line when I finished, so no finisher photo as promised. The course is a net downhill, but there are many uphills, though short. This was a challenging course that killed my legs. The roads are in very poor shape and cambered, so your hip will pay the price. It is a gorgeous course so I'll give it that. I just felt it was expensive so what you got quality wise. Bring your own aid because many stations were unmanned, with gels gone. The website was good, organized shuttle to start, great to wait indoors at start because it was 18 degrees, but other than that, wouldn't do it. I agree with previous reviews with the exception that this year it was measured correctly. The RD is nice and readily responds to emsils, but there's a reason only 50 people run this.

This was my first marathon and I wasn't disappointed. Because my Mapquest directions weren't accurate, I arrived to the race only 15 minutes before it started but was able to pick up my number and get ready on time. I loved the first part of the course. The second part of the course was a little lonely since the half-marathoners had made the turn around but I always run alone anyway. The course was well marked and there were aid stations every two miles. I loved the shirt, socks and medal. The meal ticket for after the race was great and you couldn't get much more convenient.

Have run this 2x. Beautiful course.. Cheap fees.. Get what you pay for. The Sunday race was a mile short - didn't lose satellites either! RD said in response to my comment that it was short 'well it was longer than yesterday'. Not very comforting. My son was waiting for me at the finish & there wasn't enough support staff to help with recording the finishers, so my son (never having done this before) helped to keep track of the order! No food at the finish - I was an early finisher, but at least in 2014 they didn't run out of finisher medals. The trophy is pretty cool - great local artisan.. I would love to run it again, but the short distance frustrates me

There's a lot to be said for a race where you can register the day before for $50, and show up five minutes before the race starts and have no problems getting your packet or lining up on the start line. This was not a corporatized, mega marathon event like many you see on marathon guide. It's organized by one very friendly race director and a skeleton crew of volunteers. It's a scene that undoubtedly disappointed some who expect to be pampered. Did I get fooled on the Sunday course by the markings from the shortened Saturday race? Yes. Did I end up running a bit less than a half marathon? Yes. Some of that was my fault (I turned around early), and some of that was on the RD (the erroneous turnaround marking from the day before was still on the road). But I got what I wanted, which was a great tune up run before Boston along a scenic and fast course. An unexpected bonus was my wife and sons saw the bald eagles that roost near the finish line. My family also got to see me run through mile 12 from the quaint little restaurant/general store that's a stone's throw from the finish line. There's a lot to like about this race. I thought it was a nice touch the RD gave everyone a $25 discount for a future race as an apology for this year's mishaps. It's definitely an old school race atmosphere that I enjoyed tremendously.

I loved this marathon and would definitely do it again! I really use reviews to choose marathons, so I felt I should give a review for prospective runners. What I loved: 1. The race course is beautiful along the rivers. 2. The course is so DOWNHILL! Amazing. (There are some uphills though.) 3. There's no time limit and you can early start. Thanks Mark! 4. This year the race start was at the Woodloch resort which was warm, had tables, and a nice bathroom. Considering it was 20 F at the start, that place was like heaven!!! 5. Lackawaxen is a great spot for Eagle watching. I tried it! But I didn't see any. However I saw a lot of beauty so it was worth it! 6. The T-shirt is great with a bald eagle across it. Imagine that! (We got socks too!) 7. It's kind of a cheap, campy do-it-yourself event. Think of it as a budget trail marathon, but on bad asphalt with cars... What wasn't perfect: 1. Elite runners (not me!) should beware that on the Sunday Marathon there was water at mile 6 and not again until mile 17. They just hadn't got around to setting up yet, and for the faster runners that could have been a big problem. I was an early starter and managed to get a water from the photographer. (Thank you to the photographer!!) The Saturday marathon had a lot more people, and I didn't see any problem with the water, except I'm pretty sure they ran out of cups after a while at a couple of the stops. 2. Back-to-Backers should also beware: You only get ONE RACE BIB. You have to wear it again the second day. I'm not sure that was clearly stated anywhere, and a couple of racers didn't wear theirs the second day. I'm sure they got it sorted out. 3. Back-to-Backers: You pay twice but you only get one shirt. Hmmm... I pushed for a second shirt and got it. Yay! One is green and the other heather gray. I'm wearing the green one home on the airplane. 4. Shuttle: This was a nice warm school bus. On Sunday at 20 F I really appreciated that bus. It arrived at 7:00 AM 30 minutes early. Thank you bus drivers!! If you are taking the shuttle be there early and get on the first one. On Sunday the second bus didn't seem to be there, and those people had to wait quite a bit longer for the first bus to return. You can also ride the bus back to the start if you choose, but I didn't do that so I can't comment on it. 5. Watch Traffic! There is no traffic control on this marathon, and the road is very pitted. You have to watch for cars, and make sure you don't twist your ankle in a pit while doing it. Like I said earlier, it's better to think of this as a trail marathon, but on asphalt with cars. As long as you know it going in, it's not really a big problem. 6. The T-shirt is good, but if you order a small don't count on it. I ended up with medium. Sorry no smalls. It's loose on me. 7. Packet pickup was outside a truck NEAR the address listed on the website, not at the address. That was disconcerting! But when I found it, packet pickup was very fast! I picked my own bag up out of the pile. I kind of liked that part! 8. Course markers were gone. Mostly. You had to watch the paint on the road to see where to go. The markings are bright orange so rather easy to see. STUDY THE MAP... because there are various markings for 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, etc. You should be aware of the route so you know which marking is for you! 9. Finish line food was not a meal. I think Mark went to Sam's club right before the race and picked up some snacks. Corn chips, animal crackers, cheese puffs, fruit rollups. If the website says there will be a meal... be suspicious. Luckily I love junk food so it was OK with me. 10. As far as I could see, the award trophies were not something I'd like to have in my house or carry home even. Overall I had a great time, and feel I did something cost effective, beautiful and way different than the regular big city marathon!

I hate to give a nice guy a bad review, but when you train for months to run a marathon and the certified course is short; need I say more? I was offered a $25 discount off one of the next races, but why would I run another one of those races? Next race should probably be free. The course was beautiful so it does get 5 stars!

This is a very remote, wooded, river lined, gorgeous area, and could be a spectacular race. However, from the beginning, it was evident it wasn't organized well. Looking for our packets (there were 3 of us) took forever. They were not in any order. One of us literally found their loose bib on a table, then had to find a loose shirt in a crumpled pile. The start had no talk, just bang & we were off. Already by mile 4 you had to wait in line to pour your own drink. One person with me did not choose to bring his own supplies & paid the price of not finishing. Very little Gatorade, and NO gels on course as promised. (There was an entire box of gatorade packets sitting at the finish, unused.) No timing mats at turn around to guarantee honesty. No hot food at finish. No heat blankets (I froze after finish). Parking area was a total mud hole, with many cars getting stuck. My Garmin also showed 1.2 miles short for marathon. Not sure if accurate.

I totally echo the sentiments by the other comments. The good: 1. Beautiful Course 2. Nice shirt 3. On time start (which should be a given, but not from this race's past) The bad: 1. SHORT marathon course by .8 mile. 2 days after the race I finally got the RD to admit this. He claims the mile markers were stolen and he had to re-mark the course at 4am. Really? That is bogus. No apologies, no nothing. Most of us trained for months in the frigid weather for this. Very disrespectful. 2. Hot food at the finish as promised was not there. A few crackers and cheese doodles. Unreal. 3. Gatorade at maybe 3 fluid stations. Another broken promise. 4. According to website, if you registered by March 1, your name would be printed on your bib. Not a big deal, but yet another broken promise. 5. Totally disorganized number pickup in the morning. Bib were all over the place and totally out of order. Instead of running 4 races on one day and then again the next day just to make money, this RD should focus on making one event quality. A beautiful course was wasted. I was running the race of my life and then, bam, the race was over and short with not as much as any apology from him. I have run 20 marathons and have never seen anything like this.

Unfortunately, not much has improved since last year. Quite a few promises mentioned on race web site were not delivered. A few aid stations only had empty tables, another few for self serving(which was not a problem for me). There were two or three tables only had a few mini cups with water. Gatorade was not found in most stations. Post race food were cheese doodles, animal crackers, and bananas. Thank goodness I read all reviews here and brought my own water, Gatorade, and post race food. Road condition(shoulders) was bad for that 7-mile loop. Road was very slanted in sections. Since roads were open to traffic, running on shoulder was the only option. Improvement from last year was mile markers. And race started on time. Course was scenery. No spectators was not a problem for me. I'd love to do it again, but not until I see the improvements of a few basics. RD has a lot to improve if he wants this race to grow. By the way, there was $7 for shuttle service that was not included in registration fee.

this is a very inexpensive, no frills early spring marathon with a great chance to BQ if you can take advantage of the downhill start. it's a very beautiful course running along the rivers most of the time. the race started on time this year, but there was a question by many if the course was really 26.2 miles. many only had 25.xx on their GPS watches. i lost satellite reception, so can't say for sure. there was a definitely a lack of food at the finish, which i wish i had know because i really could have used some protein and other food to help start the recovery without having to find a place in the woods. course rating is 5 for the serenity, but -1 for question mark as to the distance organization is 3 because the director seemed to fly by the seat of his pants and could have easily had more post race food available or communicated the lack of spectators is 5 because they were all very supportive and enthusiastic. that said, this is not a high turn-out race, so there are not a whole lot of spectators, nor did i expect that. those that were there were very supportive to all and enthusiastic.

*I ran the HALF marathon on 3/15* This course is fabulous however, it was short by over a MILE. I ran the half marathon. It was a lovely course and a net downhill, but don't be misled, there are significant uphills as well. Mile markers are easy to miss and water stations were nothing to get excited over, though, the young volunteers were great! Packet pick up was a hot mess! I told the woman my number, she went over to the table, looked and then proceeded to help others and totally disregarded me. I had to have someone else help and even then, he had a hard time finding my (and other) bags. The finish was a disaster! Coming up on it, my friend and I couldn't believe it. The course (for the half marathon) was over a mile short! We hadn't even hit 12 miles!!! It was so disappointing because I was really trying to run for time. There were bananas and pre packaged goods at the finish, but there were also open jars of food that people could easily stick their hands into (after running and surely blowing their noses since it was a little chilly) GROSS!!! There was no where to stand while waiting for the shuttle at the finish to stay warm. We waited for an HOUR!!! Thank goodness it wasn't raining! This race has potential if it gets organized. The medal was nice and the shirt was nice as well. The course is totally a great course to PR on if it's the right distance. Those are about the only positive things I can say. I'd be willing to give it another try if the RD acknowledges the mistakes and offers some kind of compensation. I didn't pay & drive almost an hour to run not even 12 miles!

Having read the previous year's comments, I can say that while the director is responsive to email, and makes promises to fix things, he doesn't. 1. The course is supposed to be certified, but the finish area in a park was frozen over, which is no excuse since it has been that way for weeks and they could have gotten their own ice melt. So it finished a block away, not on the certified course. 2. So, at least you would expect an accurate course. Instead, the 1/2 marathon was 3/4 of a mile short and the marathon was 9/10 of a mile short. They blamed the problem on their signs, put out the day before, being stolen. But a certified course should have the miles painted on the road and they should have had that for reference to place signs. I ended up walking around in order to accumulate 26.2 miles on my GPS. 3. Despite the promises, the lack of hydration was as bad as the first year. A friend who was walking the half, had only one place to hydrate half-way through. Sometimes a station was out of fluids, sometimes cups. Very little Gatorade on the course. 4. No hot food as promised at the end. No water by the time I finished. 5. No place to change (other than your car), even though it finished at the fire station that was being benefited. 6. For some reason there were four races, marathon, half, 10K and 5K and the next day they were all going on again. It would be better to focus on one day, less races and get it right. I would not run any race directed by this race director ever again. He obviously disrespects runners, just going through the motions to make money. A note on the course: It's pretty. The early downhill miles are tough on the quads I was conservative, race walking down the hills (and also up some). That helped my to run fairly strongly to the turn-around, which is supposed to be about 19 miles. The section along the Lackawaxen River is slightly uphill going out and downhill coming back. When I turned around and started downhill, I could feel it in my quads. I went slower each mile. At 24 miles (by my GPS), knowing that the course was off, I walked to the finish. There was no point in suffering through to the finish of a poorly measured 'marathon'.

I am a person who hates to be late and after standing out in 30 degrees for an extra 20 minutes while waiting for another shuttle to arrive, well...I then self imploded after the first half really enjoying the downhill potion. My quads had nothing left so I crawled along. When I needed hydration the most it wasn't there which was extremely disappointing and further contributed to my melt down. I got to the finish at 4:29 so there were quite a few folks behind me who didn't have water either. I'm glad I had snacks and drinks in the car because there wasn't anything at the finish. I am sure the race director learned from this as he asked for feedback and I was very encouraged that the suggestions would be implemented. With that in mind, I would definitely do this race again, for my sake and the race's sake

Late start No timing t/o course Uncertain finishing time Ran out of shirts (even for those pre-registered) Ran out of Gatorade and water - thank goodness for kind folks along the course. No shuttle back to the finish Great scenery and course. I hope they work out the kinks. Many unhappy folks at the finish.

I was looking for a close to home early spring marathon so I thought I would give this one a try. The course is rolling downhill for the first 11 miles then becomes an out and back on a very flat road. The roads are not closed which really isn't an issue if you train at all on roads. I did notice one individual with marginal intelligence running the center line with headphones on full. The race director goes above and beyond with keeping you up to date, answering questions and a complete follow-up to the race. It was a very inexpensive marathon with a really nice hoodie and finishers medal. I would recommend it for people not worried about cheering crowds but who will enjoy a race in the PA mountains. If nothing else for the price you could use it as a long early spring training run.

I enjoyed running the marathon. I looked to my right and notice people zooming down a hill. Oh they were skiing they should of been running. The beautiful sun and hills, up and down them. The last 6 miles all down hill. A runner could PR on this course. Mark did a wonderful job. No bathroom needed the trees did fine. Yes bring your own gu- pack next year I will bring some cookies and Philly pretzels.

Nestled in the Poconos is a low-key, surprisingly scenic, and primarily downhill new race for folks looking to tackle 26.2 in the first days of spring. What stands out is the course: nearly eleven miles of descent from the marathon start (that shoulders the Delaware River), followed by a l-o-n-g but even out-and-back (nestled against the Lackawaxen River). It provides some lovely and unexpected scenery, and one is almost halfway through the race before settling in to the pancake flat run-and-return. We had a terrific Saturday in 2013; one of the nicest days in all of March with temps reaching the mid-50s. Starting out with frost on windshields, the day warmed up beautifully and everyone was shedding layers. Plus, with the first two miles completely downhill, runners could shake off the chill with minimal effort. And, since both marathon and half-marathon runners start out together, there's a nice sense of camaraderie for the first twelve miles. Both distances are part of a running festival so there's people around until making headway on the lonely out-and-back. Prepare to dodge cars in the first half. The second part is much-more road shoulder running, so it's less of an issue. But there's not a lot of traffic; Lackawaxen is a postage-stamp town in the middle of woods. (Even the race director called it 'the boonies.') This is a relatively new marathon so there are a few expected kinks. That noted, I received an e-mail from event organizers less than 24 hours after the run (and then another two days later) addressing most of the (very few) issues listed below. So, expect more good things going forward from this race. For example, water stations were water-only, and there was no food or GU anywhere on the course. Organizers have already written that they will have Gatorade or some other electrolyte beverage available in future years, along with gel stations. Also, the race didn't start on time (owing to just a single shuttle bus), and there were questions as to the accuracy of the finishing clock, the only official timepiece on the entire run. Again, event officials are on top of this. Finally, while the finishers' area did have a setup with frozen burgers and dogs available for grilling, only two ardent runners I saw wanted to do the work. So organizers are planning more prepared and grab-and-go food for next time. The race director has mentioned varying the out-and-back, offered participants a discount on next year's pricing (though the race is already inexpensive), and sent around a listing of forgotten athletic garb. Meanwhile, I already came away with an impressive hoody sweatshirt and a finisher's glass. Officials are clearly very interested in putting on a great show for runners. If downhill is your 'thing,' you'll want to mark this race down for future years.