Ocala Marathon - Race Reviews

This is a great course to run if you are looking to get in some hill training for Boston. There are 2 good sized hills one between mile 18-19 and another after mile 25 right before you turn back in to the mall. I would recommend this race if you are looking for a challenge. There are plenty of flat areas on this course also. My only complaint was the condition of the road in the Turning Hawk housing complex, it needs to be paved, very badly chewed up. This was about 2-3 miles. Overall this was a good peaceful experience running out in the country with the horse farms. Don't forget your watch since there are no digital readouts at the mile markers, except at the half marathon point if you are looking to keep track of your pace.

The course is very pretty, but do not be deceived into thinking it is flat and fast ... it isn't! This marathon has several things that work well: 1.) plenty of aid stations with lots of nutrition options 2.) plenty of porta-lets, 3.) beautiful spanish moss and 4.) fun aerobics workout pre-race. But there are some things that were a bit of a disappointment as well: 1.) No t-shirts at packet pick-up! Really? 2.) Poorly designed course map made it way too challenging to drive the course ahead of time. 3.) no area for a drop bag 4.) incorrectly place mile markers!!! Finally, thankfully I'm not one who needs spectator support, but if you are, this race isn't for you. There were virtually NO spectators any where on the course.

Just to add a few extra comments: I have run a marathon in every state -this marathon ranks in the top three with overall effort by the folks who put it together and worked at it! ~ worth the challenge! *author of: HEADING TOWARD THE FINAL FINISH LINE

Gorgeous weather for the 2011 Ocala Marathon. Mostly rolling hills, some steeper than others. No spectators, but very enthusiastic volunteers at the water stops, which were at every mile, followed by a porta-let. I should say water "buffets," as they were really like a mini convenience store - including Shot Bloks, candy, pretzels, and donuts. The course was extremely well marked - my Garmin registered 26.24, I'm sure due to not being able to use every tangent. I would say great organization except for the confusion on packet pickup - the website stated that all packets were to be picked up on Saturday at the expo, but they allowed pickup on Sunday morning. Would have been nice had they put this on the website, as it created a big snafu for those of us who lived far enough away to not attend the expo, but close enough for to get there early Sunday morning. I did mention this to the assistant RD, and she agreed, saying that it would be fixed for next year. One thing to note: I agree with the previous comment about the traffic. If you're a slower runner, the roads are extremely narrow, and even though there are some cones, cars/trucks get pretty close, and in some spots, I was running on the grass. Didn't care for that in the later miles of the race.... Nice tech shirt and medal, and all in all, a real value!

A cold, frosty 29 to start, and a pleasant 50ish to finish. Aid stations were fabulous with about as many volunteers as runners. Don't normally like double loops but the second time seemed quite different in sunshine as opposed to early-morning frost. Few spectators but they were enthusiastic. Lots of chatting with other runners, which makes for a small but friendly bunch. Pasta feed was great, but they should seat runners together next time.

DRC Sports puts on a heck of a race. The course is challenging with constant rolling hills and a few tough, short climbs. The support is good with ample volunteers and a friendly attitude from all involved. This is a race at which to enjoy the scenery and test yourself on something other than a pancake-flat route. It's not for the runner looking for large numbers of spectators; there just aren't many in a rural area. It was a good time and I'll be back for sure.

If you consider yourself a real marathoner, you must do this race. This race is truly a hidden jewel! The rolling hills provide legitimate challenge for serious runner/athletes, but it is not necessarily appropriate for the fund-raiser/just-want-to-finish participant. Of the 40-plus marathons I have run, Ocala is at the top in terms of organization and race management support. The water stop volunteers were the best (thanks Hale!). You will be hard-pressed to find a more enthusiastic and supportive group at any race. In response to some of the other posts: of course there were almost no spectators! How many people do you think live on a farm? It is just what most of us would reasonably expect: a beautiful country run past horse farms and extraordinary scenery.

In a nutshell, it was well organized and marked, and the water/aid stations were some of the best I've ever seen staffed by exceptionally enthusiastic volunteers. Hills not as bad as I thought. Fans??? I think they must have overslept. I'd recommend this event with ONE exception.... This is not a closed route and traffic can get downright dangerous when afternoon approaches. If your marathon finish time will be over 4 hours, you should wear safety colors and be prepared to dodge traffic. The roads were narrow, I had to deal with lots of speeding cars and many drivers were oblivious to the race going on around them. If the race organizers consider closing at least a lane along the busier portions of the course, I would do this event again.

My family came down to Ocala to take in some horse shows. We saw that there was a marathon weekend happening at the same time and decided to participate. The course was as described, with gentle rolling hills and lots of rural horse scenery. A truly perfect way to run 42.2 KM's on a Sunday morning. Volunteers were fantastic. Maybe some PowerAde or Gatorade at aid stations would be welcome. Great horse trophies. I would for sure recommend this as a great small-town marathon.

The mid-40 temps with a bit of a breeze, and all the rolling hills with the scenic farms made this marathon enjoyable. As long as you do some hill training, your time and efforts will not suffer. The expo was small but adequate. The overall organization of the event was very good. The only disappointment was the finishing area. There were only bagels, bananas and oranges. Some of the food on the course should have also been at the finish. I do love the t-shirt and the award I received. The volunteers were very enthusiastic. Thanks for a great time.

Like others, I ran this to prepare for Boston, and feared the hills. It is gently rolling: no big hills (unless you are from south of Orlando Florida). It is never flat, always gently rolling, and totally drop-dead beautiful. Horse farms nearly the whole way, with lots and lots of curious equines. Very well organized, less than five minutes from the hotel to the start/finish, cool awards (horse statues), and the best water stations I have ever seen. Water every mile or so, and every station had water and sports drink, and most also had gels, energy bars, Twizzlers and bananas: it was like running through a convenience store every two miles. The volunteers were wonderful, and as it is horse country with very few spectators, the organizers had people with rosters at various places on the course so that at least two or three times someone would cheer for you by name, and of course they called out your name as you finished. Very nice touches and considerations for a small race. I will run it again.

Beautiful course, but be ready for a lot of small hills with a few larger ones thrown in. The staff was clearly dedicated to putting on a race to take care of the runner i.e. mile markers every mile, water stations every mile, enough porta-lets, etc. Not a lot of spectators, but the volunteers at the water stations made up for this with tremendous enthusiasm. I ran the half. The full is a repetition of the same loop. The start/finish is at the same point, and there is ample parking. Overall, a very good experience.

I should preface my comments by admitting that I was disappointed in my own race performance - this was my 2nd slowest marathon to date, and I clocked nearly 20 minutes slower than the 4 other marathons I've run over the last year. I was not happy with myself. For whatever reason, I bonked so very hard in this race. It took all of the determination I could muster to run through the pain. Also, from reading the reviews for previous years, they were all so stellar that my expectations were very high going into the race. That said, I believe this was a nice marathon - a good small-town experience, with some room for improvement. First, the course. I gave it 3 stars because I have a mixed opinion on it. I must say parts were beautiful - scenic horse ranches. But it was the double loop course that threw me. I found it mentally difficult to cover the same ground, and passing the mixed mile markers messed with my head (mile 15 marker just before mile 24). I could be wrong, but I thought I passed two different mile 13 markers as well (think the half marathon course intersected in a way we ran passed the same mile marker at different points?). I really am not sure, given the physical pain I was in. My mind was just swimming with too many numbers, so I may have hallucinated about the duplicate markers. The one mile marker I would have loved to see was 26 because I was so close to giving up and walking, and the final stretches had turns and corners that prevented seeing the finish line until you were just yards away. I suggest marking mile 26 for next year; I think it would have been in sight when I needed to see it most. My happy ending on this race was coming in first in my age group, and getting that beautiful horsey trophy. The awards ceremony erased (almost) all of the pain and disappointment. I will treasure that trophy for years to come - thank you! The organization gets 4 stars - nice job. I enjoyed the expo; the guest speaker gave a very informative, helpful talk on improving running performance, and even spent time with me after. I very much appreciated her time and helpful recommendations. Although I could have mentioned this in the course section, it is really more of an organizational problem. My only issue was lack of sports drink at the later water stations. They ran out of sports drink, so only water and gels in the aid stations after about the 15-mile mark. I switch from water to sports drink in the later half of marathons because I don't like gels, so missing the carbs was tough. Finish line food was a bit sparse, but I never expect a gourmet feast, so I was fine with it. I did not expect lots of spectators, and don't mind this. the volunteers did a great job to cheer us on. I figure if you want a ton of spectators, you really should go to a big-city race. So overall, a nice, small-town race; this crosses Florida off my list, and was my 1st (and most likely last) experience to snag an age group award. Will be happily remembering that for quite some time!

Nice course and just the right number of runners. Nice after-race party and trophies.

Ocala was Incredible! The weather was great and they did such a good job that we are still smiling. It is amazing how much effort they give to make the event special. We thought last year was great, but this year they did even more. It was like a running buffet all along the course. Water, HEED, gels, Twizzlers, Fig Newtons, cookies, oranges, grapes, bananas, Clif Bars, Clif Shots, coffee, and electrolyte tablets. That was just on the course. The after-party was fun and they had grilled sandwiches, pizza, Dunkin Donuts, coffee, bagels, beer, fruit platters, Odwalla Bars, chips, coffee, hot cocoa, juice, fruit smoothies. They had outdoor heaters at the party, so you could stay comfy while the band and DJ played. They gave lots of door prizes (we both won $60.00 Gift Certificates to Dick's Sporting Goods), beautiful horse sculptures for age group prizes, technical shirts, really nice medals, and all of the sponsors gave discount coupons for their services. Even the massage school gave free massages and offered $20.00, 1-hour massages every week as part of the promo. All of this for a small little race that is trying to get 1,000 participants so they can fully close the roads next year. POLICE SUPPORT AND VOLUNTEERS WERE THE BEST AROUND Yep, we are planning on doing it again.

GREAT, well marked course and very friendly and helpful event staff. The delay of the race for 15 minutes was a bit of a concern since hotel checkout extension was noon only. I think host hotel checkout time should extend until the closing ceremonies of the race! My overall experience was fantastic. The well organized and caring volunteer crew made this marathon one to visit again.

This was my third Ocala Marathon, and I already knew it was a well-organized event with the friendliest volunteers and police support, but this year was even better. The awards were artistic horse statues, in keeping with the horse theme. Beautiful! And jewelry for the women. This is one of my favorites.

When I came to run in Ocala, I did not know what to expect. I am very experienced runner and had not heard much from the Ocala Marathon. This course rocked! There were horses up and down the course, and when you would run by a fence, they would run with you! The course was simply beautiful. I will definitely be back for 2010.

I ran this marathon several years ago and again in 2008. The 2008 race was so much fun! The volunteers along the route were so friendly, the water stops were well-stocked, and of course, the course is beautiful.

Wow, I drove to Ocala to do a low-key training run and wound up discovering a terrific race! The organization is top-rate, with numerous fully-stocked aid stations, porto-lets at every aid station, and great post-race amenities. The course is mostly on rural roads, with some nice views of farms and small-town Ocala. The law enforcement presence was very good. The only parts on busy roads were either coned off or on a bike lane, so traffic didn't bother you there. It might be hilly for Florida, but if you think these hills are tough, then you aren't tough enough to be a marathoner! Spectators are sparse to non-existent, but the ones who were there were enthusiastic, especially the aid station volunteers from local Vanguard High School - thank you! My only real complaint would be there were a couple times I wasn't sure I was going the right way at the end behind a commercial area. If you like a well-supported, smaller but scenic race, then Ocala is a really good choice. Plus with the smaller field, the majority of runners went home with some age group loot! Great job, Ocala; thanks for the 26.2 miles of smiles! I will be back in the future.

I normally don't post comments about the marathons that I run, but I will indeed make an exception for this one, as I ran this one based upon the reviews I read about last year's race. This was a very scenic course, as promised, and also had a few hills that made it interesting. The race support was absolutely hands down the best for such a small race. The aid stations were about a mile apart from each other and had water, Gatorade/PowerAde, Vaseline and some had fruit and Twizzlers. I didn't partake in the fruit or Twizzlers, but it was nice that they were available for those who did. A nice aspect was that although there were not a lot of spectators along the course, you got support from the aid station volunteers about every mile. Also, you didn't have spectator distraction, so you could spend more time admiring the scenery and focus on your performance and the race itself. I also liked that the marathoners started before the half marathoners. As a marathoner, it made it easy and less stressful having to get around slower runner traffic. Great race, and the organizers shouldn't change anything.

I agree with all the positive things others have said, and just want to add that the volunteers, police officers, and spectators, though few, were the friendliest I've seen anywhere. Beautiful course. I'll be back.

I read the 2006 comments and did not expect much, but BOY AM I GLAD I DROVE TO OCALA!!!!!!! I ran the half marathon due to an injury but look forward to the whole marathon in 2009. SUPER Organization. You start in a Wal-Mart Parking lot but within 5 minutes you are running in horse country. Quiet - and what views!!! ALL courses should have water stops like this - EVERY MILE they had cookies, Gatorade, strawberry Twizzlers, GU packsYou could put on five pounds on this course if you were not careful. Port-a-pots all over the course and at the start. Finish line with plenty to eat and a great variety. Organizer at the start and finish line listening and talking to everyone. Cons Some car traffic - I did not have any problems but heard about others. The cars I saw slowed down and were very cautious. See you in 2009!!!!!

I concur with the other comments about this being an extremeley well organized event. There was no chip timing, but with about 50 runners, it was not needed. Each of the 18 water stops had gel, Shot Bloks, water, Gatorade, bananas, oranges and a porta-jon. Most had cookies too. I was very much impressed and started wondering why all marathons don't do this. On problem I encountered - and a serious one - is there are two small sections of the road where the runners cannot safely move to their left to get off the road for safety (one section had a 3-foot ditch and the other had trees going right to the road). While the majority of the drivers on the roads were courteous and slowed to a crawl, there were those few drivers that pretty much were oblivious or didn't care (I counted three vehicles that made me a bit nervous). One vehicle, a black Nissan Titan pickup truck, blew by me at about 45 miles an hour. I had a choice of jumping in the ditch or staying on the white line. In short, the large mirrors of the truck missed my head with about 4 inches to spare. The runner behind me mentioned that he had to dodge the mirrors too. Overall though, the police were everywhere and took this event quite seriously. I did see one officer give a speeding ticket to a driver on the opposite side of the roadway. If the organizers can alter the course or have traffic control around the two "trouble spots," I will definitely be back for this marathon.

It's time for me to contribute to this great resource for runners. I have relied on MarathonGuide.com input for 4 years in deciding which races to run. The Ocala Marathon was one of the best of the 70+ I have run. With the exception of the expo (which was really just registration and number/shirt pickup), everything else was first-class. I knew this was a special event when we were greeted in the early morning darkness by a series of searchlights pinpointing the start area. The starting area had beverages and other goodies and very helpful volunteers. Gentle rolling hills through beautiful horse breeding countryside combined with a cooling fog made the course memorable. Most of the traffic was police motorcycles patrolling the course. The course was well-marked... most turns were marked by orange cones as well as chalked lines. Mile markers were easy to see. The aid stations had everything... not just water and energy drinks, but also gel, fruit, fig bars, cookies, and very enthusiastic volunteers. Several aid stations had lookouts who relayed runner numbers to the aid station workers who cheered me on by name. The "snacks" at the finish line included warm pizza (not the normal cold pizza that slow runners like me usually get), fresh sandwiches, a variety of drinks (including lite beer), and covered tables/chairs where we could eat. I don't know what the organization was like in 2006, but DRC Sports did an outstanding job with this race. This race is centrally located in Florida if you plan on spending part of the winter in Florida. I ran Disney World two weeks before and will run Tampa next week - all within a 60 mile radius of Bushnell, FL. This race will become very popular and deserves to be on your schedule next year.

I ran the half (my first time doing so) and really enjoyed it. The event was really put together well. The course is challenging (plenty of hills!), and offers fantastic views of Ocala's horse country.

The organization of the race was very meticulous. They provided warning that running would be against vehicular traffic, but excellent traffic watch was provided on the course. Ample food and drinks were on the course and at the finish. Port-a-lets were sufficiently dispersed through the course. The volunteers were very enthusiastic, cheering using the runners' names! For an improvement, they could replace a part of the course that was on uneven road.

I ran the 1/2 marathon and I admit, I went into this race a bit worried from reading posts from prior years. Either they were wrong or race organizers listened because all of the problems I read about were non-existent. The course was gorgeous and even though it was a bit challenging (I don't think I saw a flat area the entire race), it was fun. Water/food stops had plenty of stuff and even had many stops with shot blocs, gels and an assortment of goodies - more by far than even at San Diego RnR and Disney. Not to mention the wonderful woman who was handing out Twizzlers! I still love her. The course was very clearly marked, traffic was light and the drivers very respectful of the runners. Police were very visible and volunteers friendly. There were not a lot of spectators, but the ones who did venture out were great. I WILL run this again next year... after a bit of hill training.

I ran the 1/2 and I must say, for a small race (only a couple hundred people ran the 1/2, about 50 ran the full), it was VERY well organized and well run. There were plenty of water stops, the volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful, and there was plenty of food at the end. The course was hilly and a bit of a challenge for anyone not prepared for it, but it was beautiful and there was not much traffic to have to deal with. I would do this event again in a heartbeat.

This way my first time on this course. It's a small race but with plenty of water, food, and bathrooms along the course. Lots of rolling hills and plenty of refreshments at the end; I think they were better prepared this year since it was canceled last year. :)

I ran the half marathon on the day. I flew over from Sweden, starting in the UK (in combination with a holiday) for this race. The race was beutifull as in the scenery. But the organization part was rubbish. At ca 2 miles nobody knew where to go about and 30 runners got lost and the police didn't even direct us as the signs were lying on the ground. The police were not runner freindly and they didn´t even put their arm out to show us the way. The water station: many times I didn´t get any water as no one was there to give it to me. At the end of the race at the run in a lady and a kid just walked in front of me, none of the orgainizers stopped them or told them to be aware. The food at the end was terrible, some hot meat stuff. Were was the fruit???? I am sorry you will have to do better, Ocala. But the scenery was beautiful and the t-shirt was nice. Try better next time Ocala.

Yesirree! Ocala was a very good race. I sucked time-wise and laughed all the way back to Indiana because I predicted 4:15 on the application and ran 5:20. First marathon, so be gentle with me!!!!!!!! I thought it was a wonderful vibe and atmosphere. Had my photo taken with that race car guy and the guy from Creed. The medal was very bling. Might even wear it out dancin' Recommend it? Sure. It was excellent.

Ocala was such a nice race. The organizers were so very friendly and helpful and I was amazed at how beautiful the whole area really is. The medal was probablly the best I have ever seen. It's worth it for the medal alone. The post-race party was excellent, great food and variety, massages, as well as other attractions. I loved the weather and had no complaints. Some folks went off course I believe but don't let their comments make you think twice about this race. It was great to meet so many famous personalities also! just a great race. Can't wait for the anniversary race next year. Oh, did I mention they had free beer?! I repeat: "free beer." You gotta get down to Ocala in February. Thank you Ocala.

This was the best marathon I have ever done. I enjoyed Ocala more than even Boston and that's saying something. The medal was beautiful and I loved every minute of being in Ocala. The organization I thought was good. My thoughts only. I loved the band and the after-race atmosphere. Do this for sure.

Were all these people posting below at the same race as me? The medal was awesome, the T-shirt nice, the course just out of this world, scenery-wise. The post-race party was first-class with a band playing, the massages very welcome and the police, EMS, and the rest were first-class. This race is a great race and those negative things below in my experience were just NOT TRUE! I was one of the runner who went off course a little bit, but so what? It was great experience and I know I'll be back.

2006 HALF MARATHON GOOD NEWS 1) The views were great! 2) The medal is fabulous!! 3) The ROLLING hills were not that bad. 4) Water stations were everywhere. 5) Spectators. A few. 6) I didn't see any horses. I saw lots of bulls and cow. My friends said that they saw horses. 7) Organization was O.K. It was a small-town race. 8) Lots of food after the race was over. 9) Massage tent too. 10) Great to do - ONE time only. BAD NEWS 1) NO CHAMPIONCHIP for timing? It's 2006. 2) There were not mats on the course and I saw runners cheating themselves by running off course through parking lots. 3) About 30 runners got lost at an intersection at mile two. We stood there for at least 3 minutes without signs to tell us to go RIGHT OR LEFT. The runners who went to the RIGHT took a half-mile off the course because they missed a loop (but they didn't know). After running in place for 3 minutes, the runners who followed the confused police officer on the motorcycle to the LEFT did the whole 13.1. 3) All runners should get a LONG-SLEEVE t-shirt when the race temperature is less than 40 degrees. (It's FL, but it was cold.) 4) If you're within driving distance, great! Don't fly in for this one!!

Really liked the course. Volunteers were great! Race director didn't have enough t-shirts, and never returns email. Race packet was a joke. I heard some of the 1/2-marathon folks were misdirected. You might want to run this... but don't register!