Bayshore Marathon - Race Reviews

This marked marathon Lucky # 13 for me. I ran it thinking I would retire from marathons after this one, but I enjoyed it so much that I am already thinking about coming back again next year. Spectators were enthusiastic and more numerous than I expected; the race announcer was energetic and cheerful; everyone associated with the race was helpful & pleasant. The packet pick-up location has been moved, & we had no trouble parking and getting in/out quickly. Race organization was top-notch. I was thankful and relieved that I had no trouble accessing port-o-potties (which is always a major source of stress for me). The weather was perfect (upper 40s at the start; about 65 at the finish; sunny; dry). Half marathoners started near the turn-around point for the marathon, so we passed them as they were going out (and then caught up to them later). The presence of the other runners helped to keep the race energized and interesting. The course was so beautiful! I loved that it is an out-and-back race: I find it mentally easier to complete races like that, knowing exactly what to expect for the second half of the race. Also, the course was so pretty, I was glad to have a second chance to enjoy the views. I am so glad that I signed up for this race! The ice cream at the finish line is the cherry on top of the marathon sundae. The only (minor) complaint I have is that the award for age group winners was... an exact replica of the medal I got for finishing, only bigger and with the award category engraved on it. One medal, really, is one medal too many. Two? Overkill. I would have preferred a coffee mug or something useful. Finally, as one other person noted, the half marathoners were often oblivious and did not stay out of the way of faster runners coming up behind them. The course was closed, though, so there was enough room to pass them, but in those final miles of a marathon, trying to maneuver past walkers/shufflers can be challenging & a little annoying. Overall, however, this was a worthy destination marathon and a fantastic experience.

Race Summary: Excellent organization, pacing, water/Gu stations, fast course, beautiful scenery and town. Traverse City Track Club does an excellent job organizing. 2022 was the 40th year. This is a very large event, with nearly 8k registered for 10K, half, full (capped with 10k & half sold out early). There were periodic emails including info reminding about packet pickup times/location, changes to route for erosion, etc. Announcer was enthusiastic and informative. I don't know how she doesn't lose her voice. Packet Pickup: many of the negative comments relate to the challenging parking at high school. It was like 5pm-8/9pm Fri night (Sat early pickup avail.). We got there just before 5 (before even checking into our hotel from a long drive) knowing that it would be even busier soon and wanted to go to dinner and relax. There are 2 parking lots to the high school, we parked in a very congested, smaller, 1st lot. Recommend you pick the second drive for the large lot. Other than waiting for cars to leave, once inside the crowded gym, pickup for me took less than 2 min. There was a booth for free sunblock (which you should have), bandaids, chapstick, etc. I even got past shirts for a cash donation. Expo had Brooks shirts, hoodies, Gu/protein bars and such. It was very crowded. Note, it was card only - cash not accepted. Fri Night Dinner: I had researched several top-rated area pubs/restaurants. Instead of the pasta dinner I had earmarked, we decided to go to Slabtown Burgers and had burgers, chicago dogs, milk shakes, cheese fries, onion rings (I still hit my PR). The place has a big menu with unique burgers, cheap prices/tasty. Hotel: pricing is inflated for the wknd. You'll find that bookings go very early, and it's expensive to stay nearby. Family from Grand Rapids area stayed at the neighboring town, Kingsley, for much cheaper. And as spectators that's fine. We chose the Howard Johnson per another review here. It was $470 for 4 adults in 1 room for Fri/Sat nights. Warning that you think you paid in advance but only secure a spot, and they charge you day of. They moved breakfast from 7 to 5am Sat for racers (continental but did the trick). Hotel was perfect blend of 1.2 mi walk to race, cheaper, nice accommodations. Race: Scenery is beautiful. I even saw a deer wade out far into the lake early am. Down and back is not popular but it was fine for me. It is a very flat course. There are some small rolling hills and downhills but nothing noteworthy. 1st half features numerous areas of cresting down towards the water, a warning to feet problem runners like me fighting to stay on the road. Didn't see this in other reviews and it surprised me. Some good shade portions, some stretches of pure sun. I elected to not wear a hat and glob my balding head with sunblock, then bug spray. Lots of pacers beginning with 3 hrs, many of the larger groups like the 3:15 had 3 pacers. Sample I saw, pacers were very good. Water stations were perfect: long enough to see it ahead, quickly eat a Gu, and still catch a water. Organized by water, Gatorade, then water every time. Gu was available about 4x down and back, so I grabbed 4 total (used 5 including 1 in back pocket). The Gu is an underrated feature for me since I don't carry fanny/back packs (or anything including phone/ear buds). Cheering was good with spurts of spectators who were bused out to maybe 3 mile markers (but the down and back factors). There were additional residents, but many stretches away from the 1st (and last) mi that had very few spectators. However, this a large event, with plenty of racers to help keep you motivated and not lost through the early/late turns. Course is very well marked. This is the 1st time in any race I didn't get turned around. Finish: can't beat finishing on the track. The track surface combined with grandstand cheering is primed for emptying the tank! They video & photo the finish, so extra incentive if you want to pose. Food/Awards: Not good enough for awards, but they seemed generous with 1-3 age group prices, including masters men and women and the overall winners. Food included them giving boxes for you to fill with several energy drinks, pints of Moomer's ice cream, cookies, bars, chips, muffins! We planned ahead and parked our car in the lot Fri night, walked Sat am. So we could drop off these food boxes and return to cheering. We even got $20 GC's for downtown restaurants for being Track Club Members (I wasn't even one)! Lots to do in Traverse, and that's part of the draw. Went to Sleeping Bear Dunes (fun for marathon legs!), Cline Beach, Hippie Tree, world's largest cherry pie pan, putt putt twice. Also several wineries, original Grand Traverse Pie Co., Children's Museum. At 41, this was only my 2nd marathon (1st in Oct. 2021), but I improved from 3:43 to just under 3:17. Not sure how I overachieved a full min per, on even shorter training runs except that I pushed my self to stay with the 3:15 pacers until I cramped at 22 and stopped lame. I did loosen after a tough 4 miles of 8:15ish to finish with a 7:10 and a sprint on the track. It was overwhelmingly a great experience with only knocks being the road cresting, numerous giant geese poo that side stepped the whole way=, and having to weeve around 1500+ (yes, that's right) slower half marathoners because of the down and back. Many of them didn't obey rules and would walk 4 across like they were in Disney World. Race temp was perfect at 42 in am, 60s (but warm with sun) later. Wore shorts/t shirt w/ my PJ pants to take off=.

I saved Bayshore as my 50th state and am glad I did. It is a beautiful course with lots of water stops. It was relatively easy for the people who came to get to one of the spectators spots. Negative: The parking at the high school is difficult as it's not designed for this many people, but they do have shuttles to try to alleviate the congestion.

For Michigan, this race was unseasonably hot in 2018 - and the weather during the time of the scheduled race is highly unpredictable overall. For starters, packet pick-up is in the local high school gym which is not equipped with air. It's cramped, hot, swarming with people, not enough space, and not enough people. While it is nice to see runners in the half when doing the full, the farther out you get, the less spectators you see (which isn't a lot to begin with). Once you reach the turn around point, the sun hits your back and doesn't let up. In addition to the positioning of the course, there is almost no tree cover throughout most of the course. Nutrition and water stops on the course didn't respond well to this weather and were not nearly stocked with what runners in heat might need (salt) - they didn't have enough ice and water turned warm after a certain point. The course itself is an exact out and back and even though Lake Michigan is beautiful, the route eventually gets tedious because you run on the same boring road for approximately 25 miles. The finish is less than exciting, coming in near the starting point to the track of the local high school and never enters downtown Traverse City. I'm extremely disappointed that I paid money for this race. I will never run this full again, and would not recommend it to anyone who inquires about it.

This was my first Bayshore Marathon and my first trip to Michigan, it didn't disappoint! Packet pickup was easy and well organized, communication was excellent. We stayed at the Howard Johnson which was within walking distance of the start and finish, it was clean, comfortable, and offered an early breakfast on race day. The course was absolutely beautiful with views of the water throughout most of the race, and the blooming cherry trees along the peninsula. There aren't tons of spectators but they are awesome. Several of the residents along the course set up their own aid stations (a couple included beer!) and many had music playing. The volunteers were very helpful and knowledgeable. Finishing on the track was really cool, and the ice cream and chocolate milk at the finish were delicious. I also love that they had women's sizing on the shirts. With the holiday weekend this is a great marathon to make a vacation out of, Traverse City is full of fun things to do and good places to eat. If you're a beer drinker try the Diabolical IPA at North Peak Brewing!

This is a great race. I've run 25 different marathon courses, and this one and Boston are the only courses that I've run more than once. That is testimony enough as to the top notch organization and the course itself. Also, you can run tangents effectively if you don't stay with the herd, such that you finish at 26.2 instead of 26.3 or 26.4 like a lot of other races. It can be fast if it's not too warm or sunny (there's not much shade on the way back once the sun is up high). Unfortunately it has been warm the last 2 years. I still managed a BQ, but not by the amount that I was hoping for. I would suggest starting the Full Marathon at 6:30 instead of 7:15 to mitigate the heat. The medal was much improved this year.

If you're looking for a low-maintenance, user-friendly serene marathon experience, this is your race! The 13-mile out and back provided views of the lake every step of the way, including the mist-laden morning views and boaters cheering as the day warmed up. The air smelled of lilacs and cherry blossoms. The people of Northern Michigan were insanely friendly, and I did not feel alone or remote for a second. Flat, fast course, the ability to watch some of the experienced and elite runners on their double back, and well-stocked aid stations with friendly volunteers. I loved this race. The only reason it got four stars was because they promised showers at the local YMCA and at 12:15, THEY WEREN'T OPEN! That's one of those things that, if it's promised, and then not there, and you're relying on showers... bummer.

My wife and I traveled from Florida to run the marathon and explore the northwestern side of the "mitt" of Michigan. This is a well-organized event which features a beautiful out and back course mostly along the water on the Old Mission Peninsula. We were surprised to discover that this marathon has had over 2K finishers in past years. The packet pick-up was well managed and uneventful. The Expo was small having essentials and some clothing. Given there are three races (10K, Half, and Full), the Marathon is started first to minimize congestion on the two lane road that winds out of the Northwestern Michigan University Campus. The start and finish on the Traverse Central High School Track is really cool. There were aid stations at least every two miles offering Gatorade and water and with one offering GU. The course itself is relatively flat with only some small rolling hills and surprisingly a good number of spectators. Upon finishing there was plenty to eat and drink on the athletic fields adjacent to the track. The only negative I can think was the lack of any posted results in the finish area. This is a fast course which should be conducive to first timers, and those after a BQ or PR. We stayed in Traverse City for three nights and had a grand time. If you make it there, you have to drive to Sleeping Bear Dunes, the National Lakeshore there is fantastic.

This is a terrific race. The course is along the Grand Traverse Bay offering wonderful views of the area. The marathon was well-organized and not too crowded. The course is flat and fast. And the folks along the way were fantastic in their support of the runners.

I have run this race 7 years in a row and plan to run it as long as I can. Beautiful city, and with it being on Memorial weekend we make it a vacation for the family. * Course * Aide stations * Finish line.. Ice-cream, Chocolate Milk, home made baked goods < Time to change up the shirts and medals

I have ran this race three times 2010-2011, 2013. This race has all the components of a great spring marathon. 1)Very well organized, (2 Fast and beautiful out and back course, (3 Typically great running weather. If you travel for this race make a weekend out of it and tour Traverse City. Its a beautiful area. This is a great race to PR/BQ or just enjoy and have fun. Be sure to get some Moomers ice cream after you finish!

The morning was cool and beautiful with fog on the bay. By late morning the day warmed up to low-70's and the sun came out. Incredible scenery made this feel like a fast run. There were only a few gentle hills. The turnaround point was the largest and only lastest a 1/2 mile at most. It far exceeded my expectations for an out and back run. Good support from the spectators and genuinely nice runners made for an enjoyable experience. The race itself had an abundant amount of Gu stations and the post-race food was the best I have ever had (3 previous marathons). For my first time in Traverse City, I loved the place. Get hotels early, they book up!

This was my 6th marathon and I drove up from Chicago to check out Traverse City for the first time. Race aside, it's a great place to bring the family for a weekend getaway while you feed your running addiction :) I heard it was beautiful but I can't gush enough about the scenery. I was afraid I'd trip myself looking over my shoulder at the bay, just stunning! Very well organized and great crowd support, especially with the way the course is laid out. Read my full recap with pics here: http://surelyjoking.com/2014/05/27/bayshore-marathon-race-report/

The Bayshore Marathon is quite possibly the only out and back course that I enjoyed running. It was a beautiful and scenic run. The expo was small and simple. It was easy and quick to pick up my racing packet. It was great for the marathon to able to provide spectator shuttle buses so that my son and wife were able to see me along the course. I would HIGHLY recommend that people would choose to run this marathon. Especially, if you are shooting for all 50 states like I am. Go to Moomer's Ice Cream afterwards. They have been voted Best Ice Cream in America and it's pretty darn good.

This is my favorite race and I will run it every year as long as I am able to do so. Great aide on the course awesome volunteers and you cannot get a better course. My only complaint is I wish they would change up the medal and shirt other than changing the color

Once again Bayshore does not disappoint. Perfect weather, wonderful people, and that beautiful course! And thank you Traverse City Track Club for putting on a great race.

All around well organized, well run marathon. There are obvious issues with the timing of half marathon walkers and faster marathon runners intersecting late in the race but except for some of the narrower portions of the course I didn't find it too big of a deal. I was pretty impressed that the TCTC is able to bus out 1/2 marathoners to the start and bus spectators along the course in a timely and well organized fashion. Course is scenic, fairly flat, and fast. Weather was warmer then anticipated but even though it was a 'hot' May morning for northern Michigan it was still cool along the water. Competition is fairly fast for a race of only around 2500 marathoners and there were a good amount of supporters along the out and back course. I look forward to being able to run this race again in a couple years

A Positive Running Experience To begin with, by the time I got serious about registering for this race, registration was closed. I joined the wait-list. Within a day I was offered a spot to run, but had to complete registration by the subsequent midnight. This has been a popular race among people I have talked to who had run it earlier. Registration was at the high school, and the parking lot was very full, with lots of traffic. Still, once inside, the registration process was very smooth. There were three events, and it was a buzz of activity. But everything was well organized and there were an abundance of volunteers (something that was true throughout the marathon event). The check-in process continued to Saturday morning and another runner I spoke with said the Saturday process was streamlined and efficient. The race started and ended behind the high school complex, close to Northwest College. The start line was crowded, with some 2700 runners, but that was anticipated. Still, the people noise was so loud you could not hear the P.A. announcer. Half way through the National Anthem, the crowd finally quieted down. Then when start time approached, the noise had returned and we could not hear anything about the start of the race. After about 30 seconds or so, the people just started moving ahead, and we were off. The course exited the campus and connected to a residential area  several different roads, but the roads  all closed for the race  followed the shore of the East Bay going north. The course was out and back. The volunteers were ever-present. The aid stations were well stocked with water and Gatorade fluids, and most had gel and a carb snack called chomps  kind of like gummy bears or gum drops; one station had M&Ms too (that was my favorite!) Some of the residents offered their beer, and some played music; I told one guy it reminded me of being in high school again. Some of the neighbors were having as much fun as the runners were. Much of the course was shaded, but on the return trip, the sun was in our face  I did sustain some sun-burn on my left side, face and shoulder. Still, some shade was available later in the course too, but near the end. It started out being sweatshirt weather, but quickly warmed up, probably to near 70 by mid-day. The finish line was very well done. Ice cream was available in multiple flavors; there were cookies, chips, and fruit too. Variations of Granola bars were also available. I met several first time marathoners on this course (or before the race). This was a popular race and I can see why. They brought a lot of people together in the community to host this event, and they took great effort to make this event a great marathon experience. A very memorable marathon event. Well done!

This was my third marathon. It was a beautiful course, just enough spectator support, and had great on course aid stations. Flat and fast which I like since I train on a flat prairie path outside of Chicago. If felt like a Big Sur of the midwest with the views of the shore and blue water. Perfect weather and smaller field but enough to still have an exciting atmosphere. I ran the Chicago marathon the fall before Bayshore and it felt claustrophobic at times with the amount of people running and spectators. This was a nice, quiet race on a beautiful course with no need to weave in and out of people. Much more my style. Next year I will do packet pickup the morning of the race. Parking at the expo was a nightmare and it really was just a pick up of your packet and leave. No real gear to browse for. Traverse City is a beautiful little town with nice scenery,a cute downtown and winery's. Book your hotel early. We stayed at the Great Wolf lodge and they had a free shuttle for runners which was nice so the family could sleep in and meet me at the finish line without having to drag the kids out of bed. It was also nice to have a fun family place to go to as my kids liked having a fun trip at a waterpark hotel. Overall a fantastic race that I'll be running again this year.

Loved the course and amenities. What a beautiful way to spend a weekend morning. Course was almost completely flat with a couple tiny hills. Weather was perfect, and you finish with a huge bowl of Moomer's ice cream, voted by Good Morning America as the country's best. Would love to run with a pace group, but can't have everything. Although some people don't like out and back, I liked that you were passing other runners almost the whole way, and could look for people that you know. Traverse City is a fun place to spend the weekend. Race staff was extremely helpful to me and deserves special kudos. I will be coming back.

I ran the full marathon in 2013. This was my 5th marathon and my favorite by far. PROS beautiful course along Lake Michigan small field of runners, never crowded great weather for 2013 ample water stations and great volunteers passing out water and gu brew flat, fast course- a few very small hills, but nothing noticeable great finish on high school track *** possible CONS crowded expo with not a lot of parking- I got there early and was in and out quickly, but as I left, the lines were forming not a lot of spectators- this didnt bother me, the course isnt easy to access, however the race does have transportation for specatators along the course which is nice

This was the first time I ran the Bayshore Marathon, and I had a great time. It was a sunny day with cool temperatures, and the scenery along East Grand Traverse Bay was spectacular. The route itself was fairly flat with an occasional small hill, and I think it should be relatively easy to PR here. The Bayshore Marathon was a welcome change from big city marathons in that you're not stuck in large crowds that can impede your progress. The volunteers at the aid stations did there jobs well, and there were enough spectators along the out-and-back route to give me a morale boost every now and then. Traverse City and the surrounding area are a great place to relax, drink wine (there are a lot of wineries there), and enjoy the scenery. Pros: Scenic, flat, and well-run marathon. Very nice finisher medal. Beautiful vacation destination. Cons: Hotels are pricey. Book early after registering for the marathon.

It bothered me greatly that there was no moment of silence for those who lost life and limb in Boston. The course is not flat, but that's okay. No swag except for a pair of socks. Lots of water, but the Gatorade was watered down, which was weird. Good crowd support. Finisher's medal is boring. Don't care for out and back races, but I knew that going in. Also no pace groups for those running slower than 10 minute miles.

This was my 25th marathon and I really enjoyed it. Weather was in the high 30s to start. Finished in the mid-50s. Sunny, no wind, ideal conditions. The majority of the course is shaded so sun wasn't an issue. Course is scenic, run along the bay out and back. Logistics are good. 7:15am start time. Got to the start about an hour early and parked in a strip mall parking lot by the high school. Walked to start about 1/2 mile away. No pace groups which surprised me. This is a smaller marathon (about 2000 finishers) but not that tiny to not have pacers. No expo just a packet pickup at the high school, but who needs an expo. I dinged the organization one star as I wrote the race director 3 weeks prior asking for a deferrment to next year due to health issues during training. He said no citing a May 1 cutoff which I've never heard of before. But I'm glad he said no as I enjoyed it and BQ'd easily. I still dinged him though. Chocolate milk, ice cream, and tons of baked goods at after race. The course, weather and logistics are the best thing about this marathon. Would definitely recommend it.

This was my first time running the full although I have run the half here twice. It was a great experience. The weather was perfect as it usually is and the course is very scenic. It is gently rolling along the bay shore (hence the name). You finish on the H.S. track which is always a plus. Only a couple of cheer zones because of logistics on the narrow peninsula, but lots of people at the aid stations and a number in their front yards. Lots of fun. Great relaxed atmosphere at the finish. Cholalate Milk and Ice Cream. Rumors of Beer, but I didn't think to look.

I enjoyed everything about this event. The weather was perfection and the course breathtaking. It was so nice to run on a road entirely closed to traffic. Volunteers were friendly and encouraging. Loved the royal blue tech shirts and finisher's medal depicting the path and bay. Traverse City has charm for days. There's no shortage of great dining options. The pasta feed the night before had a wonderful spirit. Desserts were all homemade by volunteers. Run this one!

I used to love this race, but their change to using gun times instead of chip times for a race this crowded is ridiculous. It's not a fair race if someone has a 3 second or 3 minute head start. The race director's response on the race website was to copy & paste some rules meant for elite athletes who start at the same time. I know several people who will not run this race again because of this.

This was a well done marathon. Packet pickup was well organized but there is no real expo, no real swag. The tech shirt is good but not outstanding and the finisher's medal is nice but not memorable. There are hotels located within 2 blocks of the start and finish which make things convenient. However, I would not recommend the Best Western Four Seasons, try the Cambria Suites instead. All the local hotels seem to raise the rates to unfortunate prices. I would like to see the race directors negotiate some hotel discounts. The course is out 13 miles and back 13 miles and pretty darn flat. If I remember correctly the high and low points are only separated by 20 feet. Somebody below posted something about hills. 20 feet does not a hill make. The first 2 miles the road is a little bit rough with some pot holes and broken pavement but not too bad. Previous comments about the camber of the road were not an issue. There are a couple spots where there is a bit of camber at the edges of the road but no one is stopping you from running in the middle of the road. One of the advantages of this course is no traffic. You have the whole two lanes to yourself. The water is visible for most of the course and there is a decent amount of shade on the course for those sunny event days. Half marathon runners start at the far end of the course and run towards you. They might be a factor for really fast runners but for the 4 hour marathoner, you will catch some of the half marathoners but they don't get in your way. The race is large enough that you are not alone and small enough that you don't feel too crowd weaving around slow people. The spectators are few but enthusiastic. Overall, this race is well done and I have no big complaints. In case you don't know, this is the cherry capital of the world. You can walk to the downtown area and visit some of the local shops selling trail mixes with local cherries that are downright delicious! They make great a great purchase to bring home with you.

This was a wonderful marathon experience from start to finish for me. As others have commented, packet pickup was crowded, but it was close enough to our hotel that we could walk to it without much hassle. The course itself was great, a simple out-and-back along the lake with breathtaking views of the bay. It's shaded along much of the route; I'd say maybe only 2-3 miles were in full sun, and it was well-supported with aid stations offering water, gatorade, Gu, candy, and soda (and some 'unofficial' ones offering beer and wine from a local vineyard). There are a couple of gently rolling hills on the course, but definitely nothing significant in the way of elevation change. It's really quite flat, and definitely a PR-type of course if you can handle the mental challenge of an out-and-back marathon route. As far as spectators go, there were quite a few clusters along the course, at least while I was running (finished under 3:30), and the local support was AWESOME! There were a few houses along the way that were passing out ice-cold towels to runners and some offering hoses to cool yourself off if needed. This year's shirt (2012) is a really nice design, and the medal is definitely my favorite (I like it even more than my Boston Marathon medal). The post-race refreshments were perfect for a warm early-summer dayice cream, watermelon, lemonade, and homemade baked goods (even some gluten-free cookies!), plus the usual post-race fare. Overall, this is a great race put on by a local track club. It very much has a 'local' feel to it, but in my opinion, that's one of the best things about it. I'm definitely planning to run this one again!

In terms of scenery, this has been the most beautiful course I have run so far. The organization was good but I must agree with a previous runner in regards to the traffic and parking issues at the expo. The Bayshore Marathon merchandise at Runners Fit was not on sale and this was a disapointment because they had a lot of Bayshore Marathon apparel but at elevated prices. The spectators were sparse but loud. I was concerned during the first half of the race because it was getting hot and the sun was really shining, but, thank God it got overcast on the second half with perfect conditions. I did not find the course hilly at all and I am from Miami, Florida where you can hardly find a hill. Overall, this is a great marathon to run on Memorial Day weekend and I highly recommend it.

First off, if your looking for a visually beautiful course go no further than Bayshore. The packet pick up was easy and effective, so no worries there. Race morning you need to be sure to use the restroom before you get there. The school has all (except a couple single stall) bathrooms closed. The porta potties have lines that are rediculous. All in all, you'll have that at races... The course has spectator view points but some people had a hard time getting out or were turned away. My wife was able to get out and about (via our car and a shuttle the race set up) and enjoyed watching. Spectators as a whole were limited to the 4 (or so) spectator points, so it got pretty quite out on the course at times. My biggest beef with the race was the mash up of half marathon runners and the marathon runners colliding. I finished in the top 15 and it was hell trying to get through all the half marathoners. It seemed they divided the two events in the last half mile, but the problem started about 4-5 miles back. I'm sure there were some frustration on both the half and full marathon runners alike.

Can't get much more scenic than this. Course runs along shore of Lake Michigan. Nice, flat, fast course. Weather was 55-60 degrees and sunny. I wish they had a better organized pre-race bag and pickup program. Also, the packet pickup was a nightmare in the parking lot. We were stuck there for over an hour. But other than that it was well organized. Lots of water and GU support during the race, at practically every mile. I'd definitely do this one again.

My first Bayshore and I'll be back. This gets it all right from the big things - great course, awesome logistics, nice size (good energy but not crowded) - to the details of the great swag (love the socks), dedicated organization and volunteers. Of course, helped this year with perfect weather but in any weather this is among that top tier of marathons that are worth travelling for.

Others can comment about the great course, fantastic weather, beautiful scenery, and friendly fans, but I want to say that I've never seen a more enthusiastic, supportive group of volunteers. From the check-in to the numerous water stations along the course to the people at the finish line, this race had plenty of volunteers who were absolutely fabulous. You guys showed Traverse City at its friendliest best and you should be really proud of what you have put together. My hat is off to you. Thanks so much for making the Bayshore Marathon an A+ experience.

Bayshore 2012 was my second marathon, and I will definitely be coming back. If you are from Michigan, you already know that nothing beats that 'up north' feeling on a holiday weekend. TC Track Club hosts a great race, and running up and down Old Mission peninsula was a thrill. Everything about the race seemed well thought out and well executed. Support on the course was enthusiatic. Packet pickup was efficient, but I was a little dissappointed that there was no Expo to speak of. I came prepared to spend money. The course was wonderful - great scenery and mostly flat. The out and back format really works, especially if you are running with a team as I was. It's really nice to be able to give out high fives to teammates before and after the turn-around. The only negative comment I have is that the half-marathon walkers in the race (and there are many) seem to generally be either unaware or unconcerned that walking 3 abreast across a narrow road was poor etiquette. Having to expend energy in miles 20-26 passing the groups of walkers carrying on a conversation in the middle of the road was a bit disconcerting to me. The race organizers were definitely aware of the problem, because it was always mentioned in the newsletters leading up to the race. Maybe get some marshalls out on the course moving the walkers to the side of the road? Other than that, great race! Well done TCTC!

This is my favorite race of the year. I did the full in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and did the half this year. I will come back as long as I am healthy enough and can afford to. The course is awesome and I love Traverse City. I came here to register a complaint about the awards procedure. A friend of mine ran a chip time that placed him third in one of the older age groups and fourth by gun time. He was denied the third-place age group award. The race organizers said that it's USATF rules to issue age group awards by gun time. The USATF, in fact, says nothing about how to issue age group awards. The USATF does have rules for gun time to be used for overall winners and prize money, for qualifying for the Olympic Trials and for national records - except in masters age groups, when chip times are acceptable, as fast 60-year-olds are unlikely to line up in the front row. There was nothing listed on the race's web site that awards are based on gun time. Every other race I've done - including Boston - uses the chip for gun times. Race organizers quickly posted something on the web site saying that gun time is used for awards, as per USATF rules, then took some USATF rules out of context. They quoted this line: 'Chip/net times cannot be used for qualifying.' It was a policy about qualifying for the OLYMPIC TRIALS, not for winning age group awards. That policy actually adds that 'special consideration' may be given for chip times in some cases. They are covering their butts and not doing a good job of it. The person denied the age group award is very well-connected and was able to get volumes of evidence to the contrary from respected people in the industry. Bayshore's stance on chip times is that it's basically an 'FYI' for runners. I actually was able to use chip times for Bayshore to qualify for Boston - though my gun time would also have worked, I was seeded according to the chip. The BAA is fine with chip times. Bayshore actually has signs at the start for people to line up according to their pace. However, if competitive age groupers have to worry about gun vs. chip times, you could see 50-, 60- and 70-year-old competitive men and women crowding their way to the start line with the young speedsters, making a congested start an even worse disaster. None of this will ever affect me, as I'm not likely to ever place in my age group here. This is a very competitive race, which is awesome.

This course is all it is cracked up to be. The 2012 race gave us sun at the start and cloud cover on the run back and was nearly perfect. Others have written about the camber in the road. I didn't have trouble with it and it wasn't a big deal. I found the spectators (who were clustered at certain points) and residents (who were out plentifully, with tunes and cheering) to be a wonderful addition. The miles simply rolled by for me. The friendliness of the locals, the volunteers and fellow runners was terrific. I would advise you to register the day it opens...this race fills up very quickly, for good reason. If I had any suggestion for the organizers it would be to re-think packet pick up. It was a crush of people, gridlock of traffic to get to the high school the night before. The small city of Traverse City just isn't built for such a crunch. Finding a different site, nearer the mall, for example, would really improve that. I enjoyed my time at this race a lot. It's reputation is well deserved.