Ocean State Marathon - Race Reviews

I have run quite a few marathons in all parts of the country. If this was not the worst, it was right at the bottom. I do not recommend this marathon. It simply was not well done.

First, I thought the hills at 19.5 and 22 were much tougher than shown on the map. (The fact that you run up Hill Street and in a neighborhood called 'The Summit' tells you something). Race organization was fine, the course scenery was okay with some nice sections and some bad ones, but those hills completely knocked the starch out of me. Some of the experienced runners said the course was designed to have a Heartbreak Hill at 21 similar to Boston. True? It poured the entire race this year, and the race organizers can do little about that, but it kept the spectators to a mininum. Not bad, but oh those late race hills!!!

Our group traveled all the way from Tulsa, Oklahoma to run this marathon. Why? Because Southwest Airlines flies there! First the problem areas: 1. Traffic control was horrible. I had to yell at several cars that pulled out of unmanned intersections in front of me. I was almost run down by a speeding black Cadillac in Roger Williams Park. (I promise I had not previously yelled at this car!). Many drivers were not courteous or understanding--lots of honking, gesturing and scowling. 2.The course markings, especially through Williams Park, were abysmal. The road wasn't closed, but the cones were so far apart that neither drivers nor runners knew which side of the road was proper to travel on! 3. There was apparently very little publicity about the race. No one we spoke to in Providence knew anything about it! Positives: 1.The police officers and volunteers that showed up were quite friendly, albeit in a rather dour New England way. 2. Except for the traffic problems, the organization was fine. The start near the State House was fabulous--although more porta-johns would be nice. Great medal! Good finish line assistance--but a free beer would have been appreciated. 3.Scenery, schmenery! Providence is a very interesting city, and this race gave this first-time visitor a very good tour of it. 4.The hills WERE challenging, but also interesting. Hello--it's a MARATHON! It's supposed to be difficult. 5. The fans were fine considering the awful weather. Hell--I was crazy to be running it. I never would have stood out there and watched it. Yankees have more sense than I expected. In short, the OSM is a unique alternative. If it gets a few additional sponsors (esp. a newspaper or P.R. firm) and a few hundred more volunteers, it will qualify for five stars. Providence itself was a good time. Great restaurants! Our group especially enjoyed our stay at the Jacob Hill Inn in nearby Seekonk, MA. Thanks Bill and Eleanora Rezek!

I found this race to be very well organized and executed (as opposed to some comments below - actually, A.D. and R.P. either ran the race together or are the same person!). The course does have hills, but New England is just a hilly place, and in light of that, this course is very fair. The pavement was rough and choppy in several places, but far better than other urban courses like NYC, for example. I personally had no trouble with traffic, and saw many fewer cars than normal along the route. Every intersection (for the marathon) had a volunteer or police officer, and I thought the course map was perfectly accurate - in fact, the elevation map shows more accurate detail than other race's elevation maps do. I know there was some trouble with the half-marathon course markings - a friend got lost. But this was the first year for the 1/2, so I imagine this will be fixed next year. Aid stations were terrific and volunteers were plentiful in spite of the unfortunate weather (cold, raining, windy). Support on the course was excellent. In response to A.D. and R.P.'s comments about the course not including lovely Benefit Street - there is almost no way to incorporate Benefit Street without adding a significant hill (either up or down), so I didn't mind that some scenic areas of the city weren't included. Community support for the race leaves something to be desired - spectators were sparse and the local press does not do a good job of getting local people excited about the watching or participating in the event. All in all, the race director and volunteers should be commended for the very good job they did with this local marathon.

Pasta dinner good. Great post-race food! Volunteers at the water stops very friendly. Course was not closed to traffic. I found that very unsettling, especially on a bad weather day. Many pot holes to watch for. The hill on Irving Street was not too bad once we got to it. There was a water station around 8 mile point that was on the opposite side of the street. I had to cut across live traffic to get water. My running partner and I noticed a spot on the same side as we that would have worked better. Was the sports drink Gatorade or Ultima? Volunteers were calling out 'Gatorade'. They promoted Ultima. Were are the spectators?? The course could be 'prettier.' Why not run near famed Brown U?

I ran in the half marathon and found that after the half split from the full, organizers seem to have ignored those running the half. There was no one to give directions and the roads were frighteningly busy. I ran off course once and had to stop to ask for directions twice. Come on. I'm originally from RI and was hoping to find the great race that I had read about in so many sources. Please make improvements so the marathon can survive.

There are a few hills in this course. The hardest hill comes around the 21-mile mark. It's their version of Heartbreak Hill. The other hills aren't too bad; mostly short and steep little things. The road surface was terrible for a good portion of the race. There were potholes and patches all over the road so you had to really watch where you put your feet. The roads were not closed to traffic either. The Sunday morning traffic wasn't bad, though. The course chooses to ignore the historic Benefit Street. This is a shame because it's the nicest street in Providence. They should include it in the route instead of sending us along the litter-strewn road that makes up miles 16-18. The spectators stayed home. There was nobody, and I mean nobody, out on the course. At the finish line there were fewer than 50 people. I suspect that this was largely due to the weather, though. It was rainy and windy. If you're looking for a fast Boston-qualifier, this is not the course for you. It has some hills, and a ton of turns. Having said that, Providence is a nice town to visit for a weekend.

This course has some hills. There are a couple of short sharp ups and downs in the first half of the race, some rolling hills in the middle at Roger Williams Park, and their version of Heartbreak Hill around mile 21. Although not extremely hilly, this course is far from flat. The quality of the roads was bad. There were lots of pot-holes and patched areas which meant that you had to pay attention to where you put your feet. Most of the roads were also open to traffic so you had cars driving beside you and cutting across the course in front of you. Many of the intersections were not staffed by police or volunteers. By far most of the drivers were courteous to the runners, but I prefer to have a course closed to traffic when possible. The traffic was light, though, so it's not that big a deal. Providence is a very pretty city, but the race course managed to avoid some of the nicer spots. It would have been nice to run along Benefit St. or through the Brown U. area, but we didn't do that. Roger Williams Park was nice as was the downtown area along the riverfront, but there were many other areas where there was nothing to see except highways and road litter. The spectators were non-existent. That may be due to the weather which was rainy and breezy. There were less than 100 people at the finish line and probably less than that throughout the entire first 26 miles. I would not recommend this marathon for anybody looking for a fast time due to the hills and the poor course selection. It was fairly well organized, though. It started on time. The water stops were adequate. Nothing special here. This was a below average marathon.

Moderately hilly course with a few scenic areas. Unfortunately, it also ran through some very rundown, trashy areas. There was a lot of glass on the ground from broken bottles and smashed car windows. The dangerous aspect was that they didn't close any of the streets, and cars were everywhere on the course. We ran next to city buses, semi-trucks and too many cars to count. Generally, the course ran with traffic instead of against it so you couldn't even see what was coming up behind you. There was very little traffic control. Most of the major intersections were staffed by police and volunteers, but none of the 100's of secondary side streets were blocked or protected. On a couple of streets barricades had been removed. Traffic cones marked the course, but they were so few and far between, and confusing enough for motorists that numerous cars were driving on the course. In many places cars were parked on the course and runners were forced to run into the street to go around them. If OSM doesn't improve either the course or road closures, then eventually someone will be maimed or killed running this race. I ran both races this past weekend, and a safer, more scenic alternative is Hartford, CT.

This course, as run this year, is unsafe. Streets open to traffic and more than a few unmanned intersections. Insufficient medical. Course maps were inaccurate. Police left dangerous intersections before 'legal' back-of-the-packers passed.

I entered the race with a PR of 3:21 and finished with 2:58. At first, I was kind of leery about all those hills shown on the elevation map, but it ended up being much ado about nothing. In a 5K race, it would have made a difference but over the marathon distance they were barely noticeable. My pace was consistent and I only lost about 5 seconds on the hills. The course is relatively flat, the organization is superb and the buffet after the race is awesome. I'll definitely do it again.

I did the 2002 marathon and have mostly good memories of it. It was miserable weather- rainy, windy and around 48 degrees, as I recall. The course was a little hilly at the end and there were a lot of turns. The loops through the park were awesome and the fan support was great. Lots of spectators- people on their front lawn, firefighters in front of the stations, etc. A very nice shirt and goody bag, completion certificate, medal, event commemorative magazine. Reasonable price, too. Race ends right at the Convention Center with tons of parking within a few hundred feet of the end. Start line is just up the street at the capital (I think). I didn't see any water at the start, so bring your own. I'd do this one again in a heartbeat. It takes you through so many communities of Providence- they're nice to see. RD Gerry did a real good job. With so many October marathons to choose from, this one is really worthwhile. And I am over my bitterness of missing a BQ time by <1 minute at this race.

I have run the 2002 Ocean State Marathon as my second marathon. I was disappointed in the small amount of participants and distraught over the lack of crowd support. The course is tough.

Completed: Hartford, New Jersey Shore Course: hills at end not too bad, similar to Hartford. Missed mile markers in early phases with crowds. All intersections controlled by spectators or police. Downtown Providence is gorgeous - good vacation destination! Organization: water/gatorade every 2-3 miles, baggage handling fine, at finish gave thermal blankets/medals/bananas & helped pull chip from shoe. Parked car at Conv. Ctr. 100 yds from finish. Fans: Rain & 52 F was temp, few that were there were outstanding. Net-net: am glad I did this one PR to boot!

Regarding the 10/13/02 running: Friendly local support, some very scenic sections (some bland, too), with enough rolling sections to keep all the muscles involved and give you a gooood workout (which also means you could do faster on flatter courses). A slow runner like me can welcome the significant downhills in the last 2.5 miles, but other faster runners may find them TOO long, steep and therefore quad-killing. Spectators — very friendly, supportive (in that sense a 4 or 5) but very sparse especially in such a concentrated city/residential course (hence the 3). Race officials, aid stations staff, police, other volunteers — among the BEST and friendliest I've seen (in 39 marathons). For various reasons it's changed dates, months, and courses over the years. This may have substantial influence on all these variables. Still, I gladly recommend this one.

This race is top notch and it was a pleasure to run. I was sad to see that there wasn't as much participation as in the past, but I think that is due to the change of date, which coincides with Chicago and a bunch of other marathons. It does not reflect the race or its organizers. I've run 16 marathons and this race has one of the nicest and most colorful LS shirts, a goody bag filled with a bunch of stuff you can actually use, a nice medal (the shape of the state- how cool is that), a beautiful course that is very volunteer and spectator friendly (they can easily get to and see you at multiple points along the route), the course also combines city and scenic running so you get a tour of Providence and its beautiful Roger Williams park and it is predominately flat with a few hills for variety and challenge, finish line is steps away from the post race activities in the Convention center which had free massages and the best soup I have ever had. They also had tons of drinks, mostacolli, and cookies. All of this for a mere $40. I've done Chicago..I'm from Chicago. It is a great race and the spectators are phenomenal; but I rather run a race that puts my entry free to use for me instead of paying elite athletes to come run it. This race is half the price of Chicago but turns out better amenities for us non-elite runners. Great job Gerry and your team of wonderful volunteers. Also, thanks to the bagpipers at various points in the race. That was a great treat and I admire you staying out there in the rainy drizzle.

Having lived and worked in Providence in the mid-'90s, I was eager to go back, and I'd heard good things about OSM. And when I learned they were changing the course this year to be entirely within the city of Providence, I knew 2002 was the year to run OSM. I was not disappointed. The course is a literal running tour of Providence, a fascinating, historic city that has made a big comeback in the last decade. The course starts next to the massive, white marble Statehouse and hits all of the highlights: downtown, the Providence Place Mall, Federal Hill, College Hill (Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University), Providence College, Roger Williams Park, the working waterfront, the East Side (including Blackstone Boulevard). It's probably not a PR course because of the number of turns, but it's extremely interesting visually and the terrain is varied enough to make it a bit of a challenge, with a couple tough hills in the final five miles. One great benefit to the course is the way it keeps looping out from the center city, then returning, making it easy for spectators and support teams to meet runners several times. It's even a benefit for unsupported runners, who get the illusion of more spectators cheering them on. The goodie bag, T-shirt and medal were all of high quality; post-race was well done, with plenty of drinks and snacks and people to help you get your chip off. Water tables were well-stocked with water and Gatorade and cheerful volunteers and there were regularly-spaced portajons and medical stations. Even the Providence drivers -- not known for their patience -- didn't seem to mind about having to wait for the runners to pass. If I haven't already made it clear, this is a great, great race. Among fall marathons in the Northeast, NYC will always stand alone, but if you've already done that or don't want the mega-race experience, I can't recommend Ocean State strongly enough. Race director Gerry Beagan and his staff do an awesome job. I was truly disappointed that entry numbers (below 1,000 this year) didn't reflect the quality of the race. C'mon, marathoners: Let's reward the effort Gerry and his people put into a great race!

Wanting to get Rhode Island as a state---I did this one---was pleasantly surprised--of the beauty of Providence-----and the friendliness of the locals----very WELL organized marathon---and great shirts---the town went all out to make us feel at home----this hillbilly will be coming back....

I lived in RI 20 years ago, so it was really nice knowing the whole course in advance. The headwind off the bay sucked, but the rest of the race was great--excellent organization and support, indoor accommodations start and finish. I'm not crazy about seeing the sponsor stick their name right on the event, but this sponsor (Brooks Pharmacy) really came through.

Another of New England's terrific fall marathons, this is faster than most. Well-run on a scenic course (which, I recall, had more Dunkin Donuts shops than any other marathon I've run!). Not too small and not too large: just right size. This may be your Boston qualifier!

I would recommend this marathon to anyone beginner or veteran. A very organized race and I had no trouble getting sports drinks or water during the run. Race helpers were very supportive and I couldn't have made it without them!!!! Thank you to all who helped make my dream run come true.

For a marathon with 1500 entrants, the organization was really good, aid stations had plenty of water and sports drink. For the most part, the course is fast except for miles 20 to 23. I would definitely run this one again. Nice finish in downtown Providence.

This was my first Marathon and I really enjoyed it. The course is basically flat up to mile 18 and then quite a few hills and one major one at mile 22. From about mile 24 it is basically a slight downhill. I would not recommend using this one for Boston however. The crowd support was light for most of the run, but there were large crowds at the start and finish of the race. The Volunteer support on the course was excellent. The only negative comment on the race is that they ran out of sports drink at many of the stations too early. If you finished in greater than 4 hours and didn't have Gu or some sort of Carbohydrate with you. You would've been in trouble.

Having run this race the past two years, I can recommend it to anyone. The organisation is first class, and the switch to the race finishing in Providence has turned a low key event into one with a much higher profile. I can't come back in 2000(Chicago beckons), but I will return to Rhode Island in 2002 for a 3rd crack at the course.