Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon

This is a race to get your BQ. It is well organized with a limit of about 300 runners - all of whom seemed to have a shot at their BQ. 75% of the runners achieved their BQ times. The start is organized so you can find other runners targeting the same time as you. This makes it easy to run with a group throughout the race and support each other. I liked that it was a loop course, 6 4-mile loops with hydration every 2 miles. It is not pancake flat, but I felt the very slight rolling spots on the course gave welcomed variety. Much of the loop is shaded so you aren't baking in the sun. since it is a loop course, there were a surprising number of spectators cheering the runners on.

The weather was unseasonably warm and humid this year. Obviously nothing the race director could do about it, but it was a real bummer to be expecting 53 degrees and low humidity, and instead run in 68 degrees and high humidity. It really seemed to affect finish times as the percentage of BQ's was less than half the historical average - and the DNF percentage was through the roof at something like 25%. The 6-loop course seemed like a plus and minus for me. It was kind of nice to know what was coming up, but it did get a bit monotonous after a while. On the (big) plus side, the multiple loops are what make the custom water bottle concept possible, which was awesome! I loved not having to carry anything the entire race - and I was able to get all my carbs through the personal sports drink I had on the tables - no gels to choke down. To me, that's the biggest positive for this race. The biggest negative is that the course is not closed. I passed numerous joggers, cyclists and baby strollers. This made it really hard to run the tangents, because you never knew whether you were about to collide with someone coming around the corner going the opposite direction. It seems like it would be fairly easy to get that course closed for the race, because the entire race is on a path through a nature park - no actual roads to deal with. With that one qualifier, I though it was a very well-organized race.

I entered this race for the time of year and last chance BQ. The race is a six loop course on a recreational trail that is asphalt. The course was ok, but it sure was mentally tough for me. There was a hill that was in the course that sure did get to me after about lap 4. Water station was pretty cool because you were able to prepare your own bottle for each lap. Very cool! Nice shirt and medal. The last lap to go back to the start/finish line was confusing to me and could have been marked perhaps with a banner so you would know exactly where to finish on your last lap....I did have one runner pass me wondering where to turn to finish and he explained to me he was on mile 26.5...poor guy. Also, this lap course is also open to general public during race so be prepared for baby strollers, bicyclists, recreational walkers/runners. I was not aware of this until the race was going. At the water stations, it would be nice to have water in white cups and gatorade in gatorade cups at the water stations. Also, would have been nice to have a host hotel for the race. I guess my expectations for this race were high but I was not impressed nor disappointed. I doubt I would return.