May 16, 2024
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☰
Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon) Runner Comments
Back to Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon) Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 222 [displaying comments 81 to 91]
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J. Y. from NY, NY
(5/29/2008)
 "Interesting Race" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Weather turned out to be pretty good - cool winds, not too sunny. The course probably averaged out to be fairly flat but there were some steep hills. Nothing too long, but they were sharp... and how about running over the pedestrian overpass towards the end? That was not fun at all. They could have put more porta-potties at the start and also along the route. For a smaller race though, it was very well organized and I would recommend it to anyone interested in it. | |
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E. F. from Palo Alto, CA
(5/29/2008)
 "Very enjoyable, but not flat" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a very well-organized event. I felt supported the entire way and the course was varied and interesting. As an out-of-towner, I wished the expo was located downtown. Also, put me with those who say that this course has a fair amount of hills - not monsters, but enough to challenge you a bit. I enjoyed the restaurants downtown, especially Tutto's and Portabella. Either one is great for a filling pre-race meal. | |
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M. T. from Madison WI
(5/28/2008)
 "More Speed Humps" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)s
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 My hometown race is the worst of the bunch. I've run the half and full marathon several times and I'm amazed at the crazy route. Madison is a beautiful place to run with great paths and great scenery, but this run is killed by speed humps, bad roads (cambered streets), loops around cones, circle walking bridges, 90-degree right turns, 90-degree left turns, bad mile markers, and more speed humps. Then, to make matters worse, you have to pass half marathoners, walkers and others through several parts of the race. To put a cherry on the cake, the food line was log-jammed with people, and marathoners couldn't get to the drink without waiting. I'm very embarrassed for Madison because this should be a great place to run. | |
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M. U. from Houston, Texas
(5/28/2008)
"GREAT MARATHON!!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the Madison Marathon this weekend, and recommend it strongly! I was struck by the beauty of the city, which the course well highlights. The spectators, officials and volunteers were supportive and friendly. Having previously run "mega" marathons (with more than 15,000 runners), I enjoyed the smaller Madison course, which meanders frequently onto very pleasant and enjoyable running/bike trails. The only things for participants to be aware of are: 1) For fairly lengthy stretches of the final half marathon the course runs through very beautiful and naturalistic arboretum areas - but difficult to reach for spectators, which naturally diminishes support in those locations; 2) Much of the course is run on roads that remain open to vehicular traffic (though with a ~6' lane for the runners marked by frequently ignored orange cones). | |
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J. B. from Moline,IL (USA)
(5/28/2008)
"Pleasant" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I enjoyed the race. Very nice course... hilly, but recovery has been good for me because I was able to change muscles. | |
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D. E. from West Des Moines
(5/28/2008)
 "nice, small marathon" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The weather in late May makes this race very unpredictable but I'm glad I ran the marathon in 2008. Running through the beautiful neighborhoods, around campus and through the arboretum made for nice variety. Except for the stretch in the arboretum, the spectators were spread out nicely. A couple of the hills were steep, but overall, not a big issue. The expo was on par with most marathons of this size. The finisher medal was very cheesy, and for the entrance fee they charge for the marathon, they could have spent a couple extra bucks. I never did find any food at the finish. I didn't look too hard but you shouldn't have to either. Overall, it was a great experience and I'd recommend this marathon to anyone looking for a smaller marathon. | |
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A. E. from Melbourne Beach, FL
(5/27/2008)
"Awesome course!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was an excellent race. The course was well shaded, and interesting, with a good mix of flats and rolling hills and terrains (asphalt, concrete, packed dirt trails). Packet pick up was a snap; aid stations were well stocked and manned; getting to the start was a breeze; and I was able to run free and clear without dodging and weaving by the end of the first mile. I am not a fan of big marathons, and I don't particularly care if there is spectator support. Madison is not a big race, and while there are a good number of spectators, it is (of course) nothing like Boston or other large races. However, Madison had the nice touch of putting runners' names on their bibs, and it was very enjoyable having people cheer for me by name. Like the previous poster, I also had some difficulty with using the potties at the start. Some method of giving priority to individuals of the earlier starting race would be helpful. | |
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Julianne Karow from Minocqua, WI
(5/27/2008)
"Amazing Event in a Beautiful Town" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first half marathon that I was walking in. The weather was perfect. Overcast, but made it perfect. Shuttle buses were great and ran smoothly. I was blown away by all the runners and spectators congratulating me and encouraging me to keep going. With their support I was able to finish. I feel there should have been more restrooms available. Once I even had to stop at a coffee shop because I could not go on. Also, the signage for half marathoners was not well marked. Next time I will carry a map, because I got lost a couple of times and feel I did closer to 14 miles. All in all, I felt it was very well organized. Water stations were plenty and volunteers were amazing. I had such a great experience, that I will walk the one in Fox Cities in September. My 35-year-old husband was diagnosed this year with Celiac Disease and I was doing this race to show him that life challenges can be overcome. I was a beginner walker three months ago. What a journey this has been in my life and am excited for the next one. | |
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Robert Sommer from La Porte, IN
(5/27/2008)
"Great course with a friendly atmosphere!" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The weather was fantastic this year to compliment the scenic course. Race-day transportation was easy, as was checking your bag. The aid stations were positioned well, with GU at three of the stations. (They ran out of GU at the mile 13 station because the half marathon went through it as well.) For a small race, lots of spectators were on the course cheering us on. The only part of the course that I didn't like was around mile 18, because you are all alone in a nature preserve and it gets a little lonesome. I would have liked more restrooms at the start next year (there were 16 porta-pots for over 5,000 runners). Overall, I would definitely recommend this marathon to beginners and veterans alike! | |
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N. G. from Plymouth, WI
(5/27/2008)
 "A nice and small marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Course: I enjoyed the different terrain we ran on, but one thing that made the course difficult were the sharp turns throughout. And the spiral ramps at about mile 23 were quite congested when I came through. I didn't mind running into the half marathoners towards the end of the run, but the BIKERS were all over the place, and that made it tougher. On two occasions I had to sidestep a biker trying to get started on the course to bike next to their participant. This wouldn't have been a big deal at mile 4, but at mile 24 it got under my skin a bit. Overall, the course is nice, rolling, and very scenic. Organization: Getting to the expo on Saturday was a little difficult, as the traffic from Brat Fest was big. I thought the planning was great, with neat little add-ons, like the GREAT shirt and the spot to donate old shoes. Well done! Along the course, there were plenty of support and volunteers, and everything seemed to run flawless. Great work! Spectators: The finishing chute was fantastic. There were quiet parts, but again, you should know that going in. To be alone with your breathing in the Arb was neat. Earlier in the race, in the campus area, there was great enthusiasm, and even a beer stop! Great work! Overall, I'm not sure if I'd come back to Madison. As I mentioned, I didn't care all that much for the course. I would suggest others do it, however, as it's a neat way to see the city and the organization was fantastic. |
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