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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: 223 [displaying comments 111 to 121]
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S. A. from Norwalk, IA
(5/29/2007)
"When the weather is good..." (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I love the course. There are some hills on it, so come prepared. If you do, you'll have no trouble. I beat my personal best by 24 minutes on this course and qualified for Boston on it - so don't let anyone tell you it's hard. It's beautiful, with some rolling hills, lots of shade and great crowd support for the size of race it is. It's a small marathon with just over 1,000 runners so don't expect huge race packets filled with goodies or a gourmet post-race feast. Expect to bring some friends, have fun, and do well! Madison's a great city and there were people cheering runners on the whole way. The spectators kept me smiling - one group was offering beer to participants, which was hysterical! I wish there was a way to more formally thank the spectators - they really made me feel good! I thought the race organizers did a much better job this year and took the criticism from last year seriously. There were more aid stations (THANK YOU!), more port-a-potties along the route, no race day registration (WOOHOO!!), and they changed up the course a little bit. The one little bit of criticism I have is the runners' area after the marathon. There was a changing area for men and women but due to the wind the tent was less than private (in fact not private at all). Next year, let's do a better job with that - and maybe get showers on-site?? Otherwise - bravo! A fun run in a great city. Also - side note - I don't understand people's frustration with Brat Fest. It's a BALL! It's so much fun to hang out (and quite a lot of the runners from various events do), cool off, listen to some good local music, and eventually eat a brat or two for a good cause. Honestly, Brat Fest is half the fun!! | |
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Josh Dietsche from Madison, WI
(5/29/2007)
"New Management - MUCH IMPROVED - Give it a chance!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I live in the Madison area and had run the 1/2 marathon twice prior to this year. And believe me, no one was more critical of this event than I. But it was convenient and a nice course, so I was willing to look past terrible organization. With new management in place this year, I decided to give the full marathon a shot and I'm glad I did. The full course is very nice - not dead flat, but no killer hills. Some stretches aren't the most scenic, but there are some very pretty areas (if you have the energy to look around). Overall I think the course is very good. Crowd support could be better, but I thought it was better than in past years. And my compliments to the organizers. All of the most pressing problems from the past were solved. Miles were clearly marked, water stops were well staffed, and the finish area was much better compared to years past. There's still some room for improvement, but I would recommend this marathon to anyone. I've run New York and Twin Cities prior to this. Don't expect the same type of experience... Madison is still a small marathon (about 1,000 finishers this year). But Madison's a great, active city with a lot of athletes willing to participate and support events (for instance, the 100K championship was here this spring and we host an Ironman in the fall). After the 2006 debacle, I think many took a "wait and see" attitude with the new management. I think the success of this year will bring increased numbers and crowds next year. A marathon on the way up... get in now! | |
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Jim White from Chicago
(5/29/2007)
"Great smaller marathon - but watch the hills!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A lot of the comments about the 2006 race scared me, but a lot of it looked to be about a bad weather day. This year's race had perfect weather and it was a fantastic experience. The race organizers really listened to suggestions made here and elsewhere about previous issues and appeared to correct them (I say "appear" because I did not observe the problems last year myself). I thought the course organization was top-notch - comparable to Chicago (which I have run 4 times). Plenty of aid stations, great volunteers, easy to manage expo, and smooth transportation to the start at the capitol. I can't think of one criticism. A huge thumbs up to the organizers of this race. The course is absolutely beautiful, but a lot of hills. The crowds also are thin in places, especially in the arboretum. If a flat course and lots of people cheering are important to you, then go to Chicago. But, if you want a serious runners' race with a more personal feel in a great city, go to Madison. I strongly recommend it for the serious runner looking to challenge themselves to the next step after running a relatively easier race, such as Chicago. | |
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F. R. from Germantown, Wi.
(5/28/2007)
"What a Great Marathon" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great experence! The Mad City Marathon was a great run. The course was nice and flat, which was a real plus. The route was planned to show us runners how beautiful the city of Madison is. We ran past lakes through parks and the university. The people of Madison were also a very supportive group that helped us get through our run. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year. | |
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Jeremy Duss from Cottage Grove, WI
(5/28/2007)
"Beautiful Course - No Real Issues." (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My first Madcity/Madison Marathon. I loved the course, the spectators were good, and the organization was nothing memorable (that's a good thing). Honestly, This course had some great sights, and if you live in the area, you should check it out. It also finishes at BratFest, which is a pretty awesome way to have lunch after a marathon. Only complaint is about the shirt... which I think sucked. Most of us have lots of race shirts though, so no big deal. I will be racing this one again. | |
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S. B. from Milwaukee
(5/28/2007)
"Excellent event; well organized... will run again" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the half marathon. The course is almost 50% on natural trails. Route next to the lake is refreshing and the weather was almost perfect. Number of water stations along the way made it easier for the runners. Having medals awarded at the finish line was a nice touch!! Great support teams and excellent cheering along the way. There was a radio station cheering the marathoners... I think 91.7 FM. I even saw someone with pom-poms!!!! Thanks. I was a little surprised about the long lines in front of the portable potties in the beginning of the race. | |
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J. D. from Wisconsin
(5/28/2007)
"2007 fixed most of the past problems" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)s
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This race was the first marathon I ever ran back in 2005, so I had nothing to compare it to back then. I missed the 2006 race, which I believe was the first year under a new organization, and read a lot of comments here about how terrible it was. (Reading those comments, the only reason I decided to run this year was because I had done it previously and knew it couldn't have been that bad.) Well, I just completed the 2007 Madison Marathon, and let me tell you, if it really was that bad last year, they seem to have fixed most everything (including the weather!). They eliminated race-day registration, which resulted in the race starting on time. Water stops were plentiful, gel/fruit stops were as well, and as I stayed around until they closed the course, I can tell you they had medals for all finishers (although the crowd had dwindled to just a few by the 6:00 hour mark). Pluses: First names were on the bib numbers so spectators could cheer you by name and the finish line announcer calling names over the PA system; pace runners for the first time (in 10-minute intervals from about 3:20 up to 5:00 I think); free post-race massages; and an improved refreshment tent (bananas, oranges, bagels, turkey, yogurt, and even pasta). They even addressed the issue with closing the course last year but not notifying runners with a colored-flag system at each of the aid stations. Room for improvement: like most marathons, more bathrooms at the start of the race and over the first 5-6 miles of the course would be helpful; spectators, although enthusiastic, were not as plentiful as at other races, COLD water at the finish would be nice (why not store them in ice and only bring out a few cases at a time, rather than keeping the entire supply out in the sun?), and COLD beverages at the aid stations and finish line. And why do all marathons always have the lime Gatorade - how about the orange, grape or fruit punch? All in all, a great event that appears to be vastly improved from last year. Congratulations to the 2007 organizers and thanks for listening to the feedback from last year. | |
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M. C. from SE Wisconsin
(5/27/2007)
"I had fun" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Before signing up for this run I read the comments on last year's race. Most of the comments were negative so I was a little leery but decided to do it anyway. The weather was perfect and everything seemed to be well organized. Water stops were plentiful and there were a couple Gu stops too. The second half of the course was pretty scenic and I loved running (in my case walking briskly) through the Arboretum. A lot of comments seemed to complain about finishing at the Brat Fest, but I wasn't bothered by it at all. There were plenty of water and Gatorade at the finish, as well as bagels, fruit and some other stuff. The only complaint I have - and it's pretty minor - is that there were no goodies in the goodie bag. A coupon for a free brat would have been cool. If you live in Wisconsin, I'd say this one is a must-run. If you're from out of the state, Madison's a nice town with lots of bike trails and plenty of things to do while you're there. | |
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Mark Vyvyan from Minneapolis
(3/18/2007)
"A little disappointing. . ." (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The weather in 2006 was obviously horrible, but you can't blame the organizers for that. The course is pretty good. It is a little lonesome in the Arboretum around 18. I thought the organization was okay, not great. Water stops were still okay for me (4:37 finish). Brat Fest and a marathon have no real logical connection. The festival goers make parking a hassle and resulted in me taking a 27th mile cooldown walk. Crowds are pretty small. My only other marathon is Twin Cities (twice) and there is no real comparison. I am trying Green Bay this year to see if that is better. | |
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M. L. from Chicago
(2/17/2007)
"Poorly Organized" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Madison Marathon (Mad City Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 I ran this race in 2005 with my brother. My brother was one of the slower finishers (4:45) and got a half marathon finisher shirt instead of a marathon finisher shirt. There wasn't much in the way of post-race refreshments for either of us. In 2006, I went there to watch him race. They gave out the shirts before the race. The heat was a big factor and they decided to "close the course" at 5:15. This consisted of stopping the clock. They did not, however, tell this to the participants. He ended up finishing in 5:45 and did not get an official time. I have no real problem with the closing the course because of conditions, but what's the point if you don't tell the racers. Not having water from 19-22 really is punishing. The course itself is pretty hilly. It is nice that it goes through the capital. Ending at Brat Fest sounds like a good idea, but the smells are a little disturbing at the end of the race. Refreshments again were a joke even compared to other 1/2 marathons and even 5Ks that I have done. |
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