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☰
Grand Rapids Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Grand Rapids Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 329 [displaying comments 131 to 141]
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S. W. from Kentucky
(10/18/2010)
"GREAT! HIGH QUALITY!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The GR marathon is a great race. It is flat and fast, just like they say! The pace groups are awesome and the course is very nice. Aid stations were good and spaced just right. The course was a beautiful and it was nice to run in the city, forest, and out of town. Very nice mix. This race is very well run. The race director and staff are first-class. The post-race party was awesome. The weather was perfect. I have nothing but good things to say about the race and I would highly recommend the race. I can't wait to run next year! Thanks to 3:14 pace group!!! I set out for BQ and made 3:14:45. Thanks to Hank and the other pacers with the group. | |
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Darren Webb from Hebron, Ky
(10/18/2010)
"Good race, I'd do it again, but..." (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my 9th marathon and my 4th state in my quest for 50/50. Weather was terrific. The YMCA is a GREAT place to host this event and for the most part it was well run and well organized. Parking was easy (there are plenty of places), and hotel space was copious (we stayed at the Radisson on Ann St. 2 miles away and it was an easy commute down Turner Ave. to get to the parking lot at 6 a.m. - and a nice hotel too). The course is the flattest I've run. No "real" hills to speak of at all. Aid stations every 1.5-2 miles were well staffed and stocked. Plenty of fans on the course and probably the best running weather I've had for a race. Nice fall colors through miles 10-22. Negatives (and they are just minor gripes; like my title suggests, I'd do this race again if I return to MI): The course takes you through a paved trail in a park and around a lake... you're there for 13 miles. The scenery doesn't change; it's nice, fall colors on a paved, tree-lined path, but it just never changes and got boring really fast. I thought the course should have weaved through downtown a little more and they could utilize the bridges a little better (take it up to Ann St. and cross some of the other bridges other than just the one on Leonard). Post-race "party" kind of stinks. Food was kind typical (fruit, bagels, chips, cookies) but they advertised beer at the end (and people encouraged it throughout the course as well) and when I got to the end... "Oh, we're out of beer. Sorry." If you are going to advertise that, you had better damn well have it. Get a beer sponsor! No excuse for that. Other positives: expo was small but nice. RACE POSTER!!! Way to go - it's great! I love them and think every race should have them. Goody bag was well stocked, the YMCA is an incredible facility (best YMCA I've ever been in), the start and finish are flawless and easy to maneuver, and GR is a great, clean, safe town to visit. I definitely recommend this race to others. Fast and flat course should help you Boston qualify or set a PR (I ran my 2nd fastest time ever). - DW | |
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J. S. from Byron Center, Michigan
(10/17/2010)
"At mile 23 the GR skyline looms like Emerald City" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Grand Rapids Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The best part about the course is you come out of the woods around mile 23 into an open field and the GR skyline looms in the distance like Emerald City in the Land of Oz. Actually there are a lot of great things about it starting with the fact that it is run by people who love marathoning. Everything is exceptionally well organized. Spectator participation has greatly improved as the race has grown. I have run the full 3 times and the half once, and each time it has improved. It was also a beautiful day, which helps. | |
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Rick Hoover from Minnesota
(10/17/2010)
"Wow" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Awesome event but I wish the packs could have been broken up a bit. A five-star event. | |
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J. R. from Grand Rapids, MI
(10/9/2010)
"LOVE YOU GUYS!!!" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Grand Rapids Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 After running marathons in other states, I quickly found out how lucky we are to have one of the best organized races here in Grand Rapids. We are truly spoiled to have such a great marathon! Every detail has been well planned out and it is obvious it is put together by runners who have a true passion for the sport. I can't say enough about how much I look forward to running this event each year. | |
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B. T. from Chicago, IL
(2/20/2010)
"Excellent, flat, fast marathon" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is an extremely well-organized, personable, small marathon. If you are looking for a PR, this is your race. I wasn't expecting to run a PR after running a marathon 2 weeks earlier, but I had an unreal day and took a couple of minutes off my best. It's really a beautiful course that covers a lot of different terrain from urban city streets to country roads, fields, parks, woods, and along the river. It keeps things interesting and mentally made it easy to break the course down into smaller chunks. There are a few small hills, but nothing devastating. The expo is pretty good for a small race. If you need a lot of crowd support, this isn't your race. Even in locations where there were lots of people, spectators were pretty quiet and seemed to be only looking for their own runners. Really great finisher's medal and long-sleeved Brooks technical shirt. Overall a fantastic race. Thanks to Don and the entire Grand Rapids crew for a great weekend. | |
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Angel Dean from Grand Haven, MI
(12/11/2009)
"Wonderful Race!" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 2 Grand Rapids Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is my second marathon, and the second time I've run GR. I considered running Detroit this year, but my experience was just so positive that it was difficult to pass up the opportunity to run this one again. The shirts are awesome, the food is wonderful (beer and chili, etc.), the fans are enthusiastic, and the course is pretty. The pace teams are great and even the e-mail support leading up to, and following, the race are fantastic. They say your name when you finish, you get a sweet medal, and Don Kern shakes your hand. I wept tears of joy my first time, and this time wasn't any different. It is an experience like no other, and from what I can see of others' thoughts, I'm not alone in my opinion. I highly recommend this race. | |
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Denny Pewsey from Florida
(11/9/2009)
"Boston-bound, thanks to this race." (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Yes, because of running with the sub-four-hour pace group, I am now signed up for Boston. The pace group was my best help in this race, as there are no time clocks along the course. I only had to check my watch the first few miles to find that the pacers kept an exact nine-minute-per-mile pace the entire race. The entire race experience was first-class. The Amway Grand Hotel was exceptional, located on the course and allowed for late checkout. The town is a nice slice of America - a beautiful, friendly place to run an autumn race. The positive atmosphere, great weather, and terrific, flat course all helped me run faster and stronger than I ever have. | |
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C. D. from Michigan
(10/31/2009)
"Fast, Flat, Boston qualifier" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is the first time I have run this marathon. It is flat, fast and a good one to run for a Boston qualifying time. Not a lot of spectators once you get out of town, but it was peak color season and running along the river was beautiful. Would be nice to have more spectators along the last four miles - when you are hurting and want to die! Overall I think it a good race... and I qualified for Boston! Don (race director) was at the finish line shaking hands with everyone who crossed. That means a lot! | |
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Art Walker from Motor Home traveling the U.S.
(10/29/2009)
"Great course - super organization" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Grand Rapids Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Well laid out course along the Grand River. Excellent support at medical and water stops. Enthusiastic volunteers everywhere. Enough of everything and everything in its place demonstrates top-notch organization. Not many spectators, but because of the wealth of benefits, I didn't miss them. |
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