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Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon) Runner Comments
Back to Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon) Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.3 
Spectators 3.4
Number of comments: 181 [displaying comments 131 to 141]
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M. H. from Cincinnati, OH
(12/15/2006)
"Nice little low-key race" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 There's nothing especially exciting about this race, and sometimes that's just what you want in a marathon. Course is all rolling hills - they just keep coming but it's not a big deal if you're used to it. The first half is prettier than the second half but it's all really okay, although it would be nice if they could fix that uphill finish. The crowds are small but friendly. There are a lot of turns, especially in the second half, so it's not a good place to go fast. The many intersections you cross in the second half are staffed by police officers who make up for the lack of crowd support. I've never had to say "thank you" so many times before in a race. The aid stations are right where they are supposed to be but the first few could be a little better organized. I liked that they had clocks at every mile. The course was accurately marked except that mile 25 was in the wrong place (.2 off), and that could really mess you up if you were trying for a specific goal. Some music on the course, also very pleasant. They could do a better job with the course maps as it was a bit confusing for the relay teams as far as getting to their starting positions. The expo was not much. They also should consider revising their race theme as they really aren't doing very much with it (Thunder Road) and they might as well be sponsored by one of the local financial institutions instead. | |
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S. B. from South US
(12/14/2006)
"Pick this one for your NC race" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Having been from Charlotte (but not having lived there in 22 years), the marathon was a great reminder of what a beautiful city it is. The route showcases several impressive neighborhoods and beautiful downtown. It was neat running by the Carolina Panthers stadium right next to the Fox Sports RV (there was a game scheduled for the next day). Crowd support was pretty good, considering we had a record low of 17 degrees! The traffic control was SUPERB! NO CAR FUMES! The race and expo were well organized, but I have a few suggestions: 1. A more exciting finish - how about IN the Civic Center like they used to do for the Charlotte Observer 10K? That would be HUGE. 2. How about more tables of post-race food? There were loaves of bread where you could take a slice and fruit slices - come up with something unique like bags of Chex mix (checker flag symbolism here) or something and more to drink - hot chocolate?? 3. Have more race stuff with the logo on it - mugs, water bottles, key chains, etc. Overall, the course was not difficult (I qualified for Boston) but we felt the hills "later." It is a great December marathon and I would recommend it. | |
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J. R. from USA
(12/14/2006)
"Need to make race into an EVENT" (about: 2006)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Ran 1/2 marathon: Charlotte needs a first-class marathon. This will be it. This must develop into an exciting EVENT. The exhibition hall needs to have more directional signs to help runners before and after the race. The exhibition hall and finish line need food vendors, samples, race cars, music, drinks (think beer), etc., etc. and even more than one sponsoring clothing vendor. Keep developing it. Need a big sponsor. | |
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R. P. from Huntersville, NC
(12/13/2006)
"First time marathoner" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this race, my first marathon, last weekend. I don't have anything to compare it to, but as a runner it didn't leave me wanting anything else, other than by the time I finished there was nothing but some bananas, oranges and bread to eat. The course was very hilly and rolling, and the first half is much more scenic than the second half. Having water and Gu stops very often was great and the fan support seemed great to me too. There were people at almost every intersection cheering us on. | |
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M. L. from Tampa, Fl
(12/13/2006)
"Runner Friendly" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my first Thunder Road Marathon and probably not my last. The turnout was low for the runners as well as the community support, most likely because of the unexpected cold temps. All aid stations were well stocked and staffed; and there were actually four opportunities to take a GU, though all late in the race. The course included some rolling hills, but nothing steep or long, something this Tampa guy was thankful for. All in all it was an enjoyable course. Not enough spectators, but the folks who did venture out were very enthusiastic! The post-race area had bananas, oranges, breads, water and PowerAde... which was OK. But a nice hot bowl of soup would have been great. Even grilled hot dogs or sausages would have worked. Food for thought for future races. | |
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K. V. from Cary, NC
(12/13/2006)
"Nicely done marathon" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was a hard course for me and though I had done some training for hills, it obviously wasn't enough. Pretty course - especially the first half, which rambled through some nice neighborhoods. The police were fantastic. Not only did they do a great job controlling traffic and clearing the roads for the runners, but they were also friendly and encouraging. Tons of volunteers, and lots of friendly kids too. Spectators are sparse, but those who came out were great. The only complaint I have is that no one stopped me at the finish line to get my chip. I'm not exactly thinking straight at that point and usually there are people to make sure you don't go by without getting the chip cut off. No big deal I guess; I just have to pop it in the mail so I don't get charged. Overall a good experience. | |
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T. G. from Wisconsin
(12/12/2006)
"Nice, small marathon with rolling hills" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Had a great time in Charlotte. It's a nice small marathon with a racing theme. There are rolling hills throughout the whole marathon course. But they are manageable, because I PR'd by 4 minutes. The 3:30 pace team was right on, thanks Josh! There were plenty of water stops and porta-potties along the course. Traffic control was top-notch; seemed like there was a police officer at every side street blocking traffic. The only bad thing I could find about the race was that the Hilton, which was the host hotel, didn't allow late checkout on Saturday. But they did allow us to take showers at their health club after the race, so it wasn't really too big of a problem. An all-around good marathon experience. | |
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T. M. from USA
(12/12/2006)
"Accommodations" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The spirit of the marathon was there due to the runners. The course was hilly. The temperature was 18 degrees in the morning and it was hard to get motivated. To train for a marathon takes a lot of time. You take time to sign up for a marathon make a reservation and find when you get to the hotel. The Hilton Charlotte City Center was overbooked. They place you in a room the size of a bathroom with a bed that was close to the floor. No other rooms are available except a smoking room. Checking out of the Hilton I explained my situation and the Hilton accommodated me. It's hard to run a marathon and not be able to take a shower due to the check-out time. The Hilton in other marathons extends the stay. Heads up Charlotte. | |
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e. j. from nw ohio
(12/12/2006)
"challenging course, beautiful city" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The elevation chart displayed the course almost exactly as it indeed was. Rolling hills after rolling hills - continuous, but nothing too steep. The route was a very scenic, with some beautiful homes and communities along the way. Fantastic help from the local police and other traffic volunteers!! Spectators were sparse - a starting temp. of 18 degrees may have had a hand in that. Several of the fluid stops at the beginning were woefully understaffed and I found myself grabbing my own drinks at the first several stops. This is a tough course that brings out the pride in you as you push through the hills. This was my 44th marathon and it made me work hard to push through the late miles. Good race! By the way, the Hilton Center City was an awesome place to stay!!! | |
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K. M. from Columbia, SC
(12/12/2006)
"Cutting too many corners" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Charlotte Marathon (formerly Charlotte's Thunder Road Marathon)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 What was done well at this marathon: Police presence was excellent. They were everywhere and did a good job with all of the traffic. First half of the course was very scenic with rolling hills through some nice neighborhoods. Second half went through some commercial areas that were pretty non-descript. The race did start right on time, which was good since temps were in the mid-20's. Miles were marked pretty well with digital clocks. What was not done very well: General directions for almost everything were poor. When we got to the convention center, there was no large sign stating, "Packet Pickup on First Floor." We wandered around and finally tracked someone down to ask. Then when leaving, we had other runners ask us, "Where do you get your packets?" When asked where the starting line was in comparison to the convention center and finish line (which was right outside the convention center), we were just told it was about 6 blocks away. I didn't see a map in my packet, so we just sort of followed some runners hoping that they knew where they were going. As for the packet itself, it was definitely the smallest collection of "stuff" I have ever seen at any of the 12 marathons that I have run. The shirt was also on the cheap side. Given the $75 entry fee, I expected a little more. At the finish line, there was almost no food at all. My group finished well under 4 hours and all we could find were some half bananas and orange slices... that's it. No bagels, yogurt, and not even apples. Again, where exactly did my $75 go? I suspect the promoter of this marathon does quite well on this event. I was pretty disappointed and will not run this race again. |
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