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☰
Richmond Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Richmond Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.5
Number of comments: 401 [displaying comments 211 to 221]
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T. H. from Arlington, VA
(12/2/2007)
"Decent race but not flat" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran this two weeks after running the MCM in Washington DC because I had a terrible race and wanted to redeem myself a little. The weather was perfect (for me) - overcast, low to mid forties the whole race - and the course was nicer and more scenic than I expected, but it isn't flat. Maybe I just didn't research it enough, but the elevation chart doesn't come close to representing the course because it's rolling throughout. As others here have mentioned, most of the hills aren't steep, but overall it's a tough course on which to maintain an aggressive pace without overtaxing your quads and running out of steam in the later miles. If you've done a lot of hill training you might be okay, and a PR isn't out of reach, but my knees are mostly steel and surgical wire, and a hilly course (even the gently rolling type) isn't my thing. Still, with that said, it's a good race. Considering the cold, damp weather, the crowd support was good. Nothing like a major city race, but those who came out were vocal and friendly. Lots of food and good atmosphere at the finish, plenty of water at the stops, and no organizational problems that I noticed. | |
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F. L. from Rocky Mount, NC
(11/30/2007)
"My favorite marathon so far..." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 First, the course was wonderful. Not very hilly at all and I loved the varied areas we went through. Add to that that this ended up being probably the peak weekend for fall leaves (very late this year) and the course gets a 5. Second, the organization was exceptional. Usually by the time I finish, the food is gone (5 hours)! Registration and packet pickup went smoothly, start was easy, plenty of bathrooms, police were EXCEPTIONAL, aid stations were frequent, with high quality drinks and lots of spirit, the bands ROCKED and the finish was efficient. What more could one want? And last, the crowds... on a cold blustery day, they came out in droves. Usually by the time I get there, most folks have left. But here in Richmond, I had tremendous crowd support. They really picked me up when I needed it! All in all, this is my favorite marathon EVER! | |
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J. S. from Alexandria, VA
(11/29/2007)
"Just OK" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I'll be honest: I don't quite understand all the positive comments. I found this to be an OK marathon. Perhaps my expectations were too high for the friendliest marathon . The spectator support was about average. The only notably friendly people I encountered were the staff at the Marriott Hotel. They were great, from the front desk to the coffee shop to the parking attendants. Wow! The route was fine. Great downhill finish! At the finish, however, it would have been nice to have more than one photographer taking the stand-and-smile pictures. The line was loooong. I also had to wander around to find someone with clippers who could help me get the timing chip off. If I had to pick one area for improvement for next year it would be LESS ADVERTISING! The medal is more about advertising than accomplishment. The T-shirt was so ugly, it went right into my Goodwill box when I got home. Suggestion for the race directors: Take a look at the T-shirts and medals from the last Philadelphia Marathon and St. Louis Marathon. Their T-shirts and medals are outstanding! | |
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S. C. from Macon, Georgia
(11/22/2007)
"Great "homecoming" after 30+ years" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Was excited to return to the site of my high school years on the banks of the James. Super race, with all the perks needed. Only disappointment was the lack of the 70's music, advertised for the 30th anniversary. This won't be a problem next year at 31!! Great crowd support, good beer provided by the HHH group at 22 (added bonus), and super post-race set-up. Definitely would recommend for first-timers, veterans, etc. My suggestion: print name at size of number, and vice versa for more fan support. Joe had his name on his shirt and I figured everyone knew Joe. :) Photos and finish certificate were also great. Medal in shape of fallen leave was very appropriate based on the course, and will also be memorable. | |
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C. S. from Cambridge, MN
(11/17/2007)
"Fantastic All-Around Marathon" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My experience started with an efficient expo and packet pickup. The race shirt was disappointing (short sleeve, semi-ugly design), but they made up for it by including a marathon poster and hat in the registration fee. The excellent course tour provided an informative and entertaining trip around Richmond. At the starting line, the runners were assigned to corrals based on expected finish time. The corrals weren't patrolled, but the runners (surprisingly) respected the posted times. I was towards the back of the second corral (3:45 to 4:00) and it took just over a minute to cross the start line. As others have mentioned, the size of the race is perfect. Small enough that it's not overly crowded, but big enough that I was never by myself. The course is rolling, yet has the potential to be very fast. There are some nice downhill portions and none of the hills were monsters. The only difficult section was crossing the Robert E. Lee bridge where the wind took its toll on many runners. Fortunately, the rest of the course twisted and turned enough that wind wasn' an issue anywhere else. There was a good variety of scenery (especially in the first half) as we ran through downtown, historic neighborhoods and park areas with great views of the James River. Of course, the best part of the whole course was the huge downhill to the finish line. Organization on the course was flawless. Water stops were located as advertised and they seemed to be consistent in offering water first and sports drink second. Volunteers were helpful and encouraging. After the race, runners were handed a bottle of water and guided through the finish line chute. The post-race food was great and even included pizza!! Finally, the lengthy post-race massage was the best massage I've ever had in my life. As far as spectators, the race lives up to its billing as "America's Friendliest Marathon. The huge crowds at the designated party zones provided a nice adrenaline boost at key parts of the race. Of my four marathons this year, the crowd support at Richmond was easily the most impressive. For those traveling, I stayed at the host hotel Omni and had a great experience. All of the race events were at the hotel except the start which was a few blocks away. Also, there were plenty of restaurants within walking distance for pre- or post-race meals. The Richmond Marathon is just about a perfect marathon. It lacks the hype of some of the better known races, but more than makes up for it with outstanding organization, friendly people, and a great course. This race is absolutely a must-do for any serious marathoner. | |
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B. P. from Rockville, MD
(11/15/2007)
"Thrilling Downhill Finish!!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Although I have never run any other marathon, my experience with Richmond was so great that I will definitely be back in 2008! The other reviewers have already commented on many of the positives with which I completely concur. I would just like emphasize the tremendous crowd support at the finish that really gave me a huge adrenaline rush for the last 0.2 miles! I really felt like a rock star at the end! The entire race was an awesome experience from beginning to end and I can't wait to do it again next year. | |
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J. T. from Decatur, Georgia
(11/15/2007)
"Great event, worth the trip" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The weather, course and people of Richmond all came together for a near perfect day. The course is generally flat or downhill with a couple short hills. The volunteer support was top notch with plenty of encouraging people handing out drinks. On this day, the weather was cool and stayed that way with the sun popping out some in the later stages. The party zones along the way were a good idea, congregating people in three locations along the course for some concentrated fan support. The number of runners seemed optimal to me: enough to find yourself with others alongside; not enough to ever feel impeded by slower runners. I hope the addition of the half marathon doesn't upset this balance. I'll certainly return to the beautiful city of Richmond in the future. | |
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s. p. from Charlotte, NC
(11/15/2007)
"Great Race" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a great marathon. I loved the course, the size, people were great and water stops were perfect. The pizza was yummy. I would have loved a cuter shirt. | |
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M. M. from College Station, TX
(11/14/2007)
"Great race - very well organized" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Beautiful course, superb organization, nice expo. Lots of music and supportive spectators. Water stations were well stocked with both PowerAde and water, and the volunteers were outstanding. There were a couple of Gu handout points that were lifesavers. There was plenty of pizza (Papa John's, I think) and massage with only about a 20-minute wait, which is great for a free post-race massage. A total home run for the organizers and sponsors. I'd like to do this one again! | |
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J. A. from Crozet, Va
(11/13/2007)
"A wonderful race in a wonderful town" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Richmond Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second running of Richmond, and it's now on my "must-do" list every year. The organization is top-notch, and every detail is well thought out - from the beautiful course (minus the sort-of-boring section from 19-22) - to the awesome downhill finish. The finish medal was really nice, but the shirts were just o.k. They were a nice Dri-Fit material, but the sizing seemed really strange, and the L that I ordered didn't fit. Minor quibbles for a fantastic race! |
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