Back to Wineglass Marathon Information & Reviews
j. q. from Rochester
(5/6/2004)
"Nice, flat course but..." (about: 2003)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Wineglass Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 I liked the first 18 or so miles but thereafter it was like fending for yourself to find the course, especially in Painted Post and in that blasted park (if you were alone you didnt know where to go). I had to stop 2 cars to ask where I was supposed to go. In fact, I went ran the wrong way in the park and had to double back, and this is in the last 4 miles!!!What a disappointment that was. I probably lost 15 minutes on all that nonsense, which I did not need. Also, no food or port-o-potties at the end. | |
E. M. from Syracuse, NY
(4/12/2004)
"Very Poor Organization - Will not run this again." (about: 2003)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Wineglass Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I have run this marathon 3 different times and it is getting worse. I enjoy the flat course and the spectators that are there, are very nice. Now my problems. If you finish over 4:00 hrs, they are mostly out of food (none of their hyped soup). They were selling the finisher's wind jackets and had sold out of my size! Contacted the organizers but they never got back to me. Glad I carry my own water and see my wife every 5 miles to change bottles, because I heard many runners complaining that the stops were not where they were supposed to be, along with none of their advertised Band Aids and petroleum jelly. I saw very little on course assistance. With stretches of the course so desolate, I would not want to become injured because I believe you would have to wait for a long while. Runners were forced to find their finisher's medals after the race, as they do not hand them out. Unfortunately, I will not return to this marathon because it is so poorly run. I truly like the small size and the course. Maybe it is set up for the fast runners and not slow marathoners (4:12). | |
d. w. from corning ny
(10/14/2003)
"Excellent low-key rural event" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I will start by saying that I live in Corning, have run in the Wineglass Marathon or relay for most of the last 17 years and am very fond of the event. The course is as described in other reports - mostly rural, along an interstate for a couple of miles and sharing some roads with cars but nothing unbearable. It seemed that there were more cows watching than people, but that is an illusion. There were at least 10 more humans than bovines. Registration went smoothly. The expo was not big, having one distributor with a decent selection of wares. Organization before and during the race was excellent. If a marathon can be called relaxing, this one earns the title. This year's (2003) Wineglass had almost perfect marathon weather. It was cool and partly cloudy with a tailwind. Except for a brief cold shower about 3 hours in, the day was ideal. Along the route, water stops were well managed and frequent. The course was marked clearly with every mile posted. Spectators were scattered along the route and provided lots of enthusiastic support when you passed them. A number of spectators followed their runners along the course, so you got to see some people a few times. The three-person relay starts 15 minutes after the marathon, so relay runners were zipping through the marathon pack throughout the race, providing a nice touch to break the pattern of the long run. I ran the first relay leg, and then continued on to finish the course in about four hours. During my run, I met and talked to many other runners. A high proportion of them were from Canada and all were friendly. I think that Wineglass is best suited for runners who want to go the marathon distance and focus on the act of running. The relay is also a good event, if shorter distance is to your liking. Overall, I recommend the Wineglass Marathon and relay to anyone who likes a low-key event with about six hundred of their 'close personal friends' and some cows. | |
S. V. from Trumansburg, NY
(10/13/2003)
"Some good things" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I don't recall seeing any port-a-johns along the way. I remember another runner asking for one at mile six, but the volunteers said there wasn't one. For the slower runners, the food at the end was slim pickings(which isn't that unusual for those of us at the back of the pack). None of the advertised wonderful 'soup'. This was the case last year as well because I recall my wife not having much food choice. The expo wasn't worth an extra trip - other than you could have your shirt and other things ahead of time, which made race morning a little easier. On the positive side - the ribbons for the medals were much better this year and every water station we passed was still stocked with water and Gatorade and friendly volunteers. Since this is the closest marathon to where I live, I would consider doing it again. If you are traveling a distance, understand that it is a small marathon. | |
J. F. from PA
(10/7/2003)
"Choose carefully" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I have run many marathons from huge to tiny, and while this is one I would probably not run again, it is not all bad - it is mostly my personal preferences. The pros were that the race has a wonderful community feel more like a hometown 5K than a marathon. It was nice to be indoors before the start at Phillips Lighting. Loved the soup for the runners at the finish line! The cons: I found the course to be not as scenic as expected because much of it runs right next to an interstate! The long, straight roads seemed more boring than scenic to me due to the proximity of highways and cars - the course is not closed to traffic so I really didn't like the cars driving by me as I ran. Good thing is the highway makes it easy for folks to follow the race - my husband saw me about 8 times along the course! The fans are sparse because the setting is rural, so that is to be expected. The fans that are out are all great and very supportive. Weather was good, nice cooler temps. Warning: Course is very, very flat so DON'T go out too fast! If you are conservative you have a good shot at a nice quick time on this course. | |
A. G. from Toronto, Canada
(10/7/2003)
"An excellent first-time marathon." (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Good organization. The buses were on-time, facilities were available so one could go inside, stay warm and stretch, plenty of washrooms. The race winds its way through some great countryside. The leaves on the trees were just starting to change. The weather started chilly, warmed in the sun to perfect running temperature, then just a short 'hail storm' and mind-numbing downpour to refresh us before we entered Corning made for better pictures. With only a few small hills and the majority flat or slight downhill, I'd recommend it for any first-timer or anyone looking to qualify for Boston. | |
S. C. from Austin, TX
(10/7/2003)
"Won't do Wineglass again" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 The Wineglass Marathon is the smallest race that I have run, so maybe some of this was a function of a small race. However, I was EXTREMELY bothered by the fact that both lanes of traffic were kept open and runners were forced to run in the gutter and w/ the flow of traffic. This is extremely unsafe and it beat up my legs like crazy. Also, the many twists and turns of the race were not fun. Having to make two turns in the .2 miles of the race before you could even see the finish line! The fans were few and far between, but the ones that were out were AMAZING and kept me going through the race. The scenery was beautiful, but not enough to bring me back for more. | |
S. C. from Austin, TX
(10/7/2003)
"Wouldn't do this one again" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 The Wineglass marathon is the smallest race that I have run, so maybe some of this was a function of a small race. However, I was EXTREMELY bothered by the fact that both lanes of traffic were kept open and runners were forced to run in the gutter and w/ the flow of traffic. This is extremely unsafe and it beat up my legs like crazy. Also, the many twists and turns of the race were not fun..having to make two turns in the last .2 miles of the race before you could even see the finish line! The fans were few and far btwn, but the ones that were out were AMAZING and kept me going through the race. The scenery was beautiful, but not enough to bring me back for more. | |
T. B. from Mississauga, Ontario
(10/6/2003)
"Great first-time marathon" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I will be a little biased here since it was my first marathon experience. This was a great race to start a marathon career. The course is flat and downhill. Some small inclines, but nothing difficult. Although running through small towns, fan support along the route is great. Being from Canada and wearing a Canada shirt certainly helped me as I was greeted extremely well by the fans. Also, the health professionals at the end were great, as they noticed I needed some help when I finished. One note for next year would be to have the medals handed out to you after your chip is taken. I had to search around the area to find them. I would recommend this race to anyone and would run it again myself. | |
Bob Dyjak from Rochester NY
(10/6/2003)
"Good Size - Ample Support" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my 18th marathon, but first Wineglass. I enjoyed the course. I thought traffic control was done well. There was plenty of water and Gatorade along the way. The finish is a little disappointing in that you enter the Corning property at 25 miles knowing that there's a 1 mile loop ahead before finishing. Having to pick up my shirt and medal at the finish was not good. Most marathoners aren't appreciative of having to do that once they are finished. Certainly you could have volunteers handing out the medals in the finish area. As for the shirts, they should be part of packet pick-up. |
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