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☰
Steamtown Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Steamtown Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.7
Number of comments: 616 [displaying comments 101 to 111]
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Scott Barr from Macungie, PA
(10/10/2016)
"Friendliest marathon EVER!!!" (about: 2016)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was looking for a more positive race experience than my first marathon, and BOY did I find it!!! Steamtown has the support of all of the communities in the area, with high school bands playing, and entire cheering neighborhoods. The course starts with a massive downhill, and tests runners in the last three miles, but this is THE place to run your PR! Inexpensive, great pre-race communication, and one of the best finish lines anywhere. Well done, STEAMTOWN! | |
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K. R. from New York
(10/10/2016)
"Loved this race!" (about: 2016)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had a great time running the Steamtown Marathon. It all starts with the pre-race emails. Very entertaining yet informative. Everything in the organization is first rate from the expo to the finish. The point to point course is great because it winds through communities with plenty of spectator support with a nice section of rail trail mid course. The spectators and volunteers were fantastic. Can't say enough good things about them. I really hope to run this race again next year. | |
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k. d. from lehigh valley pennsylvania
(10/10/2016)
"absolutely awesome race!" (about: 2016)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything about this marathon was great. The informative and quite hilarious weekly e-mails from the race director, ease of packet pick-up, phenomenal crowd support, frequent water and aid stations, fast and fun course.... I could go on and on. I never felt crowded on the course but was also never alone. The volunteers and residents of all the little towns we ran through were so courteous and supportive. I have nothing negative to say about this race and I will definitely be back! | |
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Wilton Alston from NY
(10/10/2016)
"A Marathon Gem Hidden in the Pennsylvania Hills." (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This marathon had been recommended to me several times several years ago. For some reason, I ignored those suggestions, thinking, 'who wants to go to some sleepy town in Northern Pennsylvania for a marathon?' Then, by sheer luck, I needed to run a marathon in the October timeframe and I wanted one relatively near my home in Rochester, NY. So I picked Steamtown, virtually at random. Then, something I had heard about came true. I began to receive periodic 'race update' e-mails and enjoy them immensely. (I had been told that they were so entertaining, it was worth it to sign up just to get them.) Allow me to add my voice to that chorus. What fun those updates are! (They are information-packed too. But they are also very fun to read.) What about the race? First, here are the specific items of note: The race organization is top-notch. The course is beautiful, scenic, with a nice mix of shaded trail and urban roads. The post-race meal, with ample supply of everything, including perogies, is excellent. The volunteers are motivated and helpful. The spectators are plentiful, welcoming, and friendly. All in all, the objective data suggest that this is an excellent, mid-sized, marathon. However, what makes it special is something that you cannot appreciate unless you have run the course, or the nearest similar course about which I know: Boston Marathon. This course is point-to-point, net downhill of about 1000 feet, with a couple of heinous uphills thrown in near the end, just to abuse you. (And abuse you they will.) In my view, there is no other race that better simulates the challenges of Boston, with the additional benefits of being small enough to be fun, yet large enough to be legitimate. After running this course a single time, I resolved to add it to my yearly marathon list. The combination of the people, the race updates, the location, the size, and the course make it a no-brainer for someone who can drive to get there. Just. Do. It. | |
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K. P. from Jackson NJ
(10/10/2016)
"A Very Well Run Race" (about: 2016)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I never submit comments online, but this race was exceptionally well organized and a fantastic course that I felt I should comment. I thoroughly enjoyed the spectators, the scenery and the race. I like to give credit where credit is due!! | |
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T. C. from Baltimore, MD
(10/10/2016)
"Wonderful marathon with excellent RD!" (about: 2016)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Steamtown is an excellent race! It's a perfect size - about 2500 runners you're never too crowded but also never alone. It's point to point with a net downhill (and two hills at the end!) The pre race emails are hilarious (and informative). This year, the high school for packet pickup also hosted a Sanders rally and the RD told us - via email and Facebook - as soon as he found out, and kept us updated with the parking situation. Packet pickup was smooth and easy. Race day was great I took the bus from downtown Scranton to Forest City (volunteers were there at 5:30 am to get runners on the bus and once it was full, the bus would leave for the race start and they would start filling up the next bus). When we got to the high school, we were met by enthusiastic high school cheerleaders and high school students leading us to the gym(s). We were able to drop off our clear plastic bags, which were transported to the finish line. The course is a net downhill, which means it can be fast (I PRd by 9 minutes) but it's tough on your legs. The rails to trails portion was beautiful (fall foliage). The course isn't lined with spectators but there the ones that were out were amazing! They provided A LOT of unofficial water/ gatorade/ snack stops. The race volunteers were amazing at one water stop, a volunteer told us 'gatorade in one block, water in three blocks. next aid station 3 miles after' which was helpful because I needed to take a gel and 3 miles would have been too far! The finish area was good lots of energy. It was very easy for me to find my friend after the race. I HIGHLY recommend this race! | |
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A. M. from Quito
(10/9/2016)
"Even my uber pick up was cheering" (about: 2016)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have just finished this amazing marathon and I can give just one advise: just run it. And this comes from someone that did not get a BQ or even a PR. The organization could not be better, the support is huge in critical points to keeps you up (Mike, my uber driver recognized me, what else can you ask for) and the course is beautiful. The hills? Hills. | |
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M. T. from Pittsburgh, PA
(1/13/2016)
"Great race. Highly recommended" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I cannot say enough good things about this race. Steamtown is the perfect size race. They have all the amenities of a large marathon without all the traffic and wait times. It was very well run, great course, people were nice, and very organized with the shuttle/start. And you get to wait inside the school and stay warm prior to the start!!!! The course is definitely a PR course and can be very fast as the majority of the race is down hill. But the three hills at the end can be very challenging. Make sure you leave something in the tank. | |
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K. F. from Scranton, Pennsylvania
(11/4/2015)
"Amazing Race! A Dream Fulfilled!" (about: 2015)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first Marathon! When I was a kid I volunteered handing out waters and as an adult I got the joy of running Steamtown! Great fall weather and great spectators for this race! This was one for the bucket list! I plan on running this race every year! See you next year! | |
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Caryn Ginsberg from Arlington, VA
(10/17/2015)
"This is the One to Run!" (about: 2015)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I cannot say enough good things about this race. I would say them even if I had not qualified for Boston by more than 10 minutes and taken more than 30 minutes off my PR. Most of that was my coach, but some of that was the course and the race experience. " Mid-size race with no crowding after first miles " Although the final hills were no fun, the downhill course overall was great - Panel discussion and Q&A the day before on optimizing your performance on the course definitely helped me " Reasonable drive from DC " Beautiful fall foliage for much of the race " Great crowd support for a mid-size race " Easiest packet pick-up ever " Wonderful race organization with extras - Fabulously funny and useful emails from the assistant race director - Mailed us our race packets (not bibs) - Had copies of directions for race at Expo and other useful printouts - Tourism bureau sent us info, making me feel very welcome " Indoor waiting at the high school with cheerleaders welcoming us and other students making sure we got where we needed to be " Parked a few blocks from the finish " Great shirt, medal and other small token " Discounts at local restaurants and sites, including free admit to Steamtown historic site and the trolley museum in Scranton |
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