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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 251 to 261]
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T. H. from Pennsylvania
(10/10/2012)
"Favorite!" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second Steamtown and I loved it as much as I did last year. While it's not a big city race, the crowds are genuine and enthusiastic as you run through the neighborhoods. Organization is like a well-oiled machine. People are friendly and helpful. Course is beautiful and well marked. Water stops are efficient and organized. This year's medal is head and shoulders above previous years. My only complaint: lame swag bags... though I gladly give that up in exchange for a better medal. THANK YOU Steamtown for another wonderful 26.2! | |
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D. F. from Harrisburg, PA
(10/10/2012)
"Wonderful for the first time marathoner!" (about: 2012)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. All I can say is the Steamtown Marathon has set the bar really high for any other marathon I will enter in. The course was well supported with aid stations about every 2 miles, great local crowd comes out in droves to cheer on the runners, and with it being in the fall in Pennsylvania all the leaves turning colors gave some incredible views durning the run. And this year's Steamtown featured an extra 'bling-tacular' finisher's medal. I highly recommend this to anyone that is looking to run their first marathon. The only draw back was a short hill climb around the mile 24/25 point. But other then that a great fall marathon. | |
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C. D. from Greensburg, PA
(10/10/2012)
"Great for fast times" (about: 2012)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great marathon to set.a PR. Enjoyed the foliage along the way. The spectators in Carbondale were uplifting. Everyone throughout the course was very nice and encouraging. Thank you for.providing info for spectators driving to the various viewpoints along the race, it was very helpful. It might be beneficial to have a few more portalavs along the course at additional locations. Enjoyed the rails to trails sections for the scenery and close peoximiity of spectators cheering. One of the best parts was the availability to shower near the race after the finish. Thank you for your hard work organizing this wonderful race | |
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K. C. from Apalachin, NY
(10/10/2012)
"Amazing" (about: 2012)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my very first marathon so I really didn't know what to expect. Let me just say...I loved every minute of it. Scranton was very welcoming....the people cheering you on kept me going the whole way. I love the point to point of this race, and the trails were beautiful this time of the year. I would definitely do this one again next year. Thank you for a great first marathon experience. | |
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T. P. from Stony Point, NY
(10/9/2012)
"What a terrific experience!" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My second Steamtown Marathon, even better than the first last year. Wonderful, warm people everywhere. I can guarantee you that you won't gets quotes from St. Paul or people singing the Star Spangled Banner aloud at the NYC Marathon, for all of its glitz. I ran the fastest marathon of my 40's at age 49 despite the pain that undertraining and downhill running inevitably bring. I was overwhelmed by the love of the crowds, and found myself erupting in outbursts with arms raised at several points in the last 7 miles. Every time, the crowd went bananas! Just before the 25 mile mark, there was a woman volunteering who was beside herself cheering as every weary runner turned the corner. I raised my arms in triumph and she went apoplectic, and another volunteer yelled, 'I want to see you run like that for the last mile and a quarter!' When is the last time, in the middle of mile 25 agony, that you laughed out loud? I love Steamtown. Presuming I'm not permanently crippled by Sunday's effort, I'm sure I'll be back! | |
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Brittany Paulshock from Maryland
(10/9/2012)
"Highly recommed for first time marathoners" (about: 2012)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Steamtown marathon was my first marathon ever and the best choice for a first marathon. The race expo is in a high school, it is rather small, but it gives off a small town feeling. Many of the runners at the expo have ran Scranton numerous times and were extremely helpful to provide insight of the course. The first 13 miles of the course are downhill and flat. Do not get caught up with the elite runners and go out fast, save energy for the last 3 miles which are uphill. The course is beautiful, especially during the Fall. A few miles were on a trail which was a great changeof scenery. The fans are amazing and help push you during the final miles. Overall, I recommend Steamtown to any first time and vetern runner. Just be prepared for hills at the end and train on them during training. 5 STARS!! Will be back again! | |
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Madonna Gabert from Enola, PA
(10/9/2012)
"Great Race!!!" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is the best organized marathon I have run to date. Loved the e-mails from Jim Cummings, the race director! Pasta party was great! Thumbs down to the hotels that require a TWO night stay when you only want one. Thanks for the ease of doing a bib transfer as well for both my husband and I. We missed the deadline but found two people that could no longer run it and doing the transfer was really easy. Volunteers did fantastic, fans were great! People huddled on their front porches in blankets yelling, 'good job' or 'looking good' the entire way, thank you locals for all the encouragement, you really make a difference. Pizza and pierogies for the post-race food, I thought I was in heaven (and not because I felt like I was dying) but because that is real food! My only complaint was the race shirt, nothing special. I would be up for something humorous on next year's shirt like the post race e-mail mentioned. | |
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Catherine Wyatt from Harrisburg, PA
(10/9/2012)
"Great Course, Awesome Fans, Grocery Bags?" (about: 2012)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This is my second time running this race and it didn't fail to impress once again. In 2010, I had my first Boston Qualifying race at Steamtown, and now in 2012, I BQ'd again and with Personal Record by 2 minutes! With that said I clearly love the course and the fan support is beyond motivating helping me push myself harder than I have in any of my other Marathons! Also, the volunteers are so kind and supportive even when I'm in my post marathon 'dear god I feel like crap and am going to say what I want phase', I absolutely love their kind words and support even after seeing hunderds of runners just as dazed, confused, and sometimes rude as I could be when my filter is limited by exhaustion! My only complaint this year (2010 it was the shirts, and I feel like my voice was heard, this year they were great!) is that our goody bag was a grocery bag! I think me like most marathoners love to do the pre-race packet pickup picture. This year I had to do number pick up because I thought my friends might be confused as to why I was so excited about my grocery trip! I know the Baltimore Marathon uses underarmors clothing store bags as their race pick up bags, maybe Scranton running company could donate their bags they give people for shopping in their store?? Just a thought, not a big deal and completely overshadowed by the great volunteers, spectators, and course, but this is just a thought! Thanks again for another great year, and for providing me the tools to secure another trip to Boston! | |
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J. W. from Richmond, VA
(10/9/2012)
"Best Marathon to date!" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Steamtown is hands down the best Marathon I have ever run from the organization, the volunteers, the course, the pre and post race parties - it is all 'gold star' material! First and foremost I have to give an A+ to the local community and volunteers; they treated us like we were rock stars! There were over 3,000 volunteers for the ~2,000 runners. Many of the volunteers were high school students who took the day off from Facebook and watching football to stand out in the 40ish degree temperatures to hand cold cups of water to complete strangers - this has restored my hope for mankind. Big props to the race organizers, the logistics for this marathon is run like a well oiled machine. I would like to especially give big props to Jim Cummings, the assistant race director. Jim really should take his marathon comedy routine on the road; his weekly pre-marathon emails are the stuff of legend. The course was superb, it keeps you from becoming a 'running zombie' with enough new scenery and surfaces (yes there are trails) that it is impossible to have your mind turn to gruel or even think about the dreaded 'wall' because you are anticipating the next town's cheering squad and/or scenery. I was able to shave over 18 minutes from my previous PR and I owe most of that to the course and crowd support. The pre race dinner was also fantastic. The dinner had many food choices for everyone with live music in a real dining facility with real plates, pasta, salads, and chicken - all for $10! To outdo the pre-race dinner the race organizers also held a post-race bash free of charge that included live music, great food, and my favorite thing from Pennsylvania - Yuengling Beer! Last, but not least, all the money raised for this race goes to the St. Joseph's Center which provides family and adoption services; outpatient therapy; and extensive residential and community-based programs for children and adults diagnosed with intellectual disabilities. Bottom line is that your $$ goes to a worthy cause. To summarize, ADD STEAMTOWN to your 'bucket marathon list' - you will not be disappointed! | |
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L. S. from NJ
(10/9/2012)
"My quads don't hurt!" (about: 2012)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Quads OK, but calves are barking. Might be the minimalist shoes but I still love them (Kinvaras). Enjoyed everything about this race, and even though it's not the fastest marathon I've ever run I felt better/stronger/happier than I have in the four other marathons I've done. I think that's because of a combination of an interesting and diverse course and the great spectators who really kept me in the game. Thanks to all the volunteers who made this a fun race - I'd definitely like to do this one again next year. |
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