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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 531 to 541]
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A. S. from Pennsylvania
(6/8/2005)
"My First Marathon" (about: 1999)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran this race in 1999. It was my first marathon - I've run 21 more since then. My main memory is of the great spectators in the small towns along the way. | |
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Donald George from Forest City, Pennsylvania
(6/7/2005)
"At the age of 46, this was my first ever marathon!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 January of 2004 I was at a weight of 206 lbs. I decided to get rid of about 30 unneeded pounds. I began jogging about 2 miles a day. Then I met a few people who told me I should enter a few 5K races, which I did and eventually won my first ever medal for running. It was for third place in my age group, but hey, I was excited. By June 2004 I was running about 50 miles a week and was told I should try the Steamtown Marathon. So I entered and began training even harder. By July I was running about 70 miles a week. All my training was on my own as I had nobody to run with. The week before the marathon, I sprained my ankle quite badly. But I was not going to back out. I felt good the day of the marathon and I was at a weight of 161 lbs... I was doing pretty well the first 16 miles... then it happened: my ankle gave out and twisted again. There was a marathon assistant on a bike right there when I did it and asked if I needed an ambulance. I said heck no, I am not quitting after all this. I finished in just over 4 hours, which was a half an hour over my planned finish. But the experience was very exciting even in spite of the pain. It was a well organized event as I already knew from volunteering in previous years, and the fans were unbelievable. My greatest memory will be of the kids in the wheelchairs when I came up one of those last steep hills and saw them all on the side of the street with smiles on their faces. That made all my efforts and pain worth it all, and boosted me to faster pace from there to the finish. I will see you all again at the finish line this year (2005) as I have just submitted my entry for my second ever marathon. | |
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Jake O'Donnell from Springfield, VA
(4/5/2005)
"Outstanding community involvement" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Steamtown '04 was my first marathon -- and it was great. Great encouragement from crowds, great organization. I was dead at mile 20, but crowds picked me up so I could drag myself to the finish. My second marathon (Hyannis) was a lot flatter and I did not suffer as much. Did not do the pasta dinner -- there are lots of great places to eat in Scranton. I will be at Steamtown '05 and hopefully for years to come. | |
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M. B. from Livingston, NJ
(3/27/2005)
"I couldn't have asked for a better 1st Marathon!" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was everything that I could have ever asked for! It was a beautiful day, the course was great (the best advice I got was to take the first half easy since it is all downhill) and I think the best of all were the spectators (especially the Marywood x-c team at mile 18!). Everyone along the course was tremendously supportive and it's those volunteers that will have me coming back for years to come. This was a very well organized marathon as well, including the constant emails and updates that I received. I can't wait to come back in 2005! | |
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J. F. from Torrington, CT
(1/18/2005)
"Great race" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a super marathon, but be careful of the descent in the beginning and be prepared for the ascent at the end! | |
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C. W. from WEST HARRISON NY
(1/18/2005)
"Very cool event" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The race was well run and the advice to take the 1st half a little easy would have been great if I had not decided to go for it when the cannon fired. When I had a PR at 10k, 15k, 20K and the half, I wondered if it would get me later. YUP, the last 10 miles were ugly (on the inside, the scenery was nice) but still it just made the whole thing even better somehow. Either you understand that or you don't; it can't be explained. Anyway, hats off to the race committee, from the pre-race e-mail updates to the girl who took off my chip while I tried to stay conscious. A great event. | |
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M. M. from Winfield, PA USA
(1/10/2005)
"Well organized and sensitive to all needs" (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. All the volunteers were well informed and helpful. No problem with the course, in fact the fans were the best part of race. They took my mind off the miles logged and any hills. Definitely will run 2005. Keep the fans, the same course, the e-mails, and hopefully the same weather. | |
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K. B. from Connecticut
(12/17/2004)
"A runner's race - fast and organized." (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my fourth marathon. I knocked 11 minutes from my previous best, achieved my first Boston qualifier, and, for the first time, didn't hit the wall (I ran the last .2 miles 30 seconds faster than my race average). So of course I love this race. Gentle downhill for most, with a few minor hills at the end. One surprise -- there is a hill in the last mile that?s not accurately reflected on the official course profile. The crowds are friendly and encouraging, and the whole event is very Americana. Because it's point-to-point, it's not a great family viewing race (go to Burlington for that). No, this is a runner's race. The organization ran like clockwork. The expo is not large, but well done. If it's your bag, attend the mass the night before; the priest is a marathoner and has great stories, too. In short, if you're looking for a smaller marathon and a fast time, this race can't be beaten. | |
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C. J. from Arlington, VA
(11/27/2004)
"the perfect mid-size marathon" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I did Steamtown 6 weeks ago and wanted to do another marathon before commenting on this 'fast' course. So, I did North Central Trail Marathon today and decided that they're about the same, as my time indicated (3:37 and 3:40). I think the main difference is road vs. trail. It probably doesn't make a difference but at the end of the trail run the pebbles felt a little painful. During Steamtown this year (weather perfect, volunteers doling out mass quantities of water, etc. every 2 miles vs. 3-3.5 at places at NC Trail). The road running didn't bother me except when after the couple of miles of wood chip trails, you get back out onto winding roads as compared with the straight first roads before it; but at mile 20, does anyone know what's really going on? Try to go as straight as possible - it's wide country roads up there. | |
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L. A. from Delaware
(11/4/2004)
"Fast Course with Great Fans!!" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Don't be fooled by the elevation chart. There are some uphills even in places not shown, but there are a lot of downhill portions enabling a PR. A few sections followed railroad tracks or other industrial areas but most was scenic. The fans were the best I've seen. In all the small towns they cheered us on and even set up impromptu water stops with Gatorade, fruit, and candy. Organization is just as good as any large race but I will admit I never got a single email everyone here is talking about (they probably had a typo while putting my email in). My only complaint was that I too thought the pasta dinner was lacking, but some places do charge more for it. You also needed to pay for it in cash. Most people don't carry enough for 4 or 5 persons anymore. They should warn you, so you are prepared. Overall, anyone needing to shave a few minutes off for Boston or another goal should try this race. |
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