Detroit International Marathon

I really enjoyed this race and it is obvious that the organizers know what they are doing. The expo was a good size in a spacious convention center that was not anxiety inducing, with very clear marking as to where to grab your packet. There were plenty of vendors if you wanted to linger, or you could grab your packet and go quickly if you preferred. Race morning was a bit of a challenge as I struggled to find a parking spot. I encourage you to do more research on this than I did. I wound up spending $37 dollars to park, but was close to the finish and a 5 minute drive to the interstate after the race. The convention center is open to runners for flush toilets and a warm place to sit. The corrals were well organized and not too crowded. The course is wonderful. About 3 miles into the race you encounter the ramp to the Ambassador Bridge. It is quite a hill, but with a commiserate downhill on the back end. While crossing the bridge make sure to enjoy the view of the Detroit skyline at dawn, it was beautiful. After 4 very nice miles through Windsor, you run through the tunnel back to Detroit which represents the last major hill at mile 8. The race then provides a mixture of city and neighborhood along with a very nice bike trail. It is excellent and well supported by spectators and volunteers. What really impressed me were the long water stations that included both sides of the street. Additionally all of the streets were closed to car traffic which is not always the case even in big city races. The finish line area was exciting and the food selection was adequate, but not memorable. The swag is excellent with my new favorite shirt (no ads) and medal (big but not gaudy). I enjoyed this race so much that I am likely to do it again. Drink at Downey's Brewing in Dearborn which my wife and I both love.

Marathon number 39 on 29 different courses. I rate this one well above average and recommend it highly. A slightly modified course this year added some interesting neighborhoods and a well-maintained bike path, which resulted in better crowd support. The only downside of these changes was that there were more corners to run around, which made tangent running more difficult to accomplish, so my watch read 26.46. Still, it is flat enough (other than the bridge and tunnel, which are the highlights) that I was able to BQ. Also, it would be cool to have the goodie bag and after party include local Detroit products (Germack Nuts, Better Made Chips, Atwater Beer, Faygo, etc).

It was my first time in Detroit and I loved the city. People thought it was odd that I was going to run there as I'm from PA but it did not disappoint! I was able to walk to the start and expo from my downtown hotel. I walked through the city and drove to Dearborn to the Ford plant tour and museum the day before to sightsee. The race Expo was one of the best I've been to. I actually went 2 days in a row since there was a lot to do. I appreciated the stand selling older race items for less. The course didn't venture into Canada this year, but was nice and flat. The medal was pretty. The photos were plentiful and uploaded quickly. The race is very well organized and I highly recommend it for MI.