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Hatfield-McCoy Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Hatfield-McCoy Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.8 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 200 [displaying comments 81 to 91]
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R. R. from Fishers, IN
(6/27/2010)
 "A challenge for marathon runners" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The best summary of this race is that it is a race for people who love running marathons for the sake of running marathons. It is not a race where you will likely run a personal best but a race to be with people who love running marathons. The hospitality of this race was over the top. All of the runners seemed to be from someplace else because this race attracts people from everywhere and should because of the friendly staff. Since nobody is out to set a PR, it is easy to be relaxed at this race and strike up a conversation before, during, or after the race. If you are looking for a competitive race, this is not the race for you; but if you are looking for a social event that is also a race, this is definitely the race for you. As a normal 3:00-3:10 marathon runner, it was surprisingly easy to allow myself to just relax and enjoy the scenery instead of focusing on my time. The race is truly for the love of distance running. My overall finish time was still acceptable despite dropping out of the race for a 15-minute pit-stop at the halfway point because of the rainstorm and admittedly being a little spent from the inclines and declines in the first half. However, this race is still very doable for someone from a flat part of the country and well worth the trip down to Williamson. Blackberry Mountain is the real deal for someone from a flat part of the country. My recommendation is to power-walk it and save you legs for the second half of the race, which is much easier than the first half. A significant part of the course is tree-covered, so that makes it a bit cooler than some races run out in the sun. I'd recommend starting the race at 6:00-6:30 since it was already light out and it is June and can be hot and humid. The biggest disappointment for me about the race was to see how few people participated because the staff and town put so much effort into the event, so give it a try!!! | |
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Jaimela Dulaney from Port Charlotte, Florida
(6/24/2010)
"Great, small-town race with beautiful scenery" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The Hatfield and McCoy Marathon is a small, hometown race set in the valley of the mountains of WV. The race was well organized and the directors were very accommodating. We ran up Blackberry Mountain, on paved paths, on mud trails (it rained), and across a swinging bridge. The course was well marked. Plenty of water and sports drink every mile. The pasta party was good and included in the race fee. Besides a tee shirt and finisher's medal, we received a mason jar with a plaque inside depicting our place. Plenty of food and drinks after the race, despite the rain. Great race and great people. Go, WV!! | |
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M. A. from North Dakota, United States
(6/24/2010)
 "Just do it!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The people in Williamson could give hospitality lessons to almost anyone. What a wonderful welcome! Plan early and stay at the Sycamore Inn if you can - I asked for a late check-out and they said since I was running the marathon all they asked was that I come back, shower and check out as early as possible. No late fee. Amazing! The course is tough but beautifully scenic. It had to be planned by someone who knows the area well and leads you through places the average traveler would never see. And only someone knowing the area well would be able to place the water stops at such strategic places. Every time you need water... there it is. I can't say enough good things about this marathon. The only suggestion I would give is to start at 6 instead of 7 - that would give us northerners not used to the heat and humidity an hour of relief. Thank goodness for the rain! Also, due to the rain and subsequent chafing, Vaseline at the later water stops would be great! Well done, West Virginia!!! | |
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N. K. from Horsham, PA
(6/22/2010)
"Great race!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I am so happy that I ran this race! I had it planned to for over a year and am so glad I did. The townspeople were incredibly friendly and were so happy to have us there! The water stops were excellent, and the course was simply beautiful. The hill was not as bad as everyone made it out to be. The goodies were great, and the reenactment during the pasta dinner was a real treat! Running over that bridge around mile 20 was really cool, and slapping hands with Devil Anse and Ran'l at the finish was a really great way to end the race. One suggestion for runners - if you like to wear flats, I wouldn't recommend it for this race. There are a few miles of rocky trail that aren't good for flats. You don't need trail shoes, but definitely something with some support. It's not a race that is spectator friendly because it's not a very densely-populated area. But those that do come out make up for the lack of volume. One thing I really liked was the prayer that David Hatfield gave at the beginning of the race. This was the only marathon where a prayer kicked off the race, and it was great to thank God for the opportunity to run another marathon!! Honestly, there is little that the race director could do to make this race better. Keep up the good work! | |
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C. W. from Atlanta, GA
(6/21/2010)
"My first 26.2 and it was AWESOME!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My wife had been running marathons for about 2 years and finally last December I decided to start training for my first. This one just worked out with my schedule, and in spite of some reviewers saying that it may not be good for a first marathon, it certainly was not only good, but absolutely great! I'm 42 years-old, so I didn't have youth to bail myself out. But I had put in the work and I completed this one is 4:59:00. Hills? Yes, at mile 7 to 8, a huge hill. So what? It was great and had a porta-potty at the top. We slogged up and sped down the other side. At mile 23, there was a slow, long hill, but it's not really that bad, to be honest. The thing that struck me the most was how scenic this marathon is. KT and WV are stunningly beautiful on this one. The community turned out well and gave HUGE support as well as water stations almost every mile! There were plenty of restrooms too! I love the smallness of this one. Unlike the huge urban productions, this was a true runner's marathon where a few hundred runners got out there and had a wonderful time running for the love of running! It stormed and rained, but that just added to the wonderment. We ran paved roads, gravel roads, a bit of muddy roads, and various other surfaces, such as a golf cart path and a large suspended bridge. But honestly, it was amazing and beautiful, and if you need KT or WV, THIS IS THE ONE you should go for. I'll be back in a few years to get the other state with this same marathon. I just might even do it again next year. I LOVED IT!!! | |
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R. H. from North Vernon, Indiana
(6/19/2010)
"Hands down better than ANY big-city marathon" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Hatfield-McCoy Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 You know June in the hills and woods of coal country West Virginia is going to be hot and humid, and after 4 times here it always is: 70 degrees at the start and predicted 89 high was looking like a typical Hatfield/McCoy race, but the blessed rain fell off and on all race long and it was still 70 at the finish - thank god. I think they had water EVERY mile after mile 2, and where else do you have ice in the water and Gatorade? Had it many times here. Top-notch in every way: course, volunteers, pasta dinner, skit, and price (extremely affordable). David Hatfield and crew do a remarkable job. Oh, and seeing my name on a sign around mile 14 welcoming me back with my name and city and "keep running" was a complete surprise. I guess they had a sign for everyone who had run the race before; I saw many over a 3-4-mile stretch. | |
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E. E. from New Hampshire
(6/19/2010)
"Tough run but great fun!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My finishing time was not that bad considering how sore my body felt at the finish. Those hills really get to your legs later in the run. The volunteer support was excellent. The spacing of the water stops between mile markers was great. Awesome number of friendly volunteers made the race!!!!!!! | |
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J. C. from NEWPORT KY.
(6/18/2010)
"A LOT OF FUN ON A SLOPPY DAY" (about: 2010)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Hatfield-McCoy Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Thanks for all of the spectators and the volunteers who hung with us on a sloppy day. We had fun and will be back. It's always a first-class event from the prior day to the finish line.... | |
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Jannie Kirkland from Tuscaloosa, Alabama
(6/16/2010)
"Hatfield and McCoy - Not for Wimps!!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a wonderful surprise, from the pasta dinner to the Mason Jar awards. We stayed at the Pikeville Hampton Inn 30 minutes away, and thoroughly enjoyed Pikeville - wonderful people and a clean, upscale town. The course was awesome and the rain made it a even better. This was my 29th marathon and it was one of my favorites!! Where else can you come off of a trail onto a golf course and run across a swinging bridge?! TOO MUCH FUN!!! | |
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B. B. from Lynchburg, Virginia
(6/14/2010)
 "This marathon is a must-do event" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Hatfield-McCoy Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Hatfield-McCoy is an amazingly well organized and well run event. I'd estimate that there are at least twice as many volunteers as there are runners. The festival events surrounding the race are great also. The spaghetti supper the night before is a very nice addition where you can stuff yourself sick (and we did). As to the course, well, it is not for the faint at heart. Though the mountain climb between mile five and mile seven is intimidating, fortunately it comes early enough that the toll it takes on the runner doesn't become apparent until later in the race. The hill at mile 24... well, thats a horse of a different color! Vast sections of the course are on back roads, one stretch is gravel/dirt, there's the famous swinging bridge, and at one point the course follows a golf cart path. Spectators are few, but the crowds at the half-way point in Matewan are enthusiastic and provide a nice shot in the arm. The fact that, among a field of approximately 250, something like 39 states and three countries were represented, demonstrates that Hatfield-McCoy is a must-do for marathon addicts. |
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