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Jul 7, 2024

Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 3.8

Organization 4.0

Spectators 3.9

Number of comments: 401 [displaying comments 281 to 291]

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N. P. from West Virginia (1/18/2006) "Great race, but no PowerAde for slower people!!" (about: 2006) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Did their first marathon and overall it was great, but it was quite a mess at the start (late, etc.). Now this year, 2006, my husband and I did the 1/2 marathon. Over all, it was great, but when you have that large a race and it's so expensive to enter, you do expect to get PowerAde. But for the walkers, their was none until 11-mile mark. And by then you are in dire need of it. What a disappointment!! One H2O stop didn't even have cups for the H2O. They need to work on this problem. I paid as much as the fast runners, but didn't get the same treatment. Otherwise, the rest was fine. Parking and transportation were well organized this year.
S. T. from Atlanta, GA (1/17/2006) "No organization, not what I expected" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This is the second Rock-N-Roll Half Marathon that I have completed. Since this group puts on so many events per year, I expected it to be very well run and organized. We got to the shuttle 30 minutes before they suggested. We stood in line for an hour and a half waiting to get on a bus (and it was a 30-minute ride to the start). No one would tell us what was going on, so we all just sat there hoping that we would make the start. While all of us were waiting, there was only 1 port-o-let and it was over a fence and up a hill. When we finally got to the front of the line we heard that the buses had been caught in traffic by the race. Why didn't they account for traffic and other incidents that might occur (like have more buses or an alternate route)? I have no idea. We finally got to the start around a half hour after the race started. We were supposed to be in corral 2, but ended up watching corral 25 leave (the last corral). We had to make our way through many corrals of walkers. The announcer left and there were still buses of people showing up. (We weren't even close to the end of the shuttle line.) The water stops were not clearly marked, so you had no idea if water or Powerade came first or when they switched from one to the other. The first 5 tables or so of each stop were empty and it was a free-for-all of people fighting to get something. I find it odd that the Chicago Marathon can keep tables well stocked for 40,000 runners and they can't for 13,000 or so. We kept going and luckily there were more tables, but that was always a gamble because, again, there were no signs letting us know. I guess they either ran out of water or they were partially sponsered by city water because after the 3rd stop the water tasted so terrible that I couldn't drink it - really bad tap. The last water stop only had water on the right side instead of both - so a very large mass of people were on the right side fighting for water on empty tables. The fan support was very little. There were a few places when I did see fans, which was nice. It was okay though, because there were lots of people walking/running and they kept me entertained. It's not a scenic route - most of the race is on a major road and you are just looking at strip centers, etc. The part through Tempe was very nice - lots of people and fun area. The finish wasn't really organized either. To get to the food you had to pass through an area to take pics in front of a R-N-R screen. It was very difficult to get through the lines and over to the food. (Pics taken straight across the walk-through, not just on the outside). Also, couldn't find the beer tent afterwards for our free beer. The weather was fantastic. Overall, we really enjoyed the vacation in AZ. I think simple things could have been done in this race to make it much better. Seems like they still have a lot of kinks to work out.
L. C. from Springfield, MO (1/16/2006) "Up and coming with lots of potential" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 First time to run this particular race, and I will likely repeat. The course is flat with good if not great fan support. Enthusiastic volunteers at all stations. Last 4 -5 miles are a little quiet (view-wise, fan support, few bands), but his can be overcome. Typical for what you might expect for a relatively new race. The basics are there, however, and even as it is, it is very worthwhile running. I expect it to only get better each year. The finish are was very well organized compared to some of the more established races I've run recently. Efficient.
E. R. from New Jersey (1/16/2006) "Great race to try for a PR, but not much else" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Just ran the '06 edition. The race is well organized, clearly marked, and I think spectators were in abundance. This race is apparently growing exponentially in its popularity with the locals.... The course itself is quite boring and uninteresting, and I was not thrilled that the road was pretty heavily embanked for major stretches of the course. They also could have reversed it so we didn't run west to east in the morning, as the sun was quite annoying. Aid stations were phenomenally staffed and always stocked, and there were more than enough. You don't have to stop at every one and I never felt like I was waiting for one to appear. I don't think the RNR part lived up to expectations. There were a lot of good bands but not much more than I've seen at other big marathons. Based on the hype I should have been hearing two bands at once! If you're looking for a nice race to PR with great organization, I say go for this one. However if you're a 50-stater looking to knock AZ off the list, then look for something more interesting, where you can take your time and appreciate the course.
m. s. from chicago (1/16/2006) "course was lame except the mountains" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 Course was lame, except the mountains. The lack of organization with the buses before the race put a lot of people in a bad mood.
c. c. from arizona (1/16/2006) "another great RNRAZ!" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 3 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Overall: I love this event; I plan on running it every year for the next 100 years. All comments below are meant to be constructive; RNRAZ improves every year and I'm sure '07 will be even better than '06! Expo: Not crowded, painless number/t-shirt/goodie bag pick-up, and a vast array of interesting and useful exhibitors. Pre-race: Shuttle service was flawless. Half marathon's new, later start time meant bathroom lines were still a little long (~10 mins) after the marathon starting gun went off, though those in the half were friendly and let marathoners go first - at least where I was.... Race: I had more fun this year on the course than I did in the first two RNRAZs. Crowds seemed larger, bands were fun and talented, amateur and non-sanctioned musicians along the route brought extra flavor to the day's events, course was super-fast (but please spare us running ugly 7th Ave again!!!), ubiquitious Team in Training coaches were supportive of ALL runners and I talked to a bunch of their participants during the race. I think TNT and the other charity runners bring a great spirit and honor to RNRAZ. (Though TNT's putting their own loud cheerleader squads right next to the high school cheerleaders in a couple spots was lame - the kids are in a competition too, why make them work harder to be heard?) Post-race: Plenty of finish-line drinks and food, reunion area and gear pick-up were well organized. Why put the beer tent so far away from the entrance to the reunion area? It hurts to get all the way over there after the race! Concert: Award ceremony started late. Tempe Beach Park is a great venue for the post-race events and was set up very nicely. Organizers claimed this was the biggest running event in the country; I'm pretty sure that's inaccurate. Collective Soul show was great, they played about 90 mins including an encore. The vibe the whole night was mellow, relaxed, and happy. Next year: Can't wait! I will for sure be back. Rock on, Elite Racing!
Mark Gershman from Scottsdale, AZ (1/15/2006) "Here's your WINTER marathon" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 When you're looking for a solid race mid-winter, then look no further than the RnR AZ race. It's not fancy and lacks the history of other races that have been staged for years, but it has everything you'd expect in a big marathon. The expo is huge, has ample space, and packet pick-up is a breeze. Race-day logistics are more than competent. In only their third year, Elite has worked out most of the "bugs" and it shows: Transportation to the race is efficient, the race started exactly on time, there was a great, nicely-stocked-with-everything-you-need staging area, manageable corrals at the start, abundant water and PowerAde stations staffed with very friendly and cheerful volunteers, clocks at every mile, plenty of medical tents/personnel, and clear, blue skies with temps in the 50s/60s. The finish line area was smooth; Mylar wraps, water, chip removal, plenty of food (the popsicles are back), and they put the medal on you. The reunion area is adjacent--a bit crowded with 33,000 runners (11,000+ in the marathon, 23,000+ in the half)--but they managed. UPS trucks, more medical tents, souvenir tents, etc. complete the picture. There were directional signs everywhere, too, to navigate the crowds. So why do I hype this race? Simple; many other races simply don't deliver the "value" like they once did. Some have rested on their laurels and their mystique. These guys are trying to put on a race that matters; and they have delivered. Yes, they're a business, but they know how to react and adjust--mission accomplished. There were the 40+ bands as promised and they were always playing. The medal and t-shirt are first-rate, too. This race may not appeal to the quieter, more intimate races--but this race isn't supposed to; it's a big city race with all that accompanies it. The 7:40 starting time helps avoid the heat and cope with the shadeless route. Spectators are thin, but where they gather, they are enthusiastic. Put this on your calendar; it's flat and fast as advertised. Look at the finishing times; they're awesome, and the world record was broken in the half this morning.
J. J. from Columbus, GA (11/1/2005) "Phoenix has such great potential...." (about: 2005) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 RnR does a great job with organization and race gear (other than the cheapo race shirt) and they definitely rally some great volunteers. The course needs some serious design work and the finish-line food needs to improve. The lack of post-race food can easily be overcome; just bring a few goodies in your car.
A. E. from Phoenix, AZ (5/28/2005) "Phoenix deserves a big marathon" (about: 2005) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I'm glad that Phoenix finally has a potential world-class marathon. It is the 5th largest city in the US now! I ran the half in 2004, and the full this year. The course is about as flat as you can possibly get. I know that some people complained about the industrial section toward the end, but the pretty scenic section that they cut out was the hilly part that so many people complained about last year! So I guess we have to take our pick between pretty/hilly and ugly/boring. The organization was so much better than the inaugural race. We started on time and I liked the staggered half and full marathon start. It really eased the crowding. Volunteers were plentiful and friendly. The bands were decent and the cheerleaders were good too. I think the parking and pick-up/drop-off situation has definitely improved. Last year my poor husband picked me up in Tempe and it took him 45 minutes to find a place to pick me up. Then we got stuck in the middle of the course and couldn't find a way out by car! This year, it was a piece of cake. We were able to meet quickly. A note to out-of-towners: I recommend that you get lodging in the Camelback/24th St. area for this race. Restaurants are plentiful and the lodging is better there than in Tempe or downtown Phoenix. Also, don't depend on cabs, public transit or hotel shuttles to get around. You will save yourself a lot of grief if you rent a car. We're a big city but immature in a lot of ways. It's easy to find your way around by car here. We'll have light rail in about 5 years. This marathon does have some growing up to do but in a few years it will be a really good destination marathon. I'm glad it's in my hometown!
lindsay travnicek from Boston (4/23/2005) "Good race, but nothing special" (about: 2005) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I love AZ, and having run the only other marathon in Phoenix (Valley of the Sun) makes me want to rate this race highly because there are so many people and yet you don't feel crammed or suffocated. Organization I had no problem with. If you love spectators, well, this is only mediocre for that. I love spectators, and they are pretty spread out here. The course is very flat, hence a great Boston qualifier. I love AZ, so while I liked the course due to familiarity, many others haven't. The expo was fun... lots of fun stuff and samples. The right size for a new race of this size. End of the race goodies sucked. Who wants a Krispy Kreme donut at THAT time?! Ugh.

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