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Jul 2, 2024

Columbus Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.4

Organization 4.1

Spectators 4.2

Number of comments: 333 [displaying comments 91 to 101]

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A. S. from Columbus, OH (10/27/2008) "Better Course..." (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Columbus Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Much improved course! The weather was great and the water stations well-placed. Overall, a great race. I PR'd by 23 minutes and BQ'd - so no complaints there. ;) The expo? Needs help....
M. F. from Irwin, PA (10/27/2008) "Flat and fast" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Columbus Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 I echo previous comments. I was at the expo around noon Saturday and they did no have my shirt size. I presume that there was mix-up with the order and not enough XLs came in. Expo was so-so, with poor layout, traffic-wise. Race day was chilly, but good for running. Course was flat and fast, with no long hills. I ran a PR by 11:30 and got my BQ. No space blankets at the end sucked and the food area for the runners was kind of limited. I was pretty hungry after the race and the traffic funneled you out of the finish area into the post-race celebration area. It would have been nice to have a little room to refuel without dealing with all the traffic coming through from the finish line.
M. S. from Kentucky (10/26/2008) "Nice race, but I want my race t-shirt!!!" (about: 2008) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Columbus Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Overall, I would rate the Columbus Marathon as a very good race. The course is as flat as a pancake. Those few tiny bumps on the 2nd half of the course certainly are not hills! Aid stations were great. Spectators were great. The finish line was great. My ONLY complaint is I did not receive my race t-shirt at packet pick-up as they were already out of my size. I don't care how cheap or unattractive the shirt is; I expect to receive one in the mail soon as promised by the volunteer at the pick-up. Also, I thought the finisher's medal was OK. I mean what the heck is it supposed to look like anyway???
B. R. from Ohio (10/25/2008) "Another Great Day" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Columbus Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 With this being my 8th or so Columbus Marathon it was by far the best. The change to the second half of the course was long overdue, and I think it made the course faster. The weather and volunteers were great, as well as the spectators. If you want to run a fast course and qualify for Boston, this is it.
J. H. from Strongsville, OH (10/23/2008) "It's slipping..." (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Columbus Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I've run this race three times now, and while Columbus does a decent job, I felt that they are cutting too many corners. Corners - let's start there. This race has too many of them; the redesigned course added several hard turns (and even a 180 around a cone by Ohio Stadium). Also, the new course layout takes you through a residential neighborhood around mile 7, on streets that are far too narrow for that point of the race (especially with half-marathoners too). We got stuck behind one of the larger pace groups and could not get by until the course returned to (much wider) Broad St. Also, this part of the course contained several speed bumps, and I saw a couple of runners trip on these hazards. The expo was a complete mess. It seemed much smaller than in prior years, and the flow had both incoming and outgoing traffic using the same main path. In prior years, it was more of a circle layout, so the traffic was not nearly as congested. The T-shirt was pretty weak - a sad gray number. I don't care much about it, except to note that the shirts in prior years were much nicer. The start area was overcrowded. I think it's time for Columbus to institute a corral/preferred start system, if it isn't cost prohibitive. The finish was a bit of a debacle. They had Mylar blankets (definitely good because it was a chilly day)... but alas, they ran out by the time we finished (3:45). I saw several runners fishing used blankets out of trash bins. The food was very weak: water, Gatorade, fruit, chips, and Myoplex Lite (because after running 26 miles, the last thing you need is calories, right?). I don't want to come off as a whiner, so let me point out the good: it's an interesting and mostly flat course; there are plenty of fans and support along the way to keep you motivated; there are more fluid stops than I think I've ever seen in a race; and they have a fast and efficient gear check. I do like the race overall, and would consider doing it again. But it is going to have to take a number behind Akron, Detroit, Chicago, and any number of other fall marathons. And most importantly, it's not the fact that they are lacking in several areas that bothers me; it's the fact that they WEREN'T lacking in those areas in prior races.
S. F. from Indianapolis, IN (10/23/2008) "Flat and Fast" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Columbus Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Perfect day to race. I was warned about a hill at mile 18, but I never saw it. Weather was perfect. They ran out of t-shirts, which was kind of a bummer as they were Nike Dri-Fits. If you want a PR, go to Columbus.
G. B. from Ohio (10/23/2008) "Good first-time marathon" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Columbus Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 I chose this marathon as my first because it was flat. It was flat as advertised. Those who make reference to the hill around mile 16 or so don't know what a hill is like. They should go for a run in southwest Ohio. I have a few complaints. At the expo when I was picking up my race packet, I overheard some other runner say that they ran out of safety pins for the bibs. They didn't mention it to me when they handed me the packet. I could have woken up in the morning and freaked out finding no pins in the packet. I managed to find somebody who had a stash. Also, the goody bag was not so good. I've run small half-marathons with better give-aways. The t-shirt really was pretty cheap. When I finished the race (and I was by no means toward the back of the pack), they had already run out of the Mylar blankets. I was freezing and had nothing to warm me up. The race itself pretty much made up for the previously mentioned shortcomings. The crowds are great and the finish is downhill and lively.
B. N. from Cincinnati (10/22/2008) "A marathon to make Ohio proud." (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 4-5 Columbus Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 1. I ran a very satisfying race on a nearly perfect day for racing, so my critique does come with a rose-colored glasses bias. But, Columbus does get the credit for scheduling at a time in Ohio that has a reasonable chance for good weather, but stacks it up against Chicago and New York. Columbus hit the weather jackpot this year. 2. The run through sorority row that was new for this year was a bust. After the run through the downtown I was looking forward to the OSU version of Wellesley around mile 15. Nothing. Nobody. WAKE THE GIRLS UP NEXT YEAR! 3. The gear bus loading was a bit hectic, with one person running the show. But in general the starting line area was well organized and the race started on time. 4. The mile markers were well marked and seemed accurate according to my Garmin. I still missed three of them somehow. 5. The aid stations were well stocked and had water and Gatorade in different-colored cups. They were also fairly consistent in having the Gatorade in the front and water in the back. 6. This is a fairly flat but not completely flat marathon like some of the bike trail marathons. There is still a bit of a climb in the second half of the course that took its toll on most of us. This is no means a hill like in the Flying Pig or the Road Runner, but it is noticeable that late in the race. 7. The new section of the course in Upper Arlington was a very nice addition to the race. Almost every intersection had a good number of folks cheering the runners along and responding to the OH-IO chant. 8. This race does not have an associated relay. I am sure they take a financial hit by leaving out the relay option, but it makes the second half of the marathon a lot more pleasant for the runners. I really appreciated that late in the race! 9. The medal was very nice this year and the goody bag was fine. Nothing special. 10. The course is well shaded by buildings downtown and trees in the neighborhoods. 11. The half-marathon runners stay with the marathon for nearly their entire race, just like in Cleveland. By running even splits I was slowly engulfed and passed by the half-marathon crowd, particularly as they picked things up the last two miles of their race. It is very important keep in a rhythm even as the flow of the race seems to be moving past. 12. Bottom line: If I ever want to try to run a PR marathon again in the State of Ohio, it will be at the Columbus Marathon.
J. U. from Cleveland (10/22/2008) "great new course" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Columbus Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 It doesn't get any better than this. A great course; not pancake flat like Chicago, but not hilly. There are lots of gradual ups and downs that are actually good for the legs. The highest point comes at mile 20 and from there gravity helps you bring it home. Especially in the final quarter-mile, there's a nice downhill chute. For those who are looking around, the course is very scenic and diverse - statehouse, governor's mansion (with governor outside!), Ohio State campus, beautiful tree-lined residential neighborhoods, upscale urban streets. The field is about 10,000, a good size, big enough to be competitive but not so big that the start or the course gets congested. Runners seemed to respect the pace signs at the start. Nice, wide, smooth streets. Excellent support - lots of aid stations, very well manned. A favorite touch: "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC blasting at the start. The course change, cutting out a long chunk of High Street, was a big improvement.
Henry Mentrak from Columbus, Ohio (10/21/2008) "Great Race" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Columbus Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Five stars across the board, since this is my first marathon. The medal is the least of my concerns, after finishing 26.2. To be honest, I can't even tell you what the thing says apart from being round. This was my first marathon (bib 4084) and I am now intimately familiar with the "WALL" that everyone has been talking about. Mine occurred at mile 22, and no matter how hard I tried to go to my "Happy Place," it didn't work. FORGET THE MEDAL; I JUST WANTED TO FINISH - AND FINISH I DID, WITH MY DAUGHTER ON MY SHOULDER. "Above The Best."

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