Back to Bayshore Marathon Information & Reviews
A. O. from Grand Rapids, MI
(5/26/2003)
"terrific race on flat and fast course" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Great small-town race. I've run Chicago and New York. It was wonderful to run a race out and back along beautiful Grand Traverse Bay. The air was fresh. The course was awesome. Even though traffic continued throughout the race, it was never a problem. The fans were great. Even with the rain, a lot of people were standing at their doors blaring music for us. | |
D. G. from Richmond, Va
(5/26/2003)
"Good, Fast Race" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Coming off of an injury, I was looking for a race in late May where I could put up a good time. As all marathoners should do, I did my research on Marathon Guide. Found this race in northern Michigan. Its ratings were good, so my friend and I decided to run the race. Boy, we found a good race. This is not a 'mega' race. There are no bands. No huge crowds all along the course. No gimmicks. It is a good out and back race on a flat course (it really is flat). And the course also has great scenery, as most of the course is run along the bay. The race is also the perfect size to me. With a limit of 1,000, it is small enough that you don't get caught up in the crowds. At the same time, it is big enough that you are never running alone. (It is a true out and back course, so you get the lift of seeing the rest of the runners too). The finish is also kind of neat with almost 400 meters on the local high school track. There is no real expo, but a local running store sells some logo stuff and last minutes needs (GU, gloves, etc.) at registration. Our wives were able to see us at 3-4 places fairly easily, so it was a pretty good spectator course. If you are looking for a fast race with a good small-town feel, this is the race for you. | |
C. W. from Royal Oak, MI
(5/26/2003)
"Fantastic!!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a wonderful marathon. It was my first and it was such a positive experience that I can't wait until next year!! Even though it rained, was cold, and was a bit windy, the spectators were out and cheering. It is such a scenic course with the bay on one side and nice homes on the other. Plus my family could meet up with me at several points on the course and get me re-fueled. The volunteers were great; from the people on the bikes monitoring traffic to the water stations attendants, they each had words of encouragement. The last few miles get a bit lonely as everyone is gathering at the track to see the finishers, so if you need a lot of last miles encouragement, get it from deep within yourself. Plus, dinner at Roma's Italian restaurant was the best pre-race food. | |
D. K. from North Branch, Michigan
(12/26/2002)
"Highly recommended marathon" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I don't think you could find a more scenic marathon than the Bayshore. As you run along the eastern shore of the Old Mission peninsula, you see water to the east and wind-blocking trees to the west, with a few houses scattered about. Although the spectators were sparse, they were vocal and willing to cheer for anyone. Organizers have told me that chip mats will be located at the start and finish in 2003, so that should alleviate the concerns about a slow start. I believe this marathon will have to be an annual event for me! | |
A Runner from Dearborn Michigan
(10/2/2002)
"Worth the drive - Small is beautiful too!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 If you need fans cheering you on every step, this is not the race for you. If you like a small, scenic race with hotels within walking distance and easy access for spectators and friends, you can't go wrong. Traverse city is a great place to spend a weekend, and Bayshore is a great excuse to drive up for Memorial day weekend Second time for me at Bayshore this year. Recommendations are to improve the check-in process and to keep the nicer medals from this year (Last year's medals were kinda chintzy) Roma's, across from the college, has great italian food - but get reservations or go early!!!! | |
A Runner from Ann Arbor, MI
(7/16/2002)
"Great Scenery, Nice Course, Juuuuuuust right!!" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This gem escaped my notice until this year, despite its approximately 20 years of existence. What a beautiful course--flat and on the lake. The 800 or so runners is a very nice change from the current trend of mob scene marathons. Nicely organized, though registration line a little (lot) too long. Register onsite to avoid the wait. | |
A Runner from Sterling Heights, MI
(7/11/2002)
"Beautiful course!" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I loved this race, what a beautiful course. Fast, flat and always something to look at. I will plan to come back over and over. As far as traffic on the course, It wasn?t really an issue, there was very little traffic, and most of that were people watching their friends and family so there were moving very slowly. There were some long lines to pick up packets, but I moved through in less that 20min so it was no big deal. The number registered for the Marathon jumped from around 500 to over 850 so they were caught a little off guard, I expect them to be prepared for the bigger numbers next year. Keep in mind, this is a small race, so you are not going to get a lot of the extras you see at bigger races (No finish line photo, no mylar blanket, no clocks at each mile, limited food at the finish, no chip mat at the start). But it is a bargain, the early entry fee was $30 and since I bought a pair of shoes at Running Fit when I signed up, it only cost $20, you just can?t beat that. I would like to see a chip mat at the start, but I can live without the other stuff. Spectators were a little sparse, but if your friends/family want to see you, it is easy to get to several viewing spots. | |
A Runner from Odenton, Maryland
(6/10/2002)
"Great Race, Bad Timing" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was a great race with all the elements there for a PR setting performance, including a flat out and back, temps in the low 40's, and decent crowd support. However, the chip timing system was lousy. The organizers didn't inform you after receiving your chip that there would only be a chip mat at the finish, not at the start. This oversight actually cost me a trip to Boston since I lined up midpack and missed qualifying by only 27 seconds. Besides that, though, I would definitely recommend this race for anyone looking for a beautiful course in a friendly town. | |
A Runner from London, Ontario Canada
(6/3/2002)
"Flat and Scenic - CHIP TIME AT FINISH ONLY" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 An extremely beautiful course that takes you out and back along the water. The 7am start time is perfect for seeing the sun rising over the bay. The disappointing part of this race was that a chip was given out with the race pack, but it was not explained that the chip time was only taken at the end of the race. If you are looking to qualify for Boston make sure you are at the front of the start line or make an allowance for the time you lost by being at the back. Post food is nothing special. But there are lots of great restaurants, hotels and shopping in the area for a pre or post race vacation. | |
A Runner from Kokomo, IN.
(6/2/2002)
"Great First Time Marathon!!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my daughters first marathon and my first in 25 years. It was a great experience. The volunteers on bike and along the way were not high in number, but very encouraging. The messages on the road in chalk were well placed. The day started out a little cool and I thought it would warm up. It didn't! The head wind, the sleet, the rain, were all a part of the challenge on the way back. But none of this was able to be prevented. My one and only negative comment is there were not enough porta-pots. The showers after were appreciated. This is one to put back on the calender for us. Traverse City should be proud of this race in their town. |
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