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☰
Long Beach Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Long Beach Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.6
Number of comments: 242 [displaying comments 111 to 121]
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J. d. from Calimesa, CA
(10/17/2007)
"A beautiful experience." (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the L.A. Marathon ten years ago and the Long Beach Half Marathon is my first race since then. I barely had enough training, running only on the weekends for a few months, but I was convinced to go do the half-marathon. I missed running long distance, and who can argue with the nostalgia that comes from memories of running on the beach at sunset (or sunrise) like that depicted in the endless runner artwork? The weather was beautiful and unlikely to ever be hot and humid like Chicago. It actually started off cool and stayed that way for most of the morning. The warmest part was when I ran on the beach facing the sun and took it so easy, my jogging pace was slower than someone who passed me walking! Once I got around the bend and headed slightly downhill with the sun on my back and the breeze in my face, my energy and pace picked up again. After that longest last mile, I was still able to sprint down to the finish line (the way I'm assuming slow runners like me are not supposed to). I never went thirsty and even skipped the last water stand. I didn't even eat supplements or anything until after the finish line. By then I was hungry and I ate the half banana, bagel, water, PowerAde, Cheetos, etc. that were being given away. I had to stretch to take away the pain that started creeping up while standing in line for a self-indulgent finisher's picture. I guess the muscles started to cool off and tighten up. Though my lack of training probably began to show as I crept along in a slow stumble to the parking lot while everyone else merely walked, I still have good memories of the nice crowd I ran with and the scenic views you could only get from this Long Beach event. Where else could you run along the sandy beach in the morning sun with a few other thousand people on the same path? We ran on streets and bridges with beautiful views that you can never really enjoy in a speeding car or stuck in traffic. You know the feeling when you're running free in the cool open air at the top of a valley or the edge of a cliff by the ocean. More memorable moments were when I heard the fire boat blast its horn in the distance, saw it from the bridge, and felt the cooling mist from its spray as we ran past in Shoreline Park. Overall It was an awesome and fun run I'd like doing again next year. Maybe then I can get more people to donate to the US Vets fundraiser that is an excellent organization to get homeless veterans off the streets and back into life. Of all the official charities, that was the one closest to my heart and definitely gave me another reason to do this run. Don't forget about our United States military veterans! They defended our right to run free! | |
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B. T. from Santa Monica
(10/17/2007)
"Good weather, good support, but..." (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Long Beach Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 It was a great day for marathoning in Long Beach and the course changes since the last time I ran it were welcome. Besides almost being run over by a bike in a narrow area, no complaints. One thing though: The course was approximately .25 miles too long. My GPS, which has been very accurate, was long, and everyone I spoke to who was using the latest state-of-the-art watches said it was long also - even the ones who did the half. | |
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J. P. from Moreno Valley, CA
(10/17/2007)
"Good times" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I truly had a great time. I'm hooked. I have nothing to compare it to, but thought everything about this marathon was excellent... especially the weather. I had never been in any race, at any distance... but trained hard and finished in 3:51. I figured it would take me about 4:30. The race results are really cool. I'll be there in 2008. | |
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Bob McGwire from New York City
(10/17/2007)
"A real memory maker" (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I absolutely loved the Long Beach Marathon. However, I do have a few suggestions: 1. Let the full marathoners take off at 6:15 or 6:30. 2. Skip the 5-mile concrete bike-path portion. Let us run on Ocean Blvd instead. That concrete is murder on the knees. 3. Remind the walkers not to be obstructionists by walking 2, 3 and 4 abreast. I actually was behind 4 walkers during mile 25 that were not only abreast, but with arms intertwined. 4. Don't make the Expo mandatory. That is fine for the locals, but not if you are flying in from NYC. 5. Don't allow runners with strollers. I only saw two, but one almost clipped my foot which would have been disasterous. Also, I saw two non-entrant bike riders riding alongside their spouses or whatever. Other than that, I really liked the marathon. It was flat and fast. It was scenic and not over-crowded. It was well organized. Once I got to the Expo, I did enjoy it. Parking was no problem as long as you knew to arrive early, which most veterans definitely know. And the weather was magnificent, especially after hearing the horror stories of last week's cancelled Chicago Marathon. I actually ran with one of the Chicago participants. Absolutely no doubt. I will be back again next year. | |
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D. M. from Torrance, California
(10/16/2007)
"The most comprehensive race results website" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Long Beach Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 WOW! The race results website is amazing. By far, the most comprehensive race results presentation I have ever seen in the 400-plus races I have run over the past 14 years. They are a standard that all other races need to follow. | |
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B. M. from Orange County, CA
(10/16/2007)
"Well-organized.... Loved the 1:50 pacers!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 First, let me thank the half-marathon 1:50 pacers who were awesome - great energy, right on pace, and made the race very enjoyable. (The pacer with "1:50" written on his arm and the really long balloon string... very cute too! I didn't get his name unfortunately, since I ended up having a better race than expected and ran ahead of the group before I could get it, but he definitely made the race more enjoyable!) Thanks to all the pacers for helping out! Overall, this was a pretty enjoyable race. Great weather, and a well organized start and finish (although there are some serious congestion problems driving into Long Beach and the start was a little clogged). I didn't run the full marathon, so I don't know about the second half, but the first 13 miles are very flat and fast, and provide a great opportunity for a PR. Spectator support was a bit thin in areas, but thanks to those who were out there. And the stretch along the ocean is so pretty that not much spectator support is needed anyway. | |
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Kyle EricSon from Riverside, CA
(10/16/2007)
"Always A Great Marathon" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Long Beach Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 First off, let me say that some of the things that seem to be of great importance to most marathon participants are not at all important to me. Im not usually too concerned with the expo (I just like to get in, get my bib & chip and get out), the goodie bag (usually very little that I'm interested in or bother keeping), or entertainment along the course (for everybody that happens to show up and shout encouragement or play music, thank you!). What I do care about is the course, and Long Beach's is one of the best in my opinion (of course, I'm somewhat biased having grown up in the area and graduated from Long Beach State). Although there are some difficult and not too interesting sections (like along Studebaker Road at Mile 17 & 19), the rest of the course is great (by the way, one other reviewer suggested rerouting the course through the campus of Long Beach State, which I think would be a great idea if the University would allow it). My one complaint would be that with the Marathon attracting 2,300 runners, and the Half-Marathon attracting another 6,000 (not to mention the additional 1,200 for the 5K and several hundred more for the bicycle tour), the beginning of the course is just waaayyy too crowded to accommodate this many people. As this marathon continues to grow, this problem is only going to get worse, so I really think its time for a staggered start with the marathoners starting earlier (say 7:00 am) followed by the half-marathoners a half-hour later (say 7:30 am). This would give everybody a little more room along Shoreline Drive and around the Marina, but would still allow a lot of the people to finish at about the same time. I should point out that this year the finish line was much more manageable than in years past, as the last couple of miles along Ocean Boulevard were clearly separated for the marathoners and half-marathoners. Another suggestion I have (and one that I'm sure would prove to be somewhat unpopular) is that it may be time to discontinue the bicycle tour (as was done a few years ago with the in-line skating race). As this race continues to grow, it simply becomes a victim of its own success, and the congestion in and around the Convention Center as people try to park, is becoming unmanageable. I saw several people stuck in traffic jumping out of cars and sprinting to the starting line, or parking their cars in places that were clearly marked as no parking zones. I saw many other cars with bicycles strapped to them, still stuck in traffic well after the start of the bike tour. Lastly, Long Beach and the race organizers should be congratulated for continuing to improve upon the designs of their finishers medals (which are always very attractive), and I also must comment on what a good idea it is to have a space on the back of the medal to engrave your finishing position and time (am I the only person who does this?, it typically only costs me about $20 at the local mall). Finally, I must personally thank Mark Ford and Phil Gabriel who were the official 3:30 pacers. Although I originally planned on finishing in about 3:35 and started a few minutes behind the 3:30 group, I joined up with Mark & Phil at about Mile 17 and tried to stay with them for the remainder of the race (sorry guys that I slowed down the last couple of miles, but I still finished in 3:26 & couldn't have done it without you!). I hope you guys come back next year and I'll try and stick with you 'till the finish. Thanks Long Beach and I'm looking forward to 2008! | |
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E. W. from Magalia, Ca
(10/15/2007)
"Just an average marathon!" (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The course included 13 miles of concrete - ouch! Also, there are too many turns, and the course isn't very scenic. Finish line food was sub-par. Need Dri-Fit shirts - not cotton. When you pay $75-95 for a marathon, you expect more. Question: Would I run this marathon again? My answer is no!!! | |
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W. F. from Los Angeles, CA, USA
(10/15/2007)
"Enjoyable, PR-setting course" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Very scenic. The only drab part was at CSULB's northern boundary. But Elvis and his fellow 70's disco dancers were a delightful break. Many little children handing out water and snacks, leading me to over-drink. The volunteers and crowd, though on the scarce side, were cheerful and diverse. The course was flat and fast. I really like the last 3 miles where the marathoners finished with the half-marathoners on a downhill ramp. The temperature was great - in the 50's when I started at 7:30 a.m. and in the low 60's when I finished around 10:30 a.m. | |
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Joseph Reilly from Orange, California
(10/15/2007)
"Fast, scenic, pleasant marathon" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Although I have run almost 50 marathons over the past 30 years, this is my first Long Beach run. I was pleased to find that only 5 miles were on concrete as opposed to the 13 miles that I had been warned about. One regret: I wish that we could have run through CSULB, instead of around it. But all in all, a great, scenic run. The organization was fantastic. I even liked the expo, which is unusual for me. Race morning was a breeze. I had no trouble parking and getting to the start line. I liked the fact that there were only 2,300 full marathoners rather than the 45,000 that Chicago gets. I love the Chicago and New York Marathons, but I also like the small marathons like Long Beach and Palos Verdes. If I could change anything, however, it would be that the full marathoner runners should begin at 6:15 a.m. instead of the walkers only. I like to be done before the heat comes at 11:00 a.m. It is okay, however, to still let the half marathoners begin at 7:30. That way we all have a chance of finishing at the same time. As far as the walkers are concerned, they should be told not to walk two, three, and four abreast. That is purely marathon etiquette. I definitely plan on doing Long Beach again next year. I love running along the water, although I question whether it is really 80% of the race. Great, memory-making race! |
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