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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 141 to 151]
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Steve Harvey from El Cariso, Ca
(9/30/2006)
"I love this race" (General Comments)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Long Beach Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Having run every Long Beach Marathon since its inception I think I rate as an expert! Though I prefer the "old" course, this one still rates as the place to set a PR! The organization is tip-top, the aid stations exceptional (I really like the Hash House station the best), and the spectators (when present) enthusiastic. PS: My three fastest marathons (out of about 140) have taken place on this course. | |
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S. L. from Los Angeles, CA
(4/5/2006)
"Not bad, but there are better ones out there" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my 2nd marathon (I've run 3 more marathons since then), and compared to others (LA, Las Vegas, Pacific Shoreline), the course was more difficult, with many bridges (inclines/declines) in first half and a boring course 2nd half, and not as fun. The medal for 2005 was small and looked tacky (especially when compared to other marathon medals) but I hear the previous Long Beach medals were much nicer. Admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific was included in marathon registration, but to my surprise, the aquarium voucher was valid only for the marathon weekend, so I ended up not going. It would have been much nicer for the voucher to be valid for a longer period of time (say... 30 days following the marathon), so I can actually visit the Aquarium in the following week, after I recover. Ultimo (sport drink at stations) was fine for me. Even though I've never heard of this drink before, I actually liked it better than gatorade! Twice on course, I encountered motorists who were angry about street closures and yelled angry swearing words at runners (never had that happen at any marathons in the past) The police directing traffic did a wonderful job. There was a huge Filipino group running for a cause, and a lot of spectators cheering for them in 2nd half of the course, but other than them, there weren't much spectators on the 2nd half of the course. Maybe the Filipino group's spectators upstaged other spectators. Overall, it was an okay marathon, but I would spend my time and registration fee for other marathons. | |
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R. G. from Scottsdale, AZ
(12/13/2005)
"Great Experience!" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 It was a great experience having been my first-ever marathon. I was not fond of the multiple overpasses, but that was my only concern. Sure the Ultima tasted bad, but it was fine. People are a bit over the top for me when complaining about the quality of the fluids they drank. We are all still here. We made it! Thanks to the organizers for keeping us safe and to the friendly residents of Long Beach for supporting us and giving up your roads for a day. | |
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v. m. from Northern, CA
(11/14/2005)
"Enjoyed the scenery" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I was appalled that there was only one water station on the .5 marathon course that had bottled water. The idea of drinking water from the fire hose and garbage bins served by un-gloved human hands was shocking. Wonder what the CDC would think. | |
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T. L. from Canyon Country, CA
(11/10/2005)
"Alternatives to Parking" (General Comments)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I've read a number of comments about the parking and traffic situation on race morning. My strong recommendation: take the train. There are park & ride lots along the Blue Line route and you can leave your car, take the choo-choo, and walk from the Pine Ave. station to the start. No hassles, no traffic. And no flyers to clear off your windshield after the event. There is a bag-check so you can check your sweatshirt and so forth before the race; you don't need your car to act as a mobile suitcase. Consider using the Blue Line next year rather than fighting the traffic to the start. You can even take your bike on the train. Using the Green, Gold, or Red (and Orange) Lines to connect to the Blue Line, you can get to Long Beach from many parts of the county, hassle-free. | |
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T. L. from Canyon Country, CA
(11/10/2005)
"Start it earlier please" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 It's a marathon with ancillary events. Not a bike race with a run thrown in. Not a skate event with a run happening afterwards. Not a long walk with runners allowed to join the course afterwards. It's a MARATHON, folks. The runners who are going to be out there for 3-5 hours should get to start first. Bike riders who are going to take maybe an hour or two to cover the course should start later -- a lot later -- and have the hotter conditions. They can carry more water. Course basically OK, but I am not a fan of out-and-back after out-and-back. And the Ultima was vile and the water tepid. I had to stop at a convenience store and beg for a cup of ice chips. Race directors in southern climes should consider the heat and provide the water stations with ice as well as water. The bike path between miles 6-9 was very crowded. Would it be possible to reverse the beachfront portions and have miles 6-9 on the road and miles 23-26 on the beach path, when the runners are more spread out? I bonked completely but that was my fault, not the race's. However, I'm not sure I'll be back. The ability to take the train to the start was fantastic. I live 50 miles away and was able to leave my car in North Hollywood and take the red and blue lines to the race, no parking problems. The T-shirt is awful. If it needs to be short-sleeved and cotton for cost reasons, could we please at least have a color other than white? | |
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A. M. from Southern California
(10/31/2005)
"Please get rid of the Ultima" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my 10th marathon. Great, scenic and flat course. Yes, it was warm. It's October in Southern California. Be prepared for some heat and sun. And I got used to the headwinds on the boardwalk, which also are to be expected. I was bummed so many runners used headsets. The course was quiet as a result. Next year, I guess I'll bring my iPod too. I thought the spectators were great where they bunched up. Thanks for standing out there so long. I loved the course and the crowds but, honestly, you will lose people -- literally and figuratively -- if you continue serving Ultima. I don't care what kind of discount you're getting, it's not worth the risk and the reputation. I brought my own replacement drink after learning it was Ultima on the course, but I ran out and had to swig that nasty tasting liquid that just isn't made for marathons. My stomach cramped and I didn't get a boost of energy either. Who cares if it's low-sugar? Bring on the carbs! And the sodium and other electrolytes. Geez. Other than that vile liquid leaving a bad taste in my mouth, the marathon rocked! | |
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M. T. from So Ca
(10/25/2005)
"More than I expected" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Long Beach was my first marathon and although I wanted my first to be a 'mega marathon,' I was over all really happy with the race. The water stations were awesome, the spectators were great (when present), and the course was flat, fast, and fast... just as advertised. Even the expo was good! I'll be back! | |
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G. D. from Temple City, CA
(10/25/2005)
"No Ultima please!!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Long Beach Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was my 7th marathon and my second Long Beach Marathon. The course was fairly scenic and interesting, but it did get a bit warm until about 10:30 a.m. when the clouds appeared, just in time for the last few miles. Several people also commented about the strong headwinds, and I tried my best to duck behind others and draft. It is a beach course after all, and winds are to be expected. It would have been so much cooler if the race started at least an hour or more earlier, but we had to wait for the bike tour, the walkers, the in-line skaters and the wheelchair racers to take their turns at the start line first. It didn't take us long to catch up with a couple of guys on wheelchairs struggling up the first bridge, who then careened down the slope like bowling balls spearing through the first few hundred runners. Not safe. Around the half-marathon/full marathon split we were already starting to pass the full marathon walkers who had a 75 minute head start, and around the last couple of miles we rejoined the half-marathoners and started to pass them as well. Most of the walkers seem relatively well behaved and they did not cause much congestion for the most part. Now the bad part...we were notified a few days beforehand by e-mail that the gel sponsor withdrew, and that runners had to carry their own gels. At least we knew and hopefully were prepared. During the race the volunteers were passing out Hooah bars, which I tasted for the first time only the day before (courtesy of the expo), and you know what they say about not trying anything new on marathon day - very few people actually took the stuff. The water tasted so-so, and was not bad for dumping on the head, but they need to do something about the Ultima. I trained with Ultima every Saturday for 4 months, hoping that my stomach would learn to agree to the stuff, but my belly cramped up every time I tried to drink the stuff during the race. Why anyone would serve low-calorie/low sodium vitamin water for a marathon is beyond me. | |
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J. B. from Long Beach Ca
(10/23/2005)
"Poor planning" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Long Beach Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Is the use of a garden hose carrying unfiltered water from a fire hydrant poured into an uncovered trash can that is lined with a garbage bag the standard or acceptable means for dispensing water for a road race? Is water from a fire hydrant filtered? Is it drinkable? Once the water was poured into the open-air garbage can lined with a trash bag, is it sanitary to have multiple volunteers of all ages and training levels scoop out the water with water pitchers and then into cups? |
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