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Nov 14, 2024

Mississippi Coast Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Mississippi Coast Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.0

Organization 4.5

Spectators 2.4

Number of comments: 55 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

R. C. from Mandeville, LA (11/29/2009) "Decent little marathon" (about: 2009) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Nice little marathon for the price. Very flat. If you need many spectators, though, I would not recommend this one. I would say there were no more than 50 spectators on the whole course, but that is to be expected. The price is just right for this type of marathon. There were times I got nervous that I had made a wrong turn, but for the most part the course had adequate signs. If you need the distractions of spectators or scenery, you are out of luck. Plenty of water and Gatorade. No chip timing, but being so small, it only took about 10 seconds to reach the start line. The only complaint I had was at the end. One of the race officials started hounding me immediately after the finish about the fact that I didn't have my race number tear-off. I've never been asked to keep that, so the wife and I put it in our car. I tried to explain we would go get it but the official said, "No tear-off, no official time." I basically yelled at him, telling him we would go get it and just to give us a couple of minutes to recover. After all, we had just run a marathon. The other official - I think he was the director - told us not to rush, to take our time to go get our tear-off, and that we would have an official time. A big thanks to him. If you want a cheap, well organized, not-so-scenic, un-spectated, flat course, then this one is perfect.
E. B. from Birmingham, Alabama (11/29/2009) "Very fast course; few runners; high-quality race" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A great race event in 2009. Very small race - about 70 half marathoners and 110 full, and a lot of 5K runners. So one gets very lonely on the second loop. But it could not have turned out better! Crowd support was quality: families at water stations and especially at the finish were awesome. It was refreshing to see children out there with their parents! The post-race jambalaya was perfect, and the weather was ideal. Being able to sign up on race morning was another perk. One request for next time: additional porto-lets at the start.
Candice dailey from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi (4/19/2009) "i did the half-marathon" (about: 2008) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I am 15 years-old and I did the half-marathon with my grandmother. I think it was an easy race for everyone. It was mainly flat, and there were really no cars. It was my second half-marathon, and even though it stormed, I had a good experience. The people on the side of the road were encouraging to everyone in sight. All I heard was, "You got it," "Keep going," "You're doing great." It was great, and the food was delicious after the race!!
L. D. from Tampa, FL (2/7/2009) "Great course, great food!" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The forecast wasn't good. Coming from Florida, I am used to running in hot, humid weather. On those days, I pray for rain. This was one of those days. The packet pickup was very smooth. There were three really nice guys at the Welcome Station. Great running CD, and even though it's not a techie, the shirt was pretty impressive! Maybe I missed it, but I didn't notice on the website any security caution for race morning. To my surprise, I joined a double line of cars getting in to the space center by showing a photo ID and getting checked off by the guard at the gate. This caused the director to delay the start, which was not fair to those who were on time to the start line and who also perhaps had flight or travel constraints for later that day. Perhaps this could have been avoided had there been some notice given ahead of race day. It was already hot and muggy at the start. It started to rain, then pour, then came the thunder and lightning. A really big THANKS to the volunteers that stayed out there - it was very much appreciated as they also doubled as spectators! There were a couple of water stops that apparently the volunteers were tired of getting wet, or the bad weather forced them inside, because they were completely unmanned. The cups and the coolers were on the tables, but not a soul in sight. A couple of times, I wasn't sure if I was still on the course, so a few more course markers would be very helpful, especially to those slower runners who may be running solo. Eventually the bad weather blew over but it continued to rain through the rest of the marathon. The post-race food was delicious and plentiful, a fabulous reward at the end of 26.2 miles! This is a PR course and a BQ, no doubt about it, even in the rain. One drawback is that the field of full marathoners was just over 100. I went for miles without seeing another runner, and parts of this course were out/back. If you are used to running solo, or come with a buddy, you'll have a great time! Thanks again to everyone at Gulf Coast Running Club!
C. S. from Atlanta (1/15/2009) "Good People, Horrible Day" (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I knew going into this race what to expect: low-key race with no crowd and temperamental weather. That's exactly what was delivered. They had (small) registration at a Mississippi welcome station, where we received a running music CD and a nice shirt. For $30, you get more than your money's worth. Race day, temps were near 70 with 100% humidity at 8 a.m. The director then delayed the race start more than a half-hour so more folks could register. While I certainly understand why they did this, it was a mistake to those who had already entered. The weather was getting hotter and muggier as the day progressed and the thunderstorms were on their way. This day would be our Beijing. By mile 3, I was completely drenched. I've never sweated, struggled, or suffered like this in my life. By halfway, we were begging for the rain to be here already; we just didn't know how much of it would come. About the course: it's very flat and very lonely. There are very few spectators (if any). I think I went more than 7 miles once without seeing a person. I knew all of this beforehand though. My only complaint is regarding the course markings. If I had not run with the race director for the first 10 or so miles, I would have gotten lost. In fact, one of the guys that was with us did get off course at one point and ended up dropping out because he would have had to backtrack about 6 miles. Additionally, at mile 24 when it's pouring down rain, one of the volunteers sent me the wrong way before realizing she was sending me the wrong way. Let's just say it's not wise to irritate someone who is being tortured in muggy, hot weather in the pouring down rain. Yep, that's right, at mile 23, it started pouring. POURING. I really feel bad for those who still had a long time left on the course. Luckily, I was close to the finish where the misery would end. The weather is the weather though and can't be controlled. The course markings could be better. All in all, though, if the weather is right, this course is ripe for the PR picking. As long as you can deal with the solitude of being by yourself for a couple of hours, this course is pancake flat and can potentially be run very quickly. To those who want to run a decent time here, there are some very quick guys who run that you can pace with. You just can't predict the weather here. As far as post-race, the beer and jambalaya were great. All in all, I did enjoy this day even though it probably was the most miserable race of my life. Never have I suffered quite so much. I did enjoy getting to meet some great people. The director, Leonard, is a super nice guy and really puts on a nice, low-key event. And to the guys from New Orleans, I hope I'll make it down to Mardi Gras one day.
K. S. from Tallahassee, Florida (12/4/2008) "good food, lonely roads" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The weather was so bad that I felt horrible the entire time, which may make me feel more negative about the race than I would on a beautiful day. It was 68 with over 90% humidity at the start. I train in Florida and it was even bad for me. But that's no one's fault. It got really lonely when the halfers finished... I only saw 4 people from that point to the finish, and finished with a 7-minute bubble around me of no runners. I didn't think it would bother me, but there were several points during the race where I thought I may have been lost. That was very unnerving. Then coming into the finish you have to compete with the half marathoners driving out, which is the last thing you want to be doing 25 miles in. The shirt is really nice and the food was great. Everyone was really friendly. So really it was the confusion of the course and the loneliness that got to me. I didn't mind no spectators but could have used a few more runners. You get to start right on the line, though, which is nice! I personally looooved the watered-down Gatorade because I normally have to half it with water. That way I could use the water to dump on my head... because believe me: you needed it! Hope y'all get a nice 50-degree day next year! Thanks to all of the volunteers and the track club... good work.
Dotty Maddock from Phoenix, AZ (12/3/2008) "OK to Check Off Mississippi" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 This is a very reasonably priced, "no frills" type of race. The long-sleeved (cotton) shirt is colorful and of decent quality. The finisher's medal is attractive (large American flag in colors, runners, etc.). Running through the space center property provided some unique views (like a huge rocket booster!). The showers at the wellness center were much appreciated, since there are no hotels near the start/finish. The jambalaya and beer at the finish hit the spot. So overall I'm glad I did this race to check off Mississippi in my 50 states quest. However, there are definitely some things to be aware of: 1. The bib pickup is just a couple of tables set up outside the Mississippi welcome center. There is no chip timing, so don't bother looking for the timing chips. 2. The closest hotels are about 13 miles away. I would not recommend the Coast Inn in Waveland, although it did serve the purpose. The maids didn't even make the bed or clean the room during the 2 nights I stayed there, and it was like staying in a cheap roadside motel. 3. Race morning, plan for extra time going through security into the space center, and have your photo ID ready. The race started about 18 minutes late, and I think that was because of the delays getting through security. 4. This is the deep south, so expect muggy weather even at the end of November. We also had thunderstorms this year while we were on the course, which actually felt good to me (cooled things off). 5. The course is actually a double loop, so the 1/2 marathoners "drop off" after the first time around. The course weaved a lot, but I didn't miss any of the directional arrows. Just don't expect many folks cheering you on. 6. The finish was a little odd (probably due to no chip timing), but worked pretty efficiently. Just so you're prepared, when you cross the finish you're given your medal and then a little slip of paper. There's table and pens, and you're to write in your name, sex, age, and finish time and post it on a board there. This allows you to immediately see where you placed overall and scan through those posted to see if you got an age group award. Strange, but it works! 7. The sign to the showers after the race was pointing the wrong way! After driving around a while, I found them on the other side of the road. In case they don't fix that problem next year, the wellness center is on the LEFT as you're driving from the finish area. So, bottom line, it was an interesting, small (109 marathoners) race. It started late, was humid, rained, and the course wasn't especially "scenic." However, if you're looking for a race in Mississippi, this will fit the bill.
Dick White from Cocoa Beach, Florida (12/1/2008) "Southern Hospitality" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Mississippi Coast Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Mississippi Coast is #41 in my ongoing quest for 50 states plus DC. This is a fun, well organized race where, even though standing for hours in the rain, the finish line staff was cheering each finisher like that person was a true winner!!!!! I have had the honor of running some grand events (Boston '96, Big Sur, Marine Corps), but I must say that this small club race will be of my fondest memories because of the loyalty and friendliness of the race directors and volunteers. NO big-name sponsors, NO prepackaged food - just plenty of refreshments and VOLUNTEERS at EVERY WATER STOP, AND a WONDERFUL LADY who scratch-made enough JAMBALAYA for EVERYBODY!!!!! No, if you're one of the many WHINERS that expect spectators every step of the way, or can't keep your own pace to qualify for Boston, then this race is not for you. If, however, you would like to participate in the camaraderie of marathoning before the boom of TEAMS IN TRAINING and people complaining that the course was closed before 8 hours, then THIS IS YOUR RACE!!!! The course is FLAT and fast, very well marked, and if you can't see anyone in front of you, you're either winning or you need to PICK UP THE PACE!!! AND, where else have you ever received a CD of GREAT running music to go with a DAMN GOOD-LOOKING MEDAL???? GODSPEED BROTHERS - I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU!!!!
D. F. from Florida (12/1/2008) "Hot Race" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Came from Tampa Florida looking for a PR, but did not get it. The temperature and humidity threw my race plan out the window and I just did what I could to finish. The course was very nice and could be fantastic if there were more people running the race. I didn't see one runner from mile 12 through 17, which was not too motivating when you're trying to run fast. This is definitely a race to run with training partners. Two suggestions for the race director would be to start the race at 7 a.m. and getting the gate entry problem resolved. Waiting the extra 15 minutes to start the race didn't help with the heat and humidity.
B. O. from Mobile, Al (11/30/2008) "Park at the start/finish, flat course, no crowds" (about: 2008) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Mississippi Coast Marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 If no crowds, a flat course, and a minimal complexity race are what you desire, then this is the race for you. However, plan to run this one with a running partner(s). The flat, long, straight roads, near zero crowd support and a low number of marathon runners can bring on the boredom and mental fatigue big time! Also, beware the aid station Gatorade: usually a very watery mix. It may be best to bring your own bottles of concentrated, high-quality sports drink and supplement it with aid station water. Finally, beware the humidity! Even low 70's temps can become brutal, with the humidity in the 80 to 90 percent range and the sun shining down (welcome to the Deep South!). Plenty of parking, easy packet pickup, nice race medals and race shirts, good post-race chow and a friendly staff help to offset the negatives listed above and make this a good race for beginners or returning marathoners alike.

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