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Lakeshore Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Lakeshore Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 1.8 
Spectators 2.7
Number of comments: 209 [displaying comments 51 to 61]
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T. M. from Nashville, TN
(6/1/2005)
"Way too long!!! Hope it improves." (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 This race has so much potential to be a great race. There is just a couple areas that need to be improved: Length of the course: It was way over 26.2. My friends GPS system had it over 27 miles. Water: I have never been so dehydrated in my life. I asked people not even in the race for water. Let people know there is a race in progress: VERY FEW people knew there was a race going on. We were all dodging dogs, kids, bikes, roller bladers, cars and not to mention the mobs of walkers. Have mile markers at EVERY mile: For those of us that were trying to shoot for a certain time, it was really hard to know how we were doing with out mile markers. Not just every two to three miles. Everything else was fine. The race director is very friendly, the area was beautiful and they gave us nice t-shirts. Would be willing to do in a couple years only IF it improves. | |
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J. W. from Dayton, Ohio
(6/1/2005)
"A nice day for a fun run... ultra-marathon that is" (about: 2005)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 Since I have run over 200 marathons, including 60 ultras, I have had my share of unexpected circumstances. However, this is my first 27+ mile marathon. What a great day for a fun run along the Chicago waterfront, great views, people viewing, sun and shade, and hot dogs grilling. Glad I was not running a race. Perhaps next year I will come back, not pay $80, enjoy the scenery again and get my money's worth... 2005 that is. Do not need another medal & shirt to add to my collection. This is a great event for runners who know what to expect, can care for their own needs, and don't care how long the run is or their finish time. Race should be avoided by 2:30 marathoners, Boston qualifiers, and 50-staters still tired from Saturday marathon. See you next year. Maybe I will just wear my 2005 number? | |
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E. D. from Atlanta, GA
(6/1/2005)
"The Worst Organized Marathon!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This course was over 26.2 miles, which was more like 27.2 miles! A major disapointment... this cannot be a Boston Qualifier or a USATF certified course. ** Please read the following: - Not enough water and there were actually water stops where there were no volunteers and the water/amino vital were still boxed up! - No mile markers after mile 7 - 8 and poorly marked. Mile markers popped up again later in the race, but not accurate. - No clear signs directing the marathon runners. There were runners planning to run the full that went the wrong way...towards the Half Marathon. - People (non-volunteers) actually had to tell some runners where to go, due to signs missing. Also, the signs were hard to read. - Ran on the main strip along Lakeshore with hundreds of bikers, roller bladers, jogging strollers... it was a nightmare trying to dodge everyone! - No medical tents or medical assistance anywhere on the course, or at the finish. - No water bottles at the end and very little food. - No race information in the packet pick-up! - New race start location just communicated the day of the Expo! | |
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Liz Palermo - Hedberg from Roswell, GA
(6/1/2005)
"Mark Cihlar - you owe an apolology to every runner" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 NO EXCUSES!!! Miserable experience! My husband and I ran the 2004 LSM and enjoyed it. It had its flaws but we overlooked them and (wrongfully) assumed that the event would improve in 2005. I ran the half this year and my husband ran the full. Neither course had sufficient water stops. I didn't see a mile marker after mile 5 and when I asked course workers - they had no clue. My heart goes out to the guy who missed the POORLY marked marathon turn off and wound up running at least 4 miles out of the way. It is a beautiful course but has zero organization. DO NOT RUN THIS RACE. | |
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v. f. from Nevada, USA
(6/1/2005)
"NOT A DESTINATION RACE" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This race would have been a fun run on a beautiful Chicago Memorial Day if I had not paid for air travel, hotel expenses, and a CERTIFIED 'Boston Qualifier' course. I think it was irresponsible of the race director's team to advertise this race and MarathonGuide.Com should remove it until some remedial race direction training is obtained. All the comments I've seen are just what I experienced. No info in the race packet about the start or directions to the start (no race packet - just a chip, number and t-shirt). Poorly marked-course with an extra mile (my Polar pod said 27.3 or so). Hotel indifferent and ignorant to being Host Hotel. No local advertising (about 15 non-marathon runners said 'go!'), so NO crowd enthusiasm. The course was along the OPEN waterfront, so we got to dodge walkers, bikers, skaters, baby carriages - and on Memorial Day this traffic was substantial. NOTHING in the paper the next day. It was as if I paid to go to Chicago and participate in a running club run. They did put out water and Amino Vital... no Gatorade, food, or vaseline. No food at the finish (few bananas and uncut oranges). Not one visible race offical along the course. It was pretty hot and I'm glad no one passed out or they would still be lying there. I like to support start-up marathons, but I think these guys have had enough time to learn. Overall, this was pretty disgraceful. | |
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S. P. from Decatur, Illinois
(6/1/2005)
"Course poorly marked/how was it certified?" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Despite all the comments made previously about the 2005 race, which I basically concur in, I still enjoyed the scenery, was running according to plan for the most part, and I had some course guidance from very conscientious volunteers on bikes until about mile 22, but then the path was crowded with other bikers and walkers, there were poor mile markers, if any, and then the 24 and 25 mile markings were completely disappointing as discussed by others already. I missed qualifying for Boston by 3 seconds, but could not be sure when/where the finish line was and I started cramping badly in the backs of my legs the last mile/extra mile, forcing me to shuffle in instead of running. If the runners ran an extra mile or so, which I clearly believe we did, so be it, but how does a course get certified, especially one that was changed at the last minute? The lack of pre-race maps combined with the poor marking system, water stop problems, etc. overshadowed somewhat the things I really liked: the awesome lake views, the casual feel of the race, and the very good wave start idea. Anyway, I realize how tough organizing a marathon is, but if this race keeps having these kinds of problems, I wonder how long people will run it. Only 529 finished this year, which I believe is the fewest number in the race's history, so at some point the organizers need to make sure to get things right in addition to the things already in the race's favor to keep the event viable. | |
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S. W. from San Antonio
(6/1/2005)
"My first ultra!!!! (& I only paid for 26.2 miles)" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Here are the facts: Winning time: last year = 2:38, this year = 2:50. 10th percentile time: last year = 3:26, this year = 3:37. 25th percentile time: last year = 3:45, this year = 3:57. 50th percentile time: last year = 4:09, this year = 4:24. 75th percentile time: last year = 4:38, this year = 4:53. My time: 4 months prior = 3:18, LSM time = 3:33. Either the entire field magically became 12 to 15 minutes slower this year, OR the race was 1-2 miles longer. Either I slowed by 15 minutes (when being in the best shape of my life, on a flat course, with good weather) OR the race was, in fact, my first ultra-marathon. You decide, but if you enter this race in 2006, don't say I didn't warn you. Peace | |
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J. M. from Lake Villa, Il
(6/1/2005)
"Still can't get it right after 4 tries" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Lakeshore Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 This was my 3rd time doing this race and my last. I volunteered last year on a water station and we ran out of water, cups and Amino Vital very early on. This year one early aid station had cases and cases of water and plenty of cups but no people pouring. We had to wait a turn to pour ourselves a drink. Also, very poorly marked and the race was over 27 miles long. How do you claim to be certified?? This was my 20th marathon but I will never again run this one and will tell my running friends to take a pass on this as well. | |
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T. L. from St. Louis, MO
(6/1/2005)
"Even a broken clock gets it correct twice a day. " (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Lakeshore Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Unless the race organizer controlled the weather he dropped the ball in almost every category. My goal was to finish under 4 hours and would have done so if I was running 26.2 miles. I guess that is why the entry fee was so overpriced (they gave me a free mile). Miles 0-7 were great; maybe next time you could space out volunteers and water stations. The day was wonderful and the course (if marked better) is great. In all honesty you should seriously consider giving all runners in this race a free pass to next year's run (if you have not moved to the North Pole by then). P.S. Thanks for all of your prompt responses via email (not the case).... But why should that shock me? | |
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M. R. from Chicago
(6/1/2005)
"From bad to worse" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Lakeshore Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I ran the Lakeshore Marathon three times before so I knew not to expect too much in terms of organization. However, the organization this year, or the lack thereof, was far worse than anything that happened before. I got lost twice and had to double back and/or had to confer with other runners as to which way to go. I think I finally learned my lesson. I definitely will not run that marathon again (at least not until the race management team changes). |
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