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☰
Texas Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Texas Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 110 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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D. B. from Houston, Texas
(1/2/2014)
"Excellent race...perfect way to start a new year" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Texas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 After running a number of the bigger city marathons in 2013, I was looking for something smaller and close to home. After finding this race and reading the comments from previous years, this one sounded great (and it did not disappoint)! This race is produced by runners for runners, meaning it's ultimate goal is to be the best possible experience for the runner. It is not about fast times, awards or corporate sponsorship...it is about a love of the sport. The race is very well run. Packet and chip pickup are a breeze. Start and finish are well organized and course aid stations are well stocked (all with water and powerade, some with food). While there are few spectators outside of the start and finish area, the four loop course always keeps you in contact with the other runners, who enthusiastically cheer each other on. The course itself is very nice, run on a small paved wooded trail through a community park. My only criticism of the event is that with 700 runners, and a four loop out/back course, the trail can get a bit crowded at times. If your racing for a PR or a BQ the crowded course, combined with lots of twists and tight turns may have some impacts on your pace. If your looking for a fun, relaxed, well produced event with good swag and the world's BEST finishers medal (about 8 inches wide and weighing over 3 pounds), this is the race for you. Out of the 12 marathons I've run, this ranks as one of the best! Steve and Paula Boone really know how to produce a great race! | |
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Wayne Schlosser from Bryan, TX
(1/2/2014)
"Why do I love this marathon so much?" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Texas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 On paper this really doesn't look like much - a 4 loop mostly out and back course on a narrow concrete sidewalk with nearly 700 other runners. But I was intrigued because it was fairly close and on Jan 1. Who doesn't want to start the new year with a marathon? So I ran it in 2011, 2012, and now in 2014. Course: the concrete greenbelt course is actually kind of fun. You run either through woods or past nice houses and water. The out and back loops mean that strategically placed friends and family can sit in one place and watch you go past eight times. You also get to see your fellow competitors as you pass each other. It's a flat course, but don't expect to PR. Organization: outstanding. And how did they get people to part with all of the cool stuff they put in the sports bags they gave away? This is a race they want people to come back to year after year and from what I have seen, they do. Spectators: the nature of the course precludes having a lot of spectators. Although the ones that are there are very supportive, you realize after a while that most of the support comes from all of the other runners you go past. The runners ARE the spectators, too. And who is more supportive of runners than other runners? This race is just a lot of fun. Yes, I intend to register for 2015 as soon as I see it open. | |
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T. H. from California
(1/10/2013)
"Great Start for the 2013 New Year" (about: 2013)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Texas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great opportunity to run a marathon on New Year's Day. Sign up early due to low number of entries (about 300) and high demand. Out and back course (4 times) is different than the big marathons but scenery is nice along wooded trails (sidewalks) and lakes. Be careful on the wooden bridges and meeting oncoming runners/walkers. Actually the interaction with the other participants was a good distraction during the marathon. The bonus is the big and beautiful finisher metal. BIG for TEXAS! Thanks Paula and Steve Boone RDs. | |
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Bryndis Svavarsdottir from Iceland
(1/4/2013)
"Just fantastic :)" (about: 2013)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Texas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I came all the way from Iceland to run this marathon for the second time. Everything about this race is fantastic. You just feel at home and one of the family when you´re there. Thank you for a well organized race, the HUGE fabulous medal and the warm welcome. I´m sure that I will come again :D | |
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J. B. from Dallas, Texas
(1/3/2013)
"Incredible race" (about: 2013)
50+ previous marathons
| 3 Texas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 You haven't run until you've done a race put on by Paula and Steve Boone. Whether this is your first marathon or 100th, they make it special. Flat course, great aid stations and incredible organization. If you like big medals, well, you've come to the right race. Can't say enough good things about this race and all of the others that these wonderful folks put on. They genuinely care about your race experience and make everyone feel special - from the folks who finish first to the folks who take much longer. Wow! | |
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R. H. from Houston, TX
(1/4/2012)
"Liked it and already registered for next year." (about: 2012)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Texas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is my first time running this race. I live in a neighboring community and run on sidewalk trails similar to this course. This trail is tranquil and scenic as others have noted. But I was not expecting so many acute angle turns and especially the about faces at the start/finish and the far turn around. With almost 650 runners (6 mins to 19 mins/mi paces) on the same 3.25 stretch of narrow sidewalk, passing and oncoming traffic was a little dicey until the majority of the halfers finished. Also there are several neighborhood street crossings that had t be negotiated. All in all although you ran through the woods and parks and along lakes, it took quite a bit of attention to run and not stumble, turn an ankle or contact an oncoming runner. One thing that I found strange is that on this narrow sidewalk where one could not comfortably run side by side with a friend, one participant ran pushing a double wide stroller (with 2 post toddler aged kids in it). It literally took up the entire sidewalk and didn't seem like it should have been permitted. The organizers are truly great people and did a great job from packet pickup to medal distribution. The volunteers are friendly and the aid stations were well attended to. There were all sorts of runners there and it was a blast to be in the park for the post race socializing. I can see why this race sells out every year. | |
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Kami K. from Corpus Christi, TX
(1/4/2012)
"Run it for the finisher's medal!" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Texas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Texas Marathon Kingwood, TX Sunday, January 1, 2012 8:00 AM Texas Marathon is the brainchild of Steve & Paula Boone, the founders of the 50 States Marathon Club. The two of them have run more than 800 marathons. 2012 Houston Marathon would be Steve's marathon #500! The 13th edition of Texas Marathon showed that they certainly know how to organize a marathon run. If you decide to run it, sign up early as it sells out quickly. Packet pick-up was on Saturday afternoon/evening. Each runner received a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt, a duffle bag, & a laptop computer bag. Race day temperature ranged from low 60s to high 70s. It was sunny. Wind was not a factor. The marathon started at 8:00 am; the half marathon at 8:15 am. We ran the same flat 6.55-mile out-&-back route, which included a loop, on concrete greenbelt trails 4 times (half marathoners ran it twice). Although it was scenic, running the same route 4 times can be monotonic. There were water/sports drink stations at approximately every 1.5 miles. There were snack items at the end of each leg of the run. As expected, there was no crowd support, but race volunteers were cheerful & due to out-&-back nature of the course, runners were cheering each other. Each finisher received a nice & heavy (weighing nearly 3 pounds) medal & a pink pig! There were plenty of recovery food items & drinks in a picnic-type atmosphere. There were 221 (131 male, 90 female) marathon finishers in the average time of 5:07:11. The winning times were 3:10:59 (overall male) & 3:13:23 (overall female). There were 345 half marathon finishers, & the winning times were 1:18:43 (overall male) & 1:34:50 (overall female). | |
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M. K. from Texas
(1/4/2012)
"The BEST ! Thanks for a great race." (about: 2012)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great way to start the New Year ! Thank you for such a great race. I can't think of anything I would change. | |
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jeff venable from The Great State of Texas
(1/3/2012)
"Everything is bigger in Texas...well the medal is!" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Texas Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is just a nice simple marathon made for the runner...not for the RD. It is all about you, the runner. Let me start with the medal. The biggest most impressive display of something...it weighs a ton, well maybe only 3+ pounds. Size...extremely large. Color...extremely bright. The shape...TEXAS baby! Everything is bigger in Texas, and this is no exception. This is a nice low key event. The race organizers put in unbelievable effort to make this a personal fun event for you. You get a personal sign posted on a tree. You are given your finish position when you finish...no waiting for results to be posted. You get a nice long sleeve shirt. You get an amazing medal. You get hot food. You get amazing volunteers. | |
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E. J. from Texas
(1/2/2012)
"Great race for my first time" (about: 2012)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Texas Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon. I don't think I could have made a better choice. It was well organized and the volunteers were all so wonderful and friendly. The weather was a little warmer than I would have liked but it certainly could have been worse!! It was a little intimidating sharing the trails with the faster runners during the first loop or two of the course. I tried my best to clear out of their way and actually enjoyed stepping off of the pavement every once in a while. I did enjoy being able to cheer everyone on. It was pretty neat to have our names on the bibs so we could encourage one another. Each participant has a personalized sign on the course. I found mine on the second loop and it was so much fun to read all of the messages. They really go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and special. I would love to make this event a New Year's tradition. |
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