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☰
OC Marathon Runner Comments
Back to OC Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 3.4 
Spectators 2.8
Number of comments: 181 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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K. H. from Western Pennsylvania
(5/7/2013)
"Nice scenery, could be awesome with adjustments" (about: 2013)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I think this race has a ton of potential but needs some help in improving. Not many complaints about course,several areas funnel into narrow places but since I am slower there is not a big crowd around me. Adequate water,restrooms,security,etc. So the course itself is pretty good. All of the 'little' things need worked on. My wife had very hard time going to see me after the start, not much info from people on where to go and since we are out of towners, she ended up just coming to finish. Expo was average, goodie bag was non existent, post race food was not great. I feel bad giving it a bad grade because I enjoyed running it but I rate things on overall experience and I think this can use some work. We had a bus shuttle from hotel but I hear that parking lot was nightmare getting out, some people sitting up to two hours to leave the race. Also heard they ran out of half marathon medals and water and gels in some stations for half. | |
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John Barry from Redondo Beach, CA
(5/7/2013)
"All Around Nice Marathon" (about: 2013)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is Orange County California. The marathon reflected that in so many ways. Well planned, nice coarse, all in all an enjoyable day and a nice run. Even the weather was perfect for running - temps in low 60s, mostly overcast skies. 'Life is good' vibe! I recommend this one, particualrly if you live in Southern California. | |
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R. B. from Southern California
(5/5/2013)
"Fiasco organizationally" (about: 2013)
1 previous marathon
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Ran the 1/2. Course was great. At the beginning of the race, it took 20 minute to drop off an equipment bag. At the end of the race, it took an astounding hour and a half to pick up said bag. While I'm wet and sore and the temperature is dropping. Then I get in my car and wait for 1 hour and 33 minutes to get out of the parking lot. Crazy stupid. From finish line to my sister's house 11 minutes away took over four hours. | |
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D. L. from Sherman Oaks, CA USA
(4/4/2013)
"Great First half, horrible second half" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Really liked the first half of this marathon a lot and then everyone disappeared from the course and the course became a route of concrete and business parks and a desert of a park. Would recommend only doing the half-marathon for this race. It was really nice. | |
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Alexander Richardson from Los Angeles
(3/17/2013)
"Had a great time." (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Loved everything, but wish there were still news cameras at 5 hours. | |
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w. w. from Los Angeles
(3/11/2013)
"Not a Serious Event" (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 This is the only Marathon event I have ever experienced a delay, a 25 minutes long delay. It is not nice of the organizers to do this to the runners. Imagine that you have yourself warmed up and the delay let you cool down quickly in the morning cold without knowing when the start will actually be. The course is fairly interesting, scenic, and cheerful. | |
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Kyle EricSon from Riverside, CA
(5/10/2012)
"Does OC Really Want A Marathon?" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ OC Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have now run this marathon every year since it's been in existence and commend the organizers as I think it gets better every year. Although I'm not a fan of point-to-point courses, this one is at least better than most (but it sure seems like a lot of money, time and energy is wasted busing runners from the finish line to the starting line). Unfortunately, like most marathons in Southern California, this is really more of a half marathon (9,000 finishers), with very few of us (2,000) going the full distance. Accordingly, the first half is much better and more scenic than the second half, but I applaud the organizers for eliminating a couple of miles of riverbed running in the second half (we still have to do a couple miles on the riverbed, but it's tolerable). Getting back to the title of my review however, I just can't help but feeling that the residents of Orange County may like the runners coming into their community and spending money, but they really don't like any of the inconvenience that goes with it. I've got a sneaking suspicion that this is the reason that the marathon start time was pushed back to 5:30 in the hopes that they could open the roads sooner. As I live in Riverside County, this meant that I had two choices; either stay in an area hotel Saturday night, or get up at 2:30 am Sunday morning (I chose the latter). Anyway, I just couldn't help but feeling that runners really aren't welcome in the OC and they should have just hung-up a banner at the starting line that said 'Thank You for Running the OC ... Now Hurry-Up & Get Out!'. | |
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T. H. from Mission Viejo, CA
(5/9/2012)
"The OC Marathon Moves Forward!" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ OC Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Credit goes out to the organizers for trying to the improve this marathon. The early start benefited the marathoners by getting to the parking and buses before the mass of half marathoners. Starting 25 minutes late should be avoided next year. The aid stations were well staffed and enthusiastic. The course uses some narrow bike paths along the way but minimizing the road closures seems to be a priority. This event is not one of the mega-marathons and is great for the half marathoners. As a local runner, the expectations are met. | |
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Joel White from San Diego, CA
(5/7/2012)
"Fast and scenic course" (about: 2012)
2 previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This course starts at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and ends at the OC Fair and Events Center in Costa Mesa. The first half is hilly, but has enough downhill to make up for the climbs. The second half is extremely flat except for a small climb at mile 14. It is the fastest of the three marathons I have done, and got a PR by 7 minutes. It is a scenic course that goes through the very wealthy areas of Newport Beach. All of miles were marked, and they had plenty of pace groups for those with a specific time goal. If you want to set a new PR and run a scenic marathon, I highly recommend this course. | |
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S. C. from Southern Cali
(5/7/2012)
"Fix it!!" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 OC Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 First half beautiful, second half disaster. Who ever planned this course must not be a runner! Come one now, in the second half we had to circle cones, run through the mall parking lots, a high school campus, so many turns and out and backs. How ridiculous! Hated every step of second half. I am not sure why we couldn't do straight 4 or 5 mile square blocks to avoid these crazy hairpin turns and swirls. My 41st marathon; will not be back! |
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