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☰
Akron Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Akron Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.8 
Spectators 4.5
Number of comments: 309 [displaying comments 101 to 111]
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D. R. from Cincinnati, OH
(9/26/2009)
"Great event that I strongly recommend!" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a blast! Extremely well organized, nice course through nice neighborhoods in Akron, and a great finish line at a stadium so your family, friends and fellow runners can wait for you! Also, a ton of support from the community. Jim Barnett, the Executive Race Director, speaks at the start of the marathon and shakes the hand of all finishers at the finish line! What a nice touch that you will not see at other races! | |
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M. L. from Cincinnati, OH
(9/26/2009)
"Run The Bird! It's a Great Experience." (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 It was my first time at The Bird. I had to switch from the full to the half due to a training injury, but I wanted to share this thought with you at the end of the race. This was one of the best-run races that I have ever run. Your volunteers, support staff, the police, the city - everything was perfect! And, the race support didn't end at the finish line. The food tent was perfect and well stocked, and handing out bags to carry the snacks is *so* much appreciated. You rock! I expect to come back to run the Bird again and hopefully the full course. Three cheers for an excellent race! | |
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K. S. from Syracuse, ny
(4/5/2009)
"A great overall experience with a couple of snags" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and all in all, I think it was great. The information on the website was wonderful and complete. Any questions I had were responded to very quickly. The course itself was a good mix of street and trail. The water issue was a pain for me - and for my husband, who ran it with me. I didn't bring my water bottles because I thought that it would be there; when it wasn't, it sort of threw me off, but I am sure that will be corrected the next time. The spectators were great in the city areas, but they were very sparse on the trails, as is to be expected. All in all, a great race experience for me. | |
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T. J. from Canada
(2/21/2009)
"Not great" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I had high expectations coming into this race after all the hype from RW Magazine. Here is a bit of my experience. 1. Expo was great. 2. Course was hilly and for me, the bad kind of hilly as they were long and tough to conquer. 3. They ran out of water and GU at two stations (mile 6 and 8) creating a bit of panic, and runners had to go into stores to buy stuff! That was horrible! And I am a 4:40 runner - not a lead runner, but by no means the last one in. 4. The course itself had good variety and I loved the trail portion. 5. Best finish line ever. I really enjoyed running into a LOUD stadium with music and cheering. 6. They ran out of snacks when I finished, so I just had a free beer and a warm bottle of water and a ham sandwich. That was bad. 7. Free shoes! That was cool. 8. Great spectators throughout. | |
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Mervyn Chin from Pickering Ontario
(1/24/2009)
"Best Overall Marathon in the World" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Akron Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Very strong words, but I have now done 47 marathons in many different cities (since I am a runner who does not like to repeat marathons, unless close to home or there are very compelling reasons to repeat). I also read a lot of marathon websites and runners' comments, and I can say that the Akron RR is the best overall marathon in the world at present. No, it is not the most scenic, like Big Sur, Cape Cod, Adirondacks; nor is it as flat as Erie or cheap as Erie; nor does it have the many spectators of NYC or Chicago; nor does it have the finish line food like Erie; nor does it have the big expos like Chicago, NYC, etc. But it has the very best schwag. However when you put all the factors just mentioned together, that makes a great marathon, and Akron will rate as the very best. It has the very best schwag. How can anyone beat a free, good pair of Brooks shoes (hassle-free; just present your bib number and the finisher's sticker); free Running Times magazines; a good, Brooks technical running shirt; free beer; plus this director is always at the end to shake all runners' hands. This race also has about 5-6 stations with gels (some races have none; I am sure that I never got any at Chicago or Disney), motivational signs, enough spectators, and a course that is not as hilly as other runners might like you to believe (it is a marathon challenge, for Pete's sake). The expo is very good and you get a lot of freebies if you speak to the vendors and buy some stuff. The food at the end is very good, there's free, proximal parking, and the scenery is good enough for me, since you run through different areas and parks. Plus the registration fee is very cheap in comparison to other races. Do the math. The director of this race actually pays you to run his race. Other runners have mentioned this fact, plus the massages. Unfortunately, my regret is that I could not wait to get a massage, as I had to leave for home. Maybe what would make this race even better is if the director can have a few more school bands, the Salvation Army band, or a few churches choirs to sing along the course. I personally believe that many runners like to have spectators, but this is something that no race can guarantee. I train without spectators and really have to reach deep inside myself to finish, and that is what makes the marathon experience so special for me. Most runners are on Cloud 9 when they finish, so their comments tend to be about spectators. And a lot of runners do not have the experience to compare marathons. My advice to any runner is to ask, What are you looking for in a race, since all marathons are 26.2 miles? What I personally look for in a race are the city and the scenery, plus the overall factors that I mentioned above. If you are a relatively new marathon runner, my advice is to do Akron; you will have a very good experience. You are treated as a special person in this race, as opposed to at races like Chicago. Big marathons like Chicago and NYC are very expensive (you have to pay a non-refundable $11 just for the opportunity to apply for NYC), plus accommodation are very expensive in these cities. There are a lot of spectators in these races, but what do these races offer you, the average runner? I know that when I did Chicago twice, I got a cheap t-shirt and no food at the end. The directors of these races need your fees and the sponsors' fees to pay for the elite athletes, and they gave runners nothing in return. I do like Chicago and NYC, but I am not likely to run these races, since I am not going to pay exorbitant registration and hotel fees. I can get the experience at many smaller and better races. How many runners knew who won the last Chicago race? How many runners cared? Disney, on the other hand, just wants money and you do not even get to stay in the park after the race. Your family cannot cheer you on during the race unless they buy a Disney pass. I cannot even remember the cheap shirt that I got from Disney. You spend very little time running in the park, so I am not sure why runners rave about Disney. Akron meets my list of a having a very good expo; a lot of gels; a directors who cares about the runners enough to shake their hands at the end and respond to e-mails quickly; good finish line food; enough spectators; massages; cheap entry fee; and, most of all, great schwag. I personally have found this race to be the very best to date. If any one knows of a better race, please let me know. I have also done Bayshore and Grand Rapids, and these are good races also, but my preference favors Akron because of the overall factors. In general, my overall comment is: if you are looking for a marathon to do, give the smaller races a chance. They need your support and most try very hard. I have read a few runners comment about the lack of water at two water stations, and I believe them, even though this did not happen to me. This was unfortunate, but as one runner said, it is not likely to happen again, as the race will have truckloads of water next time. The weather, as I recall, was not that hot at that time, so going two miles without water is not detrimental. I train by running a few miles without water. I believe that this incident happened after I passed, and I am a slow runner. My other wish is that someday soon there will be 10,000 full- and half-marathon runners for the Akron RR so that they can get rid of the relays. I have signed up to run 2009. | |
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L. C. from Medina, Ohio
(1/23/2009)
"Will run EVERY year as long as they have it" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the first marathon (2008) my wife and I ever ran, and we both enjoyed it a lot. I did 3:52 and my wife did 4:12. I never knew they were short on any water or GU until after the race was over. My wife was a little upset about the water shortage but says she made it to the next water stop with no problem. If she could make it, then why all the whining from so many people, especially if you're running a 5-hour marathon? What a great value for $70 - and we will be running this again in 2009. Thank you, Jim Barnett. | |
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s. l. from Mansfield
(1/11/2009)
"nothing wrong" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 There was nothing not to like. The Brooks shoes given to every marathon finisher under 6:00 was an incredible offer. The shoes would have set me back $80. The Running Times subscription would have been another $20. I signed up for $75. I came out of the Akron Marathon $25 in the black. | |
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A. S. from Ohio
(11/20/2008)
"First marathon... can't wait till next year" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Akron Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I couldn't have asked for a better first-marathon experience. The organization was great. They had the most amazing volunteers. All of the water and aid stations were well marked, with huge signs saying, "Water in 400 feet," etc. The shirt was a long-sleeve, technical shirt. And you can't beat the free shoes! | |
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c. h. from West Virginia
(10/25/2008)
"Great but must correct the hydration problem" (about: 2008)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I ran the 1/2 and my son ran the full. Loved the expo, course, and community support. As a relative beginner to the half distance, I was planning and trained around the promised water stops and GU stations. I was very frustrated and apprehensive when the first few stations had little or no water and all the GU was gone. If I had been planning on my first full marathon, I think I would have dropped out for fear of getting in trouble. The stadium finish was nice but too congested, and I agree that the food should have been more appropriate for recovery. I don't believe Vitamin Water can compare to Gatorade or PowerAde. When my son did not finish on time I had to fight the crowd up and down numerous times before I could get all the information I needed, and then I discovered that he had been taken to City Hospital. After having several people offer to give me directions, I finally found an information booth on the upper level where I was totally taken care of and a very nice gentlemen - I wish I could remember his name - actually helped me find our car half a mile away and gave me a personal escort to the hospital. Being from out of town and having just completed the half myself, I couldn't have been more grateful. By the way my son "broke" at mile 24 and his complaint was also hydration. He was pacing at 6-minute miles and realized too late after grabbing his PowerAde that the cups barely had any liquid in them. He was also very angry because he requested a ride to the finish line after dropping out due to leg cramps but says he was forced to go to the ER "per protocol." Great race; I will definitely try it again, but I'll most likely bring my own fluids until they can get it right. I noticed the comments from last year also mentioned the lack of sufficient hydration, so I was just sure they would have corrected it this year. | |
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J. H. from Strongsville, OH
(10/23/2008)
"The Best Race You've Never Heard Of." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Akron Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race gets better every year. The attention to every detail is amazing, and the bang for the buck can't be beat. The organizers truly care about this race, and it shows. Course: Make no mistake - it's a tough one. Plenty of hills, especially Sand Run from miles 16-19. If you want a flat course, there are plenty of those around. Personally, I appreciate a tougher course. I also appreciate the diversity. Downtown, working-class neighborhoods, upper-class neighborhoods, national parks (the Towpath Trail), local parks (Sand Run), the university... not many races offer that range of scenery. Organization: I'd give them six stars if I could. The value here is unparalleled - between the shoes, the Running Times subscription, and other goodies, they practically pay you to run this race. I appreciate the focus on treating all runners like elites, instead of having huge prize purses for a few and letting the rest of us eat cake. The race and the expo run very smoothly. My one complaint from last year - the crowded finish - was alleviated (looks like they have now been permitted to use all of Canal Park's field for the finish, instead of the warning track around the field). From the comments below, and from others I've heard, they did run out of fluids at some earlier aid stations (I personally had no issues). Knowing the race organizers, they will have tractor-trailers full of water at the aid stations next year. Fans: Not as many as a Chicago or New York certainly, but there were plenty of them, especially downtown and in the residential areas. I'll be back in 2009... and 2010... and 2011.... |
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