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Knoxville Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Knoxville Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 138 [displaying comments 51 to 61]
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G. R. from Atlanta, GA
(3/30/2010)
"Challenging but beautiful course" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have to say, Knoxville is a great town. Although very hilly, the course showcases some very beautiful neighborhoods. Good organization, friendly spectators and awesome volunteers. Only complaint: where was the food? Please have something other than water immediately after the finish line. Signage for the food was confusing. I wound up walking back to my hotel without eating. I realize space was limited, but there could have been some fruit or a recovery bar handed out with the water. | |
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W. M. from Brighton, CO
(3/30/2010)
"Great after the start" (about: 2010)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a very well run event. My only complaints about the event are 1) there were insufficient bathroom facilities at the start; and 2) please keep the 5K runners out of the start area until ALL the marathoners are on their way. Both of these came together to create frustration for a number of runners (including myself). I was stuck in a bathroom line, and when I finally made it back outside the 5K runners were milling around and it looked like the race had not started. I looked up the hill and saw some runners and asked someone if the marathon had started. I was told that it had and then had to dodge 75 yards through 5K runners to get to the START LINE. After that, everything was great. Yes, it is hilly, but that's expected if you read the reviews. The private room for marathoners at the end was FANTASTIC!!! It was so nice for a back-of-the-pack guy like me to actually have food available at the end. A number of us were discussing how frustrating it is to pay more and run less than the halfers and then have them eat all the food. Not here! Keep up the good work. Thanks for a great day. | |
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S. H. from Chattanooga, TN
(3/29/2010)
"Challenging Half Marathon Course" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The organization was great (love the checked bags that were taken right from start to finish line); there were few spectators but those there were encouraging; and there were wonderful volunteers and well stocked water stops. Real bathrooms in the convention center before race! Hills throughout most of half marathon course... some worse than others. Just train hills and you'll be fine, but don't let others talk them down. Train for them or they'll kill your time! The most disappointing for me was the low profile mileage markers (only a few feet off the ground and so easily obscured by other runners' feet). I had read from previous comments in earlier years that they were difficult to see, but I figured they would have fixed that problem by now... but not so. I missed at least two mile markers, which of course made it frustrating to track my pace. Also, it would have been great to maybe have a final lap in the stadium before the finish line. Over all, though, I'm glad I ran this race - despite the challenging hills. The volunteers and organization made it a 4-star race for me, but the mile marker problem prevented it from being a 5-star race in my experience. | |
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R. S. from Knoxville, TN
(3/29/2010)
"Gun time? Really!?" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Knoxville Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 A few things about this race are just disappointing, and it's sad, because this marathon could have been growing a lot better otherwise: PowerAde is not a good electrolyte replacement; the course could have been designed better; the goody bag is just lame in comparison with the marathons that are growing; the back of the pack doesn't get the same perks after the marathon (access to free massage, stretching); the food is different depending on what race you did; and on top of that, they're posting gun time here, while on milliseconds you can see the chip time (they do have the data!). Really!?! Cost cutting at its finest... no longterm vision for making it a great event. Sad. | |
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D. R. from Cincinnati, OH
(3/29/2010)
"Beautiful course and great organization!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I recommend this marathon. The course is beautiful (lovely neighborhoods and parks) and kept my mind off the distance (I ran the marathon). We were lucky with weather; there was quite a downpour, but only for 3-4 miles (16-20 for me) - contra the forecast, which predicted rain all day. I was glad it was only for a short period. The packet pickup, start and finish were all well organized. Participants could use "real" toilets at the start and at the halfway point because the convention center was open. The medal was nice, as it had a lot of colors. Volunteers were awesome! | |
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A. O. from Louisville, Kentucky
(6/8/2009)
"Wonderful course, great experience!" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the half-marathon as a part of my training for a full marathon in May, and I loved this race! The course was wonderful, though indeed hilly. I had been training on hills, though, so I was prepared, and they weren't as bad as I had heard they were. The half course, at least, is hilly throughout, though. The entire course for the half was very nice, great scenery and wonderful spectators. Although there weren't too many of them, they were pretty much everywhere and very encouraging. The expo was pretty decent, and the water stops were well spaced and well stocked. After having run my full marathon in Cleveland in May, I wished that I had made Knoxville my full. Maybe I will come back for the full sometime. Pros: Hilly, but lovely course. Enthusiastic spectators. Organization. Cons: The shirt was just a T-shirt, and it was ugly, and I got the smallest size and it was still way too big. I'll never wear it. The medal was rather ugly as well. The only cons were the t-shirt and the medal, but for me, those are the least important things. I had a wonderful time, loved the course, and have great memories. If Knoxville can get good shirts and a better medal, I'd say that it's perfect. After having done the full in Cleveland two months later in May, I wished I had chosen Knoxville for my full. I highly recommend this race. | |
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G. F. from Tennessee
(6/5/2009)
"A must-do" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Knoxville Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran this one the first year and took a hiatus before coming back in 2009. As always, the KTC puts on a top-notch event. The hills really aren't that bad, as long as you train on some hills beforehand. I've done much tougher; Nashville and Boston, just to name a couple. They are primarily on the first half; the second half is relatively flat. The post-race food is the best I've ever had. There was even a separate area for the marathoners to have space to relax, and their own line of food and drink. To the other poster: yes, I ran 26.2 miles, and you ran the 5K. I also paid more money. I deserve more food. It was a little cold and windy this year, but every other year it has been perfect. Spring in the south is beautiful. This is definitely a race that cares about the participant. I'll be back again in 2010! | |
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L. B. from canmore alberta canada
(4/10/2009)
"Thanks for a great start to our vacation" (about: 2009)
First Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved it! (I ran the half.) The expo was great, with some fantastic prices. Registration was very well organized and efficient. The finish area was well organized, but it was tough to stay warm if you were waiting for other finishers. I was not impressed that all participants did not receive the same food. I guess running 5K doesn't make you hungry enough for pizza. Awards ran very late and most people moved on. It would have been nice to celebrate the winners with some recognition. Coverage in the paper the next day was fantastic. The city's reception for the runners was nice. I'm not sure why you give out timing chips if final results are based on gun time. Each year in February or March we come to the US for a run. We will definitely recommend this one to others. | |
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S. B. from Richmond, Va
(4/10/2009)
"An outstanding event" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I thought this was a great race. It is my 6th marathon and it's certainly one of my favorites. The convention center was open before the race so that you could stay warm and have access to a non-porta potty restroom. The course was nice, going from downtown to a beautiful "greenway," through several very supportive communities (Island Homes rocked!) and a finish in the stadium. Of course it was hilly - we're not exactly in the coastal plain here in Knoxville. Water stops were well manned and stocked, and the mile markers were fine. You might consider hanging markers 1 - 5. The initial crowds blocked the first few, I believe. It was a neat city to visit and I would highly recommend the experience to others! | |
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M. M. from Maine
(4/9/2009)
"Well organized, friendly race." (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Knoxville Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a very hilly course, but I knew that going in. The race was well run, with friendly and helpful volunteers. The local police were excellent! Knoxville is well worth doing. The weather was not race-friendly - very windy and cold. But that being said, the race director CANNOT control that, and I can never understand how people rate a race on weather conditions. Good race, nice city, friendly people... what more could you ask for? |
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