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☰
Houston Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Houston Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 365 [displaying comments 81 to 91]
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Z. L. from Houston
(2/2/2011)
"Possibly the best marathon you will ever find" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Houston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything about this race is organized well. Top-notch attention to the runners' needs shows at every step. Quick packet pickup, there was an indoor waiting area before going to the corrals, and there were pristine porta-potties with toilet paper and hand sanitizer (!), weather alerts, copious course markings, "criers" announcing pace at the mile markers for both wave 1 and wave 2, and plenty of medical attention should the need arise. We just completed the Goofy Challenge at Disney, and love the WDW organization, but Houston has it beat. Even though the races will be just one week apart in 2012, we will try to do them both again - our two favorite venues. And last year, I thought the Austin spectators were the best, and couldn't ever be beaten, but Houston spectators are just as enthusiastic, and just as generous, some providing their own pretzels, cookies, beer (!), and orange slices, augmenting the official hydration stations. I can't count how many times I was encouraged by name, and it really does help lift flagging spirits. In 2011 we started in drizzle, and we faced rain off and on for the event, and I think lots of people developed blisters from wet shoes and socks. Nothing against the race organization for the weather - just one more thing to challenge us - but I did notice that a lot of veterans' times were significantly slower than last year. This did not seem to affect the elites; they finish so quickly that they had no time for blisters. I should add that parking is a breeze, as is ingress and egress from the event. Also, for those from out of town, there are a variety of very nice hotels in walking distance of the start. And this may be a big city, but it has a small-town feel for friendliness. At the end, one of the race officials congratulated me on my finish, and later when I watched the event on tv, I discovered it had been the race director himself. I'm glad I got to compliment him personally for a well-run event. What a nice touch, his being there "on the ground." This is one we want to try to run every year, from now on. | |
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W. V. from Cincinnati, Ohio
(2/1/2011)
"Great organization; I hope to run this one again!" (about: 2011)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Houston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was lucky enough to win the lottery this year; Houston picked me to run. I am a 5-hour-plus runner, and was very pleased by the pace groups available to us slowpokes. Bob was the best and I hung with him 'til almost mile 14. It is mostly flat, with a few spiteful underpasses around 23. Crowd support was decent considering the rain. Finish line support was excellent; there were still plenty of folks there to cheer me in after noon. Food/drink were good, though my belly never permits me to enjoy the hot food at the end. The medal is excellent, finisher shirt and glass beer stein are nice touches. Everything flows very smoothly and I have no complaints whatsoever. Hope to come back next year! | |
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T. C. from Ohio
(2/1/2011)
"VERY HAPPY EXPERIENCE" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Though I did not receive my best time, it was probably my 3rd favorite race after NYC and Boston. There were by far more clothes, shoes and products on sale at this expo than I've seen at others. Being inside the convention center before and after the race was a big bonus. And thank you for the extra finisher t-shirt and beer mug. There were 3 of us one from OH, and 2 from IN; it was a pleasant break from the cold weather and a money-worthy race. If I would be so lucky to get picked by the lottery next year, I would love to have this wonderful experience again. I'm happy to say that my 21st marathon was the HOUSTON MARATHON. | |
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C. L. from Houston, Texas
(1/31/2011)
"Fantasic marathon!" (about: 2011)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 After watching the weather all week, I was stressing out. Race day, it was humid, rainy and a little slippery in some spots for awhile. But we still started on time, the storms stayed away and it all worked out. Pros: -Lots of emails with weather updates. -Good expo - no problems parking. -No long lines for anything! -The full and 1/2 runners started a street apart... less congestion. -Split was marked well. -Mile markers visible. -Lots of flags regarding the weather conditions. -EXCELLENT volunteers!!! -Tons of water/Gatorade stations, porta-cans, first aid. -Flat course with a few rolling hills on Allen Parkway. -Great goodies: t-shirt, UA finisher's shirt, mug and a nice medal. -My family and friends didn't have any problems finding me along the course multiple times. -Meal provided by HEB. Lots of fruit, milk, water, etc. inside GRB. Cons: -Miles 2-9 were really congested. We merged with the 1/2 marathoners after a mile or so and it was hard to maneuver. And there were a TON of people who were stopping in the middle of the street to mess with their gear, almost making people trip over them. Maybe it was the rain.... -There wasn't a vendor at the finish line selling more finisher items. A volunteer said the vendor didn't show up. -No corrals within the waves. I was hoping when I entered the lottery that they would have corrals similar to the Rock N Roll, spacing the runners out to prevent congestion. -No water at the finish line. They were handing out medals and taking pictures, so you had to go inside GRB to get a cup of water or Gatorade. Really, the cons are minimal. Houston is an excellent marathon and the organizers, volunteers and spectators absolutely made my day even better. Thank you, Houston!!!!! | |
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A. C. from Houston, Texas
(1/31/2011)
"Great experience" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon, and after a disastrous first experience I was hoping to improve my time to under 4 hours. As I am now a graduate student in town, Houston presented the ideal opportunity to do so. Thankfully, I made it in via lottery registration. I had heard many good things about the organization and support of this race and I want to verify that they are all true. Of primary concern for me was abundance of port-a-jons prior to the start. There were PLENTY - in the convention center, outside the convention center, at the start, etc. The ability to be inside the convention center and stretch/rendezvous before heading to the start was also nice. The wave starts were a little chaotic... there was only one poor volunteer tasked with holding back the thousands of blue wave starters (including myself) and I was disappointed that the first pace group available in this wave was 4:30. I'm not sure how the waves were assigned but there seemed to be some inconsistencies there. I also had to do a lot of weaving around slower runners and walkers in the first 5-ish miles, but that is to be expected in a large race, I suppose. The support along the course was wonderful, even with the dreary weather. Volunteers, police, and spectators were very encouraging and it really is nice to have the names printed on the bib. The finish was exciting (even though I was really hurting at that point), and the post-race hot breakfast was a nice touch. Merchandise is top-notch and the beer stein is great (and was definitely utilized that night). The expo was big but well-organized - lots of good deals on gear to be had. The course itself was a neat cross-section of the variegated Houston landscape, with only a few small rollers and overpasses to contend with. I was extremely happy with my 3:55 and attribute a portion of my success to the success of the race organizers in smoothly orchestrating the whole experience. I would absolutely recommend this marathon to anyone. | |
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G. J. from Texas
(1/30/2011)
"The Best Organized Marathon Ever" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Houston Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything works here. Things happen on time, there are few if any waits in lines, the entire operation is absolute first-class. The first few miles of the course are through about the ugliest part of a city you could find, but after that it gets better. Flat, flat, flat. And outstanding spectator and volunteer support. Whoever manages this thing should give seminars to other race directors. | |
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Jeff Wang from Humble, Texas
(1/30/2011)
"Wet, Warm Houston..." (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Houston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my 10th Houston Marathon. It also is the wettest and possibly one of the warmest Houston Marathon I have experienced. Houston Marathon has been blessed with good weather for years. However, every Sunday this year has been rainy thus far. In addition, a warm front hits Houston just in time, making it a bit unnerving for those of us who likes it dry and cold. It turns out the rain was a non-factor, but the heat certainly knocked many runners off-pace: 65 F at starting time in January is unusual even for Houston. Aside from that, I have no complaint about this race. It is well organized from registration to expos to the race and post-race event. It is the model marathon most of the marathon organizers need to study and learn. The registration this year is by lottery system, with guaranteed entry for those with 5 or more Houston finishes - a very fair system. Expos at George Brown is huge and filled with lots of good booths. I wish there were more Houston Marathon logo items, but I guess they figure economy is tough, so there are fewer selections. As for the race, it runs the same route, with minor changes at the end to finish in front of GRB rather than on the side, which is the way it was 10 years ago and the way I like it as a runner. Route of the race is scenic; there was a good crowd even with the light drizzle, and lots of water stations and porta-potties. I miss the GU station, but the beer truck still sits at mile 21. Nice finish at the end, with a huge medal, a finisher tech shirt, AND a finisher mug. Did I mention the warm, Texas-style breakfast, ice cream and yogurt for all runners? I finally made it to the veteran status, and I am definitely proud to be a part of this great marathon. I'll wish for better weather next year, but if that is all I can wish for with respect to improvement in a marathon, that says a whole lot about the people involved - everyone from the organizers to the police to advertisers to the wonderful volunteers - and their accomplishment. I look forward to Houston 2012. | |
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E. A. from Fort Worth, Texas
(12/6/2010)
"My Favorite Marathon" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Houston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run nearly 20 marathons and this is absolutely my favorite marathon year after year. I got scared by the "lottery" entry for this marathon and I hope they don't bring it back. I am willing to wake up at midnight on the day of registration to register. I love this race so much that I would stay up all night if I had to. Best race EVER! | |
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B. S. from Florida
(3/5/2010)
"Bang for your bucks" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Houston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Very organized from the minute you registered. The expo was large, and you got two shirts, breakfast and other items. Best value of any marathon I have run. Corral system needs improvements. They should require proof of time because there were walkers in front of the runners. | |
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N. B. from Houston!! Texas!!
(3/4/2010)
"Absolutely perfect marathon experience." (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Houston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great course. Super organization that sets the standard for other marathons. Somehow, this years' spectators stand out - both the volunteers and sideline crowds were all super friendly and energizing. In 2010, we had the BEST weather ever! Medal and t-shirt were nice, but the beer mug is a nice touch and proved useful once I got home. Recommended!! |
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