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☰
Colfax Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Colfax Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.6 
Organization 3.7 
Spectators 3.3
Number of comments: 87 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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C. m. from Boulder, CO
(6/21/2016)
"A Great City Marathon that does Good too" (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Colfax Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I've run the Colfax Marathon for the past 5 years (2012-16) and it is an annual favorite. The course is good and varied, the weather is usually quite good, the organization and support is impeccably, and this is one of the few non-profit marathons in the country and gives thousands of dollars to local charities. In the age of mega-business race orgs, I like to support races like this that focus on the community. I've run this for fun and I've BQed here. Just depends on the year and the purpose. This is now the only marathon in Denver, but it's been the best for many years. | |
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T. G. from South Carolina
(5/30/2016)
"Good, but not as good as it sounds" (about: 2016)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I was excited about this race, but worried about the altitude (living at sea level) - but I did not need to have worried about the latter, as I could not tell any difference. The course was not nearly as scenic as the description - the park and lake areas were nice, running through the (empty) stadium was a plus, but most of it along Colfax is a pretty low-rent down-at-heel street with cheap motels, Dollar Stores etc. - nothing scenic at all. No complaints about the expo, except having to walk the gauntlet of every exhibitor to get out - but the race packet was sparse - no course map, and there is no start/finish area map in the packet, on line, or anywhere else, which makes it very confusing at the end of the race - I had to ask several people how to get out to the nearest road, and finding food, gear trucks etc. involved walking around in search - not want you want to do at the end of a marathon. My other 2 criticisms are: there are too many races at once, so it is confusing to get an idea of how fast you are running when you are accompanied by relay runners and 10-milers; and there is no mention of awards, prizes, or an awards ceremony anywhere (other than corporate relay etc.). I guess there are awards and perhaps there was a ceremony - but coming 2nd in my age group makes me think I may qualify for a certificate or something - but who knows? Oh, one big pat on the back - FREE full-size downloadable race photos! That's a very nice plus! And NO wait at all for portapotties at the start - that was a first for me! | |
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Dave Graves from Volga, SD
(5/21/2015)
"Good Mile High memories" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Colfax Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 A good course with a full, but not crowded, field. There were nearly 1,500 in the marathon plus 650 in the relay. The half-marathoners had a separate route and start time, so that kept potential route bottlenecks open. Aid stations were plentiful and well organized. Several music groups and other entertainment added to the festive atmosphere. Another bonus is being able to run through Mile High Stadium at Miles 6 and 20. Medals can displayed on a table like a miniature trophy; very impressive. Traffic in Denver can be challenging for those driving to meet a runner and the website didn't offer a map that listed the mile points. The postrace food featured a tasty barbecue. Otherwise, there wasn't much for treats. City Park is huge and makes for a good staging ground as well as place for friends and family to gather afterwards. | |
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Dave Graves from Volga, S.D.
(5/22/2014)
"A well-organized Mile High challenge" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Organizers must have taken the 2013 criticisms to heart. I didn't experience any of those problems in 2014. The race was well organized, the medal awesome and the course challenging. In fact, more challenging than this Midwestern was prepared for, but I don't consider the course to be daunting. Running twice through Mile High Stadium and around Sloan's Lake were neat features. With 1,300+ in the marathon, there was always somebody to keep your eye on, including the gal in the 10-mile run that did a cartwheel during her run. The aid stations were plentiful and well manned. Gel was at Miles 6 & 20. Considering the size of the event (17,000 total runners) there wasn't much of a crowd, but how many do you expect to see at 6 a.m. Sunday morning? The early start was appreciated because it hit 78 by 10:30 a.m. I'm considering another try in 2015. | |
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R. D. from Denver, CO
(1/17/2014)
"Great Race" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Colfax Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the Marathon in 2012 and 2013, and I love this race. I think the Colfax Marathon is the best marathon in the area, much better than RnR. And the fact that I did early registration and only paid $69.95, makes it a great value as well. I like the small expo with free parking, and the shirts are pretty nice. The race start/finish in City Park is nice and convenient, its only 3.5mi from my house. I like that I get to eat my own food and sleep in my own bed the night before. The race is very well organized, and has become my Spring marathon of choice. | |
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M. M. from Arvada, CO
(8/28/2013)
"Not a good experience" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 I would concur with comments on water stops, especially during the critical early miles. I had planned my energy gels around the water stations and filled my mouth with gel approaching the stadium, anticipating to be able to wash it down since water station at mile 2 was vacant. Alas, nothing! had to get to the lake nearly 2 miles later to get to a water station. This was frustrating and threw off my fueling/fluid intake plan early on. Very discouraging. Mile splits were very erratic (as measured by my Garmin which is thankfully very accurate). Overall marathon distance seemed correct, however. Finishline area - the only thing to drink was water and DIET Pepsi. No regular softdrinks available. | |
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S. F. from Oklahoma City
(6/3/2013)
"Underwhelmed" (about: 2013)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Trying to pick up 50 states, this one worked well with the timing of other races so I decided to run it. Echoing many of the comments already posted, the race had some nice features but many issues that need to be changed. The good: -Being from out of state, I liked the course, but that came more from being in Denver than it does the actual route. I did enjoy the run through the stadium and the firestation- very cool. I also enjoyed the stent at Sloan's Lake- very pretty and provided a nice breeze off the water. -I like the shirt- tech, gray, ladies got the VNeck. -The corral start for marathoners was efficient. I loved not having to battle for positioning and didn't have to pass walkers and made it to my corral very easily. -Plenty of portapotties prior to the race with a minimal wait. The bad: -Water stop organization was terrible. As previously stated, there was a dry run early in the race which included one hill in the sun and I received no water or aid until mile 7.5. The water station was set up....but nothing was there. Mentally and physically challenging, and messed with my head as I started worrying about water for the rest of the race. Unacceptable and not safe. I had the same sentiments as a prior commentor and just started taking water and aid whenever it was available because they were poorly spaced thereafter- 2 within a mile, and then none for the next three? Why? -The expo left much to be desired. The Run Colorado vendor had a lot of good merch, but otherwise it was very congested and didn't have much to offer when we went on Saturday. -Most of the portapotties on course were located at relay exchanges. Needed more on course for the marathoners, because every time I tried to go at a relay exchange the lines were enormous. -The turn back into the park prior to mile 26 was overwhelmingly congested. There were tons of spectators IN the corral as I turned at mile 26, crossing over to the other side. While I may not have had to physically stop for them, the last thing I want to worry about is someone crossing in front of me with a stroller when I'm coming in to finish a marathon. This needs immediate attention. -The marathon was expensive in comparison to other races and for the lack of aid and swag received. -Virtually NO spectators or fans except in the neighborhood halfway. For those that did come out to cheer, THANK YOU! -Running the race early on, you could see all of the mile marker signs for the return trip- for instance, at about mile 5, I was staring at a huge 'mile 22' sign. Perhaps make those one-sided if the course stays the same...a little bit daunting. -No chocolate milk after the race which is my personal favorite recovery drink. In fact, all I was offered was a bagel, a bottle of water and a warm can of soda. | |
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P. A. from Colorado
(5/30/2013)
"An event for vendors / sponsors, not for runners" (about: 2013)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 Will not do this race again. The course itself was decent, if a little scattered. Overall, my negative comments about this race have to do primarily with (1) the general feeling that the RD and team catered primarily to the sponsors / vendors / exhibitors and not to the actual runners, and (2) some HUGE misses on race day. Expo felt like big brother. I've been to big race expos before, and I get that you tend to be herded like sheep, but this was over the top. I don't like to hang out at the expo - I want to get in, get my stuff, and get out. It was impossible at this expo. First, you could only take an elevator up to the expo area, which got jam packed. Second, once up there, the layout made absolutely no sense. You were forced to slog your way through every single vendor, etc. to get your stuff, instead of getting your stuff (all together at the beginning) and then choosing (like a big boy or girl) whether you wanted to spend time looking at the vendor's / sponsor's schwag (which I did not want to do). Bathrooms were nice and plentiful on race day. Good job there. There are a few things that you absolutely have to get right, and water / gatorade stops are one of them. The second water stop (around mile 2 or 3) did not have any water, gatorade, anything - just a bunch of volunteers standing around waiting for the water to arrive. THEN, the next water stop was not for at least 3'ish more miles, and that water stop had a line (literally, a line) of people, waiting to get water. You had to stop and wait in a line to get water. This is a piss poor way to run a marathon. Finally, the finish line was a nightmare. Too many different races finishing in one spot, way claustrophobic, hard to get water / food, and then they forced you to go through the exhibitors area, whether you wanted to or not. I was feeling awful by the end of the race, just wanted a drink and to lay in the grass, and one of the volunteers attempted to refuse to allow me to do so without going through the exhibitor tent area first. Seriously? I had to force my way past him to the grassy area. Again, total disregard for the runners in an apparent attempt to please the sponsors / exhibitors. There are way too many well-run races to waste my time coming back to this one next year, even though the start line is less than a mile from my house. | |
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J. R. from Longmont, CO
(5/24/2013)
"Forgettable" (about: 2013)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Yeah, unless you have friends begging you to do this, really, don't worry about missing it. Chronologically... the expo was a mess. Long line outside the stadium, and then, as others have posted, Only being able to take the elevator up to the 3rd floor? We're freakin runners here, we don't like lines, let us take the stairs. I picked up my tag and shirt at the expo and that was it. Overall pretty disappointing. Parking was fine on race day, nbd. Plenty of port-a-potties available, barely a wait 20min before the start. Corrals were good, nice and organized. The course was ok, a couple of really wonky, greater-than-90degree turns which were awkward. I didn't care for the fire station but the stadium was pretty cool. The neighborhood around mile 14 was really nice with shade and people coming out to cheer. The long gradual downhill on Colfax was nice too, if not a bit crowded. The bike path, both early and late, kinda stunk. It was narrow, and there were seemingly 9 races going on with people doing 5minute miles and 12minute miles and everything in between. The finish was a total disaster. There was a spur of about 50m in the final mile - really? And the race royally hosed up the water stops. At the second one, we got there before the water did. Cups, people, table...no water. Unreal. Then the next one was a good 3-4 miles away, including a couple of uphills, so it was a good 6ish mile stretch of no water. That's pretty poor. Then you'd go a couple of miles without one, which is fine, but then there would be 2 within a half mile of each other. Just bizarre. I ended up taking at every single one just out of fear of the next one being way far away. The volunteers were nice and plentiful. Then the finish line itself was horrid. The 'Urban 10-miler', the half-marathon, the marathon relay, and the marathoners all come in together. I ran a 3:21 marathon, which put me in with some slower relay teams, the 2:21 halfers, and I don't even know what time for the Urban 10ers. But it was PACKED when I came through, and that bites. Can the marathoners get their own finish? Or change start times so it's not so dense? The chute afterwards were totally crammed. People were complaining about being claustrophobic and having to get out of there. A dry bagel was the first thing offered to me. Mmmmm, dry bagels. Please. The 'expo' afterwards appeared ok, but I was tired and just wanted to split. All in all it appears to be yet another race that caters to the groups that bring in the most money, which is the halfers and in this case, the 10ers. Marathoners, the ones out there for the longest, are a complete afterthought. | |
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J. B. from Tennessee
(5/22/2013)
"Okay race if you carry your own fluids" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Colfax Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I am glad I read the comments here before I ran this one and carried my own fluids, since one of the early water stops didn't have any water or gatorade resulting in a 5+ mile dry run. Otherwise I liked the course and I thought the start and finish line areas were set up well. There were plenty of porta-potties and I though the post race food was pretty good. As others have mentioned the expo venue was tiny and all I wanted to do was grab my stuff and get out of there because it was so overcrowded. The T-shirt was okay although I prefer shirts that are event-specific (this one listed all the events so I assume even the 5k runners got the same shirt, and it did not have the date of the race anywhere on it). I liked the medal (giant 26.2) and necklace/keychain attachment. I have to say my biggest concern about this race comes from the comments of the RD in a news article after the race. From the Denver Post, regarding the fact that the half martathon was short: 'This is a non-issue and is clearly meant to harm an otherwise important civic and community event.' In response to the runners critical of the length, Kelly said Sunday: 'If (the questioning runners) had been courteous enough to inquire about this while on site, it would have been a conversation with immediate review on the ground of course settings to satisfy (their) curiosity.' While this refers to the half rather than the full, I don't trust any race director that thinks charging runners $80 for a race that isn't accurate in distance is a 'non-issue'. If you are hosting a race that is advertised as being run on a certified course of a specific distance than not providing what was promised is certainly an issue. Overall I would say run it for fun, but I wouldn't try for a PR here because of the issues with fluids and the clear disregaurd for the importance of providing a certified course expressed by the RD. |
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