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Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run Runner Comments
Back to Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 85 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
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j. b. from Michigan
(5/25/2009)
"A gem of a marathon" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Runs
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is a wonderful marathon! I have traveled to run it 3 years in a row - primarily as a training run for Boston. The course is wonderful, with challenges of the causeway bridges, but otherwise flat. Sarasota is beautiful. I can't believe some of the whiney complaints people make. It starts early because Florida can get hot. The cones were for runners' protection from hazards. If the cups were small, take two - they were free. If you thought the food was bad, you haven't been to Boston. Organization was fine. This is a great race. You'll love it! | |
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M. P. from Ontario, Canada
(3/6/2009)
"Enjoyable Marathon. Hope to be back next year." (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 34th marathon and I truly enjoyed it. The race was well organized, with good volunteers. The race kit pick-up was well done, and I enjoyed the trade show. I liked the tech shirt design and the medal. Everything makes me want to come back next year. Keep it up! | |
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KIDDIE CUPS from FLORIDA
(2/20/2009)
"Good, scenic course; but aid stations need improve" (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Course is scenic with many views of the water. Prepare for warm and humid conditions at this race. Race directors are incompetent when it comes to setting up aid stations. Many of the aid stations had very tiny cups. They look like cups you would give to a preschooler, making it a challenge to stay hydrated. No Gatorade at the finish. For the $80 entry fee I paid, the race director is cheap for not providing bigger cups. If all you can afford is small Dixie cups, raise the entry fee next year to provide adequate aid stations for the runners. | |
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j. j. from Elk Grove Village, Illinois
(2/18/2009)
"I had a great time" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon in two years. I had a great time; it's not the big event like Chicago, but the entry fee didn't hurt the pocketbook either. I liked the route, with spectacular views and plenty of water stops (although they seemed backward, with water first and Gatorade second - maybe because we came back the same way at the end). The Ringling Bridge was on my mind the whole time. You go over it twice, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. After finishing, I felt dizzy with low blood pressure. The med-team took control and had me out in no time. They are truly world-class. Chip removing should be more aggressive. I got halfway home before noticing that the chip was still on. Since this is a fairly new marathon, as they say, it will only get better. | |
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d. f. from Tallahassee, Florida
(2/17/2009)
"Pretty course... however, some problems" (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 The Good: - Very pretty race course through scenic residential streets and along the bay for a good deal of time. - Great weather - Sarasota in February. The Bad: - It is apparent the race directors were not runners. - The lanes throughout the course were marked by cones that cut one side of the road narrowly in half causing many runners to have to go single-file. - At mile 6, where the half runners and full runners diverged, there was not a clear sign of which was which, causing much confusion. - As the full marathoners climbed the bridge on mile 12 we had to dodge half marathon walkers who got in the way (not amusing). - Mile 16 was at least a quarter-mile long. - Limited crowd support - almost no crowd support from mile 21-25, except for a fat, rich guy in a lawn chair smoking on mile 25 as I was pushing towards the finish. - No Gatorade or any sports drink at the finish. - Most 5ks have better food at the finish. - I came in second in my age group and won a cheap-looking plastic picture frame. | |
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Ben Mueller from WI
(2/16/2009)
"Good race!" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Coming in from WI, it would be hard not for me to rank this race high. The course was beautiful. The only problem was that I ran half of it in the pitch dark due to a 6 a.m. start. Spectacular ocean views, and a mostly flat course (other than on 41 and the bridge). The race had lots of community support and the expo was great. My only suggestion would be to push the start a little later to make for more light, and have more Gatorade choices than lemon-lime. | |
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m. d. from Bradenton, Florida
(2/15/2009)
"well organized, safe, lots of water, clearly marke" (about: 2009)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the half-marathon. This was my first race. The start was smooth, and the course was well marked and populated by people along the way. I especially appreciate the folks who kept everyone clear of a cactus plant (a Spanish Bayonet) on one street corner. Thank you everyone for making my first race an enjoyable success! | |
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K. B. from Sarasota, FL
(5/20/2008)
"The RD can't control everything, thank goodness" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 Well, where to start? The race staff didn't respond to e-mails in the months leading up to the race, a number of the mile markers were clearly misplaced, the course on the whole was long (maybe to balance out the half-mile deficit in the 2006 inaugural, something the "organizers" never bothered to address), the structuring of the overlapping half-marathon and marathon courses was mindless and badly inconvenienced entrants in both, many of the aid-station volunteers were untrained, and some of the bicycle escorts assigned to the leaders and near-leaders wouldn't shut up or stay out of the way. And to top off these insults, there was no number pick-up on race morning, a ploy no doubt specifically designed to essentially force out-of-towners from places like Tampa Bay and Orlando to stay in one of Sarasota's many overpriced hotel rooms. On the other hand, the course was flat, the weather was favorable, and the few spectators who came out to watch an event that started at 6 a.m. were very enthusiastic. Note that these variables were beyond the reach of the galactic incompetence of the "organizers." For anyone considering a late winter marathon next year, pick one at random and it'll be better than Sarasota's, which is nothing but a cash grab for the goons at the helm. Seriously. And this is coming from a resident who ran the thing as a training run with a friend and isn't in the habit of taking gratuitous shots at events; who knows what I'd say had I actually spent airfare on this monstrosity and run it competitively? | |
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K. L. from Sarasota, Fl
(4/18/2008)
"The marathon with a view!" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was the Sarasota Marathon's third year; it has continued to grow in both participants and support. Spectacular view going over the Ringling Bridge and the course follows the water most of the route. Besides, going from the bridge the course is level and clearly marked. Great spectator support along most of the way; mile 18-20 were a "little lonely." Water stations and port-a-potties were plentiful. Only complaint was the start was very congested and too dark; this needs to be addressed. | |
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Bill Cunningham from West Virginia, U.S.
(4/14/2008)
"Course too narrow, and too congested." (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The first three miles, due to the people and the cones, it was hard to get going. Runners/walkers were going four or five abreast. The cones were hard to see in the dark. The last quarter mile, on the bike trail, was too narrow. People should be encouraged to move past the finish line to the field, get out of the way, and let the rest of the race participants finish. This is not a course for a race-walker to set a PR, as cones and congestion are a real problem. |
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