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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 51 to 61]
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Thomas DeNure from Milwaukee, Wisconsin
(3/4/2007)
"Good/Fast Course, Few Spectators" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Very good course, with lots of "down and backs" but very few spectators. PR type of course - good course if you want a fast time. Post-race food very good. Post-race organization is not so hot - took over 2.5 hours to get my plaque. Very narrow running lanes - especially to start. I ended up running on sidewalks and outside cones. Overall, the race was a 3.5 out of 5 - definitely recommended. | |
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S. L. from Portland, Or
(2/23/2007)
"Great, little, new run!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 We all have our reasons for choosing a race or telling our thoughts about a race. The Sarasota Marathon was a great little race. The organizers took good care great care of paying attention to details. The couse is mainly flat. The volunteers were wonderful. I am looking forward to doing this race again. | |
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K. C. from Washington D.C.
(1/10/2007)
"Great race despite rudeness from race director" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Quality race with a bright future. Flat course, much of it through neighborhoods. I agree with the previous post that a few mile markers seemed a little off. But I was pleasantly surprised that dozens of selfless spectators awakened at 6 a.m. to stand outside in their driveways and support us as we ran by. The volunteers were especially helpful and polite at the expo. Outstanding post-race food and drinks. I have generally all positive things to say except for an experience within minutes after finishing. After going through the food line, there was a box of 8-1/2 x 11 construction paper with the race logo, which appeared to be leftover race advertisements. When I took one, a woman screamed at me and came over and grabbed it back. When I asked what the problem was, she retorted, still yelling: "What did you say? What did you say?" - as if trying to goad me into an argument (to which I simply answered that I just ran a long race and didn't deserve to be screamed at like I was some lesser person). She then semi-apologized, saying she was the race director and didn't get much sleep the night before. This stunned me more - that a race director would have such a short fuse and act so senselessly over a piece of paper that couldn't have cost more than 10 cents to produce. Perhaps this year she can afford to be less stingy, or at least hide them someplace where we won't mistake them for items that are out there to take. Again, this was a fine race, so I wouldn't let one bad thing keep me from running it again. But unfortunately that is my bizarre lasting memory of this event. | |
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m. j. from New York, NY
(1/5/2007)
"I loved this race, but HORRENDOUS MILE MARKERS!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 Previous posts have mentioned that this course was well-marked. I can't imagine what they mean. To be clear: this course was VERY INACCURATELY marked. I finished in 5th place last year (I mention this only to indicate that I know how to pace myself), and I've compared notes with the guy who finished 4th, and we both had wildly fluctuating mile times. My earlier miles were much slower than I expected - leading me to believe that I was having the worst race of my life - and in miles 20 through 26 I was running mile times significantly faster than my fastest single mile ever. Just absolutely impossible stuff. As a result, it was impossible for me to know how I was doing at any point in the race, and very difficult to set a consistent pace. I mention this not to dissuade anyone from running the race. I was raised in Sarasota, and I'm very proud of the job they did in putting this together. It's flat, fast, and lovely. Just beware - if you're serious about your goals, you're at a disadvantage in this race as compared to other races in the area that are just as flat, just as fast, and just as lovely. | |
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Jean Seward from Iowa and Michigan, USA
(9/23/2006)
"Great race for a weekend escape from snow!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 For much of the race, I was in awe that I was running in a tank top and shorts. On my last several training runs in Iowa, it was cold enough that my Gatorade froze! I loved running by the huge statue of the sailor scooping his girl in an embrace. Watching the sun come up over the ocean was amazing. My snowbird parents volunteered at this event, my sister and I ran the full race, and another sister and a friend walked the half. It was a wonderful excuse for us to come from four chilly states to converge in Florida for a long weekend. The race organization was fine and the expo at the Y enjoyable; it didn't seem like an inaugural race at all. Three minor criticisms would be the huge cracks in the asphalt coming into the finish where I nearly broke my ankle sprinting it in on tired legs; the abundance of post-race products that contained that yucky Splenda/aspartame sweetener; and an extraordinarily extended wait for the awards ceremony. But those things really are minor. What is more important is that this marathon was a catalyst for my family to exercise and to celebrate life together, creating some lasting memories along the way.... As they say, it was "priceless!" | |
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Todd Hunter from Ft. Myers,Fl
(7/30/2006)
"One of the friendliest and very well supported." (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved this marathon. The mood set by the directors and support staff made this a very enjoyable race. | |
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D. K. from Durham, NC
(6/28/2006)
"Very nice race" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I thought this race was very well put together. I would never have guessed that it was an inaugural event. The only real problem I saw was that the traffic and parking before the race were hectic. I got dropped off by family, and was glad I didn't have to fight traffic and find parking. I'm a back-of-the-packer, so I didn't have any problem with narrow start chutes or anything. I didn't particularly enjoy getting up at 4:30 for a run (and having to miss UNC's win over Duke the night before to get some sleep), but I'll admit that it was awfully nice to be finishing before noon. This was a very nice excuse to go home to visit my folks and spend some time in FL. I definitely recommend it. | |
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E. B. from Pittsburgh, PA
(3/21/2006)
"I can't imagine a better Florida marathon" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Despite only 400-500 people running the marathon, we got the big-city treatment. Lots of amenities. The half marathon drew a much bigger field. My only complaint would be that since the two races started simultaneously and the courses overlapped, the fastest marathoners were finishing at the same time as the slowest half-marathoners. So miles 20-26 were an obstacle course of walkers, and the finish line was a bit crowded. It wasn't a big deal, but some narrow parts of the course (US 41) were completely blocked by people walking several abreast. Still, I had a great time. The course was cleverly designed to cover all the best areas of Sarasota, and was never boring. There may not have been millions of spectators, but the fans who turned out were well spaced throughout the course and gave me a huge psychological boost. The weather was perfect; the first few miles were in the dark but it was great to take advantage of the cooler air before the sun came up. I think it was still under 70 degrees when I finished. There was a good selection of post-race food, and the Ringling Museum grounds are the perfect place for post-race lounging. There was a *long* delay before the awards ceremony, so I couldn't stay for it. I think they could have moved it a little earlier. All in all, a great mid-size marathon, and definitely much better than I was expecting for an inaugural race. | |
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a. s. from sarasota,fl
(3/18/2006)
"best run I've ever done!" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I thought this was one of the prettiest course's I've ever run... and having it be at "home" was so exciting because I got to see all of the familiar faces. Great! | |
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Dawn Brame from Sarasota, Fl.
(3/15/2006)
"13 min./mile walker" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Sarasota Marathon The Grouper Run
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Being from Sarasota, I may be a little biased, but I truly thought that this was a beautiful and well-run race! A couple of personal comments though: I am a walker with 15 "halfs" and one full that I have finished in the past three years. I look to the runners with admiration, but due to some troubles with arthritis it is best for me to just walk and marathons are a wonderful way to stay motivated. I realize that marathons are set up with runners in mind and I agree that walkers should start at the back and perhaps even have a different route. But as long as we've paid our way and can finish within the time limit, please remember that we are still thrilled to participate, doing the best we can manage and enjoy a sense of accomplishment too! Can't wait for the next one.... :) |
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