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Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.9 
Organization 5.0 
Spectators 4.3
Number of comments: 260 [displaying comments 181 to 191]
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b. w. from Taylorsville, KY
(11/26/2008)
"100+ pace groups, free mammals, & flying beer" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 They had 100+ pace groups, free mammals, and flying beer. I ran this race for the first time under the influence of words printed on the race's website. I'll run it again because the support was awesome (water stops all had Gatorade too and many had gel). But that's not all! Support was also awesome from participants on the course. The post-race spread was terrific indeed with all kinds of foods, drinks, and free beer. I won a door prize. I can't confirm but there may have been more door prizes than participants. This was not some sterile BQ race where you meet a bunch of milquetoasts posing as runners. Everyone I met had a warrior spirit, regardless of finishing time. Signs along the course were "encouraging" in the same vein as the website, though at times they felt more like an arterial stick. I loved it. The entry fee was a bargain. I received two shirts (one technical AND personalized) along with a unique finisher medal (sincerely the only medal I did not toss in the trash on the way to the car), and a hell of an experience. Also, this course is not flat. | |
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D. H. from http://dirkhayes.blogspot.com/
(11/26/2008)
"AWESOME!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Don't change a thing. Great small-time marathon feel, with all of the perks of the big-time marathons. | |
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T. P. from Manchester, TN
(11/26/2008)
"In a class by itself" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Anyone who runs this race will back me up on this. The volunteers are just incredible beyond description. Everyone at the water stops, turns, on the bikes, who supported the race really put their hearts into encouraging the runners and making each one of us feel like we actually belonged there, no matter how near death we looked. So a heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers out there. You were beyond awesome! If you're a local runner, you've probably ran in Percy Warner Park before...So if you have run the 11.2 starting at the Stone Gate, you know that it is as brutal as the first 10.2 miles are, the last mile feels soooo good because it's downhill. But if you run the 11.2 in the reverse direction and counterclockwise, and you do this after running 18 brutal miles before heading uphill, only then can you know the pain of what is called the Flying Monkey. Trent does an outstanding job putting this race on, and when you cross the finish line, it's not over. From the packet pickup to the post race spread, everything about this race is awesome. I highly recommend it...but be sure to train for it, especially on hills. | |
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Marcus Schantz from Chicago, IL
(11/26/2008)
"A lot of race for the money." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This course is definitely challenging. However, because of the time of year and the location, it was a beautiful way to spend a Sunday morning. There were plenty of water/Gatorade stations on the course and GU was available at every fluid station as well, which was a very nice touch. This race has a real hometown sort of feel, and the entire race staff and volunteers were amazing. The post-race potluck feast was greatly appreciated. If you're looking for an intimate but challenging race with fantastic course scenery, this race cannot be topped. I highly recommend it. | |
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T. P. from Louisville, KY
(11/26/2008)
"Challenging and beautiful course, great support" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 When people face adversity together, they come together as a family. This is a tremendously challenging course, tougher than Hatfield-McCoy (fortunately, the weather is better for Flying Monkey). I've become slightly jaded by the "just finish" mantra on mediocre courses filled with thousands of people. This marathon make you question whether you will actually finish. My Boy Scout hiking trips had easier inclines than this. Your fellow runners will respect you for undertaking this task, and your finisher's medal will mean something if you run and finish this race. The volunteers for this race have a healthy respect for what you're trying to accomplish and provide excellent support. Uncrowded water/Gatorade stops (this is a small race after all). The time of year is just about perfect. This is a great place to run in the late fall, and you feel like you're getting in your final fair weather run just before winter takes over - a refreshing get away. You start out and finish across a grass patch, and then take off on the park roads that the local runners seem to know like the back of their hands. Whether leading or trailing the pack running this course, you will meet your fellow runners running some other section of the course. The toughest downhills and uphills are retraced in the second half. As a local or two put it, "The downhills are not free." IF YOU FINISH, you will be greeted by volunteers and other finishers who are hanging out just beyond the finish line for the post-race party, and will have the sincere respect of anyone else who actually managed to make it through the course. | |
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S. S. from USA
(11/26/2008)
"Sweet Pain!" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If a marathon doesn't test you in every facet of your person, is it really a marathon? This marathon will test you mind, body and soul. The scenery is heavenly, but the hills are pure hell. The volunteers were awesome. The spectators were enthusiastic. After running this beast, you have nothing to fear with other marathons except the Flying Monkey in 2009! | |
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Monkey Killer from London, England
(11/26/2008)
"Only idiots would enter this." (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 RD has done a great job by all accounts. Forget PRs. Forget easy races. Apparently there are some hills. Apparently there are monkeys. Apparently there are plenty of idiots prepared to enter this lunacy. | |
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S. H. from West Chester, PA
(11/26/2008)
"Fantastic Experience" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I traveled from PA to this marathon, and it was well worth it. It is a challenging course, which tests your mental toughness through the series of hills. It is a very intimate marathon that is aided by the friendliest and most supportive volunteers I've met. It was an awesome experience. | |
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M. M. from KC, MO
(11/26/2008)
"HHFMM - there is no substitute!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If you want a GREAT running event filled with an even allocation of BEAUTY and PAIN, then this is for YOU! The course is hilly. Not hilly. H-I-L-L-Y. Get it? There are many hills. What makes them worth running? Well, the beauty of Percy Warner Park in late November, for one. The shower of autumnal leaves is surreal at times. It is just an amazing place to run. Why else? What makes the pain worth it? The volunteers... the aid stations are plentiful with GU galore, Gatorade, chocolate-covered raisins, doughnuts, PowerBars... good grief... they give everything they have. No lie. So, beautiful park with plentiful aid stations... but still, there is PAIN. The course is hilly, remember? So, why run it? The runners. This is an event that attracts the most awesome and unique mix of runners you will ever find... anywhere. It is one of the most friendly races... period. And lastly... post-race. Homemade dishes from so many people... and "adult beverages" donated by the local micro-brewery. It is simply the best-run, "small" marathon you will find. Anywhere. I drove 18 hours round trip last year, and again this year, just to experience the Monkey. I am accumulating "Monkey Kills" on my race shirts (each year you get a new long-sleeve tech shirt with a monkey kill graphic on the arm denoting how many Monkey's you have survived). Very, very cool. Next year there will be another Monkey Kill on my shirt. How cool is that? I will be bib number 0.0 - look for me... if you are lucky enough to get in! | |
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D. S. from TN
(11/26/2008)
"Simply Amazing!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was a little reluctant to sign up for this marathon after reading the reviews about the course. On the other hand, there were lots of positives regarding the overall race. Well, I'm sure glad I ran this one. The course is beautiful but very hilly. The volunteers were awesome and plentiful. The race director is a cool guy. He actually runs this thing, so he has to be a little bit crazy. Did I mention the HILLS? The food brought by the participants was great. Door prizes were nice too. I didn't see any flying monkeys, but I sure felt their presence. I took it easy in the beginning and it's a good thing that I did. The mile 19 hill was very tough. I would highly recommend this marathon to anyone. Just be sure to train on hills. But as the race director said, "It won't help." Just show up and run. |
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