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Georgia Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Georgia Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 3.1 
Spectators 4.0
Number of comments: 459 [displaying comments 301 to 311]
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L. W. from Indiana
(3/28/2007)
"ING sponsors a turkey" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 This race was a successful failure. A success because they pulled it off in spite of all the problems; a failure because of the ineptitude of the organizers. I know ING did not organize or run the marathon; perhaps a lesson to be learned by them to not sponsor an inaugural marathon. But not all was bad. First the pros: 1. The volunteers did their jobs like veterans. They really deserve a lot of the credit for the successes that the race did have. 2. The residents along the course were great, esp. those who turned on their water hoses for us, and those who spent their own money to buy Gatorade for us (apparently I was one of the lucky ones that found that person). 3. Abundance of porta-potties along the course. At the start/finish area there were a lot of facilities also, but with the crush of people at the start trying to get some last-minute relief, the lines did get a little long. Now the cons: 1. Starting from the very beginning, there was a car parked in the road just past the start line. The start area was already very narrow; the car just made it worse. 2. There were no corrals. As a result, one had to dodge and weave for 10-15 minutes around walkers and slower runners 3. The first and second water stops, while the half marathoners were still mixed in with the marathoners, were chaotic. The water tables were only on one side of the road; they only had a couple of eight-foot tables; people were attacking the tables trying to get water; of course the volunteers could not keep up with demand, so many, including myself, skipped the water at miles 2 and 4. In larger races I always carry my own water bottle for the first few stops because I don't like the crowds at the water stops. That would prove to be a very wise decision that day, because otherwise I would not have had any water until mile 8. I did see a sign at mile 6 for an upcoming water stop, but when I got there, not only was there no water, there was not even a water station set-up. So, got to mile 8 and they were also overwhelmed and almost out of water. I stopped and filled up my bottle just in case of no water later. After mile 10 the water stops were more frequent, and no problems from them on. For those people that didn't have their own fluds, though, they could have gone 8 miles before they had a drink. This was very poorly planned by the race director. 5. Where was the PowerAde that was promised at 16 places on the course map? I only found one (in addition to the Gatorade I was lucky to get from a good Samaritan). This was by far the worst thing to happen in the entire race. Absolutely unforgivable to not provide PowerAde to runners, especially in Atlanta, the headquarters city of Coca-Cola, the makers of PowerAde!! Did my entry fee go to pay the Kenyans rather than buy sports drinks for us runners? I heard a lot of rumblings among runners while on the course that they would never come back because of this. 6 The Clif Shot stations were backwards. A gel is always taken with water, so logically you should get the gel at a water station. Not here. The gel came some ways after the water station, too far away both times to know that a gel station was upcoming so that you would know to save your water. 7. The mile markers were placed low. Not much of a problem later in the race when the runners were thinned out, but earlier in the race they were invisible because of all the people in the way. Likewise, at no time were any split times being called out. The only clocks were at the mats at 6.2, 13.1, and 20. 8. Many of the roads were severly crowned and run alongside traffic. 9. At the finish, I was handed a warm Coke (which I really appreciated) and a heat sheet (mid 80s at the time). Then I proceeded to find the food, only to find that it had been picked over already. No PowerAde, again. No bananas, although I could see by the peels on the ground that someone got some. I did get some cookies, a warm apple, a bagel, and some pretzels, which were also good. While sitting there eating my treasure, I realized that the finish area was not restricted; spectators and anyone else that wanted were taking food. Maybe 2 hours earlier they had taken my banana??? I hope not. That has to be fixed. I would suggest that the finish area be restricted, and that the food be bagged, so that each runner at least gets 1 of each item. 10. The entry fee is way too high for what we got. For the most part, water only on the course, including the finish. Unforgivable. I won't waste my time and money coming back to this turkey. | |
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DublinGA Runner from Dublin, GA
(3/28/2007)
"Great experience for my first marathon!" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Ok, so it was much hotter than most expected, but I felt this marathon was well planned and executed. I did learn that I will bring a hydration belt next time if the weather is hot. I got plenty of water but needed some sport drink. The course had more hills than I anticipated from the information. Overall very happy with this marathon. | |
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M. M. from Weston, Florida
(3/28/2007)
"Nice and chaotic" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 As many have mentioned by everybody, the PowerAde situation was a joke, especially considering the race was sponsored by Coca-Cola and the 80+ degree heat was not a surprise. While the scenery was nice, I felt there were too many hills. It would have been nice to have a mile or two of flat running. I thought the fan support was quite good and helped some to compensate for the heat and shortage of PowerAde. Also, there should be some way to separate the half from the full marathon to make the start and finish a bit smoother. | |
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J. C. from Marietta, GA
(3/28/2007)
"Great course, need electrolytes" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 My third marathon. Fantastic course that really showed Atlanta in its glory. Much more fan support than I anticipated. Certainly, the lack of PowerAde was a problem, but I am sure that will be solved for next year. Overall, a great inaugural race. | |
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C. Q. from ATLANTA
(3/28/2007)
"Please! This race was terribly organized!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 I don't understand how anyone could say this was a well run race. Where do I start? I ran the marathon and there was NO POWERADE for the majority of the race. Every liquid stop I came to they only had water. This is VERY dangerous and can lead to DEATH, especially in exceptionally warm weather. And there is no excuse for it. How hard would it be for them to have adequate stocks of PowerAde? The marathon course was pretty but way too hilly. My family members ran in the 1/2 marathon and they said they didn't have mile markers or time updates the whole way. All I heard were complaints by runners who were there. Shame on the organizers. | |
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M. S. from St. Louis MO
(3/28/2007)
"Lots of Hills; Lack of Fluids for Half-Marathoners" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Challenging course; not many flat areas; legs take a beating on the declines. Organization was poor at best. Expo was crowded; not enough space or personnel allocated to packet pick-up (half marathon line stretched out the building and around the block). Booths were good. Billy Mills was a waste of my time - poor guy has no organization of thought or presentation. Race was crowded at the beginning, then again at the end when half marathon walkers rejoined the course. MOST IMPORTANT was the general lack of sports drinks and water on the course, and the huge inadequacy of personnel, space, and number of available cups. There were at least two stations MISSING from the course. Very bad. Very sad. I will not be back. | |
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M. P. from Chicago nw burbs, IL
(3/28/2007)
"Pretty course; needs better organization" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 I have run large and small marathons and ultras. It was one of the most scenic courses I have run; however, the lack of PowerAde and poorly supplied water stops compose just one area that needs to be addressed. It was difficult getting to the start of the race, and the porta-johns were not convenient. Also, the PA system was not heard by any of us wrapped around the corner. The mats were confusing since we crossed the finish line before the start. Since the water stop was not there at mile 6, the signs indicating that water and PowerAde just ahead should have been taken down. This was a killer psychologically. It was also a time for a gel, which some people took, thinking the water was ahead. Only one stop had vaseline out on cardboard. I believe this was around the half. There should have been one at the later miles as well. A special thanks to the lady who gave my friends a bloody mary. I ate the celery. The gels given on the course should be no more than 2 blocks before the water stop. At mile 20, they were passed out right after the water stop. I heard from a runner on Monday after the race that people from TNT went out and purchased PowerAde for the runners around mile 22 or so. A hearty thank you to them, since I was so dehydrated. A special thank you to the volunteers who showed. Without them it would not be possible. I have been a volunteer coordinator for our club race and know how hard it is to recruit so many people to put on a quality event. It would have been nice to have the drinks at the end put on ice. I forced myself to drink the hot soda and water so I could rehydrate. The finishing area was also confusing. Managed to get a couple of cookies and pretzels when I finished. Once some of the issues are ironed out, you will have a good race. I probably won't run it again, though, but look to hear about the improvements made after next year's race. | |
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J. B. from Knoxville, TN
(3/28/2007)
"Lots of potential but lots of mistakes" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 There were a lot of good things about this race, but the major mistakes that were made with regard to hydration/nutrition on the course really overshadow all the good. I'll get the bad overwith first: 1. They promised runners PowerAde at every aid station, but only really had it at 3 stations (2/3 were in the first half). 2. They put up signs that said you were approaching an aid station... 1 - 2 miles away from the next aid station. 3. They put up signs that said you were approaching a PowerAde station... when it was only a water station. 4. They handed out GU about a mile from the next water station. 5. The first aid station (for 15,000 runners) was only on one side of the road, two tables long, and self-serve. 6. They only had water and soda available at the finish line - no PowerAde. When I asked the medical staff for PowerAde or some other easily digestible electrolyte, the only thing they could offer me was an IV. The only salt source at the finish was mini-pretzels. 7. There were no corrals at the start. Preferred and seeded numbers meant nothing. 8. As others have mentioned, runners in the full had to dodge walkers in the half for the last few miles of the course. The good: Nice expo, nice technical t-shirt, scenic course, good crowd support (for a first year event anyway), good media coverage, nice medal, fair food at the finish line (bananas, cookies, muffins, pretzels, Gogurt), and a finish line located close to a Haagen Dazs. Overall, I would be willing to give it another shot if the organizers figure out how to stock aid stations, and learn that if you are going to publish a map that pinpoints the number and location of aid stations then you need to follow through and actually set up aid stations at those locations! | |
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s. s. from Griffin, GA
(3/28/2007)
"I expected better from ING" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 This was my 23rd marathon. All I can say is that I finished. I was severly dehydrated by mile 20. The last six miles were torture. I attribute this to the fact I was unable to get any sports drink at any water station. The only sports drink I had, other than the 20 oz. bottle I started with, is a 32 oz. bottle I bought at a convenience store in Decatur. Guys, this is serious business. Race directors can't expect runners to run 26.2 miles in Georgia in 80-degree heat and not provide the PowerAde they promised. This is inviting medical problems. Anytime you have to buy your own sports drink on the course is definitely indicative of an organizational problem. I was not crazy about the organization at the start, but those problems faded into insignificance by mile 20. The finish was ridiculous. Warm water, and warm Coke. The back-of-the-pack runners deserve the same treatment as the frontrunners. I will probably run this again, only because it's close to my home, but I hope the organizers organize it a lot better. | |
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S. B. from Georgia
(3/28/2007)
"Nice Course, Inept Organization" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Georgia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 No PowerAde between miles 4 and 18.... Walkers enter the course at mile 19 and runners are forced to zig-zag around the walkers. If they want this to be a major marathon, the organizers need to step up next year.... Finish line amenities included one bottle of water, which is a nice treat on an 80-degree day. Run the ATC Thanksgiving Marathon instead. |
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