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Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 4.1
Number of comments: 417 [displaying comments 321 to 331]
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J. R. from Manhattan Beach
(6/3/2003)
"Great race finally draws tremendous crowd" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I'll be brief. This race may not have changed much since RnR2 in 1999, but the difference in crowd support is phenomenal. There were tens of thousands of spectators out there, all cheering, clapping, and showing up in surprising spots -- like atop every bridge, and in the middle of the 163 freeway. Tens of thousands running, and cheering, and smiling all the time. | |
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S. S. from San Francisco Bay Area
(6/2/2003)
"Not what it's cracked up to be!!!!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I heard about this marathon from others and was told how fun it was. Well much to my disappointment, it was nothing like I expected. As far as the organization of the marathon - i.e. the start/finish areas were well done. The course itself was not that interesting, and actually kinda of boring. You ran on the highway, which didn't have much of any scenery. It was also at a right downward slant for way too many miles. The spectators were so-so. The cheerleaders were great - those that were cheering that is, which many of them didn't do. It was very humid and not really ideal running conditions. I've run 4 other marathons and would rate this one the lowest of all. | |
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C. G. from Redondo Beach, CA
(6/2/2003)
"Expected more." (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 After running LA, I knew that the fan support at this race probably wasn't going to be quite at that level, but Elite racing (that organizes RNR) said in brochures and website that fan support was great, bands were placed at every mile, etc. So I was expecting a little more than what I got. Let's start with the bands: about 1/2 of them were playing when I ran by. The other half were apparently taking a rest break. Now the fans: they were great at the beginning and at the end (i.e last mile). From mile 6 through 10, there were no spectators b/c we were running on the 163 freeway. After that it was sporadic at best. Some of the cheering squads were great, but some were luke-warm enthusiastic. Granted, I have only LA to compare to, but with a race the size of RNR (21,000 registrants), you kind of expect the city to get a little more psyched than it did. The course was not overly hard, but the banked highway and divided major streets (which at some points were banked) did a number on my quads and IT bands. Organization was also so-so. I waited 20 minutes in line for a porta-potty before starting, and got to my corral about 5 minutes after the gun went off. My friends attempted to drop me off at the 'drop off location' (we left the hotel at 5:30AM - race started at 6:45AM - and were only about 4 miles from the start), but it was so congested that I had to walk up a hill about a half-mile to the start, arriving at 6:20... nearly an hour after we left the hotel. And it took my friends an hour to get back to the hotel (mostly due to poorly signed detours/closures with no alternate route information). Here are the few positives I can muster - (1) plenty of water stations, (2) last .2 of the course was great, with the arena full of spectators at the finish line, (3) the finish line area was not cramped, (4) good family-reunion area with letter signs (ex 'A', 'G', 'M') for families to meet participants based on their last name. (5) oh and a nice medal (for the $90 entry fee, it had better be a nice medal). Overall, don't think I'll do this race again. For me, it was too soon after LA - I should have skipped it. So, if I had to choose between LA and this one, because of timing issues, LA is definitely a lot more fun - even with the late start. | |
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D. K. from San Diego
(6/2/2003)
"Thank you bands and volunteers - very uplifting" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I most mostly impressed with the organization at the beginning of the marathon experience. It was well organized, navigating people from the freeway into the parking lot and shuttling them promptly to the start area. I liked the large grassy area at the start. It was great to be able to stretch and relax on the grass before the start. I was impressed with the large number of fans and the bands. They definitely add to your stamina. Too bad that the TNT cheers exclusively for their own runners. There were definitely not enough porta-potties at the start or during the first half of the marathon. All the lines were too long. I waited 55 min. at the start and 20 min. around mile 5 and 10. The wait was much better in the second half. I was disappointed - along with a few others I met in corral 14 - that I couldn't find the 5:00 pacer. We were told at the expo that the pacing leader was running from corral 14, but he/she was nowhere to be seen. They did not have a clearly visible sign. Also, don?t expect Gatorate to be available at all the Gatorate drinking stations if you are a slower marathoner, like me. Plenty of water though. And the volunteers? Awesome. Very helpful, cheerful, and large in number. | |
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D. M. from LA, California
(6/2/2003)
"Great for runners! Our family was stuck in traffic" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 Extremely disappointing for our families, who said they would not come back to this race if we ran it again. Traffic was a mess! Directions for them to race points were inaccurate. For us runners, travel back to our hotel took us 2 hours on a shuttle, then trolley, and then bus. Not what you want to deal with when you just ran 26+. | |
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a. m. from austin, tx
(2/19/2003)
"Everyone Needs To Rock & Roll" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon and I'm doing all I can not to run it again this year. Why??,,you might ask. Well I'm attempting to run all over the country. However, I was so impressed with everything the 'rock n roll' had to offer that I may be forced to return. Great bands and great fans equal a great marathon!! Way to go guys!! | |
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Rob Garagiola from Chicago, IL
(2/6/2003)
"A disappointment, Run LA or Chicago" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 The marathon was a disappointment. The first 7 miles lended itself to a good degree of spectators, yet the rest of the course was devoid of any fans. The fans that were there were not audible. The 'Rock & Roll' of the Rock and Roll Marathon seemed to be more of a gimmick than a basis for a marathon. The scenery after one left the city was awful. Trying to get back to my car was an extra mile trek after the 26. I achieved my goal and would never run this race again. Runners are better off in LA or Chicago. Both LA & Chicago are much better organized and the atmospheres are fantastic. | |
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A Runner from San Diego
(11/24/2002)
"Best day of my life, but then I'm pathetic" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 What can I say? I was sore for a month, and I can't wait to do it again. Great bands, great crowds, even a Margaritaville around mile 20. This was my first marathon; I chose it because it looked damn fun, and it was. Parking was a bitch, though. I'm a local, and even I was surprised at the traffic at 6:00 AM. Arrive early. | |
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Theo Wirth from Roseville, CA
(11/14/2002)
"Great Marathon course and fun environment" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon and a perfect experience. Start area (Balboa park) is perfect for a marathon and the crowd support / bands along the course are great. Only bad thing was that I missed Boston qualification by 3 minutes. | |
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Lindsay from Arizona
(10/18/2002)
"SO MUCH FUN!!!" (about: 2001)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. I ran 3:36. It was amazing - there were so many fans, the music totally pumped me up, and I was smiling the whole time. Everything was organized. The course was great - especially the frist half of it. RUN THIS ONE! |
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