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☰
Air Force Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Air Force Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.6
Number of comments: 344 [displaying comments 141 to 151]
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jeff horn from NJ
(9/21/2008)
"Great Job, USAF Marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 From delivery of the US flag via parachute during the national anthem to the heart-pounding jet fly-by at the start, the USAF Marathon was impressively organized and run. The course was great - offering moderate hills, running on the base runway, and more aid and encouragement than any runner could need. This race could grow and grow and still please - outstanding! | |
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B. L. from Rome, Georgia
(9/21/2008)
"Gotta do this one!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I can't say enough positive things about this race! From the top down, it was one of the most well organized marathons I've ever run. People have mentioned the lack of fan support inside the AF base sections, but the volunteers at the aid stations more than make up for it. I wouldn't hesitate to put this one on the short list. | |
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L. P. from kentucky
(9/21/2008)
"OUTSTANDING Marathon!!!" (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first AF Marathon, and I loved it. The aid stations were well-spaced and well-stocked, full of friendly and helpful volunteers, and the course was very beautiful. There were more porta-potties than I've ever experienced along a race course. I thoroughly enjoyed the jaunt through Fairborn, the amazing art deco and modernist architecture on and off the base, running through officers' housing and alongside the prairie that hosted the Wright Brothers' first flight (two Park Service officials were off to the left, cheering us on). The views from the runway were amazing and I enjoyed the flyovers from the biplane and C-5 during the race. Lots of amazing support, including the sentries at the Main Gate, who gladly offered high-fives to runners. Many families were outside of their homes to cheer us on. So nice to get such wonderful support! The start of the race included three goosebump-inducing flyovers by AF jets that went vertical immediately above the crowds; what a way to get motivated! The course had a couple of ups and downs; slight elevation changes but no real HILLS - just enough to keep my legs from getting too bored. A drawback was the significant number of concrete surfaces, including the taxiways and many roadways. Many of the roadways were also banked steeply, which gave my ankles fits during the latter parts of the race. I LOVED this race and will go back again without hesitation. Cannot say enough good things about it. Thank you, WPAFB and City of Fairborn, for a first-class event. Job well done! | |
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R. B. from Chicago, Illinois
(9/21/2008)
"Above All." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 14th marathon, and perhaps my most enjoyable of all. The USAF does go above and beyond in making everyone feel welcome. A truly top-class event. If I could give the event 6 stars, I would. And the fly-over at the starting line was worth the price of admission all by itself. Way to go, USAF!!!! | |
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j. c. from newport ky .41071
(9/21/2008)
"disappointed" (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I have run this race every year except the first one. I really enjoyed it and still do. However, this year I had a stress fracture in my foot and another lady had a bone spur - we could not run or do any pounding, but we knew that we could walk the course in 8 hours and enjoy the day. At Mile 23, I found out that they had a seven-hour limit - and they started taking people off the course. That has never happened before, and I know of members in the 50 State Club, coming off injuries, needing more than 8 hours (and the finish line was left open for them). I was surprised and shocked that we could not enjoy the last three miles, like we did the rest of the race. I'll be back, but hopefully they'll let people finish, if they are able to. Again, thanks to our military and all of the volunteers. They did a great job. | |
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H. G. from Dayton, OH
(9/21/2008)
"Air Force means organized but cold." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 This weekend I had the most pleasant long run you could have on a cold, hot, lonely spread of concrete. Having most of the course separated from the world by security fencing means there are no spectators (except for the diversion through Fairborn and for the many volunteers) and no shade trees, for the most part. There WAS beer at the beer tent, which was a surprise, and the trophies are classy. There was no way to know if you won one except to wait two hours for the ceremony. It wouldn't be that big a job to let people know if they should stay. Extra thanks for the many enthusiastic volunteers! They made it worthwhile. They, and the airshow at the start. Those fighters are BIG and they can fly STRAIGHT UP! | |
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D. S. from USA
(9/21/2008)
"Loved it!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Air Force put on an impressive marathon! I would recommend it to anyone and I want to go back! The support throughout the race was amazing! | |
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E. M. from Nebraska, USA
(9/21/2008)
"Highly Recommended" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Air Force Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 It was a great day for a marathon in Dayton, Ohio. It was chilly at the start, with a very light breeze, and hadn't gotten too warm by late morning when I finished. Just prior to firing the starting gun, an F-16 snuck up behind us, pulling into a straight-up climb in full afterburner just as he got over the massed crowd of runners. A minute later an F-15 came over and did the same thing. Then an F-22 (which was the "sponsor" aircraft for this year's race) did the same thing. Having these three fighters put on a show right over our heads got everyone extremely fired up. I started with the 3:30 pacer. There were probably 30-40 of us in the pace group at the start. Right off the bat, we ran up a steep, 3/4-mile-long hill (which was a particular challenge to the wheelchair participants), but after that the elevation wasn't much of a factor. We wound through the facilities of the Air Force Research Labs, then headed off base to the campus of Wright State University. By mile five or six, we made it back onto the base, and ran through a pleasant officer housing neighborhood. Then we left base again and ran through Fairborn - not an overly nice town, but the crowd support was good in this area. Then it was back onto the base, where we ran around the flight-line, and even ran on a taxiway for awhile. As we ran around the flight-line, a replica Wright Flyer circled over head. We ended up on some long, tree-lined roads on the far side of the base, eventually making our way through the Huffman Prairie, where the Wright Brothers developed and flew their aircraft. We eventually made our way back to the Air Force Museum. The last quarter mile to the finish line ran us through a gauntlet of aircraft on display. The base commander was there to hang a medal on all the marathon finishers. It was a great, challenging run, and I would not have done as well without the encouragement of the Pacer Trevor. The Air Force Marathon is a well-run event, and ranks as one of the United States' best marathons, in my opinion. There's not a lot of "fan" support due to the restricted access onto the base, but there are enough runners to provide company and motivation throughout the course. I highly recommend it. | |
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Andrey Voevodin from Ohio, USA
(9/20/2008)
"just a blast in all respects - have to run it!" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Course: some hills (but not very steep ones) and some flat stretches through and around the air force base runway areas. Going into town few places with lots of volunteers and cheers. Organization: Superb. F-22 fly-over to jump start the run. Lots of well soacked hydration stations with pretty much all you want (water, Gatorade, gel, sponge, fruit, carbs). Lots of cheers and several live rock bands along the way to pump you up. You finish by running between rows of AF Museum planes, with plenty good picture opportunities. A general and colonels in the end shake hands and give medal, which is a very cool-looking and a heavy solid metal piece. Lots of food in the end, massage if needed, etc. Plenty of bus transports to parking. I am a novice for the marathon but hard to envision on what can be done better. It's growing in size every year because of all this - in 2008, there were 1796 runners for the full marathon distance. | |
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J. M. from Chicago
(9/20/2008)
"Put on Your "Must Do" List" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Air Force Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This should be on everyone's "must do" list. The course, I understand, was slightly different from last year, with one of the bigger hills eliminated. The course is flat in most areas (e.g. along taxiways on the base), rolling in places, with a few hills sprinkled in to keep things interesting. There were very well organized, well signed, aid stations every mile. Many of the volunteers at the aid stations competed to make their aid station more fun than the next. One had a "Margaritaville" theme, playing Jimmy Buffet music, with fake palm trees attached to the real trees along the road among other decorations. Another station (staffed by a Hispanic engineers association) had salsa music, and swaying, smiling engineers (presumably) handing out the fluids. All aid stations had water and Gatorade, and many had sponges in barrels of ice water, gels, oranges, bananas. The finish line food included the usual bagels, bananas, water, and Gatorade, but also plenty of hot pizza, barbecue potato chips, and packaged peanut butter and crackers. There was also a post-race tent with live music. The medal is very cool, featuring the AF aircraft for that race (this year it is the F22 Raptor) and probably one of the largest out there. The pasta dinner was well worth attending. Bart Yasso spoke and showed slides of some of his more exotic runs. Bart is a friendly, funny guy with some incredible stories. Another speaker was US Army Captain Castro, who was blinded, and nearly killed by a mortar round in Iraq. He never ran a marathon before his injuries but runs them, with another Army officer as a guide, with some regularity now. He is the only completely blind Army Officer who remains on active duty. In only a few minutes of speaking, with great humor and humility, he inspired the entire audience. The pasta party was held in the National USAF Museum, and it is an outstanding air museum. Even if you don't attend the pasta party, be sure to see the museum. I've been to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (both the one at the National Mall, and the one out by Dulles) and the National Museum at Wright-Patt rivals those, but is limited to military aviation and space. At the start of the race there were flybys of an F16, F15 and the new F22 Raptor. During the race, there were several additional flybys by giant cargo aircraft, all over the start/finish line (not even the Air Force can fly low over just anywhere). I took off a few points for spectators, ONLY because most of the course is closed to the general public. The leg through the town was very lively, with spectators, as was the part by Wright University. The start/finish and the 26 aid stations also had enthusiastic spectators. Personally I like the quiet during much of the course, but also enjoyed getting cheered as my energy flagged. I have run some of the large marathons (Chicago four times, Las Vegas, Boston) and except for Boston, would get frustrated by crowds of runners running at different paces. Here the course is so open, and the aid stations are so uncongested, that you should be able to turn in a pretty good time, if you can handle a couple of hills. Let's see, what else. The expo was small, but good. Bart Yasso spoke there as well. Keep in mind that the official shirt (long-sleeve, very cool) is 100% cotton when you order the size. I'm sure mine will not fit after a washing, even though it is the "pre-shrunk" cotton. In the past, people complained about the parking, but they have solved this. There were two remote lots, easily reached from the city, and frequent shuttle buses to the race site (about a mile or two away). I got in and out with no trouble at all. And the buses were lined up ready to roll as soon as they were filled up. Oh yes, one more thing. A week before the race the Dayton area was hit by an incredible wind storm (some power was still out on the day of the race). Trees were down everywhere. The AF and local community worked hard, and the course was scrubbed clean. I swear someone actually swept parts of the course, because leaves, and dropped fruit were on the shoulder of the road, but not on the road itself. Oh yes, lots of shade for a large portion of the course, to my very pleasant surprise. |
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