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☰
Mad Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Mad Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.6 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 83 [displaying comments 21 to 31]
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j. e. from Pennsylvania, USA
(7/11/2016)
"Challenging, organized, small town fun" (about: 2016)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved it!!! I train on flats and despise hills, but needed 'Vermont' in my pursuit of 50 States. Weather was perfect: 55, rainy. Course was a ton of elevation that most walked. Even the downhills were steep. My saving grace was the amount of dirt roads that salvaged my legs and the cool temps. The shirt was best ever, mint green and nice heavy medals. The setting was very rural and typical Vermont. Tons of B&B's and quaint places to dine in the area. It was a perfect weekend for myself and family. It is a smaller field ie 350 which I consider perfect. The spectators were phenomenal, enduring the downpour with all of us. Well aided stations every 1.5 miles or so, with 3 or 4 gels stations. I was impressed from the website to the finish with this race | |
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David Tye from Danvers, MA
(7/11/2016)
"Beautiful but difficult" (about: 2016)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race has incredible New England charm, wonderful scenery from awe inspiring vistas to cows up close and personal, great organization and strong spectator support. The race organizer, Dori Ingalls, is a sweetheart, hugs every finisher, and is bend over backwards helpful. Actually all the organizers are like that. If you can handle the hills - mountains really - it's a wonderful experience. For me, I spent most of the race concentrating on managing the hills and didn't enjoy it as much as I might have. But it was clear others loved it. | |
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T. K. from Cincinnati, OH
(8/11/2015)
"I want to move to Vermont!" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Top Ten Reasons to Run the Mad Marathon: 10) Just getting there is a beautiful adventure - For most runners, Waitsfield isn't exactly a short jaunt, but that's OK because to get to Waitsfield you will most likely take one or two of the many scenic byways of Vermont - absolutely gorgeous 9) The Shirt - a beautiful tech shirt with the Mad Marathon logo emblazoned on the front - one of my most favorite shirts 8) The Finisher's Medal - perfect memento of Vermont - just what a 50 state marathoner wants 7) Vermont hospitality - from the race volunteers, to Dori, the race director, to our hosts Peter and Susan at the West Hill House Bed and Breakfast - unparalleled. For instance, Susan at our B and B made a complimentary sumptuous carb loading spread the evening before the race for all the marathoners staying there AND she woke up on race morning to serve us a small breakfast at 5AM! 6) Waitsfield Farmer's Market on Saturday morning - truly a Vermont experience 5) The Hug from Dori as you cross the finish line 4) Running through Covered Bridges - you don't have this type of experience in NYC, Boston, Chicago! 3) The hose at mile 23 - a local resident ran a hose from their house to the street and allowed racers to douse themselves with refreshingly cold water - much needed on this 85 degree day 2) To say you conquered the hill at mile 22.5 - it's short but steep and even steeper at this stage of the race - they call it the Cabot Cheese Dip - more like the Cabot Cheese Abyss 1) The whiffs of balsam fir throughout the course - a true pick-me-up and an unforgettable memory of running in Vermont | |
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Ellen Griffing from East Granby, Connecticut
(7/29/2015)
"Beautiful Vermont Summer Marathon" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was tough, but SO worth it. If you appreciate a good challenge and the feeling of finishing stronger and better than before, this is IT! Indescribably gorgeous mountain views, beautiful course. This was my VT marathon, excellent choice. Just make sure your training includes HILLS; trust it, and prepare to dig deep. Stayed at the Golden Lion Inn, perfectly adequate. The following morning I walked up Sugarbush Access Rd, right across the street, to the top, this was also an awesome place to start recovery and reflection; and get psyched for my 1st ultra (10/10/15). Heartfelt thanks to all who made this wonderful marathon happen! | |
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B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa
(7/22/2015)
"Wow! This is a Tough One" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Great organization with easy logistics. Nice shirt and very nice medal. Everything that you like in a small community race. But boy was this a tough course between the heat and the hills. Not for the faint of heart. | |
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George Rehmet from California
(7/20/2015)
"Great race in VT!!!" (about: 2015)
50+ previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a gem of a marathon. If you want a marathon with community support and simple logistics, this is the race for you. But be warned that the race is hilly and got warm towards the end, but the scenery and enthusiastic volunteers (in fact, one volunteer opened gel packets for the runners - a first!) helped pulled me through. Race director Dori does a fabulous jobs with the details. For example, I really liked the kiddie pools filled with ice water at the finish or having Spiderman at the kids run. I really appreciated the hug that I got from Dori when I finished. I do promise to come back to this race in the future. | |
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C. V. from USA
(7/18/2015)
"A Great Run!" (about: 2015)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I really loved this race. Small, very well organized race. It's a bit hilly, but nothing to get worried about. I would say the weather in July is what to worry about. When I finished, it was 86! And the course is gorgeous. | |
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Bob Kroeger from Ohio
(7/17/2015)
"Hilly, hot, and lots of sunshine" (about: 2015)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Yes, the route was hilly; only 13 BQs out of nearly 300 finishers. But the beauty of Vermont rolling farmland helped me forget about the relentless hills. Nearly every view made me want to paint. Or, if you're into photos, plenty of great ops, too. The most beautiful marathon in the world? Sorry, Maine's MDI and its ocean setting takes the prize for America's most scenic. At the finish the temps had to be in the mid-80s, making this the hottest marathon I've run. Thank goodness the aid stations had plenty of water and Gatorade. In fact, out of my 72 marathons, even without the heat, this ranks third in difficulty, right behind Pikes Peak and Grandfather Mountain. If you run this one, train on hills or suffer. However, I'll give credit to the White Horse Inn - where we stayed - for balancing pain with pleasure. Superb service, delightful woodland setting, and a gourmet breakfast (We stayed a second night for this reward). Book early; they were sold out. | |
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R. G. from McMinnville, OR
(1/8/2015)
"Bucolic self-abuse" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This race was full of hills and great scenery. It's definitely not a PR course, but if you enjoy a nice run in the country and over covered bridges, this is good one. I gave five stars for the spectators not because there were a lot, but because those that were out there were enthusiastic, including the cows that a local farmer brought out to watch and some turkeys that crossed the path in front of us. The weather was a little warm, but not oppressive. There are plenty of water stations to cool off, and the finish area has a couple of blow-up pools in the shade for you to soak tired feet. Packet pickup was a simple affair outside a local restaurant. Based on the reaction of the staff I think I was the first one to arrive. Everyone was friendly and welcoming; the whole event definitely had a small marathon feel (which is my preference). | |
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G. S. from California
(7/28/2014)
"Hard, but beautiful. Great experience." (about: 2012)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Mad Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 HARD. Hilly. Humbling. ;-) The hills are abundant, frequent, and merciless. But a BEAUTIFUL course, and for such a small race in such a small town - really good crowd support and really good organization. No hitches. Don't get me wrong on the crowd support lots of long stretches alone, but a collegial group of runners and it seemed like proportional to the town size, a lot of people were out to cheer you on. Did I mention hills? |
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