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Detroit International Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Detroit International Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.2 
Spectators 4.1
Number of comments: 406 [displaying comments 271 to 281]
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J. F. from Tulsa, OK
(10/25/2005)
"Consider doing it just to go to Canada" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I did this race simply to experience Canada, the bridge, the tunnel and the stadiums. These items (and Joe Lewis Arena and old Tiger stadium) made the course interesting for a sports lover. That was about it, though. The crowd was sparse most of the time, but in certain areas very nice. The best crowd support was coming out on the US side of the tunnel and towards the very end. Aid stations were well organized w/plenty of fluid. Yes, the after-race refreshments seemed very limited and it was VERY crowded coming out of the Ford Center where people were waiting for racers. Probably the biggest need for improvement would be the on course entertainment. Aside from a couple high school bands and one or two percussion players, there was limited entertainment. I stayed downtown and paid $99/night which made it very worthwhil it considering I only had to walk 1/2 mile to the start line in the morning. I won't ever do this race again, but only b/c I'm going for the 50 States Club. Anyone wanting to do a race in Michigan should definitely consider this race due to the novelty of going into Canada. | |
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Lisa Bradley from Toronto, Canada
(10/25/2005)
"Very impressive surprise!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had read comments about this race previously on this site, and entered expecting a well-organized, flat race. What I didn't expect was to be as impressed as I was with the overall event and experience! This is a fabulous race in almost every way. Expo: Centrally located, well organized, lots of good deals. I didn't wait at all to get my stuff. I was a bit disappointed that there was no technical shirt - it was a cotton one - but I'm over it. It would be a nice addition for next year. Start: I was over the line in about 30 seconds, and was on pace pretty much right away. I could see it getting a bit dicey if this race grows much more as there were many tight turns, but as it was I didn't have any problems. Course: Of course Detroit is not the most scenic, but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the course actually was. The border crossings were fun - a very cool novelty factor. The course was fairly flat. The bridge and tunnel were noticeable but they came early. There were a few other small hills - nothing too memorable though. The portion along the river in Windsor was much prettier than I expected. Belle-Isle, an island park that we ran through from 17-20 miles, was gorgeous. The most awful time in the race (20 miles onward) was through this beautiful upscale neighborhood - it ALMOST kept my mind off the pain! And, the finish on the 50-yard line at Ford Field was just the coolest. I got to see myself finish on the Jumbo-tron! I had read warnings beforehand about the ramp leading down to the field. It is indeed steep and it's important to be careful. But hey, how else are you going to get down to the field - the stairs? Post-race food: The food didn't appeal to me, but others probably would have loved it. Whole Foods supplied cookies, brownies, this yogurt drink (organic Yop basically), and some bananas. All I wanted, as I was nauseous but knew I needed some food, was a plain old boring bagel. These were not there, and I would definitely suggest having bagels next year for people whose stomachs can't take the other stuff. Other: The medals are so sweet! They are HUGE and heavy - I really felt like I had WON something. The aid stations were very frequent (every mile I think) and VERY well organized. I was never held up. The pasta party was fabulous as well. This is a great event. I would very highly recommend it to anyone from Ontario or anywhere within reasonable driving distance to Detroit. It's not going to be a great sightseeing/touristy weekend, but you will have a GREAT race. | |
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J. Z. from Waterford, Michigan
(10/25/2005)
"Detroit " (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Detroit International Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The weather was great and the course was beautiful. Going across the Ambassador Bridge to Canada, back thru the mile long tunnel, looping thru many historic sections of Detroit, a tour of Belle Isle, and a great finish inside of Ford Field made for a fun race. And the record number of runners this year has finally given the Detroit Marathon some status as a big time marathon. I look forward to next year. | |
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B. W. from Ohio
(10/25/2005)
"Not ready for primetime" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 Some of the negative comments by previous posters are on the money. This marathon is overrated. I too, found climbing up the stairs after a marathon to get one bagel and an orange slice to be an annoyance. Not to mention the $8 to park at Cobo for the 5 minutes it took me to get my packet, once I wound through the maze of vendors. My biggest gripe with this race was the fact that I arrived at the stadium exit 50 at 6:30 a.m. with what should have been plenty of time to prepare for the marathon, only to get stuck in a major traffic snarl. It took over one hour to drive the remaining 2 miles to get to Comerica Park. I was forced to dress in the car, jump out of my ride, sprint to the starting line, and hop the gate only to be stuck behind masses of joggers, walkers and relay runners. I've got to believe that several people missed the start entirely, as there was a long line of traffic behind me. The race organizers were definitely not prepared for the "record crowds." There were no police in sight to help with traffic flow. I would suggest dropping the 5K if it's going to create logistical nightmares. I've participated in both large and small marathons, and for all the hype, this one did not live up to expectations. | |
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B. K. from Ontario, Canada
(10/25/2005)
"Thank you, Detroit and Windsor" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Detroit International Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my third Detroit Free Press Marathon. I made my marathon debut in 1993 and at that time the course was within Detroit. One year later, the second one ran from Windsor to Detroit. This time I liked the winding and twisted course that offered me the experience of déjà vu many times. Crossing the international border two times (first above and then under the same river) was unique and unforgettable. Some sections of the course were virtually empty but everywhere else spectators, musicians and volunteers at aid stations were fantastic. I liked the spontaneous support, such as free beer offered at the final mile. A few suggestions for improvement: - an appeal to police officers and bus drivers (particularly at the relay exchange points): please do not idle your vehicles; running through clouds of the exhaust fumes was very unpleasant, - the food distribution and gear pick-up areas after the race were located in a relatively small and overcrowded space, - please make the medal smaller and lighter; carrying its weight after the race made me even more tired. Overall, it was an excellent event, although I will not run it again; there are so many other marathons to do. Thank you, Detroit and Windsor. | |
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K. L. from Michigan
(10/25/2005)
"poor organization; failing city" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I'll start with the positive: Running to Canada over the bridge and back via the tunnel was an interesting aspect that no other race offers. The organization was wretched. The current race director has taken the race as far as she can and it is now time for her to move on. There was incorrect information regarding the start locations in the 'goodie bag.' There were no goodies in the goodie bag, but that is not an issue to me. The expo had an awful set up and was plagued with many homeless people. My husband was pan-handled as he made his way around the course to cheer for me. We did not feel safe walking from the finish line to the Holiday Inn Express hotel. Detroit is a failing city. Beyond that and very pertinent to the race itself, aid stations were very frequent but understaffed. I finished in the top 50% and found many aid stations to have no fluids. It was pitiful. If you run this race, carry your own liquids. Personally, I would never run this race again. The police officers manning the intersections did a poor job. Twice I saw a car break through the barricades only to have the officer shrug his shoulders. This race is over-hyped. Further, the start line was chaotic with walkers lining up with the 3-hour marathoners. A better corral system needs to be in place for the start or designate a separate lane for walkers. | |
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H. R. from Ohio
(10/25/2005)
"This was a GREAT Marathon!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 My 34th marathon...and one of my favorites. Oh, sure, there are small things that the organizers WILL work on. But overall, this was a GEM of an event in a city that is earning its spot on the map. Fantastic fans! And please... PLEASE keep the finish on the football field. Yes, it's a steep decline through the tunnel, but there were well posted signs and course workers warning of it. A quick descent was well worth the experience of seeing ourselves finish on the Jumbo-tron, while crossing the historic Superbowl turf. | |
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L. Z. from Douglasville, GA
(10/25/2005)
"Good, but could use some improvement" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 This was a good race, but the starting area was a big hassle. There were no signs or volunteers saying where the gear check was. The course itself was pretty good. The Ambassador Bridge was good, the tunnel was hot. The spectators were great. My BIGGEST complaint was the baggage pick-up. Why do we have to put our bags in garbage bags? What might be an idea is to have a baggage tag in the goodie bag for runners to fill out and put on the bags themselves. Trying to find your bag was a nightmare, even if your race number was on it. My husband's bag was misplaced and the volunteers would not let him try to find his bag. Some of the volunteers were not helpful, and at times, rude. I do want to make mention of a few good workers the Sgt., an Asian-American committee member, and a middle-aged lady. They were helpful and friendly. My thing is if you don't want to be there, then don't volunteer. The bag was found with the help of these 3 people. An ok race, but I'm not sure I'll be back. | |
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d. g. from toronto, canada
(10/25/2005)
"additional comments" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I submitted comments yesterday that haven't been posted yet, but I feel the need to respond to some of other people's comments I've seen posted for this year's event. It is not the organizer's fault that you got to the start area late and had to deal with the crowds. With over 12 thousand runners of course there is going to be a traffic hang-up. It is not the organizer's fault that you are stressed out when you get to the expo and have to walk past a lot of vendors. This expo was one of the easiest I've ever dealt with. We drove 4 hours from Toronto and were in and out of the expo within 20 minutes, and that was during the peak time (2pm Saturday). And how can someone complain that a certain scenic stretch of the course 'seemed to go on forever'? It's totally unfair to blame the organizers for your own failure to plan ahead, or for your struggles during the race. | |
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S. C. from Richmond, VA
(10/25/2005)
"Great Course until mile 26" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I enjoyed the Detroit Marathon; it is a flat and fast course. The view from the bridge was great and through the first half the crowd support was better than average, but the last 12 miles are pretty lonely. As a previous reviewer stated, the finish on Ford Field is not worth the treacherous descent into the stadium. It is terribly steep, dark and hard. The walk up to a very poor post-race food selection is equally difficult. Fewer stairs and more and different foods would greatly improve a race that has serious potential. |
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