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Nov 16, 2024

Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 3.0

Organization 3.1

Spectators 3.7

Number of comments: 66 [displaying comments 41 to 51]

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Z. R. from Kansas (11/12/2011) "Good marathon experience" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This marathon had some fixable problems but it still was a great experience and I am sure it will only get better. True, there was a small part of it that smelled like poo. And yes, if you started out too fast and hit the wall on the three miles on the highway it must have seemed like forever, but I was running ten minute miles there and it didn't seem bad at all. But running through streets lined for miles with beautiful one hundred fifty year old trees with Spanish moss hanging from the branches, and past two hundred fifty year old houses and historic buildings is an experience I'll never forget. And guess what? It is really hard in most venues to find 26.2 miles that are totally cool. If you sign up for an inaugural marathon, expect hiccups. They will fix the expo (encourage the locals to come on Thursday and leave the expo open until 9:00 p.m. that day) and transportation problems (I parked at the trade center, got right on the ferry, no delays at all). Any marathon that includes 15,000 half marathoners will be a little crowded, but I was really surprised that with the wide streets and start corrals there was plenty of room to maneuver. This was a good marathon and I imagine it will only get better.
Denny Pewsey from Apopka, Florida (11/10/2011) "NOT Rock 'n' Rolling the marathon here again" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I think those running the marathon should be the focus of the event. I did not feel the promoters of this Rock 'n' Roll Marathon focused on creating a course or conditions that would promote the best efforts of running 26.2 miles. The large majority of runners, four out of five, were half marathoners. This made the first 11 miles very crowded. The course had over 40 turns and was unnecesarily boring and not one I would care doing again. The bands did not help, as the music is less than inspiring when only a minute of a song can be heard as you run past. The city of Savannah is so beautiful, but the course barely sees any of that beauty. The spectators were happy to be participating, very enthusiastic and encouraging. The volunteers were plentiful, efficient and helpful, with plenty of water. I got to the expo right before the rush, and found it to be efficient. When I was leaving I was amazed to see the massive lines of cars jamming the bridge coming for packet pickup. Obviously there are logistics problems which should have not happened. The wave start was done right. The timing was professional and accurate. The traffic control was good, as I never saw any vehicles on the course. The finish area in Forsyth Park was very spacious and a most pleasant spot to recover. I picked up my bag drop from the well organized stations there. Post race food was minimal, and could have been much more, as the park is big enough for food stands of various types. The main reason I wanted to do this race was for the inagural medal and that is a nice heavy attractively designed prize, as is the Brooks running shirt. I may come back to enjoy Savannah again, but would only run the half.
D. K. from Atlanta, GA (11/9/2011) "Needs improvement" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Reservations: If you sign up for this race, plan ahead! I booked my hotel room 5 months in advance and my choices were to stay 20 min outside the city or pay $300 a night. Book your rooms early! Also, if you want to eat at a decent hour, especially a traditional pasta dinner, make reservations in advance. I made mine about 6 weeks in advance and my options were limited to before 6:30 or after 9pm. Expo: The expo itself seemed like it had potential. Except that I was stuck in traffic for about an hour, so got there as it was pretty much shutting down. They kept packet pickup open for a few hours later (the cars were still backed up on the bridge as I was finally leaving), but the exhibitor booths were all tearing down. I usually look forward to checking out the expo, so it was unfortunate. It also added a lot of stress because we ended up missing our dinner reservation for 6:15 (we were still on the bridge at that time), so had to walk-in to a restaurant and didn't end up eating till 9:30pm. So much for getting a good night's rest! Race Logistics: The start line experience itself went pretty well and I didn't have any issues. I got there about an hour before the race, so had plenty of time for gear check, portopotty, getting to my corral. The wave start went pretty well and I didn't feel too crowded in the first few miles. But I had some friends who took the free shuttle from the mall and heard it was a nightmare. They didn't have enough shuttles, so towards the end had to ask any spectators to stay behind to get the runners to the start. My friend ended up starting with the last corral, but there were still others who hadn't made it yet. Course: If you think you'll get to see Savannah with this race, it is not true. Only during a tiny portion of the race do you see the historic downtown area. Also, the half marathon course is so much better than the full. The full includes several miles on Truman Pkwy which are boring, seemingly endless, and unprotected of the wind. Pretty tough considering this part of the course has less spectators and entertainment. Also, I signed up for runner tracking and wish they had more updates in the second half for the benefit of my family trying to see me on the course (they had them for start, 5K, 10K, 10 mile, half, 20 mile, end). Water and aid stations were on par with my other race experiences. Finish Line: One thing I thought was weird was the headline band played pretty early, so they were done by the time I finished the full. I guess they were catering more to the half marathoners? If I knew who the band was, I probably would've cared more. Other than that, the finish area and family reunion area was pretty well laid out and not too crowded. My only suggestion would be to have better post-race food. They had water, Cytomax, bananas, bagels, and fruit cups. Luckily I had stashed a few extra snacks in my gear bag. Schwag: I really liked the women's specific Ts! Always nice to get something I can actually wear, plus it was a nice design. The medal was pretty standard. Pretty standard race bag with a few samples and ads. Summary: So it comes down to, would I do this race again or recommend it to others? Yes and no. Since it's close to home, I wouldn't completely write it off the list. But I would do a couple things differently. - Book my hotel even earlier - Plan to get there on Thursday or early Friday morning - If I can't walk or get dropped off for the start line, plan lots of extra time for the shuttles - Probably only do this as a half marathon
K. P. from Atlanta (11/9/2011) "Has potential- but many fixable problems" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The good: -Great expo with very good race clothing and good vendors -Race website was very good-with pertinent info leading up to the race - Savannah residence were made to feel a part of the race as it showed in their enthusiasm and volunteerism -Large mile markers very visible on the course -Weather conditions (time of year) are ideal for racing -relatively Flat and Fast course - Corral system worked well -Finish line area was very nice and large. Beautiful park with lots of space. Post race concert and beer = good Now for the bad- -I had no problems with the expo b/c I went on Thurs. BUT- for the countless thousands of people that couldn't take off work and had to go on Friday it was a disasterous traffic nightmare. Our friends were stuck for hours....HOURS trying to get to that island where the convention center was. Put a big damper on the day (and that day being part of a vacation makes for a rough start to it). Could they not have the expo on the city side of the river at the Civic Center? People could walk to it. You could even have shuttle buses doing loops from various hotels to and from during expo hours (NYC marathon does this). If they cant' move the expo to the Civic Center, they need to really figure out the traffic situation to the convention center across the river... -We drove to the Mall where the shuttles were picking up runners. There were 4 in our group got ON the bus at 5:55. We finally got to the start line at 7am. (not much time to get to your corral when you have to check a bag and sit in a 20+min line for the bathroom). It should have been no more than a 15 min drive at that time in the morning. Even the runners on our bus FROM Savannah couldn't understand why these drivers were going the way they did to get to the start. At one point after we had been on some highway for 25 min, I see that we are ramping on to I-16 only to then see us drive by a 'Savannah- 6 miles sign' on the side of the road. WHere the heck were they taking us? It turns out they didn't know how where they were going. Many hundreds didnt' make it to the start line by the start time b/c of this ineptitude. -If you are going to advertise cytomax at every aid station on the route maps on your website, make sure you follow thru. 'Most' runners need electrolytes during marathons/half marathons. Don't put it at every OTHER aid station -Some comments on the course. The first 5.5 miles were the most uninspiring scenery of any race I've ever done. If you are coming to Savannah, you'd expect to run thru live oak lined streets and the squares that the city is famous for. Not much of that to be seen. Please rethink the course a bit for next year. A race this expensive should not have as many logistical issues as this. Especially from a company that has been doing it for years. STILL- all the negatives aside, I would do this race again- I would just take matters into my own hands as far as getting to the race and plan (as I did) by hitting the expo early if at all possible.
J. N. from Fairfield, CT (11/9/2011) "The Road (As In Highway) Goes on Forever..." (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I PR'd with a 3:07, but wouldn't make a special trip to run it again. If you want a better marathon for this weekend do the Marshall Marathon in Huntington, WV. It's a flat course, and you actually do have the scenic course that I expected Savannah to have. If they fixed the traffic into the Expo and got rid of the 5 miles of highway running then you'd have a pretty good event. The course is pretty flat. Comments about 'the hood' are a bit exaggerated. Give me a break - welcome to America. Would you prefer they sent us through a gated community? If the hood scares you then run faster. The highway stretch in the late miles was boring, gotta figure that one out. If you do run this go at least 4 or 5 hours early to the Expo (if you have to go on Friday) and whatever shuttle option you take (I did the mall and it was fine but I was one of the first ones there) go as early as possible (which you should probably do for everything associated with something that you trained 4 months for). Great separation of the marathon and 1/2 marathon at the end. Worth it if you want a pretty flat course, and are interested in spending a few days in Savannah - otherwise there are better marathons to do either on this date or near it. Spectators aren't at the New York or Boston level, but they seemed genuine and I never felt alone.
M. D. from North Carolina (11/9/2011) "Never Again! Beware!" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 This inaugural Rock n Roll marathon had so many problems its hard to capture all of them here. Let's try: - Putting the Expo on an island with inadequate parking resulting in total traffic gridlock which overwhelmed outside staff and police. - No buddy packet pick-up w/ photo ID. - Inadequate boat/ferry service from Savannah to Expo location. Some folks waited in line 1.5 hrs! - Inadequate race day shuttle service resulting in runners showing up late to the start. - Shuttle bus drivers who actually got lost going to the start location! - Late Gear Check start time w/ volunteers not properly briefed on what to do! - Blaring a Pat Benatar song while our National Anthem was being sung. Inexcusable! - Aid stations running out of water and Cytomax. Inexcusable! - Routing the course mostly through the 'hood' and next to a garbage truck depot (This is how you want Savannah showcased?). - Four switchbacks and a 6 mile out and back on a deserted highway. Boring. - Crappy post race food selections- water, bagels, bananas, a fruit cup, and Cytomax. The bottom line: Savannah, GA is incapable of supporting this level event. Save yourself the headaches and spend your money on another running venue.
J. W. from Asheville, NC (11/9/2011) "Beautiful city, terrible course" (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 My first R&R race, I was excited to run in the beautiful city of Savannah. The reality wasn't so great. The race should have been capped at 10,000 runners instead of 23,000. This would have greatly alleviated traffic, hotels and overall organization. We booked 4 months in advance and still couldn't get anywhere close to downtown. Our driver got lost on the way back - resulting in a 20 minute drive taking over an hour. The course barely went through downtown at all - instead choosing to run through industrial areas, downtrodden neighborhoods (while the residents were so supportive and friendly, the course wasn't scenic). Unless they make significant changes to the course, I won't be back.
G. B. from Hickory, NC (11/8/2011) "excellent first time marathon with some problems" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Pros: 1. good first time marathon 2. excellent destination marathon 3.perfect weather 4.good organization 5.great expo 6. Savannah beautiful city 7.good course cons 1.serious, serious lack of Cytomax sports drink along course 2.noticable absence of food like bananas, orange slices, pretezels along course. 3.major traffic congestion on Savannah historic district streets on days prior to race. Police should have been assigned to many congested intersections to direct traffic. 4.shuttle buses back to airport hotels were not available for back of pack runners until later in day. Had excessive wait. Included in runner's packet was a brochure explicitly extolling the virtues of hydrating with only sports drink as opposed to dilution with water along the course, but there was sports drink at only a few of the stops and some of the stops ran out of Cytomax before the majority of back-of-the-packers arrived at these fluid replacement locations. There is absolutely no excuse for that happening.
C. J. from Georgia, USA (11/8/2011) "Excellent Innaugural Event" (about: 2011) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Corral start was extremely well done. The course never felt overly crowded. The first 20 miles were relatively flat and the traffic was almost non-existent. Most streets were completely blocked so we rarely shared a road with cars. The temperature was perfect and the start time was adequate. The water stops were always full and never choked; plenty of volunteers handing out water. Energy GU was abundant at both stops. Would have liked to see some solid food offered at some point. Only thing to criticize is that last 6 miles! It was almost completely uphill and seemed like a direct headwind. What a struggle and buzz-kill. Finally, I'm grateful for the one free beer by MGD but selling subsequent cups for $4 each is a crime. The finish line/area was absolutely awesome and uncrowded. Very well done! Beautiful city and great course.
S. G. from Debary,Florida (11/8/2011) "Needs Improvement" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I myself had no issues with the expo, except they gave me the wrong bib which was easily fixed, but I do know that late arrivals were stuck on the bridge for hours and they had to extend the expo 3 hours. The course was very boring and unpleasant, mostly highway and mediocre neighborhoods. There were only a few areas on the course that had spectators, the rest felt like I was out for a weekend run. I feel like this run has a great deal of room for improvement and did not live up to the rock n roll name. Also, just a personal side note, they started the event with a religous prayer which I found offensive being that I am not Christian; I think when you have 20,000 runners the chances of them all being the same religion are very slim and therefore prayers should be left out of it.

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