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☰
Columbus Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Columbus Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 4.2
Number of comments: 335 [displaying comments 81 to 91]
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S. D. from Elizabethtown, Kentucky
(10/19/2009)
"A big thank you to Columbus!" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I have ran half-marathons in the past but this was my first full-marathon and my first time in Columbus. I thought the people were very friendly and the crowd support was great. It seemed well organized except for the start. We could not get in the gated area until several minutes after the start and it was too difficult getting through the crowd of people. There were plenty of water/Gatorade stations and I loved the buckeye candy at mile 25. The course was scenic and basically flat. Calling out names around mile 20 in addition to the finish line was a great idea. Overall, this was a great first marathon. A big thanks to all of those people in Columbus who worked to make it a supportive and safe event. | |
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g. k. from West Liberty, Ohio
(10/18/2009)
"Awesome event" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If you are looking for a flat and fast course, this is it. I have run this marathon six years in a row. Cool weather, plenty of enthusiastic volunteers, and a great course make this my favorite marathon. I had a PR this year. The organization is superb, as well as the entry fees and goodies. And have a Thurman burger when you're done! | |
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L. H. from Wadsworth, Ohio
(2/20/2009)
"LOVED IT" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon and I loved the course. It is very fast and I felt well organized. I thought the changes from last year (my husband ran) made a big difference. My only complaint was that the shirt was boring as was the medal. I also could have used a Mylar blanket, which were gone very quickly due to the half marathoners. But the course is fast, and if you're making a bid for Boston, this is a good course for it. | |
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A. G. from Columbus Ohio
(1/27/2009)
"Mediocre" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Little bang for a big buck. All RD's are looking for a profit, and FRR has found a way to make a decent profit from this event. Tweaking the course every year to minimize road closures equates to money saved and course confusion. | |
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R. D. from Lancaster, NY
(1/7/2009)
"Comments from an out-of-town rookie" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 As a rookie, I don't have the depth of experience to compare Columbus to other marathons. But, I'll offer a few comments for consideration. Pre-race support was excellent, especially the ability to see the entire course via Google Earth. I was familiar with every twist and turn before I even came to town, and that helped during the race. The downtown hotel was very accommodating and convenient. I wish there were more pre-race activities for those traveling from out of town to make it more of an experience (e.g., pasta dinner). So, I was disappointed by the lack of activities at the expo, especially when they ran out of shirts (I did get mine in the mail after Christmas, which I do appreciate!). The course was flat, as advertised by many friends. I was concerned about "hills" around Mile 18, but they were more on the order of "inclines." I was not bothered by twists and turns in the course, but my goal was to enjoy the race and not necessarily push for time. I thought Bexley, Germantown, Short North and OSU were especially great areas. Race day organization was great and volunteers were outstanding. There were plenty of fluid stations, although I had to quickly learn how to handle congestion. Entertainment was great, but seemed to disappear after Mile 20, when I could have used the boost even more. There was a shortage of Mylar blankets at the finish line. I had to fish one out of a trash barrel. There was a good assortment of food. I have read some comments about the medal, but, as a rookie, it looks beautiful to me. Most of all, I cannot say enough about the spectators - the number and their enthusiasm. They really made my first marathon special, cruising home in a comfortable 3:47. I intend to run Columbus again in the future and thank everyone involved for their efforts. | |
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S. F. from Cincinnati
(12/2/2008)
"Did anyone ever receive the event t-shirt?" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I would like the shirt. I was disappointed with the expo, but I enjoyed the actual race. The spectators were great. | |
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A. S. from Columbus, OH
(11/12/2008)
"Very Good Marathon" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Columbus Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Let's just say that I have seen better expos.... ;) The marathon itself was very well-organized. Water and gel stations were well spaced and stocked. I also liked the new course that includes less boring stretches. Keep up the good work.... | |
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P. L. from Pittsburgh Area
(10/31/2008)
"Did not care for the changes" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I ran Columbus as my first marathon in 2004. The course was long and boring along High Street, but I think I preferred that to running all those turns "up-slope" through an empty OSU campus. I say "up-slope," because, although there are no real hilly areas, the incline from miles 16 to 20 gets a bit tiring, especially since it's through the campus area, where the students don't seem to know that there's a marathon going on. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything like Wellesley, but just a little interest would help. Crowds were good in select areas, especially through the first half and at the end. Although I sound disappointed in the course, I did do a PR and BQ. Now that I've done this one twice, I don't think I need to return - just not that exciting compared to other marathons. | |
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Sparky runner from Cleveland, Ohio
(10/31/2008)
"Still the Best" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I love this race - it's my favorite marathon (and I have run Boston!). Although my third Columbus Marathon resulted in a PR, I have to downgrade my opinion of the whole experience just slightly because the second half of the new course is a bit too twisty-turny for a fuzzy-headed marathoner trying to PR. The fans and bands were even better than ever! The fluid and gel stops are extremely well-organized. I can't say that the Gatorade and H2O continued to flow for all participants, but for those running under 8:00 pace, it was like clockwork. The new Ts have a better design, but are short-sleeved; the reusable logo bag with race goodies is also a nice replacement for the usual plastic. Packet pick-up was also quite easy and the expo had plenty of everything a runner could want. But what really counts to me is the course, the organization, and the crowds - and here Columbus remains a gem. I just hope it doesn't get too much bigger, because the start and the first 3 miles can be pretty congested. Love ya, Columbus! See you next fall. | |
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R. F. from Toledo, Ohio
(10/28/2008)
"A super marathon for all skill levels." (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Columbus Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was very pleased with this year's marathon. The course was a pleasant change and I appreciated the inclusion of the stadium. The water stations have always been great and the increased music helped the miles pass. As a "back of the pack" person, I had no complaints about a crowded course. The volunteers stayed on their job and were quite pleasant and helpful. There were even spectators cheering at 6 hours. Please keep this event for all types of participants. I plan to continue to be the oldest female finisher. Columbus, No. 27 at 72 |
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