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Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon) Runner Comments
Back to Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon) Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 3.9 
Spectators 4.2
Number of comments: 338 [displaying comments 171 to 181]
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V. M. from Colorado
(12/12/2007)
"Great spectators and expo" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my 9th marathon and 1st Dallas White Rock Marathon. I was impressed with the number of vendors at the race expo and the host hotel (Hyatt at Reunion) was excellent. Transportation to and from the expo and the race start/finish was well organized. The Dallas community was out in full force to support the runners along the course, even in the less-than-ideal weather conditions. Very enthusiastic and friendly folks there. I'd definitely recommend this race to others. Not really a great PR course due to some hills late in the race (miles 19-21), but the course itself is scenic and shows off some beautiful Dallas homes. | |
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F. h. from Grand Prairie, Texas
(12/12/2007)
"Saying goodbye for a while" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)s
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fifth marathon, and I have only run the Dallas White Rock Marathon. I will be saying goodbye to the Dallas White Rock Marathon for awhile, because I am going to run another marathon next. My goal this year was to run the entire marathon without stopping, and I was able to accomplish my goal with a time of 4:32, which was slower than in the past. At mile 18, I told myself that unless I cramp up, I will not stop this year, and I kept going. My goal for my next marathon is to run under 4 hours. See you in Austin. | |
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J. C. from Dallas
(12/12/2007)
"Bigger doesn't mean better" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)s
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 I ran this marathon before they tried to make it "big time" by bringing in foreign runners and capping the field size. Well, the race has certainly grown, but that doesn't mean it has gotten better. This race has now become one of the least "runner friendly" races I've ever entered. All they care about is the numbers - most importantly, how much cash they can fleece out of entrants. The entry fee has skyrocketed - $90 for early entry! Outrageous! Then there's the expo ($8 parking) - which they FORCE you to attend to pick up your packet (nice coercion), only to be led through a total maze to pick up your number here, your chip WAY over there, your t-shirt WAY over there, etc. The purpose, of course, was to force you to walk by as many vendors as humanly possible to try to fleece even more money out of you. I think I almost walked a marathon going to all the required stops at the expo. Then on race day, I had never been treated more rudely at a race. Race officials and local police SCREAMING at runners as we tried to line up for the start. It was humiliating and insulting. As for the race itself, they did a nice job, as the course was well marked and the aid stations well manned. Then, after crossing the finish line, came even more verbal abuse from officials as we tried to make our way to the post-race party. If you happen to take a turn to the med. tent instead (because there was no way to know that's where we were headed), you got screamed at again. Summary: good course, terrible treatment from race officials before and after, and the feeling that the only thing they cared about was how much of my money they could make off with. | |
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Phil Work from Little Rock, AR.
(12/11/2007)
"disappointed" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and I was really looking forward to it. The course was harder than I anticipated, but it was fun, and the people along they way were great - especially the kids. My friends who had run marathons had been telling me how great the after-race party was, and that is what really kept me going through the race because I was looking forward to the end. I finished in 5:23, and when I reached the end, I was greatly disappointed. There was no direction on were to go. Once we did find what was left of the after-race party, there was no food except very cold and bad pasta, and some popcorn. Also, only having GU at one point, 8 miles from the end, was kind of lame. I am going to continue to run marathons, but regretfully I will probably not run the Dallas Marathon again. | |
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W. G. from Dallas-Ft Worth area
(12/11/2007)
"Fewer perks, more hassles for 2007" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)s
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Good course and great support along the way but organizers' desire to see it grow (especially via numbers of half and relay participants) will keep me from participating in this marathon again. Start was fairly efficient, aid stations were well manned and well stocked, and the route is visually interesting. The finish area itself was well managed. But then came the disappointments: SOME finishers received what looked like nice running caps ("while supplies last" - why not for every marathoner???) AND no finisher shirt (and only a cheap long-sleeve cotton shirt given in registration packet). Perhaps most irritating was the crowd at the post-race party. Supposedly, non runners were not allowed (but not enforced - lots of friends, family, etc.) and the half and relay runners were there before the 4+-hour marathoners. Result: lines 30+-deep for a bag of popcorn, etc. Too many other marathons make their finishers feel like VIPs at the end. I'll "vote with my feet" to support those in the future. | |
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K. A. from STL
(12/11/2007)
"Fast course; need better directions to race start." (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 This was state number 21 for me, so I have seen plenty of marathons. Overall it is a good race; there is just a few small things that Dallas can do it alleviate a bunch of frustration. As a non-Dallas resident, the website needs much better directions to the expo parking. The website also needs much better directions to the race start parking. I came from a hotel in the north and followed this website directions to a T, and turned left onto Houston (YOU CAN NOT DRIVE NORTH ON HOUSTON FROM CONTINENTAL; HOUSTON IS THE START/FINISH STREET), but Houston was CLOSED. Now, I asked 3 different people at the expo how to find parking for the start, and each gave me the same stupid answers. "See the website," or "Just park somewhere in the many downtown parking lots." Those are stupid things to say to someone from out of town. Come on, man, I looped around the streets a few time, and landing in some parking lot. Then after the race I froze trying to find my car again. Well those are easily fixed if Dallas just tries a little bit. Until these are fixed I can not recommend anyone who does not know their way around Dallas to run this baby. Otherwise the course was actually fun to run. Just enough hills to keep the legs stretched out, but pretty flat. I finished in just under 4 hours and found that the rest stops were adequately supplied and staffed. As I said, I finished in just under 4 hours, but had trouble finding water at the finish? That was really strange. It was s very cold 45 or colder with a chilling wind. Then I just happened to see people going into the American Airlines Center and eventually realized there was food somewhere in the building. Oh my, they made me walk down 5000 steps to get to the arena floor. Then I found that most of the stations giving out food where packing up? WHAT? The floor was completely crowded with NON-RUNNERS, and little kids too. Come on, what was going on? I finished ahead of 70% of the marathon runners and had a heck of a time finding food. I felt really bad for the other 70% of the marathon runners who were not going to find much food. I guess the half-marathon runners and their friends ate all the food? But the expo was really good, and the website was top-notch, except the bad parking directions. | |
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J. D. from Plano, TX
(12/11/2007)
"1st Timer" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon, so I didn't really know what to expect, or how to prepare for the weather, which is ever-changing in Texas. The course was great, even though the hills were harder for me than what I've read from the other reviews. The other runners I met along the way really helped me out and got me through the race. I couldn't have finished without their support. The expo was great, the finisher's medal was awesome, and overall I think it was a very well-organized course and event. Next year I plan to run the half. | |
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W. W. from Arlington, Tx
(12/11/2007)
"Excellent despite the weather" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Despite fog and light sprinkles, this was an awesome first half-marathon. The course winds through some of the most impressive Dallas neighborhoods. The fans were out in the inclement weather at every intersection. Looking forward to the full marathon in 2008! | |
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R. S. from Dallas, TX
(12/11/2007)
"Not a Walker-Friendly Event" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)s
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 This is the second year in a row that I have crossed the finish line to be told that they have run out of medals!!! Water stops were scarce from mile 15 to the finish line as most of the volunteers had already left, as had many of the course officials. As a native of Dallas, I was very disappointed and will plan on staying at home next year. There are many more events in the area that remember walkers and provide for them. | |
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C. K. from Edmond, OK
(12/11/2007)
"Great course and fans; after-party needs work." (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Dallas Marathon (formerly the Dallas White Rock Marathon)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my third marathon, and I thoroughly enjoyed the race. Pros: -Great scenic course, running through some truly beautiful neighborhoods. -Awesome fan support. Even on a cold miserable Sunday morning, there were large crowds cheering everyone on, including several stops for beer. -Great well organized expo and very good pasta dinner. -Excellent host hotel at the Hyatt. Without even having to ask they offered late (4 p.m.) checkout, and were very supportive of the runners. Cons: -Disorganized start. I wasn't sure where exactly to go and which way we were supposed to line up. -The AAC staff were quite rude and they didn't have enough doors open to be able to get in/out quickly for bathroom runs. -The post-race party needs work. There was little direction as to where we supposed to go for the party, and when we finally got into the AAC, we had to walk down 50+ steps to get to the floor, which by time I got there was packed with people and it wasn't really worth trying to fight for any food. Again, the AAC was understaffed. Overall, though, great race, and I would run again. |
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