Back to New Jersey Marathon Information & Reviews
M. S. from Nashua, NH
(5/5/2008)
"Highly Recommended" (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A very well organized event with plenty of water stops and port-a-potties. Enthusiastic volunteers and spectators. A nice, flat course. I couldn't ask for more! The only downside was having to run the last half-mile on the hard concrete. | |
J. G. from Chicago Burbs
(5/5/2008)
"Well organized small town race- First class event" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I just ran the NJ Marathon and thought it was a first class event. The organization was one of the best I have experienced. The course was well marked and the fluid stations VERY plentiful. It was a 2 loop course and my only issue is that a lot of the half marathoners who walk get in the way of the marathoners so you may have to do some weaving on the second half of the race. One other thing was that the race information via a packet was non-existent but in their defense the website was well-stocked with info so as long as you print out info before you go the race you should be in good shape. Traffic on the course was minimal and the police and marshals did a great job of keeping cars at bay. A lot of people reported that the course was pancake flat but there are a few minor hills that do zap you a little around miles 9 and 22. Being on the ocean it can be windy on race day and he had 5-7 MPH winds which were much better than the 20 MPH gusts that we experienced the day before. The neighborhoods that you run through are mostly pretty but there was not a ton of crowd support so come self-motivated. The technical long sleeve race shirt was high quality and at the end all finishers receive a cool runners cap that says finisher. I PRd here and was fortunate enough to place in my age group so I received a very nice trophy of a lighthouse. The race volunteers were great and made me feel very welcome. The food at the post race area was not too bad but lacking Gatorade- they did have some SOBE water somewhere at the end but I was not able to find it. Parking was not too bad either so I was able to get a spot close to the start/finish. Overall I would rate this a 9 out of 10. The wind could be a factor if you are looking for a PR but I think it is doable (like any race) if the weather cooperates. | |
L. F. from Gresham, Oregon
(5/4/2008)
"Incredible Volunteers" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 New Jersey Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Yes, for some reason the expo was shifted last-minute to a cramped tent, but race-day was just fantastic. There were numerous fluid stations with excited volunteers, and they were very helpful following the race with a timing issue. I was a bit disappointed with the on-course music (there were more bands in 2007), but I highly recommend this race. | |
J. T. from Edison, NJ
(5/4/2008)
"Fast marathon, good location" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Loved the free train ride from NJ Transit! My first time with a half-marathon running and then having to do another 'lap'. Liked it better than I thought. Course is fast - took 10 minutes of my best time. I just wish there would be fewer turns - this kills in the late miles. Crowds on boardwalk and on Broadway in 'downtown' Long Branch were great. One other little gripe - the web site needs to be improved - trying to find basic info (e.g. exact location of the expo) is not easy. To finish on a positive - the start/finish line is right by some great restaurants and bars on the beach to assist with the carbo-recovery process!! | |
A. R. from New Jersey, USA
(5/4/2008)
"Great people - loads of fun!!! Sure this is NJ? ;)" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and I had a BLAST!! The whole process was so smooth and the organizers were well-prepared from start to finish, no pun intended. Crappy weather, but everyone had a great time! Thanks for everything!!! | |
J. W. from New York
(4/9/2008)
"Well run, pardon the pun" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A smooth operation and a great experience. A great day for both runners and spectators! I highly recommend this to any runner who wants to run a personal best. The course is flat, the weather is usually accommodating, and the fan support is superb. It is easy for family and friends to see you in multiple spots. | |
J. C. from Orange, NJ
(10/23/2007)
"A Great Experience!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race turned out to be a last-minute ordeal for me. I had no idea what to expect, or even if there were any slots left. But luckily for me there were. The race staff and volunteers were exceptionally nice (and not just by NJ standards!) and helpful. The course itself wasn't bad either. If you're looking for a course with minimal hills, this one's for you. Two thumbs up. | |
N. Z. from Nashville, TN
(9/30/2007)
"Great first marathon" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I had no idea what to expect, and I had a great experience. The only negative thing was that the half-marathoners FAR outnumbered the full-marathoners, so the second loop of the course was a little lonely. Still, the weather was perfect, the goodies were awesome, and the volunteers were GREAT! I loved it, and if I didn't move south (I was living in MA this spring), I would definitely be back next year. I'm going to try some closer states next, but I will be back someday. I would definitely recommend it to first-timers. So flat!!! | |
B. R. from New Jersey, USA
(9/23/2007)
"Great, fun, beatifully organized small race" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A lot more than I was expecting from such a relatively small race. As mentioned, the race is two loops, with the start, halfway, and finish along the beach - which was very cool. It's almost completely flat, so if you're looking for a Boston qualifier, this would be a great choice. The organizers did a fantastic job. The "expo," such as it was, was small and generally unremarkable, but that was OK. It did start a little late also, but that really wasn't a problem either, because everything else was great. Pacers were very identifiable and right on the money. Volunteers were enthusiastic and all over the place. Some areas were pretty quiet, but crossing waterways with the morning sun shining on the water was gorgeous. Finish line was pretty well organized as far as medical assistance, water, and food. The guy taking finish line photos, if you're into them, was right at the finish line and virtually invisible, so that could be improved. The host hotel was right by the finish line and hosted the finisher's food, which was all from Whole Foods organic grocery. The hot vegetarian chili was especially welcome after a cool run! Spectator support was great - especially memorable were the people with the sign that read, "In our minds, you're all Kenyans." A great race, fun and well-organized - will definitely run it again! | |
T. C. from Philadelphia, PA
(7/6/2007)
"Great First Marathon!!" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had a fantastic experience with this race. The course is nice and flat - which was great for my first marathon. I loved that it was a loop because it made it easier to see my supporters several times. It was well organized and all of the volunteers were amazing!! I definitely suggest this race!! |
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