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☰
New Jersey Marathon Runner Comments
Back to New Jersey Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 464 [displaying comments 61 to 71]
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L. T. from NYC
(5/5/2011)
"Very High Quality Race" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 New Jersey Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Overall, I was extremely pleased with this race. Course: The change to a 1 loop course was excellent. The first half went through some nice neighborhoods and the second half was mostly close to the ocean. The few miles on the Asbury Park boardwalk were great and I loved that the southern end of the course at the turnaround was at mile 19 which, for me, is when the real race starts. It was nice to turn around and head 'home' to the finish. Fluid Stations: Fantastic, stocked, many volunteers knowing what they were doing, tables clearly marked between water and gatorade. This seems simple, but many races mess this up somehow. Organization: the start was well organized. 2,000 marathoners made it easy to find running space, yet there were always people around. Traffic control was great as I never noticed any cars on or near the course. The community truly embraces the race. Also, the expo was easy to get to and pretty good sized. Spectators: Dense and loud at some points and sparse at others, which made for a nice mix. I don't always need screaming spectators, so this mix was nice. Finish: the only real negative for me was the last mile along the promenade when the marathon merged with the half. Since the marathon started a half hour earlier than the half, I had to weave in and out of 2:45 half-marathoners when I was finishing in 3:17:53 for the full. At that point the last thing you need is to be weaving in and out of slower runners. It was not the runners fault though. Perhaps next year have the half finishers on the left and the full finishers on the right and separated. Overall, a very nice, good sized marathon. I would recommend this one. | |
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R. M. from Union, NJ
(5/4/2011)
"4th NJM. getting a little boring" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 New Jersey Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was my 4th NJM and of course it was the first full 26.2 mile loop. There are some great things about this race. For the 3rd time in 4 marathons here, I was able to drive right up to the race(about .75 miles away), it starts and ends right on the boardwalk and on a nice day it's really beautiful, and it's a great time of year. Unfortunately, it's getting a little boring. Most of the spectators, music etc is in the first half. The second half is basically long stretches on quiet streets. The race goes through Asbury park and on the boardwalk there, but the 2nd half is very quiet. The volunteers and great and the weather was spectacular, but it was a long 26.2 miles. I saw a few rock bands in the first half, but they were never playing while I ran by. I guess they were waiting for the half marathoners. I normally run with a group of friends and that makes it better. I'll probably be back. | |
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D. S. from Stafford VA
(5/3/2011)
"Boardwalking and Bruce!" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race blew my expectations out of the water! The weather was near perfect and the crowds were much more robust and enthusiastic than I expected. WTG Jersey Shore! The course was flat, fast, and nicely done. The first 13 miles wound through neighborhoods and hamlets and had some very much needed shade (not a cloud in the sky). I loved this part of the course. The back half was an out and back that would have been boring if not for the boardwalk segments. My knees were very thankful to be on the wooden surfaces rather than asphalt or concrete. However, the risk of collision in the areas where runners headed both directions was ever present in too many areas. Please add in cones and police tape to divide the out from the back... The expo was loud and crowded but what I expected from a mid-sized race. The staff was courteous and helpful. The runners' village was very well laid out and clearly marked. Bag check was smooth and efficient (nice job, Police Explorers!). The porta-johns were plentiful and the corrals were well controlled. I wish there had been Gatorade at the finish but there was plenty of water. The aid stations on the course were well spaced and well run. Never a doubt on water or sports drink. Bananas, oranges, Gu, etc...all ready to be had. Ah, the crowds. The town embraced the racers and came out to cheer. The signage was some of the most entertaining I've read. There were dead spots but they were few and far between. This race was well worth running. I highly recommend it . | |
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E. C. from New York, NY
(5/3/2011)
"Awesome Time" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Had an amazing first marathon here. The weather couldn't have been better. The ocean was amazing and the scenery was perfect. It definitely feels very half marathon centric but the community is definitely supportive of everyone. (To the houses who had full bars set up for us runners, I might have to come back next year for the half so I can partake) Wonderfully organized, the people running it seemed to take the criticisms from last year and make this a very fun experience. Thank you! | |
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D. Z. from CT
(5/3/2011)
"Loved the course, very well organized." (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Hard to be objective when the weather was close to perfect and I had a great race. The course was lovely, hardly any ugly and all of it in the early going. It was flat enough to iron on and running the boardwalks and beach mansion roads was spectacular. My second favorite road marathon course ever. The crowds were sparse some of the last half, but I really don't care that much. The folks in Ocean Port were hilarious and made the running fun. Only two things to quibble about. It's kinda pricey and you have to list to Born to Run a lot, a real lot. Plenty of food, water, etc. Nice looking shirt and I ran in it this morning and it's comfy, too. I'd recommend the race, especially if you're looking to run a fast course. | |
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p. c. from nyc
(5/3/2011)
"Top 12 reasons to run this event" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Kudos to Race Director Art Castellano and his friendly, conscientious staff. I was very impressed with everything about this event. It was obvious that a lot of effort and planning went into ensuring that all participants had a wonderful experience this year. I could go on and on, but here are my top ten reasons to run the NJ Marathon or the Long Branch Half: 1. The website was completely redesigned this year, making it much easier to access information. 2. As always, race director Art Castellano provided all registered entrants with weekly email updates, beginning several weeks prior to the event. 3. We took the train down from nyc, and walked about 1/2 mile to the start. Even en route to the start area, port-a-johns were conveniently spread out along the way. Let me tell you, they were much appreciated by all of us- especially since NJ Transit locked the restrooms on the train, as they do every year. 4. On the plus side, the train ride from nyc was free, another nice touch :-) 5. Sorry, but I cannot emphasize enough the importance of port-a-johns. They were thoughtfully distributed throughout the race area, so that bottlenecks and long lines would be minimized. 6. This year, the half marathoners started 30 minutes after the full marathoners. This was a huge improvement over last year (are you listening, Philadelphia??) 7. The t-shirts were fantastic this year. Great color and fabric. I will be wearing mine all summer, and I'm sure everyone else will, too. Great advert for the race :) 8. Did I mention the volunteers were among the friendliest I have ever seen? Ditto for the staff. This is a reflection of the race director's dedication and attention to detail. 9. Finish line - lots of water this year, and very nice goody bags as well. Line moved quickly, as there were plenty of volunteers and the setup was extremely well organized (are you listening, NYC??) 10. The B-tag is great, so convenient. Extra thank you for that. 11. The hydration stations were very well-staffed with plenty of water, Gatorade, fruit, etc. 12. The oceanfront start and finish were picture-perfect lovely. | |
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P. M. from Cranford, NJ
(5/3/2011)
"Great first experience for a full marathon!" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The 2011 NJ Marathon was my first attempt at covering 26.2 miles and it was a great experience. The expo at the race track was better then the old tents at Pier Village (I had run the half previously), but it used to be nice to be at the beach the day before. The volunteers were great; and there was plenty of Gatorade, water and GU available. Running on the boardwalk and through convention hall and Casino Pier in Asbury Park was a nice surprise. The one thing I thought was tough was the amount of room left for runners on the out portion of running the boardwalk - very tight with people out enjoying the day a bit too close. All in all, a good race, and I plan on coming back in 2012. | |
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I. C. from New York, NY
(5/2/2011)
"Great race, love the 2011 improvements" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 New Jersey Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran NJ both in 2010 and now 2011, and will likely return again. The changes introduced this year were terrific - a single loop course that took us along more picturesque landscapes including more ocean and boardwalk, and a separate (earlier) start time than the half marathons and relay teams. While I appreciated the staggered start, I actually preferred the later start last year (since I'm coming in from NYC) but was fine getting up at 4 AM if the earlier start worked for everyone else. Unlike last year, there was food left for the full marathoners when we finished (last year we were left with water and possibly bananas, the last thing I wanted after drinking water and sweet gatorade over 26.2 miles). The comp massages before and after the race were also a nice touch and the crowd support as with last year was homegrown, heartfelt, and terrific. Overall, a fun, well supported, and manageable marathon along a much improved course, so five stars! | |
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B. R. from New York, NY
(5/2/2011)
"Flat course with good crowd support and volunteers" (about: 2011)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fourth marathon and first NJ Marathon. I really enjoyed this race for a few reasons: 1. Flat, fast course with LOTS of well-stocked aid stations 2. Enough participants to feel the excitement of the crowd, but not so many that it was too crowded or overwhelming 3. Well organized expo with easy packet pick-up Things I would change/improve: 1. A better course map with detailed streets and directions. I'm not from the area so it would have been helpful to get a better sense of where exactly the race would be and the easiest way to get to the starting line 2. There were a couple places on the course with few/no volunteers and no fencing/marking so spectators were just able to wander onto the course. This was particularly bad in the last half mile. At that point you just want to be able to focus on finishing, not dodging spectators. 3. A little more food at the end. The fruit was nice, but I really would have loved a bagel and pretzels. | |
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M. R. from Brooklyn, NY
(5/2/2011)
"A wonderful day" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 New Jersey Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first time running the race and, given that the previous year had been too hot and the year before too wet, I was hoping that this year would be perfect . . . and it was. Not too hot, and dry and sunny, with low humidity. I can imagine, though, that if it's too hot or wet, this course (not much shade, along the ocean) could be pretty unpleasant. The park and ride to get you to the start was handled very well, I thought, and I picked up my packet of information easily. I would have liked a bit more fanfare at the start, and more cheering en route, but the course took you through several townships and along quite a bit of boardwalk (which was very pleasant-nice to run on springy wood) and there were plenty of stationsincluding at least two where Gu was available. It was a bit disconcerting finishing with lots of very slow half-marathon walkers, who'd started a half an hour later than the marathoners, but they weren't too big a problem. All in all, I'd highly recommend it. Perhaps a 7:30 a.m. start for the marathoners would alleviate this, and reduce a little bit of heat. |
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