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Erie Marathon at Presque Isle Runner Comments

Back to Erie Marathon at Presque Isle Information & Reviews

Course Rating Course 4.6 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 4.7 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 3.5 
 
 
Number of comments: 255 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 26 > ]

 

E. D. from Boston, MA (4/27/2018)
"Awesome little marathon" (about: 2017)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


This was my 1st Erie and 7th marathon. Course is as flat and as picturesque as advertised - awesome. Organization was extremely efficient and no-frills. Spectators were hilarious and clearly enjoyed being there!

 

A. T. from Canada (11/12/2017)
"Flat, Fast and great vibe" (about: 2017)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


This was my first time running Erie but 5th Marathon. I was a lucky one and was able to achieve my BQ this year. I have nothing but love for this race, the course is beautiful and the volunteers at the water stations looked like they were having a blast. Being a double loop it was especially good for spectators as there are a couple of sections that you can see the runners 4 times.

 

P. C. from Round Lake, NY (10/16/2017)
"Fabulous" (about: 2017)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 1


If you are looking for a FAST course and don't care about spectators - this is it! This was my 34th marathon and if I did this race 10 years ago with the perfect weather we had, I am positive I would have set a PR. It really is Flat like they say. There is one small bridge you go over twice, but it is tiny. I understand that some years have been warmer, but my experience was great. I drove 400 miles for this race and am considering it again next year. GREAT BQ race.

 

G. E. from Willoughby Ohio (9/26/2017)
"Great flat marathon with plenty of hydration." (about: 2017)

6-10 previous marathons | 2 Erie Marathon at Presque Isles
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


Held in beautiful Presque Isle state park in Erie Pa. The course is a double loop with a hydration stops every mile. The volunteers were great and supportive. The only drawback is plan for at least a 40 minute traffic jam getting to parking. The course is very well separated from traffic and only one sharp turn per loop. The director is a great person also, answering emails personally if needed.

 

J. C. from Virginia (9/14/2017)
"Good also for the 5 of us not going for a BQ!" (about: 2017)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


It was a little intimidating checking in for this race as it seemed like EVERYONE had on a Boston Jacket. But was pleased to find plenty of company at my pace for the race. The course is very scenic and very well supported. Crowd support is thin but the water stops every mile are extremely energetic and in competition with each other for your votes. I loved the logistics of this race. Easy to get to the start without travel or parking worries. Bag check and plenty of porta potties right next to start corrals. Finish at same spot. One con for me was the turn around just before miles 13 and 26 was a 180 turn and right at a traffic cross over point, which was well managed but a little chaotic. Overall, I would highly recommend this race to someone even if they are not going for a BQ.

 

P. M. from Toronto, ON, Canada (9/12/2017)
"Great BQ race" (about: 2017)

11-50 previous marathons | 2 Erie Marathon at Presque Isles
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


if you want a last chance for BQ, this race is for you! Great organization by the local running club, enthusiastic volunteers, water stations every mile (!), flat two-loops course around a state park on the lake, nicely shaded, and they had perfect weather this year. Most of the crowd were looking for a BQ, I believe almost half qualified. For a small local race, surprisingly many states were represented, along with Canada. The course was changed from previous years due to construction. They ran it clockwise instead of counter-clockwise, and the start was moved much closer to the park entrance. Runners were in the right lane, vehicles in the left (one-way only). I think changes were positive as it's much better to run against traffic than with it. One minor downside were traffic backups at the exit. Also, no pasta dinner this year, but that's not a big deal. Second time running it, second BQ, highly recommended!

 

D. K. from Pittsburgh, PA (9/11/2017)
"Flat and Fast but poorly managed" (about: 2017)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 4


The course is as advertised. The race management does not take kindly to any constructive criticism and does not take ownership when their vendors do not deliver. The other volunteers are awesome.

Overall if you need a BQ this is a good place to get it but my interaction with race management makes this a one and done for me. There are tons of races out there where the small details are appreciated and communication is a priority. Race where it makes you happy.

 

J. A. from Pittsburgh, PA (3/1/2017)
"Flat and Fast 2 Loops" (about: 2016)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


Like many others, I entered this race primarily to BQ. I was able to accomplish that, but I ended up enjoying the atmosphere of the race very much. The organizers know what they're doing and the volunteers are extremely enthusiastic. The course is mostly flat consisting of two loops on roads around a state park. Due to the nature of the course, spectators can easily hop back and forth between sides of the loop to support their runners - which is nice for them and the runners. Vehicle traffic is allowed on one side of the loop, but it's well managed. There is shade on a good portion of the course. Being on a lake, it can be windy and weather can move in fast. On the plus side, there are plenty of hydration stations and port-a-johns. Definitely a lovely event.

 

j. g. from New Jersey (2/14/2017)
"Great Boston Qualifier" (about: 2016)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


I ran Erie to qualify for Boston, which I did by a comfortable margin. After researching several possible 'qualifiers' I chose Erie, which sounded like a nice mid-size race. I was concerned about the possibility of a hot day (mid-September) especially after a very hot Summer of training. Race day was a little warm but the shady course and breezes by Lake Erie helped a lot. The entire experience was a pleasure: Well organized, enthusiastic support at the water/aid stations and a nice mostly shady park course. I definitely recommend this race and plan to run it again.

 

Joe Appel from Pittsburgh, PA (10/4/2016)
"Two Fast Flat Loops" (about: 2016)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Erie Marathon at Presque Isle
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


I ran this marathon in hopes of qualifying for Boston (which I did) as it was run on the last day before registration opens. The course has a reputation for being flat and fast, which is accurate. The biggest 'hill' isn't much to talk about, but there was a guy posted there blasting tunes to get you pumped up. Since it's two loops spectators have plenty of opportunities to get around and support their runners, which was very nice. The start was a bit crowded, but by the time we got to the first turn things thinned out. There were plenty of port-a-johns at the start/finish. The volunteers and organization were outstanding! Water stops were abundant and staffed by enthusiastic volunteers. The course is on the closed lane of a two-lane road, so there are cars but they didn't cause any issues. The race is run at the end of the summer, so weather can be warm, windy, and/or rainy. It's Western PA after all, and nobody lives here for the weather :) If you're looking for a BQ race then this one is well worth considering.

 

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