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☰
Steamtown Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Steamtown Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.7
Number of comments: 625 [displaying comments 381 to 391]
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R. B. from Kanata, Ontario
(10/12/2010)
"A must-do fall marathon" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon went far beyond exceeding my expectations. Every aspect leading up to the race, the race itself and the post-race activities were incredibly well organized. The weekly e-mails providing useful tips and information related to the event were a tremendous assistance in preparing. It appeared that every aspect was covered in terms of how the event was organized (e.g. the buses, the waiting areas inside the school in Forest City, port-a-lavs at the school and along the route, volunteers on the route, medical crews, etc.). Nothing seemed to be missing. Take this along with such a picturesque route and you have a fantastic experience to be had. This was my best marathon ever and not just in terms of finish time (a 6-minute PB, plus a BQ), but more so based on the experience. I would come back to this event in a heartbeat and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a top-notch fall marathon. Do note that if you are to attend, hill work training should be a priority. | |
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B. N. from State College, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Best Small Marathon in U.S." (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 These race directors know marathoning! They successfully combine the best parts of various marathons into one small package. I never take the time to write reviews online, but felt obligated to praise this race after an A+ experience. Positives: Race Day Transportation: My family drove me to downtown Scranton. I literally stepped out of my car, walked 10 yards, and immediately stepped on a bus heading to the start. Rails to Trails Section: Great break for aching feet. Waiting before the start in a heated gym. Tiny Expo: no one should be shopping the day before a marathon. Hilarious emails leading up to race day. Spectators handing out full bottles of water. Canon at the start, announcing your name at the finish. Less crowded, less stressful version of the Boston Marathon. Negatives: AllSport Drink: felt like Bear Grylls on Man vs Wild when he drinks his own urine. Race Shirt: Too many seams; lettering not big enough. Slow people were too far in front at the start; I realize there is no need for strict corrals at a small marathon, but a few announcements emphasizing that slowpokes move back in the pack would be nice. | |
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J. S. from Kansas City
(10/11/2010)
"Fantastic Race" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a fantastic race. The course is definitely not without its challenges, despite the "net downhill" part, but it is a lovely course, lined with trees in fall colors winding through friendly small towns. The most amazing thing is the group of volunteers - they are everywhere, outnumber the runners, and are amazingly helpful. At the start of the race, they open up a local high school so you can stay warm inside. They also have plenty of toilet facilities. And, what can I say about the cool start with the canon? Everything is easy to navigate, from the expo to the finish, and the race is the perfect size. The attention to detail is the best part of this race - you can tell runners planned it. Only part for improvement: keep working on trying to speed up that food tent at the end. Well done and thanks for the wonderful work. | |
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P. O. from Alexandria, va
(10/11/2010)
"A MUST marathon for every marathoner!!!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Jim Cummings (assistant race director) made the build up to this marathon the BEST with his weekly emails. Having said that, I have never felt so much pain after a marathon! While this race is a great qualifier for Boston, beware, the downhills are killer! But I would recommend this race to everyone who loves marathon running and the crowd - and the hometown feel was unparalleled!!! | |
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S. T. from Commack, NY
(10/11/2010)
"If you like downhills, you can't find a nicer race" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Oh, my aching quads!! Ran a PR yesterday, but I am paying today! Absolutely perfect weather yesterday for a marathon, and the organization was fantastic. The school where the race is staged from is 50 yards from the start so you can literally walk out to the start 2 minutes before it begins. The first half is mostly downhill, so you need to make sure you don't go out too fast because you will pay later on when you find the uphills in the last 3 miles. I ran at an even pace throughout, and my quads were still aching. I would recommend this race to anyone looking to qualify for Boston, because it is FAST!! | |
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K. J. from North Carolina
(10/11/2010)
"AMAZING!!!!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race absolutely lived up to its reputation and my expectations. I picked it because of its excellent reputation and reviews on this site. No one seems able to find anything to complain about, and I couldn't either. I traveled from NC to participate in what is mostly a regional race and it was awesome. I know there is lots of talk about BQing here. I am not a Boston qualifying runner, but I still found this race amazing! And I liked the pierogies at the end. We don't have those in the South. :) | |
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Jeff Clark from Northumberland,pa
(10/11/2010)
"Awesome first-time marathon!!!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon!! Such a great experience.Everyone involved was very friendly, from the race coordinators to all of the volunteers!!! I will definitely be back to run in 2011!!!!! | |
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M. D. from MA
(10/11/2010)
"Fun race!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great race! I loved the rail trail sections, the crowd support, and the email updates we got weekly for several months from the assistant race director. They alone were hilarious enough to warrant the entry fee. Be prepared to be sore because of the downhills, though, especially if you don't live somewhere with downhills to train on. I have run a number of distance races, and the only other times I have been so sore is after running a 100-mile ultra in Colorado and a 56-mile downhill road race in South Africa. Totally worth it though. | |
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G. S. from Hermitage, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Outstanding organization for a great, great race" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is the best marathon in the country. The organization is A+. The Steamtown Marathon is one of the biggest events for Scranton,PA and the citizens (especially the students) all came out to lend their support. School buses queued up at 5:30 a.m. to take runners up to Forest City High School. No lines. Parking in downtown was easy. Nice to sit in a warm gymnasium until the start. The weather (35 degrees at 8 a.m.; 55 degrees at noon) was sunny and breezy. Most of the course was a gentle descent on a 2-lane rural highway. A big thank you for including the rail-trail. The cushioned surface of the rail-trail was a welcome break to the pounding of pavement and concrete. The shaded path along the Lackawanna river with fall foliage was rejuvenating. Plenty of water and Gatorade stops. Never seen so many young kids helping out. Even Scranton residents set up their own refreshment stands. Lots of police officers on the course to direct traffic. Quads were heavy and screaming by mile 21. The last ascents at mile 24 and again at 25 were definite gut-checks. At mile 26, though, you are at the top of a hill looking down at the finish and a huge cheering crowd. Post-race baggage claim and chow line ran smoothly. Incredible attention to detail by race organizers. Will definitely return next year. | |
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Robert Dimmig from Lancaster, NY
(10/11/2010)
"Incredible Experience" (about: 2010)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose Steamtown to prepare for my first Boston Marathon (2011) - point-to-point, downhills, etc. Steamtown has a great reputation, and my experience confirmed that the reputation is real and well-earned. We stayed at a great, new TownPlace Marriott about 5 miles south of Scranton. It was very easy to get into and out of the city. The expo site was fantastic, as was the pasta dinner. Even the runner's Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral was an experience unto itself. Race day organization was great. Easy to find buses in the morning. Starting area was well staffed by volunteers. Always someone ready to answer questions. The course itself is awesome. I enjoyed the entire distance. Based on online resources, I knew what to expect and had trained as needed. Plenty of water and Gatorade. Very nice crowd support in many areas. I was not sure what to expect on the trail sections, but absolutely loved it and actually found more strength. I was also not sure what to expect on the hills in the last miles, but, again, I had put in a lot of time on hills during training, and I just flew over the hills and into the finish line. Because of the number of runners, there was a backup for water, etc. in the tent afterward, but I just grabbed a water and wandered over to a nearby mall for a chocolate shake (delicious). And baggage handling was perfect at the start and finish - well marked, well staffed. Most of all, I can't get over the enthusiasm of the countless volunteers I met along the way. They are the heart of any great event, and Scranton should be very, very proud. |
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