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Santa Clarita Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Santa Clarita Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 85 [displaying comments 21 to 31]
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B. R. from Southern California
(11/10/2010)
"Must-Run Small Marathon" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Santa Clarita Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The Santa Clarita Marathon is a refreshing break from large marathon scene and is a great example of how an entire small community can pull of such a good event. Entry Fees: Even if you register late, the entry fee is still substantially lower than other local marathons such as Los Angeles, Long Beach and any Rock and Roll Marathon. Registration: Registration was easy, and you had the option to register via on-line or paper. Marathon Expo/Host Hotel: The marathon expo was fairly small but well-organized. It was held at the host hotel, the Hyatt. The marathon start and finish was just outside of the hotel. There was no pre-race pasta meal. The Starting Area: There seemed to be plenty of porta-potties in the starting area. The lines did not seem that long. The marathoners and half-marathoners started together at the same time, and although the 5K runners also began at the same time, they were on the opposite side of the street and a medium separated them from everyone else. A six-year-old girl sang the national anthem and received a loud round of applause when she finished. As usual, there were some slower runners who felt the need to station themselves near the front of the starting area. The Course: The course was mostly along bike paths throughout the city. There were a lot of twists and turns, some of them sharp, so at times the course was crowded. The half-marathoners split from the marathoners at the 12.5-mile mark, so the course really opened up for the marathoners after that. Although not an extremely difficult course, the course was at times deceptively challenging due to the rolling hills and numerous 90-, 180- and 360-degree turns. There were plenty of water stations along the way, and porta-potties were available. Spectators: There were a lot of enthusiastic spectators cheering on the runners throughout the marathon. As we ran through neighborhoods, it seemed that entire communities were out of their houses cheering for us. Volunteers: The volunteers were very helpful and supportive. They cheered us on as much as the spectators. The Finish Area: My only complaint of the marathon was the finish area. Once we crossed the finish line, there was not adequate space available for us to recover. Only about 10 yards separated the finish line from the volunteers who placed medals around the finishers' necks. There was no recovery area that separated the finishers from the crowds. We were all mixed in with one another less then 25 yards from the finish line. If bottled water was available, I did not see it. Recommendation: Although some fine-tuning needs to be done at the finish line, this is a great, small, community marathon that everyone should experience. I will run this one again at some point in the future. | |
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R. S. from Stevenson Ranch, CA
(11/8/2010)
"Great "First" Marathon!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon so I don't have other experiences for comparison but I thought it was fantastic, especially for a first marathon. I live in the area and had a chance to run many parts of the course. It starts on city streets and moves to running/bike paths after about 4 miles. It works well as the mixed marathon/half marathon participants spread out by the time the paths get narrower. The second half of the course is a bit quieter, as fewer than 25% of the people run the full (about 350 this year); however, the aid stations are plentiful (nearly every mile) and well staffed. There is great course staffing and pretty good fan/spectator support throughout. A great "first time" marathon, as it has a small-town feel but is supported as well as any large marathon and is a Boston qualifier. Highly recommended! | |
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h. l. from USA
(12/19/2009)
"An uncrowded run in a beautiful city!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Santa Clarita Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The marathoners are fewer than the half and the run is incredibly fun! The sights and terrain are constantly changing to make it go even more quickly. The support from the volunteers and on-lookers is unbeatable. :) | |
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S. M. from San Diego
(11/12/2009)
"Great, small, So Cal race" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was a fun little race. The course is flat to undulating with no major hills. It's a fairly fast course, but running up the ramps of the pedestrian bridges that came after mile 25 was challenging. Even so, this was my 10th marathon and my fastest. It was a luxury to be able to stay warm (and use a real bathroom!) at the Hyatt and then walk out to the start line 10 minutes before the race. Then at the finish you can walk right back to your room again since it finishes near the Hyatt. The expo is also at the Hyatt so the organization and convenience is nice. As expected at a small race, there are not a lot of spectators. If you need lots of music and cheering, go do a Rock-n-Roll. But the volunteers were superb; they were so enthusiastic! There were lots of kids with boundless energy, and people in costumes. They really helped keep me going. I would run this race again in a heartbeat. | |
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W. S. from Long Beach, California
(11/11/2009)
"A great little marathon" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Having never run this, I wasn't expecting so much. I liked the course because it had a lot of variety of scenery with many changes in direction. The bike trails were ideal. The course volunteers did a great job in directing the runners on this maze. The small-town feel was refreshing. I will do this one again. Great job, Santa Clarita! | |
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J. I. from Turlock CA
(11/9/2009)
"fun and energetic course" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half-marathon. I found the course really nice to run. It was a little hilly and kept twisting and turning so that you never felt like you were just running in a long line to nowhere. It was very well organized. It was fantastic to be able to walk from the Hyatt Valencia to the starting line. Thanks to all of the great volunteers handing out water! | |
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D. B. from 29 Palms, California
(11/9/2009)
"Highly recommended!!" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Overall, this was a very good race, and I would recommend it to anyone. The course was very pleasant - the route followed city streets for about the first four or five miles, and then followed a biking/jogging trail. This worked out well because it gave runners more room until the crowd dispersed a bit. The organization was overall very good, and the staff were very pleasant and helpful. One area of concern was that the half marathon participants began in the same group as the marathoners, and out-numbered the marathoners by about four to one. This was a problem for me, because I kind of allowed myself to be pulled by the flow at a pace slightly faster than I had planned running. This is my own fault; staying to your planned pace is much easier said than done when most everyone else is going fast. The spectators were great and very enthusiastic. The kids a the aid stations (water and Gatorade at every mile) were wonderful! I would only add that the race organizers could have made life A LOT easier for their volunteers had they placed trash cans about 50 feet past each aid station instead of just telling folks to just throw their cups on the ground. Although I normally don't like live bands at my marathons, the bands were actually pretty good and got people pumped up. Three cheers for "Bulletproof Socks." They rocked! The support at the finish line was great. Overall, no real criticisms... every marathon is different. I enjoyed this one a great deal. Finally, I would just like to say that this race, and all races in general would be a lot more enjoyable if all participants would be just a little more mindful of basic, good citizenship. For example, instead of just dropping their cups to the ground when finished, some people would throw them over fences or overpasses. Come on, people! Also, some people like to spit over their shoulders without looking. The examples of rude behavior could go on and on. It's a shame that some people are so oblivious to the impact of their actions on others. On the whole, great day. | |
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R. L. from Queretaro, Mexico
(11/7/2008)
"Good small marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is a nice small marathon, with few spectators, beautiful volunteers - most of them children, filled with cheers and support for runners. The course is nice; once it splits from the half, it gets nicer but lonelier. It needs to have gel on mile 18-20, but they had very good hydration fountains. I like this marathons where there is no waiting in the cold or rain, and once you're finished, in 500 meters, you're in your hotel room. Congratulations; I enjoyed it. | |
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D. F. from Burbank, California
(11/3/2008)
"Great, smaller marathon; very well organized" (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I really don't have anything bad to say about this marathon: nice, small expo; very organized registration process; and parking was super easy, right by the finish line. I was a little worried when I saw that the marathoners and half-marathoners were all starting together, but the pack dispersed quickly, and the course never felt crowded. Overall, a nice course.... mostly on smooth asphalt bike paths. I wouldn't describe it as a fast course, as there were lots of twists, turns, and a few hills (equal number of downhills and uphills), but a fun course to run nevertheless. Volunteer support was excellent, with lots of kids handing out Gatorade and water. No spectators really, but the volunteers helped cheer the runners on. Nice, shiny, colorful medal at the finish! I would recommend this race to anyone... not the best if you're going for a PR, but a really nice marathon. | |
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J. F. from San Diego, California
(11/3/2008)
"Great Race" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Santa Clarita Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first Santa Clarita Marathon. The whole experience was great! What made this marathon great was the volunteers. The kids on the course handing out water and Gatorade were amazing. I, for one, really appreciate people taking time out of their Sunday to cheer on others and hand out drinks and Clif Blocks. I would highly recommend this marathon to others. I will definitely be back next year. I loved the close proximity of the Hyatt Hotel to the start and finish. A big thanks to the organizers for putting on such a great race. |
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