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Memphis Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Memphis Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.2
Number of comments: 382 [displaying comments 251 to 261]
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N. G. from Lincoln, Nebraska
(12/3/2006)
"Has many features not found in other marathons." (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Memphis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you like gels for energy, there are three gel stops: miles 9, 18, and 21. This is great because you don't have to carry you gels (GU). Also, how about water stations every mile?! Most marathons of this size do not have this feature. Very convenient for drink/gel timing. No race of 26.2 miles is perfect. But Memphis is definitely now one of my favorites because of the on-course support. Camber? So what! Run in the gutter or slightly out of the cones and that will eliminate most of the camber. Memphis was a PR for me after 11 marathons, and I qualified for Boston. Memphis rocks!!! | |
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George Higgs from Memphis, TN
(12/3/2006)
"Wow! Super!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Memphis Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 While the number of spectators was not great, let me tell you of one man whose sign simply read, "Thank you," - but his words said, "You saved my daughter's life." Obviously, his message was directed to all participants and volunteers. There were also friends and family of a child who didn't survive, but they were present, nonetheless, to support the runners supporting St. Jude. I thought the course had a good mix of unique downtown landmarks, such as: Auto Zone Park, Fed Ex Forum, the Pyramid, the riverfront, Beale Street, Rhodes College, scenic Overton Park, stately mansions, and the artsy area of Cooper-Young. I only noticed the camber once and ran along the cones where there was none. You can count on each mile, on the mile, marked with a prominent mile marker, a digital timer, and an aid station. I loved the continuity of always having PowerAde first and water second. I wish all marathons would uniformly have timing mats at 10K, 1/2 & 20 miles. The pizza, fruit, bagels, etc. were good but the soups, from McAllister's Deli, especially the tortilla, were awesome. If there was a post-race party last year, I didn't attend but I really enjoyed the Kattawar Bros. performance at Peabody Place. | |
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k. r. from St. Louis, MO
(12/3/2006)
"great race" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Memphis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I don't understand the complaints. The course was beautiful and well planned out, the food at the post-race was great (I mean, we were cold and they had three different kinds of hot soup just for starters), and the people were wonderful. You don't run St. Jude's for the shirt - you run it for the kids with cancer and their families. If that's not enough, go for the scenery. | |
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K. H. from Clarksville, TN
(12/3/2006)
"Great race, great cause" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Memphis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The organization of this race lived up to everything that I had read about it. The water stops were extremely well staffed with ample volunteers, water, Gatorade, trash bins and even porta-potties. The course itself had just enough elevation change to make things interesting. The long decline over the last 10K took a lot out of my legs and if I do this race again I will try and save a little more for this stretch. Fans were great in the downtown potion but thinned out a little after the half marathon broke off during miles 13-20. Memphis is a great city to stay in, though, and the downtown Memphis Marriott was a nice warm-up distance away from the start. | |
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M. D. from Elvistown, USA
(12/3/2006)
"Great race, but hold it two to three weeks earlier" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I have run three previous marathons (Richmond, Marine Corps and Nashville CMM). I would have to say it ranks right up there with Richmond and beats out Nashville and Marine Corps. MRTC did a great job on organizing this race but my only crticism is MRTC ought to think about holding it two to three weeks earlier. Over the last four years it has been pretty cold for two of the years and this year was no exception. I'm thankful that it was not windy, so, all in all it was a great day! Pros 1. Very well organized. 2. Lots of porta-potties along the course. 3. Water and Gatorade stops were very plentiful. I think we had water at least every mile. 4. Post-race feed is phenomenal. Hot soup provided by McCallister's Deli was fantastic. Pizza, beer, bagels, fruit, PowerAde, water, you name it, and MRTC provided it. This is the best post-race feed of any race I have run in. 5. Finishing in Auto Zone Park was fantastic. Also having the bag drop in the park was extremely convenient and the start was only a few blocks from the park. So start, finish and bag drop are all in the same area. Very convenient. 6. Medal was nice. 7. Spectators were not really numerous but the ones present were very supportive 8. Parking was plentiful downtown for locals and out-of-towners had everything right downtown available to them. 9. Memphis is a great city and there is lots to do. 10. Traffic control was adequate. I have read past reviews critical of this, but overall, it was sufficient. Cons 1. I would move this race up two or three weeks to ensure better weather. We just missed, by a day, a cold and windy day. (I would have had a tough time today, Sunday!) 2. The second half of the course was not as good as the first half. Some of the roads were in in poor shape around 13 to 17 miles. 3. Expo was a little disappointing. 4. I would like to have polo shirts sold by MRTC at the expo. They had 2004 polos but who wants them? Maybe they didn't sell well but I know a lot of runners who would have liked this. 5. I would have liked someone to call me in the morning to remind me to put my chip on my shoe. Just kidding, but I did race, really!!! All in all, this is a world-class event. As far as half marathons are concerned, I would say this is one of the top ones in the country. As for marathons, hard to beat, if you prefer smaller marathons. One last comment. Memphis is famous for barbeque and ribs. Rendevous is downtown and highly touted BUT it is serously overrated. I took two out-of-town guests there and was very embarrassed. It was awful. I am surprised Japan did not declare war against us after President Bush took their Prime Minister there! I should have followed my instincts and driven out to Corky's for a taste of Memphis - a good taste, that is! This is the second time Rendevous has let me down, so my advice: go with Corky's. | |
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J. W. from Dallas
(12/3/2006)
"Better for half marathon than the full" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 The start and finish are great - inside the Fed Ex Forum to stay warm at the start and a neat finish into Auto Zone Park. It was most of the stuff in the middle that was not so good. First, the run is really set for a half marathon. Halfers run with you the first 13 miles and make it hard to find your pace (there seem to be about 10,000 half runners, then after the split you are alone)! There are hardly any spectators, and the second half is a lonely and hilly run. They ask you to not wear headphones, but this is one run where I really needed them. Very limited music for marathoners; and the only spectators are friends of other runners. I am the eternal optimist, but I found the whole marathon experience here quite a disappointment. Next time I will run the half, to support the great cause of St. Jude's hospital. | |
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K. M. from Oxford
(12/3/2006)
"Good race; could be great w/ a few improvments" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Memphis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A very well organized race. The start had plenty of port-a-potties (no waiting in line) and the pace groups were easy to find and follow. The aid station volunteers at each mile were great, and other volunteers were helpful!!! They were very enthusiastic and they were always ready with water or PowerAde. The overall fan support was a little light, especially in the last four miles when it was needed the most. The "spirit stations" could also stand to be a little more spirited and upbeat. Overall, the course was great... but improvement is needed with a few sections of the course where the camber was harsh. Overall, I recommend running Memphis. This was my first marathon and 2nd for my buddy who ran it with me. | |
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Mandy Cargile from near Memphis, TN
(12/3/2006)
"Fabulous, challenging, and very well organized" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Memphis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first race - I did the half. I really enjoyed the course. It was really pretty, though there were a few hills. I recommend it for first-timers, and for veterans. The race was well organized, the course was fabulous, and there were bands at many of the mile markers. The support system was great. If it's not so cold next year, I'm going to do it again. | |
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g. r. from olive branch
(12/2/2006)
"Recommendable race/fun" (General Comments)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Memphis Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 About the guy complaining about the completion certificate: he has many valid points. First off, he is entitled to his opinions (which were more than just opinions - they were facts). I don't exactly agree with everybody's comments either. But the St. Jude Marathon does appear to be getting on the cheaper side, even though the cost of the race has not been lowered. It is cheesy to have to print off a certificate. It's not the cost of the paper to print it. It's the idea that they used to mail it and NOW they don't; you used to be able to let your support team eat at the post-party and NOW they can't; you used to get something besides a t-shirt in your goody bag and NOW you don't! GET IT?! If it were not for their supporters (family/friends), many people would not run. Let them celebrate our accomplishments with us at the post-party! They're just as much about it as us runners. We're all supporting the children at St. Jude! | |
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J. J. from Tennessee
(12/2/2006)
"Camber, Camber, Camber" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Memphis Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I had been reading the past year's comments and noticed many people commenting on the camber in Memphis. They were right. From miles 19-21, the course has a left-side camber of approximately 8% grade. This cause my first-ever IT inflammation so bad that I went from a 2:55 pace to having to stop, stretch, walk, etc. and dropping to a 3:02 in just the last five miles. And those in the past who did not like the BLUE shirt, be thankful - this year the shirt was a dull brown. Now, the race was a lot of fun, the bands were ok, and the crowd seemed a little low this year compared to in the past, but it was 32 degrees at the start. Would not run this course again unless they change the course to flatter (less cambered) roads. |
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