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Baystate Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Baystate Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 4.0 
Spectators 3.4
Number of comments: 126 [displaying comments 31 to 41]
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Arnie James from Somervile, MA, USA
(10/20/2011)
"Finally from Good to Great!!" (about: 2011)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I have run this marathon many times from it's old days/course, orgnaization to what it is now. Simply put, in the earlier days there was always much to complain about and the organizers always wrote about 'this year we are better' but it was the same old same old. One of the biggest problems was Water Stops. The finish was ok but nothing to write to your mother-in-law about. Two years ago we got hit with a snow storm and freezing temps and winds. After the race with frozen limbs we had to walk to our cars and freeze even more. OK enough. I am happy to say that this year Bay State turned out to be a very pleasant and memorable experience. Totally new approach and and a very well though of plan and organization. What stands out in my mind especially is the water stops. THEY WERE EXAPLERY AND OTHER MARATHONS SHOULD LEARN FROM IT !!All stops were perfectly located, clearly marked, adequately supplied with water, Gatorade, Porta Potties and friendly volunteers.As soon as you felt thirsty you knew that a water stop is coming up. I have run 132 marathons and this is the only marathon where someone thought about making all things available at one stop. Doea it take a genius to figure out how comfortable it is for the runners to have all they need at one stop !! Having the start and finish at Tsongas Arena was icing on the cake. To warm up inside the Arena with bright lights, warms temps(ish :-)), no wind etc really put you in the right state of mind before the race. The finish line had a warm cozy feeling about it with people there to watch you and cheer you on as you finish. Then the food area once again was welcoming and colorful with benches , steps and green grass to sit on. All I can say is Keep up the good work, and now you finally belong with the Big boys. One last thing, please go back to the Cotton shirts. I simply hate all these Technical shirts. Try to give them away as soon I get them. Try folding and stacking them. Good luck. | |
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J. D. from Melrose, MA
(10/28/2010)
"Great course - flat and fast" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Course is flat and fast double loop along the river. No real wind to speak of and the weather is typically perfect (as it was this year). My biggest complaint would be about the pace groups. I wanted the 3:20 pace group but couldn't find them until about a minute before the gun went off - and they were situated about 30 feet BEHIND the 3:40 pace group, right next to the 3:50 pace group. After the start, they took off - way too fast. They clicked off a 7:15 for the first mile (3:20 is a 7:40 pace), so I had to just let them go. Other than that the race was great. Water stations every 2 miles or so were fine; I don't think I needed more. I didnt BQ, but I still had a good race. | |
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C. F. from Yonkers, NY
(10/20/2010)
"You made running a joy for me again" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the Boston Marathon 2008, and bombed badly in the race. A few weeks later I suffered a herniated disc. A few months later my wife and I separated, and we got divorced. I tried three times to re-start my marathoning, but twice was injured and once... well, my heart just wasn't in it. Thank goodness for the folks at the Bay State Marathon. I pulled a hamstring and they let me defer to this year. They kept me in the loop but didn't bombard me with spam. The course is just about running. No bands, or amusement park rides, or energy-drink vans. Just put on your shoes and run. It was exactly what I needed at just the right time. Water stops were well-placed, and traffic was not closed but protected from the runners. And there was nothing quite like finishing in a baseball stadium - what a great touch! Don't let anyone tell you there aren't fans - not true. Yes, you might go miles without seeing them, but I high-fived plenty of little kids - and even some 1/2 marathoners. And thanks to the woman with the "Nice Ass" sign. What a course! It was like going out on a casual long run with your pals. Not completely flat - kind of rolling hills between 4-6, but they're manageable. I like the idea of a 10-mile loop. Made things easier on which to concentrate. I set a new PR after 4 years, BQ'ed and did something I've never done - negative splits! One sole negative: they might want to load runners in the corral from the BACK, not the front. Too many crammed the starting line, but after about 400 meters there was room to run. Thank you, BSM, for making running fun again! | |
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n. k. from NH
(10/19/2010)
"Great qualifier!!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Previously a runner of bigger races (NY, Philly, etc.), I was looking for the sure qualifier for Boston, which I sailed through with no problem. Overall, a great race! A great course - I loved the double loop because I don't know the area and I got my brain in gear to sort of know where I was. Minimal hills, and great volunteers. Water stops were a little tight but plentiful throughout the race. Not a fan of the "bouncing bridge." I actually felt my knee buckle on the first pass. I panicked, so I literally skipped to the end of the bridge. The finish into the ball park was exciting, but the stairs up into the stands, and going back down to exit, was torture. Bag check lost my bag temporarily, so I had to go back and do the stairs again. Ugh. | |
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D. D. from MA
(10/19/2010)
"Flat course, great pacers, nice timing" (about: 2010)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I will say the best thing about this race is the group of pacers. They even paced all 26 miles. I could not have BQed without them. Thank you, pacers. The second best thing is the timing of the race, one day before the Boston registration. If I could whine about anything, it is the "exit strategy." The runners have to climb up the audience stand to exit the ball park, after 26 miles. | |
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J. B. from Rockland, MA
(11/2/2009)
"Very nicely put-together" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Any event, especially one of this size, takes fine-tuning, planning and execution, and the race directors and volunteers did exactly that. From months before the starting gun went off, the communication from the race director was outstanding. He addressed every aspect of the race all of us first-timers, and was a quick reply to any questions. Pre-race, the expo was very small, but the pasta dinner was free and delicious. Pre-race number pickup the day before went off without a hitch. Use of the Tsongas Arena was welcomed to get warm, stretch, use the restroom, change, etc. As for race day, we could have hoped for better weather (being mid-October and all), but that's no fault of the organizers'. The course itself was as flat as advertised, especially in New England. Please don't be THAT fooled by the fact that such a high percentage of finishers are BQ's - that also means that this race draws a lot of fast runners as well, looking to BQ or PR. The course had its fair share of spectators, particularly around miles 3, 13, 22 - all points in the same area that the marathoners loop through. The "bouncing bridge" crossing the river at the farthest point away on the course was something else. The volunteers were very enthusiastic, as I heard they would be - even at the latter stages of the race. The finish was awesome, being in such a place where space and seating isn't at all at a premium. The only gripe I have was that the men's bathroom at the top of the stairs after the finish was out of order, so I had to walk to the other side of the stadium to use it. At this point, my teeth were literally chattering because I was so cold, so to be out of the rain and cold right away would have helped. But the chicken soup helped warm my core, and I was on my way. Definitely not an experience to forget, and the event is definitely recommended! | |
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Jeff Hansen from Western MA
(10/25/2009)
"Unforgettable" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I decided to try yet another road marathon after DNFing at the VT 100 in July. I figured I had a huge base of high mileage weeks, and it was time to go for my first BQ. I was told that Bay State was the place to go. After intensifying my training to get back the speed I had lost through ultra running, I PR'ed by over 13 minutes. Bay State is fast and well-organized. Finishing in the stadium was cool, although I hauled ass out of there afterward due to the cold and snow. The ultimate highlight was the SURPRISE visit my girlfriend made out to Lowell to watch me finish and share in the moment. Love you, Kellie! | |
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Rob Klein from Aurora, Colorado
(10/22/2009)
"It Felt Like Denver, 2007 All Over Again" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The expo, start, and finish line were all really close together, near the UMass - Lowell Campus. However, I arrived late Saturday evening, and could not find a place to park. Then I was too late for packet pickup anyway, so I finished that in the morning at the Tsongas Arena. It was probably in the mid 40's in the morning. Around 7:40 folks were heading from the arena to the starting line, a couple of blocks away. By then a light mist had started falling; the sky was totally overcast. The race started minutes past 8:00 a.m., and headed west through the UMass Campus. After about three miles, the half marathon course separated to the north. Our course pretty much followed the Merrimac River. Eight miles up the river we crossed over the river. On the north side of the river there was lots of green growth, giving a woodsy feel to that part of the course. From mile 3 to 22.5 was a double loop along and around the river. We crossed the river four times over three different bridges, once near the finish line. After the second loop we proceeded to the Aiken Street Bridge. Crossing this bridge, the runners re-entered the university campus. When I crossed this bridge I noticed snowflakes in the air! Just before the end - still on campus - the course entered the stadium playing field, as we approached the finish line. Some observations: This course was very flat, following the Merrimac River; the aid stations workers provided encouragement and fluids; one station during the double loop part had GU gels; there were pockets of folks cheering along the course, but not a lot of people. The weather was drizzly rain for most of the day, and the temperature at the finish line was 37 degrees F (exactly the same weather as for the Denver Marathon, 2007, exactly two years ago today!). Upstairs in the stadium they had hot soup for the runners - somebody did their homework getting ready for this race! Other food was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bagels, Cape Cod chips, and mini-size Snickers and Milky Way-type candy bars. Soup and sandwiches never tasted so good! One last thing: The registration for this marathon closed on September 2 - kind of early, I thought. It was after that that I became interested in running this race. I e-mailed the race committee and asked if there were any other options that would permit me to gain entry (I was planning a double with Green Mountain, VT the day before). One week later I received a registration form via e-mail, allowing me to register and run. I understand that marathons in downtown areas sometimes have runner limits and time limits that they must observe. In any case, the folks putting on this event were flexible in permitting me to run. For that I say a big "thank you." If you choose to run this race in the future, please consider registering early. | |
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J. F. from Massachusetts
(10/21/2009)
"Great New England Marathon" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The course itself is pretty much as flat as you can get in New England (just a few small hills, which are really nothing and help to work different muscles). The volunteers make this race - always cheery and helpful, even in the absolutely miserable weather we had this year (cold, cold rain!). I didn't stay for the post-race food this time since we chose to go over to the brewery instead. I picked up my race number at the running store in Acton the Tuesday before the race - where else can you get your number THAT early? I've heard some people complain about the half and the full jointly making the road too crowded. I didn't have any issues, as I planned to start the first few miles slow, but I can see how it might have affected those who started too far back, or who had an even-pacing strategy. A big thanks to all of the volunteers. Baystate remains a nice, close-by marathon. Definitely the course for a PR, and even on a crappy day, it was good for a BQ! | |
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E. S. from Maine
(10/21/2009)
"Great organization, horrible weather" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I made it through. With the horrible weather (cold, wind, and rain), finishing was a significant accomplishment. The water stop people were so helpful, friendly, and smart. Thanks for the help. This was the first time I have run this newer course. There were a few small rises, but if the weather had been better, I wouldn't have noticed them at all. |
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