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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 81 to 91]
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J. B. from Stoughton, MA, USA
(10/16/2006)
"A Great Run" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race was well organized and an overall easy, fast-paced course. The course was nice, with lots of police details to keep the traffic away and great water stations run by the local high school track teams. I thought that ending at the Lowell Spinners ball park was an added bonus. Bag pick-up was easy and well organized and the post-race refreshments were great. I never thought soup after a marathon was such a good idea, but it really did warm me up and help with my post-race recovery. Overall it was a job well done by the race organizers. | |
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J. W. from Avon, CT
(10/16/2006)
"Pretty route, supportive spectators, I'll return." (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Half the route is in sight of the river,the four bridge crossings are enjoyable and three are absolutely flat. The high-school kids at the water stations were terrific. Gatorade should be replaced with a drink containing maltodextran instead of sugar though. Nice little awards party at the brewery afterwards. | |
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t. h. from Boston
(10/15/2006)
"Good small-town marathon" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Course: Double loop. Pretty flat and fast, as advertised. Good surface. Be warned that, while the course has no big hills, there ARE some long (four-mile) grinding (but not steep) inclines. Organization: Well organized. One complaint: registration and bathroom facility is 1/4 mile from start. Only FOUR port-a-johns at the start for last-second transactions (supposed to accommodate over 1,800 people, when you include the half-marathon runners). Great finish. Good food. Fans: Good for a small-town event. Very energetic water stations. Great finish in the baseball park. Overall: I WOULD do this one again. I like the small-town thing. -t | |
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R. S. from Massachusetts
(11/17/2005)
"Improving with a few quirks" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is my third time running Bay State. The first was in the late '90s when I probably wasn't very sophisticated about marathoning. With about 700 people, it seemed great. In 2003, it was just horribly run--poorly organized, mile markers in the wrong place, etc. Since then, they've changed race directors and improved things greatly. They've added race-day number pick up, are better organized, and seem genuinely interested in continuing to improve. There are still some quirks that could be addressed. For instance in a number of places, they have mile markers right at the water station; obviously, it's hard enough trying to get water down without trying to have to mark a split as well. Fan support is pretty sparse, but where there were fans, I found them very enthusiastic. Some of the mile markers also seemed inaccurate to me, but I can't be certain. All in all though, Bay State has taken care of enough of the problems so that it once again delivers what it has always promised: the chance to run a fast, flat, race, amidst an intimately sized field, in (weather permitting) ideal fall conditions. If you're headed for Boston, this is the way. | |
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Roger Dufresne from Derry, NH
(10/22/2005)
"Getting Better" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is my 3rd Bay State Half Marathon and by far it was the best organized of the last 3. It also shows up at a good time to use this race as a tune up for the winter marathons down south, and that's what I want out of it. The course, as usual, is very fast and mainly flat, with, I think, pleasant scenery (mainly the river). While the number of spectators can't compete with a Marine Corps or Boston, they were what I'd call good spectators (giving encouragement to the runners, very enthusiastic and happy to view the race). My wife also was extremely happy to be able to get into the local Dunkin Donuts with little hassle, so she was extremely pleased too! I was happy with the number of water stops and did not see a problem with porta-potties (maybe because I didn't have to use them). All in all, the organization seems to have improved over last year with better food at the end (good soups, YUMMY pb&j sandwiches and Rochette's beans {HEAVEN!!!!!)). The only negative I have is with the Champion Chip - why wear one if you don't have a carpet at the start to adjust your time? Either get a carpet for the half as well as the full, or forget them - most of us wear our own timepieces and can adjust from the offical clock. | |
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T. W. from Boston, MA
(4/19/2005)
"Bad planning for runner assistance" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Although the water stops were adequate (about every two miles), I had a big problem with there being so few bathroom facilities along the course. There was only one porta-potty at every 2nd or 3rd water stop. This represented a huge problem for anyone having stomach issues and a big annoyance for anyone else who just needed a quick pitstop and was forced to wait. Another issue is the total lack of medical personnel or official assistance along the course. After suffering a pulled muscle in mile 17, I had to hobble to a water stop at mile 18 and beg to use the cell phone of the one volunteer who happened to be carrying one at the time. There definitely needs to be greater planning for those that need assistance during the course of the race. | |
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M. M. from Sterling MA
(11/7/2004)
"Very nice small marathon" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Baystate Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my first Bay State and I would run it again. Comments from past years all pointed to poor organization but I didn't find that to be the case in 2004. Positives: The Tsongas Arena was open the morning of the race for race-day registration and for runners to stretch, use the rest rooms, or to just hang out. Bag check worked without a hitch. Course is very flat with just a couple of mild inclines. Scenery is okay, mostly residential areas, but crossing the bridges was nice, as was finishing at LeLacheur Park, a minor-league baseball stadium. Mile markers were clearly visible and seemed pretty accurate to me. Lots of water stations, probably every 2 miles or so, and every one stocked with water and sports drink. Food at the end was okay; fruit, pretzels, soup, baked beans. Negatives: Only two porta-potties at the start area for 500 marathoners and 750 half-marathoners (half-hour between starts). I jogged back to the Tsongas Arena instead of waiting and arrived back just a few minutes before the start. Very few spectators on the course, which is what you would expect for a small marathon. | |
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R. D. from New Hampshire
(11/5/2004)
"Organization wasn't worth the cost of registration" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Baystate Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 This is my 2nd Bay State Half (excuse me, this was the Lowell Sun Half). Last year's appeared to be much more organized than this year's. The cost to enter was offensive and if you entered after 10/03, there wasn't even a free t-shirt. But there sure was an attempt to sell me one at the sports store where I picked up my packet. I wonder how many were not sold, too. It wouldn't be so bad if there were ample advertising and if the cut-off date were a week away, but a cut-off at 2 weeks? Don't the organizers realize their best advertising is the t-shirts that people use and other runners see? Food at the end was not up to snuff; baked beans, some questionable looking chicken soup, questionably strange seasoned potato chips, but plenty of penny candy. Also, what was the purpose of me wearing a chip if you don't post the chip time at the end of the race; at least they did that in 2003. What was up with the black ribbon on the medal too?! Just because the crowds were not numerous or overly loud would not merit a ribbon that should be used at a funeral rather than as a finisher's award. Not at all satisfied. And to think that I might not run it next year when I was born and brought up in the city and ran the same steets as a child!!! The crowds, while sparse, still did something to make you smile and appreciate them. Maybe the organizers should do more advertising or something to get the crowds out, but I don't think they have the mental agility other than to collect the relatively high entrance fees. I doubt I would make a long trip to run this race with all the negatives I've mentioned. I'm kinda embarrased to say that last year I chided other runners for negative comments; maybe the second time around makes me a more knowledgeable consumer/runner? | |
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J. R. from Beverly, MA
(10/26/2004)
"Great small marathon " (about: 2004)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I had read negative comments about the race from prior years. I ran in 2004 and had a great experience. Helpful staff, easy access to parking, well stocked aid stations, flat, peaceful, scenic course, great access for friends, family to watch. Only downsides were too few porta potties at the start, and small (though enthusiastic) spectator attendance. If I run another marathon, it will be here. | |
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J. R. from Acton, MA
(10/22/2004)
"Great race - Great qualifier" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a great race, perfect for a qualifer. The course is excellent. Quite flat, almost too much as you don't get a chance to change muscles. Most importantly, you get into a groove on your pace and can hold it very steadily. Enough fast people yet not too crowded. Warm place to wait before the start with bathrooms. Course was well marked with mile markers, and the water/Gatorade stations were great. Very enthusiastic people at the stations. Strategically placed porta-potties. Weather was perfect. About 46-48 at the start, maybe 54-56 by the finish. Finish was great inside a baseball stadium. Allowed my kids to have fun while waiting for me to finish. Only improvements could be a bit better signage at the beginning for things like the bag check. Not many spectators, but not much the race can do about that. |
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