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☰
Clearwater Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Clearwater Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 3.8 
Spectators 3.1
Number of comments: 170 [displaying comments 31 to 41]
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M. B. from Jackson, Michigan
(1/30/2005)
"Great Support for a Small Race" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my second marathon and it was a tremendous experience. The course support and the food at the finish line were excellent. Who cares about the weather? Being from Michigan, any wind chills above -0- in January are acceptable! The race course is fast and flat. Although spectators were few, everything else was top-notch. | |
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Maureen Uhler from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
(1/29/2005)
"Excellent organization - terrific course!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My husband and I are turning this into a tradition! You just couldn't ask for a better place to run a marathon. I was so inspired - knocked off 40 minutes from my time last year when I ran with foot injuries. We love the early start and the temperature was ideal - the wind made it into more of a challenge and I guess my quads felt a little achier due to the resistance - but no mind - it was a good hurt! I thoroughly enjoyed it and the more-than-adequate aid stations - not to mention all the pleasant faces behind them. Marsha and Bill - you are the best!! Praise to all the traffic cops, too! We love the scenic course - one of my favorites is Taylor Park! Highly recommend! We look forward to next year! | |
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Robert McWilliam from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
(1/29/2005)
"Excellent race" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very much enjoyed this run. I appreciated the efforts of the volunteers and police(wo)men who were always friendly, helpful and responsive. I am very much a vitamin-C 'addict' so I also appreciated the sliced oranges - I believe they were available at every fluid-stop, if I recall correctly - that is unprecedented in any other race in which I've participated. The only suggestion I can make is that the organizers should speak firmly to the weatherman before next year's event rolls around: those headwinds on the return leg were definitely a challenge!(smile) My congratulations to organizer Chris Lauber and all the volunteers, spectators, and participants who helped make this event a success! | |
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K. R. from Portage, Michigan
(1/28/2005)
"The Day of the M'thon - Makes the Difference!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 If you watched the weather forecast prior to the marathon, the predicted start temperatures ranged from a 42F to 59F start! The final answer was "in the middle." The wind plus gusts with a weather front moving through is what the runners will remember, unless you consider the great volunteer support along the way! Good race, subject to the variable weather that is only too common to Florida in January, makes this one a keeper. | |
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J. H. from Strongsville, OH
(1/28/2005)
"Run this race!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Clearwater Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I've run this race twice now (2003 and 2005), and have enjoyed it both times. Chris Lauber (the race director) clearly cares a lot about this race, and puts his heart into it. Even with this year's challenging conditions (heavy wind), the race was a success. Course: Most of the first half of the course follows Gulf Boulevard through the coastal Gulf towns. You don't get constant views of the Gulf -- the street is lined with condos, motels, etc. -- but you do get plenty of pleasing views of the water. (I echo the previous poster who recommended returning the race to a later start, so that you can actually SEE some of those views in the first couple of miles.) Most of the second half is held on the Pinellas Trail. If you want a PR course, this is it. I PR'd by almost 12 minutes, even with the wind. The course has maybe 5-6 small 'hills' in the form of bridges/overpasses; otherwise, it's checkerboard flat. It also has very few turns. And the small size of the field (~400-600 runners) means that you can get into your stride very quickly. Organization: Generally very good. The traffic control is excellent. Plenty of aid stations, all of them well stocked with water/Gatorade. Two gel stops, if you need them. Plenty of food at the finish. Cool medals. The registration process has definitely improved -- no wait at all, unlike 2003. The website is very informative, and Chris provides frequent e-mails to keep everybody updated. My only quibble is the mile markers. I didn't see the markers at 3, 4, 9, 10, or 12, and the marker at 5 was misplaced (either that, or I really DID run a 5:29 6th mile, which is not bloody likely). One thing definitely worth mentioning is how responsive Chris is to runners' comments. As an example: in previous years, the race started at 7 AM and was held in February, which often meant very warm conditions. Chris moved the race to January and pushed the start back to 6:30, in hopes of having the race in more runner-friendly temperatures. Also, there were apparently not enough fluids last year... from what I could tell, the aid stations this year were stocked with enough fluids to keep an army hydrated. Fans: There weren't many, especially on a windy and chilly Florida morning, but the ones that did show up were very supportive. If you need constant encouragement, try NYC or Chicago instead. Overall, I really like this race. I'll be back... and if you're looking for a great small race, then you should join us! | |
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L. C. from Fitchburg, Massachusetts
(1/27/2005)
"Fine, low-key race. Highly recommended." (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Overall, a very positive experience. The volunteers were outstanding and the entire crew deserves credit for a well organized event. This race is ideal for the average marathoner as the course is scenic, safe and virtually flat. The only consideration I would ask in the future, and it's a minor one, is that more attention be placed on accurate placement of the early mile markers. Several appeared to be off considerably. I went from 34:29 at 5 to 46:00 at 7, and while I suspect the time at 5 was a bit slow, I'm certain I didn't run that fast between 5 and 7. This made pacing a bit more difficult, and I ended up going out a little harder than was wise. This is mostly my fault, as I'm not that wise to begin with. After that point, the markers appeared to be more consistent and accurate. Again, my thanks for a very enjoyable event and my recommendations to others looking for a fun, fast and well managed January marathon. | |
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Alan Meyer from Bradenton, FL.
(1/27/2005)
"A well organized event with great support" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Clearwater Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Everything about this race was first class. The website was super and the updates appreciated. Packet pick-up was fast and easy and the expo had great prices. The port-o-potty at the relay transition was definitely appreciated! The volunteers at the water tables were excellent! There were no problems with traffic at intersections and the course was well marked and marshaled. The post-race party and food were really upgraded from last year. My partner who did the first half of the relay said there were not enough port-o-potties. I hope this race can be scheduled in the future so as not to compete with the Naples Half Marathon. | |
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Jan Luck from Minneapolis, MN
(1/26/2005)
"I had a great time!!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This marathon will only get better with time! It is a very nice course with incredible traffic control! I loved the early start for us slower paced people. There were terrific water stops and plenty of oranges. Very well supported! | |
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Kerry Bowers from Tupelo, Mississippi
(1/25/2005)
"Great volunteers made for a great first marathon.." (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I gave four stars simply because I have nothing to compare this race to, it being my first. The friendly tailwind that pushed me through the first half became a nasty headwind in the second. It was coooold for FL; many thanks to the spectators (although there weren't that many, those who were there were very enthusiastic) and especially the volunteers, who were so positive and encouraging--especially the high schooler who was kind enough to dump a couple of Advil into my frozen hands at mile 21--you saved me! My time was better than I thought it would be--4:40 and some change--and I'd definitely recommend it to others. The brownies from Sweet Tomatoes at the finish were awesome, as was the beer... :) | |
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K. L. from Atlanta, Georgia
(1/25/2005)
"Great race organization, great course!" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Great course, great traffic control, plenty of water/aid stations, very well done for a small race! Weather is something no one has control over, so we just have to be glad the wind (30-40 mph gusts) blew us down the beach the first half of the race. The second half into the wind was a challenge, but it made for a great story of what one can do when faced with an obstacle and a will to conquer it. Worth the trip! |
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