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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 51 to 61]
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Roger Winchell from Asheville, NC
(4/16/2004)
"A great first marathon " (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 A great combination of good organization but with the informality of a smaller marathon. This was my first marathon and after training in the NC mountains last fall and winter the weather was great if a bit warm toward the end. The volunteers and especially the law enforcement folks were great. I liked the downhill at the end, and I wished I had someplace like the Pinellas Trail (and Taylor Park) to run on every day. I'll be back someday (so many marathons, so little time) and will recommend this one to my friends. | |
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k. m. from clearwater, florida
(3/15/2004)
"Great place to run" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Clearwater Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great weather, flat course (with the exception of a few overpasses), awesome organization; would be a great first marathon or a good place to qualify for Boston. | |
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S. D. from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
(3/15/2004)
"Enjoyable even if weather did not cooperate" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Good race; the organization is good and there is a certain informality about the start that is nice. First few miles were ideal until the sun got up and it started to become evident that heat was going to be a major factor. By that time most were committed to a pace designed for a cooler day and suffered over the last 10 miles. Having trained in temperatures of -45 to 55F - counting windchill - the heat was tough to take, but not something anybody has control over, so complaining is useless. Did not experience any problems with not enough water at stations but do realize how difficult that would be. However a lesson has been learned that I am sure the organizers will remember in future. Would like to thank the volunteers for all the hard work. Without people willing to work so hard and put in so many hours we runners would have no place to run. I spoke to two volunteers after the race, one doing the computerized result listing and another looking after distributing the medals. They both looked more tired than I was, so they put in their marathon for our benefit and should be congratulated on a job well done. I will be back. | |
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J. C. from Atlanta, GA
(3/15/2004)
"Good Course for Qualifying, and a Fun Trip" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is only my 5th marathon, but I thought it was very well organized and an enjoyable course. It was a great marathon to do to qualify for Boston, or to go for a personal best. It was also a fun trip for my wife, and our dog. The spectators were somewhat limited, but that did allow for my wife to catch me at a few spots and cheer me on. And the people working the water stops were great (the oranges were the main thing that kept me going). Everyone was very helpful and supportive. The course is extremely flat, but can be a bit sunny/hot. All in all, a good fast marathon at a fun location. Being able to sit outside by a pool in the sun after the race was a HUGE plus. I definitly recommend it to anyone who has run a few marathons and is trying to shave a few minutes off of their time. | |
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I. S. from Lakeland, FL
(3/14/2004)
"Needs a lot of work to make it a better run" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 This is not a runner friendly marathon. I'd never do this marathon, although I have done the relay twice. The heat and humidity combined with the lack of water, Gatorade and emergency services made it downright dangerous. There is no excuse good enough for not having water on the course even to the last runner. Definitely not for first-timers. And it's tough for spectators to get around. The first 13 miles are not very interesting. Not enough potties at the start, and the post-race food was not sufficient. It should also start earlier, 6 a.m. The police presence is wonderful. They are very friendly and it's nice to see so many of them out there. The volunteers do a great job with what they have to work with. Nice medal, and it's nice to finish downhill. Flat and fast - I don't think so. | |
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S. R. from Sarasota, Florida
(3/5/2004)
"Great race overall" (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my 4th marathon, first time in Clearwater, and I enjoyed it a lot. A picture-perfect Florida winter day, AKA WAY TOO WARM to run 26.2; but hey, that's the way things work out. I was happy not to have the kind of wind we've had a lot this winter. Race volunteers and especially law enforcement support were great -- they did a great job (including busting some idiots in a dune buggy who decided to gun it across an intersection in downtown Clearwater right through the runners -- about 10 feet in front of me right near the finish line). I like the course a lot, especially the vehicle-free Taylor Park and Pinellas Trail. Let's get more trees planted along that trail! Whew! Sunny! Beautiful medals! | |
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Mike Szklarz from Springfield, Ma.
(3/5/2004)
"Good winter getaway" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Coming from Massachusetts it was great to run in shorts, a singlet and sunshine. The first 16 miles were OK, but it was the last 10 that were tough because of the heat. Yes, there were water stops with no Gatorade, but the Race Director took care of it in the last half of the course. The police were the greatest and stopped traffic for you no matter how slow you were. The running starfish medal was real nice and the website was second to none. I truly believe that the Race Director really puts forth a great effort. This was my 11th marathon and second in Florida. | |
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Mervyn Chin from Canada
(3/5/2004)
"Good race - do it" (about: 2004)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I have read all the comments on this race. My name is on this message so runners can go and see the variey of races that I have done from Chicago, Disney, to a small 30-runner marathon. I always find it difficult when runners complain about small matters in races, especially the small races. The directors try their very best and they should be praised for their efforts. Sure some stations ran out of Gatorade, but not water. The line up for cans at races ia always long, no matter how many they have. The races do pay a lot for traffic control. Personally I think that they should have used some volunteers at some of the crossings since they were not too busy and having one cop instead of two at some crossing could have saved money. The race does not have a major sponsor like Miami, so the runners should bear that in mind when making comments. I would much prefer to do small races like this one rather than Disney, even though I like lots of runners and spectators. I would encourage runners to do this race if they are in the area. | |
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R. S. from Reading, OH
(3/3/2004)
"Nice warm course." (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Many others have commented on the lack of hydration and this caused me a problem, but I won't let it detract from a good experience. Despite doing much of my winter training in doors, it was tough for an Ohio resident to acclimate to temperatures in the upper 70's. My guidance to other northern runners is to give yourself several days to acclimate to the warmer climate. Loved the scenery, nice volunteers, traffic control and fellow runners. Those of us at the back tried to maintain each other's spirits which always makes for en enjoyable experience. I probably won't run this race in the future unless it moves to the fall. It was really nice to be warm for a few days, but the temperature transition was too great. Although I did not PR, the race turned into an excellent training run for my goal marathon in May. | |
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R. R. from Boston, MA
(3/1/2004)
"Nice race, would do it again" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Clearwater Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 First, I would run this race again. O.K., let?s get the negative out of the way. You cannot ever run out of water. I?ve never been a race director so I am not speaking from direct experience but... How many cups will each person consume at each station? Factor in different consumptions levels for the different parts of the run. Then double. Running out of water and/or Gatorade can be life threatening. As a volunteer, and I will learn from this marathon, always have a contingency plan ? what would I do if I ran out of water? Cups? That?s the only negative, in my opinion. Porta potties? The lines at this race were no different then the lines at others races, Boston included. There are plenty of men and women using the Hopkinton bushes just before race time. Medals? I?d be bummed but would expect to get one in the mail eventually. The course was nice... a mixture of nice water views and residential. Some boring parts in the middle but overall pleasant. Flat with some bumps to make it interesting. This is my 10th marathon and this course ranks in the top half, scenery-wise. I choose a race based on location and Boston-qualifying potential. In this case Liz, my sweetheart, wanted to qualify for Boston and I had family in the area to visit. All of the volunteers were wonderful. As a race volunteer over the years, I know that it can be difficult dealing with runners who are tired and cranky but I didn?t see any volunteers that let things get to them. The police were great, attentive and knew how to deal with runners and cars. We thanked every single one along the way (well, at least until the last mile or so when we were extra tired). The bagpiper was great. He played our request as we passed by - a definite highlight for my Irish lass. The start and finish were the best ? can?t beat the water. The group sing of our national anthem was a first and a nice touch. The course was well marked. There was never a problem with traffic as we were always kept separate by cones when we were on the road. My sweetheart PR-ed and qualified for Boston. She was third masters woman. The emcee called out our names as we finished. Very nice touch. It was a very special day for her and our family was there to witness it all. Thanks for the times on-line... both gross and chip ? very helpful and timely. The bottom line is that the marathon is a selfish event. You are trusting in others but also need to take care of yourself. Be prepared for anything. On an extra warm day, carry water. Carry your own gel (I carried 4, Liz carried 3). If you are a back-of-the-pack marathoner or walker, carry lots of water. |
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