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Marathon Details - Shires of Vermont Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > VT > Bennington > Shires of Vermont Marathon

Shires of Vermont Marathon

Shires of Vermont Marathon & Half Marathon

Bennington, VT USA

May 20, 2018

http://www.bkvr.net/shires-of-vermont-marathon

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Marathon Results

By Year:

2018 2017 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Point to point, from Bennington to Manchester Vermont. Pavement and dirt roads.

Contact Information

Name:	Stephen Murphy
Address:	258 Mending Walls Rd Manchester Center, VT 05255
Phone Number:	802-768-8005
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (50)

Course 4.6

Organization 4.6

Spectators 4.0

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Number of comments: 50 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 > ]

C. W. from PA (5/26/2018) "The best marathon in Vermont!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you are only planning on running one marathon in Vermont, this is the race. You don't have all the congestion and extremely expensive hotel rates of Burlington and is easier to drive to from Boston or New York or most other locations. The expo is pretty low key since there are less than 100 runners. If you have any questions, the race director responds very quickly to anything posted on the facebook page. The start is at Bennington College so you get to relax indoors with lots of bathrooms and water before the race. The course is a scenic run thru lots of back roads to get to manchester. Due to the rain, we did not get the beautiful mountain views. Lots of food at the end and there are showers available to the runners (unfortunately cold water since the hot water heater was turned off in the off-season for the ice rink). There are plenty of water stops and course marshals or police officers at every intersection and the hills are not as bad as I expected. This goes down as a top 5 or 10 marathon for me. Better weather would have been nice for the scenery but the race director can't control the rain.
R. B. from East Granby, CT (5/21/2018) "Well run small race with beautiful scenary" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very small race (under 100) over scenic rural Vermont roads. Excellent support and organization, but don't expect any crowds. Water every mile for last 8 miles. Very friendly people. Large proportion of Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters.
B. R. from New Jersey (5/22/2017) "Tough, pretty course, PHENOMENAL organization" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 First things first: Don't stress about a PR, as this course is TOUGH; with over 1,500 feet of elevation gain, the uphills will definitely beat you up and what downhills there are eventually take a toll too. Do plenty of hill training beforehand if you can. It's challenging, no way around that. But it's also very beautiful and serene, with long stretches through the gorgeous Vermont countryside, often along woodland-lined roads, and through the many quaint shires that give the race its name. You even get to run across a covered bridge (of course) that's filled with the babbling sounds of the river below it. It was beautiful. It's a smaller race through a rural area, so as you might expect, there weren't many spectators. If you're looking for the packaged Rock N' Roll series experience, this definitely isn't that. The spectators that were out were enthusiastic - motorists would roll their windows down and cheer us on, some people set up their own impromptu water and fruit stations at the end of their driveways, and I think I saw a few cows cheer too. I gave this race a 3 for spectators just because of quantity, not quality; the quality was great! If I could rate organization a 10, I would. I can't say enough about race director Chrissy Blaylock and her team. There were SIXTEEN water stations, and gels at 13 and 21 miles; I've done races with thousands of runners that didn't have that much support available. There were three or four medical cars that cruised back and forth on the course checking on runners, and every so often stopped to set up a station with band aids, Vaseline, aspirin, etc. They always asked how you were doing and wouldn't give up without an answer. There was a team of cyclists as well, also cruising back and forth to make sure everyone was on course. Twice a cyclist rode alongside me for a few minutes, just chatting to help pass the time and make sure I was okay. I've run New York City, the Marine Corps, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and others, and never have I felt more supported than I did at the Shires. The race staff did an absolutely unbelievable job. They should write the handbook on how to organize a race. There were lots of great other touches too. In addition to mile markers, there were several motivational messages along the course. At the finish line, they called out the name of every single runner who crossed the line, from beginning to end. A team of special needs kids were handing out the medals and congratulating finishers. The medals themselves are so very Vermont, beautifully rustic ceramic pieces from a local pottery. Just across the board it was an awesome experience. If you live in the area and you want a challenge, do this race. If you're a 50 stater and you're looking to cross Vermont off your list, DO THIS RACE! You won't find a better encapsulation of the spirit of Vermont!
M. O. from Massachusetts (6/1/2015) "Beautiful course & support" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Most scenic course I've ever run. Kudos to the support vehicles continually offering ice, water, vaseline, etc., esp. during 2nd half of race. On a very warm day you kind ladies saved more that a few runners!
D. B. from Houston, TX (5/26/2015) "Beautiful Course with A Few Hills" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Shires of Vermont Marathon Race Review Given that I grew up in southern New England and went to college about 35 miles west of Bennington, VT, I knew the area quite well and knew I was in for a treat with this race. The scenery alone makes this race well worth it, and was very glad I picked this one to check off Vermont. While there are a few things that could be improved, I believe this race is well worth running if you are up for something that is a bit of a challenge. To start, this race can make a great run-cation if you are up for something relaxing and quaint. Vermont is a nice place to visit if you like peace and quiet and enjoy nature. There are many B&Bs in the area within a short drive to the start or finish of the race, and there are plenty of restaurant options in the area. The course: The race starts in North Bennington at a small college up on a hill. Good spot as there is plenty of parking and indoor facilities where you can hang out before the race. The race started promptly at 8 AM (good late start allows you to sleep in a bit more) and heads down the hill into the small town of North Bennington. The race is aptly named after the region of SW Vermont known as The Shires of Vermont as you run through some small towns/villages. The course rolls a bit and gently rises until about Mile 5. At this point, the pavement ends and you end up on some well maintained dirt/gravel roads. Nothing too challenging here, I run in no cushioning and I had zero issues with the small stones/pebbles. At this point, the first significant elevation changes also begin. A series of decent inclines challenge you up until about Mile 10. For your efforts, you are rewarded with some amazing views of the Green Mountains, especially as you crest hills in areas free of trees. The course gives back some if its gain from mile 10 go 11 as you hit some downhills on the dirt roads. Shortly after 11, the course goes back to pavement and you get a brief respite from hills as the course flattens out. East Arlington serves as the halfway point and you get some small crowds to cheer you on and give you a boost. The worst hill on the course comes at Mile 14 as you begin mile long ascent up a hill at a 3-4% grade. At this point you also get to run through the single covered bridge on the course (it is Vermont after all). You also get some great views on this stretch of the course. What goes up, must come down and you get no break after this steep rise as you begin a 2 mile long decline from 15-17, with some areas that challenge the quads. The course finally flattens out from 17-23. This is a great time to relax and just take in the views. Everywhere you look you see mountains, streams, farms...bucolic. The last 2 or so miles of the course take you through Manchester Center, VT, a neat little town with lots of shops and restaurants nestled in the mountains. Be warned that the course ascends almost 150 feet over the last two miles - so leave some gas in the tank or you will not finish strong! Only knock on the course is that it is open to traffic. However, given this is a mostly rural race this isn't a real problem. All large intersections have cops controlling traffic. Support: Good, appropriate aid stations which are well spaced. More frequent toward the end. Crowds are thin (rural race), but those you see (as well as volunteers) are not shy at cheering. A few stations had gels, all had Gatorade after Mile 5. The finish area had a ton of food options (both free an for purchase). Free food included sandwiches, soup, lots of salty snacks and baked potatoes. Could also purchase burgers and dogs. Swag: Nice local touch - 'medals' were actually ceramics made by a local kiln. All awards were locally made (nice pottery bowls for the winners, maple syrup for AG). Shirt was decent. No complaints for the relatively low cost of the race. Organization: Things generally went well. Good communication, fast packet pick-up. Things were a bit disorganized at times at the finish including issues with timing, and one part of the course right near the end that confused a few runners (and with sporadic volunteers to direct people the right way). Overall though, pretty decent. One odd thing is attendance was way down this year. Not sure if this was because of the rough New England winter or the fact that it was 1 week out from Memorial Day weekend (Vermont City Marathon). Either way, in its 1st 4 years the race drew about 300, this year was almost half that (although with a fair number of DNFs due to the warm weather). Bottom Line: The course gains over 1500' of elevation, so this isn't for PR'ing or BQ'ing. You run this race to get away for a bit, run through some quaint and scenic areas, relax and take it all in. I'm glad I picked this race to check off Vermont on the 50 states quest.
Don Baker from Live Oak, Florida (5/20/2015) "This is a very scenic marathon and well organized" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was state #16 for me and each state is a learning experience. I emailed the race director, Steve Murphy, several times for information and he replied quickly with answers to all my questions. Steve did a very good job organization of the race. The course is beautiful. I took 400 photos on Saturday driving around Vermont and 300 on Sunday during the race. Not a lot of spectators but the ones that are there are very enthusiastic. It was a warm day and volunteers responded by getting ice for the water stops.
Michael McShane from Arlington, VT (5/18/2015) "Spectacular Course & Outstanding Volunteers" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I would like to thank all of the volunteers, from the cheering kids to the kindly neighbors waiting to cool us off with their hoses to the musician around Mile 17 and to those with refreshments and directions. Your encouragement was greatly appreciated!
C. B. from Detroit, MI (5/18/2015) "Hot, Hilly, and Humid, But Great Race!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 25th state, halfway there! I knew it was going to be hot, hilly, and humid. I don't mind any of those things but because of the time of year it was pretty much the first hot-weather running I (and most everyone else from the Midwest/Northeast) had done since last year, so it was a bit brutal. Still, it was very well-organized and well-run. The Best Things: 1) Packet pickup - super easy. No big expo to deal with, just a race number and a cool tech shirt. 2) Pre-race pancake dinner - what a cool idea! 3) Lots of affordable places to stay at both ends of the point-to-point course 4) 26.2 miles of beautiful scenery (mountains and trees). A little more small town Main Street scenery would've been cool, but it was fine as is. 5) Finish line food - Oh, my. I think this was the best spread ever, and I've done 32 marathons. Sandwiches, chili, soup, fruit, bagels, pizza, soda, yogurt, granola. pretty much everything you can imagine. 6) Option of parking at finish in the morning and taking the shuttle to the start line pre-race, or parking at the start and shuttling back to the start after the finish. There's an option for early risers and for those who want to sleep in! 7) More than adequate aid stations, and the ice at the later ones was very welcome. Things That Were Not My Favorite: 1) The 8:00 start. Why not 7:00? That is pretty much a standard time for marathon starts, especially warm-weather ones. That heat was so brutal I would've killed for one less hour of it. 2) The portion of the course on gravel roads. Those rocks were sharp for anyone who has sensitive feet. If I ever did this race again, I would wear Hokas or something else with extra cushioning. 3) The lack of separation of runners from traffic. This along with the 8:00 start is the reason I only gave 4 stars for a race that is otherwise a model of organization. Runners shared the road with traffic and although there were cones in some places giving us our own 'lane', there were many more places with no cones. I really think this is dangerous especially since on some stretches we were running with traffic, which meant it was coming from behind us. On the gravel roads there was very low traffic volume, but I was all over the road trying to find the smoothest surface for my feet. At a certain point in the race I get 'marathon brain' and lose the ability to pay attention to stuff. Even though all the drivers were observant and respectful, it only takes one who isn't. I was nervous about traffic in several places, and am pretty sure I haven't seen this absence of separation from vehicles in other marathons. Overall a super race though I would not run it again unless they changed the start time to 7:00. I think it did a great job of showcasing Vermont's natural beauty and scenery, and appreciate all the thought put into the organization and the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
Susan Snyder from New York, NY (5/21/2014) "Beautiful rolling course with great volunteers." (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 2014 was my fourth running of this race, and the best weather by far. The new course sacrificed the old downhill start, covered bridge, and climb to Bennington College to begin at the college, which I missed, but the rest of the course was the same or better. Aid stations were at appropriate intervals and enthusiastically staffed, even for us back of the pack runners. Organization was great, and the race director and volunteers put so much thought and energy into a great race. The field is relatively small, but back where I was, companionable. No complaints!
J. F. from Syracuse NY (5/20/2014) "Enjoyable country race, tough course!" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Pros: 1. Affordable (just $75 for early registration). 2. Beautiful, scenic course. The course was mostly along local country roads with a minimum amount of auto traffic. Great views of the Green Mountains and local farms, houses, meadows and streams. Also one covered bridge. 3. Challenging - not for the faint of heart! Three sizable hills around miles 4,7 and 15 and a couple of other smaller ones. Also, most of the last six miles was gradually uphill. 4. Convenience - stayed at a local hotel near the start and walked 15 min to the starting line. Plenty of time day of race for bib pickup, and a warm building in which to wait. Good 8 AM start time. Great facilities at finish (hot showers!). Good post race snacks, nice tech tee. 5. Hand crafted finishers medals - quaint and pretty. Cons: 1. Hard course! Net gain of 1550 feet from start to finish. Much less shade from the sun over the last 6-8 miles of the race. 2. Miles 24-25 were through the heart of Manchester Center, along a sidewalk and through some intersections. Good attentive assistance from local law enforcement but still, running uphill in the town took me out of the country element of the rest of the race. 3. Light on crowd support - though it's a small event through small towns. Those that were out were cheering, just not a lot out there. I would run it again.

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C. W. from PA (5/26/2018) "The best marathon in Vermont!" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you are only planning on running one marathon in Vermont, this is the race. You don't have all the congestion and extremely expensive hotel rates of Burlington and is easier to drive to from Boston or New York or most other locations. The expo is pretty low key since there are less than 100 runners. If you have any questions, the race director responds very quickly to anything posted on the facebook page. The start is at Bennington College so you get to relax indoors with lots of bathrooms and water before the race. The course is a scenic run thru lots of back roads to get to manchester. Due to the rain, we did not get the beautiful mountain views. Lots of food at the end and there are showers available to the runners (unfortunately cold water since the hot water heater was turned off in the off-season for the ice rink). There are plenty of water stops and course marshals or police officers at every intersection and the hills are not as bad as I expected. This goes down as a top 5 or 10 marathon for me. Better weather would have been nice for the scenery but the race director can't control the rain.
R. B. from East Granby, CT (5/21/2018) "Well run small race with beautiful scenary" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Very small race (under 100) over scenic rural Vermont roads. Excellent support and organization, but don't expect any crowds. Water every mile for last 8 miles. Very friendly people. Large proportion of Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters.
B. R. from New Jersey (5/22/2017) "Tough, pretty course, PHENOMENAL organization" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 First things first: Don't stress about a PR, as this course is TOUGH; with over 1,500 feet of elevation gain, the uphills will definitely beat you up and what downhills there are eventually take a toll too. Do plenty of hill training beforehand if you can. It's challenging, no way around that. But it's also very beautiful and serene, with long stretches through the gorgeous Vermont countryside, often along woodland-lined roads, and through the many quaint shires that give the race its name. You even get to run across a covered bridge (of course) that's filled with the babbling sounds of the river below it. It was beautiful. It's a smaller race through a rural area, so as you might expect, there weren't many spectators. If you're looking for the packaged Rock N' Roll series experience, this definitely isn't that. The spectators that were out were enthusiastic - motorists would roll their windows down and cheer us on, some people set up their own impromptu water and fruit stations at the end of their driveways, and I think I saw a few cows cheer too. I gave this race a 3 for spectators just because of quantity, not quality; the quality was great! If I could rate organization a 10, I would. I can't say enough about race director Chrissy Blaylock and her team. There were SIXTEEN water stations, and gels at 13 and 21 miles; I've done races with thousands of runners that didn't have that much support available. There were three or four medical cars that cruised back and forth on the course checking on runners, and every so often stopped to set up a station with band aids, Vaseline, aspirin, etc. They always asked how you were doing and wouldn't give up without an answer. There was a team of cyclists as well, also cruising back and forth to make sure everyone was on course. Twice a cyclist rode alongside me for a few minutes, just chatting to help pass the time and make sure I was okay. I've run New York City, the Marine Corps, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and others, and never have I felt more supported than I did at the Shires. The race staff did an absolutely unbelievable job. They should write the handbook on how to organize a race. There were lots of great other touches too. In addition to mile markers, there were several motivational messages along the course. At the finish line, they called out the name of every single runner who crossed the line, from beginning to end. A team of special needs kids were handing out the medals and congratulating finishers. The medals themselves are so very Vermont, beautifully rustic ceramic pieces from a local pottery. Just across the board it was an awesome experience. If you live in the area and you want a challenge, do this race. If you're a 50 stater and you're looking to cross Vermont off your list, DO THIS RACE! You won't find a better encapsulation of the spirit of Vermont!
M. O. from Massachusetts (6/1/2015) "Beautiful course & support" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Most scenic course I've ever run. Kudos to the support vehicles continually offering ice, water, vaseline, etc., esp. during 2nd half of race. On a very warm day you kind ladies saved more that a few runners!
D. B. from Houston, TX (5/26/2015) "Beautiful Course with A Few Hills" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Shires of Vermont Marathon Race Review Given that I grew up in southern New England and went to college about 35 miles west of Bennington, VT, I knew the area quite well and knew I was in for a treat with this race. The scenery alone makes this race well worth it, and was very glad I picked this one to check off Vermont. While there are a few things that could be improved, I believe this race is well worth running if you are up for something that is a bit of a challenge. To start, this race can make a great run-cation if you are up for something relaxing and quaint. Vermont is a nice place to visit if you like peace and quiet and enjoy nature. There are many B&Bs in the area within a short drive to the start or finish of the race, and there are plenty of restaurant options in the area. The course: The race starts in North Bennington at a small college up on a hill. Good spot as there is plenty of parking and indoor facilities where you can hang out before the race. The race started promptly at 8 AM (good late start allows you to sleep in a bit more) and heads down the hill into the small town of North Bennington. The race is aptly named after the region of SW Vermont known as The Shires of Vermont as you run through some small towns/villages. The course rolls a bit and gently rises until about Mile 5. At this point, the pavement ends and you end up on some well maintained dirt/gravel roads. Nothing too challenging here, I run in no cushioning and I had zero issues with the small stones/pebbles. At this point, the first significant elevation changes also begin. A series of decent inclines challenge you up until about Mile 10. For your efforts, you are rewarded with some amazing views of the Green Mountains, especially as you crest hills in areas free of trees. The course gives back some if its gain from mile 10 go 11 as you hit some downhills on the dirt roads. Shortly after 11, the course goes back to pavement and you get a brief respite from hills as the course flattens out. East Arlington serves as the halfway point and you get some small crowds to cheer you on and give you a boost. The worst hill on the course comes at Mile 14 as you begin mile long ascent up a hill at a 3-4% grade. At this point you also get to run through the single covered bridge on the course (it is Vermont after all). You also get some great views on this stretch of the course. What goes up, must come down and you get no break after this steep rise as you begin a 2 mile long decline from 15-17, with some areas that challenge the quads. The course finally flattens out from 17-23. This is a great time to relax and just take in the views. Everywhere you look you see mountains, streams, farms...bucolic. The last 2 or so miles of the course take you through Manchester Center, VT, a neat little town with lots of shops and restaurants nestled in the mountains. Be warned that the course ascends almost 150 feet over the last two miles - so leave some gas in the tank or you will not finish strong! Only knock on the course is that it is open to traffic. However, given this is a mostly rural race this isn't a real problem. All large intersections have cops controlling traffic. Support: Good, appropriate aid stations which are well spaced. More frequent toward the end. Crowds are thin (rural race), but those you see (as well as volunteers) are not shy at cheering. A few stations had gels, all had Gatorade after Mile 5. The finish area had a ton of food options (both free an for purchase). Free food included sandwiches, soup, lots of salty snacks and baked potatoes. Could also purchase burgers and dogs. Swag: Nice local touch - 'medals' were actually ceramics made by a local kiln. All awards were locally made (nice pottery bowls for the winners, maple syrup for AG). Shirt was decent. No complaints for the relatively low cost of the race. Organization: Things generally went well. Good communication, fast packet pick-up. Things were a bit disorganized at times at the finish including issues with timing, and one part of the course right near the end that confused a few runners (and with sporadic volunteers to direct people the right way). Overall though, pretty decent. One odd thing is attendance was way down this year. Not sure if this was because of the rough New England winter or the fact that it was 1 week out from Memorial Day weekend (Vermont City Marathon). Either way, in its 1st 4 years the race drew about 300, this year was almost half that (although with a fair number of DNFs due to the warm weather). Bottom Line: The course gains over 1500' of elevation, so this isn't for PR'ing or BQ'ing. You run this race to get away for a bit, run through some quaint and scenic areas, relax and take it all in. I'm glad I picked this race to check off Vermont on the 50 states quest.
Don Baker from Live Oak, Florida (5/20/2015) "This is a very scenic marathon and well organized" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was state #16 for me and each state is a learning experience. I emailed the race director, Steve Murphy, several times for information and he replied quickly with answers to all my questions. Steve did a very good job organization of the race. The course is beautiful. I took 400 photos on Saturday driving around Vermont and 300 on Sunday during the race. Not a lot of spectators but the ones that are there are very enthusiastic. It was a warm day and volunteers responded by getting ice for the water stops.
Michael McShane from Arlington, VT (5/18/2015) "Spectacular Course & Outstanding Volunteers" (about: 2015) 2 previous marathons \| 2 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I would like to thank all of the volunteers, from the cheering kids to the kindly neighbors waiting to cool us off with their hoses to the musician around Mile 17 and to those with refreshments and directions. Your encouragement was greatly appreciated!
C. B. from Detroit, MI (5/18/2015) "Hot, Hilly, and Humid, But Great Race!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my 25th state, halfway there! I knew it was going to be hot, hilly, and humid. I don't mind any of those things but because of the time of year it was pretty much the first hot-weather running I (and most everyone else from the Midwest/Northeast) had done since last year, so it was a bit brutal. Still, it was very well-organized and well-run. The Best Things: 1) Packet pickup - super easy. No big expo to deal with, just a race number and a cool tech shirt. 2) Pre-race pancake dinner - what a cool idea! 3) Lots of affordable places to stay at both ends of the point-to-point course 4) 26.2 miles of beautiful scenery (mountains and trees). A little more small town Main Street scenery would've been cool, but it was fine as is. 5) Finish line food - Oh, my. I think this was the best spread ever, and I've done 32 marathons. Sandwiches, chili, soup, fruit, bagels, pizza, soda, yogurt, granola. pretty much everything you can imagine. 6) Option of parking at finish in the morning and taking the shuttle to the start line pre-race, or parking at the start and shuttling back to the start after the finish. There's an option for early risers and for those who want to sleep in! 7) More than adequate aid stations, and the ice at the later ones was very welcome. Things That Were Not My Favorite: 1) The 8:00 start. Why not 7:00? That is pretty much a standard time for marathon starts, especially warm-weather ones. That heat was so brutal I would've killed for one less hour of it. 2) The portion of the course on gravel roads. Those rocks were sharp for anyone who has sensitive feet. If I ever did this race again, I would wear Hokas or something else with extra cushioning. 3) The lack of separation of runners from traffic. This along with the 8:00 start is the reason I only gave 4 stars for a race that is otherwise a model of organization. Runners shared the road with traffic and although there were cones in some places giving us our own 'lane', there were many more places with no cones. I really think this is dangerous especially since on some stretches we were running with traffic, which meant it was coming from behind us. On the gravel roads there was very low traffic volume, but I was all over the road trying to find the smoothest surface for my feet. At a certain point in the race I get 'marathon brain' and lose the ability to pay attention to stuff. Even though all the drivers were observant and respectful, it only takes one who isn't. I was nervous about traffic in several places, and am pretty sure I haven't seen this absence of separation from vehicles in other marathons. Overall a super race though I would not run it again unless they changed the start time to 7:00. I think it did a great job of showcasing Vermont's natural beauty and scenery, and appreciate all the thought put into the organization and the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
Susan Snyder from New York, NY (5/21/2014) "Beautiful rolling course with great volunteers." (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Shires of Vermont Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 2014 was my fourth running of this race, and the best weather by far. The new course sacrificed the old downhill start, covered bridge, and climb to Bennington College to begin at the college, which I missed, but the rest of the course was the same or better. Aid stations were at appropriate intervals and enthusiastically staffed, even for us back of the pack runners. Organization was great, and the race director and volunteers put so much thought and energy into a great race. The field is relatively small, but back where I was, companionable. No complaints!
J. F. from Syracuse NY (5/20/2014) "Enjoyable country race, tough course!" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Shires of Vermont Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Pros: 1. Affordable (just $75 for early registration). 2. Beautiful, scenic course. The course was mostly along local country roads with a minimum amount of auto traffic. Great views of the Green Mountains and local farms, houses, meadows and streams. Also one covered bridge. 3. Challenging - not for the faint of heart! Three sizable hills around miles 4,7 and 15 and a couple of other smaller ones. Also, most of the last six miles was gradually uphill. 4. Convenience - stayed at a local hotel near the start and walked 15 min to the starting line. Plenty of time day of race for bib pickup, and a warm building in which to wait. Good 8 AM start time. Great facilities at finish (hot showers!). Good post race snacks, nice tech tee. 5. Hand crafted finishers medals - quaint and pretty. Cons: 1. Hard course! Net gain of 1550 feet from start to finish. Much less shade from the sun over the last 6-8 miles of the race. 2. Miles 24-25 were through the heart of Manchester Center, along a sidewalk and through some intersections. Good attentive assistance from local law enforcement but still, running uphill in the town took me out of the country element of the rest of the race. 3. Light on crowd support - though it's a small event through small towns. Those that were out were cheering, just not a lot out there. I would run it again.

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Marathon Details - Shires of Vermont Marathon