Nov 9, 2024
Current Year Results
Results Search
Biggest/Best Boston Qualifier
2024 Results
2023 Results
2022 Results
2021 Results
2020 Results
2019 Results
2018 Results
2017 Results
2016 Results
2015 Results
2014 Results
2013 Results
2012 Results
2011 Results
2010 Results
2009 Results
2008 Results
2007 Results
2006 Results
2005 Results
2004 Results
2003 Results
2002 Results
2001 Results
2000 Results
☰
Marathon by the Sea Runner Comments
Back to Marathon by the Sea Information & Reviews
Course 3.8 
Organization 4.5 
Spectators 3.3
Number of comments: 26 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
|
T. L. from Vermont
(9/18/2018)
"St. John's a great place to RUN!" (about: 2018)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Hi from Vermont. I really like St. John and the whole organization was friendly and well orchestrated. The two loops are the way to go, for several reasons. First, you can have less water stations, spectators can cheer for you at least twice, runners on the second lap will know how to employ race tactics to the familiar terrain changes and when to sprint to the finish, and finally you get to see the best waterstations twice. My vote for best water stations is a toss up between the 'old ladys... what a hoot,' and I think the one by a school early on... man it was like a Nascar pitstop: I asked the young lady to throw a cup of water on me and she did, as well as give me a sponge to rinse off with. A man at the same time paced with me and handed me a cup of water to drink. Volunteers are Awesome and inspiring. Great job everyone. Next time I want to bring my son and hit all the events. My only comment about changes are the following: 1. Have a personal email to send comments to, makes it way more personal. 2. Have a 10K on the second event of 3 instead of a 5K. 3. Possibly incorporate more patriotic flare: loved the colonial guards. Finally, I really wish we had free trade between our countries, and I want to give back by volunteering as well as running. Maybe my son and I can bring some crafts to the expo. | |
|
T. L. from Vermont
(9/14/2018)
"FUN: Definitely will do again: liked the 2 loops." (about: 2018)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Hi, I live in VT and really like St. John. The spectators and staff were very friendly, especially the 'old lady's water station.' My mother is 90 and I asked how old is old? They were so friendly and fun, many more years! | |
|
T. B. from Central Connecticut
(8/31/2015)
"Great People, Great First 20 Miles" (about: 2015)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 2015 was my first time in Saint John. Let's start with the Best: The people are very friendly and helpful. The city while small has a lot to do, it is the central city for the area and is worth a week's visit if you have the time. The race organization is top notch, everything was well thought out and except for one minor course marking issue in the eighth mile and a water stop missing between 5 and 9, the course execution was flawless. The Pasta dinner was not well attended, the food, desserts and company were wonderful for an out of towner. The weather is not in the control of the race. Our race day was cool, we started at about 60F and ended at 70F, which is great for August, but the dew point was in the upper 50s so by the second mile my shirt was dripping wet, I never felt hot, just be aware your sweat may not evaporate quickly. Now for the course, it was a combination of urban to suburban to rural desolate. If you need crowd support go elsewhere. The families that were out were very supportive. The first 20 miles went by quickly. The elevation map is deceptive, the early hills were easy to run. But the signature feature is the Saint John Harbour Bridge, and just like Heartbreak Hill in Boston the Harbour tests your training, it is a concrete mountain at mile 20. The last 10k is brutal, the course climbs up to Rockwood park that overlooks the city. To get to the park there are several short roads with 90 degree turns and then in the park you keep climbing on winding roads before running on gravel paths before a steep drop back to sea level to reach the finish. I understand the economy of having the 10k, half marathon and marathon all finish on the same route, but as a Boston qualifier it hurt, I had over seven minutes in the bank at mile 19 and finished with only 36 seconds to spare. If you are looking for a destination marathon this is worth the look, if you are desperate for a Boston qualifier, this is still your best shot as long as you are not on the bubble, the last 10K are hard, especially on tired legs. For me this was worth it, this let me register for my 22nd consecutive Boston Marathon. | |
|
M. B. from Marlborough, MA
(8/22/2014)
"A Challenging First Rodeo" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first time in Saint John, NB and my first marathon. When I got to Saint John the first thing I noted was that it was hilly. I probably should have looked at the course a little more closely before signing up, but I did not. When I did review the route upon arriving, I was pleased that nothing was any worse than anything I trained on at home. The weather was lovely, the aid stations were well staffed with very supportive folks. The bridge crossing at mile 22ish was an effort, but the view more than compensated for it. Miles 8 through 20 were kind of desolate, but the aid stations were very well populated with very supportive folks. Having never run a marathon before, I can see how the crowd might carry a runner, but at the same time, solitude builds character. The people in St. John are really nice. | |
|
T. K. from Saint John, New Brunswick
(8/11/2014)
"not for the faint of heart" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Marathon by the Seas
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a wonderful, beautiful course supported by many enthusiastic volunteers. If you need a crowd to cheer you on, you will not find it here. This is a run to enjoy beautiful vistas but not company. If you are like me and find 26 miles a challenge on the flat, this is not the course for you. I have run this marathon over different courses over the years and found this one particularly challenging with a great deal of climbing in the last five miles. The headwind in the last half this year was cooling but added to the challenge in facing the hills at the finish. | |
|
Don Cuddy from Mattapoisett, Mass.
(8/19/2012)
"A modest but rewarding event" (about: 2012)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A tough course for a flatlander like me but a good challenge.The final hill was a real test. There was a dense fog for most of the race but it kept things cool, a nice bonus in August. After the turnaround at Mile 14 I was on my own so this is not a race for those who need crowds. I camped in the park and walked to the start and was in a hot shower moments after finishing. There is a free pasta meal the night before the race and overall it was a well-managed event with good support and completely laid back. Worth the trip, as are the nearby Fundy islands. | |
|
S. B. from Vermont
(9/30/2011)
"Charming small race" (about: 2011)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I really liked this race, set a personal best! It was a great course. There were few spectators, except at the finish. The organization was perfect, although, I would have preferred better directions to the packet-pick up and the city is terrible for signage, so finding anything in St. John in general is difficult. The race itself was well supported, plenty of aid stations, plenty of food along the course and at the finish. There was a long stretch in the middle where the run goes into a very secluded road, there were few people, cars, or anything really, but the race people set up signs along the way with quotes, jokes, and Q&A, I thought this was a very nice added touch and to some degree necessary. Overall, a great race, especially for a very small one (less than 100 marathoners). Fabulous way to see St. John. | |
|
D. G. from Houston, TX
(8/20/2011)
"Challenging course, great race" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Marathon by the Seas
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've ran the 1/2 marathon a few times in Saint John and love the race, especially since it's a chance to run a summer race in cooler weather. Everything is well-organized from sign up, packet pickup and race day itself. The course is challenging - it's really hilly. And the volunteers and spectators are friendly. Lots of cones on the street so I felt very safe the whole way. I'll do this race again. | |
|
e. h. from Canada
(10/29/2008)
"Safety Issues at this Event" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Marathon by the Seas
COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Unless this race can hire more police/traffic help or place about 1,000 more pylons on the course, someone is going to get badly hurt. On the causeway, there was such confusion that the volunteers and the late-to-arrive police were separately yelling at runners who were running on both sides of the road, unsure of where they should be. Nothing is more important than runner safety. Between the superstore and Frenchy's, I saw 2 runners nearly clipped by drivers who had no idea they were driving into a running race. With those issues taken care of, there is potential for a good race. Saint John has great parks and historic houses. Add those to the harbor trail section and the run through the graveyard and showcase the city rather than the strip malls and the race would be much improved. The finish line had great food and a tent this year, which was very welcome, as it was a cool, damp day. Perfect for running! | |
|
M. Y. from Winnipeg, MB
(1/23/2008)
"From flat-land Winnipeg to hilly Saint John..." (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marathon by the Sea
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I found this marathon a real challenge because of the hills, something I'm not used to. I felt the organizers did an awesome job from the bus tour of the course to the post-marathon buffet. I loved that everything was so close at hand so that I didn't need a car. Thanks to all the volunteers for that wonderful massage at the end, and especially to the pace bunny who brought me and my friend in to qualify for Boston. I ran my 8th marathon in your city on the hilliest course yet and came out with a personal best. Oh, and did I mention that I had tons of fun? Hats off to you! |
Quick Links
Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools
© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC
