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GO! St. Louis Marathon Runner Comments
Back to GO! St. Louis Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.9 
Organization 3.9 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 357 [displaying comments 191 to 201]
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Dianna Shank from St Louis (Ferguson)
(4/17/2006)
"A Great Improvement!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 GO! St. Louis Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This year I ran the half marathon since I will be doing the Cincinnati Flying Pig in just a few weeks. I ran this last year, and like many of the comments point out, there were some major problems. BUT I thought the organization of the race was much better this year! (Though I personally would have liked to have seen more clocks on the course; I only noticed one.) All of the volunteers were absoultely great and I met many nice runners from out of town. I liked that the expo was back in the convention center (way more space!). My only suggestion? More advertising so we can get more spectators. I live here in the Lou and I didn't really hear anything about it. I know PR is expensive but it would be nice to hear more about it! Maybe then folks won't get so mad about a road being closed (or partially closed). I liked the course and there were no food/water problems like last year. I do understand that some of the marathoners may have missed out on the food or the beer (perhaps don't put it all out at once?). I did happen to overhear a marathoner get all angry at a half-marathoner for eating a banana that I guess the marathoner thought he should have had (the bananas had just run out, I guess). I am sure that the guy running the half-marathon did the best he could and he deserves a banana, too! But I do understand that a person has needs (like a cup of beer!) at the end of 26.2 miles! I will be back next year! (And running in Lewis and Clark later in the year!) | |
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K. M. from St. Louis, MO
(4/17/2006)
"Scary Traffic Experience In Clayton" (about: 2006)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Had a bit of a scare while running on Forsyth Avenue in the residential area of Clayton, when a car was driving in the same lane as the runners missed me by inches. It was an elderly gentleman with a handicapped tag hanging from the rearview mirror who was obviously distressed about the runners on the road. There were two motorcycle cops at the end of the block and the car turned left in front of them and took off. I debated saying something to the cops but the gentleman had already left and the cops were too engrossed in their conversation. I realize the race director doesn't have any control over the cops directing traffic, but maybe something could be said prior to next year's race about keeping traffic off of the course during the run. This was at about 10:30 a.m. | |
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Maure Scholl from Webster Groves, MO.
(4/17/2006)
"Getting better every year!" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Course was great for the 1/2 marathoners but there were no bands, no music or hoopla. Spectators were OK... they need some coaching! Mile markers were inconsistent and hard to find, but all in all, very well organized and I will run again next year! | |
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A. B. from Memphis, TN
(4/17/2006)
"Gets Better Every Year!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 GO! St. Louis Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have run this race, either the half or the full, the past three years, and it has gotten better every year. I would like to commend the race organizers on addressing the runners' comments and complaints. While I no longer live in St. Louis, it is my hometown and I will always be a St.Louisian at heart, so I take great pride in running through many of the city's finest areas... Soulard, Forest Park, downtown. I love the artwork along the course and the crowd support is great. The confusion at the early aid stations was cleared up this year and staying hydrated obviously helps tremendously in running a successful race. I would love to see a t-shirt with the arch on it - it would be a welcome change from yet another footprint tee. Also, more music along the course - even just some peppy music from someone's iPod broadcasted at the aid stations would be welcome. Also, it would have been great to have more race clocks along the course for the more serious runners. I was just running this one for fun and didn't care about my time, so the race clocks were not an issue for me. Finally, and I say this as more of an appeal to my fellow runners than anyone else, if you have completed the half, please do not take extra food from the finish area and hand it out to your family/friends who came to support you. I am not a fast runner... it takes me all of four hours to finish a marathon, and I have been to many where they have run out of food before I finish. I saw several people carrying bananas/bagels to their spectators after this race. Yes, our race entry fees entitle us to eat our fill after a race, but please be mindful of those who will finish after you. They need food too! | |
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M. T. from College Station, TX
(4/16/2006)
"A fun race over a very attractive course" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The course was very attractive, hillier than most. The route went through interesting areas that I remember from growing up in the city - Soulard and the brewery, Forest Park, Washington U. Clayton and University City. Weather couldn't have been better. I don't know how many times I heard, "It's all downhill from here," coming from race volunteers. Who were they kidding? It's uphill to the finish. There is no part on the course where it's all downhill from here. In spite of their lack of knowledge of St. Louis geography, the volunteers were plentiful, friendly and helpful. The water stations were well-stocked. I missed a grab at a cup of Gatorade at one stop and the volunteer chased me down and handed it to me. That's support! Spectators were in short supply compared to all the other races I've run. I tried to get some cheering and whooping out of the ones near the finish line, but could hardly raise a peep. The art work on the mile markers was interesting and showed great community support. I wish I could have stopped to appreciate it more. The organizers advertised music on the course and some of it was good and entertaining, but I've been spoiled by Houston and Dallas where it's plentiful and enthusiastic. The birthplace of the blues should have done a lot better. I finished at just under 5 hours and the beer tent closed down before I could reach it. There were still plenty of runners on the course at that time. C'mon St. Louis, aren't you first in booze? Who are you saving it for? You even teased us by running us through the brewery at the start. Shame, shame! Overall, it was a fun race. I had a great time, but a beer at the end would have been nice. | |
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J. L. from Springfield,MO
(4/16/2006)
"1st Marathon... Great Experience" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had a blast. It was well organized and there were plenty of water/Gatorade and gel stations. The sections through Clayton were very hilly, but interesting. The fans were great, very supportive and uplifting; there were some stretches with few fans, but the ones around gave plenty of energy. I will definitely run this again. | |
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Joe Ely from West Lafayette, Indiana
(4/16/2006)
"Enjoyable, Hilly Race!" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was my first marathon in 25 years. I enjoyed it. From reading last year's comments here, I think the race organizers did a good job of responding. Water stops went well. There was more gel on the course than I could have possibly consumed. Mile markers were very visible, complete with original art work! I had no trouble meeting up with my pacing group and that was a fun bunch. The course is hilly. From reading the other comments here, one's view of said hills depends on where one trains! For this flat-lander from northern Indiana, the hills were tough. But the course was just as advertised and the elevation chart seemed accurate. The course is also visually appealing. Like others, I thought the opening 6-mile loop around and through the Bud Factory was a hoot! The trip through Forest Park and then on west was very pleasant. Volunteers at water stops were terrific. Spectators were not plentiful, but very supportive. Even the ones cheering for "Uncle Poop," whoever that was! He has loyal fans! The finisher's medal was great. Next to other medals hanging in my home office, it is simply one big honking medal... no doubt about having earned it! My only suggestion to the organizers would be to post on their website the information they handed out in the booklet in the packet. That info would have been helpful for us out-of-towners. For example, it would have simplified my planning had I known ahead of time that there would be a bag drop. A small thing. A nice marathon - would certainly consider running it again! | |
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D. K. from Saint Louis
(4/15/2006)
"not enough porta-potties" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A tad cold at the start, but very nice after we started! The number of water breaks (about every 2 miles) was good! The pace runners were great, but you could have used a 4:45 pacer. My personal best is 4:49. The run through Forest Park was nice, but numbers of fans was disappointing. The food at the end was quite good. The staff was very good. Expo was ok. The medal was very nice, and quite large. Forgot my sunscreen and got quite a sunburn, which has browned into a farmer's tan! I'll probably be back and would recommend this to anyone wanting a spring race. The parking was not very easy. I parked on the street three blocks away for no charge. The course was fairly flat with a few rolling hills; the hills in Clayton 13-16 miles were a little rougher, but not bad. | |
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K. R. from Bethalto, Illinois
(4/14/2006)
"Great experience for my first marathon" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I had a great time. The course was hilly, but I'll be better prepared next time. It would have been nice to see more clocks. The spectators were great. While there may not have been as many as others would like, it was more than I expected, and they cheered their hearts out. I had a great time. | |
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J. F. from Florida
(4/14/2006)
"Hills" (about: 2006)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 GO! St. Louis Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 The course is hilly and challenging. The aid stations were well stocked, but a bit disorganized. At one I couldn't get water, but there had to be 15 people handing out Gatorade - go figure. There were spectators at key points, which was nice. The post-race event ran out of beer before the marathoners finished! I was told that the 1/2 marathoners drank it all. How can St. Louis run out of beer? If I run it again I'm going to do a lot of hill training. |
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