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Boston Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Boston Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.6 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 4.9
Number of comments: 418 [displaying comments 121 to 131]
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B. V. from Princeton, NJ
(6/8/2009)
"Great Crowds, Great Personnel, Lived Up To Hype" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What more can be said about the great - and I do mean great - crowd, volunteers and logistics. This was my 5th marathon, and overall, it was a phenomenal experience that dwarfed NYC, PHL, MCM and Philly. The only two negatives were: The expo had limited to no mom-and-pop representation. It felt like a commercial shake down. The second and the one that shocked me was the very small and pretty cheap medal. I have done 5K's with better medals. Come on, folks; this is the Grand Daddy of all marathons. I would have paid $25-$50 more on top of the $200-plus entrance fee to get a medal worthy of the Boston Marathon's history and stature. Perhaps someone can start selling after-market upgrades??? | |
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Christopher Ford from Brighton, Michigan
(5/21/2009)
"A true runner's high" (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A challenging course, but every runner works too hard to be given a free ride. The professionalism of the field, support of the spectators, and dedication of the race volunteers make Boston all it's advertised to be and more. It's possible to run a PR, but you've really got to watch your splits and be careful not to go out too fast. The race really doesn't begin until mile 16 and your success will depend on how you handle the Newton Hills. | |
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Charlie Sams from Huron,Ohio
(5/16/2009)
"Outstanding" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I cannot say enough to described what a great experience it was. The course is extremely tough, but it was worth it. All of those screaming people cheering you on are a tremendous help. This is the one race you have to run. | |
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David Trevino from Arlington, VA
(5/13/2009)
"STILL NUMERO UNO" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I completed this year's Boston, coming off the heels of a bad hamstring injury that I suffered a week before the 2008 Boston - I had to bail out early in that race. The training after Boston 2008 was slow going, and not as intense as I had when preparing for the 2007 Boston run. Nevertheless, I completed the 2009 Boston - not in the time that I wanted, but I finished. Having running 26 marathons so far, the Boston Marathon is still the best. From packet pickup to the finish line, the Boston Marathon scores 5 stars in all categories. The crowd support is fantastic - always has been, and probably always will be. Boston really comes out for this event. Qualifying for Boston should be the goal of every serious runner. Working towards the Boston qualifier brings out the best in each runner; making it to Boston - realization sets in - confirms that you are a good runner. BOSTON, YOU ARE DEFINITELY NUMERO UNO! | |
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R. D. from Chesterbrook PA
(5/12/2009)
"Exceeded Expectations" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my fifth marathon, and I thought, after qualifying at Steamtown that nothing would ever rival that experience. For someone who never had the idea that Boston would be a possibility, there was almost nothing that could have happened to dampen that feeling. The weather was raw, with the last four miles into a headwind, and the porta-potty lines long, but the fellowship among the runners and spectators offset that plus my pre-race anxiety and post-race aches. Thanks especially to a runner who shared my bagel at the bus line and told me I would PR because I did! I must say that there is a nagging memory that my pre- and post-race experiences were more upbeat than the reality of the feet pounding during the race, but here's to next year, which, with a year under my belt, will be even better. | |
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E. C. from Austin, Texas
(5/11/2009)
"A must" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Ditto, ditto, ditto on all the great comments. A must if you are fortunate enough to qualify. Having said that, I do have two negatives I hope they can change. First, they need more port-a-johns at Hopkington. I was waiting in line for 45 minutes and almost missed my Wave 1 start. Also, the expo was WAY too crowded to fully enjoy. Otherwise, what an experience!!! | |
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PIERCLAUDIO FAIS from SASSARI(ITALY)
(5/11/2009)
"I THINK IT'S THE BEST MARATHON" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run 12 marathons all around the world, but I've never found people so kind and interesting as those at this race. I'm very proud to have this medal because, for me, it's the most important of my life. Congratulations to the people of Boston and the organizers of the race. | |
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J. F. from Shiprock, NM
(5/9/2009)
"BEST MARATHON ON EARTH!" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first Boston Marathon. God willing, it will not be my last. Words cannot describe the true joy of running in the footsteps of marathon gods. The historic nature of this course cannot be overstated. Fans were screaming, cheering, and joking with you from start to finish. I will never forget the lady with the sign "Lap Dance at the Finish Line" or the beautiful SCREAMING coeds of Wellesley College. As a race director, I have a clue as to the logistics involved to pull this event off. Boston, you ROCK! | |
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M. S. from Olympia, Washington
(5/8/2009)
"Totally Awesome Experience" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was fortunate enough to qualify to run Boston with my first marathon. Having Boston as your second marathon sets a pretty high bar for all others. The organization for Boston was excellent. Everything seemed to run smoothly from the bus ride to Hopkinton, to the wait at the village, to the clothes drop-off and retrieval buses, to the number of water stations, right down to the post-run chute (liquids, thermal blanket, chip removal/medal claim, food bag). That's astounding considering that there were 25,000 runners. The volunteers were amazing. All were very friendly and energetic. We got a cheering send off when our bus departed Tremont Street. Village folks made sure you got the refreshments needed. Every water station cheered you on as you took what you needed. After crossing the finish line I got wrapped in a blanket and asked if it was around me OK. When I turned in my chip to get my medal, it was placed around me like I was an Olympic champion with a sincere "Congratulations!" And I couldn't believe how quickly we got our clothing bag back! The spectators were awesome. There was not an empty spot the whole length. People of all ages were out there cheering the whole time. If a runner looked like they were having issues, the crowd would encourage them on. Water, Popsicles, oranges, M&M's, gummy bears, etc. were offered all along the course. It was a 26.2-mile-long party. For anyone who has the opportunity to run Boston, do it! You won't regret it. I definitely want to run it again! | |
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Rich Hawkins from Warrenville, IL
(5/5/2009)
"The pinnacle of amateur marathoning" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 If you ever qualify to run this race, DO NOT put it off until later. You may never get the chance again and then you wouldn't be able to experience the Boston Marathon firsthand. The entire weekend was incredible and the atmosphere in Boston was electric. The BAA has all of their ducks in a row for this race, and you won't be disappointed. The course is challenging, the organization top-notch, and the fans were INSANE. Having run the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, I thought I knew what great fans were. I was mistaken. The entire Boston area embraces this race as the sporting icon that it is and they are out in force. Be prepared to wait at Hopkinton for about 2.5 hours before you can start. Bring something to sit on that you can throw away, like a plastic tarp. Bring extra clothes to stay warm and something to eat. Wear old shoes and change into your good ones right before the start or you'll be shaking mud from the "athlete's village" out of your soles for the first three miles. Don't forget to train hard on hills (both up and down) or you'll fade fast in the last three or four miles. If you live where it's flat (Illinois, for example), use a treadmill at 5% incline for 5 minutes for 5 reps with a downhill/flat recovery between each. That should put you in the ballpark to handle the Newton hills. |
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