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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 221 to 231]
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V. J. from Ohio,USA
(4/28/2007)
"What a blast!!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I loved it! I cannot wait to go back - I really would love to get an opportunity to improve my time. The weather hurt this year, and I think, so did the fact of this being my first Boston. I had such a good time hand-slapping, high-fiving, playing around. But that's what the first one is about, I guess. If I get to do it again, and I really am going to try to go back next year, I will concentrate more on time. The crowds were so much fun, though! Despite the crummy weather, support was super! The village was awful - mud soup for floors in the tents, freezing rain and long lines for potties, which all resulted in soaked feet and shoes for 26.2 miles and injuries to my feet. I think something more could have been done for the average Joe runners to keep us dryer; elite runners certainly did not have those types of issues. I bow to the talent of the elite runners, but the rest of the runners have worked long and hard. Our money is the same color, and we bring a lot of it into Boston during marathon time. A little more respect would be nice. Media attention is all focused on elite runners, as well - kind of insulting. Post-race stuff was pretty bad, too. It was so cold - and such a long, painful walk before getting the Mylar blankets or a drink of water. The medical volunteers were very kind and plentiful, but I didn't really want or need a wheelchair - just a blanket and a drink! Such a mass of people and confusion, and cold weather on top of sweaty bodies and fatigue make for a wicked combination. It took a long time for the walk to the bus to get my stuff and I was blue by the time I finally got clothing on to warm up! Volunteers right at the finish line with Mylar blankets and water would make much more sense - especially in light of such awful weather this year. The post-race food sucked too, but I didn't really care. I was too cold to care. Still... Boston is special. I have never felt such a part of something so historical and something I felt so privileged to be involved in. I will run it again - and hope for better weather! | |
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Evan Riggs from Seattle, Washington
(4/27/2007)
"A More Difficult Course Than Advertised" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first Boston Marathon, and it was definitely a great experience. Spending a few days in the city before the race was great, and getting to meet runners from all over the world was awesome. The race organizers did a great job, and really, the only downside to the entire experience was the below-average weather, which turned out to be manageable once the race started. The only improvement I would have made would be to somehow not have 20,000+ runners sitting in two giant tents for 2-3 hours before the race. It was cold, and a little unnerving to watch the rain coming down in sheets just outside of the canopy. However, the weather calmed down literally 5 minutes before the race started. The course itself is hard. There is no other way to put it. The 400-foot drop in the first few miles felt nice at the time, but at about mile 21, my quads were done for. Hill training is a must. Don't be fooled by the overall elevation drop in the course. It's early and only over the first few miles. This race is definitely all that it's hyped up to be, and I will for sure be back next year. | |
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w. c. from detroit,mi
(4/27/2007)
"The best of the best..." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Boston was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be. This was my eleventh marathon and nothing compared to Boston. Even during that early morning bus ride to Hopkinton (in the pouring rain!) there was this incredible feeling of excitement from everyone. There is so much history and the fact that you have to qualify makes everything feel that much more worthwhile. The weather was pretty bad, but the course was awesome. I really don't think it is as hard as advertised and I actually pr'ed as did alot of other people. The expo is incredible. It is huge, but also very well organized. Post-race support is also the best I've ever seen. Everyone who is able to should definitely do Boston. The only negative was the lousy post-race party. It would be nice to have it at a place that cared about the runners and provided reasonable prices and decent food. I will definitely be back for Boston 2008! | |
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P. C. from IN
(4/26/2007)
"Enough Excuses" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 It was the cold. It was the wind. It was the pre-race disgrace. It was the clothing. None of the above. It was my lack of preparation. This course kicked my butt, but next year will be different. I was not prepared for the hills, the early cycling (up and down) took its toll, and then the Hills of Newton finished me off. The fans were great, especially the Wellesley Tunnel; I could hear them fo 2 minutes before I saw them. The pre-race organizers really let the weather get the best of them, and the runners suffered - no food in the lower tent, and what a pair of soakers. The expo was vastly overcrowded, and the gear drop off and pickups were very disorganized. But the race, wow... tough and varied, with enough wind and rain to get your attention. I'll be back to get mine. | |
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Kevin Felton from Hopkinsville, Kentucky
(4/26/2007)
"No marathon comes close even with he Nor'easter" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Boston Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Go now! Right now! Put your shoes on and put in extra workouts because if you qualify for Boston you will be in for the time of your life. Each of the five Boston Marathons I have run stand as unique milestones in my life. I consider each Boston finish as an outstanding personal achievement. You should know that it really is true that if you've run one Boston Marathon, you have only run one Boston Marathon. The unpredictability of New England weather seems to be the single greatest defining factor contributing to the uniqueness of Boston (2000 - cold with strong headwinds, 2002 - fog, 2003 - sunburn city, 2004 - heat, sun, and strong crosswinds, 2007 - Nor'easter!!). An instant bond between runners when they realize they both ran Boston the same year. I have enjoyed other marathons but Boston is the blueprint. The history, traditions, course, organization and camaraderie make Boston THE one to run. | |
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Linda Miller from Wellington, Florida
(4/26/2007)
"crazy college kids" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My first Boston. Terrible weather - had to layer, which who doesn't hate to do? But that did not last long. The colleges were hilarious to run past. It starts at the halfway mark with Wellesley and takes you through the end of the race with Boston College and BU. So you really don't get bored. So many college kids out there - that's fun. Support all along the course. Great volunteers. I did not think Heartbreak was so terrible. I thought the easy rolling course was comfortable. Not so tough. Just the weather was a bit brutal. The expo had everything you could want or imagine; also very packed. Lots of people met lots of runners. Can't say anything bad. Next time I won't rent a car. Staying in Newton was good. Bus transportation was better than driving. Whole Foods Market nearby was good alternative for pre-marathon food. | |
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k. D. from Rhode Island
(4/25/2007)
"Don't blame the organizers" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my fourth Boston, and as usual, a wonderful experience. Yes, the weather was terrible, but the volunteers were wonderful and very supportive. I was concerned that the spectators may stay home due to the weather, but again they came out in force and made a real differance on what could have been an awful day. The girls at Wellesley were inspirational; I waited to see if I could hear the scream tunnel as I approached Wellsley and I was not disappointed. I could hear it from about a quarter-mile away. The spectators at Heartbreak and Boston College were definitely out in force and the city of Boston, what can I say they love their sports. No one can blame the race organizers for the weather and they did a great job making this another great event despite the terrible weather. I have only two complaints: First, at the athletes' village there wasn't much support from the sponsors. And second, the after-race snacks were just lousy!!!! Come on, for all the money this marathon takes in, they could at least have more than a bag of chips, a PowerBar and fruit. Need to spend a little more on the post-race handouts. | |
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D. H. from Springfield, VA
(4/24/2007)
"Love the history and tradition" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was my first Boston and mostly what deterred me from running it in the past is logistics. Waiting 3 hours in the rain was a drag. Waiting 5 would have been worse. It was a little confusing and disorganized at athlete village. As far as the course, I had no hill preparation prior to the race and so paid the price with a slower than I wanted finish. I paid back a lot the second half. Also, having such a late start seems to have disrupted my stomach. The course was nice and there were many great spectators in spite of the weather. I am glad I did the race, but probably prefer the smaller marathons. Since I am doing 50 states, I will have plenty of those opportunities and probably still will do a few more big ones like Chicago and New York. I didn't care for the poor post-race food or shuffle to get the gear bags from the buses. I am not sure how the gear exchange could be better and I am sure glad to have had something dry and warm to put on since it took me about 40 minutes to get a cab to my hotel at the Navy Shipyard. Overall, I was glad to be able to run this race so full of history and tradition, as it was only 1967 that a woman first ran with a number. | |
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C. F. from Yonkers, NY
(4/24/2007)
"You Will Be Stunned!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I sit here a week after its completion and STILL can't believe I did it. It didn't hit me until turning onto Boylston Street and seeing the words "FINISH" on the banner. I thought I heard out loud: "OH MY GOD, I'M GOING TO FINISH THE BOSTON MARATHON." Yes, I fell for all the hype. I got suckered in by the history, by the prestige. So what? Ten years ago I said I would never do one. Now I can say I did the King of them all. Enough mush. Overall a great marathon; well organized. For me, the sheer fame of the race outweighs the logistical problems. But here goes: * A CHEESE bus to the start? Must have been murder for anyone over 5' 11". * Expo was a fire hazard. The wise would get there MAD early. * Very disorganized bag distribution. I think I was lucky I got there before the rush (1:25 or so). But also: * AWESOME volunteers - When I didn't get my medal because I had my OWN chip, a vol. spotted me and pointed me to the right place. * Corral system was right on. Yes it was crowded at the start - but everyone was running just the same pace. Like rush hour at Grand Central. Tight ride, but smooth. * Number pick-up was super-easy. "Here you go; good luck." One might want to have run a larger (5,000+) race before doing this. And perhaps a larger race of any distance (i.e. any NYRR race) to get used to running in a pack. I'll never forget my first Boston! | |
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A. B. from Natick, MA
(4/23/2007)
"Overall, an AWESOME experience" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Boston Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I absolutely LOVED running the Boston Marathon. The spectators carried me through and as a result I had no problems with the Newton hills or any of the later miles. The Wellesley and BC spectators were the BEST. Pros: - spectators ROCKED, even in the rain - history of the marathon could be felt everywhere - lots of great giveaways at expo - number pick-up was well-organized and easy - excellent support by Hopkinton community at start Cons: - expo totally cramped and crowded - NO FOOD when I finished, except a few granola bars. I paid 200 dollars to run and this was absolutely unacceptable to me to have no food at the finish. This is a health and safety issue and MUST be addressed. - I felt so sorry for the volunteer on my baggage bus, as he was alone and he had many cold and exhausted runners waiting for their bag. More volunteers need to be assigned to baggage buses, especially on bad weather days. - baggage buses at start were not available until later in the morning - information tent at Athletes' Village didn't know the answers to many basic questions, such as where the charity groups were meeting at the tent area, and when baggage buses would be available - I learned on the news (of all places!) that runners had the option to pack a big envelope of dry clothes for Heartbreak Hill but this was the night before the marathon. How come that was never communicated to me? - parking near the expo was SO expensive; how about offering discounts to marathon runners? Overall, I loved running EVERY MINUTE of the marathon. I never felt any pain or discomfort because the crowds were so phenomenal. This was my first Boston, and veterans told me the crowds were sparse compared to the past, but I did not notice. I would run this race every year just because of the spectators and the fact that I felt like a celebrity as I ran to the finish line. |
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