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☰
Mercedes Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Mercedes Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 3.9
Number of comments: 267 [displaying comments 91 to 101]
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R. B. from Georgia
(2/16/2009)
"Nice Tough Marathon" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a new course meant to be easier than the old course. I never ran the old course but this two=looper was very tough. I enjoyed it a lot, but doing the uphills and downhills TWICE was brutal. Mercedes has the best swag! Cotton, long-sleeve shirt, technical long-sleeve shirt, gloves, and the coolest medal you'll ever get. I really enjoyed the relay going on at the same time. There had to be 200 relay teams! Every exchange had lots of people cheering for you. It was wonderful. I can't wait until next year to do it again. | |
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B. K. from Alabama
(2/16/2009)
"Great value, good course, plenty of room to run" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is a marathon where most of the runners only do the half. The course could be a little crowded in spots on the first loop but the second loop provides plenty of space to stride it out. I like the double-loop course because I had a great idea of where I could stride it out and make up time on the second lap. It helped me so much that I ran the second half faster than the first. - Needs more bathrooms at the start. The poor women had to wait in very long lines. Also, I would like to see some water available near the start. - More pace groups would be nice. The fastest one I saw was 4:00. + Plenty of aid stations with water, sports drink, GU, and oranges. + Great crowd support at the areas that had spectators. A few desolate spots on the course, especially for the second loop but it was in areas you would expect (i.e. industrial/non-residential areas). + Nice finish where they fence off the last .2 miles and call off your name as you cross. No problem getting my shirt and medal, which are both awesome quality. + I love having a clock at every mile marker. + Post-race party was good; just don't get your hopes up for more than one free sandwich. I didn't mind having to pay for another one, and the free beer was plentiful. + Very nice, medium-size marathon. I would run this again! | |
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C. L. from Chambersburg, PA
(2/16/2009)
"Chalenging, but worth it." (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The course was very hilly, maybe the hilliest (up and down) of the 55 total marathons I've run. But, as runner-up Michael Wardian stated, these are gradual hills, verses the very steep hills from last year's race. Very nice marathon t-shirt and finisher's shirt. The two shirts combined are about as good as any I've seen. Nice tote bag too. This was state number 20 on my planned goal of all 50 states. It was well worth the trip. Weather was ideal from start to finish. | |
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R. D. from Birmingham, AL
(2/16/2009)
"Organized and fun, with music and great volunteers" (about: 2009)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I enjoyed this race so much. I am 57 years-old. I started running with Danny Harleson's group 2 years ago and YEA! I completed my half-marathon in under 3 hours. The race was well organized and they made it fun. Great food at the end of the race. I will do this race next year at the age of 58. | |
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C. M. from Anderson, IN
(2/16/2009)
"Thanks, Birmingham citizens for all of your suppor" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The course had the most fantastic support from frequent water and PowerAde stops to a variety of food offered - donuts, cookies, GU, gummy bears, oranges, bananas, beer (all offered more than once). I thought I might actually gain weight running the marathon. Plenty of port-a-johns throughout. The locals really support this race - lots of folks on course cheering. I prefer to run with someone to help pass the time. I did not really do that this time and still found the miles flew by with things to see and spectators. Beautiful homes, churches, historic sites, smell of an industrial bakery, fans with signs, Elvis impersonator, band, accordion players, music playing in several places, man with portable PA system - you were all super! Hills were much easier than in previous years, but not flat - which kept it interesting. Nice registrant shirt and even nicer finisher shirt and medal. Other goodies such as gloves, string bag, and can cozy were a bonus. Another bonus was free entry to McWane Science Center on Sat. or Sun. gave us something for whole family to do. Other inexpensive, interesting things to do near start area. Packet pickup was swift and smooth-sailing. BBQ afterward was quite tasty. I could have done without the band - not bad, just too loud. Downside: the host hotel was a big splurge for me, but it was extremely convenient for the start, finish and packet pickup. I would have liked a pasta dinner option. Results for marathon seemed slow in posting. We left an hour after I had finished 3:57 and still only top 7 men and one woman had had their results posted. I hoped they would be on the website, but not yet - same night though. Weather was perfect - not that anyone can take credit for that, but it was great, optimal for running and nice enough by the finish for a comfortable temperature for the spectators. Thanks, Birmingham. I had a PR even with the hills! | |
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K. K. from Houston, Texas
(4/20/2008)
"Great Race" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I lived in Birmingham for 4 years (didn't take up running until after I moved) so I knew it was hilly, but that hill at mile 21 or so is just sadistic. Having said that, I appreciated this course because it is so challenging and that's why I signed up for it. Okay, you caught me, the medal also had something to do with my participation. Yeah, it's a must if you're a Mercedes driver. Post-race food was excellent. Spectators were lively. Drink stations were plentiful. This was a great experience top to bottom. | |
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B. S. from Nashville, TN
(3/30/2008)
"A Very Nice Race" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the half marathon and as many have stated before, it is a very hilly course, but one you'll be glad you completed. The organization is top-notch and everything is so conveniently located downtown. The goody bag is one of the best I've seen, as well as a great shirt, gloves, and very nice medal with the Mercedes emblem. If you are looking for something extra to do while in town, I highly recommend taking in the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which is only about 4 blocks from the expo and start area. Also, I would recommend the Hampton Inn and Suites downtown, which is a hop, skip and a jump from the expo and start/finish area. Overall, this one rates right up there at the top! Thanks Birmingham! | |
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G. A. from Wisconsin
(3/3/2008)
"My favorite!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved this course; it was very good (well, except for that "hill" at mile 23). Run this if you are a serious marathoner. | |
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R. M. from New Jersey
(2/18/2008)
"Difficult, but fun" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The 2008 Mercedes Marathon was my 7th marathon, and it was certainly the most difficult one I have run. Still, I somehow managed to get a new PR (by 45 seconds). I'm sure that's due to my continued improved conditioning, not the course. There was a fairly large hill in Mile 6, and then a really nasty one in Mile 23. But I knew this going in, so I was prepared for it. I have no complaints about the course. The organization is what sets this marathon apart. We got a long-sleeve cotton T upon packet pickup, and then a long-sleeve tech shirt after completing the race. The finisher's medal looks like a Mercedes hood ornament - very cool. Aid stations were plentiful. The post-race party was fun; the only complaint being that we were only allowed one trip through the food line for a BBQ sandwich. But water, Gatorade, soda and beer were plentiful. The 5K race the day before (run as a warm-up) even gave out a nice long-sleeve tech shirt. It also helped that the weather was perfect for running a marathon. All in all, a very fun race that I would highly recommend. And while I did manage to get a PR, I would imagine that not many people get theirs here. So come to Birmingham if you want a fun race, but not necessarily a new PR.... | |
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L. M. from Madison, WI
(2/18/2008)
"Good, solid marathon with bang for the buck" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Birmingham has all of the things I like to see in a marathon - technical finisher's shirt, cool medal, plentiful aid stations (more Gu stations than I've seen in any other marathon!), well marked mile markers, interior waiting area at start/finish, and actual meat offered at the post-race food tent. Add to that a great band at the finish and some other freebies (extra shirt, bag, gloves) at the expo, and I'd recommend this race. Yep, it was hilly, but we don't do this because it's easy! |
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