Sep 19, 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
☰
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 171 to 181]
|
John Tackett from Atlanta, GA
(2/13/2006)
"Enjoyable Race" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I did the half marathon. Have done 4 halfs and 2 fulls prior to this. Overall it is a good race to run. Organization and course are good. Spectators are lacking in some areas. Weather was cold but organizers cannot be held responsible for that. PROS - 1. Swag - Not only do you get a t-shirt and a cool medal, but upon finishing you also get a second t-shirt (Brooks Technical shirt.) Also go a water bottle (just what we all need...). 2. Post-Race Party - Held indoors, band, great BBQ, beer and drinks. 3. Course - Challenging but worth the effort and time. I run in Atlanta so I am used to hills. Plenty of water and PowerAde. 4. Expo - Free beer, PowerAde, Marathon Bars. CONS - 1. Expo - Very small, only 2-3 real clothing vendors, and not a single vendor selling shoes. (That was a surprise.) 2. Spectators - Other than downtown, there seemed to be an overall lack of spectator support from the community. But when they were there, they were great. 3. Unofficial Results - These were posted and the times seemed to be 3-4 minutes slower than what most people ran (or what the clock at the finish line showed). This was causing some frustration for some runners. If you are used to running hills, then this is a good course. Would suggest it to any runner with a few races under his or her belt, but not a first-time marathoner or half-marathoner (IMHO). Next stop... Knoxville in March. | |
|
N. F. from Atlanta, Georgia
(2/13/2006)
"Great Race Experience" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 For my first marathon, I thought this was a good race. The hills were a bit tough, especially the last series near the end. The organization went well and the weather turned out to be good although it was a bit cold at the start. My only real complaint was the poor performance of some of the pace group leaders. The leaders for my intended pace was all over the place and actually finished a good bit ahead of the assigned time. The leaders need to better marked so that the runners know who they are. | |
|
J. Z. from Camden, SC
(2/13/2006)
"Great Race" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Just wanted to comment on yesterday's Mercedes Benz Marathon. It was pretty challenging course but not overwhelming. The hill at 21 was painful but not impossible. I was particularly impressed by the spectator support and organization; there were plenty of water stations, and between those, families were out giving out water and things to eat. It was really hard to say no thanks to such generosity from the people, particularly the children of Birmingham. I don't think I have ever eaten so much on a marathon course. For the price you walked away with so much stuff. For a finisher there were two shirts and a great medal, and more, plus the best post-race party I have experienced. It was worth the trip. | |
|
C. M. from Atlanta, GA
(2/12/2006)
"First Marathon" (about: 2006)
First Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the 2006 Mercedes Marathon as my first marathon. It was freezing (20 degrees at the start) and the course was hilly - 2 major hills but rolling hills throughout. It was still a great experience and the crowd support and the organization was awesome! I would run this one again if I could predict the weather. | |
|
J. F. from Atlanta Georgia, USA
(12/20/2005)
"Good as if not better than the best" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Mercedes Marathon was my first and what a race. I ran 4 marathons in 2005 and this one is in a class by itself. The crowd support was unbelievable. At every turn you saw something different. A small Bible Church held up scripture encouraging you to preserve, neighborhood block parties cranked up the music and waved you on, contractors moved their porta-potties to the curb for your convenience, at mile 22 when you were drying after topping that second killer hill, a young family cranked up Rocky on their boom box, followed by the high school pep band at 24 to get you pushing to the end. We ran through downtown, little cool neighborhoods, up a big, big hill at mile 7, alongside a stream in a nature preserve, past unbelievably beautiful homes, with of course, beautiful automobiles parked in their driveways. Lots of marathons give you a t-shirt, Birmingham gives you a nice cotton T, plus a Brooks finisher's shirt, a very impressive medallion, a BBQ dinner at the end, and a chance to drive home in an M Class. Cool! | |
|
J. K. from Monticello, Florida
(4/9/2005)
"WOW - Awesome Event!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Wow!!! Tough yet pretty course with remarkable organization. Only did the half, but what a race. TRUE hills on this course? not the long, gentle rolling ones to which I had become accustomed while living in SC and North Florida but instead numerous hills of various lengths with more aggressive grades. Still, the fan support was good and the participant pool large enough to make the race fun. Didn?t hurt that the hills take the runners through some beautiful stretches of town and through pristine and luxurious housing areas. I actually set a PR despite the hills and thoroughly enjoyed the race. Now for the kicker - the post-race party can only be described as SUPERB! Huge crowd of finishers sticks around to see the drawing for a free Mercedes vehicle and all are provided with great food in a very organized indoor post-race party (2005 entertainment included a live band performance that was pretty good!). Granted the party ends the second after names are called for chances to win the Mercedes, but the organization of the event cannot be topped! | |
|
D. S. from Nashville, TN
(3/13/2005)
"Decent first-time marathon, but rough hills" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 It makes for a decent first marathon, but the there are definitely some killer hills towards the end. Any marathon that has literally over 2 miles of non-stop hill in the second half of the race needs to be modified. Also, towards the end, it got a little disorganized, as traffic was not well blocked off for the marathoners, and the marathons/half-marathons had to share water stations (ie. in the last 4 miles or so, you had a bunch of half-marathon walkers clogging up the water stations so that the fast marathon runners couldn't get anything). But besides that, a good race. | |
|
Dan Mitchell from Marion, Alabama
(3/10/2005)
"First-Time Fun" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 WOW!!!! This was such a fun marathon. Spectators were great and the volunteers were amazing. I will DEFINITELY be running this again next year! Great job, Mercedes! | |
|
m. k. from Athens, Georgia
(3/6/2005)
"Great fun, great course" (about: 2005)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I ran the half and it was hands down the most 'fun' I've had standing up in a long time. Great crowd support in my book, solid aid stations, no problems with traffic control. Awesome medal and a sweet technical shirt for finishers (all shirts should be like this!). Some hills, but if you do ANY hill running in the two months leading up to the race, you'll be fine. See you next year! | |
|
R. P. from up north
(3/2/2005)
"Great race!!!" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Mercedes Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 In the spirit of constructive criticism and of late-night TV, I submit my top ten things I liked and didn't like about the Mercedes Marathon: Things I didn?t like: 10. potholed Birmingham city streets 9. Port-a-Johns at mile 2 that were locked (that?s a dirty trick...) 8. web site was a little weak, and slow to be updated 7. obnoxiously loud screaming announcer at the kid?s marathon 6. only 678 marathon finishers? ? that?s a shame. This is a great race. 5. lousy weather forecast that turned out not to be true 4. nasty woman screaming at the traffic cop because he wouldn?t let her cross the course while runners were coming 3. mile 21, my slowest: 9:39 2. I didn?t win the M Class 1. Powerade-up-the-nose resulting from open bottles handed out by well-intentioned Samford students Things I liked about the Mercedes Marathon: 10. Port-a-Johns at SE corner of Lynn Park with no line ten minutes before the race 9. some nice lady did win a new M Class 8. supporters who graciously replied ?No, thank YOU!? when I thanked them for cheering us on. 7. mile 23, my fastest: 8:10 6. the traffic cop who wouldn?t let the aforementioned crazy psycho b**** cut through the course 5. free parking 4. expo was a piece of cake (try New York or Marine Corps...) 3. coolest finisher?s medal ever 2. detail-oriented organizers and volunteers made this a great race 1. Finish line announcer announced me by bib number, name and hometown. I hope you run this race in 2006 and have as much fun as I did. |
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
