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☰
Baltimore Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Baltimore Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.9 
Organization 4.0 
Spectators 4.1
Number of comments: 443 [displaying comments 171 to 181]
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D. S. from Clarksville, Md.
(10/16/2007)
"Awesome event" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I chose this as a back-up to Steamtown as I had business travel during the Steamtown Marathon weekend. Boy did I luck out! The weather was great in Baltimore. Just the week prior, several of my friends ran Steamtown in 90-degree weather and were not as fortunate. I planned to PR in Steamtown but didn't think I'd do as well on the hills of Baltimore. I did much better than expected, probably due to the weather. I chose Baltimore because I live near and registered late to keep my training in the same time-frame. The course was surprisingly very well supported with plenty of running room and not too bunched up in most cases. There was also a lot of crowd support near the Inner Harbor (twice) and again in Fells Point. The run around Lake Montabello is awesome, although was quite windy. There were a few things I didn't like, including the tie-in after Patterson Park with the half marathon. That was mile 3 for the half marathon and mile 15 or so for us. Lots of half marathoners to dodge who don't see you coming, and then you go up a long, slow hill all together. Also, the area just before Fort McHenry is very industrial/ugly. Not much to do about it, but I'm just mentioning this so you don't expect it to be all rosy and picturesque. The short bridge coming off North Avenue near mile 23 came as a surprise and I was almost out of juice! There was no post-race free food other than chips and candy. Outside the finish line there were booths where you could buy sandwiches, etc. Relay runners sprint by you at different times throughout the course. If you aren't used to this like me, it comes as a surprise as they fly past you like you're standing still. I drove and parked right across the street from the finish line. The trek in and out of Baltimore was easy, with no lines or traffic. Don't believe their literature about using the light rail public transportation. It only has a few stops and isn't convenient. The premium jerseys are nice. I thought they were a lot nicer than the half marathon jerseys. I'd do Baltimore over Marine Corps because there are fewer crowds. I will do it again after a few years of traveling to new events. | |
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C. C. from Alpharetta, GA
(10/16/2007)
"Yet another great Baltimore Marathon" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Baltimore Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I have come back for yet another edition of the Baltimore Marathon and I was not disappointed. Great organization from start to finish and the meal in Little Italy was great. I enjoyed the course with the loops through downtown (twice) and the tour though Fort McHenry. The other parts of the city were also showcased. Some hills were present later on in the race, but nothing too bad. Good idea starting the half-marathon after the marathon, which helps keep the roads open in order to get some good times. Nice post -race party and all the details were covered by organizers. This race keeps getting better each year. I have already made plans for the 2008 race and plan to register the first chance I get. I encourage everyone out in the running community to check this race out - you won't be sorry you did! | |
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A. W. from Tampa, Florida
(10/16/2007)
"great race-Charm City is true!" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I picked this race because it coincided with my schedule and I have never been to Baltimore. I was a little trepidatious because I have seen the Wire on HBO and I figured Baltimore was all drug dealers and crack houses. Actually, Baltimore is quite pretty with beautiful brownstone houses and lovely red brick everywhere. The race began exactly at 8am in perfect weather (low 60's). It is a little hilly, but for me, I like hills. There was tons of water, gatorade, and food. They passed out bananas, oranges and potato chips during the race. I did not like the gummy bears they handed out. Too chewy to eat and run, and many people missed their mouths and I had gummy bears sticking to my shoes. The half sold out and they also had a 5k so there were tons of people. I never ran alone. At some point all the races converged and everyone was running together. It was a little annoying to have all these half marathoners or 5kers walking in front of you when I was tackling a hill. I loved that the course shows the honest Baltimore. Historic buildings and we literally ran through 2 downtown projects. It was really nice to see people who are obviously having it tough in life come out to support us and cheer for us. I loved that the little kids would slap hands and pass out water. It was really inspirational. The finish through Camden Yards is awesome. The recovery zone is a little chaotic, but it was ok. I would have liked showers available but they did have a clothes change tent. All in all it was a great race. | |
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N. D. from Rochester, NY
(10/16/2007)
"Excellent Marathon from start to finish" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I put off doing this marathon because of the hills but was pleasantly surprised- although it was a tough course the crowds, the support and the fabulous scenery more than made up for it, and I ended up finishing well despite no expectations. This was a great marathon- Baltimore should be proud! | |
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B. K. from Delaware
(10/15/2007)
"Great course, great support" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 A challenging course with hills in the beginning and at the end, but definitely worth doing. Baltimore PD and volunteer support were superb - the best I've seen for a city marathon. The Under Armour technical shirt and finisher medal were great! | |
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M. F. from Buffalo, New York
(10/15/2007)
"A great, hilly run!" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first half marathon. I knew ahead that there were some hills, so I was prepared for it. The weather was beautiful and the people of Baltimore make a great cheering section. My only complaint is that some of the water stations did not seem very prepared. A couple of times I had to pour my own water. Other than that... I can't wait until next year | |
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B. F. from Southern IL
(10/15/2007)
"Not A PR or Boston Qualifier Course" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Sponsors lived up to their support promises. Lots of zealous volunteers. Excellent management. Sufficient nutrition on course, with little food selection at end. Mostly hilly. Good expo. I recommend this one as one of the best; just train well. Great place to take a family tour in the city. | |
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V. D. from Baltimore, MD
(10/15/2007)
"Concern about people crossing at Lexington Market" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The day was great, though I was very concerned that someone might get hurt, as people coming off of the subway or just out for the day tried to cross to Lexington Market. As many police looked on and one sat in his car, groups of people would cross, and the runners had to dodge them, which could have been dangerous. This slowed down the runners as they were heading down Eutaw St. - any thoughts about re-routing this part of the course? | |
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k. b. from New Jersey
(10/15/2007)
"great race" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Baltimore Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I PR'd on this course, due to a stellar pacing group (the 3:40 group). Hills were challenging, but not steep. Plenty of water, but tables were not organized well; they should spread the tables out, as we were all bunched up at many stops trying to get water. Also, could have had more bathrooms at that start to alleviate the long lines. Getting medals was a bit disorganized, with the half, relay, and full. Signs could be better. Energy was good - not too crowded like NY, but not lonely either. I would prefer to run the race on a Sunday - it's hard to travel to it on a Friday! | |
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Alyssa Carlberg from Baltimore, MD
(10/15/2007)
"Great Baltimore event!" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. It was exciting, rewarding and more than I expected. I was out there for the long haul (5:39:59 clock time) so take these comments with that in mind. I am fortunate because 1) I live in Baltimore and chose to run the 15-20 mile stretch the Sunday before the race and 2) my long training run was 9 loops of 2.05 mi through Patterson Park - which is the same type of hills found on the course. I can't say I did this on purpose (it was for convenience) but in the end, it was probably very helpful. So, I agree with others who say that the hills are not a big shocker if you are prepared. Some of us actually like them because they are something to focus on in the short term, and with every uphill you earn a downhill. The ups may slow your pace, but the downs provide recovery. Plus, it keeps the race interesting. If you know that you really hate hills, even slight ones, this race either isn't for you or you should expect the challenge. The water stations were well supplied and teeming with wonderful volunteers. While 15 sounded like enough, I found myself wanting more water stops. Every 1.5 mile would have been great. Every mile, a dream. Because the volunteer turnout was so amazing and organized, I would not say that this was a failure of the race planning. More like wishful thinking. I had hoped my 8oz bottle of water would complement the 15 stations, but I wished I had 2 or 3 bottles with the the rising temps and wind. The elites had the luxury of complaining of the cold morning. Hah! By 12:00 it was getting warm for the rest of us. Next time (?) I would have more bottles with me - or I would plant my dear sweet hubby with water at a few additional points on the course :) The spectators and community support were very cool. I had heard that it would be good, so it didn't disappoint. Strangers offering high fives to those of us 3 hours behind the winners and all of the parents who brought their kids out to watch and cheer - wow. I may never see those kids again but their generosity summed up all of the good reasons why I run and why I decided to run a marathon. One of the best aspects of the race is that it is part of the greater Baltimore Running Festival. This was a smart move by the organizers toward making it a really fun event. With only 3500 marathoners, it would have been a smaller event and probably MUCH easier to plan. Putting the work into it, bringing 14,000+ runners out there for all of the races made it much more exciting, resulting in a bigger party and more crowds. In the end, the marathon and its runners benefit. I have to convey my appreciation and respect for the sheer numbers of police officers on hand to control traffic. It was amazing, block after block, sometimes 2 or 3 officers parting the seas. Some of them clapped and offered support, too. I was impressed and grateful for all of their work. Not only were they integral to our race, but I also think they helped greatly in giving participants and spectators the best impression of Baltimore. That's a great thing. The Expo was small-medium sized, but it was well marked for picking up race packet/chip/shirt. I didn't want to walk around all day, so it was the right size for anyone running the marathon. However, considering the thousands of other race participants, I can imagine the organizers wanting to bring in more vendors and activities. Yes, the perks are great. I love the crab medal and I love the Underarmour shirt. Probably not a reason to run this marathon, but definitely wouldn't be a reason to NOT run it. The party in Celebration Village included a big stage with live music, a beer truck and various booths of carnival foods. It seemed like a good time for the spectators and I saw plenty of runners enjoying themselves. Normally I would have been all over the funnel cake man. Post race, though, I just wanted to get out of the sun, go home, eat a baguette from Bonaparte and drink a lot of water. Nonetheless, they provided a good time if I had been wanting/expecting it. Overall, I was impressed with the event. The course and the spectators provided a memorable first marathon. I can see how it may not be everyone's choice for a FIRST marathon, but I think it will provide a unique, memorable and positive marathon experience for anyone who decides to run. |
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