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Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.5 
Organization 4.1 
Spectators 4.1
Number of comments: 417 [displaying comments 191 to 201]
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A. S. from San Diego, California
(6/20/2006)
"Great Organization and Crowds... Freeway Run Sucks" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I looked forward to this run for 6 months... nothing could be better than to run in San Diego (yep, a native, I am). The crowd was great, everything was organized, and the first 10 miles were great.... And then some marketing idiot had the idea to run everyone down a freeway. Ever tried to run slanted? (Freeways are severely pitched for water runoff.) There could have been better runs! Way too many people were getting hurt; it was not the safest run. | |
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J. T. from Atlanta, GA
(6/19/2006)
"Had a great time and set PR" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my third Marathon in the past year and I had a great run. I set a PR and was able to take off about 30 minutes from my best time (Atlanta mararthon.) I train in Atlanta so hills are not an issue with me. I had lived in San Diego and knew what to expect in regards to weather and the terrain. Running on the Cabrillo Freeway was awesome. I had very little issues with the course, my wife was able to drop me off a block from the start, and she had no problem with the trolleys to the finish. Because I did better than I planned she did miss me crossing the line (security isses - the finish in on a military installation.) Had no problem walking back to the trolley at the end of race. Love the expos at Elite Racing events. | |
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B. K. from Huntsville, Alabama
(6/18/2006)
"IT'S A SYMBOL OF ENDURANCE....." (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first time doing this marathon. I thought it was great!! No, it wasn't perfect, and nothing can be. That's why not all conditions were perfect to suit everyone's wishes. I was in this marathon as a participant of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. We don't look for a perfect course, perfect weather, or perfect spectator attendance, and we don't even look for perfect organization. We are there to do this thing because it is a symbol of endurance and hope for people with blood related cancers. We feel that we are there to show the celebration of human spirit, physical ability and mental endurance in a person. When you think about the thousands of children (and adults) who are suffering from the chemotherapy treatments they are receiving, you do not question why the course is too slanted or why there weren't enough people cheering, or why the weather was a little too warm. We do it under ANY circumstances and accept the challenges along the way. That is what we have been trained to do. Team in Training had many, many supporters out there, so I did not feel alone. And there were also many participants to say a quick 'hello' to, or someone to encourage when I saw they were struggling. I didn't feel one way or another about the weather, as I knew some child was getting his/her chemo at the very same time as I was on the course, and he/she was feeling very cold or very hot, or even extremely nauseated and throwing their guts up, and I was outdoors enjoying 'the weather.' The sun showed itself towards the end of my walk/run, and I felt lucky to feel it shine on my body, instead of being in bed, my port accessed with a needle while I was receving the poison which would hopefully make me better, without any hair on my head, and wondering if this nightmare would ever end. Where I come from, this was perfect weather for the race. Where I come from, we would still have done it had the weather been the same as what we train in: 80's and then 90's and extremely humid. And to me, there were NO hills. Only a few long stretches of gently inclining road. But on the other side of those inclines, that is where I found relief. And it wasn't going to take me 2 1/2 years to walk up those slightly elevated roads -- No, it would only take a few hours. So I knew I could endure that much if my daughter was able to endure 2 1/2 years of chemo when she was 10. And she was out there with me!! We did it together!! There was nothing to complain about, because she was alive, and walking with me!! The marathon was our reward; for having helped the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society raise all the funds we raised to help researchers find a cure, and to honor patients and their families. Yes, the fluid stations became a little scarce towards the end, but I was there to endure, to make it to the end no matter what the conditions were. A fight all the way to the end and being a winner no matter what was or was not perfect or available along the course. To me, it was absolutely perfect, and I thank everyone who was out there to help, and all the entertainers who kept the beat going, and especially I thank all the TNT coaches who were there along the entire course, to cheer us on, and also all the TNT participants who finished ahead of many of us, and came back along the course to cheer us on.!! Thanks San Diego, you did a great job, and your town is beautiful!! | |
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J. T. from Long Island, NY
(6/17/2006)
"An awesome first marathon!" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I did my first marathon with Team in Training and in San Diego you can't beat it! Our 'Team' was 3,500 strong and the TNT fans and coaches throughout the course were amazing! The first 7 miles downtown was a breeze, with tons of fans and great bands! That hill on the Freeway was a bit of a challenge and the fans are sparse (unless you look UP on the bridges, that was very cool!) but overall the first half was great! The band at mile 17 was playing some slow song (not what you need at mile 17!) and others seemed to be 'in between songs' when we passed, but otherwise they were great, with all the great ipod songs-eye of the tiger, lets get it started... no ipods needed for this race. The volunteers were great. The 19-22 by the bay was a little sparse in the crowds and not much of scenery (or smell, was it low tide?) but pulling you into the finish was a great crowd! Not as good of a first time as I was hoping for but the weather cooperated and I truly enjoyed it! The expo was great. If you are thinking about a first marathon, train for this one with TNT! Can't wait for another one! | |
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W. M. from Chicago, Illinois
(6/16/2006)
"Tougher than it advertises" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was fun, but the course is much tougher than I had been led to believe. A PR here is possible, but you had better get your hill work in. Having the TNT people around was great, but they tend to forget at times that they are not the only people on the course -- folks, if you're taking a walk break, please move to the side or go single file. Also, their coaches tend to jump in and out of race traffic and can disrupt the cadence of the runners around them. Probably the worst aspect of this race is getting away from the finish area -- very difficult and hard to meet up with family and friends. I would do it again, but I will plan my training a little better. Also note that the so-called 'June gloom' took the weekend off this year, and it was hotter than expected. It would be a much better race if the temps were as planned. | |
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m. m. from Oak Park, IL
(6/11/2006)
"Great organization from the RNR staff" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The RNR staff did a great job. Plenty of water, signage, staff, and volunteers. Being from the flat mid-west, I found some of the inclines difficult, and at 65 degrees at racetime a bit too warm for me. But, it gives me goals for next year. Great race, great city, thank you | |
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S. M. from Santa Maria, CA
(6/11/2006)
"Not as great as the hype" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Warning: lots of hill!!! Maybe because everyone I talked to made this sound like the greatest marathon ever that I was so disappointed. I'm adding comments to warn everyone else! I gave this course only 3 stars because the website is soooo misleading with regards to the hills. It made it look like there was one big hill from 7 to 10 and another small one at 20-something. Not quite. We started uphill at 5, kept going until between 10 and 11. After that there were still lots of hills. Also, there were many miles that were severely off-camber. Running uphill and on a bad side slope for miles was not fun. The course is somewhat similar to Boston in that there is a big downhill slope the first several miles before going up and up and up. Just be careful to go especially conservative on those downhills. It seemed like there were constant hills from miles 5 to 20, then a few more sporadic ones from 20 to the finish. The bands were AWESOME! But not that much support elsewhere. A few spots were crowded with fans, but there were a lot of lonely areas. If you're someone who doesn't need fan support, that's fine, but if you are, be wary. As far as organization, the start was really good. The finish is where I had complaints. The mylar blankets were very far from the finish area, and the family meeting are was sooo far. Water locations were great in the first half, but seemed farther apart in the second half, where they were needed more. As far as the weather, it is great for people from most areas of the country. I live in a town that doesn't get much warmer than 65 year round, so it felt uncomfortably warm to me. | |
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C. B. from San Diego, CA USA
(6/10/2006)
"Nice race; bummer walk to/from parking lot." (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 That 2-mile walk to get to the parking lot at the end of the race was a major bummer! The only shuttle was for a small lot a 1/2-mile away!?! Nice friendly fans, nice views, good weather, lots of water, and GREAT BANDS - a lot of fun! | |
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Eddie Hahn from Rancho Cucamonga, CA
(6/9/2006)
"Entertaining while overcrowded" (about: 2006)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My perspective on this race is a little different, since I arrived late to the start (obviously a participant error). The marathon is billed as the "9th largest in the world," and I felt that was every bit the truth. Starting near the very back of the field, 15 minutes late, I would estimate there were still well over 1,000 people waiting to cross the start line from their assigned corrals. From that "vantage point" to the finish, the huge throngs of runners never really thinned out, even after 26.2 miles of running. If you are looking for moral support, you have found it in your fellow marathoners - this is also reputed to be the largest Team in Training marathon in North America, and it was sure inspiring to hear the cheers of their coachs, not only during the marathon but as their runners off-loaded the buses at the expo, many of them first-time marathoners. I disagree with the participant that called the musicians "garage door bands," and enjoyed the classic 80s rock I heard, which included songs by Journey and U-2. The bands do seem farther than a mile apart, probably because of the different acoustics used, but there's no need for an IPOD. I enjoyed running on the freeway, regardless of "slope"... how often do you get to run on the FREEWAY, let alone north-bound on the south-bound side? I deliberately ran in the farthest lane out (of course I wasnt running for a PR - stay left for that). I didn't find the course particularly scenic - a few Navy ships docked in port but no good views of the ocean, and much of the morning was socked in with smog. (I haven't personally run in the San Diego Marathon that starts in Carlsbad, but from the reviews I have read, if your motivation is to view the ocean, that would be better considered.) When it did get hotter, the spraying garden hoses of local residents were using were awesome. Although the finish line was very organized, having family members cordoned off makes it like a containment facility. Post-race amenities were nice but one had to do a great deal of walking past medical aid stations, final water points and photo corrals to finally get to post-race food. (Each participant was rewarded Spencer sandals - a very nice touch, incidentally). The "heavy medal" with the multicolored running guitarist is themed well and very nice. The immediate exit from the finisher's area to the spectator family area was a bottleneck disaster. Something has to be done about it. | |
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Geoff Martin from Winnipeg,Canada
(6/9/2006)
"Having fun in the California sun" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Rock 'n' Roll Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Second year running in it and loved it. Great organization from the expo to the post-race party at MCRD. I had a blast. Great bands, superb water stations, great cheerleading sections. Your guys from TNT rock. Randi from ClifShot was a great pace leader. Lots of complaints re: the camber on the roads. Learn to live with it. Tip for runners from colder climates: go to a tanning spa before you come and wear sunscreen. This race is great and I would like to thank all involved. To the men and women of MCRD: thanks for letting us party at your place. Great beer and entertainment. |
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