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☰
Vermont City Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Vermont City Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 4.4 
Spectators 4.7
Number of comments: 303 [displaying comments 241 to 251]
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L. G. from Colorado
(5/31/2005)
"An overall good experience for the first timer." (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. After reading and checking about 30 other places in the web, I was the most impressed with this one. So based on other peoples' comments I decided to run this race. The course was quite pretty for the most part as described. It was well organized and very clear. I especially appreciated the support, not only from the volunteers but the enthusiastic public. People from the neighborhood were kind and generous; it reminded me of the Bolder Boulder Race in Colorado where the people from the neighbourhood would pass out cookies and food and squirt water to cool down the runners. The only disappointment I had was the bananas and powerbars that they advertised they would serve were no where to be found! Since the hotel buses that took us to the race came early, and the restaurant in the hotel wasn't open for business, I only had a few bites of bagel from a kind stranger and a gel in my pocket. I trusted that there would be food at those stations so I wasn't that prepared. Boy did I suffer for that. I learned the lesson of 'trust, but verify.' Also, the food at the end of the race was not too generous. After 26.2 miles you at least expect a sandwich or slice of pizza, but all they served were donut holes, fish crackers and fruit. | |
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Michele Palmer from Massachussets
(5/31/2005)
"Vermont's Finest" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I couldn't have asked for a more hospitable race. The crowd, the musicians, the organization, the expo, the medical staff, the great views...all of it made the experience amazing! | |
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v. s. from Stamford, CT
(5/30/2005)
"Great town, mediocre course support." (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 The people of Burlington were terrific, so supportive and enthusiastic. Thanks to them all. The course is far from flat, and the downhills really take their toll on the quads. I was thoroughly disappointed by the long intervals between water stations - 2 miles on a humid day - and the tiny cups that held less than 3 ounces of liquid. I was holding my pace for a large part of the distance, but discovered that I was dehydrated by mile 16 and had to slow my pace, even while grabbing two cups of water at each water stop. Even worse, all the gels were gone when there were still hundreds of runners on the course. The water and food tent was very far from the finish line, and difficult to spot since there were throngs of people and vendors separating the finish line and the runners' food station. I know many runners cherish this marathon, and I thought it was fair, but I'll likely not return for another VCM. | |
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M. A. from NYC
(2/12/2005)
"Check this one out!" (about: 2004)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 VCM is, without a doubt, the best mararthon I have run to date. Excellent organization, a pretty course and terrific spectators make this one a great choice. I will never forget the kind gentleman and his family at mile 19. They had set up a table at the end of their driveway, loaded with fresh fruit of every imaginable kind. I was out of GU, and in need of some help when I asked if he had any watermelon. Out of nowhere, he produced a HUGE melon and cut off a perfect chunk just for me! I made it to the finish line with a serious PR and a whole bunch of watermelon seeds stuck to me. I would make the trip up to VCM again, without a doubt:-) | |
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J. D. from Brooklyn, NY
(10/2/2004)
"Go for your PR in Burlington" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon is fantastic for anyone trying to qualify for Boston (which I did not accomplish) or set a PR (which I did). Burlington is easily one of the coolest towns in America and has that same outdoorsy attitude that you usually only find out West. The addition of relay runners means that it has the feel of a slightly larger marathon which I actually liked because it meant that there were more spectators than you'd normally find in a 3,000-4,000 person marathon. Running through the neighborhood around 18 miles was definitely my least favorite part, but running downhill along the water the final four miles makes up for it. I don't want to run the same marathon twice, but of the few marathons I have done, I am very tempted to sign up for this one again first. | |
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K. N. from St. Louis, Missouri
(8/3/2004)
"Remarkable scenic views make this a winner." (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran in the 2004 Keybank Vermont City Marathon and it was my second marathon ever. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and the people were so kind and supportive. Every person I met who had run in other marathons said it was either their favorite or one of their favorite marathons to do! I will definitely go back to do it again in the years to come. | |
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K. B. from Boston, MA
(7/14/2004)
"An amazing race" (about: 2004)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a fantastic race in a beautiful city with amazing people! The support and warmth of the crowd was unbeatable. This is not only the best marathon I've participated in, but the best road race. An excellent experience! | |
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N. M. from Florida, USA
(6/9/2004)
"A Great Birthday Celebration" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I?m giving a Double Five-Star rating to Burlington although I have no experience of other marathons since this happened to be my first. I ran in 4 hours and 25 minutes. I turned 60 on St. Patrick?s Day and my wish was to celebrate in a unique sort of way. So, I elected to run a marathon. What a brilliant celebration that was? Seems like every time I needed a little rest and a ?coke?, the drink table was just one hundred feet further. And the Burlington crowd is so welcoming, the course perfect for a beginner like me and the panorama just beautiful, notably near Lake Champlain... I really and thoroughly enjoyed my ?celebration? and I plan on coming back 2 years from now for the 2006 marathon. Next time however, I promise I shall not let Burlington beat me; my goal is to break the four-hour clock. Kudos again to Burlington, the organizers and the people of that lovely city. Double five, nothing less. | |
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Paul Fengler from Arlington, VA
(6/8/2004)
"Terrific Marathon w/ great energy!" (about: 2004)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 In Vermont it is cooler than one would expect at this time of year and that means good running temperatures! The route is great, the fans very enthusiastic and the volunteers very helpful! It was my first marathon in my hometown and I loved it!! There was a nice big hill on mile 15 but that adds to the charm. The whole community turns out for the race so there is good support throughout most of it until some parts around miles 18 - 22 (the hardest ones for the first time runner). I'll be back next year! It's too beautiful to pass up! | |
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M. F. from New York, NY
(6/4/2004)
"Great race in a great town." (about: 2004)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Vermont City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first sucessful attempt at a Boston qualifying time, and the first time I haven't lost it in a marathon after the 'wall', so my enthusiasm is a little biased. That being said - what a great race! The organizers really know what they are doing, from the expo, to the pre-race, to the race and post-race, it really is a top-level event. The crowds were very supportive and I felt really comfortable during the whole race. Most might disagree, but I did not think the course was especially difficult, with my only criticism being the winding through neighborhoods from mile 16 to 22, with a lot of turns and surprises as the only real complaint I have - but at least it was all in the shade. In fact the first half of the marathon may be too fast and easy! Very, very scenic and beautiful course, as advertised. You hear enough about the 'Assault on Battery' at mile 15, that if you prepare the right way, it isn't that bad for a 1/4 mile hill climb, but I'm sure a lot of people thought that was very tough. The crowds were most intense there, they'll get you through it! The finish, down a long corridor of a bike path for the last 4 miles, is just about perfect for newbies and veterans - shaded and flat, flat, flat. My only other criticism is that the finishing chute winds through the park at the end and that was kind of tough, if only they'd had a bigger finish line structure to focus on that you could see from afar, that might help. Plenty of water and Gatorade, and at virtually every water station, there were kids handing out the water and they really knew what they were doing! Finally, they had the best ever post-race spread, with plenty of food and the greatest thing I've ever tasted after a race - Ben & Jerry's lemon sorbet!!! Awesome job VCM!!! |
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