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Detroit International Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Detroit International Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.2 
Spectators 4.1
Number of comments: 402 [displaying comments 221 to 231]
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B. M. from Mentor, OH
(10/31/2006)
"Great course but finish needs improvement" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Detroit has the potential to be a first-class marathon but needs some work. The positives include an interesting and scenic course that ran by most of the notable landmarks in downtown Detroit, crossed over the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Canada, came back through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, had a stretch on Belle Island in the Detroit River and finally returned downtown. The spectators were great, very friendly and enthusiastic and were present along most of the course including heavy crowds downtown. There were only a few feet of space to run as we approached Ford Field because the crowd was so thick. That was great because it made you feel like a star. There were also plenty of bands and other types of entertainment along the course. Packet pick-up was fairly well organized and went quickly. The expo seemed adequate, although I didn't spend much time there. A few things could be improved, however. There were a ton of turns downtown, particularly between about miles 8 and 14 and that made it hard to get into any rhythm. The mile markers were clearly off in places and a few actual clocks along the course would have been nice. The worst part of the race was the finish, which unfortunately is what you tend to remember. The race finished inside Ford Field but they didn't let spectators in, so it didn't seem like anyone cared when you were done. There were no drinks or refreshments available on the field where the race finished. To get anything you had to climb the steps to the concourse and once there, I saw only one table that had cups of water and Gatorade. The refreshments were limited to small bags of some nut type product and bags of potato chips. I could not find any fruit, rolls, etc. If they ever had them, the half-marathoners wiped them out before the marathon was over. The party atmosphere I have seen after some races was non-existent in Detroit. It could be gotten by either having the finish outside or letting spectators into Ford Field and having the refreshments on the field and maybe some bands or music or something. Then to summarize: the course was great - although there were too many turns in places - and the spectators were awesome, but the finish was a downer. | |
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Steve Begley from Toronto
(10/30/2006)
"Good Race. Needs Improvements." (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was number 17 and overall I enjoyed the day. What I liked: 1) The international aspect... over the bridge. 2)Good fan support. 3) Pretty flat and easy course. 4) Great volunteers. Needs Improvement: 1) Water stations on wider streets, please. 2) Inside the stadium is a poor place to be reunited with family and friends. 3) Too drastic of a downhill finish. Terrible: 1) Post-race food was a joke. 2) Washrooms at start were a joke. 3) Some of the roads were terrible. Overall I would give it a good/very good rating.... Not a top-10 marathon, however! | |
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A. K. from Denver, Colorado
(10/30/2006)
"Great way to see two cities" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Had a great time and loved the race. It was very well organized and professionally done. I liked it better than more reputable races, like Chicago. Great local energy!!!! | |
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j. s. from Indianapolis, Indiana
(10/30/2006)
"Awesome Course/Frustrating Finish" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and on the whole, I really enjoyed it! I thought the course was great, especially the first half. Belle Isle was rough because of the awful wind that sprayed the cold water of the fountain in our faces on our way back over the bridge. My problem is that the finish was really harsh after running 26.2. 1) The tunnel down into the stadium just about tore up my legs. I had to come to a full stop and walk gingerly down the whole ramp to make sure I didn't fall or get hurt. 2) There was no food at the finish line at all. I realize the stadium rules probably say you can't have food on the field - but there's got to be a way to get around this.... It was MISERABLE to finish a marathon and not have Gatorade and a banana within minutes. It was a full half-hour before I got stretched and got the strength to walk all the way up the bleachers. 3) Get only a breakfast bar and a fruit roll-up!?!? Pathetic food choices, really. The end really ticked me off after such a great race. Figure it out please, otherwise I won't want to run it again. The rest of the experience was awesome!!! | |
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G. G. from Indianapolis, IN
(10/30/2006)
"Getting better every year" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Detroit International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I did the half for the 3rd year in a row - it gets better every year. Improvements: #1 Corrals. Should have been there last year, but let's just talk about 2006. They added them this year and it helped a lot. That said, their pre-race info (booklet, packet, etc.) should show the corral letters to the map... and maybe better explain to runners the letter on their bib (seems obvious to me, but no one knew). #2 Two start lines. Was needed and helped. #3 More pre-race port-a-lets. Much better than last year, although they were in a muddy lot and to one side of the two start streets and there were too few places to cross those streets. Now to the event: Good expo, except that they need an exit path after you get your packet to not to have to go back through the expo. It is a traffic issue. Other expos do this. Parts of the course are great - bridge, tunnel and Ford Field. It is hard and I think they should probably do a better job of advertising this. Calling this a flat course is a joke. It is hard - two big up-and-downs and some smaller hills at bad times. The finish is a steep decline as well. That all said, the second half of the race for the full marathoners is in fact very flat (I did the second half once as a few legs of the relay). Good support; it was very good in spots, though there was nothing in many others. The shirts were technical shirts.... You can never have too many of those as a runner, but I actually prefer a cotton shirt as a race shirt. Bad: Course goes over some too-narrow streets for this many people. Some of the road before the bridge are just too small. Also, drink stations need to be on both sides with this many runners (though not in the narrow sections). I will continue to drive five hours each way for this race (though I also see friends up there). The international set-up makes it a must-run. | |
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A. J. from Ann Arbor, MI
(10/30/2006)
"scenic and fun" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Detroit International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my second Detroit Marathon (also ran in '04). The course has been changed to allow for the larger field, so now there's plenty of room at the start with very wide streets for the first few miles. Very cool to run on the cobblestones past old Tiger Stadium at mile 2! The new corral system also helped to get right on pace. The bridge into Canada was longer and steeper than I remembered, but worth the effort for the amazing views of the Detroit skyline across the river. The course tours every significant neighborhood and landmark in Detroit and is especially a treat for sports fans, with the start near Comerica Park and the finish inside Ford Field. So nice to finish indoors on a chilly day! Snow and freezing rain had been predicted during the week, but we had bright sunshine, 40's, and WIND. So don't believe the forecast until the night before. The race does have a few areas to improve: - More visible mile markers. I missed almost half of them, especially in the beginning with the more crowded field. Clocks at every mile would be nice, though the people with stopwatches shouting out the times were clearly heard. - More port-a-jons at the start, and better direction of traffic coming off of I-75. And $15 to park?! - Another Gu station earlier in the race, maybe around mile 10. - Please improve some of the roads, or move the course to less damaged surfaces. On the other hand, I LOVE the huge medals and long-sleeve tech shirt. I LOVE the screaming crowds in Greektown and coming out of the tunnel (the spectators at the foot of the Queensboro Bridge have nothing on those folks). Love that I qualified for Boston. A few problems, but a great race. Highly recommended. | |
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Kami K. from Corpus Christi, TX
(10/30/2006)
"Running in the wind!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Sunday, October 29, 2006. Saturday was cold, wet, and windy. Sunday turned out to be sunny and quite windy. Temperatures ranged from upper 30's to upper 40's. The start was in downtown, close to Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers) and Ford Field (home of the Detroit Lions). Finish was inside Ford Field. The event was professionally organized. Packet pick-up was very efficient. Good expo. Nice high-tech long-sleeved race T-shirt. Finisher's medallion was nice too. More than enough water/Gatorade stations on the course. Sports gels in a couple of places. Crowd support was good. There were bands, cheerleaders, radio DJs, and musicians in several locations. Post-race refreshments could have been better. The race began at 7:15. Shortly after mile 3, we began crossing the Detroit River via Ambassador Bridge into Windsor, Ontario, Canada. We ran about 3 miles in Windsor before returning to Detroit via Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, which I must say was quite neat! Around mile 16.5, we crossed the MacArthur Bridge into Belle Isle, ran a loop there, and returned to Detroit. Shortly after mile 21, we entered a very nice residential neighborhood and ran about two miles there. Then to the finish line inside the Ford Field at 50-yard-line. In short, this can be a fast marathon if the weather cooperates. The course was mainly flat. The climbs onto Ambassador Bridge and coming out of the tunnel weren't too bad. There were lots of turns, and footing in some of the roads was less than desirable due to potholes and cracks. Wind was a huge factor this year, especially during the second half, which made the run tough and quite challenging. I am a "50 stater" and this was #21 for me. | |
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M. M. from oak park, Il
(10/30/2006)
"Detroit rocks" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I thought this was a great marathon. I loved the course. Running over the bridge into Canada, and back though the tunnel, was a great experince. There were plenty of water stations on the course; just wish they let you know when you were approaching, so you can get over. The course was also enjoyable. Plenty to see, and the view on the bridge was breathtaking. Finishing at Ford Field was also a highlight. It was nice to be inside finishing, and out of the wind. But, only a small bag of chips and a granola bar was the only disappointment. I, like many others, was looking for something more. But overall, it was a great time. | |
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C. B. from Akron, Ohio
(10/30/2006)
"Great race; REALLY need to fix a few things" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my 9th marathon, and perhaps the most beautiful course I've run. The cityscapes and running across the bridge to Canada were really great. It's also flat and potentially very fast. The fans were more numerous than I anticipated, and they were fun-loving and encouraging. The corrals at the start were well done. There were, however, some crappy annoyances that would make me reconsider coming back if they can't get them right: (1) A major marathon should have large and tall mile markers that are accurately placed. I missed several markers, and several others were clearly not accurately placed. (2) Races that finish at stadiums are neat, but can be tricky for finding family and friends. At Ford Field (cool place to finish and soft field to rest on) it was chaos, and only through luck did I find my wife. How about an organized system to find family? (3) It's true that the food part of the deal was measly. Come on, Whole Foods! I actually think less of that company than I did before the race because of the tiny portions of food they provided. (4) Lastly, this has become a big race. The field, at least for mid-packers, was tight through the half, and for next year the organizers must provide fluids on both sides of the road. It was very difficult to get through the crowding to get fluids. It's OK to do it this way for smaller races, but not with a field this size. Bottom line is that Detroit is going to have to decide whether it can handle the bigger size race this one could be. If they go for the bigger fields, they damn well better provide the amenities that people expect of such events. I want to love this race. Give me improvement and I'll come back year after year. | |
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L. D. from Tampa, Fl.
(10/30/2006)
"Good marathon choice, but not great experience" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Detroit International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 1. Good course, and fairly flat except for the bridge and tunnel - both in the beginning few miles. Beautiful scenery. I agree with previous comments - the roads are in very poor condition, so watch your step. What I DIDN'T see were the 20+ bands/musical entertainment advertised on the race website (and I was not running so fast that I missed them!!). 2. Nice expo, shirt, and medal. 3. Great finish line on Ford Field. Nice to hear your name/town announced as you crossed the finish line. I didn't even mind the stairs up to exit the field and collect my gear. What was ABSOLUTELY AWFUL was the lack of post-race food!!! I understand when having a half marathon (with more participants) along with a full marathon, there are lots of folks to feed. However, I ran 26.2 miles for a cup of water, mini coconut macaroons and chocolate chip cookies, and a fruit rollup?!?!?!? Both smaller marathons, the Steamtown Marathon (hot pasta), and the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon (Hardees Black Angus hamburgers and sausage biscuits) serve these yummies ALONG with the standard bagel/fruit/etc. I do not feel slighted, however, because I finished alongside a gentleman that has finished EVERY Detroit Free Press Marathon to date, and he got the same selection as I did.... This marathon is a good choice if you're on a quest for all 50 states, but it is not one I would run again. |
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