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☰
Richmond Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Richmond Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.5
Number of comments: 401 [displaying comments 201 to 211]
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W. B. from Maryland
(11/16/2008)
"Excellent marathon" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my seventh marathon start, and the only one I haven't finished (I packed it in at 16.5M). This is a great, well organized marathon. Unfortunately, 2008 was beset by every organizer's worst nightmare, unseasonably warm weather (70F and humid, very humid) at the start, sun coming out 1.5 hours in, temps up to 75F, and high wind. That's why I (and quite a few others!) didn't finish. But you've got to hand it to the organizers who seemed to live up to all the advertisements about the "friendliest" marathon. Mile markers were right on, timing was available at every mile, and there were great bands (not some of the bad ones you hear at other places), good and enthusiastic crowds, and well-stocked and staffed water stops. Just about everything was first-rate from start to finish. Even the shirt is a great technical short-sleeve shirt with just a bit of advertising - a big improvement over many that you get. The expo is just about what you'd expect for a marathon of this size; there was plenty for everyone, and parking was very easy. The course is not hilly, but there are some long, gradual climbs, so be ready for them. But it's a course that should be pretty fast, if only the weather cooperates! The finish is in a wonderful area of Richmond, with nice places to eat and many hotels. We made a nice weekend of it and enjoyed ourselves a lot. I'll be back next year and hope for a bit cooler temps! This is definitely a race to run. | |
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Douglas Harpel from Arlington, VA
(11/16/2008)
"Great Show Again in Richmond" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Richmond Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A bit warm (70) and gusty, but the threatened rain never appeared and the Richmond Marathon was again great. The course - I have run it 3 times - is a perfect mix of downtown/city, local neighborhoods, and park running. The downhill finish is fantastic. Good showing by the organizers, strong support from spectators, and good job on the water stops and finish line. Wicking T-shirt is awesome and the finisher's medal is very nice. Having the half-marathoners start at 0700 provides nice separation. | |
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F. L. from Littleton, NC
(11/16/2008)
"Another Great Year for Richmond!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Richmond Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Another great event for Richmond. This year a minor course change really improved the beauty! Everything seemed perfect... except the shirt! Give me a long-sleeved, cotton shirt at a marathon. I just don't get tired of running this marathon... I guess that says it all! | |
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B. C. from charlotte
(11/16/2008)
"This race director should be shot!!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 I just ran this race yesterday and am so upset about the whole thing. The weather threw a wrench in everything; it was 78-80 degrees, humid as can be and windy. The race organizers knew this was going to be the case and stood by their planned water stops every 2 miles, starting at mile 3. When the weather is that hot, you really must change the plans and add water stops. It becomes a safety issue when it is that warm and humid. Not only were there not enough water stops, but there were only a few volunteers at each stop. You could only get 1 cup of water per stop, unless you wanted to stop running to do so. The cups were filled up with about 2 ounces of water each, which was hardly enough to drink. Forget about having enough to pour on yourself and cool down! They were also serving watered-down, blue PowerAde. So cheap! There was hardly anybody on the course, making it very lonely and miserable. I have never seen so many runners walking in any other marathon! This could've been avoided with an adjustment by the race director. I will never do this race again! | |
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J. J. from New Jersey
(11/16/2008)
"Great event" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. The weather was not great. It was very hot (66-78 degrees) and very windy. Obviously, that's not the event's fault so I'm trying to rate this event based on what it would have been like with decent weather! It was very well run. The people are indeed super-friendly. Parking at the start and finish was great, but you have to get there a little early. The course is really beautiful and the entire community comes out to support the event. Even in the bad weather we had, there were a lot of people on all parts of the course! In my opinion, the course is moderate hilly. It was a challenge in that regard. The road surfaces were good. There was plenty of water and gels. The wash clothes stations were wonderful! Although I didn't stop at either one, the junk food stops are a really cool idea. | |
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B. K. from Charlotte, NC
(11/15/2008)
"Race was a MAJOR disappointment" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 The weather was horrendous - 75-80 degrees, humid and sunny. There was also a sustainable wind between 25-35 mph. Unfortunately, the weather is what it is. However, the race billed as "America's Friendliest Marathon" was not what it was cracked up to be. There was minimal fan support and the water stations were spaced out every two miles. Clearly not enough for the weather. The weather destroyed the field. I ran at the front of the field and there was carnage all over the place. I've run 13 marathons and this was a major disappointment. Between miles 10-13, there were major hills that had NO fan support and it was hot and humid. The good news is the last 6 miles were relatively flat and there was a serious downhill finish... a little too late. I would not recommend this race. | |
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R. E. from Naples, FL
(6/8/2008)
"Great mid-size, fairly flat marathon" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my second marathon and I highly recommend it. It's mid-size race, so you have good crowd support, but you're not slowed down by too many runners. The first half of the course is gorgeous, but the 2nd half is a little boring. But overall, for a course in Virginia, not that hilly. The weather was great (and usually that way this time of year), and the organization was great. I would run it again. | |
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F. N. from Weymouth, MA
(1/7/2008)
"Loved the course and city too" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had a great time at this race: PROS: +Relatively flat and interesting course (varied scenery, e.g. monuments, James River, etc.) +Field spread comfortably open and uncrowded; didn't feel alone but had my space +Great organization at registration, expo, race start and race finish +Bus tours offered by Richmond Road Runners for out-of-towners +UPS Bag check-in/pickup worked smoothly +Finish area was clear and uncluttered, gradually funneling runners down street +Accessibility of host hotel to start/finish areas (great hospitality by hotel staff too) +Lots of options for dining and historic tourist stuff while in town +Friendly, Southern hospitality ;-) CONS: -Stretch between 18-21 mile marks were a little desolate to me -Some of the course maps distributed at the expo didn't match the course exactly -Some of the pacers looked way off pace - but I wasn't using them, so that's just my observation -Not much in the way of public transit to get around the city easily | |
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L. H. from Northern VA
(12/26/2007)
"Well organized, medium-sized race" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my first smaller marathon... very different from a big marathon. Overall I thought the race was well organized. Aid stations were well staffed and packet pickup was easy. The course was scenic, and as such, there was not always crowd support. The course was hillier than I am used to and my quads were really screaming by the second half. Don't count on negative splits! I was VERY appreciative of the free mini massages after the race. Just be prepared to wait a bit. A few things I didn't like: the food/beverage being so far away from the finish line. Streets were not closed to traffic at all portions of the race, and there were traffic cops to tell you when to cross. What???? I'm glad I ran the race and would recommend it to others looking for a medium-sized marathon. However, next year, I'm going to try another big one. | |
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G. Y. from Baltimore, MD
(12/4/2007)
"Good medium-size marathon" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Richmond Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great race to run. Shirts and medal were nice. Expo was a bit hectic but had a lot of vendors. Host hotel was not accommodating regarding late checkouts, as it says on the website. Course went through some beautiful areas. Crowds really keep you going. The downhill finish can't be beat. The UPS packet drop-off and pick-up were handy. I recommend this race. |
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