Sep 20, 2024
Current Year Results
Results Search
Biggest/Best Boston Qualifier
2024 Results
2023 Results
2022 Results
2021 Results
2020 Results
2019 Results
2018 Results
2017 Results
2016 Results
2015 Results
2014 Results
2013 Results
2012 Results
2011 Results
2010 Results
2009 Results
2008 Results
2007 Results
2006 Results
2005 Results
2004 Results
2003 Results
2002 Results
2001 Results
2000 Results
☰
Steamtown Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Steamtown Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.7
Number of comments: 610 [displaying comments 321 to 331]
|
A. B. from Northern Virginia
(10/22/2011)
"Fantastic Event. Great organization and support." (about: 2011)
50+ previous marathons
| 3 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Steamtown is one of my favorite. The course is beautiful, and the cheerful local spectators rival Boston. The race includes many unique features - enthusiastic high school students guiding runners at the start, handing out water, and cheering; orange slices on a stick at mile 24; lots of hoses spraying runners in the last (awful horrible) hilly miles. The prerace dinner was about the best I can remember at a marathon. Cloth napkins, real plates and flatware, live music, lots of volunteers everywhere, great food. The only bad part about the race is the recovery, which is always a struggle for me. | |
|
P. d. from Reading, PA
(10/22/2011)
"I will run this race every year until I can't" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've run Steamtown 4 times now and I love it. I've qualified for Boston 3 times. I've run the bigger marathons and will always come back to Steamtown. | |
|
Mary Beth Corrigan from Alexandria, VA
(10/22/2011)
"Great course and support." (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well-supported race. | |
|
J. S. from West Coast
(10/22/2011)
"Great org and specators/very difficult course" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Do not mistake this course for easy or fast. It's the hardest course I've run. The only downhill is only in the first 6 miles. Thereafter, you have flat, you have squishy slow trails (yes trails), you have hills. You have high school track teams running right at you so you have to jockey for space on the trails. And Major Hills!! Sorry, this is not a PR or BQ Course. Twisting and turning through the small, though supportive towns, is not conducive to a fast course. The spectators and organization are exceptional! Without those spectators, I would not have made it up the last 3 miles of hills in 80 degree heat. Thank you! | |
|
Linda Marroquin from Warwick NY
(10/21/2011)
"I had a Blast!" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 1st marathon, I was a little worried after reading all the comments here. I did some long run downhill training, just a few times. The marathon was a well oiled machine. I loved the teens volunteering. The Buses were great. My hotel (Best Western) was nice and only 5 min away. I slept well, the weather was nice. I took it easy on the early hills...perhaps too easy, but I was worried about the negative split thing. I went to the potty 3 times...now I know there are plenty of bathrooms on the trail. My time was 4:18, I think I can bring that down alot next year. The spectators were unbelievable. The hills at the end were a little tough, but I had a blast!!! | |
|
S. P. from Nazareth PA
(10/21/2011)
"Fantastic Fans" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Fan support was great - at times they made you feel like a rock star. Cross Country teams at the water stops were also great! Those final 2 hills are killers - but the Homestretch Hill tee shirts brought a smile. My only complaint - no gels or gu! My Spibelt got pretty bulky! | |
|
N. S. from Austin, Texas
(10/21/2011)
"Great 1st marathon experience" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first full marathon and it could not have been better. The course was pretty and the race was surprisingly organized and fairy stress free as far as packet pick up and pre/post race went. Spectators were amazing, especially through green ridge with all the hills. If I do run another full, I'd definitely consider this one again. | |
|
D. M. from United States
(10/21/2011)
"Steamtown Will Always be a Favorite" (about: 2011)
3 previous marathons
| 2 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I said it last year and I will say it again. Steamtown is an incredible race. It is the antithesis of the big city marathons. Although I thoroughly enjoy everything about Steamtown my favorite moment of this year's race took place while running through Carbondale. I overheard two women wondering what city we were in. I butted in and said it's Carbondale and these are the crazy fans of Carbondale who roared as if on queue. Thanks to all the spectators from Forest and Dickson Cities, Archibald, Mayfield, Throop and all the other cities en route to Scranton. You make the race! | |
|
B. H. from Ridley Park Pennsylvania
(10/21/2011)
"GREAT! GREAT! RACE" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 GREAT RACE! First marathon, first race I have run in 4 years. Probably would have been a good idea to train, or start out with a 5K but I thought I should jump right back in.Everything was great, well organized. Plenty of aid stations and the fans were the best.I would definitely recommend this race. Great small town race. You do an amazing job. Thanks for everything. | |
|
J. C. from Virginia Beach
(10/21/2011)
"Best supported Marathon I've run.... but...." (about: 2011)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I attended the pre-race discussion on taking the hills easy - and I did just that running a fairly conservative first half. Even so - I paid dearly at about mile 17. I live in a pretty flat area and the brunt of my hill training had to be done on a treadmill (-3% to +2% grade). I'd add to the advice that not only taking the hills conservatively but also making sure you pretty regularly train in hilly areas is important. If you're a flat area running looking to go to Steamtown for a BQ - you might be unpleasantly surprised. The downhills are pretty steep and then even the slightest uphills become challenging later on in the race. The trails were nice to run on - the latter part of the trails that had suffered a lot to the rain weren't particularly fun as they were really spongy. The hills at the end are no joke. Mile 24 is pretty steep and mile 25.4->26 is long and drawn out. Tons of spectators and tons of course support from them. There was water sometimes 3 or 4 times in a mile. No worries of getting dehydrated. Some were even giving away Gu! It's a pleasure getting Jim Cummings e-mails - he's quite entertaining and you won't find anything like this in the larger races. I don't plan on returning anytime soon but it's still a nice race. |
Quick Links
Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools
© 2000-2024, All Rights Reserved by MarathonGuide.com LLC
