Oct 18, 2024
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☰
Steamtown Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Steamtown Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.7 
Organization 4.9 
Spectators 4.7
Number of comments: 616 [displaying comments 131 to 141]
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E. H. from Mendham, NJ
(10/16/2014)
"PR & a BQ&. You KNOW I loved it!!!!" (about: 2014)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Jim Cummins, Asst. Race Director might have been the best part of this marathon. His emails were SO funny, laugh out loud, then read to your husband funny. Funny til the husband is asking, 'Any more emails from the marathon???' Really gave you all the info in the most amusing way. Might have been the best part of this marathon, except the PR I achieved, knocking off 9 minutes from my prior, and qualifying this old lady for Boston at age 49, made THAT the best part. The course is 14 miles of downhill (1200'), and I rocked that part, loved the part through the trails, but the last mile was a serious two stage 200' uphill that was grueling. It is no walk in the park, I gave it my all, and was rewarded, but an easier marathon, a flatty, is Chicago. A more fun marathon is New Orleans. A crazier more eventful marathon is NYC- which is a hassle for a million other reasons. I never had such post-marathon paid, my quads, my knees! But I got my time, and that is what I wanted! Scranton& ah the amazing Modernist Dress Shop! Get there&great stuff! Scranton delights in its simplicity, cheap hotels, easy parking, easy to drive to. Walk to Dunkin Donuts with the other runners, then walk to the bus stop for the school bus (how cute!) to the start. No drama, like NYC, no temptations to overindulge, like New Orleans! It's a 26.2 mile ride to the start, nerves are kicking in, and you arrive at the Forest City Hill School, a warm, friendly start of a marathon! Easy bag check, the nicest volunteers, cheerleaders, the students decorated it 'Welcome Runners!' Long longs for port-a-lavs& but it's a warm and fast start! Great. The run: you are running through what might seem, on the outset to be depressed old coal mining towns, maybe 6-7 of them, with names like Carbondale. But it is fantastic. What a rare opportunity to meet the folks, and run through town after town of cheering, exuberant people, families, front porch marathon parties, children, dogs, old folks in wheelchairs, men waving flags, ladies handing out sliced oranges, kids with funny signs& it is an overwhelming and glorious display of Americana at its best. That is what will bring me back. It was an emotional, joyful experience. A gorgeous day, autumn in all its glory, running alongside a river. This is a gem, a secret, and a world class race, all in one. | |
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P. P. from PA.
(10/16/2014)
"#19..Fantastic !!" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I have run all 19 Steamtowns and thank you so much on such a fantastic race. It starts with the witty and wonderful emails full of imformation which I guess some do not read! The expo is just right..not too big not too small. Buses race morning are plentyfull and everyone is so friendly. Always enjoyed the Follow Me kids at the High School !! Volunteers and Fans along the course are 2nd to none. Perfect time of year for a race in NEPA. The food line needs a little tweeking..and the post race party is always a blast but so glad you brought it back to its beginnings..Montage Ski Resort !! See you next year for Steamtown 20!!! | |
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C. M. from New York
(10/16/2014)
"Great race! Run it!" (about: 2014)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My fourth steamtown and I can't say enough how great this race is. Looking for a fun, Midsized marwthon? Run Steamtown. | |
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D. M. from State College, PA
(10/16/2014)
"1st Marathon" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Beautiful fall scenery, a well-designed course that changes just at the right time, and consistently fabulous support from spectators throughout, especially on the hills at the end where you really need it! Very well organized and the perfect amount of aid stations. Besides the line for food at the finish I can't think of one thing I would suggest to do better. | |
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E. Y. from Washington DC
(10/16/2014)
"Great downhill course and race organization" (about: 2014)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It was the perfect day on this beautiful course. I was concerned because my past marathons had 40,000 participants compared to the ~2,000 that ran Steamtown, but the small race definitely had its charm. The crowd support was great and the amenities were enough! It was so nice to wait inside a school prior to the start instead of standing around outside in the cold. I grabbed a delicious pre-race meal at Casa Bella (reservations recommended!) and stayed at the Ramada Inn at Clarks Summit (no problems for me). I was afraid that DC training would not prepare me or the hills, but I felt great throughout the race. | |
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s. l. from richmond, va
(10/16/2014)
"Awesome Marathon" (about: 2014)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a wonderful marathon. The weather was near perfect and support on the course was very good. The spectators were amazing and they were very encouraging. While it was overall a downhill run, there were some hills to climb, so keep that in mind. | |
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R. C. from Abington Heights, PA
(10/16/2014)
"1st Timer Couldn't be happier" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Sure I completely underestimated how difficult the last 3 miles would be, but as a first timer, I'm actually a little worried I'm spoiled by how well organized this race was. The fans were fantastic throughout and who doesn't like 10km downhill? | |
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David Klein from Suffern, NY
(10/16/2014)
"Great Race - should have listened to Jim" (about: 2014)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Everything great except my ability to read, comprehend and remember. Run this race - but listen to advice. Here is part of an email from the often mentioned very funny Assistant Race Director Jim Cummings: Naive Runner - I have been looking at your elevation chart and wow, there sure seems to be lots of downhill during the first 8 miles. It will be like running through a cool rain forest without a tie on! So here's my plan, I will run extra fast on the early downhills and bank some time. That way, I can take it easy during the second half of the course and still meet my goal time. Pretty brilliant, eh? Concerned Race Official - Heck no! That kind of tomfoolery will leave you curled up in a ball at mile 23 with biting pain in your quad muscles. A dog might even be licking the salt off of your face. Every race expert we have consulted has told us it is critical that you try to run an even pace at Steamtown. DO NOT GO OUT TOO FAST during the early miles! You'll be sorry. | |
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J. B. from Glenside, PA
(10/16/2014)
"It is my favorite marathon in every aspect!" (about: 2014)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Steamtown marathon and race director Jim Cummings are why I continued to run marathons after my 1st in 2004. In 2014 I finished my 18th at Steamtown with a PR by 6 minutes and a reseeding for 2015 Boston. It is well organized, the course is beautiful, the people who line the course are so sweet & the rails to trails portion is a great help to knees. In order to do well, and you can, listen to all the runners, don't go out fast on the downhill. Your quads will be shredded. Save it for an even or negative split. I will be back again. | |
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James Conklin from Biglerville, PA
(10/16/2014)
"Over all outstanding experience for my first full!" (about: 2014)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great course, second to none volunteers and crowd support! Awesome post race party. |
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