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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 381 to 391]
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Jeff Clark from Northumberland,pa
(10/11/2010)
"Awesome first-time marathon!!!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon!! Such a great experience.Everyone involved was very friendly, from the race coordinators to all of the volunteers!!! I will definitely be back to run in 2011!!!!! | |
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M. D. from MA
(10/11/2010)
"Fun race!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great race! I loved the rail trail sections, the crowd support, and the email updates we got weekly for several months from the assistant race director. They alone were hilarious enough to warrant the entry fee. Be prepared to be sore because of the downhills, though, especially if you don't live somewhere with downhills to train on. I have run a number of distance races, and the only other times I have been so sore is after running a 100-mile ultra in Colorado and a 56-mile downhill road race in South Africa. Totally worth it though. | |
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G. S. from Hermitage, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Outstanding organization for a great, great race" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is the best marathon in the country. The organization is A+. The Steamtown Marathon is one of the biggest events for Scranton,PA and the citizens (especially the students) all came out to lend their support. School buses queued up at 5:30 a.m. to take runners up to Forest City High School. No lines. Parking in downtown was easy. Nice to sit in a warm gymnasium until the start. The weather (35 degrees at 8 a.m.; 55 degrees at noon) was sunny and breezy. Most of the course was a gentle descent on a 2-lane rural highway. A big thank you for including the rail-trail. The cushioned surface of the rail-trail was a welcome break to the pounding of pavement and concrete. The shaded path along the Lackawanna river with fall foliage was rejuvenating. Plenty of water and Gatorade stops. Never seen so many young kids helping out. Even Scranton residents set up their own refreshment stands. Lots of police officers on the course to direct traffic. Quads were heavy and screaming by mile 21. The last ascents at mile 24 and again at 25 were definite gut-checks. At mile 26, though, you are at the top of a hill looking down at the finish and a huge cheering crowd. Post-race baggage claim and chow line ran smoothly. Incredible attention to detail by race organizers. Will definitely return next year. | |
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Robert Dimmig from Lancaster, NY
(10/11/2010)
"Incredible Experience" (about: 2010)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose Steamtown to prepare for my first Boston Marathon (2011) - point-to-point, downhills, etc. Steamtown has a great reputation, and my experience confirmed that the reputation is real and well-earned. We stayed at a great, new TownPlace Marriott about 5 miles south of Scranton. It was very easy to get into and out of the city. The expo site was fantastic, as was the pasta dinner. Even the runner's Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral was an experience unto itself. Race day organization was great. Easy to find buses in the morning. Starting area was well staffed by volunteers. Always someone ready to answer questions. The course itself is awesome. I enjoyed the entire distance. Based on online resources, I knew what to expect and had trained as needed. Plenty of water and Gatorade. Very nice crowd support in many areas. I was not sure what to expect on the trail sections, but absolutely loved it and actually found more strength. I was also not sure what to expect on the hills in the last miles, but, again, I had put in a lot of time on hills during training, and I just flew over the hills and into the finish line. Because of the number of runners, there was a backup for water, etc. in the tent afterward, but I just grabbed a water and wandered over to a nearby mall for a chocolate shake (delicious). And baggage handling was perfect at the start and finish - well marked, well staffed. Most of all, I can't get over the enthusiasm of the countless volunteers I met along the way. They are the heart of any great event, and Scranton should be very, very proud. | |
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A. P. from Nutley, NJ
(10/11/2010)
"For the BEST marathon experience, run Steamtown!" (about: 2010)
3 previous marathons
| 3 Steamtown Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you are looking for a well organized, friendly, inspirational, and all around great experience, look no further than the Steamtown Marathon. The pre-race emails are amazing (Jim Cummings keeps you excited and motivated - not to mention you will get a good laugh from all his emails). It was organized, from the race expo, to being able to stretch in a warm high school before the cannon goes off. Everything was top-notch. And yes, I said cannon. When you show up to the starting point, everyone is out welcoming you and wishing you good luck. It is amazing how supportive everyone is. The crowds are wonderful. There are school bands playing (yes, more than one), cheerleaders, thousands of volunteers, and the members of each town who come out to cheer. The course is amazing - running the trail ( with amazing fall views) and around the track is my favorite. Lastly, there is the finish line with all the supporters and the after-marathon food (very yummy, and they even give you a plastic bag to stuff so you get as much food as you please). If these facts don't get you excited to run Steamtown, then please pinch yourself to make sure you are still breathing. :) | |
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R. B. from Owego, NY
(10/11/2010)
"Wow!" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great experience! Everything was top-notch, with weekly updates, organization, crowd support, etc. Beware of the downhill for the first 7 miles, and anticipate the hilly final few miles. Thank you for a great race! | |
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S. S. from Hatfield, PA
(10/11/2010)
"A new favorite!" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a great marathon! The course is fantastic. Great downhill sections and challenging uphills. The neighborhood support and volunteer stations were second to none. I expected very little from a small-town race, and this exceeded ALL of my expectations. The expo was small, with one or 2 vendors, but you could be in and out with your bib in less than 15 minutes! All around well done. I'll be back to do this one again! | |
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A. O. from Philadelphia, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Excellent!!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is an outstanding race all the way around. This is the only marathon (other than the Boston Marathon) that I have ever given 5 stars to in all 3 categories. Sign up for and run this event; I promise you it will be a great marathon experience!! The organization, logistics, communication, cost, volunteers, marathoners, race-directors, officers, course, fans and weather all contribute to making this a top-notch and fast event in every way. This marathon is extremely well-planned and the results from start to finish speak for themselves. Sign up and run Steamtown; you will be very glad you did!! | |
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Angie Hughes from Wilkes-Barre, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Really enjoyed the whole experience" (about: 2010)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I will continue running this one every year. The race is very well organized - KUDOS to the director and his team. The course was well marked and there were plenty of Port-A-Lavs on the course, as well as at the start and finish. There were also plenty of aid stations as well as First Aid stations, which was great. The volunteers were very helpful; they did a great job. The spectators were really cool - they really get into the whole thing, which I think is AWESOME. I had a great experience and I would recommend this race to anyone who is looking to run a marathon. | |
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Heather Urkuski from Philadelphia, PA
(10/11/2010)
"Outstanding marathon experience!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Steamtown Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran my first marathon at Steamtown yesterday, and although my expectations for the race organization were already high, I was still impressed by the smoothness of everything as a result of extraordinary people - from the bright and chipper teens at Forest City to the motivating spectators and kind volunteers in all 14 municipalities! Steamtown made my first marathon not only a memorable experience, but it also sets the bar very high for my future races. I recommend Steamtown to experienced and first-time marathoners. |
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