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☰
Rocket City Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Rocket City Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.0 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 285 [displaying comments 191 to 201]
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B. C. from Madison,Al
(12/12/2006)
"Unbeatable Value and Experience" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and I was blown away by the organization and support of the race. The aid stations were "well-manned," and the few fans that were out were really enthusiastic. I have no idea how $45 covered the entry fee, parking, expo, Nike technical shirt, finisher's hat and medal, and an excellent post-race meal. The weather was miserably cold at the start, but the start/finish line is just outside of the hotel, so I stayed warm before and after. The course was flat and fast, and HPD did an excellent job controlling traffic. I highly recommend this race to first-time and veteran marathoners. | |
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L. J. from TN
(12/12/2006)
"Best organization" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 12th state and the best organized race I've run. Splits at EVERY mile; great shirt; good snacks after the race, etc. Note that they focus on the marathon - I had psyched my husband up to do the 5K but there isn't one (my fault for not checking). | |
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B. K. from Huntsville, Alabama
(12/12/2006)
"Great Value and Great Experience" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Rocket City Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I just ran my adopted hometown marathon for the second time. Although the run is not kind to me time-wise, there's no doubt that this is an exceptionally well-run and runner-friendly marathon. Did it have a fleet of Sam Adams trucks standing by to give out buckets of beer to the finishers (like Chicago)? No, but the vegetable soup was poured by a hotel steward right in front of me as I made my way to a post-race table. Did it have a Superdome-sexy finish line (like New Orleans)? No, but the start/finish line was about 100 feet from my car where, by the way, I parked free. Were there shrieking throngs, pace teams, and live bands (like Nashville)? No, but a volunteer who called me by my first name gave me one-on-one care as I worked my way from the finish line to the recovery area. Even the bargains at the expo were real. The pampered-superstar attractions at the big marathons seem a little silly and shallow compared to Huntsville. The Rocket City Marathon gets the important stuff exactly right. Suzanne and Dink (our beloved race directors) have filled some very big shoes (our previous race directors) with skill and empathy. The medal, tech shirt and tech hat are great, too. Runners in search of an effortless and perfectly executed marathon experience need to put Huntsville on their list. | |
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Tim Hewitt from South Carolina
(12/12/2006)
"Fun, Friendly Race" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Although I was hampered with foot problems, I enjoyed Rocket City and would recommend it. There's a lot of community support. The crowds are small, but enthusiastic. The course appears and feels mostly flat despite what the elevation chart says. And it's quirky. You'll run through some parking lots, a tunnel, and even a little trail section -- a median between parking lot and street! The race staff take good care of you. Discard layers at water stops and they'll get them back to the finish line for pick up! But I was really disappointed that the finishers' medal wasn't a rocket design this year. | |
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R. C. from Nashville, TN
(12/12/2006)
"Awesome 1st Marathon!" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a great race. Not so big that you got lost in the crowd, but not so small that you feel like you're running your neighborhood loop in a training run. This was my first marathon and it couldn't have gone better! Start and finish are right outside the door of the hotel. The organization was wonderful and the course was FLAT! Great race and a great community of runners. | |
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H. F. from Alabama
(12/11/2006)
"Scenic beginning and end, non-scenic middle" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Downtown Huntsville is a well-planned city, and the 1st two miles included the historic homes district. It was freezing cold in 2006 (16 degrees at 6 a.m. that morning), but that did not quell the voices of the right wing fundamentalist protesters who gathered on a corner to shout at the marathoners. Other than those folks, a nice run indeed. Great organization. Some of the run is a long stretch of suburban highway with cars whizzing by, separated only by orange pylons. | |
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D. S. from Jacksonville, Florida
(12/11/2006)
"Fantastic experience for a first marathon" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This being my first marathon, it is hard to imagine that I could have had a better experience anywhere else. I chose Huntsville because of the high likelihood for cold weather and they certainly delivered. I will return because of the wonderful volunteers and fast course. The individual attention I received after finishing was very helpful - they even untied my shoes to get my chip off. There was a large group of high school kids cheering us on at about the half point that acted as if I just scored the winning touchdown for their team - a great boost. Being from Jacksonville, FL I was little skeptical of their description as a "flat" course - but amazingly, there were only a few hills that were really noticeable and they were not very long or steep - considerably easier than the bridges I had been running for hill training. The aid stations seemed to be spaced just about right and offered a clear choice between water and Gatorade. I definitely recommend staying at the race hotel - if for no other reason, it is nice to be able to stay in your own room up until 10 minutes before the race starts (no bathroom lines). If you need crowd support to keep you going, you may be a little disappointed - not because of the lack of enthusiasm from the spectators, but because of the stretches with no spectators. Personally, I was more interested in a race that was geared to helping a runner finish as fast as possible - and I certainly got that. I will definitely return. Thanks Huntsville! | |
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s. n. from alabama usa
(12/11/2006)
"Great marathon race and wonderful organization" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Very well organized race and a great turnout of runners. | |
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s. k. from georgia
(12/11/2006)
"High-quality small race with very nice touches" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Rocket City Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Excellent organization and communication combined with enthusiastic spectators and well-trained volunteers make this an all-around great race. Finish-line "personal assistant," frequent and well-stocked aid stations, great end-of-the-race re-fueling (and enough even for those of us bringing up the rear), and a super-soft Nike hi-tech long-sleeve shirt are just a few of the nice touches of this race. Yep, 20 degrees in Alabama was a bit unnerving the night before, but bright sunshine, calm winds, and warm support throughout the course made for a great run after all. | |
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S. K. from Nashville, TN
(12/11/2006)
"Fantastic small marathon" (about: 2006)
First Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a must for serious marathoners in the Southeast. The organization is incredible, and the execution is flawless. I received a long-sleeve Nike tech shirt, finisher's medal, finsher's tech hat, and incredible post-race meal for an entry fee of $45. The start and finish are directly outside the host hotel so getting to the line is simple. In fact, it was 18 degrees at the start this year, so a number of people waited inside until the gun sounded, then went out and crossed the timing mats! There is little in the way of crowd support on the vast majority of the course, though the spectators that were there were vocal and very friendly. The most positive aspect of the race for me was the field. No half, no 10K, no 5K, and a 6-hour time limit - every entrant was there to run 26.2 miles. Sharing the course with a community of serious runners made the race fantastic from start to finish. Courtesy, consideration, and encouragement ruled the day. |
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