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☰
Twin Cities Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Twin Cities Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.8 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 4.9
Number of comments: 454 [displaying comments 151 to 161]
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J. K. from Lincoln, NE
(10/5/2009)
"Perfect marathon - perfect day." (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Twin Cities Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A+ to everything for this race. Great crowds, beautiful course with a deceivingly difficult last 10K, and excellent organization. I would only have two little problems with the race. The second corral setup was so narrow and the pace signs were way too close together. I wanted to run with the 3:50 pace group but couldn't get any closer than the 4:30 pace group at the starting line (since I didn't get to the corral til 15 minutes before the race, thanks to the lack of men's toilets in the Metrodome). The only other nit was trying to maze through the expo to find packet pickup - but that isn't a big deal either. If that's all I could come up with, it must have been a pretty good race, huh? | |
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Bill Law from Florida
(10/5/2009)
"Most runner-centered event I've participated in!" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Twin Cities Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The 2009 event could not have been more well run. I've done 25 marathons (big and small) and this was the best organized I've experienced. Communication with runners was good, the schedule was maintained, and the expo was robust. The course is very nice - an easy run through park neighborhoods. The volunteers are the best part - all very supportive, enthusiastic and encouraging. There were lots of great kids working the aid stations and the sweats retrieval area. A perfect 50-degree day made the experience a real gem. Come run and just enjoy the whole experience. | |
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C. B. from Canada
(5/22/2009)
"Beautiful course" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Twin Cities Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I thoroughly enjoyed this marathon this year, as I ran it the previous year in the extreme heat. I had a PR this year. Even in the rain, the course is beautiful. Great fan support, considering the weather. | |
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N. K. from St. Paul, MN
(2/26/2009)
"Amazing First Experience" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Twin Cities Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The rain was definitely a factor, but what a talking point! The crowds were unbelievable, and the layout allowed my family to see me SIX times on the course, I never could have done it without them. I absolutely recommend wearing a shirt with your name on it, as the crowds are so wonderful that I heard my name being called the whole way. How can you stop when everyone knows your name? So much fun, and such good memories. Thanks to Beth for becoming my running partner around mile 10. Also, I have never seen anything so inspiring as the cathedral and the giant flag and the capitol behind it. I can't wait to do this again next year; Minnesota, you are the best! | |
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T. B. from Minnetonka, MN
(1/19/2009)
"Awesome Race" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Twin Cities Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Twin Cities really is a beautiful and interesting course. I cannot imagine another marathon that goes through two large cities, but you never see industrial areas. The course is nice for a PR, and I set one in 2008. The rain and the wind added extra challenges, since the narrow paths around the chain of lakes flooded, but that's what comes with this hobby! There could be more water stops along the course, but since this year was cool, is wasn't as big an issue as in 2007. The fans are what drives this race. People stand rows deep and there's never a place on the course where there is no one cheering. They cheer for you even if they don't know you, and having your name on your shirt is awesome because someone cheering for you by name is always more personal. Perfect fall race to end the running year. | |
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C. T. from Richfield, MN
(12/27/2008)
"Awesome experience" (about: 2008)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and it was a great one to start with. Fans were great! At a couple of points fans were serving beer. Not the beverage most marathoners are looking for, but I thought it was great. I could understand how people could get upset about the no headphones rule, but for this marathon I don't see why you need them anyway. I found it way too fun to listen to the cheering crowds that lined nearly the entire route to even want to wear headphones. I love the shirt and medal and the expo was great. | |
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Ty Gruszewski from Washington DC
(12/14/2008)
"One of Americas Best" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Twin Cities Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A race that deserves praise. From the cathedral bells ringing at full glory at mile 1, to the THOUSANDS of fans who brave the elements, to the inspirational finish (people say that about every race, but I saw many seasoned marathoners tear up as they charged down into St. Paul and under a giant American flag), TCM does it right. One of the best mid-sized races in the country. | |
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J. C. from Washington, DC
(10/25/2008)
"Awesome Experience" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Twin Cities Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I couldn't have done my first marathon any differently. Nothing is cooler than doing your hometown marathon - especially, when you have spent so much of life elsewhere. In my case, everything from seeing Alan Page on the tuba to the University of Minnesota alumni band to various TC landmarks to the State Capitol at the end made my day. I only wish that they were pouring post-race beers for marathoners at the end, but that is OK. Maybe MN liquor laws influence this. Also, I wish that some of the cool merchandise available at the expo showed up post-race. Since this was my first marathon, I didn't want to jinx myself by buying any TC Marathon goodies pre-race. As far as the headphones go, I use them for long training runs too, but think that people are missing out on the full experience if they run a well-attended marathon without them. If you know it's a rule and you've heard around the grapevine that it is enforced, then deal with the consequences. It isn't elitist and it isn't the Twin Cities Marathon trying to be something that it isn't. I've lived in and seen a lot of cities up close, and you would be very hard-pressed to find a marathon course that is entirely within the major cities' limits that would be as cool and scenic as this. | |
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M. W. from Kansas
(10/24/2008)
"Just wow." (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Twin Cities Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Highlights: 1. The course: downtown, lakes, forest, river, mansions, and the inspiring downhill finish to the capitol. In the middle miles, I kept gazing at the fall colored bluffs across the Mississippi. Gorgeous. 2. The Clif pacers: mine was perfect - even splits, good coaching, lots of encouragement the last 10K. 3. The crowd support! including: - A complete barnyard of spectators (dressed as cow, pig, chicken) in downtown Minneapolis. - High school and college bands set up playing sheet music in the storm. - A troupe playing giant taiko drums under a bridge near mile 10, the BOOMS echoing over the rain. - Signs near 21 such as "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift. - Pre." I thought about that one for the next five miles. - All-out neighborhood parties with big tents set up, music blasting, people going nuts. Thank you! 4. The organization: - The start and finish areas were much less overwhelming than Chicago or Boston. This is partly due to size, but also due to volunteers and layout. Also, I'm a woman and had NO wait for a warm, clean bathroom towards the far side of the Metrodome. - The water stop organization actually impressed me. A volunteer would announce the side of the road ahead of time, then there were bottles, then cups of PowerAde, cups of water, another row of PowerAde cups and water cups, in case you changed your mind or needed more. Because I hydrated, fueled and paced well (thanks to some of the above), I actually ran a slightly negative split and didn't find Summit Avenue particularly challenging. The course was easier than I expected overall (from previous years' comments here). You notice the climb to the Mississippi River bridge and a couple of the hills in St. Paul, but nothing is killer. So don't write this off as just a scenic, non-PR course... I trained hard and PRed by 27 minutes. Enjoy and good luck! | |
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A. B. from Boulder, CO
(10/23/2008)
"A Race Not To Be Missed." (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my second marathon and I must commend this marathon. It was a beautiful course that I didn't fully get to appreciate, given the nasty weather conditions - rain and wind - that lasted for the better part of the race. However, when I did look around, the lakes and scenery were amazing. But I must say what really stood out for me on this marathon were the people on the course. They were standing in the rain, cheering on all the runners for hours for more than 80% of the course. The day after the marathon, a friend and I were shopping at Target and an employee overheard that we had run the marathon and came over to us, shook our hand, and congratulated us for finishing the marathon. The Twin Cities citizens really embrace the runners and the fans have a special place in my heart! However, I must say that I was a little under-impressed by the music on the course. Maybe it was because of the rain, but the live musicians as well of the recorded music seems sparse. The last marathon that I completed, although smaller, had much better music. Although it was reasonable to have water every 2 miles for the first 20 miles and then more frequently for the last 10K, I much prefer to have water stops every mile after about the halfway point. This is my only suggestion that I feel should be implemented. Also after reading past reviews, I was a little worried about only having 2 corrals, as I was in the second corral. However, I arrived to the starting corral area about 20 minutes before the start of the race and, with a little effort, weaving my way through the crowd, I managed to get near the front near my appropriate pacer with time to spare. The organization, from picking up my packet, to getting my medal, to finding the bus to take me back to Minneapolis were top ranked. This is a great marathon and I recommend it to everyone. |
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