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Marathon Details - Around the Lake Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > MA > Wakefield > Around the Lake Marathon

Around the Lake Marathon

Somerville Road Runners Around the Lake Marathon & 24 hour race, 12 hour race, Relay

Wakefield, MA USA

July 24, 2015

http://www.srr.org/events/annual_events/24hour

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Race Details

Scenic, flat, loop 3.16 mile, course around Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield. The course is well marked and lighted with minimal traffic. The course is entirely on paved surfaces (sidewalks, paths, and industrial park access road) except for a 35 yard section of dirt path.

Contact Information

Name:	Seth Maleri
Address:	Somerville
Phone Number:	(617) 000 0000
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (36)

Course 3.8

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.3

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Number of comments: 36 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]

A. W. from Eastern Massachusetts (7/26/2015) "An awesome race, for what it is" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I signed up for this one at the very last minute, when the weather forecast looked good. I needed a Boston qualifier and was only three weeks into my (condensed) training. I figured I'd do my 20 miler there, and if I felt good, I'd have the option to keep going. But I felt good (enough), kept going, and got a Boston qualifier with room to spare. Those 12 and 24 hour ultra runners shamed me into continuing :-) I've never run a race as part of an ultra before, and the was pretty cool and inspiring. It also gave the whole event a different vibe, which was nice. I was worried about the night start (9:00 p.m.), because I'm a morning, not evening, person, but the adrenaline kicked in. We also had weather about as perfect as it gets in July temps in the mid to high 60s, I think. The humidity was high, but it's July. Also, the weather usually gets worse with each hour of a marathon. Here it got better, since it was later at night. The course: You have to be mentally prepared for the fact that you're going to run around something 8 times in a row (plus an add on loop at the beginning). A GPS watch also helps tremendously, because otherwise you don't really know what mile you're on, except when you complete a lap (and those come at odd intervals, like 10.35 miles and 15.53&). I was pleasantly surprised that the sidewalks were as smooth as they were, because in New England, we have some crappy sidewalks. I didn't NEED a head lamp, but I was glad I had one. I didn't know how the battery would hold up, so I would turn it off for a bit and then turn it back on for the dark parts. I should have worn reflective gear, but I figured I'd be on the sidewalk the whole time. In reality, I spent a fair amount of time out in the road, because pavement is so much softer than the concrete sidewalk, which wore on me after a while. There were 2 aid stations per lap (at the finish, and water halfway around). The finish had a lot of stuff, and Heed to drink. I was really glad that I brought my own fluids after trying the Heed, which I had never had before. I just brought a folding chair, put six bottles of Gatorade on it, and grabbed one each lap. That was also where I would have discarded my head lamp if I decided I didn't need it. A lot of ultra runners had tents and/or coolers set up&very different than your average road marathon. You can't compare this to Boston/New York/Chicago, or even Baystate/Hartford, etc. It's a totally different animal. But if you're like me and you need, say, a Boston qualifier at this time of year in New England, it's probably the best option out there. I can't imagine any circumstances under which I'd fly in from out of town to run this marathon, but for what it is, it's great. The course was faster than I would have expected. I would have thought night running would slow me down (I usually feel fast but run slow in the dark), as would just running on sidewalks instead of out in the roads with the masses. But this is a pretty fast course, especially if the weather cooperates. I usually only run Boston, so it's the only thing I can compare it to, but this is a significantly faster course than Boston. There are essentially no hills (though I swore some popped up on that last lap&there are very minor elevation changes throughout the loop, but nothing I'd identify as a hill). There weren't many spectators, of course, but it was fun to go through the finish area each lap, where people were cheering, and I was also happy to see the water station people and one random group cheering on each lap. I started out at about 3:30 pace and slowed down a bit, but I was surprised to have people near me or people to chase for most of the race. It was only the last lap where I wondered where everyone had gone (and even then, I was still lapping people who were walking, probably as part of the ultra). As long as you know what you're getting intosigning up to do eight laps around a place that I would just rate as average for running during the daythis is an awesome race. And the monotony is more tolerable in the dark&I found myself looking forward to certain landmarks, like 'that's the trash can I threw my bottle in on the last lap!' or 'there's the little dirt path where you can cut this corner.' The Somerville Road Runners do an excellent job with this race, in my opinion.
E. N. from Somerville, MA (7/27/2014) "Nice, but not sure if I'd do it again..." (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I thought I'd really enjoy doing another night marathon after Bangkok in 2009, but the 3.2 mile loop course kind of wore on me mentally...completely screwed up my pacing so that I ended up almost 30 minutes slower than I had planned, but with zero cramping and sprinting the last 2 miles...go figure! Pros: nice laid-back vibe among runners, organizers, volunteers & sparse spectators. Course was mostly flat. Cons: very hard to stay focused on this course...ended up zoning out for much of it. Lighting not 100% consistent...headlamp recommended, esp. if you like to use dirt paths whenever available alongside the paved path.
Arnie James from Somerville, MA (7/29/2013) "Running in Heaven" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Around the Lake Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Plenty has been said about this great race over the years, but this year truned out to be an unforgetable experience. For many who were alseep at that hour they missed a specatcular Double Rainbow. Sure there have been double rainbows before but this was at the lake where both the rainbows seemed to touch the water surface and the reflection made it a continuation into two almost complete circles. You felt like you were running right through these circles.Heavenly experience!!! If there is anyone who took pictures of this spectacular event, please, please send them to me at arniejames@hotmail.com It'll be very much appreciated. Thanks. As usual the race was great but the food dept took a nose dive as compared to the years gone by. Oh, well, the rainbows made up for lousy food. So next year, since they can't bring the double rainbows back, I guess they'll have to improve the food. At least I hope they do. Ramen Noodle soup? come on!!!
S. K. from Indiana (8/5/2012) "Unique night race" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This race is a good small marathon that runs concurrently with a 12-hour, and 24-hour endurance race. The course is a 3.2 mile loop around Lake Quinnapowitt (it took me a few minutes before I could pronounce that) that begins with an .8 mile mini-loop to make up the distance needed to qualify as a marathon. Eight complete laps + the mini lap = 1 marathon. The food and drinks were good, the volunteers very friendly, and the course interesting. Remember to bring some kind of illumination since the run begins at 7PM. There are places were the sidewalks have been damaged by tree roots, the parking lot we run through had potholes, and there is a 35-yard run across a lawn, with large ankle-twisting rocks to avoid. One humorous thing happened to me with my lights, at least now I can call it humorous. My hat had built in lights, after the sun set after 8PM, the bugs started to fly and were attracted to the lights. I know I swallowed at least one insect while I was taking a breath. I'm still alive, so it must have been nutritious! Don't worry, the bugs stop flying about an hour later. The finishers medal is small, but considering the small size of this race, and the low cost, it's understandable. My wife and I stayed at a close hotel, not the race headquarters, and enjoyed the opportunity to tour Boston. I recommend this race to anyone wanting to try a different type of marathon: an evening race, with multiple loops around a scenic lake, in a lovely suburban community.
M. D. from Georgia USA (7/29/2012) "A excellent small diverse race." (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I completed this race and give it good reviews. It is a marathon, 12 hour and 24 hour race. The marathon is more of an afterthought. The course is a 3.2 mile loop, but I got use to the sights along the way and really enjoyed the experience. The sunset and sunrise were great. It was an easy and cheap trip from the airport by public transportation. The host hotel is nearby, but not memorable. There was ample food and good support at the start every 3.3 miles of the loop.
K. M. from Roswell, GA (8/15/2011) "Unique Event" (about: 2011) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This event was unique for several reasons. It starts in the evening, and while that is a little out of the ordinary for a Marathon, I do most of my training at night so this race fit in well with my routine. It is a ~3.2 mile loop course - so after a little lead in, you walk eight laps around (but only a fraction of the course is right beside) a lake. The loop made it great because my family got to see me multiple times w/o having to move around. I am a marathon walker, so I am used to being alone and at the back of the pack. With it being a loop course, and the fact this is a Marathon inside of an Ultra, there were always folks around me. That was a new (and nice) experience. Instead of walking by abandoned aid stations, I actually felt like I was involved in the event! I had read enough reviews to know the course was somewhat dark in places so I came prepared with a headlamp in my bag. I did not feel like it was required so I never used it, but understand why some folks might have felt the need. My advice would be to bring one so you will have it if you need it. The location was perfect. Right off the interstate, far enough out of Boston I didn't have any problem with traffic getting there. And there was plenty of parking right at the start line. The results were posted quickly, but it took a couple of weeks for the lap times to be posted. I guess you get a lot more split times in an eight lap race than you do at others - another nice benefit. I would also like to thank whoever made the PB&J I picked up at the aid station after lap six. It had just finished pouring down rain, it was around midnight, I was mentally tired, and that was, without a doubt, the most fabulous sandwich I have EVER eaten!! It (and its cousin that I picked up before lap eight) inspired me to a PR! Hats off to the chef!! Funny how sometimes it is the simple things are among the most memorable!
J. L. from somerville, ma (8/5/2011) "terrific intro to ultra running" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Around the Lake Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 this was a fantastic introduction to ultra running since it is a loop course. I did the 12 hour ultra. friends can see you every 5k. Organizers gave a heads up to bring a headlamp with a few sections of the course being dark, but not a problem. GORGEOUS sunrise and the view over the lake made it all worth it. Cool overnight weather made it comfortable (as comfortable as a 12 hour ultra can be) and enough runners on the course to chat with along the way. Volunteers are second to none at this event and go out of their way to help. This race runs like clockwork and its nice to know race proceeds to go local charities. This is a must do!!
K. R. from Westford MA (8/2/2011) "Good small marathon, loop course at night." (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Pros: tidy well run event on a 3.17 mile loop course around a lake. Run a 24 hr ultra, a 12 hr ultra, teams for either, or a solo marathon. Cons: well meaning but sparse crowd support, two rough footing patches, and run at dusk into night. It was my 1st marathon and I would run it again.
A. L. from Maine (8/9/2010) "No BQ, but still a great experience!" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What a crazy race! From the night-time start, to the 24-hour ultra runners, this race is unique! I was going for a BQ and fell quite short, but I learned a lot about myself and how to race a marathon at this event. I don't regret participating at all and I feel completely, 100% prepared to BQ at Bay State in October. Overall this was a great race and an experience I'll never forget, but like any other marathon, it had its ups and downs. I'll start with the downs... 1) Not only was the course way dark, but it was open to the public, so you had runners, walkers, dogs, roller-bladers, bikers all headed TOWARD you. When it's pitch black and you're at mile 23, this is can be really disorienting. That said, it was no surprise... there was plenty of warning about the darkness and the open course going into this thing. 2) Eating for a night-time marathon is weird. I had a stomach cramp from the very beginning. 3) The host hotel was a little rough around the edges - or maybe I'm just a princess. ;) And the good things... 1) Running a marathon at night is totally fun. 2) I loved running 8 loops. I found it to be way more manageable to count in loops instead of miles. 3) Got to see my family a zillion times since they were spread out all over the course. 4) Loved the stainless steel water bottle in lieu of a medal. 5) The volunteers were awesome and friendly and helpful. 6) Aid stations every mile and a half. 7) Flat, flat, flat. 8) Nice scenery. If you're planning to run this race, my advice to you is to wear a head lamp, have your friends/family have food for you since the food tables a little bit out of the way, and bring a giant air horn to get the pedestrians out of your way (not really, but maybe).
David McCorquodale from Wilmington, Delaware (8/2/2010) "The course is problematic" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The weather couldn't have been better for late July, but there are problems with this course: 1. About a third is on a concrete sidewalk, which had me choosing to run in a rut in the grass until it got dark and then in the street, which had a nice wide shoulder. One guy might have tripped in the dark on a rock in the rutted trail and bloodied his face. 2. Another third is a rippled asphalt sidewalk, which is poorly lit, meaning lots of shuffling and running on faith. Although the director said head-lamps were unnecessary, I would advise them for this section. 3. Because there are eight loops and there are 50-stater participants and 12- and 24-hour participants and relayers, anyone who can run a 10-minute pace will pass these people many times. Unfortunately some of them manage to stay right in the middle of the sidewalk or go two or three abreast. They were not very considerate. 4. Finally, it's been three days and still no results are posted. It's dismaying that the marathon only gives awards to the top three finishers with no age group awards.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 > ]



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A. W. from Eastern Massachusetts (7/26/2015) "An awesome race, for what it is" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I signed up for this one at the very last minute, when the weather forecast looked good. I needed a Boston qualifier and was only three weeks into my (condensed) training. I figured I'd do my 20 miler there, and if I felt good, I'd have the option to keep going. But I felt good (enough), kept going, and got a Boston qualifier with room to spare. Those 12 and 24 hour ultra runners shamed me into continuing :-) I've never run a race as part of an ultra before, and the was pretty cool and inspiring. It also gave the whole event a different vibe, which was nice. I was worried about the night start (9:00 p.m.), because I'm a morning, not evening, person, but the adrenaline kicked in. We also had weather about as perfect as it gets in July temps in the mid to high 60s, I think. The humidity was high, but it's July. Also, the weather usually gets worse with each hour of a marathon. Here it got better, since it was later at night. The course: You have to be mentally prepared for the fact that you're going to run around something 8 times in a row (plus an add on loop at the beginning). A GPS watch also helps tremendously, because otherwise you don't really know what mile you're on, except when you complete a lap (and those come at odd intervals, like 10.35 miles and 15.53&). I was pleasantly surprised that the sidewalks were as smooth as they were, because in New England, we have some crappy sidewalks. I didn't NEED a head lamp, but I was glad I had one. I didn't know how the battery would hold up, so I would turn it off for a bit and then turn it back on for the dark parts. I should have worn reflective gear, but I figured I'd be on the sidewalk the whole time. In reality, I spent a fair amount of time out in the road, because pavement is so much softer than the concrete sidewalk, which wore on me after a while. There were 2 aid stations per lap (at the finish, and water halfway around). The finish had a lot of stuff, and Heed to drink. I was really glad that I brought my own fluids after trying the Heed, which I had never had before. I just brought a folding chair, put six bottles of Gatorade on it, and grabbed one each lap. That was also where I would have discarded my head lamp if I decided I didn't need it. A lot of ultra runners had tents and/or coolers set up&very different than your average road marathon. You can't compare this to Boston/New York/Chicago, or even Baystate/Hartford, etc. It's a totally different animal. But if you're like me and you need, say, a Boston qualifier at this time of year in New England, it's probably the best option out there. I can't imagine any circumstances under which I'd fly in from out of town to run this marathon, but for what it is, it's great. The course was faster than I would have expected. I would have thought night running would slow me down (I usually feel fast but run slow in the dark), as would just running on sidewalks instead of out in the roads with the masses. But this is a pretty fast course, especially if the weather cooperates. I usually only run Boston, so it's the only thing I can compare it to, but this is a significantly faster course than Boston. There are essentially no hills (though I swore some popped up on that last lap&there are very minor elevation changes throughout the loop, but nothing I'd identify as a hill). There weren't many spectators, of course, but it was fun to go through the finish area each lap, where people were cheering, and I was also happy to see the water station people and one random group cheering on each lap. I started out at about 3:30 pace and slowed down a bit, but I was surprised to have people near me or people to chase for most of the race. It was only the last lap where I wondered where everyone had gone (and even then, I was still lapping people who were walking, probably as part of the ultra). As long as you know what you're getting intosigning up to do eight laps around a place that I would just rate as average for running during the daythis is an awesome race. And the monotony is more tolerable in the dark&I found myself looking forward to certain landmarks, like 'that's the trash can I threw my bottle in on the last lap!' or 'there's the little dirt path where you can cut this corner.' The Somerville Road Runners do an excellent job with this race, in my opinion.
E. N. from Somerville, MA (7/27/2014) "Nice, but not sure if I'd do it again..." (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I thought I'd really enjoy doing another night marathon after Bangkok in 2009, but the 3.2 mile loop course kind of wore on me mentally...completely screwed up my pacing so that I ended up almost 30 minutes slower than I had planned, but with zero cramping and sprinting the last 2 miles...go figure! Pros: nice laid-back vibe among runners, organizers, volunteers & sparse spectators. Course was mostly flat. Cons: very hard to stay focused on this course...ended up zoning out for much of it. Lighting not 100% consistent...headlamp recommended, esp. if you like to use dirt paths whenever available alongside the paved path.
Arnie James from Somerville, MA (7/29/2013) "Running in Heaven" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Around the Lake Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Plenty has been said about this great race over the years, but this year truned out to be an unforgetable experience. For many who were alseep at that hour they missed a specatcular Double Rainbow. Sure there have been double rainbows before but this was at the lake where both the rainbows seemed to touch the water surface and the reflection made it a continuation into two almost complete circles. You felt like you were running right through these circles.Heavenly experience!!! If there is anyone who took pictures of this spectacular event, please, please send them to me at arniejames@hotmail.com It'll be very much appreciated. Thanks. As usual the race was great but the food dept took a nose dive as compared to the years gone by. Oh, well, the rainbows made up for lousy food. So next year, since they can't bring the double rainbows back, I guess they'll have to improve the food. At least I hope they do. Ramen Noodle soup? come on!!!
S. K. from Indiana (8/5/2012) "Unique night race" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This race is a good small marathon that runs concurrently with a 12-hour, and 24-hour endurance race. The course is a 3.2 mile loop around Lake Quinnapowitt (it took me a few minutes before I could pronounce that) that begins with an .8 mile mini-loop to make up the distance needed to qualify as a marathon. Eight complete laps + the mini lap = 1 marathon. The food and drinks were good, the volunteers very friendly, and the course interesting. Remember to bring some kind of illumination since the run begins at 7PM. There are places were the sidewalks have been damaged by tree roots, the parking lot we run through had potholes, and there is a 35-yard run across a lawn, with large ankle-twisting rocks to avoid. One humorous thing happened to me with my lights, at least now I can call it humorous. My hat had built in lights, after the sun set after 8PM, the bugs started to fly and were attracted to the lights. I know I swallowed at least one insect while I was taking a breath. I'm still alive, so it must have been nutritious! Don't worry, the bugs stop flying about an hour later. The finishers medal is small, but considering the small size of this race, and the low cost, it's understandable. My wife and I stayed at a close hotel, not the race headquarters, and enjoyed the opportunity to tour Boston. I recommend this race to anyone wanting to try a different type of marathon: an evening race, with multiple loops around a scenic lake, in a lovely suburban community.
M. D. from Georgia USA (7/29/2012) "A excellent small diverse race." (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I completed this race and give it good reviews. It is a marathon, 12 hour and 24 hour race. The marathon is more of an afterthought. The course is a 3.2 mile loop, but I got use to the sights along the way and really enjoyed the experience. The sunset and sunrise were great. It was an easy and cheap trip from the airport by public transportation. The host hotel is nearby, but not memorable. There was ample food and good support at the start every 3.3 miles of the loop.
K. M. from Roswell, GA (8/15/2011) "Unique Event" (about: 2011) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This event was unique for several reasons. It starts in the evening, and while that is a little out of the ordinary for a Marathon, I do most of my training at night so this race fit in well with my routine. It is a ~3.2 mile loop course - so after a little lead in, you walk eight laps around (but only a fraction of the course is right beside) a lake. The loop made it great because my family got to see me multiple times w/o having to move around. I am a marathon walker, so I am used to being alone and at the back of the pack. With it being a loop course, and the fact this is a Marathon inside of an Ultra, there were always folks around me. That was a new (and nice) experience. Instead of walking by abandoned aid stations, I actually felt like I was involved in the event! I had read enough reviews to know the course was somewhat dark in places so I came prepared with a headlamp in my bag. I did not feel like it was required so I never used it, but understand why some folks might have felt the need. My advice would be to bring one so you will have it if you need it. The location was perfect. Right off the interstate, far enough out of Boston I didn't have any problem with traffic getting there. And there was plenty of parking right at the start line. The results were posted quickly, but it took a couple of weeks for the lap times to be posted. I guess you get a lot more split times in an eight lap race than you do at others - another nice benefit. I would also like to thank whoever made the PB&J I picked up at the aid station after lap six. It had just finished pouring down rain, it was around midnight, I was mentally tired, and that was, without a doubt, the most fabulous sandwich I have EVER eaten!! It (and its cousin that I picked up before lap eight) inspired me to a PR! Hats off to the chef!! Funny how sometimes it is the simple things are among the most memorable!
J. L. from somerville, ma (8/5/2011) "terrific intro to ultra running" (about: 2011) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Around the Lake Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 this was a fantastic introduction to ultra running since it is a loop course. I did the 12 hour ultra. friends can see you every 5k. Organizers gave a heads up to bring a headlamp with a few sections of the course being dark, but not a problem. GORGEOUS sunrise and the view over the lake made it all worth it. Cool overnight weather made it comfortable (as comfortable as a 12 hour ultra can be) and enough runners on the course to chat with along the way. Volunteers are second to none at this event and go out of their way to help. This race runs like clockwork and its nice to know race proceeds to go local charities. This is a must do!!
K. R. from Westford MA (8/2/2011) "Good small marathon, loop course at night." (about: 2011) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Pros: tidy well run event on a 3.17 mile loop course around a lake. Run a 24 hr ultra, a 12 hr ultra, teams for either, or a solo marathon. Cons: well meaning but sparse crowd support, two rough footing patches, and run at dusk into night. It was my 1st marathon and I would run it again.
A. L. from Maine (8/9/2010) "No BQ, but still a great experience!" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What a crazy race! From the night-time start, to the 24-hour ultra runners, this race is unique! I was going for a BQ and fell quite short, but I learned a lot about myself and how to race a marathon at this event. I don't regret participating at all and I feel completely, 100% prepared to BQ at Bay State in October. Overall this was a great race and an experience I'll never forget, but like any other marathon, it had its ups and downs. I'll start with the downs... 1) Not only was the course way dark, but it was open to the public, so you had runners, walkers, dogs, roller-bladers, bikers all headed TOWARD you. When it's pitch black and you're at mile 23, this is can be really disorienting. That said, it was no surprise... there was plenty of warning about the darkness and the open course going into this thing. 2) Eating for a night-time marathon is weird. I had a stomach cramp from the very beginning. 3) The host hotel was a little rough around the edges - or maybe I'm just a princess. ;) And the good things... 1) Running a marathon at night is totally fun. 2) I loved running 8 loops. I found it to be way more manageable to count in loops instead of miles. 3) Got to see my family a zillion times since they were spread out all over the course. 4) Loved the stainless steel water bottle in lieu of a medal. 5) The volunteers were awesome and friendly and helpful. 6) Aid stations every mile and a half. 7) Flat, flat, flat. 8) Nice scenery. If you're planning to run this race, my advice to you is to wear a head lamp, have your friends/family have food for you since the food tables a little bit out of the way, and bring a giant air horn to get the pedestrians out of your way (not really, but maybe).
David McCorquodale from Wilmington, Delaware (8/2/2010) "The course is problematic" (about: 2010) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Around the Lake Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The weather couldn't have been better for late July, but there are problems with this course: 1. About a third is on a concrete sidewalk, which had me choosing to run in a rut in the grass until it got dark and then in the street, which had a nice wide shoulder. One guy might have tripped in the dark on a rock in the rutted trail and bloodied his face. 2. Another third is a rippled asphalt sidewalk, which is poorly lit, meaning lots of shuffling and running on faith. Although the director said head-lamps were unnecessary, I would advise them for this section. 3. Because there are eight loops and there are 50-stater participants and 12- and 24-hour participants and relayers, anyone who can run a 10-minute pace will pass these people many times. Unfortunately some of them manage to stay right in the middle of the sidewalk or go two or three abreast. They were not very considerate. 4. Finally, it's been three days and still no results are posted. It's dismaying that the marathon only gives awards to the top three finishers with no age group awards.

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Marathon Details - Around the Lake Marathon