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Marathon Details - Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > MI > Grand Rapids > Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon

Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon

Grand Rapids, MI USA

September 8, 2024

http://www.lastchancebqgr.com

Marathon Results

By Year:

2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Closed loop, time trial type course in Millennium Park. Designed for speed for those trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon

Contact Information

Name:	Don Kern
Address:	1170 Oakburn Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546
Phone Number:	616-293-3145
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (19)

Course 4.5

Organization 4.8

Spectators 4.1

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Number of comments: 19 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

J. P. from Cleveland, OH, USA (9/16/2024) "Great race for your BQ" (about: 2024) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a race to get your BQ. It is well organized with a limit of about 300 runners - all of whom seemed to have a shot at their BQ. 75% of the runners achieved their BQ times. The start is organized so you can find other runners targeting the same time as you. This makes it easy to run with a group throughout the race and support each other. I liked that it was a loop course, 6 4-mile loops with hydration every 2 miles. It is not pancake flat, but I felt the very slight rolling spots on the course gave welcomed variety. Much of the loop is shaded so you aren't baking in the sun. since it is a loop course, there were a surprising number of spectators cheering the runners on.
B. J. from U.S. (10/24/2016) "Decent Race Could Use Some Improvements" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The weather was unseasonably warm and humid this year. Obviously nothing the race director could do about it, but it was a real bummer to be expecting 53 degrees and low humidity, and instead run in 68 degrees and high humidity. It really seemed to affect finish times as the percentage of BQ's was less than half the historical average - and the DNF percentage was through the roof at something like 25%. The 6-loop course seemed like a plus and minus for me. It was kind of nice to know what was coming up, but it did get a bit monotonous after a while. On the (big) plus side, the multiple loops are what make the custom water bottle concept possible, which was awesome! I loved not having to carry anything the entire race - and I was able to get all my carbs through the personal sports drink I had on the tables - no gels to choke down. To me, that's the biggest positive for this race. The biggest negative is that the course is not closed. I passed numerous joggers, cyclists and baby strollers. This made it really hard to run the tangents, because you never knew whether you were about to collide with someone coming around the corner going the opposite direction. It seems like it would be fairly easy to get that course closed for the race, because the entire race is on a path through a nature park - no actual roads to deal with. With that one qualifier, I though it was a very well-organized race.
J. B. from USA (9/11/2016) "Decent Race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I entered this race for the time of year and last chance BQ. The race is a six loop course on a recreational trail that is asphalt. The course was ok, but it sure was mentally tough for me. There was a hill that was in the course that sure did get to me after about lap 4. Water station was pretty cool because you were able to prepare your own bottle for each lap. Very cool! Nice shirt and medal. The last lap to go back to the start/finish line was confusing to me and could have been marked perhaps with a banner so you would know exactly where to finish on your last lap....I did have one runner pass me wondering where to turn to finish and he explained to me he was on mile 26.5...poor guy. Also, this lap course is also open to general public during race so be prepared for baby strollers, bicyclists, recreational walkers/runners. I was not aware of this until the race was going. At the water stations, it would be nice to have water in white cups and gatorade in gatorade cups at the water stations. Also, would have been nice to have a host hotel for the race. I guess my expectations for this race were high but I was not impressed nor disappointed. I doubt I would return.
J. B. from Essexville michigan (9/16/2015) "An awesome botique marathon for Boston Qualifying!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Run this marathon. Small fast! Six loops. Not totally flat. This was my 27th marathon and I would run it again Serene. You can have your own support crew! Great organization - Don does a great job. Good food! Beer after. Friendly runners and support. Loved this race!!!
M. C. from Chicago (9/13/2015) "Not a PR course but a BQ event" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is not a race but an event for the usual suspects. The atmosphere was such that we were there to take care of business. With BQ not being good enough and a projection of minus 2:00 minutes needed that was the order of the day. :) The slight hill in the loop got slightly steeper each lap keeping this course from being PR fast but not enough from stopping a BQ if you were in BQ shape. 7 of the 12 in my division were qualified by enough to get in. Thanks to the director and volunteers I have to go book a hotel room now.
M. B. from Flint, MI (9/12/2015) "Optimizes the goal of a BQ!! AWESOME!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Small race, with only 330 max entries, but the race has one goal - to help you BQ. Bib numbers start with your BQ time so you can pair up with others with the same time. The course was flat and beautiful. The 4 mile loop was easy to track your pace versus constantly watching times. The volunteers treat everyone as an elite as you had two aid stations with personalized bottles and drop zones, they would return them to the table before you came back. I have all positives to say about it.
C. P. from Hudsonville, Michigan (6/29/2015) "Flat & Scenic - paved trails with no traffic" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Scenic with along lakes, river & combination of woods & meadows. Paved trails with no traffic!! Flat with only a few dips & small hills. Well run & supportive staff.
M. H. from Michigan (3/22/2015) "Great flat race!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Optimized to BQ. Met 4 other guys in my AG at the start as our bib numbers told our BQ time. We ran together and the team effort payed off. I was 9+ minutes under my BQ. The water bottles were great to have and my spectator saw me every 4 miles. I thought the loop course would drive me crazy but it helped psychologically, as I counted down loops, rather than miles. The organizers did a great job!
E. M. from Toronto, Canada (11/22/2014) "Well organized and supportive from start to finish" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This last chance to qualify for Boston really reminded me how supportive people can be. Although this race has a very small crew they put together a perfectly organized event which makes it easier to achieve the task at hand. Being a very small race you may not have anyone running exactly your speed but the looped course means that you will have frequent access to aid stations and it would be a fairly sheltered race even if it were windy. The volunteers do a great job at the aid stations and there were even a few people out on the course cheering. It is a scenic run with perfect footing though not perfectly flat so if you cannot manage some small hills then look for a flatter course. I think a little change in terrain isn't a terrible thing for your legs and your mind. The temperature was perfect, cool but not too cold. About 7 degrees celcius at the start and maybe 14 degrees celcius at the end. Congratulations and thank you to Don Kern and his race crew.
D. W. from Ypsilanti, MI (10/4/2014) "Wonderful small race & encouraging environment" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a small, and well organized race specifically to provide one last opportunity to qualify for Boston. The RD set up signs at the start so people with common times could meet and work together on the course. Every runner was treated like an elite. On the 4 mile loop there were 2 aid stations, and your own bottle was available there for you every loop. Awesome volunteers who provided lots of encouragement. Not many spectators, but those who were there were extremely supportive. Best Post race celebration including craft beer

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]



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J. P. from Cleveland, OH, USA (9/16/2024) "Great race for your BQ" (about: 2024) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a race to get your BQ. It is well organized with a limit of about 300 runners - all of whom seemed to have a shot at their BQ. 75% of the runners achieved their BQ times. The start is organized so you can find other runners targeting the same time as you. This makes it easy to run with a group throughout the race and support each other. I liked that it was a loop course, 6 4-mile loops with hydration every 2 miles. It is not pancake flat, but I felt the very slight rolling spots on the course gave welcomed variety. Much of the loop is shaded so you aren't baking in the sun. since it is a loop course, there were a surprising number of spectators cheering the runners on.
B. J. from U.S. (10/24/2016) "Decent Race Could Use Some Improvements" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The weather was unseasonably warm and humid this year. Obviously nothing the race director could do about it, but it was a real bummer to be expecting 53 degrees and low humidity, and instead run in 68 degrees and high humidity. It really seemed to affect finish times as the percentage of BQ's was less than half the historical average - and the DNF percentage was through the roof at something like 25%. The 6-loop course seemed like a plus and minus for me. It was kind of nice to know what was coming up, but it did get a bit monotonous after a while. On the (big) plus side, the multiple loops are what make the custom water bottle concept possible, which was awesome! I loved not having to carry anything the entire race - and I was able to get all my carbs through the personal sports drink I had on the tables - no gels to choke down. To me, that's the biggest positive for this race. The biggest negative is that the course is not closed. I passed numerous joggers, cyclists and baby strollers. This made it really hard to run the tangents, because you never knew whether you were about to collide with someone coming around the corner going the opposite direction. It seems like it would be fairly easy to get that course closed for the race, because the entire race is on a path through a nature park - no actual roads to deal with. With that one qualifier, I though it was a very well-organized race.
J. B. from USA (9/11/2016) "Decent Race" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I entered this race for the time of year and last chance BQ. The race is a six loop course on a recreational trail that is asphalt. The course was ok, but it sure was mentally tough for me. There was a hill that was in the course that sure did get to me after about lap 4. Water station was pretty cool because you were able to prepare your own bottle for each lap. Very cool! Nice shirt and medal. The last lap to go back to the start/finish line was confusing to me and could have been marked perhaps with a banner so you would know exactly where to finish on your last lap....I did have one runner pass me wondering where to turn to finish and he explained to me he was on mile 26.5...poor guy. Also, this lap course is also open to general public during race so be prepared for baby strollers, bicyclists, recreational walkers/runners. I was not aware of this until the race was going. At the water stations, it would be nice to have water in white cups and gatorade in gatorade cups at the water stations. Also, would have been nice to have a host hotel for the race. I guess my expectations for this race were high but I was not impressed nor disappointed. I doubt I would return.
J. B. from Essexville michigan (9/16/2015) "An awesome botique marathon for Boston Qualifying!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Run this marathon. Small fast! Six loops. Not totally flat. This was my 27th marathon and I would run it again Serene. You can have your own support crew! Great organization - Don does a great job. Good food! Beer after. Friendly runners and support. Loved this race!!!
M. C. from Chicago (9/13/2015) "Not a PR course but a BQ event" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is not a race but an event for the usual suspects. The atmosphere was such that we were there to take care of business. With BQ not being good enough and a projection of minus 2:00 minutes needed that was the order of the day. :) The slight hill in the loop got slightly steeper each lap keeping this course from being PR fast but not enough from stopping a BQ if you were in BQ shape. 7 of the 12 in my division were qualified by enough to get in. Thanks to the director and volunteers I have to go book a hotel room now.
M. B. from Flint, MI (9/12/2015) "Optimizes the goal of a BQ!! AWESOME!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Small race, with only 330 max entries, but the race has one goal - to help you BQ. Bib numbers start with your BQ time so you can pair up with others with the same time. The course was flat and beautiful. The 4 mile loop was easy to track your pace versus constantly watching times. The volunteers treat everyone as an elite as you had two aid stations with personalized bottles and drop zones, they would return them to the table before you came back. I have all positives to say about it.
C. P. from Hudsonville, Michigan (6/29/2015) "Flat & Scenic - paved trails with no traffic" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Scenic with along lakes, river & combination of woods & meadows. Paved trails with no traffic!! Flat with only a few dips & small hills. Well run & supportive staff.
M. H. from Michigan (3/22/2015) "Great flat race!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Optimized to BQ. Met 4 other guys in my AG at the start as our bib numbers told our BQ time. We ran together and the team effort payed off. I was 9+ minutes under my BQ. The water bottles were great to have and my spectator saw me every 4 miles. I thought the loop course would drive me crazy but it helped psychologically, as I counted down loops, rather than miles. The organizers did a great job!
E. M. from Toronto, Canada (11/22/2014) "Well organized and supportive from start to finish" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This last chance to qualify for Boston really reminded me how supportive people can be. Although this race has a very small crew they put together a perfectly organized event which makes it easier to achieve the task at hand. Being a very small race you may not have anyone running exactly your speed but the looped course means that you will have frequent access to aid stations and it would be a fairly sheltered race even if it were windy. The volunteers do a great job at the aid stations and there were even a few people out on the course cheering. It is a scenic run with perfect footing though not perfectly flat so if you cannot manage some small hills then look for a flatter course. I think a little change in terrain isn't a terrible thing for your legs and your mind. The temperature was perfect, cool but not too cold. About 7 degrees celcius at the start and maybe 14 degrees celcius at the end. Congratulations and thank you to Don Kern and his race crew.
D. W. from Ypsilanti, MI (10/4/2014) "Wonderful small race & encouraging environment" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a small, and well organized race specifically to provide one last opportunity to qualify for Boston. The RD set up signs at the start so people with common times could meet and work together on the course. Every runner was treated like an elite. On the 4 mile loop there were 2 aid stations, and your own bottle was available there for you every loop. Awesome volunteers who provided lots of encouragement. Not many spectators, but those who were there were extremely supportive. Best Post race celebration including craft beer

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Marathon Details - Last Chance BQ.2 Grand Rapids Marathon