Chris Doyle's Staging Area

Well-organized race with good communication leading up to the race. Easy bib pick-up. Nice tech T-shirt and medal. The course was flat but there were five hairpin turns (180 degrees) which slowed down my momentum. The race was downtown and it went past many of the major sites (Big Ben, Pariliament, Westminster Abbey, & the Eye).

Nice flat course but very crowded for the first 3 miles. So, it is hard to get a good start. The race is run well, but there were still challenges with the bag drop-off and pick-up. Unfortunately, the cherry blossoms were long gone.

Good course to get a PR. Although I was recovering from an injury so I took it easy. Well managed and lots of Cheer sections. The course was along the street and trail by the lake, but I did not find it particularly scenic.

You have to get up early to get to the start line; most shuttle buses left at 3:45-4:00 AM. But it is well worth it. The course was tough with several hills (one that is 2 miles long) and very windy conditions (10-20 mph, I heard). But the scenery was spectacular. This was the first marathon where I was kind of sorry to come to the end. Also, there were several race week events where you could meet other runners (e.g. pub run, shake-out run, happy hour at the expo, pasta dinner, and post-race party). Finally, the race organizers did a top-notch job in making sure everything ran smoothly.

This was my sixth time running the half-marathon. It is a well-run race over a flat course with very few turns. The shirt and medals have always been nice. There’s beer and music at the finish festival (although this year there was a DJ instead of a live band as in previous years).

Good course to set a PR since it was flat, point-to-point course with very few turns. Nice small-town, Midwestern atmosphere before, during, and after the race. Long lines to use the facilities at the start – they could have done that better.

The course starts and ends around the Washington Monument. I found it very crowded for the first few miles even though I started in the first wave. There are several hairpin turns which also slowed things down. The course is flat so I was still able to set a PR. It was a scenic course, but unfortunately, the cherry blossoms had their peak bloom a week before the race.

Boston knows how to put a marathon. The whole city celebrates during race week with billboards, store displays, and sales. Runners and visitors can be seen walking around town in their newly purchased Boston Marathon shirts and jackets. It is all very colorful. The course is tough with the first 4 miles downhill stressing your quads. I always seem to run the first half too fast. I will try for a better time next year.

Flat course with few turns (<10) – so good race for a PR. Scenic course mostly on PCH. Live bands and beer at expo and post-race party. Nice LS tech shirt and medal. Plenty of refreshments after race. Well organized race.

Evening run was a nice change of pace. Fast course – up & back on PCH (only one turn). Unfortunately, the wind blew smoke from the beach fire pits and barbeques onto the course, there was some smoke inhalation on the first half. The 10-mile, 10K, and 5K races started at same time and location, So, I had to weave through the walkers and slower runners from the other races for the last few miles. Other than that, the race was well organized.

Course is relatively flat. Can get PR if starting in the appropriate start wave. Very well-organized considering the number of runners. Can be hot, but this year overcast conditions reduced the heat for the early waves. T-shirt is cotton blend, not a tech shirt.

The course goes through the scenic, historic parts of Prague. Unfortunately, that means that you run on cobblestone streets and tram tracks for part of the race. So, you have to be careful. The race was well-organized.

Good race as usual. There was a little bit of rain but the organizers made some adjustments for it. The half-marathon course is primarily up and back on PCH, so it is easy to stay focused on your pace.

Well organized race. Flat course with a lots of turns. The race was crowded most of the way, which worked for me so I did not overextend myself. The water stations were well-marked, frequent, and easy to access. The weather was good for running (60 F, overcast, light rain at times). Overall, it was a very positive experience.

Large race around the city sites. A lot of spectators cheering and musical groups performing. A very positive experience. Although there were many start groups, my start group 5 was crowded for the whole distance. This was partly because a lot of the race was on bike trails. But it is best to start at the front of your start group if you want a PR. The T-shirt was not included in the price, but you could buy one at the expo.

I heard that the weather was worst it has been in 30 years. The race crew did not seem to be prepared for the heavy rain. The staging area was under a tent, but we stood in mud & puddles. The walk from the staging area to the starting line took around 45 minutes in the rain. I was soaked before I started. I also should have better prepared for the weather. Nevertheless, I hope that I can get in again so I can enjoy the Boston experience in better weather.

Flat course mostly along Pacific Coast Highway; plenty of water and energy drinks along the course; free parking and shuttle buses to starting line; beer and live band on beach afterward; good expo; long sleeve tech shirt and medal; beautiful weather

Low cost race. Very well organized. Decent T-shirt, but not a technical shirt. Average food hand-outs at end. I have run the race the previous 3 years. This was the first time that the weather affected me.

With 50,000+ runners, there was a smooth start due to the multiple waves. The course was mostly flat winding through the city of Boulder, but I was not used to running at 5000+ elevation. I thought arriving a week early would do the trick, but I still ran around 2 minutes off my PR. The race ended in the Univ. of Colorado stadium, which was a unique experience. There were lots of booths set up outside the stadium with free food, drinks, and other stuff. There was an elite runners team race at the end, which we could watch on the big screen and see them finish once they entered the stadium. Finally, there was a Memorial Day ceremony that included paratroopers from each branch of the military parachuting into the stadium. Overall, a great experience and we were out before 1 PM.

Well organized race; nice to meet runners from all around the world; flat course and surprisingly not very crowded at the start (I was able to get on my pace very quickly); water stations at each mile kept me hydrated; lots of cheering spectators to keep you going; nice poncho provided at finish, but not sure of its utility after the event; there seemed to be a rush to get you out of Central Park after the finish (I guess for security reasons) – after running 26 miles, I just wanted to sit down and rest a little (no such luck)

This race was more of a fun run since it had over 40,000 runners. It was hard to get a good pace going. Spokane is great. This race seems to be one of their main events of the year. There were several bands playing along the route, as well as a lot of cheering spectators. The race is inexpensive ($20) so there are not many freebies. There were vendors at the finish line selling food and drinks. One thing that I have not seen in other races was that there were people along the race course selling drinks, food, and ice cream (I guess this was mostly for the ones walking the course).

Well run race. Kind of crowded where they located the finish line. Flat course mostly around parking lots. Not very scenic. I did not like the T-shirt design.

This is a well-run race. The course was very scenic, but has some hills. There was a lot of cheering along the way to keep you motivated. There was a nice variety of food at the end. Also, the T-shirt was a nice design.

It was a nice scenic course. The race was well-organized. It was a small race so it was easy to get around other runners. There was a food court afterwards to regain the spent calories.