Ran the Half. Nice expo. We stayed at Embassy Suites, 1.5 blocks from start/finish areas. So walked to race 15 minutes before start. 6:30 start is nice before sun and … MORE
Ran the Half. Nice expo. We stayed at Embassy Suites, 1.5 blocks from start/finish areas. So walked to race 15 minutes before start. 6:30 start is nice before sun and weather warmed up to much. No issues with the course, decent scenery, some live music, aid/hydration stations were adequate. Interesting artist designed finisher medal. Post race in convention center was good. I left fairly quickly to return to hotel for shower and breakfast, then checkout. Overall a solid event. I would run again if I lived closer. Just chose Buffalo for New York State in my 50 state goal. 👍
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Solid event, no issues, fun weekend.
Ran the Half. Nice expo. We stayed at Embassy Suites, 1.5 blocks from start/finish areas. So walked to race 15 minutes before start. 6:30 start is nice before sun and … MORE
Ran the Half. Nice expo. We stayed at Embassy Suites, 1.5 blocks from start/finish areas. So walked to race 15 minutes before start. 6:30 start is nice before sun and weather warmed up to much. No issues with the course, decent scenery, some live music, aid/hydration stations were adequate. Interesting artist designed finisher medal. Post race in convention center was good. I left fairly quickly to return to hotel for shower and breakfast, then checkout. Overall a solid event. I would run again if I lived closer. Just chose Buffalo for New York State in my 50 state goal. 👍
Much Better Swag This Year
This is my second time doing the Buffalo Half Marathon so my initial review is more detailed. Last year I enjoyed the race but I was disappointed that when I … MORE
This is my second time doing the Buffalo Half Marathon so my initial review is more detailed. Last year I enjoyed the race but I was disappointed that when I signed up the swag item was a tumbler and not a jacket even though when I registered it had me select a jacket size. Don’t worry that was not an issue this year. I appreciated they changed the sign up swag option when registering to pick a size if apparel is the giveaway so if it was not a shirt or jacket I would not be as disappointed. The swag this year was very nice, long sleeved hooded tech shirts. Not sure if it’s quite as nice as the jacket from 2 years ago but it is a very nice swag item and better than what you receive for most races so I was happy this year. There is a helpful athlete guide created before the event. Packet pick-up is at the expo at convention center. I got it after the 5K. Expo is mid sized. Street parking is super easy by the convention center. The race is really nice and organized. It is an early 6:30 start but that allowed for beautiful weather and it didn’t get very hot until the end. It is a nice scenic, urban course. It is pretty flat. Just small inclines. Maybe one minor hill. It’s a fast course. I had another half the next day so was doing run-walk intervals to conserve energy but it’s a good PR course. There are a good number of spectators and musicians throughout the course. Not quite as much as some of the party races like OKC and Little Rock but more than average. Also lots of aid stations. All with water. All or most with Gatorade. One had gels. The gels were salted peanut which I thought was kind of an odd flavor though. My time wasn’t super fast but I was aiming to complete both half marathons this weekend around 3:10 which was exactly what I did. There are lots of back of packers. It has a stated time limit of 3:30 but there were a bunch of people well over that. Some over 4 hours. Finish line is nice and I liked the medal a lot this year. I’s a cool Buffalo design. I do have one complaint about the race and that is the post race party. I didn’t get to go last year so I was excited for it. It is located in the convention center right near the finish line. But it was jam packed and this year they gave no food just water at the finish line. The line for food was crazy. I tried getting in line and was told it was actually further back and I couldn’t figure it out and the place was so crowded it looked uncomfortable and I just left and ate snacks I had in the car. Would recommend having recovery food at the finish line and just the party food (pizza) in the convention center like last year or having separate lines for recovery food and pizza so it isn’t one huge line. I don’t really care much about post-race parties so I didn’t take away a sneaker. Maybe people who care about them like them this crowded. Other than the post-race party this was a pretty perfect race this year. I would definitely recommend this race for NY state for 50 state half and full marathoners. Along with being a great race, Buffalo is also a very affordable, convenient city to visit and there are a bunch of hotels by the convention center so you don’t need a rental car.
Great city race
Buffalo runs a great race. Fireworks at the start add to the excitement. Knowledge of the course is important as you cross a high point (North Street) several times. Knowing … MORE
Buffalo runs a great race. Fireworks at the start add to the excitement. Knowledge of the course is important as you cross a high point (North Street) several times. Knowing the course is uphill toward North and downhill away, will help your pace if you don’t overcook going up to North. It is not a big hill, but will wear away at your legs. The section out to the lakeside park has a nice view of the BFD boat shooting off its water cannons! The post race party was upstairs in the conference center instead of being down at race level. If you want anything other than water and a recovery drink, be prepared to go upstairs into the event hall.
Fast, Fun Way to Start the Weekend
This is m 3rd year participating in the Buffalo 5K which is the day before the half and full marathon. It has been the same course for all 3 years … MORE
This is m 3rd year participating in the Buffalo 5K which is the day before the half and full marathon. It has been the same course for all 3 years so read those reviews for more details. This year it started at 8am. There was packet pick-up race day for the 5K at the convention center right by start. Everything went smooth. Race was well produced. It is a fast 5K course. With a slight uphill in the middle and a fast finish. I had my fastest 5K of the year this year and always have a fast time. Swag this year included a very nice hooded tech shirt and a cute buffalo medal. There was water bottles, chips and granola bars at the finish. Would recommend doing the 5K along with the half/full. It is also a great 5K on its own if you aren’t up for the longer distances.
Wonderful flat course, great city
The Buffalo Half Marathon was an excellent production. I loved the course--it was pretty much flat with lots of shade, and miles 10-12 were along the waterfront. Great spectators who … MORE
The Buffalo Half Marathon was an excellent production. I loved the course–it was pretty much flat with lots of shade, and miles 10-12 were along the waterfront. Great spectators who were cheering on the runners the whole way. The only disappointment was with the advertised live music along the course. There were only a few live music stations, and one of them was playing an acoustic guitar–not really the vibe I needed!! I also wish they had given out t-shirts (we got travel mugs instead). Those are minor complaints, though, and overall I loved it!
Really fun race
The communication from the race coordinators was great, very well organized start/finish, loved the accessibility to bathrooms both portapotties and in the convention center before and after the race. The … MORE
The communication from the race coordinators was great, very well organized start/finish, loved the accessibility to bathrooms both portapotties and in the convention center before and after the race. The swag I loved – a tumbler instead of a shirt (I have SO Many shirts!). After party was inside the convention center which I also liked, as I don’t always stick around since weather is so iffy. Tons of community support. I highly recommend this race!
Race with the herd!
Great starting line production. Excellent race management. This event is run like a big city event or major. Excellent race! The late May date ended up being a bit warm. … MORE
Great starting line production. Excellent race management. This event is run like a big city event or major. Excellent race! The late May date ended up being a bit warm. Hopefully they can move it to mid-May in later years.
Great Race But Disappointing Swag
Last year I did the Buffalo 5K and this year I did the 5K and half marathon. I was also on call this weekend but the race starts super early … MORE
Last year I did the Buffalo 5K and this year I did the 5K and half marathon. I was also on call this weekend but the race starts super early at 6:30am so I was able to squeeze it in before having to go to the hospital. I went to the expo the day before right after the 5K. The expo was decent for a race this size. I would say it was pretty average. There were some vendors and samples. I have definitely been to better and worse expos. It is at the convention center in downtown Buffalo which is right by the start of the races. It is really easy to find free street parking in downtown Buffalo. There are also plenty of hotels within walking distance of the convention center and race start/finish so you don’t need a car. At the expo you get your bib and swag. As most of the other runner’s pointed out the biggest disappointment and why I took a sneaker away is no race shirts this year. Last year I got an amazing quality race jacket for just the 5K and was expecting 2 jackets this year since I was doing 2 races. I did just check my registration and it did say jacket and requested a size so I was really disappointed when we got tumblers instead. Granted they are nice cups with designs of Buffalo, I really wanted the jackets since I used mine from last year quite frequently. Also I know a lot of 50 staters who like to collect race shirts so bigger races that lots of 50 staters do should have shirts. Since I had a jacket from last year, I didn’t buy a shirt at the expo but that was an option. I had some issues with traveling to the race in the morning which were not the race’s fault so I got there only about 15 minutes before the start. I had absolutely no problem finding parking even so close to the start time. The start seemed organized and there were plenty of porta potties. They had signs to line up by pace. I ended up in the back but I was planning to take this race very slow since I have 3 half marathons and 2 5Ks in 9 days coming up next week. The course is really nice and definitely has the best sights of Buffalo. There are views of the park, the lake, and downtown with some cool architecture. There were a good amount of spectators along with musicians and race signs. Course was easy to follow and even though I was very slow due to purposefully taking a lot of walking breaks and having to answer a few pages there was always plenty of water and gatorade at all the aid stations and gels at one of them. There were also not long lines at the porta-potties. The elevation profile is nice. It is pretty flat. Not quite pancake flat but it’s mostly just inclines and no major hills. Could be a fast course if you pushed yourself which I didn’t. Although it can be hot on memorial day weekend so it may not be the best PR weather. Today was beautiful and not uncomfortably hot but a bit hotter than ideal running weather. They also posted on the website there is a 3:30 time limit which I did make but was pushing it but from what I saw aid stations appeared open later and people got finishing times who finished after that so this seems walker friendly and definitely got the full race experience even finishing close to the time limit. At the finish line they announce your name and you get a medal. The medal is a cute design with a buffalo but I agree with the other reviewers it is a bit cheaper looking than some of my other medals and the one from last year. This was one of my worst finishing times but the last thing I wanted to do was reinjure my foot with my plans for next week and I had to answer a couple pages so I just aimed to finish under 3:30 and I did that. You also got a huge box of snacks. There is an after party at the convention center that I didn’t have time to go to that had pizza and beer and probably other stuff. Overall this is a great course and probably the best urban NY course outside of NYC. If you are a 50 stater looking for an urban NY race and not wanting to deal with the logistics of NYC I would definitely recommend this race. However I really hope they go back to the jackets and think they need better swag if they want to keep attracting 50 staters. Since this is local for me it is one I am sure I will do again but even if the course is great they need better swag for a 5 star rating (or a cheaper entry fee).
Average Buffalo
Expo was average, which for me was good for easy in easy out. No finisher shirt did leave me pretty bitter about this race (especially since I am making a … MORE
Expo was average, which for me was good for easy in easy out. No finisher shirt did leave me pretty bitter about this race (especially since I am making a 50 state quilt & had to spend another $20) race cost with shirt $140. Start was easy to get to (plenty of near by parking) and had plenty of bathrooms, cool fireworks! The course was nice with minimal hills, and the volunteers & police officers were awesome! Aide stations even had 5 hour energy’s. The after party was inside the convention center and had quite a bit of beer, finisher food boxes and pizza for all. The medals we just okay, the extra bottle opener was better than the medal. They do shut everything down & open roads pretty quick so maybe more challenging for the back of the pack. Overall the marathon/race itself was great, the swag just meh.
Got my groove back in Buffalo!
What an excellent, well supported course! Plenty of aid and medic stations throughout. Water, Gatorade, gels and fruit. Neighborhoods also participated with food and water sprinklers. Packet pickup was smooth, … MORE
What an excellent, well supported course! Plenty of aid and medic stations throughout. Water, Gatorade, gels and fruit. Neighborhoods also participated with food and water sprinklers.
Packet pickup was smooth, plenty of vendors if you’re into that. NO SHIRT given to runners…that was pretty disappointing. Spent $20 on a shirt…. Not too bad.
The course had a few steady climbs and rolling hills. The course took you through some great neighborhoods and cool sights…be sure to read and look for those while you’re running! Even tho this year was full sun, there was plenty of opportunities to find shade most of time.
I thought the medal seemed a bit cheap. Got a keychain bottle opener that was cooler than the medal.
Really nice 5K
This is my second year doing this 5K. It is the day before the half/full marathon so a great add-on. You can see my review from last year and my … MORE
This is my second year doing this 5K. It is the day before the half/full marathon so a great add-on. You can see my review from last year and my review of the half this year for more details. I picked up my bib morning of the race at the convention center which was easy. This year it was also a Tumbler instead of a jacket. This didn’t bother me as much for the 5K so I did give the 5K five sneakers. I think a tumbler is a fine swag item for the 5K and I would actually kind of like it if the 5K had a non-clothing item and the half/full had a jacket so you get two different swag items. This is a 5K that is great as an addition to the longer races but is also a great stand along 5K. It was the same course as last year which is a very nice course. I had to answer a page just before the race so started in the back but it is on wide roads closed to traffic so I had no problem passing people and finding a rhythm. Nice scenery. Just one minor hill around the end of the first mile. Not as much spectators as for the longer races but that’s fine. At the end you get a medal. It is a smaller version of the half/full medals. I was quite happy with my finishing time. It was a bit slower than usual for how fast the course is but it was my best since my foot injury and close to my usual 5K time. I did have time to go to the after party at the convention center. It had pizza, coffee and bagels along with granola bars and other stuff. I loved that they had almond and cashew butter along with cream cheese for the bagels. I would definitely recommend trying to do the 5K if you are doing a longer race or looking for a 5K in Buffalo
Fun race
The reason I ran this was the announcers are AMAZING. I try to follow "Team Noisy". Fitz and Rudy are THE BEST. The race course is nice. The volunteers at … MORE
The reason I ran this was the announcers are AMAZING. I try to follow “Team Noisy”. Fitz and Rudy are THE BEST. The race course is nice. The volunteers at the stations are awesome! There are water stations every 2 miles and I love that. it helps me break things down in my head and makes the race go by quicker. They gave a nice Tervis instead of a shirt this year. It was nice. However, they didn’t plan on that causing people wanting to buy shirts. By the time I got to the expo on Saturday at 1 everything was gone except S and 2XL. They did open an online store after the race though. This is a nice race and I would do it again as long as they keep Fitz and Rudy. They bring the energy and make this race a great event.
Well Organized Race
I was registered to run this in 2020 but Covid caused me to be deferred to 2021. I cannot emphasize enough the great job the race director has done over … MORE
I was registered to run this in 2020 but Covid caused me to be deferred to 2021. I cannot emphasize enough the great job the race director has done over the last year and a half in communicating with the runners about updates, changes, etc. Kudos to him!!
I heard some of the locals comment about how much smaller the race was this year but then someone commented about missing all of the Canadiens. So that made sense.
As for the race, it was mostly flat through the town of Buffalo. The volunteers were awesome and there were plenty of aid stations, port a potties, etc. The aid stations had water, gatorade, and some had gels. The scenery was what you would expect when running a race in a big city. Nothing special. It was hot because the race had to be delayed a month but the race started very early so that helped.
The finishers got nice jackets and boxed goodies at the finish as well as water, gatorade, and a beer. The box was very full of snacks. Due to covid, no post race party though. The medal was nice and the people were awesome. This was a good choice for my NY race.
For out of towners, there are plenty of hotels that are within a couple of blocks from the start/finish. Also, lots of bars/restaurants in the area as well. Very nice race and I enjoyed my trip to Buffalo.
Hot and Humid
This was my 1 st full marathon attempt. Unfortunately I overheated got dehydrated and ended at mile 23. The aid stations and volunteers were great. The 20 th anniversary jackets … MORE
This was my 1 st full marathon attempt. Unfortunately I overheated got dehydrated and ended at mile 23. The aid stations and volunteers were great. The 20 th anniversary jackets were awesome. Special kudos to the volunteers at mile 23, where I nearly passed out. I had to take an ambulance to the finish line. The race director Greg Weber is great. He checked on everyone in the 1 st aid tent personally. I do have one suggestion for improvement. Due to the road closures the ambulance had a difficult time getting back to the finish line. I don’t know if there was a route plan in place. I don’t know if there is a way to let emergency personnel know the best way to get around the closures to the finish.
Always a good time!
Everyone is always so helpful and supportive at the race. Well organized from start to finish. Always has great medals and race swag. Great party like feeling at the start … MORE
Everyone is always so helpful and supportive at the race. Well organized from start to finish. Always has great medals and race swag. Great party like feeling at the start and end of the race. This year due to COVID restrictions being lifted last minute and other factors, the after-party was not the typical for the race. Normally the after-party is one of my favorite parts, and it’s done so well at Buffalo! Usually lots of free beer locally crafted just for the marathon, lots of food choices to refuel with after the race, and a great celebration atmosphere. Despite this, the 2021 race day was just as fun and memorable! Great come back! Buffalo is back!!!
1st Time doing this 1/2 and Love it!!!!
The Buffalo 1/2 Marathon was pretty flat and I would recommend to anyone looking to do an end of Spring 1/2. The best thing I remember about this 1/2 Marathon … MORE
The Buffalo 1/2 Marathon was pretty flat and I would recommend to anyone looking to do an end of Spring 1/2. The best thing I remember about this 1/2 Marathon in the smell of sweet cotton candy coming from the General Mills Factory. I would definitely recommend this 1/2 Marathon.
First Timer, Won't be Only Time!
First time running a Half Marathon and it exceeded all my expectations. They are very attentive in getting you all the information you need days before the race in a … MORE
First time running a Half Marathon and it exceeded all my expectations.
They are very attentive in getting you all the information you need days before the race in a very organized way. They host virtual Q and A sessions with the Race Director and others so that you are aware of everything before the day hits.
Pre- Race – Loved the corral area to warm up and use the restroom. Lots of space to lightly jog and get ready. The anthem, fireworks and words of wisdom before the race made me very excited to start.
Race – Lots of people on the side that were cheering you on, some people with sprinklers on to cool off the runners in the heat. Pretty flat course with lots of water stations along the way. While running, I would joke around with the people and volunteers on the side. They made it fun! Especially hearing some bands playing on the side. From a scenery perspective, you see a ton of Buffalo. I have lived in Buffalo for years and some spots I have never seen before! If you are a local or a person traveling in, both will enjoy seeing Buffalo.
Post Race – Lots of stuff to drink and eat to cool off after the race. All the volunteers were incredibly friendly and excited. Because of that, it made me feel ever better about finishing my first ever half. Because of how much fun I had, I decided to stay at the finish and cheer people on for another hour and a half.
Overall thoughts: I loved this race. My major regret is that I didn’t start running it earlier! I already have next year saved in my calendar with the thought of going for the Full Marathon for my first time. If you are on the fence about registering, jump off. Register, you won’t regret it!
I billieved in the Buffalo Marathon
No regrets ....I billieved :) This has been an experience that will be forever carved in my heart. I was excited, worried, and scared when I decided to sign up … MORE
No regrets ….I billieved 🙂
This has been an experience that will be forever carved in my heart. I was excited, worried, and scared when I decided to sign up for my second Marathon. This is my first time going to an event and participating alone.
I decided to embark on a whole food plant based lifestyle going into training for this marathon. I was anxious about being in someone else’s home the night before. As sleeping and eating on such a specific diet the day before such a big race is very challenging.
I tell you, I am so happy that I didn’t give in to my fears and comfort, as this ended up being an inspiring journey.
I ran the first half of the race at a much faster pace. However, I did struggle with the heat the next half and it really slowed my time down considerably. Never to the point that I would quit but enough that I knew I had better not push so hard. There would be other races.
I met an amazing person while running at around mile 18. We had been running at the same pace and she suggested we stick together. From that moment on we pushed each other to the limits and we completed. This was her first time running a marathon. It was fantastic meeting someone else with as much grit in their heart. Right up to the finish we motivated each other, and cheered in ecstatic happiness as we crossed the line.
I cannot describe the feelings that overwhelmed me the moment I finished, I was happy, proud, and inspired more than any other time in my life! I made it!
The race volunteers and spectators were among the finest people I have ever met. They were there to take care of us the moment we set foot on the pavement.
After this experience I am more determined than ever to lead a whole food plant based lifestyle and return in May for another chance at my pace goal.
I Will Run Again and Again
This was my first marathon, done in the city I love, organized by amazing people. I will run this marathon over and over. The course is fairly smooth and it … MORE
This was my first marathon, done in the city I love, organized by amazing people. I will run this marathon over and over. The course is fairly smooth and it goes through many scenic parts of Buffalo. There also are many aid stations and I felt well supported by neighbors, spectators, and race volunteers.
Buffalo Marathon is the best!
Great volunteers, course and aid stations! Race swag and medal, the best I've ever received! Amazing Crowd support gets you to the finish line! MORE
Great volunteers, course and aid stations! Race swag and medal, the best I’ve ever received! Amazing Crowd support gets you to the finish line!