This is a super small, yet well organized, marathon. I’ve done the full marathon three times and the half (in July) twice. The full marathon is two loops of Presque … MORE
This is a super small, yet well organized, marathon. I’ve done the full marathon three times and the half (in July) twice. The full marathon is two loops of Presque Isle.
Race Pros:
Lots of shade because of the canopy (trees) and protection from wind
No hills….there is a super tiny hill going over a baby-sized bridge that you will cross twice.
It is as pancake flat as you can get!
The September weather is USUALLY fantastic….this year there was rain. It sucked.
The long sleeved shirt is my favorite race shirt. It is a nice cotton blend of smooth comfort.
You get a subway lunch afterwards.
There is a water/Gatorade stop about every mile. There is a contest for the “best” water stop, so vote afterwards. This is a huge plus for me!
Cons:
It is SOOOOOOO boring! There isn’t anything to look at. There are trees and more trees. The race is for the mentally tough only. If you need crowd support, please move along.
Erie, PA isn’t exactly luxurious so be prepared to stay at a driving distance from the start (is Uber even available here??)
You can’t park IN the park so you will be walking almost a mile back to your car…Uphill (not kidding).
It is really boring.
There is no cell-service in the park (you can’t even text anyone..bring a book)
There is no expo. You pick up your packet and there are a couple of tents with stickers/magnets. That’s it.
All of that being said, I have run it 3 times. I have gotten 2 of my fastest times here so it hasn’t been all bad!!! I rely on these reviews to choose my races so I thought I’d put in my 2-cents.
Please login to reply to this review.
Fast and Flat but oh so boring!
This is a super small, yet well organized, marathon. I’ve done the full marathon three times and the half (in July) twice. The full marathon is two loops of Presque … MORE
This is a super small, yet well organized, marathon. I’ve done the full marathon three times and the half (in July) twice. The full marathon is two loops of Presque Isle.
Race Pros:
Lots of shade because of the canopy (trees) and protection from wind
No hills….there is a super tiny hill going over a baby-sized bridge that you will cross twice.
It is as pancake flat as you can get!
The September weather is USUALLY fantastic….this year there was rain. It sucked.
The long sleeved shirt is my favorite race shirt. It is a nice cotton blend of smooth comfort.
You get a subway lunch afterwards.
There is a water/Gatorade stop about every mile. There is a contest for the “best” water stop, so vote afterwards. This is a huge plus for me!
Cons:
It is SOOOOOOO boring! There isn’t anything to look at. There are trees and more trees. The race is for the mentally tough only. If you need crowd support, please move along.
Erie, PA isn’t exactly luxurious so be prepared to stay at a driving distance from the start (is Uber even available here??)
You can’t park IN the park so you will be walking almost a mile back to your car…Uphill (not kidding).
It is really boring.
There is no cell-service in the park (you can’t even text anyone..bring a book)
There is no expo. You pick up your packet and there are a couple of tents with stickers/magnets. That’s it.
All of that being said, I have run it 3 times. I have gotten 2 of my fastest times here so it hasn’t been all bad!!! I rely on these reviews to choose my races so I thought I’d put in my 2-cents.
PR course
A very flat and fast marathon. I got my marathon PR. They had cheap swag. The only downfall was the parking was chaotic and I recommend allowing more time than … MORE
A very flat and fast marathon. I got my marathon PR. They had cheap swag. The only downfall was the parking was chaotic and I recommend allowing more time than you think to park.
Perfect.
It was PERFECT! I Boston Qualified! Weather was perfect! It’s relatively flat and there were MORE than enough air stations with water. They also had GU gel on course. There … MORE
It was PERFECT! I Boston Qualified! Weather was perfect! It’s relatively flat and there were MORE than enough air stations with water. They also had GU gel on course. There was a lot of energy by spectators and the volunteers were amazing. The scenery is beautiful too. There were also a lot of bathrooms available. And there are so many other runners! Which I really liked! It wasn’t too congested. I really enjoyed the whole thing.
Flat and fast as advertised
Nice flat course with water stops every mile and lots of pace groups. A little congested at the start, but it helped me from going out too fast. The only … MORE
Nice flat course with water stops every mile and lots of pace groups. A little congested at the start, but it helped me from going out too fast. The only issue is the traffic getting into and out of the park. Plan to get there early.
Would like to return
Smaller race is capped around 2,000 marathoners. Course is flat, two laps around a very pretty park. There was some shade with fun water stations each mile. The parking was … MORE
Smaller race is capped around 2,000 marathoners. Course is flat, two laps around a very pretty park. There was some shade with fun water stations each mile. The parking was at a nearby amusement park and was well organized. The park itself had long stretches of sand beaches that you can check out before or after the race. The short sleeve tech shirt was pretty and the cloth bag with a zipper top and movable inserts was really nice. The finish line had water, chocolate milk, bananas and sandwiches from Subway. The only funny thing was that my bag didn’t have any pins. Be sure to bring some with you. I would consider running Erie again with hopes of improving my time!
One of my favorites! Flat, fast!
2 loop course around Presque Isle park. Shaded and flat! Plus...you can hang out on the beach and take a dip after your race. If you are looking to PR … MORE
2 loop course around Presque Isle park. Shaded and flat!
Plus…you can hang out on the beach and take a dip after your race. If you are looking to PR and get a last minute BQ, this is the race for you.
Pancake Flat. Perfect BQ course.
My 20th Marathon and absolutely the flattest I've ever run! Because of this, recommend training on long flat stretches if possible. I did BQ, along with over 30% of other … MORE
My 20th Marathon and absolutely the flattest I’ve ever run! Because of this, recommend training on long flat stretches if possible. I did BQ, along with over 30% of other runners. Because it’s the last weekend to BQ prior to Boston registration, there are a bunch of BQ hopefuls to run with, which I found helpful. You can tell this race is put on by a running club. Easy packet pickup, aid stations stocked with the right stuff and great volunteers. Very good swag. Pretty course, but only gave 3 shoes for ‘course scenery’ because the view of Lake Erie is covered by trees for most of the course. Only negative is that this area can get humid around the Lake, so keep an eye on this and maybe relax a little in the first half.
Perfect BQ course!
It's packed with BQ hopefuls and previous Boston runners, so the vibe is encouraging and feels like a rehearsal for running Boston ... except this course is flat minus a … MORE
It’s packed with BQ hopefuls and previous Boston runners, so the vibe is encouraging and feels like a rehearsal for running Boston … except this course is flat minus a tiny rise that I didn’t even notice and the awesomeness of a double loop. Parking is easy, day of and packet pick up was easy. I’ll be back.
One of the best!
I love this race! It's a pancake flat, 2-loop course that's spectator friendly. It's shaded almost the entire way, and temps are always nice. Presque Isle is also an awesome … MORE
I love this race! It’s a pancake flat, 2-loop course that’s spectator friendly. It’s shaded almost the entire way, and temps are always nice. Presque Isle is also an awesome location for a race! You can take a dip in the lake post-race and hang out on the beach. Also, stop by Sara’s on the way out of the park for a chili dog and some ice cream. Erie is a great place for a short family vacation, too! If you are looking for a new PR/BQ, this is THE race to do.