| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| H (°F) | 68 | 52 | 40 | 64 | 59 |
| L (°F) | 35 | 35 | 28 | 40 | 36 |
| Powered by Dark Sky | |||||
Did not like this one. They put steps leading down at mile 20! I heard they changed the course since then though. I had leg cramps last 6 miles due … MORE
Did not like this one. They put steps leading down at mile 20! I heard they changed the course since then though. I had leg cramps last 6 miles due to those steps.
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It was a great race. The bling was nothing short of awesome and the race was well organized and planned. The double loop made it difficult. Race was very hilly … MORE
It was a great race. The bling was nothing short of awesome and the race was well organized and planned. The double loop made it difficult. Race was very hilly and on the day I ran it rained. Overall good race and a good time.
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Picked this race because it worked well into my schedule to mark off another state. It was fine, but as the title says, nothing to write home about. Pros: -Nice … MORE
Picked this race because it worked well into my schedule to mark off another state. It was fine, but as the title says, nothing to write home about.
Pros:
-Nice medal; I liked the shirt (though my partner did not)
-Water stops well spaced, stocked, and staffed
-Good post race food (Though crowded!)
-Friendly volunteers
-Not a ton of spectators, but where the spectators were to be found, they were very supportive
Cons:
-No corrals (and poor self seeding)
-Warm and hilly for this flat lander who hadn’t run without tights and a lot of layers for a few months
-Boring scenery, boring town (But the Vulcan is kind of cool to stop by on your way out of town)
Bottom Line: I really have no strong feelings about this race either way. Good for 50 state folks, not a race I’d go out of my way to run again.
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I picked this race to check Alabama oh my 50 states quest. I really didn't enjoy the race, but that could be because it was more difficult than I expected. … MORE
I picked this race to check Alabama oh my 50 states quest. I really didn’t enjoy the race, but that could be because it was more difficult than I expected. Even though I didn’t enjoy it, it might be a good option for someone else.
The morning of the race was fairly warm, about 60 degrees. There were no corrals at the start, which made it very difficult to navigate. It was so crowded, I was nervous I wouldn’t make it into the line-up before the start of the race. They did have timed flags on the side of the start chute, but it was difficult to stand near my estimated time.
The first couple of miles of the race was nothing special. It was a mix of flat portions and hills. By mile 6 I hit a very large uphill portion of the race. It felt like hills went on for the next couple of miles. By mile 9 there was a brief downhill. I made sure I ran as fast as I could down that portion. The last portion of the race had a long finish chute.
Overall, I am happy that it is over and am glad I can check Alabama off the list.
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Once again, I was drawn to this race by their medals. Every year they offer the classic Mercedes logo / hood ornament to runners for finishing, and I couldn't help … MORE
Once again, I was drawn to this race by their medals. Every year they offer the classic Mercedes logo / hood ornament to runners for finishing, and I couldn’t help but want my own. However, if you travel for this event, please be aware that Birmingham doesn’t offer much in terms of entertainment. The course, for that matter, takes a while to leave the city. Once it does, you will find yourself with a welcome change of scenery, but it takes a climb to do so. You’re rewarded with a speedy downhill back into the city, where the post-race party is stocked with food. I’d only recommend this race if a.) you want to hit up all 50 states, b.) you live in Birmingham. It should also be noted that the marathon is a two-looped course, which I do not like.
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This was just a horrible weekend for us. Check the Birmingham calendar before signing up for this race. They not only had the race, but had a Comi-con, and cheerleading … MORE
This was just a horrible weekend for us. Check the Birmingham calendar before signing up for this race. They not only had the race, but had a Comi-con, and cheerleading competition, with all of us having to stay in the same hotel. The race was not that scenic either. But I needed it for my 50 stater. It was also 30 degrees at the start.
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Steps?!
Did not like this one. They put steps leading down at mile 20! I heard they changed the course since then though. I had leg cramps last 6 miles due … MORE
Did not like this one. They put steps leading down at mile 20! I heard they changed the course since then though. I had leg cramps last 6 miles due to those steps.
Wet!!!!
It was a great race. The bling was nothing short of awesome and the race was well organized and planned. The double loop made it difficult. Race was very hilly … MORE
It was a great race. The bling was nothing short of awesome and the race was well organized and planned. The double loop made it difficult. Race was very hilly and on the day I ran it rained. Overall good race and a good time.
Fine race, nothing to write home about
Picked this race because it worked well into my schedule to mark off another state. It was fine, but as the title says, nothing to write home about. Pros: -Nice … MORE
Picked this race because it worked well into my schedule to mark off another state. It was fine, but as the title says, nothing to write home about.
Pros:
-Nice medal; I liked the shirt (though my partner did not)
-Water stops well spaced, stocked, and staffed
-Good post race food (Though crowded!)
-Friendly volunteers
-Not a ton of spectators, but where the spectators were to be found, they were very supportive
Cons:
-No corrals (and poor self seeding)
-Warm and hilly for this flat lander who hadn’t run without tights and a lot of layers for a few months
-Boring scenery, boring town (But the Vulcan is kind of cool to stop by on your way out of town)
Bottom Line: I really have no strong feelings about this race either way. Good for 50 state folks, not a race I’d go out of my way to run again.
Checking off another state
I picked this race to check Alabama oh my 50 states quest. I really didn't enjoy the race, but that could be because it was more difficult than I expected. … MORE
I picked this race to check Alabama oh my 50 states quest. I really didn’t enjoy the race, but that could be because it was more difficult than I expected. Even though I didn’t enjoy it, it might be a good option for someone else.
The morning of the race was fairly warm, about 60 degrees. There were no corrals at the start, which made it very difficult to navigate. It was so crowded, I was nervous I wouldn’t make it into the line-up before the start of the race. They did have timed flags on the side of the start chute, but it was difficult to stand near my estimated time.
The first couple of miles of the race was nothing special. It was a mix of flat portions and hills. By mile 6 I hit a very large uphill portion of the race. It felt like hills went on for the next couple of miles. By mile 9 there was a brief downhill. I made sure I ran as fast as I could down that portion. The last portion of the race had a long finish chute.
Overall, I am happy that it is over and am glad I can check Alabama off the list.
Decent race, boring city
Once again, I was drawn to this race by their medals. Every year they offer the classic Mercedes logo / hood ornament to runners for finishing, and I couldn't help … MORE
Once again, I was drawn to this race by their medals. Every year they offer the classic Mercedes logo / hood ornament to runners for finishing, and I couldn’t help but want my own. However, if you travel for this event, please be aware that Birmingham doesn’t offer much in terms of entertainment. The course, for that matter, takes a while to leave the city. Once it does, you will find yourself with a welcome change of scenery, but it takes a climb to do so. You’re rewarded with a speedy downhill back into the city, where the post-race party is stocked with food. I’d only recommend this race if a.) you want to hit up all 50 states, b.) you live in Birmingham. It should also be noted that the marathon is a two-looped course, which I do not like.
Birmingham - Just Say No
This was just a horrible weekend for us. Check the Birmingham calendar before signing up for this race. They not only had the race, but had a Comi-con, and cheerleading … MORE
This was just a horrible weekend for us. Check the Birmingham calendar before signing up for this race. They not only had the race, but had a Comi-con, and cheerleading competition, with all of us having to stay in the same hotel. The race was not that scenic either. But I needed it for my 50 stater. It was also 30 degrees at the start.