I chose this race as a good Oregon option that was as close as I can get to California so it was drivable (Medford is close'ish to the border). I … MORE
I chose this race as a good Oregon option that was as close as I can get to California so it was drivable (Medford is close’ish to the border). I was excited about this race, had heard good things, but left disappointed…
To begin, the mile markers were off by 0.15 from the very beginning. Their 1 mile = 0.85 on my watch, 3 = 2.85, 10 = 9.85, etc. Seeing that Mile 1 be off and continue to be off completely wrecked my motivation, the last thing I needed was another short half marathon (see my entry on the San Francisco Half). So, I spent a lot of time walking, texting, studying their course map on my phone, etc. and continued to lose motivation.
The course itself was OK. It is a point to point which can be logistically challenging but it worked out fine. It stated at a vineyard near Talent and you run a short out and back heading south before turning around and heading back north back to Medford, almost entirely on a walking/bike path. Scenery wise it was nice, though nothing spectacular.
I won’t say for certain if the course was short, but what I will say is that at Mile 11 there is a park and I may have accidentally went off course by about 0.10 mile and had to turn around…
Aside from that, the medal was the same one they gave to all distances. It says The Rogue Marathon. The ribbon also says The Rogue Marathon. There is NOTHING to distinguish the bling from other distances. Not really cool.
I doubt I would do this race again. I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t an experience that I enjoyed.
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Meh
I chose this race as a good Oregon option that was as close as I can get to California so it was drivable (Medford is close'ish to the border). I … MORE
I chose this race as a good Oregon option that was as close as I can get to California so it was drivable (Medford is close’ish to the border). I was excited about this race, had heard good things, but left disappointed…
To begin, the mile markers were off by 0.15 from the very beginning. Their 1 mile = 0.85 on my watch, 3 = 2.85, 10 = 9.85, etc. Seeing that Mile 1 be off and continue to be off completely wrecked my motivation, the last thing I needed was another short half marathon (see my entry on the San Francisco Half). So, I spent a lot of time walking, texting, studying their course map on my phone, etc. and continued to lose motivation.
The course itself was OK. It is a point to point which can be logistically challenging but it worked out fine. It stated at a vineyard near Talent and you run a short out and back heading south before turning around and heading back north back to Medford, almost entirely on a walking/bike path. Scenery wise it was nice, though nothing spectacular.
I won’t say for certain if the course was short, but what I will say is that at Mile 11 there is a park and I may have accidentally went off course by about 0.10 mile and had to turn around…
Aside from that, the medal was the same one they gave to all distances. It says The Rogue Marathon. The ribbon also says The Rogue Marathon. There is NOTHING to distinguish the bling from other distances. Not really cool.
I doubt I would do this race again. I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t an experience that I enjoyed.
Fast course but logistical issues
This is a fast point-to-point course in Southern Oregon. If you're looking for a good course to chase a PR or BQ in the Pacific Northwest, this could be a … MORE
This is a fast point-to-point course in Southern Oregon. If you’re looking for a good course to chase a PR or BQ in the Pacific Northwest, this could be a good option. It’s net downhill on a moderately wide bike path from Ashland to Medford. The only caveat for the course’s speed and difficulty is a slight uphill finish for the last 3 miles but it is still a very quick course, all things considered. Certain aspects of the race were well-organized – the shuttle to the start line was smooth and efficient, the bib pick up and finish line festival was lively and fun, and the course was well marked with mile markers (except for a misplaced Mile 10 marker on the half marathon course). The path can get a bit crowded at times since there are points where people are going both directions but since the race isn’t huge, this generally isn’t a big deal. The conditions were also ideal (crisp and cool, no wind) and the course was pretty scenic. However, there were two significant logistical issues. First, there were only 3 portapotties at the half-marathon start for 150+ runners. Second, there were supposed to be aid stations every 2-3 miles, especially since the half and full marathon shared a course. Unfortunately, the first aid station was not set up when the half marathon reached it and after that first aid station, there was not a single other aid station for the rest of the race (and just one first aid station around mile 8 or 9), which is something I’ve never experienced before. This race was fast and good in many aspects (I love the large prize purse and the fast fields it attracted) but I would not do the race again solely because the lack of aid stations is unfortunately a deal-breaker, especially if you are doing the marathon.
Great local marathon!
This was a nice small marathon, although the course profile shows a net loss, it didn’t feel that way, but in all fairness I was undertrained and probably just me. … MORE
This was a nice small marathon, although the course profile shows a net loss, it didn’t feel that way, but in all fairness I was undertrained and probably just me.
I feel like the race director really cares about his event and it shows!
Best volunteers ever!