Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon
Kalamazoo, MI
- Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Kids Run
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon (formerly the Borgess Run for the Health of It) is excited to keep the tradition of the infamous Bacon Station and Gummy Bear Forest alive.
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Great small race
I ended up signing up for this race at the last minute because another race was cancelled. The race organizers were offering free entry for the first person from each … MORE
I ended up signing up for this race at the last minute because another race was cancelled. The race organizers were offering free entry for the first person from each state – I ended up being the first from NC. In addition to free entry, I also ended up with a nice Hydro Flask and Buff. All of that made it totally worthy it!
The marathon started before the half marathon which meant we got to the aid stations first! That was a big help! The aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers were great.
The course had us run through the stadium of Western Michigan University so you could see yourself running on the jumbo tron ,which was pretty cool.
We ran through some nice neighborhoods and the neighbors were out – some had music, some handed out food. Not the most crowd support, but not the least either.
The course was a good one. I was afraid it would be too flat but there were just enough hills to break it up. I ended up with a much better time than anticipated, but the weather helped. It was overcast and never got over 60 degrees.
I don’t remember much about the food at the end…but there were bananas and chocolate milk, so I was happy. All runners did get a free beer.
All in all, it was a good race and I’m glad it ended up being my Michigan race. If you like big marathons, it’s not for you. But if you like a smaller race with enthusiastic support, this is a good one.
The Return of Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon
The Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon returns to downtown Kalamazoo after a 3-year hiatus. There was nothing special or memorable about the Expo or the course. The race atmosphere was OK, perhaps … MORE
The Zeigler Kalamazoo Marathon returns to downtown Kalamazoo after a 3-year hiatus. There was nothing special or memorable about the Expo or the course. The race atmosphere was OK, perhaps due to the relatively small crowd. My favorite part is running through the Waldo Stadium at the Western Michigan University, where there were more spectators and energy.
Wouldn't recommend this race.
This is my first year running the Ziegler Kalamazoo half marathon (formerly known as the Borgess Run for the Health of It). It's my understanding that the race is under … MORE
This is my first year running the Ziegler Kalamazoo half marathon (formerly known as the Borgess Run for the Health of It). It’s my understanding that the race is under new management – which, in my opinion, was quite evident in negative ways.
PROS:
– There were water stations every two miles throughout the race that were well manned by volunteers.
– Decent finisher’s medal. Liked the long sleeve participant t-shirt.
– Small race – I believe there were less than 500 runners in the half marathon. Easy to get to the start line, with many parking options nearby.
CONS:
– Very little communication leading up to the race. I signed up about a month in advance (granted, registration opened 3-4 months prior). I received one email the night before packet pick-up, and a second email the night before the race. The emails were essentially duplicates, though the second email had typos here and there. Overall, felt sloppy and took away some excitement about the race.
– Based on my watch, the course was about .25 miles too long. Miles 1-4 were accurately marked, but mile 5 was marked at 5.25 miles. Mile 6 was also off (marked at 6.25). Strangely, a marker for the halfway point of the race was accurate – though mile 7 was off again (marked at 7.25), and continued to be off for the rest of the race.
– First aid/medical professionals were patrolling the race by bike – which I appreciated, but one cut in front of me during the race and I literally had to stop running to prevent crashing into him. I don’t blame the race directors for this, but it left a bad taste in my mouth.
– The course is mostly hills and winds through Kalamazoo. About halfway through the race, we ran along a very busy road (on the sidewalk) with cars probably going 50-60 mph. Not very scenic, and the tight sidewalk made it more difficult to pass other runners.
– Very limited crowd support. There were some areas with cheering sections, but those were few and far between. Most of the race is spent running through residential areas. You end in downtown Kalamazoo, which could be a cool ending (though, it felt like a ghost town on a Sunday morning).
All in all, it felt like this race contained many mistakes that could be easily corrected with more planning and better leadership – may be due to rushed planning for the event (as I think registration opened less than 3-4 months ago). Many of the issues seemed rooted in inexperienced race directors. I would run this race again, but only after a few years have passed. This race has potential to be good, but has many details to work out before that can happen.
Two killer hills, but well facilitated!
Overall, this race was very well executed. There were more than enough porta potties at the beginning of the race, and it was easy to park/get in and out of … MORE
Overall, this race was very well executed. There were more than enough porta potties at the beginning of the race, and it was easy to park/get in and out of the race area. My biggest area of feedback is MORE SWAG! There was no marathon branded apparel/stuff at the expo (or really much of anything, for that matter), and the race shirts were cotton (even for half/full marathon).
Pros:
-Easy access to porta potties/start line
-Pace groups (although the 1:45 pace group was flying and running faster than the necessary mile splits)
-Enough water/hydration throughout the course – tons of food (jelly beans, Gu, gummy bears, popsicles, etc.)
-Crowd support is great throughout (especially at the start/finish)
-Finisher medal is really nice
-Free beer for finishers! (And it’s actually high quality from local breweries)
Cons:
-Two hills (mile 8-ish and 12). Normally, I’m fine with elevation changes, but, for some reason, these two really messed with me. A lot of people walked up the hills. I think most of it was mental (you can see the steep incline at mile 12), and the late-placement of the hills on the course.
-Beware of starting too quickly – the first two/three miles are downhill and have tons of people cheering, so it’ll be easy to push it too early
-Not a ton of shade – definitely wear sunglasses/a hat if it’s a sunny day.
Great Race w/ some hills
Great Swag & Beautiful Medals! The course was a little confusing...had some hills, but were not that bad. Loved popsicle hill, was much needed after a long trudge up hill … MORE
Great Swag & Beautiful Medals! The course was a little confusing…had some hills, but were not that bad. Loved popsicle hill, was much needed after a long trudge up hill towards the end of the race.
Great Local Race
This race puts some of the larger races held in bigger cities to shame. Positives: Varied course that took you around local nature paths and took you on a fair … MORE
This race puts some of the larger races held in bigger cities to shame.
Positives: Varied course that took you around local nature paths and took you on a fair tour of the Kalamazoo community. Well run bib pickup system that had you in and out quickly. Plenty of water/liquid Gu Energy Drink stations throughout. Good race swag including a nice shirt that volunteers were happy to exchange at the expo to make sure you got one that fit well. Free craft beer at the finish festival…a good one too. Great finish festival including free massages and plenty of goodies to go around, not to mention lots of porta potties so there was very little waiting in line before or after the race. Dedicated volunteers and workers everywhere who all seemed to take pride in making sure every participant in every race got their money’s worth and had a great experience.
Deltas: My only issue with the race was the intersection of the 5K walk with the half marathon at the part of the course around the pond near Borgess Hospital…mile 10-11 or so. Many walkers did not understand the unwritten rule about leaving room for runners and would frequently be lined up in a phalanx that was very difficult to negotiate. This problem was nullified once there were lanes for faster movers and slower movers as the course moved up hill toward the finish, but I felt these lanes were needed much sooner on the course…that or some other way of preventing walkers from becoming difficult-to-negotiate obstacles on the half-marathon course.
All in all, a fantastic experience. I would highly recommend this race.
Pretty, well run race.
First time doing this race. If you are looking for a race in Michigan I recommend this one. Free shuttle from the hotel to and from the race. Indoor place … MORE
First time doing this race. If you are looking for a race in Michigan I recommend this one. Free shuttle from the hotel to and from the race. Indoor place to stay warm before the race. Free meal after the race. Tons of cheering support along the course. Gummie bears and popsicles stops on the course. Scenic finish around a lake. Double bling if you run Indy or Kenosha the day before. Overall a great experience!!!