Detroit Free Press Marathon nails down a permanent date.

What about the finish in Ford Field? Are they going to have to change that in the event of a football game. That was one of the best things about this race.

Here are the bullet points in the article

• Planned to keep the race on the third Sunday of October, its traditional date until this decade.

• Had a new, three-year sponsorship agreement with Flagstar Bancorp, the Troy-based financial institution.

• Would keep the starting area on Washington Boulevard, because it offered the best locale for growth.

• Would remain the only race with two international border crossings, to Canada over the Ambassador Bridge and back through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

• Would move the finish from inside Ford Field to a downtown location yet to be determined.

This race would never exist if Chicago, New York and Marine Corp. all allowed another 5,000 runners in. This is simply a rejection race. I ran it one year after being too late to get into Chicago and it was a horrible experience.

What didn't you like about it?

From a pretty good source the race will end inside of COBO hall. So another course change and a chance to keep scott hubbard at work.

1. The Expo was a flea market. No booths from the major shoe companies. Just local retailers and the garbage mail order firms. No elite runners giving talks. No elite personalities signing books or anything else.

2. The race start was way too narrow.

3. The splits on the course were not accurate and the clocks were all set wrong.

4. It was next to impossible to find family and friends after the race.

5. There was zero hype in the local newspapers or T.V.

The whole thing just came off as an afterthought.

True, but who cares?

Not anymore, start was good in 2006. The Half and Full were separate on a divided road with corrals based on times.

Can't speak to clocks being off, but some definite marker issues.

True

Helloo, McFly? "Detroit Free Press Marathon" Free Press has a whole section on it.

It could be a lot better. The water/food availability after is terrible. The start change was positive in 2006.

Definite problem with mile markers in 2006, although I know the course was measured properly. Don't know if it was the wind/weather in 2006 but many markers were down or were not at all visible. I have seen the Free Press grow alot. It seems to me mostly because of the relays. If they want to make it top notch though perhaps they should look what makes other races so successful. I would suggest visibility of mile markers and accurate clocks along the course definitely would help runners. Also look at areas on the course that most spectators do not go to and figure out ways to get people out there. I thought having the finish line in Ford field was a great idea although it is a bit difficult to find loved ones. Are they ever going to figure out a perfect course though? Or do we have to endure course changes every year?

BIGe wrote:

From a pretty good source the race will end inside of COBO hall. So another course change and a chance to keep scott hubbard at work.

I'd prefer fewer chances. The DetMarathon is a pain to measure w/the 2 int'l crossings. There will be changes this year & it may very well finish in Cobo. That'd be fine by me. I've had enough of sitting for hours in some awful weather in past years at the finish...and was a happy camper in Ford Field.

The final course design would avoid the Ford Field area as much as possible (if they're playing at home Oct 21). I don't even want to project a possible World Series conflict.

But, you know, I don't really care so long as I can get a table at Fishbones quickly after the race is over.

The start area last year was twice as efficient w/even more people than '05. The first 9 miles or so won't change much due to time restrictions at the int'l borders.

I ran it in 2006 and the starting line was great. The finish line was fun as well. It was damn cold, but the course seemed like a great choice for a PR in better conditions. In my opinion it is faster than Grandma's or Twin Cities for mid-packers who can run well without company. The mile markers were way off in Canada. The race feels like less of a community event for those who care. Overall, it seems like a good choice for anyone who wants a fast course and doesn't need to see 8000 TNT spectators along the way or purchase the latest trainers at the expo.

Still frozen from 06 wrote:

it seems like a good choice for anyone who wants a fast course and doesn't need to see 8000 TNT spectators along the way or purchase the latest trainers at the expo.

It is not a matter of purchasing the latest trainers at the expo. It is a matter of having a worthwhile expo. If the shoe companies are there, then they bring with them sponsored athletes. It is a matter of being important in the industry and this race is NOT. When I go to Disney I hear the Hansons and Jon Sinclair and Kim Jones and Jeff Galloway. When I go to Chicago I hear Todd Williams and Frank Shorter and Hal Higdon. Go to Detroit and try to find an autograph that will mean anything to your 13 year old son. No Greg Meyer or Brian Sell or even any local heroes. It is depressing. Michigan always brags about their running tradition, but this marathon does nothing to showcase any of this history.

So you were there not too race but to star gaze?

Yea, well, at mile 17 and mile 20 (Belle Isle bridge), damn near the whole Hanson's team was out in the cold wind cheering on runners. Having bought a few things from them and running only a couple of the group runs; they figured out who I was and called me by name even. It was a big boost to me in that cold wind at mile 20 and I'll take that over seeing them at the expo any day.Besides, if you went to the expo, Clint Verran was in the Hanson booth handing out posters and chatting with people.

It sucks bad wrote:

[ No Greg Meyer or Brian Sell or even any local heroes. It is depressing. Michigan always brags about their running tradition, but this marathon does nothing to showcase any of this history.

kevin52,

Were the corrals fenced as at Chicago or simply on the honor system?

How are the corrals arranged; what times put you into the front, middle or back?

What corrals? This is Detroit that you are talking about.

Pay a little attention wrote:

What corrals? This is Detroit that you are talking about.

Silly boy, there were corrals in Detroit. I believe runners put down PR's or projected times and some kind of ID was put on their numbers...which correlated w/start corrals. Worked pretty good, it seemed.

scotth wrote:

Pay a little attention wrote:

What corrals? This is Detroit that you are talking about.

Silly boy, there were corrals in Detroit. I believe runners put down PR's or projected times and some kind of ID was put on their numbers...which correlated w/start corrals. Worked pretty good, it seemed.

Thanks Scott. I wondered where they used the mile markers (certainly not on the course). It must have been on those corrals. I guess you tackle one issue at a time?

Friend, if I were King of Detroit....haha. They had the start area all divied up nicely w/streamers, time signs, etc. As for the mile marks...not my doing or responsibility. I measure the thing, put white paint down at the marks and pass along the locations to the next party. It's their job to put the signs in the right place.

I have no idea why many of those early marks were in the wrong places...or why the lead vehicle in the 5 km got off course after about 1/2 mile.