Anyone run it and care to share your experience with this race? Course difficulty or other general comments?
Anyone run it and care to share your experience with this race? Course difficulty or other general comments?
I ran it the first year, and I train on parts of the course everyday. The course is absolutely flat, but it must set some kind of world record for the # of turns in a marathon course. There are absolutely hundreds of turns, primarily b/c half the course is run on twisting bike paths (traffic free but the turns make it extremely tiring). I believe they moved the race up a week this year, to Sept 11/05, but most often it has been unusually cold and windy the day of the race.
I guess it all depends what kind of marathon experience you are looking for. I found that much of the race is rather boring and lonely as the bike paths take you out to very quiet sections of the city. This is a joggers race.
However, if you are in the 2:45 range, you stand a decent chance of winning it.
Personally, i think i would go to Twin Cities or somewhere larger to run a marathon.
Just my $.02
thanks for the input... anyone else?
It's a Running Room event, which means that if you're looking for your hard effort to be appreciated, look elsewhere. There is, according to the website, no prize money. Nothing. Seriously. Apparently the winners will be MAILED a commemorative PLAQUE. I'm dead serious.The Running Room is like a plague to be avoided if you're looking for a fast, serious race. Here's the course in case you were wondering:
Start by the white staircase on the most eastern part of the TC Douglas Bldg
Head east to Avenue G
Turn left and head north to Lakeshore Dr
Turn left and follow Lakeshore Dr around the lake past the landing in front of the flower gardens
Continue as Lakeshore Dr turns into Saskatchewan Rd
Head south on Saskatchewan Rd and run in front of the TC Douglas Bldg
3km - Continue through the start/finish gate
Head east to Avenue G
Turn left and head north to Lakeshore Dr
Turn right and follow Lakeshore Dr
Follow Lakeshore Dr up to the lights at Broad St
Cross Broad St and pick up the footpath that goes in front of the Ct of the Arts
7km - Follow the footpath all the way to the overpass at Assiniboine Ave
Take the overpass and follow Assiniboine Ave (now heading east)
Stay on the north side of Assiniboine Ave until Winfield Rd
Cross Assiniboine Ave to the south side and continue heading east
Pick up the footpath and follow it to the end
10km - Left on Dorsey Pl
Left on Wetmore Cr
Left on Edinburgh Dr
Left on Baneberry Dr
Left on Assiniboine Ave (now heading west)
Stay on the south side of Assiniboine Ave until University Park Dr
Cross Assiniboine Ave to the north side and continue heading west
Cross the overpass and take the very first right onto Park St
Run north on Park St to 20th Ave
Turn left on 20th Ave
Take first left onto Murray Pl
Take first right on Murray Ave
Take first left on Douglas Park Cr
Continue running to Park St and then turn right
Follow Park St as it turns into park road
15km - Continue heading west past entrance to Douglas Park Track
Follow the park road past the Science Ct
Cross Broad St at the lights and continue on the park road
Turn left at the footpath right by the Willow Island lookout
Follow the footpath that runs right beside the lake to Albert St
Turn left on to Albert St Bridge and stay in curb lane on the road and head south on Albert St
Half Marathoners continue south to 20th Ave; turn left into the park; take first right onto Saskatchewan Rd and follow it to the finish
Marathoners cross Albert St at Regina Ave
Turn right immediately and follow road to the Devonian Path
Follow the Devonian Path
21km - Cross Elphinstone St and stay on the path
Run across the footbridge at 17th Ave and Coronation St and stay on the path
25km - Run under Dewdney Ave underpass and head north for about 100 metres past the bridge
Follow the path and always stay on the north side and follow the path that is closest to the creek
27km - Continue on the path going past the Rick Hansen Playground
Turn left onto the bridge AFTER the McCarthy St underpass and run on the south side of the creek
Follow the Devonian Path to the footbridge at 17th Ave and Coronation St
Run south on Coronation St past Sheldon Williams High School
Continue past Sheldon Williams High School
Right on Regina Ave
Left on Wascana St, which turns into Kings Rd
35km - Follow Kings Rd south past the Lakeview Par 3 Golf Course
Continue south to Hill Ave
Right on Hill Ave
Left on Pasqua St
Left on Wascana St
Left on McPhail Ave
Right on King St
Left on 24th Ave
Left on Queen St
Right on Allen Ave
Right on Kings Rd and run south to Argyle School
Right onto Lakeview Ave
Left on L’Arche Cr
Stay on L’Arche Cr all the way around to Argyle Rd
Cross Argyle Rd and you are now on 24th Ave
Left on Rae St and head north
Right on 23rd Ave
Left on Angus St and head north
40km - Left on 21st Ave
Right on Robinson St
Right on 20th Ave
Cross Albert St and take first right onto Saskatchewan Rd and follow it to the finish
You’re done!
For comparison, here are driving directions from Fairbanks, Alaska to Miami:
1. Starting in FAIRBANKS, AK on 12TH AVE - go < 0.1 km
2. Turn left on NOBLE ST - go 0.2 km
3. Turn left on GAFFNEY RD - go 0.3 km
4. Continue on RICHARDSON HWY ramp - go 0.2 km
5. Turn right on AK-2 - go 470.6 km
6. AK-2 becomes YT-1 - go 695.4 km
7. YT-1 becomes BC-1 - go 64.7 km
8. BC-1 becomes YT-1 - go 154.8 km
9. YT-1 becomes YT-97 - go 12.4 km
10. YT-97 becomes BC-97 - go 46.2 km
11. BC-97 becomes YT-97 - go 2.9 km
12. YT-97 becomes BC-97 - go 1.6 km
13. Head right on YT-97 - go 8.8 km
14. YT-97 becomes BC-97 - go 2.7 km
15. BC-97 becomes YT-97 - go 2.1 km
16. YT-97 becomes BC-97 - go 900.9 km
17. Continue on BC-49 - go 2.1 km
18. Turn right on 8TH ST[BC-2] - go 2.1 km
19. Continue to follow BC-2 - go 37.2 km
20. BC-2 becomes AB-2 - go 97.0 km
21. Turn right on AB-43 - go 19.5 km
22. AB-43 becomes AB-34 - go 3.2 km
23. AB-34 becomes AB-43 - go 377.3 km
24. Take ramp onto T-C HWY 16 - go 4.2 km
25. Continue on T-C HWY 16A - go < 0.1 km
26. Turn left on T-C HWY 16 - go 135.3 km
27. Continue on T-C HWY 16A - go 11.9 km
28. Continue on T-C HWY 16 - go 410.3 km
29. Continue on SK-11 - go 2.1 km
30. Take ramp toward CIRCLE DR - go 0.2 km
31. Turn right on CIRCLE DR - go 0.2 km
32. Turn left on AVENUE C N - go < 0.1 km
33. Turn left on CIRCLE DR - go 10.8 km
34. CIRCLE DR becomes SK-11 - go 244.9 km
35. SK-11 becomes ALBERT ST N - go < 0.1 km
36. Take ramp onto RING RD - go 6.8 km
37. Take ramp toward T-C HWY 1 - go 0.3 km
38. Turn left on T-C HWY 1 - go 553.3 km
39. Take ramp onto T-C HWY 100 - go 23.8 km
40. Take ramp onto MB-75 - go 93.0 km
41. Head left onto MB-75 - go 0.5 km
42. MB-75 becomes I-29 - go 247.1 km
43. Take ramp onto I-94 - go 364.8 km
44. I-94 becomes I-694 - go 38.3 km
45. Take ramp onto I-94 - go 399.4 km
46. I-94 becomes I-39 - go 305.1 km
47. Take ramp onto I-55 - go 12.1 km
48. I-55 becomes I-74 - go 73.2 km
49. Take ramp onto I-57 - go 310.2 km
50. I-57 becomes I-24 - go 510.1 km
51. Take ramp onto I-75 - go 287.2 km
52. Take ramp onto I-475 - go 24.8 km
53. Take ramp onto I-75 - go 483.3 km
54. Take ramp onto FLORIDAS TPKE - go 425.7 km
55. Take ramp onto I-95 - go 16.3 km
56. Take ramp onto NW 3RD CT - go 1.1 km
57. Turn left on NW 5TH ST - go 0.6 km
58. Turn right on MIAMI AVE - go 0.5 km
59. Arrive at the centre of MIAMI, FL
and for some reason, there is a strange fat man on the race course yelling at teenaged runners - strange indeed
queen city - not striders wrote:
and for some reason, there is a strange fat man on the race course yelling at teenaged runners - strange indeed
LOL I would love to know who the above poster was. Please come back from 2005 and show yourself!