Old Port Half Marathon

Old Port Half Marathon

Old Port Half Marathon

( 18 reviews )
83% of reviewers recommend this race
  • Portland,
    Maine,
    United States
  • July
  • 3 miles/5K, 13.1 miles/Half Marathon
  • Road Race
  • Event Website

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Amy

Maryland, United States
6 4
2014
"Lots of kinks that should be worked out by now"
Overall
T-Shirts/SWAG
Aid Stations
Course Scenery
Expo Quality
Elevation Difficulty
Parking/Access
Race Management
Amy 's thoughts:

Great communication from the race prior to (where to park, where to pick up bibs, etc.). There were even hotels with a discounted rate for the race. After checking into one of the hotels with the race rate, the manager told me the shuttle (which was advertised to bring you to/from the race) driver might be in early enough to bring people to the race. Also, there might be some food out early enough for breakfast (also advertised). We opted to stop at the grocery store and get our own race morning breakfast, as well as drive and park ourselves. The race identified multiple locations to park for both packet pick-up and for race day. The packet pick-up (which they highly encouraged everyone to attend on Saturday to avoid lines Sunday) did not open at 11am as scheduled. There was roughly 100 people waiting at 11am while they "got ready". I was not impressed. They kept calling packet pick-up "The Expo", which turned out to be nothing more than 3 or 4 local business tents, a few samples, and only one race clothing vendor. Very disappointing. The race emails were very clear to bring your ID to packet pick-up to get a wrist band for your two complimentary beers (race was sponsored by Shipyard Brewery), and there would be two tear-off tickets on your bib. There were no such tickets, and when some runners asked the race director, he didn't have a clue what "tickets" we were speaking of.

Jump to race morning - there were maybe two dozen port-a-johns for 3500 runners. Hardly adequate. Plus they were allowing cars to drive through the port-a-john lines in order to get to some special parking, right up until the race started. This was the first sizable race I've done that did not play the National Anthem prior to starting. Not even a pre-recorded version.

The race started out with a quick turn, then everyone was funneled into a "runners lane", which was cones and caution tape creating maybe an 8 foot wide lane down the middle of the road. Basically cramping everything for the first mile and a half. Somewhere along the course, the lead cyclist led the front-most 300 runners or so off the course, causing them to cut the course and not run the full 13.1 miles. I wasn't aware of this until after the fact, as I was nowhere near the first 300 runners. The course was hilly, as advertised. The views were not as great as I thought they would be. The majority of the course was not shaded, and the low tide combined with passing the water treatment plant made some of it quite unpleasant. The water stops were frantically trying to fill cups and could not keep up with the runners. I'm baffled how a race with a capped field size runs out of bottled water at the finish line, but this one did - from what I understand was the second year in a row. There was pizza, beer and soda at the finish line, but not your usual pretzels, bagels, or fruit slices.

The race director issued an apology two days after the event, explaining the cyclist leading some runners off-course. I feel there were many issues that could be tolerated for a first-year event, but this one has been around a few years.

Pro's: course preview video, excellent pre-race email communication, ample available parking, great finisher's medal, cold towels at finish (for some), 7am race start, free race pictures

Con's: bib pick-up did not open on time, confusion with beer tickets, not enough port-a-johns, unnecessary "runners lane" preventing race flow, delay at water stops, running out of bottled water at finish, lead cyclist leading runners off-course, lack of regular snacks at finish line, course mostly in direct sunlight

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