Latest reviews by Jennie Hayes

(2018)
"Great race! Great organizers!"
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I loved this race so much. The course is great. Mix of technical trails, rolling hills and crushed gravel. The swag was awesome. I received a embroidered vest and a mug, which I was able to get a cup of hot coffee after the race. The volunteers and race organizers are what really make this race. I learned so much fron Roy about where the money goes, and all the heart that is put into the race. All the proceeds go directly back to the community and nonprofit, grassroots organizations in the Cuyahoga Valley area.

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(2018)
"One of my favorites!"
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Great race! Its my local marathon and I love it so much. Its big enough, but small enough. I love that the marathon benefits Children's hospital. Every mile is in our of a child with the exception of mile 11 which is the angel mile. So when you start feel down, or think you can't do it, you think, do it for the kids.

The first half has lots of spectators. The back half can be a bit quieter and less spectators. There are a few rollings hills, but not any major climbs.

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(2018)
"Nice local half. Prepare for the heat."
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Fun local race that runs through the suburbs of Dublin and Glacier Ridge Park.
Packet Pickup: Packet pickup is at one of the local running stores. Easy peasy pickup. Entry included a lime green wicking tank. Jury is still out on it.

Parking: Arrive early. The parking is easy to get to from the highway, but I recommend giving yourself extra time to park. It gets backed up from all directions. Its a lot of car traffic and people traffic.

Start: Start line is right near the parking lot. Very easy to get to if you are parked in the right area.
Finish: Water and post race snacks were a little bit aways from the finish line. I think this was to alleviate traffic in the chute.
Post race: Entry includes chips, salsa and a margarita from the Mexican place in the shopping center by the finish. It was a great time. I ended up meeting up with some friends and having lunch. The medal is nice and fits the Irish theme.
Course: The beginning of the race can be quite congested as the start is the same for both the quarter marathon and the half marathon. The race has a lot of open road, so prepare to be in the open sun. It was pretty hot this year, and the sun zapped the energy out of a lot of people. You go through Glacier Ridge Park, which provided some tree coverage, but it can get a little congested on some of the paths. There are a few rollers as well. At about mile 8 gels were provided. Each aid station had water and gatorade. I recommend carrying your own water depending on your pace.

Overall: I had a good time for a local race. I never really felt alone during the race. The finish had nice crowd support and all the major turns had a nice number of people. For those not acclimated to running in the heat, be prepared to have a slower time and also possibly bring hydration.

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(2018)
"Nice race for the price. RD is still working on improving the race. Great medal and blanket!"
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Nice smaller race. I went with the cheapie race entry which excluded the race shirt. I would do this race again. But do not expect a flat course. There are quite a bit of rollers. Also, a lot of relay teams and half marathoners. It can get quiet on the back half. They could use more volunteers to close the roads. I was a sub 4 at this marathon, and I still felt a little uneasy with the car traffic. I do believe for 2019, there is a course change. I am considering going back for 2020. My son loves their medals and asked when I was getting another one. Your race entry also includes a ticket to the HOF Museum.

Registration: I opted for the cheapie race entry that was offered. I wasn't sure how the race would go, and I never really wear the race shirts. Registration was easy peasy.
Expo: My friend picked up my bib for me so I can't comment here.
Parking: The 2018 course was a point to point, starting at the fairgrounds and finishing at the stadium. You have to take a shuttle back to your car. Parking was easy enough, but I didn't like having to take a school bus back to the start.
Start line: The start line had plenty of portapotties lined up. They allowed us to stay in the fairgrounds building, which was nice to stay warm. The start was a mass start. All of sudden they were talking and then we were off.
Course: The first half of the course is great. Lots of crowd support and company the first half. It kind of drops off at the split and not as much to see. The volunteers at aid stations were very nice and always had water and gatorade. There were two aid stations that had gels. There are quite a bit of rollers, so this race is not for you if you are looking for a flat course.
Finish line: The last mile was uphill against the wind. Thankfully you can see the stadium which kept me going. Running into the stadium was great. It was fun running on the turf. I loved the medal (my son took it) and the finishers blanket. I loved that way more than a space blanket and still use it. There was food at the end, although, I do think the half and the relayers took a lot of the food and drinks. Prepare for that. I was a sub 4 finisher, and thought it looked kind of sparse at the food station.

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