Forums >Racing>Harrisburg Marathon
Haven't done a marathon in a couple of years, and while they have never ended pretty for me, I am kind of missing it. Anyone have any thoughts, pros, cons, of the Harrisburg (PA) Marathon? Race is set for November 10, 2013.
Listen. Yeah, it's gonna hurt some. That's the marathon business. But here's the thing. When it starts to get intense, that's not time to panic. This is what you wanted to happen. It means that all the training, all the miles, all the wakeups, all the cold, all the wet, all the sleep-deprived days and all the shit you've done to yourself over the last 6 plus months is finally about to pay off. It means you've put yourself where you wanted to be. You've given yourself an opportunity that very few will ever have. You've given yourself a chance. Now finish it.
#dowork
mark - i just ran it last fall and well organized race, but be ready for some hills around miles 18-20. I dealt with some blisters mile 16 but still PR'd with a 3:47 but goal was 3:30. bad path around mile 17 on crushed stone which is rude awakening with blisters after 16m on asphalt. Check my blog (link below) for my RR if you want to read about race some more. Good Luck!
PR's - 5K - 20:15 (2013) | 10K - 45:14 (2011) | 13.1 - 1:34:40 (2013) | 26.2 - 3:40:40 (2014)
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I ran this after the NYCM fiasco. jedi basically got it right. Pretty much flat course until you get to the park at miles 18-20. The hills aren't huge, but they are pretty steep (steep up and down). There is a gravel path around mile 17 that sucked, with big stones. Especially running in racing flats. If it was crushed gravel it would be better.
The turn around onto the bridge at mile 26 is just plain cruel.
Organization wise? It's no frills, simple logistics (you can sit in your car probably up until 5 min before the start). In and out. Little crowd support. Open roads. Varying water stops. No Gatorade, I don't even know what they served.
It had more pluses than minuses I believe. There are faster, small-town marathon races available in the NE in Oct/Nov (Wineglass for instance)
On their website they say it is a flat and fast course. I would not agree with that.
I ran it in 2009 and struggled in the hills on the back part of the course. But it's a nice marathon if you like small ones (which I do). The run along the river is really nice.
If you are looking for a small fall PA marathon you can't beat Steamtown (Scranton, Pa). It is a couple weeks earlier, October 12 I think this year. It is a really nice small home town race, I've done it twice now and had a great time at both. I've never done Harrisburg so I can't comment on that one. If you are in this are Philly is also a nice run, although quite a bit bigger.
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.
I've done Harrisburg twice and likely won't again. The small, steep, hills come at the wrong time. The only thing I haven't seen mentioned here is that a lot of the running is along the river. On one hand, that's beautiful. On the other hand, if it's a breezy weekend (and that time of year it's highly possible), your time can take a beating.
Although it's a spring time marathon (unlike Harrisburg, which is fall), I can't say enough good stuff about the Bob Potts Marathon in York, PA. It's a little smaller, even than Harrisburg, but is 100% fast rail trail. I've also done that one twice. Difference is, I WOULD do that one a third time and have no desire to do Harrisburg again.
Go to http://certainintelligence.blogspot.com for my blog.
The only problem with Potts is the weather can be a crap shoot in middle of May.
I've done Harrisburg twice and likely won't again. The small, steep, hills come at the wrong time. The only thing I haven't seen mentioned here is that a lot of the running is along the river. On one hand, that's beautiful. On the other hand, if it's a breezy weekend (and that time of year it's highly possible), your time can take a beating. Although it's a spring time marathon (unlike Harrisburg, which is fall), I can't say enough good stuff about the Bob Potts Marathon in York, PA. It's a little smaller, even than Harrisburg, but is 100% fast rail trail. I've also done that one twice. Difference is, I WOULD do that one a third time and have no desire to do Harrisburg again.