Happy Grand Rapids Marathon week to all you wonderful runners out there!
So hopefully you’re enjoying your tapering (the best part of running, right?). If you need something to do with all that extra non-running time on your hands, why not obsess over your upcoming race?
I will gladly help fuel your obsession by providing an extensive review of the Grand Rapids Marathon.
What to say, what to say… I’ve run the Grand Rapids Marathon twice (2013, 2014). I enjoyed it both times (enjoyed, suffered through it… practically the same thing.), but both times, there was nothing all that memorable about it. I’ve been lucky enough to run both incredible and incredibly crappy races. The Grand Rapids Marathon is neither of those, but off in its own little bubble of “pretty good races.”
Now let be known that the volunteers at this race are top notch. So are the pacers. Also, great Boston Qualifying course. That’s quite enough of my rambling, let’s get down to the specifics.
What: The Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon (review based on the 2013 and 2014 marathons) This race also includes a half marathon and relay teams.
When: Sunday in mid-October. Usually, a week before or after the Detroit Free Press Marathon (except this year where both races are on the same day!)
Where: The start/finish is outside the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. The race course starts out in a few neighborhoods, heads downtown, and crosses the Grand River twice. The majority of the race is spent in Millenium Park and on the Kent Trails.
Who: Metro Health is the title sponsor for this event.
Price:
Expo
The expo is inside the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids. Unless you’re a member of the Y, you’ll have to pay $2 for parking. Or just park in a lot at Grand Valley for free. Since the expo is on a Saturday, no tickets are handed out (free weekend parking on campus is one of the most important things I learned in college). This goes for race day too! The expo is a good size. It’s not overwhelming, but you’ll be able to find everything you’ll need. Plus, you’ll get to check out the start line ahead of time. And if you time it right, you can watch the kid’s race. Guaranteed to inspire you for your race the next day (or make you wish you were a child who only had one measly mile to run).
The course
The course should look pretty familiar to Grand Rapids natives. It’s similar to the Fifth Third River Bank Run’s course (without the cool downtown finish). The first half is far more entertaining than the second. The course takes you downtown and across two bridges before heading into Millenium Park. Personally, I think this is the prettiest part of the course. The sun is still coming up and midst is evaporating off the lake. Oh, and you pass the halfway point, which is truly beautiful. The park contains the only “hills” you’ll really experience. Honestly, they’re more like bumps. Rest assured, this is one flat course.
You’ll log the most tedious miles during the out and back portion on the Kent Trails. The trails aren’t the most spectator friendly, but patches of dedicated fans still make their way out there. Besides being an out and back, these trails can be a huge pain because the road is slanted. Each side is slanted towards the middle of the road, causing uneven (and possibly painful) strides. My advice is to run in the center or far over on the right side.
There is also a point around mile 20 where you can see the skyline of the city. It looks way too far to run to and you may just decide to lay down and die instead. Also, the 20-something miles are pretty quiet. So you’re left alone with your thoughts. And let’s be honest, at that point your thoughts are anything but healthy or coherent.
Aid stations
The aid stations, along with the pacers, are going to be your lifeline throughout this race. Even when I begged them with my expression to end my suffering, they just kept cheering wildly. They actually made me believe in myself again, which is not an easy thing to do for a person at mile 19 of a marathon. My first year I was so tired by the time I reached the aid station around mile 19, I thought I was hallucinating when my friend’s mom came up and grabbed me by the shoulders, yelling at me not to give up. I finished the rest of the race relatively quickly since I thought I was losing my mind. Nope, she was actually there. Mind still intact.
The marathon aid stations (one every 1.5 miles) are finely-tuned machines. They have everything you need, including the infamous pickle juice late in the race. Some people swear by it, I think a marathon is hard enough without pickle juice. There’s plenty of water and Gatorade to go around as well as GU and petroleum jelly (for your nips and all other chafes, not your stomach) in the later miles. Also plenty of porta potties and medical professionals for any sort of emergency.
The pacers are also incredible people. They keep you going and talk you through the pain. Also, they have cleaver celebrity pacing groups like 3:44:52 – George W.’s Running Mates and 3:56:12 – Will Ferrell’s Sub-4′s. Be warned, it still crushes your spirit when a group of pacers passes you, that unattainable time drifting further and further away… But hey, maybe it’s a little less crushing than a normal pace group.
Awards
The awards (at least when I ran) weren’t fantastic. Unless you won, then I think you get cold hard cash. Which is fantastic indeed. For winning my age group each year, I got a bigger version of the finisher’s medal to go along with my finisher’s medal… My age group place was a sticker on the back. Not great, but I did get to walk around with not one, but TWO medals. I’m pretty sure it earned me mad respect from both my peers and strangers alike.
Goodies
Your registration comes with a long-sleeve tech shirt that you must own at least one of to be considered a Grand Rapids’ runner. The sleeves can be a little short, so consider ordering a size up. All in all, they’re pretty nice! The post-race snacks are plentiful and do not disappoint. They give you a space blanket along with your medal and access to lots of treats. Bagels, granola bars, fruit, chocolate milk, beer, etc. Both years I ran it, they had Culver’s ice cream. I nearly froze to death eating it, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. Oh, and of course, everyone gets a medal for finishing. Yay for participation!
Pros
The volunteers, the pacers, and the post-race snacks. Also, it is absolutely insane how many charity runners participate in this event. I’d be shocked if there wasn’t someone in a World Vision shirt around you the entire race. Although the out-and-back section is tedious and kind of sucks, out and backs always have the potential to be entertaining because you can see all the people in front of and behind you. So although there aren’t many spectators during this area, your fellow runners do a great job of stepping in. You can feel the love the city has for its runners before, during, and after the race; which is a powerful thing indeed.
Cons
The course lacks a little creativity. You are only downtown for a very short-lived portion of the race. Plus, the race (especially the half marathon, sheesh) is pretty expensive considering most of the marathon is run on trails that require little to no road closures and police presence. Also, the last few miles are anticlimactic. They feel incredibly dragged out due to the lack of spectators and things to see. Lastly, the footing on the Kent Trails can really start to wear on a person after awhile.
Overall thoughts
The Grand Rapids Marathon is the perfect race to earn that Boston Qualifying time and have some fun along the way. What this race lacks in course creativity it makes up for in the energy and passion of both the runners and volunteers. This is not an intimidating marathon. The size and spectators are moderate and you have no hills to fear. There are far more people more passionate about charity or having fun than being a super athlete. So enjoy it, PR, and get your money’s worth by loading up on finish line snacks.
