“Again, thank you and the director and all the organizers and superb volunteers for this memorable race, and all the wonderful people from Forest City to Scranton … In my years of running scores of marathons in several states, from the east coast to the west and everything in between, what Steamtown stands for – its people and its character – is unparalleled.”
Conrad F.
“Somehow they have nailed the enthusiasm of a large marathon, but have kept the charm of a small local marathon. The crowds were great, who knew some many people lived in Scranton. Impressive that everyone who helps out in this race is a volunteer. Impressive that the schools are so generous to let the runner use the buildings. You all have done a great job for a great cause. May good karma come your way Scranton. PS. not a PR and I still loved it.”
L.G., Wyndmoor, PA
“This is a fantastic marathon on many levels. It is only a marathon so there is no half-marathon traffic. It is relatively small at about 2,000 finishers, so your claustrophobia will not rear its ugly head. It is run through some scenic small towns in the greater Scranton area, so you see some wonderful foliage and people. It has very good crowd participation along the way which will surprise you given its ruralness. It has a great shirt and medal, too.”
B.H., Philadelphia
“If you want to experience the spirit of the marathon in small town Americana, come to Steamtown! The course may look easy but it’s not. The last 2 miles and the homestretch hills are tough but the awesome crowd will get you through it. I will definitely run this again next year as my tune up for NYC.”
P.P., New Jersey
“A point to point marathon which is a very fast course. Downhill for about 23 miles but the last three are uphill and can be brutal depending how you are feeling. Everything about the marathon was great – the course, the organization, the finish, and the expo. Good fan support and some nice touches to the race – the local cross country teams at the water stations, fans cheering for you when you get off the bus at the start, etc… Highly recommended.”
T.M., New Jersey
“Each and every touch point, from registration, through the crazily entertaining emails, to the Expo and through the course, with its community-fueled vibe and rolling downhills, was simply great. You have SUCH a good thing going. Just wow. Kinda can’t wait for registration to open for next year so I can go again! (well, as soon as my legs are on good speaking terms with my quads, cus right now, it ain’t pretty). Thank you.”
Mandy M.
“Thank you for the honor and privilege of running in the Steamtown Marathon. It was awesome, uplifting, fun, at times hot, but unbelievable. The community spirit is comparable to none. I want to party with those people in the Sunset, Delaware, Penn Streets area. The athletes, students both college and high school, police, fire, EMTs, volunteers, local congregations praying and ringing church bells, boy scouts and volunteers were always encouraging with a smile on their faces. The food at the end was delicious and the post party, so glad I earned the right to be there. It was worth the sun coming out in my fourth hour of running.”
Cathy A.
“Thank you for another wonderful Steamtown Marathon. I loved it! You may have heard this already, but I heard it on the course. A runner told me that last year a Steamtown runner posted on Facebook that she was running the race. A friend in Texas who was a big fan of The Office wrote back saying, “There really is a Scranton?” I can attest to the fact that there really is a Scranton and we enjoy coming there very, very much. Thanks for all you do to make such a great experience.”
Kathy K.
“Back home in Baltimore, but I just wanted to send you an email and let you know what a fantastic race you have. This was my fourth marathon, and it’s now my favorite. The support from the fans, locals and volunteers was simply overwhelming and awesome, from the moment we got to the high school to the finish line. I had heard good things, but the people of the Scranton area could not have been nicer. I lost count how many high-fives I got, and yells of encouragement from complete strangers. Maybe it was the quad pain, but there were several moments I just couldn’t contain the emotion. It was the most inspirational run in my life, now age 43. That turn around mile 24 or so gave me chills, just all the fans lining the street and then the kids from St. Joseph’s.”
Greg, Baltimore, MD
“I have run over 100 marathons & ultras but this was one of the best. The kids at Forest City were amazing. Being able to stay inside the gyms and having food a real plus. I loved the start with the cannon (eventually) and then running through the town hearing the church bells ringing. The towns we ran through were really supportive and cheered us on, medical help was available all the way, great aid stations. The finish line was great and even the organization of getting drop bags was great. I can’t adequately express how impressed I am by your race and this will definitely be on my “do over” list for next year! In fact, next year, I will even train for it instead of only running 30-40 miles a month as I did this year.”
Don W., Stockton, NJ
“I would like to thank you and the organization for your efforts. This was my first, of hopefully many, marathons and I would like to take the time to say “Job well done.” It was an honor to participate in your event and embrace the history behind the event. The communication, organization and execution of the event were excellent. I look forward to future events and if I cannot compete, I will definitely help out anyway I can. There were many memorable aspects to the event on Sunday that I will keep with me for a long, long time. Thanks again for your labor of love. It truly shows in the end product!”
Mike B.
“I just wanted to say that I had an AMAZING time at the Steamtown Marathon yesterday. It was my 9th marathon and by far the most well-organized. The volunteers were helpful and knowledgeable, everything ran like a well-oiled machine, and my boyfriend and I had zero problems with any aspect of the race. We loved the pre-race emails, and had all the info we needed. I also loved the course–not just because it was downhill, but because it was gorgeous! And finally, the people along the course were SO freaking nice. I had the best time. I have never seen such friendly spectators, or received so much encouragement (and free snacks). My only tip would be to put more port-a-johns along the course…a lot of us wandered into the woods to do our business! But all in all, this is my new favorite marathon. I am going to recommend this race to ALL my friends.”
Steffany S., Washington D.C.
“As a veteran marathoner Steamtown was my 39th. Of all the marathons I have run in including Boston, NY, Chicago, Dublin and Edinburgh, this was the best organized and with the best volunteers. The staging area at Forest City HS couldn’t have been more perfect. Large enough, warm and dry with and organized baggage collection and excellent volunteers serving beverages and treats. There were an adequate number of port-o-potties also. The water stops were the most organized I have come across with adequate staffing, separation between Gatorade and water table, different cups, the same order at each stop and people out in front alerting runners that they were coming up and reminding the hypoxia ones of the order. The finishing area and food were top notch. Both Scranton and all of the neighboring towns were solidly behind this event which makes it easier for you and amazing for us. Only 2 negatives were you turned off the AC a little too early and you forgot to flatten out the hills over the first 6 miles, both of which I can’t really blame on you. Thank you again for a wonderful day.”
Martin K., Manchester CT.
“All I can say is you all did a phenomenal job. I was race director for a 5k race in Long Island on Saturday (the day before Steamtown) and the logistics and details left me nearly a nervous wreck. In retrospect, it was probably good to experience that stress Saturday because I felt so relieved and relaxed the night before Steamtown when the nervous wreck in me would normally appear!! The organization of the 5k paled in comparison to what was put together on Sunday. Because I now have a little inkling of what it takes to run one of these events, I was really impressed. Most importantly, I (along with everyone else I saw) had a great time. Thank you all very much.”
Peter F., Huntington, New York
“I just wanted to thank the 3,000 some volunteers (more than the number of runners) because everyone did a TREMENDOUS job! This was my first marathon, and I was so blessed to have chosen this one! I will DEFINITELY recommend it to all I come in contact with who are interested in running a marathon and even for those who are experienced marathoners. You all truly made my first marathon remarkable and you are to be thanked. The encouragement I received from the volunteers was incredible and the organization and flow to everything from registration, e-mails, expo, buses, high school, race start, along the race to finish, post race party was phenomenal. Thanks so, so much.”
Kelly M.
“Steamtown was my ninth marathon, and I have to say, one of the best organized and most spirited I have ever run (you give Boston and NYC a run for their money!). From the candid but exceedingly helpful email updates, to the cheery high schoolers who greeted us at FCHS in the dark morning, to the on-time start, to the amazing townspeople cheering us on every inch of the way, to the fantastic food at the finish, the entire race was a magical experience. While the perfect weather conditions may not have been entirely within your control, I’m happy to give you credit for that as well. I cannot imagine how hard it is to put a marathon together, let alone to do it so safely and so seamlessly to allow all the runners to have such an enjoyable time (okay, well, except for that hill right before mile 26!). Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my tired heart for giving me the gift of a great race today. Keep up the good work — I will definitely be sending other runners your way, and may run with you again someday!”
Sarah C.
“I have not run Steamtown before, but a friend suggested it. I was already accepted for a Chicago for today to run with my son, but her reports convinced me to change and I am so glad I did. The course is stunning (although deceptively harder than I anticipated), the crowd support fantastic, and the organization absolutely first class. The emails of course defy adequate description. I have always made it a rule to never repeat the same marathon and only broke it for the Paris Marathon. I have a sneaky suspicion this one may be the only other marathon to break that rule.”
Dan S.
“My son and husband both ran the marathon today. My husband felt dizzy at mile 23 and nearly fell over. Two young men from the Scranton high school cross country team called to inform me, and they accompanied him to the finish line. I’m sorry I don’t know their names, but I did get a chance to thank them at the finish line. You run an amazing race with amazing volunteers! Thank you!”
Nina G.
“Steamtown Rocks! I just want to thank you guys, the volunteers and the people of Scranton and 13 towns for an awesome event. The course was fantastic, awesome people and beautiful scenery. Thanks again!”
Phil P.
“This was my second time running the Steamtown Marathon and I plan to return next year. Everything about the race from planning, organization, the volunteers, the course, aid stations, crowd support and post race support are flawless. The course is a very beautiful point to point journey with awesome fall foliage, trails and great people as the runner passes through each town. Scranton comes to life in the later miles with people giving out refreshments and constant cheering. As tired as I was in the last few miles, I was able to sprint to the finish with everyone cheering the runners on. I ran my slowest marathon due to a tough summer training season, but had the best time ever. Slower was better. The longer I was out there, the more I enjoyed it. Thank you everyone involved. See you next year!”
Dean G., Newton, NJ
To read more runner comments about the Steamtown Marathon please click here.