Detroit Free Press Marathon Reviews & Race Reports
6 reviews from runners who've completed this race
Detroit Free Press Marathon reviews and race reports
Ambassador Bridge and the tunnel — One runner crossed the Ambassador Bridge near mile 2.5 and liked the views of Michigan and Ontario. The tunnel back into Detroit was warm and cost that runner the GPS signal.
Residential miles 6 to 12 — A 2021 runner loved the residential neighborhoods, where people on porches and sidewalks handed out water and snacks between the official stations.
Overcame knee pain to achieve a 12-minute PR
The first 10 miles of the race did not feel good. My legs felt tired and my knee started to hurt pretty bad. By mile 13 I was preparing to walk off the course if my knee felt worse. But I dug deep and started negotiating with each mile.
Fought fatigue but finished strong with a few seconds to spare
I would highly recommend the Detroit marathon! The course is very scenic, crosses the US-Canada border, is relatively flat, and is well-staffed with fluid and nutrition stations. The crowds were amazing and super supportive. The race starts at 7:00 am which is about 50 min before sunrise.
Bonked hard after mile 18, struggled to finish strong
At mile 20, I noticed the clock saying 2:37:xx and thought I should easily get under 3:30. What happened next caught me completely off guard. At this point, I had to alternate between walking and running. I tried to keep on running, but at times the pain was just too much to bare.
Struggled in the final miles after starting too fast
This was my first real race and I made the rookie mistake of starting out too fast. I knew this was a no-no, but honestly it just felt weird running with fresh legs. At times, I was run a full minute faster than my goal pace. Oops. Eventually, my legs began to tire and I was my goal pace out of necessity.
Felt great early, but lost time at mile 4 for a porta-potty stop
The first 5 miles were awesome, I was feeling great and it was amazing to see downtown Detroit at sunrise with all the other runners. For all my efforts to pee prior to the run, I ended up stopping at the mile 4 fluid station for a drink of water and my only porta-potty stop of the race. Unavoidable, but my final time would probably be 5 minutes faster if I didn't have to do this.