Course was very good, I enjoyed it, mostly flat, with the bridge early when you're fresh and pumped. This was a solid, but not 5 star, marathon. I'm glad I ran this marathon and I had a blast in Detroit. I didn't make a long weekend out of it but Detroit seems like it would've been a fine place to spend a little extra time exploring. I am trying to hit all states and this seems like a good option for others doing the same. Organizers were very communicative and did a good job adapting to these strange times. If you are reading this as a potential runner, be prepared for the entire Belle Isle stretch to be bleak & windy, to test your fortitude, and to potentially crush your pace/dreams.Įxpo was fine. I guess every course has its low points but not all happen to coincide with the traditional 'wall' miles of a course. I had been on pace to solidly PR but never recovered once I got back to the mainland.
Our pace group was banking time with the knowledge that this was a tough stretch, but as an out-of-towner nothing could've prepared me for how devastating the island and wind were. Lastly, having mile 21 on lonely Belle Isle running directly into the freezing headwind of the River was just sadistic. The other two things I have to say about the course is the pavement in many places was rough - many potholes and bulging asphalt - and I was surprised I made it through without tripping (I'm clumsy like that). Will hopefully switch back to the bridge -> Canada -> tunnel route next year. It was a lot of turns, but interesting to see the different areas north/NW of downtown. Take the '3' score I gave the course with a grain of salt, as much of that comes from the number of turns on the out & back that was added to replace the bridge -> Canada -> tunnel portion of the course. Like all runners, I was sad to not have the signature international experience. They were good about keeping all of us apprised of the situation and adapting the route to be US-only. Strange year as the organizers had to deal with both deferred runners from 2020 and Canada's continuing Covid regulations. If you happened to miss a cup or drop one, no bueno.įinish area was great. Fluid stations were fine, but very short. I wish there was more music out there esp. Miles 13 - 16 felt like you were on an abandoned planet - nothing! The hill at the end of mile 25 is short, but man it was tough. Downtown, Riverwalk and Belle Island sections were great. Weather this year was absolutely perfect mid 40's to start, never got too hot and a bit cloudy. Start area was exactly what you might hope for plenty of bathrooms, space to warm up and plenty of staff to help with questions. Pacer groups were terrific and on target. Ate dinner in Capital Square (?) at a place called La Lanterna - best pre-race meal I've ever had.
I stayed right on Jefferson Ave looking into Canada and I could see the Expo center from my room. Downtown Detroit was better than what I anticipated. Communication was excellent from the day it was cancelled in 2020 and I elected to defer to 2021.Įxpo was perfect for me, in and out in about 10 minutes.
I was happy to avoid the elevation changes! Sad I didn't get to experience the bridge and tunnel would have been cool. The race is very well organized and I highly recommend it for MI.ĭFP this year was exclusively in Detroit. The photos were plentiful and uploaded quickly. The course didn't venture into Canada this year, but was nice and flat. I appreciated the stand selling older race items for less. I actually went 2 days in a row since there was a lot to do. The race Expo was one of the best I've been to. I walked through the city and drove to Dearborn to the Ford plant tour and museum the day before to sightsee. People thought it was odd that I was going to run there as I'm from PA but it did not disappoint! I was able to walk to the start and expo from my downtown hotel. It was my first time in Detroit and I loved the city. I have run this marathon, and I want to add my comments about it. Detroit Free Press Detroit International Marathon - Race Detailsĭetroit Free Press Detroit International Marathon & Maarathon Relay, Half Marathon, 5K
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