Little Rock Marathon Reviews

  One of the best!

By Cd about 2024

Review

This is an outstanding marathon! Due to heat predicted in 2024, the race organizers moved the start from 8am to 6am. Brilliant! Organization is superb! Other marathons should study this one. They accommodated bib pickup race morning and were there by 4:30am! The start just flowed smoothly and was perfect. Plenty of time to use the many toilets. The course runs through town and the a ways out on flat ground. Always plenty of space to move, unlike many cramped courses. Plenty of flat road instead of running on a slope. They have a slow start for walkers/runners. Very considerate! Pacers are everywhere! 4:40, 4:45, 4:50, etc that I saw. The shirt is very fun. The medal is superb! (Won’t spoil it for you). The water provided at the end is special. None of this clear plastic stuff. The food is top notch! Everybody seemed to have fun. The Just sign up! They don’t get much better. AMAZING!!!

Race Tips

Hill training a good idea.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Free parking in many places on marathon morning.

  Not flat but a well put on race

By Ejm about 2023

Review

Extremely well supported. Many more than 1 station every two miles in spots they may 3 per mile. Highlights the nice bridge you run over twice, you run up next the capital building.then along a wooded area. When you finish you get the largest finisher medal is an understatement which is fantastic. Beer drinks pasta ect.

Race Tips

Prepare for winding hills from 15-18. That's not the only hills just the difficult part.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Getting to the convention center the day of the race is more difficult than packet pickup day. I was was dropped off by the convention center which was a win.

  Tough but what a medal!

By JS about 2022

Review

Most importantly - The medal! At 3 pounds the 2022 medal (20th anniversary) is the mother of all medals. I do not know how the will top that!

Start and finish at the convention center is awesome! Great, comfortable facilities that provide fantastic shelter regardless of the weather.

The course is challenging. I was not prepared for the hills and paid for it. It is well marked and well assisted with almost enough water stations.

Improvements:
- They should start at sun rise. 8 AM is too late, when I ran it was already hot and humid, no bueno!
- A few more water stations will also help on those hot days.

Race Tips

Train for hills!

  Super Support all along the route! A real community supported event

By Mary Emery about 2018

Review

The community came together and had street party, they played music, cooked on the grill all kinds of food! Church groups sang to us, blessed us!

Race Tips

This is a GREAT 1st Marathon if you have never done one! Super Finisher Medal

  Awesome race

By lb about 2018

Review

Course was great. Volunteers were amazing. Love the Medal. It's as big as my face. Great post race food. Loved it.

Race Tips

Expect more than what they promise. You can actually talk to the race directors, which is amazing for a race of their size.

  Best Marathon for any Pace!

By RMS about 2018

Review

Love the Fact that the atmosphere is hopping whether you finish at 2 hours or 8 hours. Love the southern hospitality

Race Tips

Great pace groups available up to 8 hours.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Several hotels available around start and finish line.

  A Race Worth Repeating

By gvc about 2018

Review

The support by staff and spectators is terrific. Faster runners are even greeted by the governor! Enjoy the changing scenery, Challenging yet relaxed. Has an 8 hour time limit and even an 8 hour pace group! Known for its huge medal.

Always plenty of post race food. 2018 is the 5th time I've done this race.

Race Tips

Do prepare for some hills. Race starts out in the city, goes thru friendly neighborhoods, wooded area, loop around a park and then back into the city and finish line.

  Great crowd support.

By CM about 2018

Review

Great crowd support. Great course. Awesome medal!

Race Tips

Watch out for the hill at mile 25!

  Race for EVERY pace!

By RLD about 2018

Review

I LOVED participating in the Little Rock Marathon races! I have run the 10K and the half marathon. Such energy and positive vibes! Great course! Amazing medals! Fantastic expo!

Race Tips

Course was a tad bit hilly! Nothing that can't be done though!

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Marriott Downtown...best hotel and usually the host hotel. Eat at Sonny Williams steakhouse downtown.

  Amazing!

By RT about 2018

Review

Very well organized. Great route support and volunteers. Oh the Bling!

Race Tips

Expect any possible weather.

  Awesome

By The wolf about 2018

Review

Great organized marathon in a wonderful location

Race Tips

Get ready for some hills

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Stay on the north side of the river

  

By TPF about 2017

Review

Pros: Course and atmosphere!

Race Tips

Train on some hills

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

Stay anywhere, nothing is to far and parking is easy!

  

By Anonymous about 2017

  

By Linda Bald about 2017

Review

Awesome marathon and medal (which is my driving factor). I convinced my 2 besties to travel with me and run the 1/2.

When I met them back at the room, I was a little disappointed for them at the size of the medal. Since the promotion of the race states "half the distance, half the size" I expected the medal to be larger, yet it was closer to a quarter size....

And the spinner is tight and scrapes.

Disappointed...

All of the race was awesome, the waterstops spaced well, the volunteers awesome....

Great race.

I didn't like the white color (medal) at all.

I love the size and shape

But the white makes it look plastic and cheap especially on my wall compared to the awesome Game On gold of 2016

And I don't like the teashirts, of either year, they are just not comfortable

But I love the race!!

Race Tips

10k day have the corral letters with opening in the gate that goes with the letter.

It was mass confusion.

We were forced to come in from back of line and could NOT get to corral.

Corral gates in marathon day were great.

  

By br about 2016

Review

I like it all but I'm biased because it is my hometown marathon and I have run it every year. It is a challenging course with flat and hilly sections. There is good crowd support downtown and in the residential neighborhoods. The organizers Gina and Geneva always throw in some new twists and keep it fun.

Race Tips

Beware of the hills of Kavanaugh, starting early in the second half of the race. The steep downhill on North Lookout starting around the mile 16 marker can destroy you if you yield to temptation and take it too quickly.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

The dining options in or near downtown LR and North Little Rock have grown extensively over the past five years so there are lots of great choices. Three Fold noodles is a nice casual place situated a few blocks from the start and finish line. We like the pizza and calzones at Vino's brewpub, 7th and Chester.

  

By SAM about 2015

Review

Overall it was a great race with lots of support throughout the course and the governor even came out to high five and take pictures. The hill from mile 13 to 15.5 is pretty tough, and they bring you back down on a very steep hill. The out and back is not too exciting. It is a challenge, but very doable marathon course.

Race Tips

I stuck with a pacer that knew the course really well and would make pace adjustments for the hill sections. I would really recommend finding a good pacer.

  

By EMR about 2013

Review

This is a well run, fairly large (2500 full, 4,500 Half, 1,200 10K) race. It is known for it's huge medal which is tacky but fun and the race directors seem to encourage fun! Get a nice short sleeve tech shirt. Expo was a little crowded for my taste but I still got out fairly quickly.

Race Tips

The first 13 miles have a few easy hills and rollers. Miles 13 to 16.5 are mainly uphill w/ a killer from 13.5 to 14.25. After that you get a downhill and 8 miles of flat. There are two hills the final 2 miles that hurt at that point. There is a six mile out and back from 18-24 that can be mentally tough but it is flat and the most scenic section of the race.

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

The host hotel (Peabody) is walking distance from the expo and the race start (and many restaurants, museums, etc). I stayed in North Little Rock to save money and was still only 10 minutes from all the action. I parked at the garage on 2nd street. It was close to the start and finish.

  

By TJS about 2012

Review

This is not an easy marathon course but it is doable! You run through many historic parts of Little Rock.

Race Tips

It is important to save your strength for the hills around miles 13-16. There are some tough inclines in there but the downhill that follows is nice. Weather is usually in the 40's-50's which is perfect for marathoning!

Logistical Tips (Hotels, Restaurants, Parking, Discounts, etc.)

There is a large parking garage near the convention center that usually has ample parking.