One of the crown jewels of the three-race, Texas Marathon Series, the Metro PCS Dallas White Rock Marathon is noted for its scenic course, outstanding event organization and great crowd support. The other two races in the series include the Live Strong Austin Marathon and the Chevron Houston Marathon.
The Dallas White Rock is considered a fast course in marathon running circles and a good bet for runners looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon or set a new marathon personal record. The race is held annually, the first weekend in December.
The Dallas White Rock Course
As noted on the official event website ( White Rock Marathon Course Information and Maps : 12 July 2010), the race starts in Dallas Fair Park near the storied Cotton Bowl stadium, the first home of the NFL Dallas Cowboys and site of the infamous Red River Shootout, the annual college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. From there the course runs through the modern Dallas Arts District, the chic "Uptown area" and the affluent Highland Park neighborhood before looping around the namesake of the race, scenic White Rock Lake (miles 9 through 20). The course then returns through the Swiss Avenue historical district to Fair Park for the finish.
The certified 26.2-mile course is relatively flat, accounting for its reputation as a fast one, with only enough gently rolling hills to keep things interesting. The last five miles to the finish are downhill.
Other White Rock Marathon Running Events
In addition to the full 26.2-mile event, there is also a half-marathon race, corporate and team marathon relays and the Dallas Mayor’s run, a 5K fun run. The White Rock Marathon event is a weekend affair. The 5K race takes place on the Saturday preceding the marathon running events held on Sunday.
There is also a health and fitness expo held during the race weekend that runs from Friday noon through Saturday evening. The expo features sports fitness and nutrition experts along with a host of vendors offering training products and merchandise aimed at the running enthusiast.
Marathon Running Event Management
Reading Dallas White Rock race reviews at the Marathon Guide web site (Dallas White Rock Marathon Details: 12 July 2010), reveals some predominant themes based on the experiences shared by runners who have “run the rock” in the past. The water stations and race staffers get excellent ratings and the race is noted for its scenic course but invariably it seems, everyone complains about the start.
The Dallas White Rock utilizes a “wave start” format where runners are seeded in waves based on projected finish times. The biggest complaint by past runners about the marathon is that organization and management of the race start is poor. Typically participants find that due to many slower runners being seeded in the first waves, the first six miles are usually consumed with trying to break out of the congestion and find a comfortable pace. This a rather common complaint among runners who run the larger open marathons, and White Rock certainly qualifies with an estimated average field of 20,000 plus.
Whether seeking a good half-marathon or full 26.2-mile race, the fast and scenic Dallas White Rock deserves the consideration of those interested in attempting a great Texas marathon event. Running the rock could just be the ticket to grabbing that coveted Boston qualifying finish time.
For those curious about how to prepare to "run the rock" or any marathon for the first time, check out the related article, “How to Run a Marathon for Beginners.”
Larry Darter - Larry Darter is a freelance writer and published author with three books to his credit. He is a graduate of the Univ. of Central ...
