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☰
Missoula Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Missoula Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 4.2
Number of comments: 167 [displaying comments 131 to 141]
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Rob Klein from Aurora, CO
(7/17/2008)
"A Fun Race in a Beautiful Town" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon event was the result of a lot of hard work by many local folks in Missoula. The Expo was downtown near the Clark Fork, and was kind of small, but checking in was a snap. And downtown parking was free for the weekend - even in the parking garage. Buses got the marathon runners - maybe 400 people - to the Bank in Frenchtown, the starting line. The start was at 6:00, earlier than most, so the start was cool, but once the sun was up, everything and everybody warmed up. The early part of the course was flat. Around miles 11 - 12, there were significant hills, first uphill, then back downhill, through country estates. The course flattened out again after that, with some residential areas near the end. The temperature was probably in the low 80's by late morning. There were adequately placed aid stations throughout with the typical water and sports drink, with some stations having fruit later on. Two later stations had Clif-Shots. One aid station was in front of a Catholic Church, and their sign had fallen down. One of the girls fretted about the sign, saying, "We don't want them to think we are Presbyterians!" The grapes and orange slices they handed out hit the spot. All the volunteers were a great encouragement. Besides the volunteers, there were not a lot of other spectators, except near the finish line. The post-race food was adequate: Pineapple or strawberry frozen fruit bars, sesame stick snack mix, cold pasta, bananas, and bagels, and of course water was available too. And with a little bit of pre-planning I got to float down a stretch of the Clark Fork River in an inner tube after the race. Missoula is a beautiful, smaller-size town with lots of friendly residents, and the community came together to put on a great marathon event. A big "thank you" to Jennifer, her staff, and volunteers. | |
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David Corfman from Cincinnati, OH
(7/16/2008)
"Fantastic race - Everything was top-notch!" (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was definitely one of my top ten races. The organization was perfect, in my opinion, including a perfectly executed on-time start to the race. I can always forgive an industrial stretch or two, so the course was beautiful, overlooking a lake and river. Running through the tree-shaded neighborhoods was nice, where so many neighbors put out their sprinklers to run through. Crowd support was nice for the last several miles, and especially at the end of the race. This race will probably never get too big due to its remote location, which is a shame. If you want to do a July marathon in the north - do this one! | |
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G. G. from Sarasota, FL
(7/16/2008)
"Great Race, Great City, Great Time!" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Having never been to Montana, let alone run a marathon there, I can't tell you how much I enjoyed not only the run, but the city and the very hospitable people in Missoula. Being a sea-level, flat-landed resident of Sarasota, I was concerned about the altitude and the hills. With essentially 24 miles basically flat, all I can say is that I certainly would have regretted not making the trip. The check-in was a breeze, the temps perfect, the scenery majestic and a PR didn't hurt! I will recommend this marathon to everyone. Don't change a thing... well, maybe the lemon pasta. A big way-to-go for the organizers. | |
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C. S. from Belle Fourche, SD
(7/15/2008)
"One I'll Never Forget" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Missoula Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I ran the inaugural Missoula Marathon last year and suffered along with everyone else through the record-breaking heat, finishing in 3:32. This year was a night and day difference. The weather was more typical of Missoula in July, with morning temps at the start line in the upper 40s. Also, the organizers started the race a half-hour earlier and rerouted the last six miles to take advantage of the plentiful shade in the tree-lined neighborhoods near the University of Montana campus. Add all of that together and it equals a 3:09 for me, an 8.5-minute PR and my first Boston qualifier. The course itself is a general uphill, but the total rise from the start in Frenchtown to the finish in Missoula is so little that it's really hardly noticeable other than on the one major hill right around the halfway point. I still found the first 9 miles or so to be fairly boring, but the course gets more interesting after that as you near the river and timbered areas and then head into Missoula. I thought the new finish line on the Higgins Ave. Bridge was great... a nice downhill stretch to allow you to finish strong. The organizers also received great cooperation from the city in closing the bridge completely to traffic and also closing off 3 blocks of downtown to serve as the finish area. The organization was great. I think the major complaint from last year was that it took forever to get results posted because there was no chip timing. The organizers responded and chip timing was used this year; I was able to see my official results within an hour or so of finishing (as opposed to a week later). Also, as I mentioned, the rerouting of the course in the last 6 miles to avoid the mall parking lot and the railroad bike path was a very good move. Aid stations were plentiful, roughly every two miles for the first 19 miles and then every mile for the last 7. As a result of the course change, there was quite a bit of turning in the last 6 miles, but all turns were clearly marked with volunteers there to point the way. Traffic control at road crossings was handled very well, with a combination of volunteers and police officers. You shouldn't expect big-city crowds in a small-city marathon, but the spectators that were out were enthusiastic and supportive. In particular, the mass of spectators on either side of the Higgins Ave. Bridge leading to the finish were great. This is a race that's done very well in its first two years. If it keeps improving each year, it'll be drawing more and more people to Missoula each July. I know I'll be back for more. | |
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B. B. from Cranbury, New Jersey
(7/15/2008)
"Great Mid-Summer Race" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 For a small race, the organizers did a first-rate job! The aid stations had some of the most pleasant volunteers I have met on any race. The course is relatively flat - with one hill - and does a great job of showing off the beautiful Montana countryside. The finish on the Higgins Street Bridge was particularly nice. There isn't a great deal of fan support, but I really appreciated the sprinklers homeowners put out for the race. I highly recommend this race. | |
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D. M. from Ogden, UT
(7/14/2008)
"Great destination marathon" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a flat, fast course. Even though the elevation profile would suggest a steady uphill, it's only a net of about 200 feet over 26.2 miles, and most of that is explained by one hill at about mile 15. The finish line is a very good one, crossing the Higgins St. Bridge. Two lanes are reserved for runners; the other two lanes are reserved for spectators, and the finish line cheering is deafening. This was the second year of this marathon, and they seem to have gotten almost everything "right" very quickly. About the only thing I would change for next year would be to upgrade the medal. The weather cooperated this year, too. It was a clear, calm, cool morning. The 6 a.m. start is a bonus, since it can get hot in Missoula in July - the 6 a.m. start pretty much assures it won't get too hot by the end. Missoula is a geologically beautiful town (as one would expect, nestled in a mountain valley at the confluence of two major rivers - the Bitterroot and Clark Fork) as well as being an historic one, situated on the Lewis and Clark trail. As they say in their ad, "Come, Run, Stay, Play." It's a great town. | |
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J. H. from Tacoma, WA
(7/14/2008)
"Great race - lots of fun" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Missoula Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Great run. I enjoyed this year more than last - I liked spending more time in the residential areas in an attempt to find shade (still not much) this year. Much better medal - and it reminds me of the theme of the mile markers! | |
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Dotty Maddock from Phoenix, AZ
(7/14/2008)
"Nice Job, Missoula!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my 40th marathon, and my second in Montana. I can honestly that Missoula did a great job! Don't come to this one expecting a big expo or lots of crowds. But if you're looking for a "small town" race, with an early start (loved the 6:00 a.m. start, so I didn't even need late checkout!), and excellent organization, this is it! The technical t-shirts were first-class, the race started right on time, I had no problem with the mile markers and turns (although there are a lot of them in the last few miles), and the medal is relatively small but colorful. On most parts of the course, there was enough shade to give some relief from the sun, and the low humidity offset the rising temperature (and I'm not one who likes hot weather races). Of course, I always have some "cons" to be aware of or suggestions for improvement: 1. It was quite chilly at the start, surprisingly, and there was literally no "shelter." There was a small foyer in the bank which was unlocked (so customers could get to the depository), and a few of us staked that out. If possible, the bank lobby should also be opened or some other shelter or heat be provided, even if it's just heat lamps. 2. It was difficult to tell the water from the "sports drink" at the aid stations. They were similar in color and had the same color cups. Either different color cups, or water first then sports drink tables, or something would have been helpful. 3. Where was the beer at the finish? I swear they said there was a beer sponsor who would be providing beer to those "of age," but I couldn't find it and the volunteers in the food tent didn't know either. Maybe it was down at the park (versus in the finishing area), but I was really looking forward to that beer after I crossed the finish line. 4. Be aware that there are TWO Holiday Inns in Missoula. One is close to the finish line, and the other (Holiday Inn Express) is a little over a mile away. The walk after the finish did me good, but be aware when you're making hotel reservations. 5. If you're planning to take a cab (or shuttle, or bus) from the airport to "downtown" (about 7 miles away), be aware that they aren't readily available and waiting at the airport. You need to call a cab, or make shuttle arrangements ahead of time. Not a factor if you're renting a car, but I was just counting on a cab or bus to get to town, and it doesn't happen as easily as at other airports. Overall, this was a great experience, and I would recommend this race. It was surprisingly cool (due to low humidity), considering the high that day was predicted to be 90 degrees. The first 10-12 miles are lots of fields and farmlands (but fine for early morning "cruising"), then there are some hills (check the elevation chart), and then running through residential areas into town with lots of wonderful sprinklers set out. You'll come away from this one thinking, "This is a nice little race!." | |
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m. s. from Mansfield, TX
(7/13/2008)
"Great, fast, flat course!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 For the 2nd running of this race, this was extremely well done. The course and organization were great. The weather was great, and I was told it's usual for July in Montana. The expo was small and could have had more vendors, but for a small race, it was adequate - and the folks working there were helpful and friendly. The course had one hilly section (surprising for a mountainous area) at around mile 13-15, but it was flat otherwise. The aid stations should have had Vaseline available, but were otherwise well stocked and well placed. Overall, a great race for a beautiful state! | |
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B. J. from Missoula
(11/27/2007)
"I thought it was a great first-time marathon!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Missoula Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 It was very well run. I have a couple of suggestions: more port-a-potties on the course. I waited in line for almost 5 minutes at one point and finally had to leave. I would like to see different shirts for 1/2 and full participants. It makes a big difference to those running the full 26... sad but true. Long-sleeved shirts? Very well done! I enjoyed my entire experience! Thank you all for all of your hard work - it was great! |
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