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☰
Fargo Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Fargo Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 391 [displaying comments 291 to 301]
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B. S. from Nevada
(5/21/2007)
 "Another excellent Fargo Marathon!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 3 Fargo Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I've run all three Fargo Marathons, and this was the best one yet. I hope they keep the new course because I hated running through the park in previous years. This course was a winner. The organization was excellent - smooth as glass from packet pick-up, through pasta feed, bag drop-off, and finish line medal, bag pick-up, and a well organized food line at the end. The crowd support was also excellent - very impressive for a town this size. And this race could not be run without an army of friendly and efficient volunteers. The pace groups were also a nice addition to this race. It was cool and windy, but it was the best weather of all three years! My only complaint, and it is a big one, is the greed of the organizer, Scheel's. The technical shirt was nice, but I have gotten free technical shirts at other races. At Fargo, Scheel's makes you PAY $2 for a 2-inch "Finisher 2007" label - and they make you drive all the way to their store to get it!! Then they separately sell finisher's t-shirts - the cheapest is the short-sleeve for $20! What a rip-off! This race is a winner, but Scheel's is a loser! | |
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D. I. from Gainesville, FL
(5/21/2007)
 "FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 One of the nicest marathons that I've done! Mark Knutson and crew should congratulate themselves. I found everyone so friendly and accommodating! The expo was great, and the fans were outstanding! The weather was cold and windy, but there were fans all the way to the end... and I was a walker!!!! The course was flat and well marked. Traffic control was great. The Fargodome finish on the big screens was so much fun! Thanks, Fargo, for a great marathon. I would do this one again... and would definitely recommend it to anyone. | |
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J. W. from Mankato,Mn.
(5/21/2007)
 "Great marathon; very user-friendly" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run many marathons, but none as user-friendly as this. Course was very flat, there were plenty of water stations, and it was a friendly family race. My family was able to cheer me on at many locations during the race with no problems. Great finish in the warm heated Fargo Dome. Course helped me make my Boston time again for 2008. I'll be back next year. Scenic overall view of race got a little old, but the well-run race and its town were above what you would expect from a marathon in only its 3rd year. Will only get bigger and better every year. I'll be a yearly repeat. Thanks, Fargo, for a truly well-run event that went flawlessly for me from sign up to the finish line. | |
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C. S. from Cambridge, MN
(5/20/2007)
 "Superb Organization, Mediocre Course" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 First, the race organization was almost flawless. The packet pickup was extremely efficient; I received my packet and had my chip verified in less than two minutes. The rest of the expo was smallish and not particularly interesting. We went through all of the booths in about 10 minutes. The shirt was a quality, black, long-sleeve, technical shirt. My only minor quibble was the lack of a finisher's shirt. I know we could get the wording added later at Scheel's, but that seemed like a hassle for those of us from out of town. The FargoDome worked great for hosting the pre- and post-race activities. Parking was plentiful and convenient. I appreciated the fact that they didn't charge for parking, like some other marathons. There seemed to be plenty of bathroom facilities before the race as the lines never looked more than one or two people deep. The course was flat and fast. It also contained plenty of twists and turns, which really minimized the wind's impact. The aid stations were well-stocked and located as advertised. The course was clearly marked with arrows and volunteers directing traffic at key intersections. I can't imagine anyone getting lost on this course. The indoor finish was unique and fun. On the other hand, the course wasn't particularly scenic. It seemed like the course displayed a good portion of the cities, but that might not be a good thing. The sections through Concordia College and across the bridges were the only mildly interesting parts. The last several miles were especially boring, as runners wound through endless neighborhoods. Also, a good share of the course consisted of either concrete or uneven asphalt, which wasn't easy on the legs. After the race, we received a high-quality finisher's medal. The volunteers were extremely friendly and helpful. There was an average selection of food (fruit, bagels, ice cream, and cookies) and plenty of water and sports drink available. The wait for the post-race massage was maybe 20 minutes, but the massage seemed longer than those I've received at other marathons. The crowd support was more than adequate for a race of this size. There were spectators scattered throughout the entire course. My guess is turnout will only improve as the race becomes more of a local tradition. Also, there was a spectator bus available that took people from the start to three points on the course. This bus didn't get much publicity, but it was a great way for non-runners to see more than the start and finish. Also, it should be noted that the event had several pace teams available. Unlike many larger marathons, the pace teams were easy to spot both before and during the race. I ran the first half with the 3:40 pacer and he was very consistent with his splits and supportive of the runners. For those traveling to the race, we stayed at the Wingate Inn. The hotel was very clean, comfortable, and quiet. It was maybe a five-minute drive to race activities since Fargo apparently has no traffic. Overall, the race was a solid regional marathon with outstanding organization. Although the course failed to be visually interesting, it provided the opportunity for fast times. | |
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r. v. from Plymouth, MN
(5/20/2007)
"Fantastic event. Great fan support." (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my second marathon and this was an outstanding event. The whole city was very involved with the event and provided a great atmosphere for the runners. The course was flat and fast and most of the runners in my running group PRed on this course, many by substantial margins. The organization was top notch and the 2007 shirt was excellent. | |
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j. l. from st. paul, Minnesota
(5/20/2007)
"Small town; big heart" (about: 2007)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 With a short notice, the course was changed due to the river flooding, but still a great time. People were lining almost every block of the marathon in support, handing out candy and cups of water in their front yards. The race bags, t-shirts and medals were all a pleasant surprise. Add this marathon to your list of musts. | |
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D. O. from Minneapolis
(5/20/2007)
"A Gem - Classy, Small-Town Marathon" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The spectators were marvelous in spite of a cold and windy day (45 degrees and 20 mph gusts). The spectators were everywhere - I think the whole town was out. I got bananas and hard candy when I needed it. I loved the swing and polka dancers. The fans cheered me on when I was struggling from mile 22 on. It was great to run into the Fargo Dome and see yourself on the Jumbotron. The course was very well set up. It is flat in Fargo - but the wind makes up for it. Lots of variation, nice parks, nice neighborhoods. Nice touch to go through Concordia College. Only downside, of course, was running on lots of concrete. Great Friday-evening meal and expo. This is a gem. Needed more massage therapists. Showers were great. And good food at the finish line. | |
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D. T. from San Antonio, TX
(5/19/2007)
"Exceptionally Organized - Very Friendly City!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I couldn't believe this was only the 3rd year for the Fargo Marathon! Wow! It was exceptionally organized from the packet pick-up, to the expo, the pre-race, the water and aid stations, and the finish. The expo is relatively large for the size of the marathon. Packet pick-up was quick and organized. The pasta dinner was all-you-can-eat, with great food; and the speakers during dinner were top-notch! The race start was easy to access and facilitated a relatively quick start. For a downtown marathon, the course is beautiful - you run down many tree-lined streets and a couple parks. The fan support was unreal! There were so many folks out to cheer you on and it was obvious that most of them were not there to cheer on a friend or family member - they were just folks from Fargo wanting to support the runners and the marathon. No lack of aid stations, port-a-potties, etc. The finish was at the Fargodome, with lots of food, lots of support, and showers on-site - a perfect finish for a great race! Finally, for those coming from out-of-state - the race is ideally located. The airport is 1-2 miles from the Fargodome, there are lots of hotels wihin walking distance to the Fargodome (but reserve early!), and there are adequate restaurants for dinner after the race. Accessibility was great! We didn't need to rent a car for the weekend. Five stars all around! | |
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DOUGLAS BECKER from Fergus Falls MN
(5/19/2007)
"DONE VERY WELL" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Fargo Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Fargo Marathon (2007) was one of the best-for-the-money marathons I have done! Hotels are very cheap and close by, and great food is also very cheap in Fargo. In the organization of the race, Mark Knutson and his staff put on one of the better marathons, as far as logistics goes in the U.S. I am happy to go run a marathon that is just a hour away, and not have to pay the couple thousand in hotel and eats of some of the major cities. - DOUGLAS C. BECKER | |
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b. j. from San Diego, CA
(1/23/2007)
 "skip this one!!" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 My comments are in reference to the 2005 marathon. I found the race to be a major disappointment... everything from packet pick-up to the training provided to the volunteers. I would suggest Grandma's or maybe Eagle River, WI for marathons around the same time of year. |
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