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Jul 4, 2024

Missoula Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Missoula Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.7

Spectators 4.2

Number of comments: 166 [displaying comments 121 to 131]

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D. I. from Gainesville, FL (7/14/2009) "Well organized! Beautiful scenery!" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great marathon! Well done, Missoula! The weather was good - cloudy, which kept the temps down. Early start for walkers. The course was well marked and well supported. The volunteers and police were great - good traffic control. The town is friendly, and Glacier National Park is nearby and a must-see! I enjoyed myself and would do this one again! Thanks, Missoula, for a great marathon experience!
T. W. from Fairfax, VA (7/14/2009) "Gorgeous course in wonderful area of the country" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 To echo other comments, this is an extremely well organized event in an unbelievably beautiful setting. The expo was small but efficient, and there was a nice farmer's market nearby. On race day, there was no problem catching the bus to the start line (although the line for the half-marathon bus was much longer). At the start, there were fewer port-a-potties than I would have expected, but I had no problem getting through the line and to the start with a couple of minutes to spare. The weather was cooperative, as it felt nice and cool at the start, and it didn't really get too warm. The lack of humidity and some partial cloud-cover helped as well. Thanks to the race organizers for having the walkers start an hour ahead of the runners. This meant that even though I started at the very back, I didn't have to dodge the walkers for the first part, which is frustrating for me and likely equally annoying for them. The aid stations were very well stocked with friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. It was great that port-a-potties were available at each one. Other than the people at the aid stations, there were very few spectators before we got to Missoula. But I was enjoying the scenery so much that it really didn't matter. With the exception of the hill around the halfway point, the course seemed pancake-flat to me. I actually was glad to have the hill at that point just to have something to push against! And the view was spectacular. I was impressed with the support at the finish line. People were cheering like crazy even for the last third of the marathon finishers. There were plenty of food and drinks available, too. Overall, it was a lot of fun. To echo another side note, definitely take advantage of seeing the area if you're also from out of town. Drive to Glacier National Park via Flathead Lake for the amazing scenery. Hike the M Trail to see a stunning view of the area. And afterward, get a tube to float down the Clark Fork River. I also highly recommend staying in downtown Missoula instead of near the airport, as there are a lot of excellent dining choices within walking distance.
M. D. from Eatonton, GA (7/13/2009) "It is a well run and scenic small-town event." (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 This is a very nice, small-town event; it is well organized, has a lovely course, and is well staffed. There is little crowd support, but the nice weather and views more than compensate.
J. T. from Idaho (7/13/2009) "First-time marathon" (about: 2009) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Absolutely a wonderful experience. Lots of fan motivation along the way, and plenty of hydration/fuel that helped when I needed it most. I will be back next year!!
B. B. from Texas (7/13/2009) "Great little race" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Pluses: The friendly race director emailed me immediately when I asked what to do if my plane was late missed the expo. She said that they send someone to the airport! This was typical for how wonderfully organized and friendly the race was. The expo was small but convenient. There were plenty of buses, on time. They separate the full and half starts, and there was no 5K or 10K (just a relay), so it was not packed in. There were plenty of porta-potties at start. Low-key. The 6 a.m. start meant cool weather - maybe 62? The race features a scenic, mostly flat course, and when you get to the top of the only hill at 13, you are treated to a beautiful view. Good support coming in. Lots of aid stations. There were two Power Gel handouts. There's a final sprint across the bridge, and an excellent finishing area. They offer a $10 massage. Great little city. Now I'm up in Big Fork, so yes, make a vacation of it and see Glacier Park. It's hard to believe that this is only their 3rd year. This was my Montana race, and I'm glad that I chose this one. Negatives: None.
d. s. from Minnesota (7/12/2009) "beautiful scenery, friendly spectators & volunteer" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Very well organized, friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Early morning cloud cover was perfect. Course went along the river with scenic vistas. Plenty of water, and PowerAde, GU and oranges at strategic locations. I've done over 50 ultras and marathons and would highly recommend this marathon. Free finisher photos, massages for a nominal fee, and plenty of post-race food and refreshments. Good post-race atmosphere. If you need the crowds of a "Rock 'n Roll," Chicago or NY, stay home. If you can run without all of the hoopla, this is a great marathon. It's a do-again marathon. As a side note, add some days to go rafting, hiking and visiting Glacier National Park.
G. J. from Iowa (7/21/2008) "Absolutely Beautiful Marathon!!" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my 16th state and I will say unequivocally that it is my favorite so far. The crisp morning air and view of the sunrise above the foothills was breathtaking! The organization, fans, aid stations, finish line, and post-race festivities were top-notch! Don't miss this one, and definitely make it your MT marathon if you are a 50-stater.
M. S. from Connecticut (7/19/2008) "Great Summer Marathon!" (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I know my scores are lower than most of those posted here, but I think some reviewers are being kind since this a lightly-attended race and far from where most people live. Still, I want to emphasize that this is a great summer marathon to run and I would strongly consider doing it again. Course: Very attractive. But, for example, I think the course for Marine Corps Marathon is nicer. In my view, the Missoula course is no better or worse than the small-town marathon courses I have run. Still, the mountains in the distance are spectacular and the town is nice enough as you go through it. One warning: the sun comes up fast! Despite the tree-lined streets, there is not a lot of shade after about 8 a.m. I would strongly recommend wearing a lot of sun block and a visor. As others have mentioned, the course is net uphill, but the gain occurs pretty gradually. There is one large hill in the middle but that is it in terms of major climbs. Finally, I live at sea level and did not find the course's elevation to be a problem. Organization: For the most part the race is well organized with well stocked and frequent aid stations. But the starting area had way too few port-potties. I think this is unforgivable. Many runners were stranded on the line when the starting gun went off. It truly was not the fault of any of the runners. I got there early and so did not have any problems. But if you were not in line by 5:25, you were not going to use the facilities and make the start. There is no reason to put people through this kind of torture. If they fix this next year and otherwise run the rest of the race as well, I would probably give them 4 stars for organization and one more if they get all of the mile markers at the actual mile locations! One of the early ones was off by about .1 miles and threw my pacing off a bit. Spectators: How anybody can give this more than 2 stars is beyond me. Yes, there were spots with a cheering fan or two. Yes, the finish area was lined with enthusiastic supporters. But, the first half of the race is through essentially uninhabited areas and so there is almost nobody around. The second half goes through town but spectators remain few and far between. Personally, I do not care that much. I expect a dearth of spectators at a small-town race. But, if you want cheering fans to help you along, this is not the race for you. There are very few summer marathons over what might be thought of as a "typical" marathon course. This is one. It is well done. The course is very nice. Typical Missoula weather is great for running and this year was typical. If you do this race, you will almost certainly enjoy the experience!
G. B. from Flagstaff, AZ (7/17/2008) "Missoula Marathon Field Report" (about: 2008) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Missoula Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The 2008 Missoula Marathon was a well-coordinated and well-run event. Even though the course has a net gain in elevation, as you are generally running in the valley upstream, it felt flat. That is except for the one pretty large hill about halfway through the course. But the hill was worth the climb as it broke up the flat monotony and offered terrific views of the valley below. The first 12 miles felt completely flat. You did feel a bit of the uphill grade on the miles after the hill but before the town. Then, the miles in the town once again felt completely flat. The race sponsors provided bus transportation from Missoula to the start line. That worked quite well. The buses left from downtown, right next to a parking garage that was free to park in that day. The bus ride to the start line took about 20 minutes and you were dumped right at the staging area, which was maybe 200 feet from the start line. The staging area had music being played by a local radio station and port-a-potties. But, there were not enough porta-potties in the staging area. The line to use them was quite long and remained long until they were abandoned at the start of the race. Many runners just found a bush or a tree to relieve themselves. The wait for the start was not long. The race did start right on time, which was most appreciated. A cannon signaled the start and we were on our way. For the first two-thirds of the race, aid stations were placed about every two miles. After that, they could be found about every mile. They were well-stocked with water and PowerAde's version of Gatorade, whatever that is called. I never had a problem getting a drink at any of the aid stations. Each aid station also had at least one port-a-potty, and most had two. Some had no lines, but others did have short lines. But, for the first half of the course, there were plenty of open spaces to use, if you were willing. At two spots along the course, they provided PowerAde gel packs. Again, when I came through those stations, the availability was plentiful. Even with all these aid stations, I still went through a bottle of Gatorade and another bottle of water during the run. But, I think that is just me. I think for most runners, the number of aid stations would suffice. The crowd was light for the first two-thirds of the course, but they were enthusiastic. They would cheer you on and some houses along the way had music blaring to keep you going. Once we arrived in Missoula, the crowds were a bit larger and equally enthusiastic. Some houses had set sprinklers up to run through and cool you off. The shade provided in town helped far more than I thought it would. It wasn't really hot during the race, even towards the end of my four-hour run and the humidity was wonderfully low. But, the intensity of the sun was such that I sought the shade. Once you made your last turn on the course and could see the finish line across the bridge, the crowd was great, cheering heartily for you. All my aches and pains left me and I floated across the finish line. But, where was the clock at the finish line? Did I miss it? I never saw one and didn't actually know my official time until I was able to see the results later online. They had a very nice post-race area. Your timing chip was immediately removed and you were given your race medal. Next, they slapped a bottle of water into your hand. I don't usually partake in any of the post-race food and didn't in this case either. But, what I saw was well-stocked, diverse and attractive. The expo was easy to find and get through. I got my bib, chip, and bag, and was out of there in just a few minutes. The shirt is awesome! That's very important to me, as that's my true race medal. I look so forward to wearing the race shirt only after I have completed a race. In general, I would absolutely recommend this marathon to any marathoner. To the novice, it is a great course and they have excellent support. To the initiated, the number of runners is not so large that your progress would be hampered. If I lived closer, I know I would run it again. And did you know that the northern entrance to Yellowstone is just a bit more than four hours drive away? I know that now, as that's where I went after the race.
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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