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Jul 4, 2024

Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.8

Organization 5.0

Spectators 4.9

Number of comments: 90 [displaying comments 71 to 81]

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D. P. from Warm & Wonderful Southern Minnesota (1/17/2009) "Refreshing change from traditional marathons" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The bad news is that only 40 runners can be in this race! The good news is that only 40 runners can be in this race! How many races do you go to that the race director cheers for you (by name) the entire race? Dick does such a fantastic job making everyone feel comfortable and welcome. My lap counter, "Apple Valley Annie," Dick, and the entire St. Olaf Team were so supportive and so full of energy! How could you ask for anymore? My Thoughts: Other Runners: everyone was so positive and friendly. I wanted everyone to do well. Dick: Great job from organizing, to the packet pick-up, to pre-race meal, to race day, to post race! St. Olaf Girls: I love hanging around young people. They remind me of why I took up running in the first place. They were so full on energy and having so much fun. Thank you again, Annie. Knowing you had everything under control allowed me relax and run! Northfield Area Runners: (Band of 10,000 Aches) I can tell that runners in your area are very devoted in everything they do. Many runners I talked to are very proud to be a part of Zoom! Yah Yah! Thank you! Hope to see you in 2010!
S. P. from FL (1/15/2009) "My New Favorite Small Marathon!!" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 UNBELIEVABLY FUN!!! You might think running 150 laps around an indoor track would be totally boring but nothing could be further from the truth at this race. You'll get more cheering than you ever have at any race, your favorite sports drink/foods during the race (you can bring whatever you want!), a nice, flat course, ideal cool and dry running conditions, the friendliest group of runners and so much more. The only thing is: don't expect a PR, as all the turns (4 turns per lap x 150 = 600 turns, plus 180-degree turns every half hour) can really take a toll on those who run fast. Just go, run and have a blast. Thank you to Dick for organizing such a fabulous race. And thank you to Allison for counting all of my laps.
F. L. from Millington, New Jersey (1/15/2009) "This is one truly amazing experience." (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 As I scrolled down to review the 2009 comments already posted, it would be simple to just say, "Ditto." But that isn't doing this event and all the people involved justice. They deserve every bit of recognition. Dick Daymont is wonderful. All of the members of the running club were welcoming. On the Saturday morning before the marathon, the club extended a welcome to out-of-town runners to run the Jesse James 5K route - fun, fun, fun, even in 1-degree temps! I know I'll miss someone, but thanks to Chick, Dale, Dennis, Robert, Randy, and on and on for letting us tag along and pointing out the frost on everyone's eyebrows as the run came to an end. Afterward the group gathers in the local coffee shop to talk and just have a great time. I first sat with "the guys" and then realized about two dozen women runners were sitting there too, so I went over to sit with them and was so warmly welcomed that I felt as though I had been away and came back to be united with long lost FRIENDS. Yes, friends - thanks to each of them for being so warm and friendly. Pre-race dinner at St. Olaf's cafeteria was amazing. What a variety of healthy to artery-clogging choices. Definitely something for everyone. You can't beat this! The race - I can't speak about the race without recognizing Hannah Dennis, my lap counter and cheerleader extraordinaire. I couldn't wait until I reached the lap counting area to see her smile and hear her encouragement - especially when she yelled as she counted down the last 10 laps. Hannah and Anna were great motivators. Then there are the dozens of other volunteers, the family members of other runners, other lap counters and students standing around who made it their "job" to learn our names. Thank you so much. I never got bored, never got dizzy, and never got sick of running around in circles. The 30-minute turnarounds were very controlled, and the music was fabulous and not loud at all - just right. The temperature did fluctuate a bit and that was great - from comfortable to cool (in one of the corners). Then, the end - as most runners hit the last half lap there was the incredible chanting of their names. What a great feeling! To the other 38 runners who experienced this event with me, thank you for your spirit and kindness each time you passed me. Your encouragement and your personal dedication to the sport never failed to inspire me. I thought I had strong positive feelings during and immediately after the race, but as I write this account I find myself even more emotional and genuinely grateful for having had the chance to experience this wonderful event.
ken nichols from iowa (1/14/2009) "thanks to my lap counter, I finished" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 i came into this race packing extra pounds and in treadmill shape, rather than road and hill and track shape. I was able to run the distance (very slowly) with no walk breaks.... and I give a ton of credit to my personal lap counter, Abby Smith. I could never thank her enough for the inspiration I got every .17 miles from just seeing her smile and having her and all of the other lap counters cheering us on. The other runners were friendly and helped keep me going also. Dick Daymont, the organizer, seems to be everyone's friend. The meal the night before gives you an opportunity to meet just about all of the other runners, and I liked that. I will always have the honor of being the first male from Iowa to have completed the Zoom Yah Yah. Once again, many thanks to abby smith for counting and cheering and keeping me going... I am not sure that I could have done this alone, due to my conditioning suffering the winter blahs.
George Hobart from Arlington, VA (1/13/2009) "Dead Last But So Worth It!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Yeah, I was dead last, but I did finally finish and that was so worth it! This marathon was my 17th and about the best one yet. The organization and spectators were incredible. A special thanks goes to my timer and lap counter, Nellie Adams, who stuck around for about 5 hours to cheer and keep me going. This is truly an incredible marathon and so worth braving the chilly temps and snow to run 150 laps. I have made some wonderful friends that I will see again somewhere in my next marathon. Kudos to Dick, his staff and the "gorilla man" for an awesome event.
Bob Hill from Burlington, NC (1/13/2009) "Like Nothing You Have Ever Done" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a hoot! As unusual as it sounds, this is a great event. Dick Daymont does a fantastic job and really keeps everyone going. While 150 laps in a field house sounds odd, it means 150 cheers from the lap counters. Perfect temperature, soft surface, and no wind. I had a great time. Few spectators, but what spirit!
D. S. from Texas (1/13/2009) "A Uniquely Fun Experience!" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 WOW! There were 39 runners, 39 lap counters, 1 running gorilla, a tireless cheering crew, and 150 laps of people yelling "Happy Birthday" to me. Dick Daymont and his race crew did an excellent job along with the St. Olaf Women's Track team in making this an awesome event. (Special thanks to my lap counter, Makayla, for her unwavering support and cheer during the run.) What a truly unique experience - running with faster and slower runners the entire morning and cheering them on as they did the same. Thank you, again, to everyone who organized or supported this great event.
R. T. from Virginia (1/12/2009) "They don't get better than this..." (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 When was the last time you had a race where you saw the first place runner finish? Or knew precisely, exactly where each of the aid stations were? Or heard your name and saw your biggest cheerleader at least 150 times during the race? Here's the biggest question of all - when was the last marathon where you saw every runner smiling - one, two, even three hours after the starting gun was fired? If you think such a race doesn't exist, then you haven't run the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Held on an indoor track on the campus of St. Olaf College in beautiful Northfield, Minnesota, this is one race you will never, ever forget for all the right reasons. From the perfect weather (indoors) to the aid stations (one in each corner of the track where you take whatever drink you've provided, whenever you'd like), the race offers no cruel twists. If you think 150 laps will be difficult, you haven't factored in the presence of your own personal lap counter, who will be cheering you from start to finish. The only quality that exceeds the dedication of these women (who are members of the St. Olaf Women's Track and Cross Country teams) is their enthusiasm. Having done all of the big races (New York, Chicago, Honolulu, Marine Corps, etc.), I can say without a doubt that all of those races pale in comparison in terms of crowd support. Finally, if you have an questions or concerns, the race director is responsive and open to even the most minor needs. From the pre-race information to what fills its billing as the best pre-race dinner in the business, he has built this event to one where you come with few worries. It's no wonder that you'll see all of those smiles along the way. Any marathon can try to cover its flaws with a bigger medal or a bigger expo or some top-notch speaker at the pasta dinner. The great ones, like the Zoom! Yah! Yah! just keep putting out the same high-quality product. This race is not just the best of the indoor marathons, but perhaps the best marathon, period.
T. O. from SD (1/31/2008) "Excellent Experience" (about: 2008) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 To the race director and my fellow competitors: I agree 100% with the comments posted by other runners who said it far better than I can. Great race, great organization, great support, great pre-race supper. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and look forward to running this race again. Big thanks for a job well done to Dick Daymont and his race team, the St. Olaf Women's Track Team and the St. Olaf campus, and special thanks to my lap counter, Kala, for sticking around with me to the end. (Now, I'm going to stop telling the truth and inform the rest of the world what this race is really about. That's right. I'm going to start lying about this race. Why? Because I don't want others to take the precious few slots available in this race.) To those of you who turn your nose up at running an indoor marathon: You're right. I have lost my mind. It is boring, drab and dreary running inside. It is a miserable experience. Yuck! Please do not run this race. You won't like it. Let me tell you about it. To start, I was so bored by the end of the second lap that I just about called it quits right then. Looking at the same stuff over and over. I might as well have been running on a treadmill. Boy, I was thirsty during the race. If only I could have found something to drink. Where is that next aid station? And why aren't their any spectators to cheer me on? I could really have used some support during the race. Maybe with encouragement from the spectators the race would have been more tolerable. I didn't know there were hills indoors?!?! That hill at the half lap mark is a sneaky killer. And you have to run up it every lap, and there's no decline. Unbelievable! And the wind. As the HVAC system cycled on and off, the National Weather System probably issued tornado warnings. They certainly didn't tell us about that during the pre-race instruction session. Finally, the race would have been a lot better if there would have been some music. I mean something other than Kenny G that is. (For those Kenny G fans out there, I'm not knocking Kenny G. He just doesn't play good running music.) I was just bored, bored, bored, but somehow managed to struggle on. So those of you who questioned my intelligence for doing this race, you are correct. I'm insane. You wouldn't like it. Please stay away. (Dick Daymont, my fellow competitors: Those were a bunch of lies. What a great, unique experience, but don't tell the rest of the world. Don't spoil it for us. Thanks.)
C. W. from DE (1/22/2008) "One of the best marathons" (about: 2008) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I wish I could give the The Zoom! Yah! Yah! Marathon higher than a 5-star rating. The race (course and field size) is unique. The organization and support are exceptional. This was my 88th marathon and as a rule I don't repeat marathons. This race is one for which I would make an exception to that rule. For me, the experience at Zoom! Yah! Yah! rates right up there with Boston, NYC and London. Thank you to Dick Daymont and St. Olaf's Women's Track and Field Team (especially Liz - my lap counter) for putting on an OUTSTANDING MARATHON!! Congratulations to the other 40 finishers this year!

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