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Famous Idaho Potato Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Famous Idaho Potato Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.9 
Organization 3.7 
Spectators 2.5
Number of comments: 54 [displaying comments 21 to 31]
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o. o. from eagle idaho
(5/17/2010)
 "Great course; more potties and water needed" (about: 2010)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I just ran the half marathon; it was my first time on this course, but my third race. The course is gorgeous!! Perfect weather, shaded, and along a river. They need WAY more porta-potties and lots more water stations. I waited five-plus minutes for the potty around mile 4, and there wasn't another porta-potty station until the finish!! Also, the start was not well organized, as I could not find the table to get my race number - and then once I found it, I had to go somewhere else to find my name on a paper, figure out my number, and then go back. They need ballons at the packet pick up station. Details online are sparse, and no information is sent via email or mail. But overall, a good experience. | |
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A. R. from Tucson, AZ
(5/17/2010)
 "Beautiful, small race" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I didn't expect much going in to this race, as I have read that it is a wonderful half, but not a great full. I disagree. It is a wonderful half - but the full was also beautiful, well supported, and totally worth doing. I loved running alongside the Boise River - it was a warm day, but the breeze off of the river was really nice. The greenbelt provided plenty of shade (there were some sunny, warm patches) and to run through a city and NOT experience traffic was a treat. The YMCA did a great job of keeping the finisher's area stocked with food, drink, and atmosphere. As far as small races goes, this one was great! | |
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S. W. from Searcy Arkansas
(5/15/2010)
"It's really more of a half marathon" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is the first year I've run this race. It's very small compared to Chicago or other races... but I like that. Had great time because of the flat course. Kind of the true marathon feel for me. The bussing to the start was very good. The start line was cold. Make sure you bring warm clothes... but the race got hot after 30 minutes after the start. Good water stops with bars and gel. Good traffic control and very nice scenery. The marathon split at mile 13, and it was an out-and-back after 13. I'm not very fond of out-and-backs. I would very highly recommend this as a half. | |
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T. S. from Seattle,Washington
(6/15/2009)
 "Marathon not the featured event" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 This is one of those marathons that share a common start with the half. This was my 24th marathon, and 19th state, and I don't recall one where the field was so dominated by runners racing an alternate distance - a ratio of 8 to 1. I felt like I had mistakenly showed up for a half-marathon with the option to run a long 6.5-mile out-and-back at the end of the half-marathon course. The morning park and bus ride to the start was very well organized. As usual, not enough praise is given to the organizers and volunteers running these events, especially when things go right. Subsequently, it appeared that getting enough volunteers to staff the water stations for the first 13 miles was a challenge. At least one station was completely overwhelmed by needy runners. I skipped that one - others were piled-up with half marathoners. From previous comments, marking this course with visible mile markers is evidently a non-starter. This year was no different. Some miles are marked with paint, or lime on the pavement, but good luck finding them. They were easier to see after the half field peeled off. No problems with following the marked course on the river trail after the crowd from the half disappeared. The winding river trail makes for a nice running surface, but it was packed with bicycles during the race, making running the tangents of the trail difficult to dangerous. Once the riders learned that an official race was in progress, they would yield. It would have been nice to have posted just a few signs on the trail of "Marathon in Progress" to alert other trail users. I usually enjoy the small marathon experience - it's marathoning at its roots - and I do appreciate the YMCA for staging this event. But, I honestly felt like this was the Idaho Great Potato Half Marathon and 10K, maybe trying to be too much so as to not break with tradition. After reading all of the comments and piling on a little myself, I suspect this marathon is all that it is ever going to be. As far as the finisher shirt and medal, they're fairly unremarkable, if that is important to you. My biggest compliment to a marathon is to say that I would spend the training time, travel money and effort to come back and run it again. Unfortunately I cannot say that about this marathon. Now the half... maybe. I would use any excuse to come and visit Boise again. What a beautiful city. | |
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Ken Robinson from Boise, Idaho
(5/28/2009)
"My First Marathon" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Well this being my first marathon, I do not have a lot to go on, but I thought it was nearly perfect. Great, flat course; clearly marked; and nice folks at the support tables all along the way. Lots of shade trees along the greenbelt on the second half. Not many spectators in the second half once the half-marathoners peel off, but it was a great experience for me. | |
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D. A. from Bronx, NY
(5/21/2008)
 "A top-notch marathon from start to finish" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 As a walker, you are dependent on a well marked course, but a blind person couldn't get lost here - that's how well the course was laid out. The volunteers were just awesome. This is one marathon I will always remember with wonderful memories. | |
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R. K. from Aurora, Colorado
(8/2/2007)
 "Fun, beautiful, and fairly flat" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Boise is a very beautiful city - especially in the springtime. The course started several miles east of town, and followed the Boise River into town. The mile-markers were sand-like material sprinkled on the road. The support was great. The Navy even participated (mile marker 16 water station, as I recollect). Gatorade-type drink and water were available every 2 miles, until near the end, when they were every mile. The Gu product and PowerBars were available a few places in the second half. The only negative thing was at approximately mile-marker 18. The course did a loop through wooded area, and there were crossing paths, causing confusion. The path was not well marked there. The YMCA let me park my camper in their lot, and also let me use their facilities while I was there. The food at the end was baked potatoes (imagine that!), fruit and beverages. Hats off to the Boise Treasure Valley YMCA for this marathon. It was a lot of work for them, but it was an outstanding event. | |
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a. h. from Salt Lake City, UT
(5/23/2007)
"Beautiful, low-key run" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I read all the comments before running this year's race (2007) and was a little worried. I had my husband on his bike as support team if I were to need water or anything out on the course. It turns out I didn't even really need him for that because the aid stations always had water, etc. (Though the Gatorade was really watered down!) I would agree that the mile markers need to be more prominent. Spray painting them on the ground just doesn't cut it. And they need to be more accurate. Also, I would suggest having more than just arrows spray painted on the ground. I never got lost, but if I hadn't been paying attention, I could've very easily. I thought the race course was beautiful, though. Who knew Boise, ID was like that? I loved the greenbelt. There was only one small stretch on a hot, busy road that wasn't my favorite. But everything else was great! (And that small loop in the Riverside Elementary School parking lot? What was up with that?!) Be aware, though, that this is a small race. If you're okay with that then you'll love it. Once the half and the full marathon split, it felt like you were alone for miles. There are not a lot of spectators either. If you're not in it for the big race scene, then I would definitely recommend this one. Plus, there are potatoes at the end! | |
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A. C. from Idaho
(5/22/2007)
"Wonderful 1st marathon" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 This was my first marathon and I had a wonderful experience. There were a few things to complain about, if that's what a person wants to do. However I had a wonderful time because of visitng with folks at the start, enjoying the scenery and beauty of the areas we ran through, visiting with other runners as we ran, enjoyed the cheers of the spectators when and where ever they were. The aid stations had plenty of water and PowerAde, plus PowerBars and gels. Once the half marathon and marathon split, there are stretches where it got very lonely and one intersection where having a race official would have been very helpful (a spectator insured that I went the correct way because the arrows were confusing at the 21.5-mile point). As this was my first marathon, I was not out to set any speed records, but I think runners would be able to do very well on this course. I would like to see more spectators, especially after the marathon and half-marathon split. I will plan on running this marathon again. | |
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M. H. from Charlotte, NC
(5/24/2006)
 "NO mile-markers!! Tables ran out of H2O!!" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 1 I cannot believe this past race (5/20/06) was the 28th! I would think the coordinators would have read the comments. Please use visible mile markers. They are mentally motivating. Please try harder not to run out of H2O - good thing I brought my own. More spectators would be ok, but they might get knocked down by the bicyclists. Also, definitely mark the route better. I too had to help a few runners find the right way. And re-running the same loop was mentally tough (which isn't a horrible thing, but running 26.2 is challenging enough - give me more hills instead:). Beautiful city, but the race needs a big improvement! |
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