It was a small point-to-point race with a big-time heart. I?ll caution you; this race is not for the weak, and weary or the untrained. There are few curves and long stretches of paved road with very little fan support that really breaks you down. The course is a gradual incline with rolling hills all the way to the finish. The water stations 2.5 to 3 miles apart at some points had minimal staff that couldn?t keep up with the traffic flow; but, you don?t dare skip it. You stop and wait if need be. You need to stay hydrated as best as you can.

The slight breeze and the high temperature will draw it out of you before you realize it. As do most marathons, (this one in particular), will test your physical and really your mental ability. You can literally see miles ahead of where you?re going. Lois, (the director), welcomes you at the finish line with open arms, as does the entire town. The bus ride back to the start is when you realize just how tough this course was. I?d recommend it, and do it again.

The 2004 Marathon-to-Marathon was my first marathon.

I liked that there were a small number of entrants (<200). The event was well-organized and the staff was friendly.

Beware: There is no shade on the course and the heat plays the role of the spoiler. Also, when the wind direction is just right, one will do olfactory battle with the pungent fields fertilized with manure.

Runner Recommendations: 1) Hydrate, 2) Wear a lot of sunscreen and 3) Make use of the bag forwarding feature so that you have your towel and toiletries available when you reach the finish line.

No screaming crowds lining the course but the few people present every mile or so did help us endure the rapidly escalating heat and humidity. A modest cross breeze late in the race was a savior as is the 6 am start. Straight roads, farms, and corn fields as far as the eye can see. Don't expect any shade. Boring for some but interesting for a first-timer to Iowa. Much of the shoulder is runnable for that occasional break from the hard surface. Aid stations are well done with ice a big help. Orange slices available but if you want Gu/gel you'd better carry your own. Good spaghetti feed for 5 bucks, and of course the gracious Lois at the finish to adorn you with a nice finisher's medal. Not the pomp and excitement of a big event but a fun, laid back, and well done race.

Not a spectacular course, but when going from Storm Lake to Marathon, I'm sure there aren't a lot of options. Not much of a shoulder to run on, but traffic was light and well policed.

The course was well marked. Mentally, it would be nice to see that next mile marker well in advance. A low-cost option would be to add a lathed stake with a red flag.

You can't expect fan support on a race like this, but it was enjoyable to see many of the aid station volunteers dressed in costume.

A couple of the early aid stations were set up on the opposite side of the road that the runners were on. It would have been safer and more efficient to put the aid stations on the same side as the runners. To the extent possible, it would be nice to have aid stations after the mile mark so you could get our mile time before slowing down for refreshments. But I realize the course has limited spots for aid stations.
The aid stations were equipped ? water, sports drink and ice as well as fruit at the later stations.

The meal afterwards, the medal, and hearing your name and town announced as you crossed the finished line put a smile on my face after a tiring run.
While there are small things that could be improved with this race, the organizers do a very good job on the major components of staging a race.

A nice and well organized small marathon. Storm Lake is a small town but compared to Marathon, its a metropolis. The reception at the end in Marathon could not be better. The 6AM start is good but anybody taking 4 hours or more must contend with the race getting tougher as the temperature rises and the road warms up. The mercury rises quickly and after around 8AM, it starts getting 'warmish' as one local put it. There is NO shade. The race is run on country roads with little/no traffic. Aid stations are 2.5 miles apart for the first 20 and then one every mile. The course is undulating all the way through. Nice race but the heat is something to contend with.

I would gladly recommend this marathon. The people of Storm Lake and Marathon welcome you with open arms. No, there is not massive crowd support, but what's there couldn't be nicer. Well organized and staffed. Can be hot in June, so kudos on the 6am start time. Course basically flat, w/ just enough small rises to keep your legs from getting in a rut. Point-to-point course through pretty countryside. Aid stations a little far apart early on, but plenty close towards the end. Great job on this hometown race.

This little marathon goes out of its way to provide everything runners need for a successful race. New this year: much nicer medals, comparable to many major running events. They also added your choice of breakfast or lunch to the entry fee. Lots of entertainment and activities for the family. If you have never been to a small town summer festival, go to this marathon. They will let you join in as if you were a long lost relative. The entry fee is a real bargain too!

I did the first 4 of these marathons and I love the flat course (typical Iowa, if not beautiful in the conventional sense). Lois is such a dear woman, and I know I am predjudiced - being from and living close by in Estherville, but it really is a very well organized, small marathon. The packet pick-up is easy at the high school, and you can't beat the low-priced pasta supper with big homemade cookies, and even a guest speaker every year. The 6 AM start is a plus, as it does get warm here in June! But the aid stations are adequate, and there are more of them near the finish. Marathon is a picturesque Iowa town and it makes a great finish area, and Lois even puts the medals around everyone's neck! I only stopped doing it the last few years because I was pursuing the 50 states (mem. of the Group). But I also chose it over Grandma's this year! Glad to be back, Lois and crew!

- Randall W. Hansen, slow, multi-colored marathoner and finisher of 50 and DC on Oct. 12, 2003 (96-99).

Extremely well organized small marathon. Packet pickup is easy and efficient. Limited hotel/motel availability so would reserve a room early. Course is relatively flat with some very minor small rises, cannot even classify as hills. Definitely one of the most efficiently organized small marathons that I have participated in. Only one small comment to the organizers I would recommend they increase the size of the finishers medallion, when I work so hard to finish a marathon I would have appreciated a little larger finishers medal. The one given out is well done but rather small. Overall I would give a very high rating to this marathon. Would highly recommend for individuals looking for a small, fast, flat and runner friendly marathon.

The folks in Storm Lake/Marathon, IA, have worked hard to put on a very fun and well organized race. All negatives previously reported about this race have been corrected with the exception of the ever unpredicatable Iowa weather.

Course is well staffed and I never felt alone. No traffic on the roads except an occasional ambulance or sheriff's motorcycle looking after the participants. Water stops (with sports drink & ice) every 2.5 miles until mile 20, every mile after that.

Much to my surprise, there is lots to see and do in Marathon to keep your family occupied. They serve breakfast and lunch (all you can eat), set up some amusements for kids (free) and offered horse drawn trolley rides to a local railroad museum (again, free).

The crowd was sparse, but very supportive. One old woman in Marathon sits on her porch with a bell and rings it as you run past. I thought the whole thing was a riot.

Being a small race, Marathon to Marathon will never offer the crowd and excitement of world class events; however, it is able to provide some real hometown perks unavailable anywhere. I will definately be back again.