First class operation from start to finish! John 'The Penguin' Bingham hosted many of the weekend events, and was awesome. He interacted with the crowd, out talking with people, seemingly having a good time. The race itself was excellent, with all the water stops well run by cheerful volunteers. The course is scenic. The guy with the huge speakers(mile 15??), bouncing music off the canyon walls could be heard for over a mile as we climbed a hill. Very nice.
Tip: If you have a car and a spare driver, stay in Ellensburg the nite before the race, and Yakima after the race. This gives you a chance to drive the course on the way to the pasta dinner, and you are near the finish after the race.

This marathon is awesome - truly spectacular, well organized and the volunteers really care about the runners. In 2007 race director Bob Dolphin, 77, picked this course to run his 400th marathon! Running through Yakima Canyon is breathtaking. At times all you hear is the sound of the river, runners' footsteps and birds.

This is one of my favorite races. A small race but well organized. The course does not allow for spectators but the scenery is great and the volunteers friendly. Make sure you take food with you... not much on the course. The course is flat to downhill with two long hills that didn't seem that bad compared to the hype. I highly recommend it! Also in the heart of wine country so a nice destination!

I'm a Fifty State Marathon Club member and used this for my WA marathon after a friend gave it glowing reviews. It was everything she said it was. While the course is scenic and largely downhill, there are few races as well organized, and probably NONE where the race organizers care as much about the runners and the running community as this one. The pasta dinner was fine, and the post-awards party, while long, is filled with good spirit and lots of runner camaraderie. Good stories and lots of good natured-ribbing.

A month after the marathon I received a nice surprise in the mail. Due to a mistake, I had moved up one position in an age-group award (they go 5 deep!). Lenore Dolphin took the trouble to send me my new award. What a nice touch in a day and age when many races don't even tell you if you've earned an award.
Hats off to Bob and Lenore Dolphin and all who help put on this race.

Rugged canyon beauty along the river...very tranquil, scenic, rustic.

The cold, wet weather could have been a bit warmer and a lot drier (who could have predicted that storm?), but the course's gorgeous scenery made up for it. (A word to the wise: Don't neglect your uphill and downhill training, or the hill at Mile 23 just might bite you!)

The mile markers were fairly close in accuracy. Lack of a crowd most of the way wasn't a deterent for me, but if you need a crowd, then this marathon probably isn't for you. However, if you don't mind the solitude, or maybe even enjoy it, you're apt to enjoy this run!

Very helpful and friendly folks at the aid stations. (Thanks, guys!) Decent food at the finish. Good food at the Awards Dinner. (However, the negative here is that the Awards Dinner should not take over four hours to complete.)

Hats off to the organizers and volunteers for their efforts. Also, having the opportunity to meet Dick Beardsley was classy addition to your event.

This marathon has it all: marvelous organization (= great people!), beautiful scenery, wonderful volunteers, rural setting, free awards dinner after the race (late enough that ALL can attend - and the food is fabulous), great support from fellow runners... Whether you fly into Seattle and drive through the Cascades or fly directly into the small Yakima airport, this is a marathon to be on everyone's list at least once! I plan to be back! There aren't many spectators on the course (the Yakima Canyon Road is closed for us, but family and friends with a spectator pass can get through) - for me that's five stars, as I prefer the quiet of the canyon and the river (and the occasional train whistle and bird call).

My reasons for choosing this race were that I wanted something relatively local and small. The purpose was to improve my time over New York which was miserable (though that race is great fun). As far as I'm concerned, this course has to be one of the most beautiful I've ever run-more so than Big Sur. And virtually no crowds only made it more spectacular. The morning of the race was very wet, cold and windy and we all huddled as long as possible in the motel before starting. But the rain stopped once the race started and conditions couldn't have been better. And I was able to take 20 minutes off my best time!! A few hills to make it interesting. If you want a scenic and intimate race-I HIGHLY recommend this one.

This race has the appeal of "Small Town, USA." Everyone seems to know everyone. If they don't know you, they are interested in getting to know you. We opted to take the shuttle to the start. Once there we were able to wait inside at the Days Inn until race time. Given the horrible (and unusual) weather, this was a big bonus. They had water for us, but since I had left my pre-race snack back in my car, it would have been nice to have had some food there as well.

The course was more challenging than I had anticipated. The declines really taxed the quads. I actually looked forward to the hill late in the course just to use a different set of muscles. The spectators were limited to the aid station workers but they were tremendously supportive.

At the finish line I was handed a beautiful rose along with my finishers medal. The food at the finish was plentiful and tasty. There were also several massage therapists offering a post-race rubdown. The awards party later that afternoon featured baked potatoes with lots of toppings and 3 different types of cake. It seemed like there was a story to be told about each person that was called up to receive their award. They really tried to add the personal touch whenever possible.

This was it. The race is a marathon getting to and off the beaten path, but you get a super view of the canyon, and thanks to the 50-staters and maniac runners, there were crowds. I like the no-frills style and the encouragement among the runners. You better train because this course makes Boston look like a training run. The weather was the second challenge, as the rain just held off enough and the snow was on the way.

This was my second marathon. Race day morning was very wet. Fortunately, the precipitation tapered off about two minutes before the start of the race. The temperature never climbed above the low 40's the entire race. Despite the dreary overcast skies, the run was great. Just enough rest areas. "The hill" wasn't that big of a deal. Just train for it. I stayed at the Days Inn in Ellensburg (definitely recommended). The start line is a quick three- or four-minute walk from the hotel lobby. It was nice to sleep in before the 8:00 a.m. start time. Nice scenery. Good race. Definitely recommended.