My first Yakima marathon and I am glad I ran the race this year. Race seemed to fly by since it was a point to point unlike other marathons that tend to drag on. Beauty is unmatched in the canyon. I actually like the lack of fans in the canyon because it gave me plenty of time to get into a good cadence unlike a Boston or Chicago where I tend to get distracted by crazy spectators. My only complaint is that the road is slightly sloped so I got horrible blisters but hey, they have almost healed! The last hill is a bear but the last three miles downhill make up for it. My favorite small town marathon I've ever run. Everyone needs to try it at least once!

Hundreds of races and three marathons later, I have to say that without a doubt, the Yakima River Canyon Marathon ranks in my top three favorite of all time when it comes to race organization and course structure. You would be hard pressed to find a more tranquil race course out there.

The climate in early April brings cool mornings and many runners were inclined to overdress, but it really only warrants a singlet and shorts. The spectator friendly 3 mile point gives you a tease of what you only get in small doses out on the course. The very supportive aid stations do give you a welcome cheer as you go by but then you are able to get back and focus on the task at hand being out on the course by yourself the rest of the time only hearing your heavy breathing and pounding footsteps.

This course was not destined to produce a PB although I did manage to advance to the half way point in 1:10 and change. There were a couple of false flats and the camber of the road posed minor challenges the hill at mile 14 is short but does task the athlete for what comes on the other side. Immediately after the decent is another two miles which is a slight but steady uphill. By the time you hit mile 21, respect for the course had grown even more with yet another deceivingly tough hill. A steady run can easily shift into a steady shuffle if one neglects to prepare for these inclines this late into the race. The decent on the other side is surprisingly difficult if you unwittingly smash your quads on what is known as the ?Damn Hill?. There is some reprieve once you reach the summit because you know for three miles thereafter you can coast or attempt to coast (depending on how badly your quads are hurting!) downhill. One more little peak at mile 24 drives home how this tranquil, winding and scenic course is deceptively challenging to the unprepared.

After you congratulate yourself on conquering the course, I would highly recommend making your way over to the awards ceremonies at the end of the day. It was a second to none gathering of excited and inspired runners with delicious food, plenty of awards and draw prizes (I think just about everyone received something). Genuine and highly motivating people of this small town told their stories and encouraged everyone to join them again next year. Those stories struck a chord with me and I will take them with me into my next race. Imagine a man who has run over 350 marathons with a wife that supported those dreams over many years; take those two people and add a spirited community, outstanding volunteers and beautiful countryside. Shake it up, and you get the Yakima River Canyon Marathon ? the marathon with the big race organization quality with small town feel and hype. Thanks to Bob and Lenore Dolphin, I will definitely be back.

Course: The course was so gorgeous. A train whistle blows at the start line, and you're off! You first run through some farms, with cows mooing and everything. Then you get onto a winding road by the Yakima Canyon. There are beautiful hills with scrubby desert plants, a glistening and snaking river, huge wide blue open sky, and towards the end, breathtaking rock drops. Running wise, there are about 4 hills, with the worse one around mile 21. Even though I'm an experienced hill runner, this hill right when the 'wall' hit was a doozy! The finish line is wonderful because you can see it from a half-mile away with balloons and spectators. The road itself is slanted weirdly at times and curves a lot, so be sure to run on the inside of the curve to minimize distance.

Organization: Fantastic! The volunteers at the aid stations had water and Powerade. They were so friendly and supportive! The entire road was closed off. There were mile markers prominent at each mile, and you could see them clearly. The perfect types of food were available after the race - apples, bananas, fruit leather, yogurt, bagels, etc.! The awards ceremony dinner was just so much fun and so inspiring with the feeling of camaraderie and spirit among marathoners. Beautiful medals and shirts without ads.

Overall: A great first marathon! The race director gives you a special award at the ceremony if you're a first-timer and personally hugs you at the finish line. You also get a pretty yellow rose. Little personal touches like this really make the whole experience unforgettable!

If you want a well organized marathon with spectacular scenery, don't miss this one. It was a great weekend from the pasta party to the post-race awards dinner, it was first-class. The marathon is difficult with a couple of tough hills, but the scenery running through the canyon is a must-see. The post-race party was one of the best that I have attended, great meal, plenty of prizes and what other marathon gives certificates to first-time marathon finishers? Having completed 49 marathons, this has to be one of the best. The organizers have covered all the bases and the volunteers can't do enough to assist. If you need a crowd along the course, stay home, but if you like to run along a beautiful course and hear the river flowing through the rapids, this is the marathon for you.

This was a great choice for a first marathon. First-timers were honored with a rose at the finish. The whole marathon was organized with a lot of personal touches. Aid station workers were wonderful and the weather and temps were ideal. Most turns were cambered and it was a challenge to make up time lost on the hills (tough on ankles). The post dinner was delicious and well prepared. Spectators were not allowed on the course except at the start and finish. There were a minimal number of cars on the course. Runners could be found on either side of the road, cars moving down the middle at times.

By god but Joe Henderson announced my finish! Dick Beardsley talked at the pasta meal (very good); probably the most inspiring speaker I've heard. Moved and motivated me. Beautiful course. Ran with a bald eagle! Fantastic volunteers and runners. Inspiring multiple marathoners. '50 Staters'. '100 Marathon' Club. You only have to run the race to understand why so many 50-staters choose Yakima as their WA marathon--keep in mind that WA has nearly as many marathons as CA--the nation's leader. One runner, who won his age group, had just completed a 100+ mile ultra the day before! Excellent organization: water/Powerade stops every 2-3 miles. Buses left on time. 400 runners, small-town feeling. Small expo. Excellent t-shirts, excellent finisher's medal.

This is not a BQ course, though, and you shouldn't run it for that reason. There's a pretty decent hill at mile 21.5 that runs out of the canyon for 2 miles, leaving about 3.5 mostly downhill to the finish. One other hill at around mile 14 actually felt good, after the downhill/flat first 13.

Bob Dolphin, the co-director, has run over 350 marathons in the past 20 years. His wife, Lenore, the co-director, has participated or observed over 200--so they know what's important to real marathoners and what's not.

This is definitely a purist marathon. Little glitz, no spectators (road's closed), race HQ at the local civic center. This is 1980 all over again. And I loved it.

This is a gem of a race and you'll love it.

PS. I gave 'spectators' 5 stars because I prefer to focus on my running and passing other runners and not the spectators.

Had a great time on my second marathon in the last six months after not having run a marathon for twenty years. This one was harder than St. George. Or I was in worse shape?

Small number of participants (300+), but everyone was friendly and seemed happy to be there. Perhaps an outgrowth of the warm welcome and great planning of the organizers. This year they had a GREAT presentation put on by Dick Beardsley of Boston Marathon fame. His story alone was worth running a marathon and then some. If you haven't heard of him, go to ANY marathon where he is a featured speaker - you won't regret it.

Running through the Yakima River canyon, the course has a lot of natural beauty. We saw three bald eagles perched in a tree on an island in the middle of the river; they took flight as we ran by. Truly a grand sight.

The first hill at mile 14 wasn't too bad, but the last one at mile 23 and more than a mile long was VERY challenging... for me anyway.

I don't know how she made it on to the course but one lady set up speakers out of her car and played some loud music at various locations along the way. I must have run by her four times -- Beach Boys, Creedence, Chariots of Fire theme... a fun little juxtaposition from the serene surroundings, but good for a momentary change.

The weather was cool but pleasant and thankfully a reasonable starting time not requiring an oh dark thirty wake-up call. I'd do it again and would recommend it to anyone looking for a small well-organized marathon with lots of people that come back year after year.

The course was beautiful and serene. Plenty of time to collect your thoughts since fans are at a minimum. I am ready to hit next year's!! (Actually had PR of more than 18 minutes!)

A lot of camaraderie with plenty of runners sporting '50 Stater' and 'Marathon Maniacs' club shirts. Their eagerness to chat helped take my mind off the fact the roadway was very slanted at times, definitely a challenge if you're used to flat surfaces. The 'long' hill at 21 miles was gradual but tough, especially if your legs are already rubber by that point. Great aid stations with lot's of help. Very peacful and scenic with the whole road to yourself (traffic blocked). Too tired for the award dinner although I heard it's 'not to be missed'. The only reason I scored fan support a 2 is because of lack of access to the closed off highway. Bob/Lenore Dolphin and friends put on a very personable and fun event.

A very scenic course run at an ideal time of the year for this area. The course follows the Yakima River with nice mountain views. Very friendly people organize this event and make you feel right at home. Crowd support virtually non-existent due to where the course is run (the highway is closed off). A couple of painful uphills at about mile 14 and mile 25 on a course that is mostly downhill. When you're done, take a shower a go to the wineries (of which there are many).