I am a first-time runner in the Ogden Marathon. I have run 30+ marathons and the organization of this one was terrible. The expo closed early, their weren't enough buses to shuttle runners to the starting line, and their weren't enough port-o-potties at the starting line or during the race. The post-race medals were cheap and the awards? Well, there were no awards. If you placed in your age group, you got the same medal that all the finishers got, only with a different colored ribbon. This race could be great, but the organizers need to change a few things. It's obvious they have never actually participated in races before because the are trying to cut costs on the things the runners want most.

I thought the marathon was GREAT! Beautiful scenery, wonderful people, enthusiastic helpful volunteers.... if it was a little warmer, and I hadn't sprained my ankle, it would've been a perfect morning!

I have run over 60 marathons and this will be included as one of my favorites! The race was very well organized and was run on a spectacular course. The canyons were beautiful! I hope to come out and run it again.

I have run over 60 marathons and this will be included as one of my favorites! The race was very well organized and was run on a spectacular course. The canyons were beautiful! I hope to come out and run it again.

Having read some scathing comments from the prior couple of years I was a bit leary to sign up for '03. Just hoped the organizers had ironed out some of the problems. It seemed to me they had. I heard some rather harse remarks about Sports Nuts, who were running the show now, as being in it just for the bucks. Well, if so, they didn't skimp from what I could tell. A little confusion concerning the boarding of buses to the start, as in what bus was going where, ie; start or relay stations? Got us all there in time as I was on the last bus. Had warming barrels and plenty of Johns at the start. All aid stations were well supplied (at least for those running around my 4 hr pace) and staffed with plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. Goo and other goodies readily available so didn't really need to carry any. Very scenic and race never gets monotonous with the constant change of scenery. Just a few spectactors but that's usually the case with most runs Iv'e been around. Finish line well set up and plenty of munchies. A rather exhilerating 30 mph headwind the last mile as the approaching storm, later to drop torrential rains, held off just long enough for all to finish. Can't comment on the post race party as it was 'washed out'. Overall a great race!

The Ogden Marathon is only going to get bigger! The course was beautiful, and this years race was one of the best organized that I have been in.
I would strongly recommend this race to anyone!

It was a great beginners course with most of the run going steadily downhill through beautiful Ogden canyon. I want to run it again. I was very disappointed, being my first marathon, in the medals given the first year but I believe they have improved on that situation.

Packet pick-up on the morning of the race, while uncrowded, was a small mass of confusion. Rather than having the packets put together pre-pick-up, the volunteers had to put the packets together when a runner came to pick it up. The result? Too much of a rush to get things put together. I can only imagine what it would have been like when it was busy. They had distance/race specific t-shirts (5K, Marathon Relay, and Marathon) for all of the participants. They gave me and my running buddy 5K t's when we ran the full marathon. By the time we noticed the mistake, the correct shirts/sizes were gone and they were unable to fix the problem. Subsequent e-mails to the RD resulted in a new shirt--but even the replacement had the wrong distance designation.

Will I run again in 2003? Yes, because the course if great! I just hope they are able to get enough volunteers together and make the packet pick-up process a whole lot smoother.

As has been stated by previous posts, the course is fantastic. I have no complaints about the course itself, except for maybe that one little bump towards the end that they say will be eliminated in 2003. Let's hope.

And, like may who have posted before, my concerns focus on the organizational aspects of the marathon. It is my hope that as Sportsnuts.com and the RMSA, with experience, can get a first class marathon going up in Ogden.

As far as spectator support goes: Was there much of any?

i've run this marathon in both the inaugural year (2001) and this (2002) year.

the course is very scenic. the downhill through Ogden Canyon starting around mile 18 can pound you if you are not prepared. i've found myself fatigued (it is mile 18, after all) going into the canyon and completely beaten up coming out five miles later. But if you're prepared, this can be a really fast course.

my 'real' compaints lay with the race director. i made some public comments on my Odgen Marathon experience to others which included a few (admittedly) nit picky shortcomings of the race:

* difficulty finding info on the website (such as day of race bib pick-up, and a couple other things), which occured last year as well.

* the handling of the award ceremonies showed a lot of lack of experience. again, a repeat of last year.

* understaffed aid stations. i came through an aid station and there wasn't a filled cup available for me b/c the few volunteers that were there were scrambling to refill. this one was not so nit picky, but i found there to be enough aid stations on the course that it didn't make or break me. this didn't happen last year, but i think there were more aid stations than last year, which may have spread the volunteers too thin.

* which brings me to another interesting point. they were advertising up to the last minute in need of volunteers. i knew some people who wanted to volunteer and literally spent WEEKS trying to contact them via the advertised phone and email. finally, someone helped them get in contact a day or two before the race. my first clue at how well they pay attention. no wonder they were short on volunteers.

so word gets back to the RD of my comments on my race day experience, and i receive a scathing email from him that if i don't like his marathon then 'stay away next year.'

with an attitude like that, i certainly will. i have no desire to experience where that attitude will take this race in upcoming years.