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Apr 27, 2024

Durango Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.4

Organization 4.4

Spectators 3.6

Number of comments: 53 [displaying comments 31 to 41]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

L. R. from Florida (10/11/2005) "ONE To Do!" (about: 2005) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just returned from doing Durango and I'm spreading the word, 'Do Durango!' The course is challenging for one coming from a flat state like Florida but easy enough to finish. The ever-changing scenery keeps it very interesting; one minute you are in countryside, the next running along the river and then through beautiful neighborhoods. And water, water every where! With a water station at every mile filled with some of the best volunteers I have ever encountered. There was music, food and cheering along the course. Durango's volunteers are by far the best! Great job, Durango volunteers and Mat Kelly. You have a great marathon.... Do Durango and experience it for yourself.
Ed Kopiak from Fort Worth, Texas (10/11/2005) "Enjoyed every minute" (about: 2005) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I just returned from running the Durango Marathon. This course is hard but beautiful. Being a flat-lander who trains near sea-level, I found the elevation and hills a wee bit challenging. BUT the friendly, helpful and vocal support from the volunteers made up for this ten fold. Aid stations every mile, from mile 1 to mile 25. You knew you were coming up to a station before you ever saw it. The volunteers, many dressed in bright-colored costumes, were cheering, laughing and yelling support at 99 decibels. The organizers put on an excellent run.
S. K. from Salida, CO (10/11/2005) "Truly a Celebration!" (about: 2005) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Durango Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 We ran the San Juan 1/2 Marathon as part of this Festival for Runners and found the entire event, from our first contact through the well organized and informative website to the closing activities with an excellent post-race meal and awards ceremony, to be terrific! The shirts are great, the 'goodie bag' really HAD some goodies, volunteers and aid stations were well placed and helpful and the course took advantage of the glorious scenery. Thanks and congratulations!
Gabe Gillespie from Lubbock, TX (10/11/2005) "Will be back next year!" (about: 2005) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is the second year me and my wife have run in Durango (did the half last year) and we'll be back again next year. The course is top-notch. It's a good run (a few hills) and the scenery is breathtaking. The weather was perfect, but the people are what make this race happen. Matt Kelly is a wonderful guy who will take his time and talk to you. Very down to earth, and all of the people in Durango who make this thing happen are wonderful and encouraging. A very well organized race! I'll take this over the big city any day of the week! Look forward to next year.
chris justice from Denver, Colorado (10/10/2005) "Fantastic 'Local' Marathon" (about: 2005) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I just returned from running my first Durango Marathon and I have nothing but good things to say about it. It is my fourth marathon and first road 'local' race. The course is very scenic and I found it be very runner friendly. I beat my own PR by 16 minutes (ran 3:30). The real champions of tuhis race are the volunteers and locals who make this thing happen. Each mile features an aid station manned by very enthusiatic folks who are there to help and cheer you on. I have run two 'big' marathons, and the aid stations in Durango put them to shame. It takes A LOT to put one of these on and although this is a relatively small field, Durango does it right. Of note: I didn't mind not having the roads completely closed to traffic. There are enough volunteers to get you through that it wasn't an issue. Plus, there isn't that much traffic anyway! Bigger 'established' marathons should send a rep down to Durango to check out how they do it and take note. Just becuase you have 40,000 in your race doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement. It's a hike from Denver (and we got caught in a blizzard in the high country on the way back) but it was well worth it. I'll be back next year.
Randi Levine from Montrose, Colorao (10/9/2005) "For my first marathon..." (about: 2005) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I'm glad I picked the Durango Marathon as my first marathon ever. What a gorgeous course and the support was excellent and encouraging along the way. I want to thank Myrna, Dave and Rachel, other runners who I met along the way, for encouraging me. Durango rocks!! Oh, and I can't forget to thank Matt: you rock too!
D. K. from New Mexico (8/31/2005) "A Great Community Event with Awesome Support" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a beautiful course, with the best support and organization I've ever seen at a marathon, especially impressive given that only a couple hundred runners participated. Water, sports drink, toilets, and lots of support staff at each mile. Energy gel three times over the course. An awesome amount of community support for the downtown party at the finish line. The hills on the second half were a challenge, and Durango is at 6700 feet elevation, so the course is not easy, but very scenic. I will be back, and I imagine participation will grow, making this marathon even more exciting and runner-friendly.
e. j. from bloomington, IN (11/23/2004) "awesome support" (about: 2004) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This marathon is not only beautiful, but really well supported? not many races have an aid station at every mile; and the people at each aid station were having lots of fun with costumes and music Though the spectators were few, they were supportive. Perfect start line, you look over the whole valley. The block party at the end was fabulous, as were the free massages!!
c. h. from Eagle River, Alaska (11/4/2004) "Beautiful, friendly, well-run races" (about: 2004) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My buddy and I came down from Alaska to do the Durango Double, half-size (25K trail run on Saturday and 1/2 marathon on Sunday). I can't say enough good things about the whole experience. Beautiful scenery almost equal to Alaska's; fantastic weather; incredibly friendly and helpful volunteers and bystanders; good, fairly-well marked, courses (a little sparse on the trail run) and FREE BEER at the finish line on Sunday! The altitude got to me the first night we were there, but after that I was fine. 'Good job!' and pats on the backs all the way around on this one, Matt. Thank you!
J. W. from Dallas, Texas (11/1/2004) "breathtaking (visually & literally)" (about: 2004) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Durango Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a must-do marathon. The festival for runners has something for all. For our family it was fall break; my husband did the 25K on Saturday while I watched my kids run the 1K, and I ran the marathon on Sunday. The altitude wasn't too bad. It was a little hilly (for a Texas chick) but the scenery and wonderful people in Durango made up for it! If you do the marathon, sacrifice a little on your time and bring a disposable camera... great pics (and the folks back home can see the hills).

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