This race is all about the first 16 miles. Running through the Poudre Canyon was a fantastic experience just stunning and the downhill grade was overall very gentle. Regarding the comments made about the camber of the road from last year, the centerline and soft shoulder are both available to run upon, and both are flat.

The last 10 miles of the race are just okay. After emerging from the canyon, runners are directed upon a one mile stretch along a highway shoulder, with no traffic management. Cars were splashing from puddles and fumes from semis aren't the most fun at that point in the race. The remainder of the run is through a small town and then a bike path. No complaints there except that there were non-race people utilizing the bike path and expecting runners to move to the right out of their way! The bike path should have been closed to public use for these few hours at least.

Organization wise: The expo was wholly unremarkable. Bib pick up was easy but there were maybe 6 booths and I was out of there in 5 minutes. Also, the guys in the cutesy 'information booth' were both unpleasant and unhelpful from what I observed.

Post race organization was very good. Nice amount of activity for the size of the race and easy pick up of all goods (medals, swag, etc). Thumbs up for the ceramic medal and for giving a technical tee instead of cotton. Volunteers were kind and helpful throughout the race.

Spectators support/cheering was minimal at best. Also, the race start could best be described as 'rustic'. Not much pomp or fanfare (to be expected considering it's 16 miles up a canyon), but not the same buzz you get at the start of bigger races. Very well-organized transportation process to get there w/ the buses though, and the bag transport and pick up was super smooth.

Ft Collins is a cool little town. I didn't stay at the Hilton but was glad I booked at the Best Western in town instead. It is a short walk to the bus pick-up, downtown, and post-race festivities. And a lot cheaper than the Hilton, I imagine.

Overall, a fine event. The opportunity to run through the canyon alone is worth the price of admission.

I ran the 15-mile mini-marathon as a training run for a marathon later in the month. I really liked being able to have my bib mailed to me because I wasn't going to be able to attend the expo. I made the drive up from Denver on Sunday morning. The organization was great. Buses were ready for the drive up the canyon to the start of the race. Wait time at the start was less than 45 minutes (and I was on the first or second bus). It was cold but there was a bag drop so bring warm clothes and you will get your things at the end of the race. (I didn't understand this but will know better next year.) The aid stations were well stocked. The volunteers were energetic and supportive. Very little support on the course until you get closer to town. The end of the race is packed with cheering spectators who loudly encourage you over your final quarter mile. Fast downhill course. I had lots of fun. I plan on coming back in 2007 - maybe running the marathon.

I really enjoyed this run! The scenery was beautiful and the aid stations were adequate. Please consider Gu earlier in the race and more visible medical.

Also, please rethink the organization on the Kids Marathon. They started running when I hit mile 25. (At mile 25, most runners are tired). There were kids, dogs on leashes, strollers, moms, dads and who knows what else. They overtook the narrow bike path. I was literally jumping over little ones who got too tired and stopped on the path. When I got to the finish line I didn't know where to go because the entire finish line was focused on the kids who were also crossing. I truly support kids and fitness under more well organized conditions. I was excited to see them so fired up about running and proud about finishing. The Kids Marathon is a wonderful idea, but please reconsider the organization.

I finished in under 5 hours, but there was no food left aside from a few cookies. Please consider staggering the food supplies so slower runners aren't left out.

Aside from the experience with the kids and the lack of food at the finish, I thought the race was well organized. The medals are fine, and the t-shirts attractive and high tech. I had an enjoyable run and a speedy recovery. I would definitely consider running this race again.

The first 16 miles or so of this course are so beautiful - running down the canyon. Every turn has another breathtaking view. Fast, downhill course that isn't so steep that you feel out of control while running. The last six miles on the walking path are curvier than I would prefer. That portion also gets kind of crowded as you meet up with half-marathon walkers who are at the back of the pack. The last 0.2 miles are somewhat annoying as there are train tracks embedded in the road and a cross-road where traffic is directed but allowed through between runners. At that point in the race, who wants to think about that stuff? Water stations seemed to be well stocked with several GU locations as well. No spectators are allowed on the top half of the course, but with such incredible scenery, you don't really miss the crowds. Overall, I definitely recommend this race and will likely be back for a third time myself.

The Poudre Canyon is magnificent, so the first 16 miles are a pleasure. When the course takes to the highway and bike path, however, it loses its appeal. If you need spectators and/or are uncomfortable or unhappy running solo, this is not the event for you. I'm perfectly at ease with running alone though admittedly, even with my favorite tunes on my iPod keeping me company, I found parts tedious. There are plenty of aid stations, but as far as I could tell, they provided only liquids and goo and not medical help. Other than a van that slowly patrolled the course, I didn't see anyone available for help, and I'm glad I didn't need medical help because by the time the van would have come by, I could have been in real trouble. I recall the many folks with rehydration IVs in their arms while others vomitted over the 14th Street Bridge at Mile 20 during the 2004 MCM. Had runners gotten in trouble on the CO course, I shutter to think what may have happened. The shuttle buses were great: plentiful, comfortable, and on time. At the Mile 22 aid station, the band that was supposed to be there for encouragement and entertainment was packing up and leaving when I passed through. The Expo needs a LOT of work. There were only a half dozen tables, and the only one worth my time was massage therapist's Don Alvarez's; he provided a free, brief massage. The t-shirt is outstanding, the medal isn't attractive (the best medal I've gotten is from the NJ marathon; it's in the shape of the state; why don't more state marathons do that?), and the pint glass and poster are lovely touches. At the finish, a young girl--maybe 8 years of age--asked me, 'Would you like some cider?' and I thought it was a great idea. It wasn't cider; it was a mimosa. Some may think alcohol immediately post-race is a good idea, but I don't. Along with solid carbs, booze is the last thing I want to consume. Fortunately, my husband found me some juice. Ft. Collins is a much hipper place than I imagined, and I enjoyed hanging out. The Marriott screwed up my reservation, and I wasn't the only one that happened to, but that's not the race director's fault though the director may want to know that the Marriott better get its act together before contracting with the hotel for next year's event.

Ok, this is my hometown marathon, so I'm liable to be friendly in my review. I really enjoyed myself this year at the Colorado, nee Ft. Collins, Old Town Marathon and I recommend it as a quintessential Colorado marathon experience. This is my second marathon and my first on this course. I ran the half marathon on this course two years ago, and was a spectator last year.

The weather was very close to perfect this year. Nice and chilly at the start, with a light cloud cover, and very little wind. It did get a little warm towards the end but not too bad. Two years ago it was much hotter.

The course is what makes this race perfectly named. This is because like Colorado, the course has mountains and plains! We started 16 miles up the Poudre Canyon, and ran point-to-point to old-town Ft. Collins. The first 16 miles offered sublime mountain scenery as we followed the winding course of the Cache la Poudre River down towards Ft. Collins. The course itself was a steady decent, and there are a couple of times you could really feel that you were going downhill, but mostly the descent was very gradual.

The steady descent results in two difficulties; a) I was tempted to run faster than I planned, and b) it sapped my thighs of some strength that I really could have used towards the end! But cardio-wise it is a blessing. My lungs still felt good, even towards the end. The road is fairly curvy, and there are a couple of turns that are banked rather steeply, which was really tough on my ankles. Much of the canyon had a very small dirt shoulder that was usable. Often times that dirt had a nice flat pitch.

We broke out of the canyon at mile 16, and from there until the very end we ran a course through rural Colorado farms and small towns until the very end, where we ran into Ft. Collins proper. On the whole it was still downhill to the end, but the angle was even less steep, and there is a tough little hill that crests right at mile 19 which is made tougher by its location in the course.

The last 5 miles are on a bike trail, which is frankly not the best. Much of the course at this point is on concrete which is tough on the legs, and it is not as protected from the sun so the heat did become a small factor at this point. Some of the scenery is nice and some is not all that exciting. The mile or so leading up to mile 23 and a little bit beyond is particularly rough.

The course finishes in the heart of old-town Ft. Collins, which is very nice. Spectators line the course on the last block and they really gave me a boost of energy as I finished my run. For the most part there are very few spectators but I think there were more this year than I've ever seen. There are basically no spectators allowed from mile 1 to mile 17, but then about every mile or so there is a cluster of well-wishers, which was good. Also there was a band near mile 24, and another at mile 25.

As for organization goes, I thought it was good. We transferred up to the start line from old town in nice touring busses, and the race staging area was in a campground right along the river, which was very scenic. They had aid stations roughly once every two miles but it wasn't exactly every two miles; unless you studied the course carefully (I didn't!) it was difficult to know exactly when the next aid station would appear. Until mile 17 all aid stations had Gu2o and Water, and then after 17 some aid stations also had Gu and pretzels. I'm pretty sure I saw an aid station with vaseline, but I can't remember when exactly that was; somewhere past the halfway point anyway. I did not bring my own water, mainly because I felt the weather would not be terribly hot, and for me there were enough aid stations to keep me hydrated.

The post-race was festive but not overwhelming (that's a good thing!); I didn't stick around for the awards ceremony at Coopersmith's pub, but I can recommend their beer nonetheless! The post-race spread included oranges, watermelon, bananas, cookies, and bagels. They didn't try to do too much and that's fine with me; I'm perfectly content eating oranges and watermelon after a hard race. Also they gave me a bottle of water and a medal upon finishing, but the water in the coolers at the post-race food area tasted kind of nasty and it wasn't terribly refreshing. (I ended up sneaking back to the immediate finishing area and grabbing another bottle of water, hehe). We also got a free pint glass and poster, and the race shirt was a nice grey Brooks technical shirt, with the full-color race logo on the front, and only the headline sponsor (Bud Light) on the back. The logo is writ too large for my taste but overall it is a nice shirt.

Overall I think it's a great race. If you need a lot of spectators to cheer you on to victory, I can't recommend it. For a Colorado course it is scenic without being too difficult, which is not an easy balance to obtain in this state.

This course is billed as downhill, fast, and gorgeous. Poudre Canyon (first 15 miles) was beautiful! After that, we ran across prairie for a while, which was still scenic, before 5-6 miles on the concrete bike path along the river at the end. The course had relatively few spectators - not many places for them to stand. The ones near the end were very encouraging, but there were hardly any in the last 3 miles. (Only 2 stars because there were so few spectators.) It got warm at the end and the last few aid stations were spaced too far apart - I was hurting for water, and I rarely have that problem (hence 4 stars and not 5).

The hardest thing about this course is the camber of the road. You run on a banked surface for most of the first 20 miles - it alternates, but you're almost continually off-balance. That makes this course hard, even if it is downhill. If you want a level and downhill course, check out St. George or Tucson, both quad-eaters (this one wasn't as harsh on the quads). I didn't really notice the altitude. 3 stars for course: this is actually 5 stars for scenery, but 2 stars off for the camber and the concrete.

Overall, Ft. Collins is gorgeous, the race organizers were fantastically friendly, and the race was well supported (except for the aid stations near the end being too far apart). However, this isn't necessarily a PR course unless you can run well on banked roads and concrete.

Beautiful scenery, excellent volunteers, plenty of aid stations. I had never run in this elevation, so it took a few miles to get used to, but the course was mostly downhill, so I still ran a good time. Miles 17-20 were tough after the fast downhill pace, but to be expected. The volunteers were great. Fort Collins is a great place to run a marathon.

Beautiful scenery, excellent volunteers, plenty of aid stations. I had never run in this elevation, so it took a few miles to get used to, but the course was mostly downhill, so I still ran a good time. Miles 17-20 were tough after the fast downhill pace, but to be expected. The volunteers were great. Fort Collins is a great place to run a marathon.

This was a gorgeous course - it even smelled good (think pine trees and camp fires). Enjoyed the run tremendously; so pretty I hit mile 10 without even realizing I'd been running! The decline was pleasant - not so steep a grade as to be hard on the legs. Volunteers were friendly and supportive; lots of aid stops. One aid stop had run out of the promised Gu20, which was more of a psychological than physical hurdle.

My only constructive criticism would be to instruct the kids who run a half-mile on the same course is that they have to stay to one side of the course, not run down the middle.