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Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.9 
Organization 4.7 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 110 [displaying comments 51 to 61]
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M. M. from Sacramento, CA
(6/13/2008)
 "Stunning course with great support" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The first 13 miles are on a 1.5% grade or so, but it's helped by fact that you are running in granite canyons with Ponderosa pines, across lovely meadows, and next to rivers and creeks. Great water/PowerAde stops, with most also offering oranges, bananas and pretzels. My only concern is that the only first aid facility I saw was at mile 13. I wonder about the ability to respond to runner injuries. But maybe there was a capability to deal with it that wasn't apparent to me. Lovely course, small but enthusiastic crowd support, and great volunteers and organization. | |
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c. h. from Billings, MT
(6/12/2008)
 "Scenic, well-organized, friendly atmosphere" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 7th half marathon and I absolutely love this event. Jerry Dunn sees to all details and has the friendliest group of volunteers, and the course is spectacular. Plus, it's a great destination race with lots of tourist/sightseeing options in the Black Hills. The area had received several inches of rain that week but the pea-sized limestone gravel was in great shape with only a few wet/muddy spots. The weather was perfect and it was nice to get a tech shirt this year. We are already planning to do the Deadwood again next year. | |
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Dave Graves from Volga, S.D.
(6/11/2008)
 "A beauty" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 There can't be a more beautiful course. Gorgeous mountain scenery with bridges to cross, a roaring creek to follow, and even a mountain tunnel to run through. This is my third time to run the event and the weather has always been good. The course is tree-lined in most places, providing shade and breaking the wind. The open places provided welcome sunshine after a brief, cold rain this year. Aid stations at about every two miles provided sports drink, water, and often oranges and bananas. Registration was smooth and vendors had some good deals. Spectators are families of other runners. This course starts in a remote area and ends at the edge of town. So you need to bring your own cheering section. But you should be able to gain inspiration from the course and fellow runners. | |
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d. s. from Shoreview, MN
(6/10/2008)
"Beautiful course with only one hill." (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Beautiful course with only one hill, although it was 26 miles long. Thirteen miles up one side and 13 miles down the other. The course does have some elevation change, but is on an old railroad grade, so it wasn't particularly steep in any one spot. The race is a trail marathon, but is wide, with a pretty smooth surface throughout. This was my 28th marathon and one of the prettiest I've run. The organization was first-rate, supplies plentiful and volunteers wonderful. I highly recommend this race. | |
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S. d. from Westchester, New York
(6/9/2008)
"beware the trail; enjoy the sights" (about: 2008)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Once more I post yet another review. As usual I will not just comment on the race, but also the local area. This is the first time I have been to deadwood and the Black Hills and Badlands in about 25 years. The Black Hills and Badlands remain a place you must see for the sites and beauty of the area. Everyone must visit this area at least once. However, Deadwood remains a town you do not need to visit. About 25 years ago, Deadwood was a dying, old west town. It should have mercifully died. Instead they brought in small casinos and saved the town, and with the HBO show it gained in popularity. I am sorry to say it, but any charm it once had has been ruined by the casinos (though without the casinos it would probably no longer exist). If only they could have saved Deadwood without the casinos. As for the race, it is staged on the Michelson Trail, which goes through the Black Hills. If you have the time, take a bike ride over the entirety of the trail or as much of it as possible, and use the race to finish the trail from Rockford to Deadwood. As trail races go, this is not the hardest, but it is still a trail run and not a paved road. This is not a race for first-timers. You do need marathon experience so you can judge how much to exert on the uphill first half and how much to save for the downhill second half. Be prepared to get dirty and to get your feet wet. The weather changes rapidly, as happened this year when it was bright and sunny at the start and then hailed about 3 hours into the race. But enjoy the beauty of what you run through or you will have wasted the best reason to run this race. Enjoy the race and forget the clock. Treat this as a fun run through a beautiful part of this country. To ask about the spectators is not fair. You should not expect spectators since you are on a trail in the woods. You do no need spectators since the Black Hills are your inspiration. The organization is first-rate and professionally done. If you want a race in South Dakota, this is the one to do. But do not go just for the race; see the sights and consider staying somewhere other than Deadwood if casinos and the element they bring in will bother you (I gamble, so it was not an issue for me, though if I have to have casinos, I prefer the higher-end casinos of Vegas and Lake Tahoe to the casinos in Deadwood, which are little more then video betting parlors). A great trail race in a beautiful area. One suggestion: Ssince I know the director listens and, frankly, is truly a nice guy who works hard and is one of the best marathon organizers you will meet, is to have at the start somewhere the runners can stay warm and sheltered from the elements while they wait for the race to begin (thankfully it was not raining at the start, but it was very cold). | |
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B. H. from Rapid City, SD
(6/9/2008)
"Challenging but rewarding course" (about: 2008)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I love running on a trail! This marathon is challenging for the first 13 miles, not to mention the lovely headwind we had this year. The last part of the marathon is smooth sailing downhill for the most part. I love how you end at the end of the trail instead of having to run into town like previous years! | |
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T. B. from virginia
(1/15/2008)
 "A Pastoral Marathon" (about: 2007)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 I highly recommend this small (~300 runner) scenic and relaxing marathon. I came from sea level but the 5,000-6,000 altitude was not a problem. The first 13 miles are uphill on an abandoned rail line past fields and meadows with a stream/brook for company. The second 13 miles are downhill, mostly on an abandoned rail line through woods. Deadwood was great to stay in and socialize after the marathon (great post-dinner waffle cone ice cream cones). Afterwards drive through the Black Hills and the Bad Lands. Warning: the barbecue sandwiches are a hamburger bun with a sloppy joe, not true barbecue (to me). | |
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E. C. from Austin, TX
(1/4/2008)
"AWESOME!" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a good one! Great weather, nice scenery, very organized, plenty of fluids throughout and plenty of food at the finish. It is hilly, but not too bad. Plan to spend an extra day or 2 and visit the tourist attractions in the area. | |
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M. S. from Springfield, MA
(7/6/2007)
"Tough but scenic" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Now I know why most participants do the half (because it's all downhill). The first half of the full is at an upward pitch and starts at 6,000 feet, which is a challenge for a "flatlander" like me. The scenery is the best and the weather was great. The race director and his wife are some of the most personable people that I have ever met in the "marathon world." Ttry "The Social Club" upstairs in Saloon #10 - you won't be disappointed. The early sitting (4:00 p.m.) was the best for pasta the night before. - Mike from MA | |
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M. L. from United States
(7/1/2007)
"Not a first-timers' marathon" (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Deadwood-Mickelson Trail Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 If you are running your first marathon, pick another race. I have participated in several races before, but this was my first full. The course is a trail that I found to be very difficult. It rained for several days before the race, making the trail very hard to navigate in spots. The mile markers were off in some places by almost a mile. We had two veteran marathoners in front of us that said that at mile marker 10, it was really 10.75!! To me, that's a huge difference. The race director was at the finish line and was shaking everyone's hand. He is very nice and easy to talk to. The medals were not what I imagined. It was just a sticker that was stuck onto the alabaster stone. An engraved or etched medal would have been nice. The participants t-shirt was made of cotton, which was a bit of a downer as well. There was no finisher shirt. The expo was small, but had all the things that you might need. The volunteers were great and really wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed before you left their table. The course is beautiful and if you like trails and a challenge, this is the one for you. If you are running your first, pick something a little flatter! |
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