A group of friends and I ran the 2008 Casper Marathon and were blown away with the experience. The organizers and volunteers thought of everything and could not have made this race more enjoyable. The weather conditions were far from ideal - it was a terribly windy day even by Casper standards, but at each aid station, the volunteers welcomed you, asked what they could do to help, and cheered you on with words of encouragement. Every aid station was stocked with anything a runner could ever need - Advil, food, Vaseline, etc. A few volunteers even took my trash so I didn't have to walk to the trash can! I have been to several races where you get to the aid station only to interrupt the volunteers' private party - but not in Casper!

The finish line volunteers cheered for every runner - from the first one in to the last. Each volunteer came up to the runners/walkers and congratulated us. My compliments could go on forever.

Casper lived up to every expectation from the great reviews it received.

Another big plus was waiting at the start inside with food - these organizers are amazing! I will recommend this race to everyone.

Thank you to all of the volunteers and organizers for a job well done!

I ran the 2008 Casper Half-Marathon just this past Sunday. This was my second half-marathon. I have not yet run a full marathon. Two other people in the group that drove up from Laramie ran the marathon. After we had all showered and were back down by the finish line watching the last few people come in, drinking our last Cokes and eating some more pizza before heading out-of-town, we were discussing what we thought of the race. The group consensus was that we would not change a thing.

We loved that there was a shuttle that brought racers to the start. It's only 1/2 a mile away, but it would have been one long, cold walk! And since the finish is at the host hotel, you would have had to walk back up to get your car.

The course itself was very pretty, clean, well-organized, and well-marked. Aid stations had oranges, water, GU packs, PowerAde. There were quite a few people around to cheer you on. I'm sure there aren't as many people as if it was in a big city, but hey, this is Wyoming and I was impressed! The volunteers cheered as you ran by... that adds a big lift when the miles start feeling longer and longer. The energy was great.

Upon finishing, you were immediately greeted with a medal and damp towel (to wipe off those nose crusties and sweat lines before family takes pictures!), and food was immediately available. Fresh raspberries! Kiwi fruit! Strawberries! Watermelon! The list goes on and on. They also had lots of pizza and subs, snacks... pretty much anything one could want.

The combination of all of these little quality things put into one race adds up to an experience that I have been telling all of my runner friends about! Thank you, Casper Marathon volunteers!

Marathons organized by running clubs are usually excellent and Casper does not deviate from this rule. Of the 26 marathons I have run since 2005, Casper is in my top 5 - along with the Flying Pig, Akron, Pocatello, and Newport. For a relatively low entry fee, here's what you get:
1. Great pre-race pasta dinner ($12)
2. Brooks long-sleeved Axiom technical shirt with no sponsors on the back
3. GU on the course
4. Shuttle to the nearby start
5. Finish line at the host hotel (Ramada gave late checkouts!)
6. Nice spinner medal
7. Wash cloth at the finish line with marathon logo
8. A+ post-race food
9. Enthusiastic fans (you don't expect many in a small marathon)
10. Wonderfully helpful and friendly volunteers and plenty of them
11. Scenic course crossing the historic North Platte River nine times with views of antelopes and the 8,000 foot Casper Mountain.
12. Embroidered winter vests for age bracket prizes.

I enjoyed the Fort Caspar museum and the Historic Trails National Park and thought about the wagon trains crossing the river as I ran the race. The wind we battled (15-30 mph) was nothing compared to the hardships our forefathers endured in their migration through these western lands. And, even though it was windy, the temperature (38 at the start, 53 at the finish) was perfect. To all those who made this race a fantastic experience, thank you and I hope to return someday.

This is a good race to check off Wyoming in your 50 states quest, but I don't know why anyone would want to run it more than once. Bottom line, it's a long run on a "rolling" paved bike path (and some roads/sidewalks), with water/aid stations about every 2 miles. There were some little problems, like the sign for the porta-potty at about mile 14 pointed the wrong direction! There was a daunting wind that you had repeatedly to head into - especially the circle around the golf course at miles 22-23 reduced most of us to run-walking in places due to the headwind. I also understand that strong winds here are not unusual, so be prepared. There were some positives too, like letting us into the "events center" before the race start, where there were plenty of REAL bathrooms! However, on the course the porta-potties were few and far between. One thing to be aware of: you don't get your timing chip at the packet pickup. It's given out in the events center the morning of the race instead, and is a Velcro strap-on device that you wear on your ankle. Not a big deal, but I felt a little uneasy taking off for the starting line without a chip on.

One last comment: be aware that there are only a few flights into and out of Casper. United decided to cancel my flight out (scheduled for 4:17 p.m.) and there were NO other flights out that day (Sunday). One man on the fight rented a car and drove to Denver! Others were able to work with Delta to get out to some locations, but I had no luck getting out to get back home to Phoenix. United did help with a voucher for hotel/meals for an extra night here, but be prepared you might want to plan on the possibility of getting stranded, since the Casper airport is so small and has so little traffic.

All my comments are good EXCEPT one, which will be good advice to anyone running this marathon. I had run 10 marathons and wanted to run one in Wyoming. It was nice to be able to stay right by the start and registration. My family loved being able to find me along the way and the start was great too. The trail by the river was awesome. Everyone was so friendly at the aid stations - and spectators also. It was perfect running weather, and I was on track to run my one of my best marathon times, when another runner and I approached ~20-mile area, and there was NO volunteer or NO markings to tell us to go right around the golf course. We missed that whole area, and by the time we figured this out, it was too late; we were at the 24-mile mark (approximately 3 miles missed). It was hard knowing I couldn't say I ran the whole 26.2 miles and had trained for all those months. The race director was apologetic, and I hope in 2008 this course is marked more clearly. You should never have to worry about getting lost at a marathon; your focus should be on finishing. Besides this factor, I would recommend this race to everyone. The course never was boring and Casper was a great place to run!!

I absolutely LOVED this race. I only did the half. The organization was excellent. The waiting area before the race starts is indoors and they had plenty of food available, as well as "real restrooms," GU, and even sunscreen. The course was nice, but a little lonely at times... not too many spectators but very enthusiastic volunteers. There were plenty of aid stations throughout the course with water, sports drinks and food. A few more porta-potties would have been nice. The food post-race was INCREDIBLE. I loved the fact that there was plenty of food available for ALL the runners. They had pizza, subs, veggies with blue cheese, trailmix, soft drinks, and even ice cold beer. Everyone was really friendly and helpful. It was a wonderful experience and I would highly recommend this race.

All of the comments below are 100% accurate; this is a wonderful "runners" race and not to be missed. A couple of things I would like to add to the comments. (1) After the race, wading into the cold waters of the North Platte River (right next to the finish line) is a great way to relax your tired muscles. (2) If you are a history buff like me, in addition to the Historic Trails Interpretive Center already mentioned (which is fabulous), go see the Wyoming Veterans' Memorial Museum out near the airport. It's a wonderful place in a historic building that has been preserved from its WWII days as part of the Casper Army Air Base. Look for the "Historical Marker" sign about a half-mile before the airport entrance and follow the signs. You won't be disappointed! And finally, (3) If you're in the mood for a wonderful breakfast on a free morning, head to Eggington's in downtown Casper on 2nd Street; wonderful food, smoke-free and easy on the wallet!

For a small marathon, the race directors put everything together.

The course was good, though the beginning was a little boring, and running along the river was excellent - except for that hill at the golf course and a stretch of cement trail for about 2 miles. Aid stations at every 2 miles, sometimes shorter with plenty of Gu, water, PowerAde, etc. More than anyone could ask.

The location of the hotel and starting line (1/2 mile away) was super, and the finish line also at the hotel was especially beneficial for family members who wanted to sleep in and still catch the race. And the finisher medal was very unique, plus the after-race food spread consisting of sub sandwiches, pizza, beer, fruit, etc. was second to none.

Despite this being only my 4th marathon, this was by far the best. The size was smaller, but it felt like you received one-on-one treatment and all my expectations were exceeded.

The one thing I would like to see would be an expo at registration.

Hopefully see you next year.

Casper was an add-on to my marathon schedule this year and I'm happy I did it. This race tops many of the larger races in terms of organization and runner amenities. Here are just a few comments:

- Host hotel offered a low rate for the weekend and was willing to let us stay in the room until 2:00, allowing my mother a chance to shower after the race. It's also so relaxing to have the start and finish right by the hotel.
- Plenty of food and water at the start venue. There was Gu, all kinds of fruit, bagels and assorted topping. It was also nice not to have to wait outside in the cold for the race to start.
- High quality Brooks technical shirts to all marathoners. I know others have mentioned the hand towels at the end and the unique medals - nicer then many other races.
- Well laid-out course. There are some hills in the opening loop, as well as short, steep shockers around some of the overpasses. It's not flat, but it's not hilly enough to throw off the pace. It's a small marathon, but the out-and-back at the end makes it so you're never really running alone. The relay also fills up the field.
- There were more volunteers then I had expected. All the water stations were well staffed and everyone seemed happy to be helping with the race. They also made it clear what they were giving you - no "PowerAde instead of water" surprises.
- While the water stations were spaced a little far near the end (it started getting hot), they provided a veritable smorgasbord for eating and drinking. A different kind of fruit at each one, Gu at almost everyone and PowerAde.
- I liked the towels as the awards. I've gotten enough trophies and plaques, etc., that to get something useful is really classy. (That and the variety of colors offered.)
- Not so much an issue for me, but they held the majority of the food until the bulk of the marathoners finished. I've done a lot of larger races where there is plenty for me and none for my mom.
- The only downside of the course was the amount of concrete on the bike path. That's nothing that race directors can change. Concrete is more durable then blacktop, but it's also a harder running surface.

I will be back next year. This was one of my favorite marathons of the 43 I've run.

You've got to do this one. You won't find a better one than this. Course and organization are tops! I'm not for fanfare, so few spectators is what I want. Water stops were perfect... just can't say enough good things about this marathon.