The Fargo Marathon was an outstanding experience! The runner expo has some terrific hometown touches, the pasta dinner was delicious, the motivational speakers (especially Dick Beardsley) were very enthusiastic, the citizens of Fargo were most welcoming,and the course was very interesting and fair. The race medal and shirt were pretty cool. I truly enjoyed the hospitality of the people of Fargo and look forward to running here again! This was my 41st marathon.

Fargo was my 13th marathon and probably the most enjoyable, despite the weather. I was truly impressed by the community spirit in Fargo. The people of the city of Fargo were out in force to cheer, cajole, joke, and encourage every runner on the course to finish. The organizers, race director and all the volunteers were simply wonderful. It seemed to me that the whole city of Fargo volunteered to help and it was amazing the individual attention these people gave to every runner on every street corner, at every aid station. A wonderful experience!

Nice town, nice folks, nice course, nice race. I'll be back next year, body willing.

Thank you Fargo/Moorhead, Mark Knutson and all the volunteers who made this such a wonderful experience. From packet pickup to pasta dinner to on-time start and post-race assistance, you cannot find a better organized marathon. Despite the weather, I ran the time I planned for and met some delightful people along the way. My heartfelt thanks to all the spectators, but especially to the privileged owners of golden retrievers - Max was beautiful. The Radisson and Howard Johnson are next to the Civic Center and just a few blocks from the start. My only suggestion is to change the last section of the course from concrete streets which were hard to run on late in the race.

Thank you, Fargo!

Congratulations to the race committee and the people of Fargo for doing such a great job, especially on their first time out. While this was my first marathon, I've done a lot of half-marathons at marathon sites, and none were finer.

Just a couple comments on the rating categories. The course is, as noted above, quite flat, especially the last few miles. The wind did blow - as it often does in North Dakota - but the course is sheltered much of the way. That was good planning by the organizers. The only thing I'd suggest is a few less turns, if possible, for the first mile or two.

Organization was superb, before, during, and after the race. I was amazed at the amount of 'extras' for such a reasonable entry fee (the finisher's medals were awesome).

Fan support was truly impressive, especially considering the tough conditions of rain, wind, and cool temps. I never went far without hearing an encouraging fan. Lots of music, too, and some residents even offered food and water from their yards.

This marathon is well worth the trip.

Thanks, Fargo!

Hat's off to the race promoters and the friendly people of Fargo for a fun and fantastic marathon experience. The course was cleverly thought out, integrating most of Fargo's (and Morehead's) civic highlights into a picturesque and relatively flat path. The early tree-lined neighborhood streets and the park trails were definitely favorites. Coming from Florida the snow/rain and cool temps were actually nice. The tropical-force winds were another story, but definitely enhanced the adventure; and put me in the right frame of mind for the upcoming hurricane season!! And considering the conditions, the fans - in number, spirit and in voice - were nothing short of amazing. (Special thanks to the folks at mile 18 who all but cleaned and pressed my discarded race jacket for me after the generously let me dump it in their yard for a post-race pick-up. THAT was above and beyond!)

Great medal but very disappointing T-shirt. Appreciated the efficiency of the bottled water but the 'dentist's rinsing cups' of Powerade need to get bigger. In hotter weather this would have been a major problem. And, yes, the exposed aggregate concrete streets from 21 on were a nightmare on tired legs. Other than that, though, savagely good job. Jerry Lundegaard would be proud. Yah! You betcha!!!

It was 32 degrees, windy and rainy, but this was the most enthusiastic crowd I've seen in quite a while. PR course if the weather permits.

This marathon was simply outstanding, especially for us 6-hour folks. No detail was overlooked, making it the only decent marathon in North Dakota for us 50-staters. (Contrast that with Bismarck where all details were overlooked).

Thank you Fargo for a well organized marathon. Everything about the expo and pasta meal was easy for the runners. The lefsa was a great treat.

By staying at the host hotel, my party did not have to leave the hotel until 20 minutes prior to the start with about a three-block walk.

The cool weather was preferred over a hot day without a doubt. Despite several turns, they were all well marked with sufficient volunteers. The water bottles were better than cups since I could carry it for a ways and drink as needed. The park at the south end and the stretch along the Red River was my favorite part of the course.

Many of the volunteers along the course thanked me for running the race, and the spectators were very supportive (although a bit low in numbers). This will change as more residents learn about the gem of a race they have.

It was so nice to go right into the Civic Center after crossing the finish line where we could warm up, get our drinks, food and showers.

In January, I ran the Vegas Marathon, which has years of experience, but they could learn so much from this brand new marathon. Whether you are after a Boston qualifier, a PR or just a fun marathon, I recommend this one.

I would highly recommend this marathon to anyone.

For any marathon (especially an inaugural event), the organization was superb.

Can't control the weather so you can only make the best of it. Race-day morning, we woke up to some rain mixed with snow and very cold, cold temperatures. But, it was the high wind that really took its toll.

The course was very flat. In fact, this could be a good PR course when the weather cooperates. In place of any hills, the headwinds gave us a good challenge. A good portion of the race was run right into those winds. Fortunately, we turned south after mile 20 and had the wind at our backs for the final 6 miles. If you still had some energy, it made for a strong finish.

For the travelling marathoner, I thought the course gave a good tour of Fargo. We ran through a variety of different neighborhoods (older and newer), as well as some nice historic buildings in the downtown area (i.e. the Fargo Theater). One of the most scenic parts of the course is through some of the beautiful park areas and paved trails in Fargo.

The people of Fargo were extremely supportive. Even with the cold temperatures and windy conditions (they are certainly used to it), they came out in full force to cheer on the runners as they passed through the neighborhoods. This is a very friendly community.

Definitely add Fargo to your calendar for a May marathon. It is worth the trip.