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Apr 30, 2024

Run With the Horses Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Run With the Horses Marathon Information & Reviews

Course 4.3

Organization 4.4

Spectators 2.2

Number of comments: 61 [displaying comments 11 to 21]

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Robert McCallister from Indianapolis Indiana (8/20/2012) "Running this marathon was a spiritual experience" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 A great destination marathon. Spectacular scenery and unique wildlife experiences in a high desert environment. I saw 56 wild horses and 1 golden eagle while running. Good organization and very helpful and friendly people. Forget about finishing times and spectators and experience the joy of running in some of the prettiest country you'll ever see. Coming down the red rock canyon toward the end of the marathon alone in the middle of the dirt road was truly a spiritual experience.
D. M. from Fort Collins, CO (8/21/2011) "No horsin' around on this run!" (about: 2011) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Tough run - significant climb out of Green River - but the downhill was a fun way to finish. Pretty desolate with only ~ 50 marathoners, there was lots of time when you didn't even see other runners. (For one stretch, I only saw wild horses and no other runners.) Great, well stocked (water, gatorade, cookies, pretzels, m&ms, potato chips) aid stations every two miles. Night before was sort of a local fair . . . good live music. It's different than other night before deals since runners are only like .05% of the crowd so you don't have the feeling you're connecting with other runners - mostly just local families enjoying the local fair. The $20 shrimp dinner was OK . . . rather tasteless shrimp but it worked. The 2011 weather was nice (not to hot and minimal wind . . . that could be a very different story given the location and timing.) The medal is pretty cool . . . esp. considering it's such a small marathon. It was almost 5 hr drive to get to this run . . . but, I'm glad I did it.
Mary Newell from New Haven, CT (8/27/2010) "Forget about your time and enjoy the views" (about: 2010) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was an extremely challenging course; the air is very thin up there, which makes running difficult. It's a good thing because you can take your time and look at some of the most awesome canyons you every want to see. The shrimp dinner was great; it's a small race and there was a lot of camaraderie on the course. I'm seriously thinking about doing it again next year. I would probably get in a couple of days earlier so I could be more acclimated to the altitude. It's a great race.
J. K. from NYC, NY (8/27/2010) "Tough but well worth it!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 The marathon was spectacular. It was the toughest marathon of my life, in the high desert, with altitude over 7,000 feet above sea level, 6 solid miles of climbing up a rocky terrain, 7 miles of rolling hills (still going up though), and finishing with 6 miles of downhill. Wind gusts on the way down provided no reprieve for my body going down; plus, it hurts the quads something fierce. This marathon is not for the faint of heart or those looking for a PR. If the high desert elevation doesn't get you, going uphill for 13 miles will. However, the tougher the challenge, the sweeter the reward and the bigger the sense of accomplishment you feel as you are crossing the finish line. Coming in first in your age group doesn't hurt either. I still cant get over that one. I finished 1 minute slower than my slowest (read: first) marathon, but I still finished in the top 18.5% - sweet! Overall, this was an excellent marathon that will surely not be forgotten amongst the plethora of marathons I've run. With breathtakingly beautiful open spaces and postcard-worthy vistas - amazing landscape of striking mountains, mesas, dunes, buttes, and lakes. The Run With the Horses Marathon beckons anyone who craves nature, serenity, and adventure in a quintessential wild, wild West setting!
B. R. from Tulsa (8/25/2010) "Wow" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Great organization. Very accommodating. Course was the toughest I've run and the time the worst (of 35 marathons). I liked Green River and the small-town feel. The festival was great - lots of local artists. Great medal and fine shirt. Did not like the dirt road - I had to watch where I was going. I actually saw 5 wild horses up front. I'd return.
B. S. from Hillsborough, NC (8/22/2010) "Tough, tough, and more tough" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 All I can do is echo what has already been said in previous comments: this is one tough, unforgiving race. The entire first half of the race is a steady climb uphill although you are rewarded with a nice downhill run the entire second half. However, there were no signs to denote the route on the return and because there are not many runners to start with, you find yourself alone for much of this race, especially during the second half. I had to slow down and finally someone came along who was from there and knew the way back. If not for him, I wouldn't have made it back in a timely manner and that would have been very upsetting. The medals are really nice and colorful, with lovely carved horses in the middle to denote the race name. The medal also includes the name of the race and the city and state, which I thought was a nice touch. The race website is very detailed and informative - one of the best I've seen. Green River is remote and small; without the festival that takes place during the weekend of the race, you would be hard pressed to have anything to do. The Hampton Inn is very nice and the people there couldn't have been nicer, but you will have to rent a car to get around. The Hampton is a good 1.5 miles from the start and there is no public transportation so you will need a way to get around. The drive from Salt Lake City is pretty but kind of boring after a while and it is every bit of 3 hours. This race is not disappointing as long as you know up front that it is a tough course, the city is small, and there is no big expo or perks of a large race. However, it is rewarding and not a bad way to get Wyoming checked off your list.
R. M. from New Jersey (10/6/2009) "Wow, this was tough" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 The 2009 Run With The Horses Marathon was my 12th marathon, and it was certainly the most difficult. Just a couple months earlier, I had run the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon in South Dakota, and everything that made that race difficult was amplified in Green River. The altitude was even higher, the hills were even steeper, and the crowd was even thinner. For someone who lives just a few feet above sea level and had barely ever stepped foot at 7000' altitude - much less tried to run a marathon up there - I knew this would be hard. The ascent from Mile 2 to about Mile 4.5 was really rough. I had to slow to a walk before Mile 4! I couldn't help but think, "Wow, I still have 22 miles to go!" However, those same couple of miles on the return near the end of the race were by far my fastest. (Basically I fell downhill for a couple of miles.) Thank goodness the course wasn't the opposite. I never would have made it up those hills if they were at the end of the race. The scenery was beautiful, but rather monotonous. And with crowd support non-existent, it made you feel very alone. The race director, staff, and volunteers were all very nice and helpful. Near the end of the race, I was tired and cranky and I think I cursed out one of the nice volunteers for their sadistic course. Sorry about that! The town of Green River doesn't really have much to offer. There was a festival that weekend, thank goodness. Without that, I have no idea how I would have passed time the rest of the weekend. Green River was a cute little town to visit, but if I spent more than a couple days there, I probably would've gone crazy. This may sound like a mixed review, but I really did enjoy the race and my relaxing weekend in Wyoming. This race is clearly not one to run if you want to go for a PR. I was just happy to avoid my slowest time. But if you want to face a challenge, meet some friendly people, see some beautiful scenery, have a peaceful weekend, and check Wyoming off your list, then the Run With The Horses Marathon is a great choice!
b. a. from San Francisco Bay Area (8/31/2009) "A textbook negative split." (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Yes, like a mini-Badwater, this course was everything promised. I ran the half marathon and was glad for it! We recommend the dinner the night before; folks there are informative and pleasant, and so were the fellow runners. The 6+-mile climb (around 6900') was rewarded with a nice downward return at a 4-6% grade; tough for trucks, but great for entrants. Hardware and amenities exceeded expectations; I was happy that aid stations were stocked with cold drinks every 2 miles, as stated on the site. The 6:30 a.m. start was on time, too. Sticking points are: logistics; the SLC Airport is difficult to navigate; and the 175-mile drive to GR is a stretch, too. This town is a well-kept secret, though, and rightly so; and its people reflect the toughness and fun of the course. Do it again? You betcha.
T. S. from Colorado (8/30/2009) "Awesome, Unique, Hard" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This race had it all: The challenge of a mountain, the heat, and the competition. I met the Marathon Maniacs and the speedy 180 Energy Runners at the Hampton Inn. The place to stay is the Hampton that sits at the two-mile mark. This is a small marathon, which means lots of pluses including the fact that you can leave 30 minutes before the race starts and find plenty of parking. Also, there were no lines for the bathrooms. It was a blast watching Chuck Engle (the MarathonGuide runner) overtake Jackson Johnson (the 180 Energy runner) and then hear all the stories at the Hampton Inn. I truly enjoyed getting to eat breakfast with those who came in in the top 5. Chuck had to make up a mile to get Jackson. At around mile 5ish, I saw a rattlesnake - I think it was dead. Bottom line: if you are looking for a tough marathon, on back mountain roads, then this one is for you!
M. W. from Tulsa (8/29/2009) "Kicked my butt" (about: 2009) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Run With the Horses Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 The heat, altitude and hills kicked my butt. The sun was brutal and there was NO shade to be found. I should've worn stuff like they do at Badwater. That said, I must say that we had a wonderful time and the race folks were awesome. I'd also say that the people at the Hampton Inn were the best. They did way more than what we expected and offered even more. The two mile split is directly in front of the hotel and they gave me a bottle of water on the way by. We flew into Jackson to see some countryside, but Denver or Salt Lake would be better. Overall, we loved it. There were virtually NO cheering crowds - thus the single star for "spectators," but the race folks were out there with us the whole way. There were several Marathon Maniacs and Fifty Staters too. I'd probably still be out there were it not for them. God bless 'em all. We'd love to go back... if we ever recover from this one.

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