This race is special in every way: the organization is superb (thanks, Dick), the St. Olaf Track Team terrific (thanks to all, and a special thanks to Lauren, my counter), the spectators legion and loud, the music great, and the other runners inspirational. The small field ensures a camaraderie among all the runners, from the first to the last, and the intimate venue means that every runner sees his or her personal cheering section every 282 meters! This is one diamond of a race and is not to be missed.

This was my 11th marathon, and my most memorable by far. Like all the other comments, the race's organization was outstanding, Dick does a tremendous job. I also have to thank my lap counter, Andrea, for being there to cheer me on at every single lap - and to always remind me of how many laps I had left to go! (It's easy to lose track!) The ladies of St. Olaf's Track and Field team were AMAZING! They deserve so much credit for helping us out! I also want to thank the spectators who learned every runner's name and cheered us on every lap. It was great to pass the St. Olaf straightaway each lap, knowing we'd hear cheering there, but to have people elsewhere on the track cheering my name was so, so great!

I must say that I love running on the track and don't have a problem running around and around for miles and miles.... Most people do not share this view, so this may not be the race for you. When I heard about this race, I thought, what a great way to pace myself the entire race - no hills, no wind, perfect temperature. But once the race started, all thoughts of "pacing" myself went out the window. With 5.7 laps to the mile on a 282 meter track, hitting the lap button every minute and change, and doing the math in your head takes up a lot of time, and guesstimating mile splits suddenly seemed too tedious. So for the first time ever, I did not use my watch, had no clue what my mile splits were, and had a blast! I ran the entire race going with how I felt, and I wasn't too far off my usual times. Makes me rethink all the time I spend during a race stressing over a few seconds per mile. Something else for future participants to take note of: I thought it was great to have tables set up for our liquids, GU, and food; and I thought it would be awesome not to have to carry anything on me for the race for once. I realize now that I think that actually slowed me down because, while I normally drink and GU while running, I had to slow down due to the turn, and I stopped more than I normally would. Many people have asked, after wanting to know why running 150 laps appealed to me in the first place, if I got bored while doing it. While there were times when I couldn't believe how much more I had left, the race went by a lot more quickly than I thought it would. You were literally getting passed or passing someone every 15 seconds, so you always felt in the race. And when I finished, I felt better than I normally do at the end of a marathon. I think the great surface had a lot to do with it.

I also have to add that we just got our shirts in the mail a few weeks after the race.... because our results are printed on the back of them!!! I've never been one to go gaga over a race shirt, but this is the coolest shirt I've ever gotten, and worth waiting for! It rocks!! (If I had known every time I wear it my time will be shown, maybe I would have run a little faster!)

I was so impressed with this race, and am so glad that I was able to be a part of it this year. I definitely picked the best race in Minnesota to check that state off my list! I guess the best question to ask after you do a race is: would you do it again? And as crazy as it sounds, I would!

This was my 5th marathon, and my best experience. I've run Chicago (twice), Milwaukee and Rocket City, and the ZYY blew them all away. Dick Daymont and the St. Olaf Women's Cross Country team made the entire weekend experience a joy. Some of my highlights:
- The Friday night expo/dinner was great. I met all the runners, many of their families, and the food at St. Olaf was plentiful and done well.
- Dick gave me a pass to see the St. Olaf Women's hockey team in a game Friday night. What personal service. Thanks, Dick!
- The course was great, 150 laps to the mile. It was almost double the size of the track I do most of my winter miles on.
- The St. Olaf women were wonderful, cheering on every lap, and chanting your name for your ENTIRE last lap.
- My scorer, Margaret, was especially motivating. I didn't want to slow down for fear of disappointing her.
- The pace gorilla.
- The runners all encouraged each other, sort of a "we're all in this together" feeling.
- The other spectators were more supportive than any other marathon I've run.
- Very easy to pace yourself each lap.
- I love the handwritten form that logs every mile's split, plus the finish time, a great keepsake.

This is the oldest, and best indoor marathon. The time flew by, and I wasn't ever bored. Far from it, I had a blast for 4:37, and that's an 8-minute PR for me.

Well done, Dick Daymont, and the St. Olaf Women's Cross-Country Team. I had a GREAT time!

People thought I was crazy when I told them I was going to run a marathon in Minnesota... in January. Zoom! Yah! Yah! more than surpassed my expectations and has left me still talking about the race nearly 2 weeks later. Five stars can't even begin to describe this event and I wholeheartedly agree with everyone's positive comments before mine.

Dick has the organization down to the last detail. Several e-mails and announcements came prior to the race to calm any doubts and it's definitely not the norm to receive the director's open invitation and phone number should anything else arise! Dick gets to know each runner individually and becomes as big of a supporter on the course as anyone.

The post-race details were fantastic! You can see the devotion and time invested into the event through the detail of the results: by time, by state, by age bracket, etc. He analyzes the data every way possible and makes every runner a winner. This attention to detail is reflected every step of the way and it was truly an honor to be among those selected for the 2009 edition.

My only disagreement with everyone else (personal bias, of course) is that I had the best timer/lap counter/cheerleader. The St. Olaf's team adopted each one of us and to receive words of encouragement each time around the track is just the motivation you need. Jenna, a personal thanks to you... even if I had one lap to go twice around the track! Any additional time on the course was a bonus and my completion wouldn't have been possible without the smiles and dedication you showed.

To all of the other 2009 runners, this will be one of the most memorable experiences for me. Whether being passed or passing, the encouragement was amazing and I found myself rooting for everyone else just as much as myself. Zoom! Yah! Yah! was my 50th state and I definitely saved the best for last. I couldn't have imagined it going any better, and I enjoyed every second of the event. Wonderful job, Dick!

A couple of thoughts, having read the previous posts. One, they brought back to mind what I had shamefully almost forgotten - the dedication of the St. Olaf women's track team to the success of the event and the individual runners. It may have been easier to run the marathon than to sit there for the 5-plus hours my poor counter did, all the while maintaining such a cheerful attitude. At least I was able to take a few pit stops.

Second, lest anyone get the idea this was a kumbaya moment, breezing along in the joy of brotherhood - this is a marathon. There is no getting around the fact that you will be running 26.2 miles. But, if you're going to do one, it might as well be on a perfect surface, in controlled temps, with whatever your heart desires for food/drink and, as the other posts confirm, about the most uniformly happy bunch of runners I've ever run with. That is no accident; the race director and staff do everything possible to insure that happiness.

Finally, when I told people I was going to run the Zoom Yah Yah they, to a person, said I could never run around that many laps, or some version of that, citing boredom, dizziness, etc. as reasons against the concept. What I found is that I have never run a race of any distance where I paid so little attention to miles, but rather thought I'm one-fifth done, I'm one-third done, etc. as the laps went by. And they went by with astonishing speed, in my mind if not on the clock. With 20 laps to go, my mental gymnastics went OK, 20 laps to go. At 5.7 laps per mile, that's 20 divided by 5.7, yielding three, carry the 2.9, divided by 20... or is it divided by 5.7? I think it's... OK, 19 laps to go, divided by, and so on until the finish. I never did figure out the miles, but it was the greatest dissociative tool I've ever seen. In short, don't be put off by the 150 laps; it's different from what you might imagine.

It seems that no set of race comments is complete without at least one complaint, so here goes - the website did not have an elevation chart. The fact that that's all I can come up with should give you an idea about the quality of this race. A-plus from start to finish.

This was a really fun race. I ran it each of the last two years and I hope to be able to continue to run for the years into the future. For those who think that running around in circles for three or more hours may not be that fun, I have some news for you. It is a blast.

This marathon is very different from any of the others that I have run. Not only is it indoors, but the unique thing about this race is that you get see all of the other runners in the race for the entire race. Occasionally they will be passing you or you will be passing them. You get to know and talk with the other runners throughout the race. Another great thing is that you will have you water or food whenever you need them. There are tables set up at all four corners of the course, so you will pass your water stop at least 150 times in the race (up to 600 times if you put stuff at all four corners).

The greatest thing about the race is the spectator support. You have your own timer who cheers you on for each lap, as will most of the other timers from the St. Olaf Track team. There were also other spectators who learned everyone's name during the first several laps and cheered us on each time we passed them.

I wasn't able to train adequately for the race this year and so I tried to drop out and give my spot to someone else who would have wanted to run an indoor marathon, but I contacted Dick (the race director) too late and he couldn't find a replacement for me, so I ran it anyway. I was quite surprised when I ran a minute faster this year than last. I think the small course, with all of the other runners around me and the great cheering section, really helped me continue running even though I hadn't done any long training runs since August.

Another thing I really like about this race is the meal the night before at the St. Olaf dining service. This year it was off in a separate room from the rest of the dining area, and I had a great time talking to runners I recognized from last year's race (and also getting to know new runners in the race). The food was quite good but the company was better.

A great race; I hope to be back often.

The bad news is that only 40 runners can be in this race!

The good news is that only 40 runners can be in this race!

How many races do you go to that the race director cheers for you (by name) the entire race? Dick does such a fantastic job making everyone feel comfortable and welcome. My lap counter, "Apple Valley
Annie," Dick, and the entire St. Olaf Team were so supportive and so full of energy! How could you
ask for anymore?

My Thoughts:
Other Runners: everyone was so positive and friendly. I wanted everyone to do well.

Dick: Great job from organizing, to the packet pick-up, to pre-race meal, to race day, to post race!

St. Olaf Girls: I love hanging around young people. They remind me of why I took up running in the first place. They were so full on energy and having so much fun. Thank you again, Annie. Knowing you had everything under control allowed me relax and run!

Northfield Area Runners: (Band of 10,000 Aches) I can tell that runners in your area are very devoted in everything they do. Many runners I talked to are very proud to be a part of Zoom! Yah Yah! Thank you!

Hope to see you in 2010!

UNBELIEVABLY FUN!!!

You might think running 150 laps around an indoor track would be totally boring but nothing could be further from the truth at this race. You'll get more cheering than you ever have at any race, your favorite sports drink/foods during the race (you can bring whatever you want!), a nice, flat course, ideal cool and dry running conditions, the friendliest group of runners and so much more.

The only thing is: don't expect a PR, as all the turns (4 turns per lap x 150 = 600 turns, plus 180-degree turns every half hour) can really take a toll on those who run fast. Just go, run and have a blast.

Thank you to Dick for organizing such a fabulous race. And thank you to Allison for counting all of my laps.

As I scrolled down to review the 2009 comments already posted, it would be simple to just say, "Ditto." But that isn't doing this event and all the people involved justice. They deserve every bit of recognition. Dick Daymont is wonderful. All of the members of the running club were welcoming. On the Saturday morning before the marathon, the club extended a welcome to out-of-town runners to run the Jesse James 5K route - fun, fun, fun, even in 1-degree temps! I know I'll miss someone, but thanks to Chick, Dale, Dennis, Robert, Randy, and on and on for letting us tag along and pointing out the frost on everyone's eyebrows as the run came to an end.

Afterward the group gathers in the local coffee shop to talk and just have a great time. I first sat with "the guys" and then realized about two dozen women runners were sitting there too, so I went over to sit with them and was so warmly welcomed that I felt as though I had been away and came back to be united with long lost FRIENDS. Yes, friends - thanks to each of them for being so warm and friendly.

Pre-race dinner at St. Olaf's cafeteria was amazing. What a variety of healthy to artery-clogging choices. Definitely something for everyone. You can't beat this!

The race - I can't speak about the race without recognizing Hannah Dennis, my lap counter and cheerleader extraordinaire. I couldn't wait until I reached the lap counting area to see her smile and hear her encouragement - especially when she yelled as she counted down the last 10 laps. Hannah and Anna were great motivators. Then there are the dozens of other volunteers, the family members of other runners, other lap counters and students standing around who made it their "job" to learn our names. Thank you so much.

I never got bored, never got dizzy, and never got sick of running around in circles. The 30-minute turnarounds were very controlled, and the music was fabulous and not loud at all - just right. The temperature did fluctuate a bit and that was great - from comfortable to cool (in one of the corners).

Then, the end - as most runners hit the last half lap there was the incredible chanting of their names. What a great feeling!

To the other 38 runners who experienced this event with me, thank you for your spirit and kindness each time you passed me. Your encouragement and your personal dedication to the sport never failed to inspire me.

I thought I had strong positive feelings during and immediately after the race, but as I write this account I find myself even more emotional and genuinely grateful for having had the chance to experience this wonderful event.

i came into this race packing extra pounds and in treadmill shape, rather than road and hill and track shape. I was able to run the distance (very slowly) with no walk breaks.... and I give a ton of credit to my personal lap counter, Abby Smith. I could never thank her enough for the inspiration I got every .17 miles from just seeing her smile and having her and all of the other lap counters cheering us on. The other runners were friendly and helped keep me going also. Dick Daymont, the organizer, seems to be everyone's friend. The meal the night before gives you an opportunity to meet just about all of the other runners, and I liked that. I will always have the honor of being the first male from Iowa to have completed the Zoom Yah Yah. Once again, many thanks to abby smith for counting and cheering and keeping me going... I am not sure that I could have done this alone, due to my conditioning suffering the winter blahs.