This was an incredibly well-run event in every respect. Put it on your list of great destination races. The course was scenic and pleasant to run. Water stops were well-staffed. Traffic control was superb. The town totally embraced the participants. The finish area was organized and efficient. Post-race entertainment was a special bonus. Salmon is off the beaten path, but it is well worth the effort.

This is a small-town race with small-town charm. Very well organized, awesome scenery, enthusiastic crowds, and great post-race party. The shirts were high quality, the medals unique, and the town inviting. This is one of the hidden gems out there. You won't be disappointed. Afterward, there are plenty of mountains to climb, trails to hike, and rivers to fish and raft. And, don't forget to try the Lost Trail Pale Ale down in town!

This race was so well organized that it was hard to believe it was the inaugural running. I've read the comments from others and I agree with all the positive things said. I'm a flat-lander and my body knew when it was going uphill due to the altitude, but I still had an excellent finish time and recommend this race wholeheartedly. Thanks for all the support from townspeople and volunteers. Kudos to race director Kathy Gatens for going the extra mile in many ways! Her passion is Whitewater Therapeutic, which benefits from race proceeds. Pitch in a little with your race entry; it's a good cause.

I drove a long way to run this marathon and it was well worth it. The Salmon Marathon is one of the top marathons on my list. The race was very well organized, which was especially impressive since it was the first Salmon Marathon.

There were so many things that were done very well in this race, including the course, the aid stations, the friendly and enthusiastic volunteers, the race shirt, and the start at a one-room school house, where you could stay inside to keep warm until the start.

I would definitely recommend this race.

If you are looking for a small marathon where the whole town is behind you, this is it. Very well organized on a beautiful course where you can stop and pet a goat and still qualify for Boston. Even the weather was perfect. Run this one next year, but wear good, stable shoes for the road.

What a fantastic event the good folks in Salmon, Idaho put together. Put it on your race calendar for 2009! This point-to-point race starts at an altitude of 4,881 ft and follows a dirt road into Salmon, ID where it ends on the bank of the Salmon river at 3,931 feet. It is downhill with a few rolling hills. There are two inclines at mile 7 (steep, but short) and mile 14 where the course takes a 1.5-mile out-and-back up a drain. This is a fast course! In my running group of five, we set three PRs! The race is a Boston qualifier. The entire event is superbly organized! Support stations were every two miles with plenty of volunteers, water, Heed and porta-potties. The intersections along the road were staffed by members of a local horseback riding group. Other attractions included a moose at mile 3, a senior citizen group singing "God Bless America" at mile 5, hawks circling low in the sky at mile 18, and a herd of goats at mile 21.

I, without reservation, endorse and second everything already said about the event and appreciate and endorse the charity it supported, White Water Therapy. Kathy, the race director, is absolutely first rate.

If you're tired of running marathons on city streets, this is for you. Very well organized, with the whole town pitching in.

Solid: Aid every 2 miles. Plenty of port-o-potties. Organized transportation to the start. Well marked. Good communication going into the race. Valley and mountain scenery. Nice shirt. Nice free events surrounding the race.

Unique: Horsemen (and women) at all turns or potential wrong turns to point the way. Point-to-point race that was staged at a small-town schoolhouse so that you don't get cold waiting for the start. Almost the whole race is run on gravel roads with good surfaces. Great small-town atmosphere. Nice views. Wood-carved finisher's medallion.

Crowd support: This is a small marathon, so your fellow runners become intimate. There were limited places for crowd support (at the intersections around every 5 miles), but the crowd that was there was very enthusiastic. The base crowd rating is 2 stars due to the size, but raise it one star for the local ladies singing in front of their house, and raise it another star for the enthusiastic support of the moose, cows, and goats along the course. The cows were very supportive! This is a friendly atmosphere. Nice race, and the weather was perfect.

This race was run very well; from the race director, down to the volunteers, even the cow lady was great. Deer, moose, goats - all kinds of things to see. It's definitely worth doing again. This rates up there as one of my top 10 picks....

Beautiful day for a run in the Idaho countryside. Race director and town's folks went out of their way to make it an enjoyable experience. Spectators were sparse but extremely enthusiastic. Thank you so very much for making it a fun day.