This is a great marathon and for a $40 registration fee ($35 early and $45 late), it is a truly fabulous 'value' marathon. I dont quite understand how they are able to make $40 per registrant go so far&a nice bag, a great shirt for finishers, an AMAZING medal, fantastic volunteers, pizza, other treats&this is a fantastic budget marathon that seems like you should really only get half of this. The organizer is fantastic and provides detailed notes and instructions (people had to know exactly what they were getting into&though, for some reason, I was still very amazed at it all) and it was very well organized. I have to say, it even seemed like more than 350 runners out on the course  somehow they even made it so you get more out of each person out there :). Anyway, a great marathon and a very enjoyable course. I would have probably preferred water stops a little closer together, but the course is on a trail so this would be difficult and the organizer provides great detail on where the water stops are located BEFORE the event, so I was aware that I might want to bring a small water bottle, which I did, and it worked out perfectly! Great job with it!

This is a great marathon. It is a small group of runners but a very enthusiastic group. The volunteers are fantastic and the supporters are able to meet you every couple of miles. I love the trail and scenery and you're never retracing your steps on the trail - it is always new scenery.
The Water stations were well stocked and the food at the end was fantastic.

Well run & well organized. Large gym to stay in before the race. Race is run on a flat and fast course with only one turn on the trail. Totally enthusiastic support at water stops & nice food at the end. An announcer announced my number, name & where I was from, the RD put a medal around my neck and another volunteer handed me an envelop with my race shirt in it. Can't wait to do it again next year!

I had so much fun the first time, I had to come back to do it again. It is a fast, scenic course along the Lake Wobegon Trail, near St. Cloud Mn. The race support was excellent, beginning weeks before the race, during the race, and after. Lots of friendly volunteers; great post-marathon food; the finisher medals and shirts are really nice. There is no pre-race stress. Everything was so convenient. Just show up, run the race, and enjoy! They did a much better job, and made me feel more welcome than any 'big city' race. Do this one!

Yes, it's small, and if the cattle jumped in cars and met you 5 times along the route like the spectators do, they might outnumber the spectators. But, this allows the race director and volunteers to focus on the participants, something they do exceptionally well. Pre-race communication was excellent. Excellent pasta (and much more) feed on Friday night. A limited number of pacers available (one of whom helped me to a 16 minute PR!). A great running surface. And when you cross the finish line, someone will be there to check on how you're feeling and give you something to start the re-hydration process.

Sadly, we lost a runner at this year's race, but it was instructive to see how professionally and sympathetically the race director and her staff reacted to support the family and the running community. A true class act.

Great course, ideal for those seeking a PR or BQ. Time of year ideal to avoid summer heat. Typical lows in the 40's, highs in the 60's. 2011 was low 40's with light rain to start. Volunteers were all upbeat and helpful. Overall, a very well run event, and inexpensive. Check it out!!

If you are looking for a small, fast, well-organized marathon that is also scenic and easy to get to - look no further.

St. Joseph is an easy 1hr drive outside Minneapolis. The course is very flat, asphalted rails-to-trail conversion (I believe). Beautiful views of farmland, rolling hills, woods and charming little towns.

Spectators were sparse (which to me is quite ok), but very energetic and friendly.

I can't say enough about the organization - everything was thought-through and went like a charm.

I have run this race 3 times as an 'out of stater'. The reason why is because it is very well organized and a beautiful trail. If you enjoy running in a pretty rural setting, but also want good organization, this is a great race.

Thanks for the wonderful race organization (communication and support pre/post-race) and the great race planning, it was a great first marathon. Based on the experience, I definitely will keep running marathons. Met some amazing people on the way and made some new friends for life.

What a fantastic race. Leading up to the race, the course website provided all of the necessary information in a quality format and the race coordinator was extremely effective in communicating. The small scale of the race allowed for morning-of bib pickup, which is a plus. It used chip timing, but the only sensor was at the end, so the chip times were effectively gun times.

The race itself was wonderfully supported and the trail is quite beautiful in the spring, though it can be a little stark (in a stunning way) at times. Volunteers at small races are almost always better, and the LWTM is no exception. They had tremendous enthusiasm even despite the 40-45 degree temps and slight drizzle.

The finish area is fantastic, and volunteers were incredibly sensitive to the needs of runners, especially medically. The food was also amazing - pizza (good stuff, too), bagels, homemade cookies, fruit, juices, hot chicken broth, yogurt, and more were all available right at the finish.

Results posting was also prompt and efficient. There was no awards ceremony; instead they had a tent that served as the drop bag pick-up (they had this, too) as well as award and shirt disbursement location. They had a packet prepared for you with your drop bag waiting according to your arrival at the finish. All of this was within about 50 yards of the finish line.

The swag from the race was really impressive, especially considering the affordable entry fee. The shirt is a long sleeved tech tee that has already become my favorite, among at least 15 other technical shirts I own. They also provided a pretty nice bag at the start a couple steps in quality up from reusable grocery bags - heavier material, zippered, and with water bottle mesh at the ends. If you are searching for a medal that comes packaged with a mobius strip, this is also the race for you; they are not amazing, but they are above-average quality and distinctively designed. The icing on the cake for me was the age group winner award, however. A mug, with 'Lake Wobegon' written on one side and 'Where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all of the children are above average' on the opposite.

Register early for this one next year, it's growing quickly and the field was limited to 350 runners this year (~300 registered).