I ran the half, and as far as races go, this was easily the best organized. Packet pickup was a breeze, and the race started on time. The volunteers were AWESOME, and having a crowd cheering for you the entire way was an experience I've never had before. It was so nice for my family to be able to watch me run the entire race - usually they just see me off and then wait for the finish line! Great medal and t-shirt; I will definitely be back!

I thought the 2009 marathon was superb and could not be better, but Race Director Chris took this to the next level. First off, the playlist was GREAT (a nice mixture of music that you could hear at all times around the track to motivate you). The emcee/announcer did an excellent job mentioning people, how far they had traveled, and pointing out folks approaching their last lap to finish or if they had a birthday. It really personalized the experience. The chip timing experience was great. I knew how fast I was running each lap and how many laps I completed. The volunteers, just like last year, were AWESOME. Friendly, high-energy, and they opened my Clif Bloks for me, which made my life and the appearance of the track better. Lots of little kids made it interesting by sticking their hands out for high-fives. Definitely a highlight and boost during the last 6 miles. I would do this in a heartbeat again.

I am someone who can run and loves to outdoors year-around where I live so why in the world would I want to run a marathon indoors? Because it's DIFFERENT and a FUN!

Running laps on a track at this race is nothing like doing speed work on a track or running laps at a gym. The other runners, the cold weather outside, the spectators, the volunteers, the music, the insanity of running so many laps... all are key ingredients that make this event a unique and rewarding marathon experience. There's plenty of detailed info already given below about the course, race and comparisons with ZYY, so I'll just say one thing about training. Unless perhaps you're hoping to win the race or PR, don't torture yourself by practicing running circles on your own. Just do your normal marathon training and then just show up. Leave the lap running for the race!

Suggestion for next year: I too think it'd be nice if runners got blank bibs that we could write our name or something about us to put on our backs. I would loved to have gotten to know my fellow runners better!

I cannot say enough good things about this race. If you are looking for something different or looking for a race that meets your every need, this is it!!! It has a flat course; the turns won't bother you; the surface is softer than a sidewalk or a road; there are dedicated folks to hand you your water; and there are 96 water stops, 96 porta-potty stops, and you pass your gear bag 96 times. I was worried about getting bored, but it really didnt make a difference. The biggest thrill was the relationship you build with the other runners. Either you are passing someone or they are passing you... no matter what, you get to know every face on the course and truly start pulling for each other. The only thing I would like to see improved is the finish line area (maybe some ballons or something) and better directions on how to get to the locker rooms with showers. Sign up early!

Very well put together race. From the moment you arrive, you know exactly where you should leave your warm-up gear, your water bottles and where the course is. Is was interesting to see the speed skaters and figure skaters inside the track.

Fans were great, competitors were friendly, and medals were fantastic. I would definitely recommend this marathon... if you have the intestinal fortitude to run 96 laps on an oval. It takes mental toughness, as well as a durable body.

This was my first time completing a marathon, and I'm so glad it was the Icebreaker. While the idea of running 95+ laps around a 443-meter track may sound daunting/slightly insane, the controlled temperature and flat course made for ideal conditions. Race director Chris Ponteri did a fantastic job organizing such a unique event, particularly in the dead of winter when we Midwesterners have few choices for races. The volunteers were amazing, as was the crowd support. I'll definitely run this again next year, perhaps trying the Gold Medal Challenge to up the ante.

This was my second half-marathon, and I really enjoyed myself. Certainly not a fast runner, so I knew I was doing this just to get over the finish line. All facets were great - the support crew and the family/friends cheering us on, just to name two.

What a great race weekend! I ran the half on Saturday and the full on Sunday. The races were on time, organized and smooth. The volunteers are second to none! Great support, chip timed... just wow. Chris knows how to stage a fun race. Adding the half and relay just made it a better event.

Signed up for the half-marathon (my first ever) - 47 laps around an indoor track sounded crazy, but a friend talked me into it. No regrets! Getting cheered on or high-fived 47 times by family, friends, and strangers was a true rush. A truly unique experience even for seasoned distance runners.

The Instep Icebreaker was the second of two indoor marathons that I ran in two weeks, and to have to compare the Icebreaker to the Zoom Yah! Yah! is like trying to compare Boston or Marine Corps to other great events like Missoula, MT (recently rated as the top U.S. marathon by Runner's World) - it just isnt fair.

Zoom Yah! Yah! has a distinct advantage due to its intimate size, something that the Icebreaker will never have, but to say that the Icebreaker, just in its second year, was a disappointment is far, far from the truth. Indeed the Icebreaker was a great event. Housed in the Petit Ice Center, the home of the U.S. Speed Skating team, runners had to complete 95.37 laps of a 484-yard course that ran around the outside perimeter of the speed skating rink.

I will start with the organizers - particularly with race director Chris Ponteri. The race was extremely well organized (and it was just one of four separate events run over the weekend, including two half marathons and a marathon relay). Not only was the staff extremely accommodating in advance of the weekend, but Chris, Jeff Ferris and Brian Volkman made sure to take the time to connect with me and were absolutely great people.

The race has one particular advantage over Zoom Yah! Yah! in that it is chip timed. While it is nice to have personal lap counters/cheerleaders (at ZYY) the timing chips allowed the Icebreaker runners to cross the finish line each lap and look over to see their lap counts and exact lap split times. It sure beat having to fool with a watch or Garmin. For those with less than optimal vision, they even had two people posted to check and report back the next time around to let you know orally how many laps you had run.

The aid station volunteers were also outstanding. A single station was set up in one corner of the track and runners brought their own bottles to drink from which were then filled by the corner workers. When you got thirsty  or hungry  you simply would let a worker know that you wanted something, and the next time around they were holding it out all ready for you. They even snipped the end of my GU so it was ready to eat! They did a phenomenal job of supplying smiling encouragement as well as refreshments, and I only wish I knew their names so I could thank them all personally.

One of the best things about the Icebreaker is that if you are fortunate to have friends or family willing to attend and cheer you on, you see them 96 times. I had seven family members present and their cheering and antics removed any chance of boredom setting in. Outside fan support was surprisingly enjoyable as well. Children continually reached over the bleachers to high-five the runners and three other groups of people around the track seemed to adopt me, cheering me on every lap as well. If that weren't enough, having the speed skaters circling the rink inside was definitely an added treat.

I was warned about the track being hard, broken down, and injury inducing. If that is the case, I sure did not feel it. I thought the surface was forgiving and never had a problem with the turns. Congestion was not a problem even though we had 80 marathoners on the track plus another 43 or so doing the Gold Medal Challenge, which was the Icebreaker's version of Disney's Goofy (runners ran a half on Saturday and full on Sunday). The track was never crowded - never did I feel boxed in or like I was being held (or holding someone else) back.

Brian did a great job as an emcee. You could hear the announcements all the way around the track and the ongoing banter also served as a good distraction. While the Icebreaker did not allow headphones and music, it wasn't necessary. Runners were asked in advance to provide the names of songs to add to a long playlist and the music was piped in for the entire race over the PA system.

The one area where the Icebreaker falls short of ZYY is in the runner camaraderie. At ZYY, the camaraderie is created with the small field or runners, a great pre-race dinner, and by giving all runners blank bibs, having them write their name and hometown on them, and then pinning them on their back. You are continually lapping or being lapped by runners, so to be able to know the other runners names helps create that bond. I probably got to talk with a dozen runners at the Icebreaker, but at ZYY it was more like 75% of the field.

Being a Marathon Maniac, the clan was well represented. I counted at least eight MM's circling the course at the event, including three from Brazil who had made the trip.

The only other areas that could be improved were the medals and shirts, and that might be nitpicking. The shirt was a nice long-sleeve technical, but the design was nothing special. Additionally, the medals were OK, but pale in comparison to many other marathons. Again, this is nitpicking, and wouldnt keep me from recommending the event.

The Icebreaker was my 20th marathon and I would rate it in the top third of those that I have run, and I have run some great events. I rate it as a 7.5 on a 10-point scale, which puts it ahead of all four of the Rock 'N' Roll events I have run. Considering that I ran the entire race with a painful IT band injury and still had these positive feelings, that is a pretty strong statement. With this being just the second year of its existence, the InStep Icebreaker will only get better. I look forward to doing it often. 

- Greg Goebel