Got off to kind of a rough start for the first bus, but who's actually up at 4:30 a.m. anyway?

Mayor of Commerce, Oklahoma made it a point to thank everybody for coming out - he even shook our hands as we were coming off the bus.

Course was as pretty as it was safe. I have run marathons big and small, and this was the only one where I felt 100% safe.

Spectators were unique to the area and they were out in force. There was everything from Native Americans in traditional dress to what looked like a college basketball team.

Suggestions for next year: 1) Course elevation chart and; 2) pacers.

Overall I give this course 4.5 out of five stars. If I can get there next year, I will be there.

Thanks to everybody who made this possible.

Sincerely,

Bib #1

We enjoyed our trip to Joplin, Missouri to run this race. The race organization was superb - nothing lacking! Great medal and shirt, but the best component of this marathon was the friendliness of the people! At the starting line, the people from Commerce Oklahoma gave us a warm welcome. We ran through the beautiful farm land of Oklahoma into Kansas where people kept saying, "Welcome to Kansas!" People were out in their yards in chairs cheering us on and lined the streets of scenic Baxter Springs and Galena Kansas. The weather was nice up until around 11, but as it heated up there were plenty of volunteers making sure we had lots of water. The finish line road was exciting and the after-race party had plenty of food, drink, and music. It impressed me how proud people were of the marathon and how appreciative they were of the runners for coming. Many people asked us along the way where we were from. Also impressive: 3 different businesses that had been closed opened their doors and let us in on Saturday - now where does that happen anymore? If you go, make sure you go to Caldones in Joplin, Angels on the Route in Baxter Springs and the Visitor Center in Baxter Springs, and stop in at 4 Women on the Route.

Due to the heat and sun, the course was brutal - the only shade was along a very short section of road. The towns were great and had awesome crowd support. First half was pretty flat; second half had lots of long inclines. Police/medical support was 5-star all the way. Awesome job on shutting down roads and monitoring the runners! One of the best I have seen. It was cool running through three states and 4 towns. Aid stations were just okay. Hot water and hot Gatorade, but great volunteers. Only GU station was at mile 20. I suggest adding one more next year, and maybe throwing in some pretzels or something later in the race. Finish line was a downer. After finishing, there was only water and Gatorade. Only food was a banana. Cokes, cookies, or anything different would have been great. With a few tweaks here and there, this could be a great race. Maybe start at 7am or even 7:30 to beat the sun some.

Despite the hot weather, the Inaugural Mother Road Marathon was a great event! I loved running on Route 66. There were plenty of hydration stations, all well stocked. There were so many great volunteers and the townspeople along the route were wonderful! The only minor glitch was that the bus drivers taking us to the start were not given clear instructions on which road to turn to get us to the drop off point. This was not a big deal because we had plenty of time before the start, and were better off inside the bus, instead of outside, standing around. The start and finish were great and the park where we finished was a perfect location!