The scenery for the first 14 miles through the canyon were exceptionally beautiful. The organizer made the race very user-friendly, up to and including taking care of the smallest of details, such as marking each manhole cover and pothole on the course which after 18 miles, is very much appreciated. The pre-race pasta dinner was worth every penny, and the race crowd was friendly and enthusiastic. The medallion is awesome, however, the shirt design could be improved.

The only 'best kept secret' about this marathon is that it is NEITHER fast NOR pleasant. The day started out with the shuttle buses 'forgetting' to make their second stop at our hotel; which resulted in about 40 runners making a mad leap into the cars of anyone who would take them to the bus at 5:30 am. Stress? You bet. My advice would be to park at Merlin Olsen Park... plenty of street parking was available.

Positives:
- Great shirt and medal!
- Good pasta dinner with nice prizes for everyone!
- Beautiful scenery... for about 14 miles
- Toilets at every mile
- Warming tent and bonfire at the start

Negatives:
- The website promised 'gentle' downhill of '1-2%.' It is more like a 5-6% quad-crushing gradient. Once you hit the flats at mile 15 or so, it's like hitting a wall.
- Comatose-like spectators... (note to onlookers - runners' names on shirts are meant to be shouted out!)
- The last 10 miles you snake through towns (lots of turns to slow you down)... sometimes on roads that weren't completely closed. The exhaust fumes complemented the 85 degree temperatures nicely.
- Fill-up the water cups! Had to ask for 3 or 4 cups at each stop.

Overall, a nice attempt at a small-town marathon. But for those flying in to set a PR, don't bother... everyone we talked to was at least 15 minutes-plus off of their PR.

My companion and I just ran this race yesterday. We were both impressed by the organization and the support of the community. The weather was very warm and very windy, but that wasn't their fault. The first 14 miles of the course down the canyon are extremely scenic, the spectators are encouraging, the volunteers at the aid stations and the medical people on the course are friendly and helpful, the shirts and medals are great, EVERYTHING is done right. I was very impressed with the clothing pick-up after the race. I just can't say enough about our experience. There is absolutely no doubt that we will enter this marathon again. One caution for those who get carsick -- the bus ride up the canyon will definitely do it to you, so be prepared. Fortunately I got over my queasiness before the race started, but it wasn't fun!

TOU was my 22nd marathon in 21 states and this ranks up there with the best. The course was great, the race organization was wonderful, and the volunteers were absolutely delightful. And as a bonus, the city of Logan could not have been friendlier. We had a marvelous time at the restaurants and shops. The visiting Tibetan monks were an awesome surprise. As you may surmise, the actual marathon is not the only part of the experience that I enjoy - marathoning has been a great way to see the USA and Logan, Utah. Cache Valley is certainly a treasure. THANK YOU!

I have run several marathons, but this was my first Top of Utah. This was a first-class event. The race committee did an excellent job. I honestly cannot think of one thing they could do better. The course is beautiful with the leaves in their bright fall colors. The aid stations were well staffed with enthusiastic volunteers and plenty of Gatorade, water, Gu etc. The band in the park at the finish line was a nice touch. They played for 3 hours straight, from the time the first runner finished until the last runner finished. This added to the party atmosphere. The finisher's medals are HUGE. Definitely the best I have ever received from any marathon.
If you want to run a first-class marathon, I highly recommend the Top of Utah. It is not a big race, only about 2,000 runners. But that is part of its charm. Not too many runners. The course is fast. The first 14 miles are down a canyon, but it is a nice 1% grade.
I hope to do this marathon many more times. I hope to see you there too.

This was my first marathon, but I can't imagine one any better organized or a more beautiful course. When the sun rose and lit up the brilliant fall colors, I felt inspired and very thankful for such a beautiful world. People at the aid stations were kind and pleasant, and I liked the Gu, the finishers medals, and the age group awards. Thanks for a great first marathon experience.

This is a superbly run race! I've done 17 marathons and this is the most well run one that I've ever seen.

Transportation to the race start was well-organized and on time. There were tents with heaters at the start line to help you stay warm. The most thoughtful touch was the glow sticks in all the port-o-cans so you could see in the dark!

The first 14 miles are downhill in a beautiful canyon. The rest of the course isn't as scenic but the first half makes up for it.

The race volunteers were plentiful and extraordinarily friendly. As a woman, I appreciate that there was a port-o-can at every single mile marker! Another nice touch was the large boxes at each mile marker where you could shed your clothing. These were picked up and delivered to the finish line so you could reclaim your gear (they also had bag checks at the race start).

My only suggestion is to repeat what I read in another posting here - start reopening the street from the back of course and work forward rather than the other way around.

I just can't say enough good things about the race. If you want a PR and a great experience, this is the place to go! I'll be back next year and will be bringing lots of friends with me!

P.S. Go to the pasta dinner. The food was good and prizes were awesome!

My first experience has been the best. This was my first marathon, and I loved it and will continue to run more... the people and the organization of helping the runners were great, everything was smooth, and the medallions are awesome.

Beautiful scenery. Fall colors in the canyon for the first 14 miles. The canyon and up to mile 17 is very fast with gradual downhill. 17-25 flat but with a few gradual uphill sections. Not a race to run negative splits. Crowds were not abundant but were very supportive. The aid stations, start, finish, porta-potty situation, etc. were all very well organized. Only criticism is the bus loading to start the race. Would only open one bus at a time to load despite a huge line of people and buses sitting, idling. To stand in line you ended up sucking in exhaust for about 15 minutes. Open all the bus doors and have a few more volunteers to direct loading is only area to improve. This was my second marathon and the course was much prettier than Kiawah Island and the weather a lot cooler. Ran 7 minutes faster despite training about 2/3 as hard. Qualified for Boston which was my goal. Overall, a great, fast, well organized marathon.

This was my first marathon, so I don't have a lot to compare with, but I have competed in many shorter races and have seen both good and bad races. I was captivated by the beauty of this course for the first 15 miles. The leaves were in their peak colors and the morning, although brisk, was perfect. The buses and packet pick-up were flawless, and being able to discard and recover warm clothes was no problem. The support from the police and volunteers was ideal. The course's flaw is the amount of winding through town at the end, but with this came additional fan support. There is something cruel about seeing the finishing gate and knowing you still have to run 3 more miles. I loved the race and was exceedingly pleased with all of those who put the event together.