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May 3, 2024

Top of Utah Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.6

Organization 4.8

Spectators 4.0

Number of comments: 136 [displaying comments 21 to 31]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 14 > ]

J. O. from USA (9/23/2010) "Beautiful course!" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The first 14 miles are run down Blacksmith Fork Canyon in the Cache Mountains - spectacular vistas and not-to-be-missed scenery. The road is closed to traffic and descends at an easy 1 to 2% grade. In the cool, dry mountain air, racing doesn't get much better than this. The remaining 12 miles of the course are more ordinary, with some flat stretches, some hills, and lots of twists and turns in the final miles before a very nice finish chute into Merlin Olsen Park in downtown Logan, UT. The Park was very nice - a pleasant setting to recover from the race with lots of grass and room to stretch out in. Race organization was superb, with lots of attention to small details; a warming tent at the start, glow sticks from the porta-johns to the starting line, well-stocked and frequent water stops, etc. Volunteers were friendly and enthusiastic. My only minor complaint was that, with all of the turns in the course over the last 8 miles, there were a few without cones or course marshals. These turns were marked with spray-painting on the road, but in at least two cases, I felt it would have been easy to miss them. Highly recommended race for anyone looking for a fast, scenic, early fall race with great organization and runner support.
J. S. from Columbia, MO (9/22/2010) "Gogeous location, great organization!" (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a wonderful race to run for my first marathon. The scenery was spectacular. Also, the water and aid stations were wonderfully placed and stocked great. There were plenty of spectators along the route. My only wish is that there would have been more cheering from them. Overall, this was wonderful event and I would recommend it to anyone.
P. F. from Oregon (9/20/2010) "Beautiful Scenic Canyon" (about: 2010) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Good race and course management. Course turns were well-marked by arrow and moose outlines. The last 6 miles had several turns. Effective traffic control on roads and at intersections for runners' safety. The abundant fluids, at closely spaced aid stations staffed by enthusiastic volunteers, were greatly appreciated as the day heated up. Finish line announcer did a professional job with vital stats. I couldn't find the food court nor was I directed there by volunteers, but I was handed a cup of water at the finish. The results were posted expediently. There was a ceremony and wooden moose carvings awarded 5 deep for age divisions. Prize money and moose statues were awarded to the top 5 men and women finishers. The $14 pasta meal was basic chow. A band played and some runners got a chance to spin a wheel for prizes. The expo was not a big deal. The gender specific lime green shirt is very vivid. The moose-inspired finishers' medal was a whimsical touch. My major complaint pertained to all of the bicycles on the course after mile 14. Allowing bicyclists to ride alongside runners is disruptive and hazardous.
S. W. from Ogden, Utah (9/20/2010) "Well organized" (about: 2010) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Here are the things I really liked about this marathon: The course was nice; the first half was downhill and scenic, with nearly no traffic, and the second half was flat. It was really nice to have bathrooms every mile and aid stations every mile on the second half. When we arrived at the starting line it was early and freezing; amazingly there was a huge heated tent that we could wait in so we didn't have to freeze for an hour. Here's what I didn't like as much: The shirts were ugly, tennis ball-yellow; great visibility, but not a good color for everyday wear. The race bags had nothing in them but a couple of ads - no samples or anything. The road was not blocked as advertised, so there were cars coming down the canyon, and in town there were many spots where there was traffic in all lanes and we had to run basically in the gutters. It felt kind of dangerous. Overall, though, I thought that just the level of support (e.g. frequency of bathrooms and aid stations) made for a really good run. I will probably do this marathon again next year.
Sam Jensen from sandy, utah (3/18/2010) "Wow! This place is beautiful." (about: 2010) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Make sure to bring a coat to the top.
Angie Rasmussen from Rexburg, Idaho (10/7/2009) "Top-Notch Event" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Top of Utah Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Top of Utah is the first marathon I've run twice. There's just too many good things about the event to resist, including the impeccable organization, the beautiful scenery, the terrific volunteer and aid station support and the fun finish line atmosphere. The bright orange tech shirt is one of my new favorites; if I'm going to run a marathon, I may as well brag about it with gusto! The medal, on the other hand, was rather disappointing. With such a classy-looking shirt, the cartoony medal just seemed odd and out of place. While I love this event, I don't think I'll run it again unless it's just for fun. The twists and turns of the last 10K wreak havoc on my momentum coming out of the canyon. When there are endless corners to turn as the minutes tick by, it tends to become frustrating and disheartening. Despite my few complaints, this is definitely a top-notch event that every marathoner in the nation should experience at least once!
S. L. from Texas (9/25/2009) "High-Value, High-Quality Marathon" (about: 2009) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Great value! I can't think of a single major flaw in the organization of this marathon. Minor Cons: - The text messaging of my times to my friend (available on the official website) didn't work. - Some complained about all of the turns later in the race, but it makes have the start and end locations at the best possible choice work. - If you're not a morning person, beware; you have to get up early to catch the bus (no worse than big marathons), but that makes closing the road and the start up the canyon at Hardware Ranch possible. Pros: - Start at Hardware Ranch (best view of stars I've seen in a long time). - Course: beautiful run through the canyon, with fall colors. (But downhill, so my quads were sore for days.) - Organization was great, with warming tents at start, efficient planning (with buses to the start line), well stocked aid stations, and a nice and well stocked recovery area for runners at finish. - Volunteers were friendly and helpful. - It's a good value; you get a long-sleeve tech shirt and unique medal, as well as good snacks at end. Low price if you sign up early. - Nice size - you're never overwhelmed with the crowd, but never isolated either. - It's a Saturday race, so it's nice to have an extra day to recover before work.
G. M. from Utah (9/25/2009) "Amazing marathon" (about: 2009) 4-5 previous marathons \| 2 Top of Utah Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is one of my favorite races. The organization is flawless, the course is beautiful, and volunteers are great. There are no spectators coming down the canyon, but that's okay. The scenery is enough. The spectators at the bottom of the canyon were the best, cheering loudly for everyone. There were plenty of aid stations, and they were all well-stocked. I really like the medal and shirt this year too. Be sure to include downhill runs in your training; although the canyon isn't steep downhill, running downhill for almost 15 miles can do a number on your quads. Great race!
Stuart Graves from Salt Lake City, UT (9/22/2009) "Seamless Organization" (about: 2009) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Top of Utah Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon is outstanding for a number of reasons (scenery, course, etc), but primarily because of its superb organization. From packet pickup to bus loading, to bag retrieval at the end, everything was perfect. I have run this marathon 3 times, and plan to be back for more.
R. G. from Kent, Washington (9/22/2009) "Great Run for a First Marathon" (about: 2009) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon. I was disappointed in my time, but that just means I will be back. The first 18 miles are great! I loved coming down the canyon. However, there is no rhyme or reason to the zig-zagging route for the next few miles. It would be nice to have the course re-done so that it is a little more of a straight shot. The volunteers were absolutely wonderful and there was plenty of Gatorade, oranges, bananas, water and GU at the aid stations. I really enjoyed this marathon and hope to come back next year and improve my time.

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