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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 61 to 71]

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M. G. from Southern California (9/26/2006) "Excellent first marathon!" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my very first marathon and I thought it was great. The course was so pretty the entire way, and there was everything you could possibly need at the aid stations. All of the spectators, as well as all of the other runners that I met, were so friendly and encouraging. This is definitely a great marathon for a first-timer! Just make sure you do a lot of downhill training!
S. P. from USA-WV (9/26/2006) "Top of Utah is Tops!!!" (about: 2006) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 What a well orgainized race!!! Don't miss it if you want to do a marathon in this state. The buses pick you up at your hotel and take you to the Merlin Olsen park, then load you up and take you up the canyon to the start line. From this point, it only gets better. The course is fantastic, and the scenery is awesome. So beautiful!!! Lots of liquids and snacks at the H2O stops. This is a plus for the slower people, since in many marathons, there is nothing left except H2O. We came from WV for this race, and it was well worth the trip. We are members of the 50 State Club and suggest you add this one to your list. Hope to return next year with a friend of ours. And the trophies, WOW!!! We were both blessed with one. All the workers were so friendly and your state was well represented.
Mike Knobler from Atlanta (9/26/2006) "Worth my trip from Atlanta" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a fast course and a small enough field, so you can run your own pace almost from the start. There are a lot of turns, so remember to run tangents or you'll run 27 miles instead of 26.2. Aid stations are plentiful. Weather was ideal for me: High 20s at the start quickly warming to 40s throughout although 4- and 5-hour runners might have ended with some low 50s. No wind. No spectators for the first 14 miles, but do you really need them there anyway? Medal looks good; area is gorgeous; packet pick-up, pasta dinner and prize giveaway were super. (One small suggestion to race organizers: Put a sign in the finish area telling runners where to go to get their clothes bags, not just signs reminding us to pick them up.) This is a super race, one of my two favorites (along with Huntsville, Ala.) of the eight I've run.
Peter Miller from Minnesota (9/25/2006) "Beautiful course..." (about: 2006) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 The canyon is simply beautiful with the fall colors. First 14 miles are fast, with a gradual descent. The rest of course is essentially flat. I had concerns about altitude, but the thinner air was barely noticeable; I flew in the day before from MN. Well organized. Great pasta dinner. Very small expo. Relatively few spectators. No reason to worry about cool temps, as they had clothing drops every mile. I'd go back just for the mountains and scenery - you can't leave the canyon without being impressed by its beauty! It's a different experience from the big races but very powerful and memorable!
M. E. from Saratoga Springs, UT (9/25/2006) "Nice, small race; here are some pros and cons" (about: 2006) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Very nice, small marathon. Some pros and cons: + Warm tent at start. + On-time start. + Heaters at the finish area (it was a cold day). + Beautiful course, trees in bright fall colors. + Friendly spectators (once you leave the canyon). + Well-marked course, not hard to follow. + Each runner's name and home town announced at finish line. + Porta-johns every mile. - Crowded, inefficient packet pick-up. - The weather's anybody's guess; could be hot, could be freezing. - Mile markers right at the aid stations, easy to miss because you're reaching for Gatorade. - Crowded finish area. - Goofy-looking shirt and medal; don't know why others here have raved about the medal - it's a big, dorky cartoon moose head. Looks like an amusement park trinket, not an award for an athletic event. - About an inch of Gatorade in the cup at some aid stations. Duh. Be aware: The course is more challenging than its overall descent would suggest. The gentle downhill portion is over the first 18 miles; the last 8 are flat or uphill, with many turns that slow your pace and create an extra mental challenge (you're close to the finish, but still have miles of course to cover). You could PR here, but it's not nearly as fast as St. George.
I. G. from Utah (9/24/2006) "Great race with poor timers" (about: 2006) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I just ran this race; it was my first marathon. I was excited to find out my official time only to discover that mine was not displayed. Something must have not worked with my chip and the results show I didn't run it. The course is excellent - very scenic and with nice, sloping declines. I wasn't impressed with the number of spectators; there were only a significant number at mile 14, and the finish. Great race for a PR. The organization for the race was excellent and everything was run smoothly.
E. S. from Salt Lake City, Utah (9/24/2006) "Flawless Organization - Cold Race" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This a worthwhile marathon to put on your agenda. Probably not as fast a course as it is billed as being. It's fast, but there are faster courses. I don't think I could PR at this race. The first part is gently rolling downhill, and it's very pretty in this section. At mile 13 or 14 you hit a series of rolling hills, not steep, but it rolls all the way to the finish. I like the course better than the Salt Lake Marathon, and the course is definitely easier than that one. The one negative part about the course is it has you snaking back and forth, corner after corner, up and down through town and the outskirts of Logan. I was dizzy and lost by the end. It's a medium-sized marathon with maybe 2,000 entries. Logan is an interesting, small, college town. I went to what I gather was a college hangout (The White Owl?) the night before and got some local color. The fans are great, and it was inspirational coming out of the canyon and running through a gaunlet of fans. The organization was flawless, with the exception of the expo being shoulder-to-shoulder crowded, and not enough potties at the start. They had great aid stations, and at the end of the race they had live music, good refreshments, ice cream, cookies, salty crackers. When you cross the finish line, they announce your name and home town. I also appreciated the medics who helped me out of the finish corrals. I could barely stand up, and they walked me over to the aid tent. They have a great finisher's medallion, one of the cooler ones I have gotten. They also give a nice NordicTrak Dry-Tech shirt. I would run this again, but it was absolutely FREEZING in 2006, so be prepared. I had to scrape ice off my car on the way to the start. It was in the 20's at the start and the temp shown on the bank in downtown Logan said 48F near the finish.
p. d. from seattle wa (9/24/2006) "outstanding event" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Beautiful course - especially the first 14 miles going through the canyon. It was downhill for much of the first 18 miles, but it's gradual and not too hard on your quads. The event is very well organized and supported by the local community. Come ready for cold weather or hot - it can go either way. No spectators for the first 14 miles (Canyon Road is closed to all but runners and volunteers)... but plenty of crowd support once you get into town.
T. J. from Illinois (9/23/2006) "This was an awesome marathon!!!!!" (about: 2006) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Top of Utah Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I have done a bunch of marathons, and the Top of Utah Marathon would rank as one of my favorite out-of-state marathons. The scenery was spectacular, and the weather was perfect for the race, although a few people thought it was too cold (you can't please everybody). There were port-a-potties at every mile, smiling volunteers every couple miles, and an overall good vibe to this race. The race was almost all downhill or flat. Every runner I talked to along the way was friendly. There was not a lot of food at the end of the race, but then again, I don't run a marathon for the post-race food. The crowd support was average at best, but the way that the race was set up, there could be no spectators for the first 14 miles anyway. I would highly recommend this race to anyone who needs to do a Utah marathon for the 50 State Club, or for anyone who wouldn't have to travel too far to run this race in Logan, Utah. This marathon was a real winner!!!
Jonathan Crampton from Pleasant Grove, UT (9/20/2006) "A beautiful fall marathon... best medals!!" (about: 2006) 50+ previous marathons \| 4-5 Top of Utah Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Really well organized and beautiful. One year we ran in snow the entire way (2001?). This year will be very cold at the start so newbies please wrap up and then throw your warm-ups in a bag before the start. The medals are A++++ better than any other marathon out there. The 24-mile hill/slope is a grind. This year's race will be my 49th overall marathon with St. George two weeks later being my 50th. Three thumbs up for this race !!! -JC

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