Hardly enough space available here to provide praise for all the people who volunteered to help on this race - from the race director, to the ladies who handed out packets, served dinner, and got up in the middle of the night to serve us breakfast. YOU'RE ALL THE BEST!!! First-class operation from start to finish. The course is exactly as described on the website. Pasta feed was plentiful and tasty. I'm recommending this to all marathon runners, whether 50-staters, or beginners. Be sure to pick up the huckleberry shake at the drug store after the race.

It really takes a village to pull off a marathon as well as this one was done. First, we received a several-page update a few days before the marathon. The director and the volunteers should be praised for all their hard work. The townspeople were very friendly and made us feel right at home. The Ashton Inn gave us a discount without us even asking. They also asked us if we wanted a late checkout time. There were also signs around town welcoming us. The course was scenic most of the way. It reminded me a lot of Green River in WY and Grizzly in MT. In MT, there were solid covers placed over the cattle bars. Being from VA, I think the dry air and the elevation somewhat affected the way I felt during the marathon. The pasta dinner was fair. The breakfast was excellent and included a variety delicious homemade jams. The golf shirt style was a welcome change. I will wear it with pride. The bus driver on a real bus was very friendly and very wide awake so early in the morning.

There were only a couple of disappointments. The first one is that there was not a clock that we could see our times as we crossed the finish line. I did not hear my time. After asking several people, I gave up. Of the 46 marathons that I have run, this had never happened. Since we had to leave immediately after the marathon, I still do not know my time since the times have not been posted online at this time. I am really surprised at this since Green River had posted times earlier today. The volunteers were so good; however, at the end of the marathon when I could hardly walk another step, I had to search for water. The two large drums were nearly empty. In fact some runners were leaning them over to drain out the last few drops. Finally, someone handed me a gallon of water that I opened. It would have meant so much to have had a volunteer hand a bottle of cold water to me as I crossed the finish line. I would have appreciated that more than a medal.

To summarize, I was basically very pleased. I know that the director and the volunteers worked really hard. Thanks for providing us with an awesome running experience!

This was my 28th marathon, and Idaho my 13th state in my quest to run the 50 states.

This is a tremendously nice marathon. Organization is superb. Great polo for race shirt. Unique finishing medal. Town of Ashton turns out big to cheer the runners on. Met lots of other runners doing the 50 states.

Course is simply beautiful. First ~7 miles on packed gravel through a forest. Then 6-7 downhill miles on the roads, including a short detour for a quick peek at Upper Mesa Falls. Then 2-3 level miles on a dirt trail through a park. Then ~3 tough uphill miles on the roads. Then 3-4 miles rolling hills (with more downhill than up). And the last 2-3 miles are flat as you finish in a park in Ashton.

One small improvement would be to have a couple more water stops the last few miles.

This race easily ranks in the top 5 of all the marathons I've done. Thanks again to race director Dave Jacobson, the race volunteers, and the town of Ashton.

I have run half marathons all over the U.S. This race is NUMBER ONE!!!!

The organization is great. One aspect that was unique was the polo shirt.

The Mesa Falls Marathon in Ashton, Idaho is by far the best marathoning experience I could have hoped for. The scenery was breathtaking (especially the wolf that could be seen at mile 3), and the course proved challenging yet rewarding. The casual spaghetti dinner the night before was a great place to meet new friends that would later help cheer you to the finish. This marathon is worth the trip out to Idaho!

The course is one of the most spectacular. It starts on a gravel US forest road in the forest and runs along small creeks with beaver dams. Heard wolves and coyotes howling in the early morning, then sand hill cranes calling as the sun came up. The course drops down into a beautiful campground at Warm River and then has a challenging climb for about 2.5 miles. The shirt is top-class with beautiful embroidery. The small community of Ashton was friendly and very supportive of runners. The Huckelberry shake given to finishers made the race worthwhile. For a beautiful and fun run that is not crowded (about 110 marathon runners and 200 half marathon runners), this is one of the best.

Don't miss the dinner on Friday evening because it is a great place to meet other runners from all over. At the finish line, the drinks and food were terrific. I could not get enough homemade bread from Harvest Bakery. I will be running this one again and again.

I agree with all the good things that have been said about this run. Also, they had someone calling in runners' numbers about 1/4 mile from the finish so that your name could be announced when you crossed the finish line. Great idea. Thanks very much to the organization and the volunteers.

What an awesome event. The weather, scenery and course support were awesome. The miles just rolled by as I enjoyed the spectacular views. The hill at miles 17-20 was a challenge, but what is a marathon without a challenge? Thanks to the RD and all the course volunteers for hosting a wonderful event.

The course was absolutely gorgeous!!! The profile and scenery! The shirt was different in a great way! The people were all so friendly both participants and volunteers. When considering a marathon in Idaho or anywhere this one is superb! Thank you!

The gravel road and dirt road track parts of the course are in the beginning, are mostly downhill, and are absolutely the best way to start. Scenery all the way is wonderful, especially if you like mountain views. Weather was perfect, 30's to 60's and clear. Great organization with plenty of water and sports drinks. Pre-race dinner with famous Idaho potatoes hit the spot.