This is a great run. More than half is on trails/dirt roads. It was fairly cold at the start (37) but not uncomfortable. A moose crossed the road in front of us in the first mile. The views of the Teton Mountains are great! You also get to run on the scenic overlook of lower Mesa Falls in the first half. The only tough part is the hill in miles 18-19. This is a great, scenic run that is easy on the legs because of the trails.

Initially I was worried that this small town race would not be up to par with some of the larger marathons. I could not have been more wrong. Great race, well put together. The terrain was ok, the fields of barley were pretty cool. Lots of aid stations with fruit/gel/water/Gatorade. I like the polo shirt, make sure you order a size smaller than normal. I ordered a large and the thing is a TENT. Also make sure to sign up for the pasta dinner, no restaurants in Ashton or St. Anthony serve pasta. I'll definitely be a runner on next year's schedule.

I echo all the other runners comments. It was well organized, extremely well marked... a bonus for those of us who started early. Yes, early starts are OK - keep your own times. The milkshake was neat, and as a bonus we got to ride in real busses - not the usual cheapo school bus junk. Overall a great run, and a credit to the RD and his volunteers.

Small town marathon... friendly nice guy organizer... and an interesting course that suddenly shifts from Yellowstone country into agricultural country--very pretty.

Well organized, nice pasta dinner. Climbed Mt. Borah the day before, enjoyed the marathon from start to end. The laser-engraved wood finisher medals were COOL! The huckleberry shake was a great deal too. Definitely one to repeat.

I did the 1/2 marathon in 2003. I had concerns about pushing a double baby-jogger stroller on the course, so I ended up calling Dave (the race director) 3 times. Every time he was friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic. Good luck with that kind of personal attention at a 'big' race!

The scenery is beautiful, the organization is amazing, the folks are so friendly you'd swear you were in a tv show. Ok, the one hill was not too fun with the double stroller, but don't let the hill scare you away. It really wasn't that bad (nice place to slow down and walk for a little while) and the rest of the course was quite flat to downhill.

Stick around after the awards... Tons of give-aways... I think just about everyone got something. The park at the finish is a perfect place to sit in the grass, watch the kids play on the playground, etc.

Yes, there were not a lot of spectators, but that's not what I run for. And the friendliness of the folks who were there (including the friendliness and camaraderie of the other runners) more than makes up for it.

Great bus ride. Picks you up at the parking area and the finish is like 200 yards from where you parked.

You park, you ride, you run, you eat, you get back in your car and go home smiling.

Thank you Dave. I'll be back next year for the full marathon. (With the stroller, if the kids don't gain too much weight in the next year :)!)

Just finished the 2003 race and I truly had a fun race from start to finish. The heavy rain the night before really helped, as there was no dust (or mud) during the off-road portions. The first 9+ miles are unbelievably gorgeous as you run on dirt forest service roads that wind through primitive bear country. Some complained of the wash-board nature of these roads, but having been more accustomed to mountain trail runs, they were nice, smooth ROADS to me.

The first 17 miles is roughly downhill, then there is a 2.8 mile climb, with only the first 1.5 miles being that steep. The last 6 was a gradual descent to the finish. I forced myself to slow down the first half so I could make it up the hill in good shape and ended up running a negative split 3:17.

I'm still confused that in rating marathons at this site we rate the course, organization and spectators. To me, spectators are irrelevant (that is except my wife and kids at the finish line). The few there, though, were quite enthusiastic, but don't look for them until the campground at mile 16, because they're not there. The organization was great for such a small race and if there is any question, you can literally call Dave the RD, and he'll answer your questions. Thanks Dave! My brother in law called the day before the race and Dave had him fax the application and he was in for $25 - no late charge!

It's truly a bargain for 25$ (unless you really want the spectators). Plus the Huckleberry shake and the park at the finish where my kids could play until I finished were both a big plus. For a very small, LOCAL run I was amazed that runners came from 22 different states! Hope to be back next year and please don't change anything!

I needed ID for my 50 state quest. I am so glad I chose this smaller participant, beautiful race. What a contrast from the biggies (Chicago, LA, Boston), but what a delight! A nice polo shirt for your entry fee. The pasta dinner was self-serve, good, and only $5! First 9 miles on dirt - a packed road which really saves your legs. The course takes you to the scenic outlook of Lower Mesa Falls, which is beautiful. The hill at 17 is tough, but a sweet, older volunteer was there with water for us. You could see forever across the plains at times. The park finish was very nice with lots of food. A very unique 'medal' (wooden, but one of my favorites). The town of Ashton reminds me of the way things use to be -small, without the big chains, and everyone must know everybody. I have found that some of my favorite marathons are the smaller, low-key races. Mesa Falls is definitely tops in that category, and I plan to come back soon!

Exceptional value. Excellent organization. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful polo shirt without advertising (instead of usual T shirt). The only down side was that the first 9.5 miles were on severely washboarded gravel roads. I visited Yellowstone before the race (to get acclimated to the altitude) and had one of the best marathon experiences I have ever had. (This was marathon # 27 for me).

I have never enjoyed a marathon any more than my 29th at Mesa Falls. The small-town hospitality, good organization, convenient start, finish and lodging, good carboloading dinner for $5, beautiful course, and great post-race social in the park make this a worthy marathon for your race calendar. It was definitely worth the trip from South Carolina. The altitude (6200 feet at the start) and the hills keep it from being a p.r. course, but it is interesting and challenging. Dave Jacobsen did an excellent job organizing and conducting the race.