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Marathon Details - City of Trees Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > ID > Boise > City of Trees Marathon

City of Trees Marathon

City of Trees Marathon & Half Marathon

Boise, ID USA

~~October 10, 2021~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.cityoftreesmarathon.com

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Marathon Results

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2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Both courses are flat, fast and beautiful. USATF certified. Dozens of entertainers will cheer you on as they compete for the "Spirit on the Course" Award.

Contact Information

Name:	Jeff Ulmer
Address:	City of Trees Marathon Association, Inc. P.O. Box 6082 Boise, ID 83707
Phone Number:	(208) 888-2122
Fax Number:	(208) 562-8472
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (112)

Course 4.1

Organization 4.1

Spectators 3.2

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Number of comments: 112 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 12 > ]

E. R. from West Coast (10/11/2017) "Poor course marking and needs more aid stations" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I have wanted to run this race for several years now and it finally fit my schedule for 2017. I was excited for the event and wanted to love it, but was very disappointed with the organization. I don't take writing a bad review lightly, but feel like the runners should be warned. On course markings were severely lacking. There were 3 places I actually had to stop and try to figure out the course due to a lack of arrows or conflicting arrows. Two places following the arrows led me the wrong way since arrow placement was bad. Aid stations were sporadic. Some were as far as 4 miles apart (13-17) and several were spaced 3 miles apart, and others 1 mile between. There was access elsewhere, so that wasn't the reason. Many stations has several volunteers all just standing there, but runners still had to grab water from the table instead of being handed the cup. Reading past reviews it looks like poor course marking and lack of aid stations has been a consistent comment, yet they choose to ignore it and not make the race better. It felt like they were doing the bare minimum to put on the race. They were more excited about post race beer than the actual run experience. On the plus side, logistics were easy and Boise is a nice, clean, friendly town.
E. W. from Mississippi (10/11/2016) "A Hidden gem!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 After reading the previous comments and knowing nothing about Boise, I went into this race with slightly negative expectations. Boise isnt really known for any historical significance, at least not to us southerners. I expected this to be a weekend where I wouldnt be glad to check off the state and get home. I was already a little frustrated because Packet Pickup ended at 3 or 4 pm (the website & emails were different.) My flight landed at 2:30. But the minute I landed at the airport, my attitude changed. -Host hotel (Spring Hill Suites) has free 24hr shuttle so I didn't need to rent a car (YEAH!) The hotel employees were super nice and accommodating. Our room was much larger than I expected for the price. The hotel was a block from the start/finish and walking distance to several restaurants. Plus if you wanted to go farther, the hotel shuttle would take you! (We went to Trader Joes) -I was a pacer for this race so I got one of the local pacers to get my bib & shirt. We did make it to PP (it ended at 4). Quick and easy-no frills. The local running store was there with last minute supplies if needed. -Race morning was easy. A 5 minute walk to the start area. Very low key. Volunteers were super friendly! -The course was 2 out/backs (one NE, one SW). The greenbelt is a great place to run! If I were a local, this likely would be where I would regularly run/bike, so racing there year after year would get old. But for those of us coming to check off the state, it was great! I wouldve enjoyed some downtown scenery, but I wasnt disappointed. The path followed the river and passed several nice city parks (I was amazed at all the green space and bike lanes!!), behind the zoo (we saw the giraffes!) and through Boise State University. While the mile markers seemed a bit off, they were clear and easy to spot from a distance. The course was well-marked. I got a little confused at one turn through a small traffic circle-a few more arrows/people there would have been good). I ran with a local Maniac for about 14 miles who played tour guide for me. I also ran with several other locals who were super nice and were more than willing to answer my tourist questions. I never heard a negative comment about Boise! I was totally sold! After finishing, the park was easy to navigatea food tent and lots of space to sit and relax. The running store was holding a raffle. I ran up last minute and got a ticket and ended up winning a pair of trail shoes! Having little to no knowledge about the city and expecting nothing but farm and industry (you know Idaho potatoes), I was pleasantly surprised with the city and the race. A definite option for 50 staters to consider!
M. M. from IL (11/14/2015) "Good race, could be great" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 A fun local race in a beautiful town. Still, could use some minor changes. First of all, the race website advertised an expo with vendors. There was nothing except packet pickup. I was really hoping to be able to pick up some gels but was able to visit a local running shop. Not a big deal, but would have been nice to know in advance. Second, there were no gels on the course as advertised. At the stop where they were supposed to be provided, it looked like two volunteers had found love. They poured out some drinks, set them on a table, and were both sitting on the ground and flirting, oblivious to the race. Good for them, but would have been good if volunteers were actually volunteering. Finally, and the major complaint, the course was not always marked well. I made two wrong turns and ran approximately 3 extra miles. I do take partial responsibility for this myself. Still, I don't want to be too critical. It was a beautiful course in a beautiful city. I would definitely choose this race again. With a few minor adjustments, it could go from a good race to a great race!
R. M. from FL, USA (10/13/2014) "Boise is a great place!" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Positives: Wonderful course, basically flat, friendly folks, well-organized, small field of runners for such an awesome event, chocolate milk at finish (excellent chili too!), liked the start time - right at dawn (8:00am MST) for the marathon & one hour later (9:00am) for the half, loved running on the Greenbelt and along the ridge on Federal Way! This race covers all the bases and, as mentioned earlier, is extremely well-organized. Kudos to the race director!!! Negatives: only negative is in the swag category. I was really looking forward to the quarter-zip fleece pullover that was advertised, but was so disappointed to get just another long sleeve tech shirt instead (apparently due to defects with some of the fleece zippers). I would have repaired the zipper myself rather than another tech shirt. The race medal was a bit weak. Charge $3-$4 more on the entry and get a nice, eye-catching medal. Check out and compare to the medals they give out at the Tupelo, MS marathon or Huntington Beach, CA marathon and you will see what I mean.... All said, I would recommend this marathon and give it an 8 out of 10. Improve the swag and it will be a Bo Derek 10!!
B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa (10/15/2013) "Substance Over Style" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 A low-cost, few frills race that delivered a pretty and varied course, a nice sweatshirt and solid medal. An excellent post race atmosphere as well with chili and beer, and music. Throw in a perfect weather day, beautiful scenery and very friendly fellow runners and it is a great small marathon. My only compliant is that there could be one or two more aid stations, but you get a full cup of water or Gatorade at each station. Bring your own food if you like to eat on course. Overall, a great way to get Idaho.
J. B. from Nevada (10/15/2013) "Nice small scale event" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a nice, well organized somewhat local race in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Weather conditions happened to be ideal, making for a spectacular day. Only negative was that a substantial portion of the race was on two lane roads with back to oncoming traffic. Personally feel slightly uncomfortable in that kind of situation. Nevertheless kudos to the organizers - this marathon was loads of fun!
A. S. from BoySEEEEEEE (10/14/2013) "Looking for a small fall race? This is the one!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I live in Boise and have done the COT half many times, but this was my first attempt at the full. I really enjoyed it! The finish/start has ample parking for locals, and the race hotel is just across the street. The 8 am start time was later than many races - another bonus. The course takes folks all over southeast, North and central Boise. There are a few miles south of State Street to Americana which where a bit of a drag (traffic, lack of scenery) but this is bound to happen over the course of nearly any 26.2 mile race. Course was well-marked. RD does a terrific job.
T. W. from Boise, ID (11/3/2012) "Nice course, not a lot of support" (about: 2012) 3 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I was excited to run a race where I could walk to the start line (I live in SE Boise). The course was nice, Federal Way has a great veiw of the foothills. I was not impressed with the support, however. There were few water stops and no food at all. I have run other races and they at least provide orange slices or bananas at the 5 and 10 mile markers. I didn't bring gels, so bonked about an hour and a half in. My fault I guess, but they did advertise providing gels. Overall, though, a fun race and one I will do again (with gels in my pocket). There was hardly any support from the city as far as spectators, which I thought was sad. Where were you fellow Boiseans?
J. L. from Columbus, OH (10/21/2012) "would have been great on a cooler day" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Unseasonably warm but obviously that isn't the race's fault. The host hotel was convenient to the start/finish, relatively inexpensive (yet nice) and close enough to the airport to allow for a 'no rental car' trip. There were a few restaurants near the hotel but they also offered a downtown shuttle. Not much of an 'expo'; it was little more than a packet pickup with shirts from prior years for sale, but for the size of the race you couldn't expect more. The course was scenic and wasn't as hilly as the (terrible) map seemed to indicate; no split times but there was a mat at the start. There were a fair number of water stations but no entertainment and little crowd support. I thought the course was well marked with chalk and cones but apparently some people still went off course. Even on-course, the race was long; I clocked 26.6 and could not have been that bad on the taper. The 'shirt' was a pullover rain jacket; the medal was nice. The post race included chili, and beer. There are apparently a lot of choices for Idaho but this was a good one.
J. R. from Boise (10/15/2012) "Markings" (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 First 30 mile Marathon. Course needed a human at one turn that fouled up 8 of us. BQ was in sight until the extra 24ish minutes.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 12 > ]



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E. R. from West Coast (10/11/2017) "Poor course marking and needs more aid stations" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I have wanted to run this race for several years now and it finally fit my schedule for 2017. I was excited for the event and wanted to love it, but was very disappointed with the organization. I don't take writing a bad review lightly, but feel like the runners should be warned. On course markings were severely lacking. There were 3 places I actually had to stop and try to figure out the course due to a lack of arrows or conflicting arrows. Two places following the arrows led me the wrong way since arrow placement was bad. Aid stations were sporadic. Some were as far as 4 miles apart (13-17) and several were spaced 3 miles apart, and others 1 mile between. There was access elsewhere, so that wasn't the reason. Many stations has several volunteers all just standing there, but runners still had to grab water from the table instead of being handed the cup. Reading past reviews it looks like poor course marking and lack of aid stations has been a consistent comment, yet they choose to ignore it and not make the race better. It felt like they were doing the bare minimum to put on the race. They were more excited about post race beer than the actual run experience. On the plus side, logistics were easy and Boise is a nice, clean, friendly town.
E. W. from Mississippi (10/11/2016) "A Hidden gem!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 After reading the previous comments and knowing nothing about Boise, I went into this race with slightly negative expectations. Boise isnt really known for any historical significance, at least not to us southerners. I expected this to be a weekend where I wouldnt be glad to check off the state and get home. I was already a little frustrated because Packet Pickup ended at 3 or 4 pm (the website & emails were different.) My flight landed at 2:30. But the minute I landed at the airport, my attitude changed. -Host hotel (Spring Hill Suites) has free 24hr shuttle so I didn't need to rent a car (YEAH!) The hotel employees were super nice and accommodating. Our room was much larger than I expected for the price. The hotel was a block from the start/finish and walking distance to several restaurants. Plus if you wanted to go farther, the hotel shuttle would take you! (We went to Trader Joes) -I was a pacer for this race so I got one of the local pacers to get my bib & shirt. We did make it to PP (it ended at 4). Quick and easy-no frills. The local running store was there with last minute supplies if needed. -Race morning was easy. A 5 minute walk to the start area. Very low key. Volunteers were super friendly! -The course was 2 out/backs (one NE, one SW). The greenbelt is a great place to run! If I were a local, this likely would be where I would regularly run/bike, so racing there year after year would get old. But for those of us coming to check off the state, it was great! I wouldve enjoyed some downtown scenery, but I wasnt disappointed. The path followed the river and passed several nice city parks (I was amazed at all the green space and bike lanes!!), behind the zoo (we saw the giraffes!) and through Boise State University. While the mile markers seemed a bit off, they were clear and easy to spot from a distance. The course was well-marked. I got a little confused at one turn through a small traffic circle-a few more arrows/people there would have been good). I ran with a local Maniac for about 14 miles who played tour guide for me. I also ran with several other locals who were super nice and were more than willing to answer my tourist questions. I never heard a negative comment about Boise! I was totally sold! After finishing, the park was easy to navigatea food tent and lots of space to sit and relax. The running store was holding a raffle. I ran up last minute and got a ticket and ended up winning a pair of trail shoes! Having little to no knowledge about the city and expecting nothing but farm and industry (you know Idaho potatoes), I was pleasantly surprised with the city and the race. A definite option for 50 staters to consider!
M. M. from IL (11/14/2015) "Good race, could be great" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 A fun local race in a beautiful town. Still, could use some minor changes. First of all, the race website advertised an expo with vendors. There was nothing except packet pickup. I was really hoping to be able to pick up some gels but was able to visit a local running shop. Not a big deal, but would have been nice to know in advance. Second, there were no gels on the course as advertised. At the stop where they were supposed to be provided, it looked like two volunteers had found love. They poured out some drinks, set them on a table, and were both sitting on the ground and flirting, oblivious to the race. Good for them, but would have been good if volunteers were actually volunteering. Finally, and the major complaint, the course was not always marked well. I made two wrong turns and ran approximately 3 extra miles. I do take partial responsibility for this myself. Still, I don't want to be too critical. It was a beautiful course in a beautiful city. I would definitely choose this race again. With a few minor adjustments, it could go from a good race to a great race!
R. M. from FL, USA (10/13/2014) "Boise is a great place!" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Positives: Wonderful course, basically flat, friendly folks, well-organized, small field of runners for such an awesome event, chocolate milk at finish (excellent chili too!), liked the start time - right at dawn (8:00am MST) for the marathon & one hour later (9:00am) for the half, loved running on the Greenbelt and along the ridge on Federal Way! This race covers all the bases and, as mentioned earlier, is extremely well-organized. Kudos to the race director!!! Negatives: only negative is in the swag category. I was really looking forward to the quarter-zip fleece pullover that was advertised, but was so disappointed to get just another long sleeve tech shirt instead (apparently due to defects with some of the fleece zippers). I would have repaired the zipper myself rather than another tech shirt. The race medal was a bit weak. Charge $3-$4 more on the entry and get a nice, eye-catching medal. Check out and compare to the medals they give out at the Tupelo, MS marathon or Huntington Beach, CA marathon and you will see what I mean.... All said, I would recommend this marathon and give it an 8 out of 10. Improve the swag and it will be a Bo Derek 10!!
B. B. from Pittsburgh, Pa (10/15/2013) "Substance Over Style" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 A low-cost, few frills race that delivered a pretty and varied course, a nice sweatshirt and solid medal. An excellent post race atmosphere as well with chili and beer, and music. Throw in a perfect weather day, beautiful scenery and very friendly fellow runners and it is a great small marathon. My only compliant is that there could be one or two more aid stations, but you get a full cup of water or Gatorade at each station. Bring your own food if you like to eat on course. Overall, a great way to get Idaho.
J. B. from Nevada (10/15/2013) "Nice small scale event" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a nice, well organized somewhat local race in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Weather conditions happened to be ideal, making for a spectacular day. Only negative was that a substantial portion of the race was on two lane roads with back to oncoming traffic. Personally feel slightly uncomfortable in that kind of situation. Nevertheless kudos to the organizers - this marathon was loads of fun!
A. S. from BoySEEEEEEE (10/14/2013) "Looking for a small fall race? This is the one!" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I live in Boise and have done the COT half many times, but this was my first attempt at the full. I really enjoyed it! The finish/start has ample parking for locals, and the race hotel is just across the street. The 8 am start time was later than many races - another bonus. The course takes folks all over southeast, North and central Boise. There are a few miles south of State Street to Americana which where a bit of a drag (traffic, lack of scenery) but this is bound to happen over the course of nearly any 26.2 mile race. Course was well-marked. RD does a terrific job.
T. W. from Boise, ID (11/3/2012) "Nice course, not a lot of support" (about: 2012) 3 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I was excited to run a race where I could walk to the start line (I live in SE Boise). The course was nice, Federal Way has a great veiw of the foothills. I was not impressed with the support, however. There were few water stops and no food at all. I have run other races and they at least provide orange slices or bananas at the 5 and 10 mile markers. I didn't bring gels, so bonked about an hour and a half in. My fault I guess, but they did advertise providing gels. Overall, though, a fun race and one I will do again (with gels in my pocket). There was hardly any support from the city as far as spectators, which I thought was sad. Where were you fellow Boiseans?
J. L. from Columbus, OH (10/21/2012) "would have been great on a cooler day" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 City of Trees Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 Unseasonably warm but obviously that isn't the race's fault. The host hotel was convenient to the start/finish, relatively inexpensive (yet nice) and close enough to the airport to allow for a 'no rental car' trip. There were a few restaurants near the hotel but they also offered a downtown shuttle. Not much of an 'expo'; it was little more than a packet pickup with shirts from prior years for sale, but for the size of the race you couldn't expect more. The course was scenic and wasn't as hilly as the (terrible) map seemed to indicate; no split times but there was a mat at the start. There were a fair number of water stations but no entertainment and little crowd support. I thought the course was well marked with chalk and cones but apparently some people still went off course. Even on-course, the race was long; I clocked 26.6 and could not have been that bad on the taper. The 'shirt' was a pullover rain jacket; the medal was nice. The post race included chili, and beer. There are apparently a lot of choices for Idaho but this was a good one.
J. R. from Boise (10/15/2012) "Markings" (about: 2012) 4-5 previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 First 30 mile Marathon. Course needed a human at one turn that fouled up 8 of us. BQ was in sight until the extra 24ish minutes.

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Marathon Details - City of Trees Marathon