I ran this to check off South Dakota and couldn't have been more pleased. I've run quite a few marathons, including all the big ones - Chicago, NY, London, Boston, etc. - and I find these more intimate adventures much more satisfying.

There is no rock-and-roll hoopla. You get to ring a bell at the end of the race.

There is no expo with famous speakers. You get Judi providing a great technical t-shirt. You also receive a medal that is one of the best that I have collected.

There are no fancy restaurants for your pre-race meal. You get a wonderful pasta dinner served in the dining room of the camp.

This is a race for runners who run for the joy of it. It isn't for those looking to have people see them running or claim to have finished a famous marathon. It is extremely well run and just plain fun. The group organizing this race couldn't be nicer.

I arrived early on Friday night only to find out that there was no local restaurant still open in town. I was immediately invited to join the camp staff during their nightly meal. You don't get that in some "rock and roll" run.

I am well past the halfway mark of my trek through the states and will remember Swan Lake as one of my favorites.

Thanks to all of my friends at Swan Lake.

Beyond the few folks driving the course in support of their favorite runner, I counted five spectators. That's OK because it isn't fans that make this a great marathon.

The organization is top-notch. It is run by people who know marathons and can organize people. The marathon is at a Christian camp four and a quarter-miles from town, which has 832 people. A fair share of those were working an aid station or helping to prepare one of the two meals associated with the event, which also has a half marathon and a 5.3-mile run.

The marathon is a haven for doublers, as it is only a couple hours from Storm Lake, Iowa, which holds a Saturday marathon.

The course travels country roads, goes around its namesake lake a couple of times, and heads into town on a little-traveled highway.

Its 6 a.m. start would be necessary some years, but this year was cool and damp, which kept me fresh.

I would consider Viborg the best-kept secret in South Dakota distance running. I only live two hours away and have run marathons for a decade. I didn't know what I was missing.

Overnight accommodations are available in the bunkhouse. For a luxury stay, you will have to drive a ways.

This is the first marathon I have run. I have done a number of half marathons and dozens of shorter races.

The things that really impressed me were the organization and the other runners. The staff of the race remembered my name and my needs and took care of them.

There was no shortage of aid stations and volunteers, though spectators other than family and friends were extremely limited.

I considered the cool, drizzly weather optimal for the race, though I know some runners would have preferred drier conditions.

The course had to be changed due to flooding but it was well marked; as a result, we ended up with less gravel road and more pavement. The gravel was soft without out being clingy, and added a bunch of weight to your shoes - my hips and knees appreciated that.

The other participants were among the friendliest I have ever met. I talked to at least a dozen while running and nearly all of them saw me after I finished and congratulated me on finishing my first marathon! I was really surprised by that.

It was a great experience, even though I have no prior marathon experience I would recommend Swan Lake as a great place to experience a first marathon!

Thanks to 5' of rain in the week of the marathon, the back half of the full course was underwater this year. The full course was rerouted to run the half course twice (with a little extra O&B). Everything went wonderfully - the rain even quit right before the start (though, it came back a couple hours later).

This race is always a nice run. The camp counselors are wonderful as course workers, the townspeople of Viborg running the aid stations are super nice, and the medals and tech shirts are good quality. There aren't any/many spectators, but the race is very runner-focused.

The organizers of this race do an excellent job! Great race packet pickup, started on-time, excellent course marshaling, well-trained aid station volunteers (they held the cups on the bottom), post-race massage, etc. The list goes on. If you're looking for a great, small-town race, this is it.

I ran the 2010 half marathon. I only gave the course 4 stars because of the gravel roads. The area had about 8" of rain prior to the race, so the roads were incredibly muddy. In fact, they had to close down the back half of the marathon course because it was under water. That's Mother Nature's fault. Otherwise, the course was flat and fast. Great, small, local race that really is a hidden gem. Great dinner the night before and lunch the day of the race. Awesome tech shirts, really nice medals, and cool A/G awards. Just a really awesome experience. I only gave the spectators 3 stars, only for the numbers. Simply put, there are very few along the course, but they all cheered loudly when we ran by them. Another nice thing about small races: you have a much better shot at an A/G award. I would have no hesitation recommending this race to any of my friends.

This was a top-notch rural marathon in southeastern South Dakota. The Swan Lake staff people were friendly and outgoing. Jerry (the camp director) chatted with us at lunch Sunday and talked about the camp's effort to extend hospitality and to make folks feel welcome. They certainly excelled at that.

For starters, there was no difficulty finding this camp, even as remote as it is. Several runners were coming up from the Marathon to Marathon event hosted at Storm Lake, IA., and a couple of guys came up after running the marathon at Sand Hills, NE. So there was a large convergence of runners showing up by mid-afternoon. Judi, the office manager, and her assistant checked folks in as they came, collecting $15.00 for quarters, directing us to our sleeping quarters, and issuing tickets for the evening meal. Speaking of the evening meal: spaghetti, bread, and lemonade or water. It was a good deal, and great food. Camp staff were available to the runners too. Renee was the race director, and was taking tickets at dinner. So she was available to the runners from early on. Renee coordinated an early start for me (since I had run on Saturday, I anticipated needing extra time on Sunday).

After dinner, a young guy from a nearby town in SD started a fire in the fire pit, and several runners - including his wife and father-in-law - congregated around the fire to chat as dusk fell. It was a great way to pass the evening.

The bunk beds in the cabin were about what might be expected at a camp. They were ok, and those of us who had raced earlier on Saturday probably slept better than the others. I sure did. But I was up in time for a banana and bagel, with a sip of coffee before a solo start at 5:00 a.m., while Renee and others were standing by to register any latecomers.

The course was a series of squares and rectangles kind of patched together with curves around the lakeshore and entrance into a sparse neighborhood they called the "keyhole." After passing the lakeshore the first time, the course went into the town of Viborg, and back to the lakeshore, this time going the other direction. Then there was about a 3-mile straight segment heading north, a mile to the east, then back to the lake = and eventually to the camp and finish line.

The finish line was close to the start line, and Renee was there recording times as runners returned. Coke and cold water were available right there, with more bagels and peanut butter too. Back at the dining hall, they were serving BBQs (turkey, as I remember), potatoes, fruit, and chocolate cake. This meal was included with registration, and it was great food.

A few comments: The weather was about as good as it could have been. The sun rose about 5:30, and almost immediately was obscured by clouds. There were a couple of brief sun breaks around 10:30, but the clouds remained all morning, with a couple of brief sprinkles of raindrops. That was great, and it probably never got hotter than 70. The aid station workers were outstanding. They provided the refreshments that we needed and the only encouragement we got, other than from the occasional passing car. The staff was flexible with those requesting early starts. Hot showers were available after the race for those desiring to be clean again sooner rather than later. And Jerry sent me on my way with coffee in my thermos for the drive back to Colorado.

I am in pursuit of the 50-state goal, and SD does not have a lot of marathons to choose from (and one is for ladies only). Of the few other races, it was difficult for me to coordinate a race in SD. I don't know if this event was planned in conjunction with Storm Lake event, but getting a double on this weekend with two races so close together was a big plus. Then, Swan Lake Camp made this event special and memorable for the runners (check out the comments from other runners). Finally, this course was pretty flat. The hills are more like swells at sea than hills. If you choose Swan Lake, I don't think you will be disappointed.

As a slow marathoner working on my 50 states, I chose this one based on its reviews and location (not far from Iowa where I "ran" the previous day). This marathon was even better than I expected: Very organized, great volunteers, nice shirt, nice medal, nice pasta dinner and EVERYONE I met was friendly - runners, supporters, volunteers and camp staff. Two of the young camp staff even sat and chatted with us runners during the pasta dinner. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone looking for a great SD run. And, to anyone who has been considering doing a double marathon (one on Saturday and one on Sunday): go for it. The day-after stiffness is no worse than after a single marathon.

This was my first marathon and I had a great experience. The night before the race I stayed in a cabin at Swan Lake camp and enjoyed the beautiful and calming scenery. It was great to be able to walk to the start (just 2 or 3 minutes from the cabins) and to avoid the rush of looking for a place to park. The camp staff had coffee, bagels and bananas available for breakfast. I enjoyed the course because it was flat with rolling hills, included both gravel and pavement, and made several loops around Swan Lake. The people at the aid stations were very friendly and others in roving vehicles asked if runners needed anything. The meal afterward was fantastic, and hot showers were available. I'll be back next year!

Small (73 marathoners) race with big benefits. Great tech shirt and spaghetti meal; and I would suggest you stay at the camp (just make sure you bring a book or you will have nothing to do). The course is nice, but it's rural, so do not expect a lot of fans. Gravel roads are the norm, and the only negative thing I can say about the race is that they are sloped. I would highly recommend the race if you are looking for something off of the beaten path!