AS a result of this marathon, I have discovered the following about myself:
1. I don't like trail runs
2. I have a great big fear of bears...I didn't see any, but they were lurking!!!! Afterall, I was the weakest in the pack!!!
3. After coming out of the woods at 15 miles, dirty, bleeding, humiliated (I was last), and scared...bears and such!... I KNEW Id never make the 6 1/2 hour limit.
4. Husbands can offer great encouragement when needed. The rest was all pavement and said husband offered this advice...'the rest is what you love to run on...and what you're good at'...I needed that!!!
5. I dug deep to finish and did in 7 hours...My biker escort was a great help too as were all the volunteers who stayed out for me...
6. The race director kept the clock running for me and put the medal around my neck..
7. I still smile when I think of this race....
8. I still don't like trail runs

My only complaint is that we were bused to the start too early. If we are going to be there for one hour there should be bonfires for us to congregate around. It is too cold to stand for an hour before a marathon. But it was a great race irregardless. I want to do it again

This is a small marathon with the enjoyment of trail and road in one. Views are incredible. I have run this marathon every year and some years there is fog on the lakes which is fantastic to see in the early morning. The trails are always changing so there is no boring terrain to run. Weather is the only concern and so far only one year has been bad. That year it was raining the whole race. Still I didn't think it was all that muddy. It is not a PR course as you are always going up or down, until late in the race when you get a break, but even close to the end you have short hills to contend with. Beautiful area for a run, and well managed. Great tough/little marathon. We will see what the new start location changes come Sept 2011.

Those who have left comments on the first 15 miles of the marathon have said all I can say - it's beautiful and running the half doesn't give this course justice. My favorite "check" station was #5 where there were four grade school kids in military fashion getting the job done. When I was 20 yards out...
Boy #1 - "I have HEED."
Boy #2 - "I have water."
Me - "I'll take HEED."
Boy #1 - "One or two?"
Me - "One."
Girl #1 - "What's your number?"
Me - (responded)
Girl #2 - "Good job; keep going!"
Boy #1, #2 and Girl #1 - "Go! Go! Go!"'

These kids couldn't be older than third or fourth graders, yet in the middle of the woods they knew how to run an aid station like seasoned veterans. Their adult supervisor was stoking the fire they had made and working out of the support vehicle as there was nothing for her to do! These young kids were super excited to be volunteering on the course and they wanted me to succeed. This is the spirit of the entire race. How they pull off such a wonderful event that's 100% tax deductible is unbelievable. This race shows you what the Whitefish Community is all about.

My only suggestion to race officials: if possible, try to time the drop-off of marathon runners closer to starting time. The 34-degree weather was really cold for standing for 45 minutes before we started. Have extra warm clothes that can be put into drop bags just before the start of the marathon. (That's very minor considering what the following 26 miles provided.)

I will suggest this race to anyone wanting a fantastic marathon experience.

This was my second marathon, so I was a little intimidated by the description of the course. I think the description was a good representation of the course, but you are so distracted by the beautiful scenery that you kind of forget all the hills you are going up/down. During the first 15 miles, runners go along logging road, single track, back to logging roads, around four lakes, etc. You are up high enough at points that you get tremendous views of the valley and then other times you are completely surrounded by foliage. I think if you only do the half-marathon, you really missed the prettiest part of the race. Around miles 16-17 is when you get back on pavement, and it feels good for a while, but be prepared for your legs to feel pretty chewed up from the hills by the time you reach the bike path headed back into town.

The finish line crowd was wonderful, and the medals and plaques were really cool. The food was pretty good, but my stomach just couldn't handle it at the time. Good organization from race staff - very friendly. My only complaint was the very long wait after finishing for the awards ceremony. It was a very bright, sunny afternoon and there wasn't much shade (totally different from year before I guess), so runners were pretty hot waiting around. Even with that said, I can't wait to do this race again!

The Two Bear race is one of the prettier courses for most of the first 15 miles or so. It is also one of the harder courses you can find. The very first mile is uphill, and they tell you about it at the starting line. Don't go out too fast because the course will chew you up. The 6 miles on the roadway also had several hills and that is where the spectators started showing up. The last 4 or 5 miles are on their bike path, and there are even hills on it. Every single aid station (about two miles apart) had Hammer Gels and water and Gatorade. Most even had other things, like oranges or bananas, and Ecaps or pretzels. We had perfect weather in 2009, but if it had been rainy and cold (as it was in 2008), it would make for a very long race. They opened up the water center so you could shower up after the race, or you could use the pool or hot tub too. They gave us a nice medal made of granite with the bear logo printed on it. It is also a fairly small race, with only about 100 runners doing the full this year.

I was a little intimidated by the course description but did better than expected. Maybe the hiking the days before at GNP helped loosen up the joints and muscles. The wave is a top-rate center and the use of their facilities both before and after the race was great. The after-race shower does wonders. Good organization, with the buses getting everyone to the start, where drinks and porta-pots awaited. The first half of the race was on logging roads, with embedded rocks and, every now and then, a side track through the woods on a one-lane trail. Watch out for sprained ankles in the first half. The second half was on the road, which at first was a relief until the hills kept going up. There was a cheering crowd at the end, where they offered free massages, brats, beer, and more was provided. They had an excellent etched granite medallion. There`s a great little downtown with a good selection of restaurants. Weather was beautiful - mid-40s in the morning, and low 80`s in the afternoon. Nice race, quaint town, and you can't beat a hike in the GNP.

I like the first half of the marathon because you run through the trails, which are windy and narrow. I felt like we were in a Blair Witch Project movie. :D
There is plenty of shade in the trails. The second half of the marathon leaves the trails and takes you through residential streets which were nice and scenic but wasn't as fun as running through the trails. Other people who prefer running on roads will like the second half, though.

This was a good trail race if you've never done them before. The first 15 miles are trails, and then you're on the road. The weather this year was horrible: rainy and muddy. But that's no one's fault. The volunteers were great, and I can't thank them enough for waiting out in the rain for everyone to finish. Make sure you do your hill work, and you should do fine in this marathon. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a Montana marathon. Medal was unique, too.

I enjoyed the Two Bear Marathon. The course was challenging, and maybe not as bad as I expected. There were only a few rough areas due to the wet conditions, with drizzle from start to finish. The rain didn't seem to dampen any spirits. The water and aid stations were well-equipped, and the volunteers very helpful and encouraging. I did not expect many spectators, but those who came out were appreciated. Most spectators were the aid station volunteers. The post-race party was great, with brats and beer, and more.

Eveything was conveniently located in the town of Whitefish. I arrived at the train station. Bib pickup, pre-race info, and the shuttle to the start were all well done. I found a good Italian restaurant for pasta, all within a mile of the Best Western hotel, which was also located next to a 24-hour grocery store.

I chose this Montana race because it was conveniently located on the Amtrak Empire Builder route (Chicago to Seattle, and points between). The shirt and medal are very nice. The half-marathon didn't seem to detract from the marathon, as sometimes happens.

I would definitely recommend this race to someone who wants a little more excitement in their running.