All I could think of while running this marathon was that all the people who commented last year on how scenic the course was must have all been proctologists. This is NOT a scenic course though running through the Army base was kind of novel. The race organization was very good for a marathon of this size and there were plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. The post race activities were better than expected and on par with much larger events. I know the event organizers would like it to become a destination event for those seeking to BQ but it's actually not a particularly fast course. Almost all the elevation loss, about 1100 feet, is in the first 4.75 miles and then most of the remaining 400 or so feet drop takes place in a couple more short sections. The majority of the course is flat. It was also relentlessly windy this year with gusts into the 40 mph range for those finishing in the 4.5 hour range or later and steady head winds of about 15 mph for people finishing up more in the 3+ hour range. This kind of wind is common this time of year.

+'s
Organization, t-shirt, frequent friendly well-stocked aid stations, medal, running through base residential area (was sort of interesting to see the sort of houses Colonels live in, etc.), busses hang around until race start so don't have to wait out in the cold

-'s
Busses leave so early that you have to wait around a whole hour at start, remote/uninteresting course, WIND and BLOWING sand (lots of people said strong wind was normal this time of year).

I'm not sure I'll run this one again only due to the risk of wind. The wind made this run pure misery except for those who are really fast and finished before the wind kicked-up.

At about mile 11 the conditions started to get bad and the last 5 to 6 miles were run in a sand storm. The water stations were great with plenty of fluids and outstanding help. The course wasn't too bad but the wind just made it hard to run.

Other than the first five downhill miles, this was the ugliest marathon I have ever run. There is a mind-numbing straight unending section on the desert with absoluting nothing to look at. The course had no markings at all, either signs or chalk on the pavement and at some intersections, no one indicated which way to go. Often the only way I knew I was on the right road was by the gel wrappers on the ground. The wind was definitely a factor this year and was relentless. Later in the race it turned into a sand storm. The only good thing I can say about this race was the water stations. They were abundant and the volunteers were very enthusiatic and supportive.

I ran the El Paso marathon in 2012, and I was pleased. The organization was very efficient, from busses to the start to volunteers on the course to the finish corral. The course was, in my opinion perfect; a scenic, downhill stretch for the first 5 or so miles, then a very gradual downhill for the remainder. I enjoyed the varying neighborhoods I saw, and the mountain scenery was, at times, stunning.

I wanted an inexpensive marathon I could train for during the winter months, and for anyone looking for the same, the El Paso Marathon is an excellent choice. I will be back.

After running 37 marathons, some of the big ones, like Chicago, Boston, Berlin, many of the rock & roll series, and several small ones, I can say that races like El Paso Marathon give you the best for a runner... An expo that you can buy what you need, and more important, you can walk. A race with no corrals because you are never fighting to pass a runner. Enought expectators and runners to make you feel that you are in a race.
Great feeling reaching the finish line. Many people cheering.
I like the course, but do not expect that runnig downhill the first 4 miles is going to help your finish time, better train lots of donwhills if you want to finish strong, if not, yours quads will hurt a lot latter on the race.
I recommend this race a lot.

Marathon runners started at the top of transmountain (5280 feet) but the course drops about 1100 feet the next 5 miles. Runners need to be careful to not cause too much stress on their legs during the downhill portion because the rest of the race nearly 21 miles is mostly flat to slightly downhill. This is a better race than Tucson which puts you on the shoulder of a long downhill road with no spectators. Even St George, UT which is very well organized but it lacks the scenery of El Paso.

The El Paso marathon course is a combination of urban, suburban and rural running and it also runs through Fort Bliss army base. The El Paso marathon didn't have large amounts of spectators but with plenty of aid station many in theme costumes the lack of spectators was hardly noticeable. The entry fee is downright cheap compared to other marathons. For next year organizers need to replace the styrofoam cups with wax cups. They also need to accurately place the mile markers for next year. If you knew where to look the accurately surveyed course was marked in yellow paint and a nail. Regardless of the markers the timing was still very accurate which is a major improvement from last year. Having the half and 5k start downtown was a major plus for the marathoners.

The shuttle buses worked great and runners were able to stay on the bus right up to the start. The national anthem was sung very well (another improvement from last year) and most of the runners joined in the singing. The weather was great except for the windy top of the mountain. However with an easy wide flat to downhill start the wind was a non factor after a half mile or so. The course (along with some good training) was good enough to give me a personal record over some other pretty fast courses like Tucson, St George and Boston.
Finishing downtown was a treat with a nice fast last mile. Seeing the skyscrapers at the 20 mile mark and then watching them slowly grow larger as you approach is something to experience. The Doubletree Hotel and the Wells Fargo Building are the El Paso versions of Citgo sign in Boston.

Summary:
Positives- great new course, plenty of spectator viewing areas, inexpensive entry fee and plenty of reasonably priced hotel rooms, decent weather, still a small race (at least for one more year) just under 400 finishers (around 80% male, 20% female) (another 1800 runners ran the 5k and half marathon)
Negative- cups, mile marker placement

This race is a must run for all.

Although the course is definitely downhill it's wasn't necessarily fast. It's obvious the race organizers attempted to design the fastest route possible, but the cold, windy conditions along with the severe downhill for the first four miles were oppressive enough that times were actually slower than in 2011.

If it weren't for heated buses parking at the start before the race all the marathoners would have froze since it was 36 degrees with 25 MPH wind gusts at the Transmountain Hwy start, but after the first mile the wind wasn't a concern. The course also didn't lend itself to much crowd support, but the folks that came out were quite vocal. Although previous concerns such as including safety pins in race packets were addressed, they still used styrofoam cups at water stops- which blew away in the wind and were hard to drink from. The organization was very good, volunteers friendly, expo small but adequate.

My one major complaint is that I flew in from South Dakota and was delayed by a snowstorm that hit Denver; when I e-mailed the director asking for leeway and guidance on how to pick up my race packet (since they didn't allow for pick-up on race day) I received no response. Luckily I made it by Saturday afternoon, but ignoring traveling marathoners for issues beyond their control is not a great pr move. All things considered this is a nice small event that should grow with the faster downhill course, but be prepared for a quad-pounding experience at an elevation over 4,000'.

I never ran the old course, so this was my first experience with the El Paso Marathon. I loved it! Organization-wise, I can't say a bad thing about it. Expo, shuttles, parking, aid stations, all went off without a hitch from my perspective. This course was nearly all downhill  1000' of elevation loss in the first 4 steep miles (and they did warn us in an e-mail to be careful not to go out too fast), then very gentle downhill almost the entire rest of the course. There was nothing I would consider as an uphill anywhere on the course, just a few tiny bumps. That having been said, except for the first four miles and the three miles that went through Fort Bliss, this is a very unscenic course. It includes frontage road, bad neighborhoods, and a mind-numbingly boring straight stretch of seven miles along the north border of Fort Bliss. That part is totally exposed and completely boring, but it was still fast. They had aid stations at every mile after the half, which I have never seen before at any marathon and IMMENSELY appreciated. The aid stations were themed and the people manning them were great. Aside from the aid stations, there were VERY few spectators, even in the residential neighborhoods. Shirt and medal were just average. Overall I thought the organizers did a great job. I would definitely come back if I was in shape and looking to BQ again.

I WOULD RECOMMEND!
Course: lots of downhill, otherwise flat. Starts in gorgeous mountains. Ends running through downtown, through some boring city streets and a large, uneventful military base. Long, straights stretches. Not many tight turns. Fast due to concrete and downhills
Price: pretty spot on for what you get
Time of year: mid-40s, low 50s
Time of race: 7am worked out well
Buses to start: DON'T BE LATE. Some got left behind and had to find their own ride (taxi, car) because the Race Director didn't communicate that latecomers after 5:30am would have to find their own transportation to top of mountain.
Weather: breezy at start but warmed up nicely with tailwind at end!
Aid stations: THE BEST I'VE SEEN in a marathon this size. There was aid it seemed like every mile or better. Apples, bananas, oranges, gels at miles 10 and 20, beer. The volunteers, all the policemen, and the wonderful PEOPLE OF EL PASO who helped make the runners such a priority WERE OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Bag drop: easy to find, well-organized.
Post-race food: excellent. burritos, Michelob ultra, whole apples and bananas, nestle chocolate milk. Bravo!
Race bag goodies: None

T-shirt: nice looking wick-a-way shirt that fit well
Expo: good expo with decent amount of vendors. didn't see much in terms of freebies but quality products being sold.

Pasta feed: $10 + tax and tip at local Garden. Pretty decent value given how nice the restaurant was and the quality of the feed. Would recommend!