So many nice things about this one. Salmon in a perfect small resort town in the mountains (high elevation is hard on us Midwesterners, though). Great host hotel (Stage Coach Inn is on the Salmon River with very helpful staff), restaurants (check out the microbrewery), activities (Lewis and Clark's Sacajawea museum, white water rafting, soaking in an open-air hot spring, etc.). Course beautiful and mostly peaceful (took one Fans star off for several horse trailer pickups that don't slow on a gravel road for runners). Couple tough hills (at 7 and 14) so be sure to link from the marathon website to the USATF elevation chart, and train for those two. Event limited to 300, so jostle-free start with chip timing. Perfect start time (6:00 a.m.) just at dawn, with a schoolhouse to stay warm in until go time. If you run at less than 7-hour pace (as you must or the course closes), you should stay clear of the half marathoners that start in the middle of the course at 9:30 a.m. Good course support (thank you, Salmon Backcountry Horsemen for your help at intersections). Free pre- and post-race food on the finish island in the Salmon River, including pizza and microbrewery beer. Certified massage therapists at finish. Nice salmon medal and quick results. Top-quality, long-sleeved t-shirt and awards. Overall, a good choice for an Idaho marathon.

The setting for this race was spectacular. Salmon and its surrounding area are beautiful, and the race course took full advantage of the scenery. The race started at dawn just outside a one-room schoolhouse. Early in the race we passed some farms, and I could not quite tell whether the cows were simply saying "moooo" or "fooooools." Either way, it was nice to have support from the livestock.

The race is gradually downhill. With the exception of two longer hills, each short rise in the terrain was followed by a nice decline. The spectators on the course were supportive. Salmon is not that big a town, and this was a community event. The riders on horses at the intersections were a nice touch.

The finish and post-race party were in a park along the Salmon River. There was a bluegrass band playing and enough to eat and drink. This was a well organized race and the town should be proud.

Good things about this marathon: Well organized, easy to get to the start, didn't have to get up super early to catch the bus, cheap hotels available.

Things that need to be better:
1. No more Dixie cups for water (I had to drink 4 cups at each station; the cups were only 1/2 full). PLEASE GET SOME DECENT-SIZED CUPS!

2. Need a water station at mile 21. I went 5 miles with no water... unacceptable this late in the race. I understand someone went to the wrong location, but excuses don't matter when you are running a marathon and there is insufficient water. Follow-up to ensure that all stations are manned.

The race director is organized, everywhere at once, kind, and attentive. She sent an email before hand with particulars, and afterward.

The course was awesome: perfect start time (dawn over the mountains), perfect course, well marked with chalk, well covered by encouraging horse-riders, both on gravel and asphalt, and with a lot of easy downhills. I had a PR. :) Gorgeous scenery the entire time and running through town at the end was carefully patrolled with a wide lane - not just a road shoulder. Townspeople were great: lots of welcome signs, some fine local eateries, an artist coop, and a wonderful, local-made and owned jewelry store. Great start: one room school house. Great finish: downtown park by the river and farmer's market. Great hills and mountains every step in between. Best of all, of course: original, well designed, great colored tech shirt and better-than-most medal and winners' trophies. I'll be back; this is a great destination run.

My husband and I were searching for a small, scenic venue. Salmon was just perfect. The mountains and the Russian olive trees were beautiful. A moose ran through a pasture adjacent to our route during the first mile! The volunteers were extremely helpful, and there were plenty of pitstops. The town truly rallied around the runners, which provided for a very fun finish. Our two kids were actually able to run the last mile with us on the sidewalk! We loved the Junkyard Bistro so much that we ate there twice. We'll be back.

My husband and I both ran the Salmon Marathon (he for his 50 state marathon goal). First of all, the one-room schoolhouse that we were taken to by bus was charming. The course was probably the most scenic we have run - on a dirt road up in the mountains with gorgeous vistas and quaint buildings. The run was mostly downhill but gradual, and there was one most challenging gradual climb. The horseback riders at the junctions added a unique experience, especially at the top of that gradual climb - on the mountain with nothing but blue skies behind them. At the end of the race, we sat in the Salmon River to heal our tired muscles. Met some nice folks in that river. Who cares about chip timing when the race is small enough! The fact that there was no medal was disappointing but apparently that is being remedied. The salmon supper made up for the lack of food at the finish line. We stayed some extra days at the Sacajawea Inn and enjoyed the blue skies and lovely scenery. I wouldn't mind doing this run again!!

This is a nice event and I am glad I participated. Overall I'd grade the event a B+. I will run Salmon again, but probably a few years down the road, because there is room for improvement that I'd like to see made. Granted, the race is only in its second year (resurrected), so I believe the race organizers will improve the event with experience. The salmon bake dinner was a nice touch.

Chip timing was advertised but didn't happen. Hey - these things happen, I realize. We couldn't hear the countdown at the starting line. People were not ready for the gun to sound. I did not PR at Salmon, but placed my best ever in a marathon. I'm proud of my performance!...and, I'd like a medal to show for it! (Call me vain, I guess.) Not receiving a marathon medal may not bother some, but it bothers me because I am so proud of my 33 marathons!...yet have only 32 medals. They gave us the cheesiest "finisher's poster," which really reflects poorly on their budget decisions. The poster probably cost nothing because it has a pair of branded sneakers (with logo) front and center, with a small mention of the "Salmon Marathon." No date, and no picture of Salmon, the mountains or the river, but, instead, the cheesiest picture of branded sneakers. Thanks, but no thanks. I'd like my medal, please.

Despite my rant, don't miss the bigger point: the overall experience was very favorable (B+), and I will return when they are able to tune up the organization a bit.

Dreams can come true in unexpected (and a-little-out-of-the-way) places. My time goal consisted of four tiers: Expected, Realistic, Dream and Fantasy. Thanks to multiple factors, I lived my fantasy in Salmon, ID! This course is FAST despite those two humps on the elevation profile. Why? Aside from the 950-foot drop, the hills are challenging but not sufficiently steep to totally sap your strength if a bit of patience is applied. Being from Colorado, the wondrous western landscapes were comparable to the accustomed home state beauty. And let me add a few other quick compliments:

- Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed.
- Thanks for the provision of numerous and well placed porta-potties.
- The little school house indoor start was ideal for a "small event."
- The horsemen and women added a special western flavor, especially the woman congratulating us after the hard part and reassuring that the rest was downhill.
- Even the expected issues proved not a problem. (The vehicular traffic was rare and extremely courteous and the dirt/gravel surface that predominated did not result in the anticipated pebble collection in the shoes for whatever reason.)
- Finally, I guess the staff and volunteers can't take credit for the absolutely perfect weather conditions. Nevertheless, thanks for helping me achieve my dream marathon!! P.S. If anyone finds a faster course, call me. I'm listed in Longmont, CO!

I paid for a plane ticket, rental car, motel room, ran 26.2 miles and all I got was a small, generic window advertising poster that said, "Salmon Marathon" and the date. It's a throw-away!

Post-race had oranges, bagels, bananas and a cooler of water. If you wanted real food, you could buy it from the ladies stationed next to the free food.

Hint to all race directors: if the temperature is in the 80s, hot water and hot HEED suck. Have some ice for those of us out on the course for more than 4 hours.

I talked to a few runners the next day who were as disappointed (or more) than I was. Don't slap runners in the face by giving them as a finisher's award an advertising shoe poster that has nothing to do with the race.

I had a great time at this race. The host motel was terrific - even setting up the standard continental breakfast at 5 a.m. for runners. While food was scarce at the end, the sit-down salmon dinner later that day was a nice treat. Folks who didn't stick around for the dance missed out - there was a great band, and a raffle to benefit the local search and rescue organization.