calendar icon Oct 31, 2024

Marathon Details - Antelope Island Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > UT > Syracuse > Antelope Island Marathon

Antelope Island Marathon

Antelope Island Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

location icon Syracuse, UT USA

calendar icon October 11, 2024

calendar icon http://www.antelopeislandmarathon.com

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Race Details

Starts on Antelope Island (Largest Island in Great Salt Lake Lake) across island then back.

Contact Information

Name: Joe Coles
Address: 5992 N. Stampede Lane
Morgan, Utah 84050
Phone Number:  801-335-4940
Email: Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (14)

Course Rating Course 3.9 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 3.9 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 2.9 
 
 
Number of comments: 14 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

 

M. Z. from Williamstown, Ky (10/12/2023)
"Little hilly but great road surface" (about: 2023)

50+ previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


Perfect wx. Little dark to start but the asphalt road was free of defects. Plenty of course managers and all aid stations were manned and friendly. No bugs as previously mentioned. Saw the Bison! Just a friendly race from organizers to the participants.

 

C. C. from Lakeland, FL (12/7/2020)
"We all beat COVID in this race" (about: 2020)

50+ previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 3


This was the year of COVID cancellations. After dealing with 3 cancelled marathons earlier in the year I didn't want to register for another race without talking to the race director. During a phone conversation he assured me the race was set and they were committed to include all the required COVID procedures to keep the race alive. So, I registered online for the marathon and my wife registered for the 5k. We both found the online registration a bit confusing but we were able to get through it. On packet pick-up day, due to COVID restrictions, there was no expo, just a packet with race number, pins, and shirt with little else. We didn't notice at the time, but the bib they gave my wife had the wrong name on it. The name on the bib was a man's name, so of course, the shirt was XL which was WAY too large for her small frame. They were nice enough to exchange the shirt for a smaller size at the packet pick-up. They also corrected the bib number without a problem the next day at the race.

On race day the weather was perfect. All the preparations were done before sunrise to the sound of generators powering the lights and computer equipment. There were enough port-o-pots to keep the waiting line from getting too long. The starting line was also quite different due to the COVID procedures. There was no gun start. We started one at a time. So there was no "gun time", only the "chip time" based on our individual starting time.

The course was almost all paved for the marathon. Water stops had water, sports drink and potties about every 2 miles. We saw buffalo's all over the place. A couple of times they shared the road with us, cars, motorcycles, campers, etc. There were bugs for a couple of hours that would hitch a ride on the runner's back. If you ran faster they would fly away. If you slowed down they would bite. I guess word got back to the starting line because there was bug spray supplied for the 10k and 5k runners. There is no getting lost on this race. It's just out half way and back. For the marathon the pavement ends at about 12.1 miles. From there it continues one mile on a dirt road to the turn-around. There is little chance of a PR here because of hills.

The scenery on the course was great with the Wasache Mountains ringing Great Salt Lake on one side, Antelope Island itself on the other side, and the buffalos and other wildlife pretty much everywhere.

 

G. C. from CA (6/20/2017)
"Beautiful course until you get inland" (about: 2016)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 2


I ran the Layton Marathon in 2016 - I am from California but was traveling to Utah for a conference and used that race as a supported hard long run. It is a small race but well organized. The bus to the start worked well and they drop you on what seems the middle of nowhere on Antelope Island. The section on Antelope Island is beautiful and has minor rollers. I also liked the section on the causeway as the views on the Lake were amazing. The later part of the course once you get inland is much more pedestrian and some sections were not pleasant - had to run on sidewalks or on gravel sections. Also at this point you start to reach slow half marathoners, and they sometimes block the way as they walk or run very slowly - this makes for a more difficult finish. Overall the race was well supported and organized for such a small race, but don't expect any crowd support until you reach close to the finish line. It is also probably one of the flattest marathons in Utah, so if you don't like hilly or downhill courses pick this one. A word of caution for people who don't live in Utah - coming from sea level the altitude affected me moderately: I could feel that my pace was about 10-15s slower for the same heart rate than at home.

 

D. R. from Utah (9/29/2014)
"Interesting Course - bring bug spray" (about: 2014)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 3  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 1


I'm glad I did this race. The course from Antelope Island across causeway to the shore and to the park was a nice change of scenery. The bug bites on the island were horrendous without bug spray, but they had spray at all the tables. Staff was terrific. Shirt a little bland. Scenery very nice. Very flat course. We had loads of rain. The post race was pretty meager. The Great Salt Lake is also pretty stinky that time of year. However, I'd probably run this race again if it fit my schedule because it was a nice area and the staff was great. Saw no buffaloes like they depict on the website. Don't drive the course the night before or you'll have bugs everywhere in your grill and vents. After the island the bugs mostly disappeared.

 

F. F. from West Jordan (9/28/2014)
"Bottom of my list" (about: 2014)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 1  ORGANIZATION: 1  FANS: 4


This was my 20th marathon and easily my least favorite. I'll attempt to make this brief. First, the times for bus departure on the web page agenda section are a bit confusing. I am not the only one who apparently misunderstood as others had to drive their own vehicle to the start. Not that big of a deal I guess if you had someone to drive you back 20+ miles to the start! which I did not. Missing the bus was a huge hassle. The race director seemed less than interested. There were no pins for bibs at packet pickup. Again, the race director appeared less than interested. The course is fair. Nothing you can do about the weather nor the obnoxiously thick clouds of bugs/Mosquitos that you had to run through from about mile 9.5 to 12 but put both of those together and you were left with a pretty miserable experience. Medal is fair as is shirt. Also, I'm a little unclear as to why with only two bus loads of marathoners and a 6:30 start the buses left at 4:30. It isn't like the buses left to pick up another load of runners. They stayed up the canyon until the race started. Overall a miserable experience. I can cross Layton off of my list, but I will definitely not be back.

 

E. G. from Cottonwood Heights, UT (10/8/2012)
"Well-run Marathon" (about: 2012)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


In short, I really enjoyed my marathon experience in Layton. This race is a small one, getting a few hundred runners. The course changes from the hilly island (where you can easily see some wildlife) to the flat causeway to farmland / residential areas. I really enjoyed my experience on the island, but the last third of the race was a bit dull.

Don't expect much for crowd support - as it consisted of a few people cheering for their spouse / family. The volunteers were absolutely wonderful (thank you all!) and water stops were available at every 2 miles like clock work. The course was also accurate and well laid out, although there was one section where there was only a little bit of a shoulder and the traffic seemed to be too close for comfort.

The expo was very small and bib pick-up was an easy in and out.

The finishers medal was nice as was the t-shirt  something that clearly states I've run a marathon.

Tips / suggestions:
1) Stay hydrated! There isn't any shade on this course and if it is warm, you'll feel it.
2) Need more porta-potties at the start. There was a line-up and most guys could go in the weeds, but the women, not so much.
3) It warms up quickly, so dress appropriately.
4) Be prepared to deal with wildlife. I didn't see any close-ups during the race, but I went back to the island later in the day and the buffalo were crossing the road in multitudes.

Again, if you are looking for an honest marathon course (no major downhills) and a well run event, look no further. I'd definitely put this on my list to do again and if you want a scenic race, Layton is worth the visit.

 

Katie Kramer from Oklahoma City (10/1/2012)
"Exceptional race!!!" (about: 2012)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


This race was by far one of my favorite races. It was my 50th marathon and I picked the right one to celebrate! The course was beautiful, it was well organized, and everyone I talked to was friendly. I really don't have any complaints! For a small marathon, they had it all.

 

Timothy Gill from Utah (6/13/2012)
"A race I will enter every year. Very pleased." (about: 2011)

11-50 previous marathons | 2 Antelope Island Marathons
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 3


I love the scenery of the island, causeway and native wildlife in abundance. The race director puts on a fun race every year. While most marathons have room for improvement and can be improved, the race director listens to the creative input and makes it better each year. In my last 15 marathons, the Layton Marathon is my favorite smaller marathon. It gets better each year. If this is your first marathon, the terrain profile is perfect.

 

M. R. from Ogden, Utah (6/13/2012)
"Great Course" (about: 2011)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 2


This course was great. It starts on an Island in the Salt Lake and runs across it with Buffalo and the city to the East. We had a delayed start but I found out it was due to the timing company being late. I would definitely recommend this event. Not too large but not too small with support.

 

L. V. from West Point, Utah (12/17/2011)
"Good small local race." (about: 2011)

3 previous marathons | 1 Antelope Island Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 3


I signed up for this race because it was close to my home (10 minute drive) and not very expensive.

If you live within driving distance, I think this is a good fall marathon. However, make sure you have realistic expectations. I do not recommend this race for your first marathon experience.

Layton is a nice area with lots of hotels, restaurants, and several places to shop.

The Expo was mostly just a packet pickup with a couple of tables of items being sold by local sponsors.

I didn't attend the pre-race meal.

I ran in the marathon, which started earlier than the other races, so parking was easy and close to the bus transportation and finish area.

I ended up on a bus with a broken window near the back, so we had cold air blowing in on the 45 minute ride to the start line. That was the biggest negative for me.

Due to not having enough porta potties they had to delay the race start 10 minutes to give everyone a chance to go once before the start. Hopefully, they'll have a few more next year.

Once the race started the experience was good. I enjoyed running on Antelope Island and and the causeway. The final 9 miles aren't steep, but there is a steady incline to the finish. If you're trying to BQ there are faster courses in the area.

Course support and volunteers were excellent, and when I needed to use a porta potty on the course, there was only one person in front of me. I didn't need medical support, but medical support appeared to be good along the course.

Food at the finish was okay.

I was disappointed that they gave out the same medal for the full and half marathon. The medal wasn't bad, but not as good as medals I've had for other races. I guess that goes with the lower price.

Before the race started they had a truck where you could put your gear bag, but not a fancy gear check. The area has a couple of thrift stores, Savers and Deseret Industries, where you can buy clothing you want to take off at the start of the race or along the run.

In summary, I think this is a nice, small, convenient, fall marathon for people who live within driving distance. I wouldn't recommend flying to Utah for this race, unless you want to see the Great Salt Lake, visit Salt Lake City, and/or know people who live in the area.

 

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