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Marathon Details - SOGONAPMIT Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > UT > American Fork > SOGONAPMIT Marathon

SOGONAPMIT Marathon & Half-Marathon

location icon American Fork, UT USA    calendar icon  August 1, 2015 - CANCELLED    calendar icon http://www.timphalf.com/sogo-about




Name: Scott Hardy
Address: 539 Ridge Lane
Alpine Utah 84004
Phone Number:  801 763 9121
Fax Number: 801 763 9979
Email: Email the organizers
 
 
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Reviews

Course Rating Course 4.6 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 4.6 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 3.6 
 
 
Number of comments: 12 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

 

D. M. from Franklin, ID (7/26/2014)
"Not what I signed up for...." (about: 2014)

50+ previous marathons | 2 SOGONAPMIT Marathons
COURSE: 2  ORGANIZATION: 1  FANS: 1


I ran Sogo two years ago and LOVED it! I don't do well in heat and brutal sun, so I pick my summer races carefully. This one was supposed to start at 3:30am, so I would be able to finish by 8:00am or so, running mostly in the dark with the turnaround (13.1 miles) at the cool top of the canyon. Not so this year...

Apparently due to a 'miscommunication', the right permits were not obtained and the marathon course had to be changed. Instead of starting at the normal time and following the course up and down the mountain, we were bused up to the top with the half marathoners for a 5:30am start with a 6+ mile 'out and back' on a paved trail at the bottom. I realize that the race director probably scrambled even to still be able to offer the marathon, but those last 13 miles in 80 degree heat with no shade were horrible and not what I signed up for. And while we received multiple e-mails with race details, this change was never directly communicated and only learned about through social media and by checking the race website.

But that wasn't the worst of it. At about mile 8 there was a fork in the road, and arrows painted on the path to go right. There was no other indication what to do, so we went right. Unfortunately, apparently those arrows were from a race held in the past and we should have gone left. Bottom line, I wasted 30 minutes and ran an extra 2-1/2 miles while lost and finding my way back on the course again. I learned that other marathoners also got lost there and in another spot where they were misdirected. I know some just walked off the course and went home out of disgust and frustration. By the time the half marathoners reached those spots (since they started 1/2 hour later), they were marked and manned to indicate which way to go. The message here was that the race director ensured directional indicators were on the course in time for the half marathoners, but we marathoners were 'on our own'.

Now, on the positive side, it is a very nice technical gender specific race shirt, a nice race logo jacket (in place of the head lamps we were promised for running in the dark, I assume), and an awesomely big finisher's medal. The top of the course, running through the canyon, is beautiful, and the finish on the high school track would have been fun if it hadn't been basically empty by the time we marathoners were finishing (especially those who had gotten lost on the course and fought their way back to finish).

It is just such a shame that such a great concept and obviously hard work by many people (especially the volunteers) turned out to be such a negative experience. Maybe this is just a 'fluke' this year, but all I can say is sign up for this one at your own risk.
 

T. W. from Charlotte, N.C. (8/3/2013)
"A unique marathon option for 50-staters" (about: 2013)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


I loved this marathon and thought it was a great option for 50-staters looking to mix things up a bit.

The marathon plays off the Timpanogos Half-Marathon, which runs 13.1 miles down the Timpanogos Canyon and through the outskirts of American Fork, UT, about 20 miles south of Salt Lake. For those who want more than just a half, the organizers offer what they call 'the SOGONAPMIT Challenge': start from the end of the half-marathon course, run the half-marathon course in reverse, then then try to beat the half-marathoners down the canyon to the finish.

Because the half-marathon starts at 6 a.m. on the last Saturday in July, to give you enough time to get up the canyon, the organizers start the marathon at 3:30 am local time, giving you 2.5 hours to run the uphill (net 1,800-foot elevation gain) section of the course and start heading downhill before the halfers get started. This worked just fine for this 50-stater, as I flew in the day before the race from the eastern time zone, so the 3:30 start actually felt like a pretty reasonable 5:30 a.m. start - the time of day when I normally do a lot of my training.

Despite the half-marathon being the main event, the RD does a good job of making sure that the marathoners aren't just an afterthought. They get a unique goodie bag gift - a very appropriate Black Diamond headlamp in 2013 that was required wearing on the course for the first half of the race - their own race shirt and unique medals.

The first quarter of the marathon course is on suburban streets and a greenway/trail network that runs through the area; at roughly the 6-mile mark you head into the National Forest that is home to the Timpanogos Canyon and the uphill portion really kicks in. Retracing your steps makes for a very fast third quarter of the race (traditionally the hardest stretch of any marathon for me) and a final 6, flat miles on the greenways that demand focus and sustained effort as the sun comes up, the day heats up and you start to get passed by some of the half-marathon leaders.

The course - and this part of the world - is really beautiful if you aren't normally a mountain dweller, and some of the views as you run down the canyon are spectacular.

For what it's worth, this was the easiest and most extreme negative split of my marathoning career.

Post-race was great - a lot of food and a nice set up on a high school campus - and I can't say what a great feeling it is to have it be 7:30 a.m. and already have finished a marathon for the day.

The RD was great - very responsive to pre-race questions and even went to the trouble of mailing me my headlamp after the truck that was supposed to bring the items that marathoners dropped at the top of the course was delayed making it down the canyon and I had to fly back home.

I can't recommend this race highly enough. Running the first half uphill makes it an unlikely PR course in comparison to other Utah staples like St. George, but I love the idea of something different, particularly if you're in the midst of a 50-state quest.
 

C. K. from SLC (8/3/2013)
"Fun, Exciting, Challenging = Awesome!" (about: 2013)

11-50 previous marathons | 2 SOGONAPMIT Marathons
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


Sogo is the most exciting marathon I've ever run! It takes place in the middle of the night running up a canyon with about 1800 half marathoners cheering you on at the top. Organization is top notch: a well marked course, headlamps given to all marathoners, and treats along the route. A few things I would change is to have photograpers for the runners going up the course. Also, list the runner's number next to their name on the results page. And I vote going back to the original course. St. George used to be my favorite marathon, but not any longer. Put this one on your bucket list.
 

Robb L. from Mequon, WI (7/29/2013)
"Beautiful setting for a tough marathon" (about: 2013)

50+ previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


The Sogo Challenge is everything you would expect from the course description - a tough marathon up and down a beautiful canyon.

The race director Scott and his volunteers did an excellent job. The course was well marked and the aide stations, although unmanned on the way up, had plenty of cups of Powerade and water waiting. Even the mile markers had a nice touch - although you couldn't actually read it with your headlamp until you were right on top of it, the blinking light attached to each marker let you know you were coming up on one.

There were a few negatives, although I don't think there is anything the race director could do about them. First, you're running on a relatively narrow road in the bottom of a canyon. Lots of curves, and the road is banked for the curves. That means you're not only running uphill (expected) but also a lot of side hill (unexpected).

The course literature also mentions the cheering busloads of half marathon runners being taken to their start. That raised two issues I hadn't thought about. First, it is a narrow canyon, and everytime a bus went by, you had about 10-15 seconds of diesel fumes to run through - not pleasant. Second, some of the busses came back down (not all - don't know why). When they met a bus coming uphill, they pulled over into the running lane - I was stopped in my tracks a few times by this. There really isn't any shoulder on this road so not an option. And the headlights coming down the hill could be blinding at times.

The post-race was excellent - again, Scott and his crew did a wonderful job of taking care of the runners. If I get back to the area, certainly a marathon I would consider doing again.
 

C. L. from Minnesota (8/9/2012)
"Challenging & Beautiful" (about: 2012)

50+ previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 4


I have run 63 marathons & this one is definitely one of my top 10 favorites. Scott & his crew have put a lot of work into all the details to provide a great racing venue. This is one of those races devoloped by runners who know what runners want. The medals & shirts were fantastic. I live in a very flat part of the country & still found this race doable with some good hill workouts in training.

You will earn that beautiful medal & will be proud of the accomplishment. I would strongly recommend doing this race if you are a 50 stater (as I am) and are only choosing one race in Utah!!
 

Lowell Hawkes from Pocatello, Idaho USA (7/31/2012)
"Superbly organized; beautiful course; FUN!" (about: 2012)

50+ previous marathons | 2 SOGONAPMIT Marathons
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


Scott Hardy and his team have done things about as perfect as a race can be done. The whole staff lets everyone know they genuinely are glad you have come and they give you the best of everything. They set an overall tone of having fun while enjoying the beautiful course and the challenge of the up-the-canyon-at-night course. Aid stations were well supplied and staffed. Generous food at the end and lots of finisher's trophies!
 

Michael Flicker from Hickory, NC (7/30/2012)
"A Great Run/Race" (about: 2012)

11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


The race is a fun challenge up and down a huge mountain. The race director is obviously a runner, he understands what the participants want and provides a terrific marathon to them. Excellent use of Facebook, YouTube videos - I knew what to expect. Great Nike Drifit shirt, huge medal. Beautiful course on the way down the mountain as the sun comes up. Love that the start is in the dark - the mountain isn't as visually intimidating in the dark. Don't come here to PR but do come here to do a fabulous race.
 

S. H. from AF Utah (5/29/2012)
"Sogonapmit just made MY DAY" (about: 2012)

50+ previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


These guys ROCK  they just announced that Black Diamond will be giving each marathoner a headlamp for running this race!!!! I love it!!!!
 

Lee Buckwalter from Springville, Utah (3/17/2012)
"Great race a real challenge but alot of fun" (about: 2011)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 3


I pretty much had the same experiance as those before me. It was alot of fun and great to be cheered on by the half marathon runners. The first half the aid stations are not supported, which is talked about in the race details and so if you are prepared for it, its no big deal everything was there just no one to hand it to you. It is a beautiful course. I can't think of any non positive things it went just like the race details. I will be there again this year it is one of my favorites.Very well put together race the second half can be one of the fastest halfs you have ran.
 

Tiffany Morgan from USA (1/29/2012)
"An amazing, unforgetable race!!" (about: 2011)

6-10 previous marathons | 1 SOGONAPMIT Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


I went to pick up my packet for the half marathon. I was running it with 6 other family members. I learned there of the CRAZY challenge of running the coarse backwards....meaning, starting at the finish line (of the half) running UP the mountain to the half's starting line, and running the last half of the marathon with the half marathoners. Nervous? Yes! Excited? Yes!

Questioning my sanity? Absolutely!! I am from New York, and although trained well enough for a marathon (just completed one 3 mos previous), I hadn't prepared well for hills, altitude, etc. I believe we started about 4 in the morning, which worked really well. We all know running is very mental, and I think if I had to run up the mountain in the daylight, my mind would of played too many tricks on me. In other words, having to stare up a mountain for 13 long miles, wouldn't of worked well for my mental state! Only being able to see as far in front of you as your headlamp would allow is actually a great mental benefit in my opinion.

The first half, to my surprise, went by very fast. To be greeted by all the half marathoners waiting at the start was AWESOME!! They were cheering us all on...even on the bus as they passed us going up the mountain, you could hear the cheers. When we reached the top, the day light was peeking through, and it felt so fresh, as if we were just starting to run 13.1 miles, not finishing the latter half of our marathon. When I completed the race, I felt amazing!!

I have run 6 marathons to date, and have another one in Arkansas scheduled for March. So far, this race has been my favorite. It is something different, not many people can say they ran 13.1 miles up a mountain in the middle of the night!! It was challenging, it was invigorating, and just plain amazing. It has also been my favorite of all post race celebrations! They had a great band playing great music, my family and I were all dancing!! They had massage tables, plenty of food and water. Just overall an amazing race. If you are thinking about running this, I would say, don't think twice. I am SO glad I just jumped in and ran it!! It is one of my very proud running moments.

And I hear some of my friends describe me as the crazy girl who ran up a mtn in the middle of the night to run a marathon!! I will take the compliment!! I was planning on running it again,this time with my sister, but have since become pregnant and will be due one week after race. Sitting this one out, but will be there in spirit!! DO IT!!!
 

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

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