Marathon Details - Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico

North America Marathons > USA > NM > Clayton > Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico

Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Clayton, NM USA

~~March 26, 2020~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.mainlymarathons.com/series-3/dust-bowl

Results:

2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013
Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact

Name:
Address:	POB 152 Organ, NM 88052
Phone Number:	575-382-8869
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.7

Organization 5.0

Spectators 2.3

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Number of comments: 3

C. L. from Boynton Beach, Florida (3/27/2017) "Tough but beautiful" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The race organizers did a great job. The race is at Clayton Lake State Park. The Park has rough beauty to it. I gave spectators 5 stars even though there are none. That needs explaining. This series has managed to create a family feel. I thought the 3.1 mile loop format would be boring but that was not the case. The 'spectators' were the other runners you passed going back and forth. Also, in the middle of the course was the food and beverage station. You passed that 17 times. The event staff encouraged you along as you went by. This is not a Personal Best course. But that should not keep you from doing it. The course is rolling. About 60% is dirt similar to what you might expect to see on a plowed dirt country road with some loose gravel. There were some fist size stone here and there. The race director recommended light trail shoes. I concur. I wore Ascis T5N3N. Not a true trail shoe but perfect for this course as it is not a true trail run but it is a definite step up from a road race Clayton is no resort town. But It is definitely a part of America worth seeing. I saw a roadrunner near town. A tumbleweed even rolled down Main Street. It could have been the setting for The Last Picture Show. I stayed at the Days Inn. It is older but clean and the staff was accommodating. I had a very good surf & turf meal at the Eckland Hotel. I highly recommend it. Get there early. I arrived at 5 PM and there were only a couple of seats remaining. By 5:45 people were waiting.
Larry Landry from North Richland Hills TX (4/1/2016) "A marathon experience like no other" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 This was the most unique experience of the fifty marathons I've done! The course was 9 loops on a stretch of about 1.5 miles, half asphalt, half mud trail at Clayton State Park. The locale is one of stark beauty, where you can digress off the course to take a look at dinosaur tracks if you aren't worried about your time (don't be - it's more enjoyable!). Mainly Marathons are the folks that put on this race series and they make it an event, a family event. The number of runners is small, and the camaraderie builds quickly as you pass each other coming and going along the course. This was immediately evident as many of the runners had done the marathons in TX/OK/KS/CO the previous four days, so I felt like a bit of a 'slacker' showing up only for day 5 :-). The checkpoint on the loop was the water/refreshment stop as well. Most races have varying degrees of food etc. at the end of the race. Not here! It is there from the beginning, including cups of chicken noodle soup that runners could take with them at the start, given that it was about 20 degrees and something like 3 inches of snow on the ground. There was also cakes, cookies, pickles olives, M&Ms, other goodies as well as water Gatorade and even coke. Later Norm got the grill going to serve hot dogs(meat and vegan) to runners as they came by. And there was a cake for Pam, celebrating that this was her 300th marathon!!! The course was challenging this day because the snow melted in to ice for a while, then when it melted completely the mud trail half of the course had a lot of spots where the mud caked up on your shoes as a bonus for dead weight legs late in the race. Oh, and there wasn't a lot of flat on the course, so the up/down added an extra element of adventure for this flatlander. While there are no spectators, the short course afforded everyone the opportunity to get to know fellow runners quickly, as well as the warmth and friendliness of the MM folks made this a very enjoyable day. If you want a break from a big city marathon, hitch on to one of these get-togethers and you will have a great experience you will not soon forget.
Ed Robins from Philadelphia, Pa (4/10/2014) "Great, unique event" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 This race is just one part of a 5 day event where runners can run 5 marathons (or half marathons) in 5 days in 5 different states. The 5 states for the Dust Bowl series are Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. As one would expect the unique nature of this event is reflected in how these races are run. Because of the demanding nature of attempting to run up to 5 marathons in 5 days there are no time limits imposed. Finishing is the goal! Because of this the courses are different from your average race. The courses are short loops or out and backs that runners complete multiple times. This race was a double out and back that marathoners repeated 9 times. Upon completion of each lap runners get a rubber band. When you get 9 rubber bands you are finished! Now I know this sounds as though it would be terribly boring it is not. Running back and forth runners get to pass all the other runners multiple times. We get to know the other runners and runners of all abilities. Usually in a race you only interact with runners of similar abilities but here you see everyone, every lap. Names are on each bib so we can encourage others by name! I gave this race only 1 star for fans and that's because there are none. But the comradery that the runners develope between other runners is actually better than the usual fans support. Also since most runners do multiple days the intereaction has a cumulative effect. Also since these races only have around 100 runners its easy to remember folks; lap to lap and day to day. New Mexico was the 5th race of this series so folks really knew each other by now. The small crowds make the pre-race announcements extra fun. Clint the race director gives the usual pre-race instructions but he also acknowledges birthdays, first time marathoners, marathon milestones, etc. You don't get that at most events! Most first time marathon runners chose larger races but I bet most would love the support you'd get for everyother runner in an event like this. Running the same loop multiple times also is helpful because runners know the course so well. We know exactly when the aid stop will appear and we know every turn and hill. This is so helpful for pacing through the event. This course had some tough hills and knowing when they came and how long they were really helped. This was a very scenic course run thru Clayton Lake State Park. At one of the turn arounds runners could see actual fossilized dinosaur tracks. Definately a first for me! There is one aid stop that runners pass twice each lap. They have water, gatorade and many small sweet and salty snacks. Runners get one shirt for whole event and the medal is handled in a great way. Runners get a very nice participation medal at packet pick-up and then you get state medals that hang off the larger medal for each state runners complete. Runners who ran all five days had an impressive, one of a kind medal by the end! While many runners run all 5 days lots of folks chose to run fewer. I ran two states (Colorado and New Mexico; days 4 and 5). I wish I'd run more days just for the comradery. Runners can mix and match the race too. Runing a full one day and a half other days.

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Marathon Details - Dust Bowl Series Marathon - New Mexico