This is a demanding high elevation course set amid beautiful mountain scenery. Weather was great - mid 50's at start and low 70's by finish. No humidity. I thought the course was well organized and executed.
The downhill trend descending from Deer Valley is a series of rolling hills and not all downhill. The worst part was the final 3-4 miles on mostly unpaved surface. The scattered gravel on the packed dirt trails was brutal on my feet. If I run this course again, I will wear trail shoes.

I expected a challenge and that's exactly what I got. The first 5 miles are rolling hills through a neighborhood. And then a long 6 miles on a gravel road and railroad bed that seems to go on forever. We kept climbing to mile 16 when we finally turned downhill... except for a killer one-block climb at mile 18!

Food could have been better at the end, but that was no biggie since our hotel was right there. Free massages at Massage Envy were wonderful!

The Newpark Hotel was right at the start/finish line, so getting ready for the start and walking back after the race were both very easy.

I will definitely be back!

My first trip to Utah was a pleasant experience. The host hotel is first-class and not expensive. No need for a car here, with free public transportation and the race starting right outside and bicycles for rent right there. Plenty of choices for eating within walking distance.

The course was easily the most difficult I have run. It starts at 6,300 feet and goes up to 7,300 feet, and it was tough for me. Beautiful sights along the way - horses and cattle in pastures. Aid stations were stocked and ready. Not a lot of shade on the course.

My recommendation would be to arrive a couple of days early to acclimate to the thin air and visit the area, which has lots to see and do.

Coming from NY, I was just so pleased with this entire experience. The setting was beautiful, the weather moderate and the terrain incredibly challenging. At the end of the race, a nice fellow next to me joked, "Well, at least only the first 16 miles were uphill." I finished about 30 minutes slower than my previous marathon due to the altitude and terrain, but I wasn't here for a PR. The race was well organized and the entire experience went without a hassle - being able to park close to the starting line and a large grassy area to spread out after the race made this very easy to deal with. The race was a bit light on spectators but there were also two other races in the area that day (a 100-mile bike race and a triathlon at Jordanelle), so perhaps that affected the turnout. Also, after reaching the peak of the terrain at Deer Valley, I wasn't expecting so many additional hills (8th St. was brutal!) and at that point any decline was just as painful, as I was totally spent. It would be nice to find a way to have a more triumphant finish than meandering around the back end of Newpark, but, again, this is an amazing race and really one to add to your list. Thanks, organizers... I hope to be back one day.

This was my 72nd marathon. I knew it would be tough, due to the altitude, summer temps, and hills. What I wasn't as prepared for was the long, monotonous miles in the relentless sun.

The host hotel is excellent and couldn't be located any better for this race. I think racers should automatically be given the option of a late checkout of at least 1 p.m., but you have to ask for it (while they act like it's going to be difficult) and then allow you a 12 noon checkout as the latest option available. Other than that, the hotel and logistics were great.

The 6:30 a.m. start is good, and could even be earlier in order to avoid the sun and heat. The race started right on time, and there was little risk of getting off course for us "middle of the pack" runners. The problem I had was that a good portion of the first 15 miles or so are a VERY boring along Interstate 80 and the rail trail, with absolutely NO shade. That stretch seemed endless and really sapped the strength out of me. Then you enter the "fun" portion with the pathway to Main Street, the circle around Deer Valley, and the return by Main Street to the Park City Mountain Resort. They seem to have cut out running by town lift bridge this year, but didn't say that anywhere or why. Then the last 6 miles are another long, BORING run on a paved path through fields (again, NO shade, and by then the temps were in the 70's). So portions of the course rate 5 stars, but the majority of the course is unremarkable. It was very helpful that they had ice cold washcloths at a couple of points on the course and at the finish line!

I like the finisher's medal, so they must have improved from prior years. The post-race refreshments were disappointing compared to others, but I don't run the race for that.

Park City is a beautiful resort town and well worth the visit if you've never been there. The race is small (capped at 500 marathoners) and basically well run. I was just disappointed in the monotony and brutal exposure to the sun on the majority of the course.

This was very well organized. The volunteers did a GREAT job of helping with the course along the way.

The course itself had a beautiful scenery. Up through mile 13, it was tough... but then came the real test between miles 14-16 (my legs were screaming). After mile 16 (with the exception of one small section right at mile 18), it was downhill the rest of the way.

There were plenty of water/Gatorade stations as well as port-a-johns.

This won't be a PR course, but it is one that is well worth the trip (I am from Georgia).

This is my 7th consecutive year of running this marathon, and every year is an example of a well-executed race. There is a nice building to prepare for the race, and no bus ride. There were pre-race announcements, along with the national anthem. But here is what the rest of the race directors can learn from. At the first rest stop with bathrooms, there were FOUR of them: 500 runners, and 4 bathrooms to use. WELL done. I've seen other races with over 500 runners and only one bathroom at each stop, resulting in lines. I've seen even worse, with 1500 runners and again only one bathroom at each aid station. There is nothing more discouraging than watching a time goal bleed away while waiting in a bathroom line, while standing behind the guy in front of you who is also waiting in line. There were volunteers everywhere they were needed, and one of them tried her best to get a bus to stop to let us go by. The bus driver ignored her and went anyway; we had to wait behind it. I could just visualize Ralph Cramden from the Honeymooners driving that bus. At the end of the race I didn't feel too well, and the medics even came out on the lawn to check on me. If the rest of the race directors in this state want to learn how to do a marathon right, all they have to do is come up to Park City in mid-August.

You want a beautiful course, great volunteers, and an easy - forget the bus - starting line? Well throw in a few awesome hills and this is the marathon to run! I have run over 30 marathons and Park City is one of my favorites! Won't be missing this one! I love everything about it - and the flower at the end is the best! Keep running! :)

Park City's medal is unique, just like the race and the town of Park City. I run marathons because of the challenge of the event, and the medal is a representation of my completing the race. The medal is a good medal. I've done 11 of 13 Park City Marathons. Its staff are all volunteers, and no one organizes a race better than they do.

Great race; crappy medal! Loved the racing surfaces. The course was absolutely beautiful. The people were very encouraging and supportive. The starting line and finish line were super!!