Shiprock Marathon - Race Reviews

The Shiprock Marathon was a truly one-of-a-kind experience - it's no wonder it was just ranked as a top marathon by USA Today! The marathon is relatively small, with less than 200 runners. Quite a few more run the half. Positives: -Fantastic communication from the race director in the weeks leading up to the race. -All around stellar organization, from easy parking to absolutely on time start(to the second!) to plenty of portapotties at the start and along the course. -Incredibly supportive community. So much positivity all along the course and at the expo! -Water stops every mile(!). All water stops had gatorade and water, and many had pickle juice, pretzels, gummy bears, oranges and gels. -A small but nice expo outside at the start/finish area. Free massage and free medal engraving at the race end, several different food stalls in addition to the free pizza and snack box for all runners. -Music wasn't all set up on course when I went out with marathon (presumably was for half marathon runners who went out a little later), but what was on course was great. -Starting the half marathon 30 minutes after the marathon made for an easy, congestion-free start to the marathon. -Hearing the national anthem sung in Navajo was really special, as was the traditional music and prayer. -Beautiful views of Shiprock an the way out. -Closed course, with car lanes blocked. -Awesome finisher medal and age group medal, too. And the first time I've gotten one of those - amazing that they go 3 deep in each age group for a small race. Negatives -Tough! The altitude, dry air and a warm day made this a very challenging run. -Not necessarily a negative, but I had expected a flatter course. I actually liked the rolling hills, but was not totally prepared for the fact that most of the course was either uphill or downhill. -I don't love an out and back course, although I understand that the logistics wouldn't work well to do this one differently. It was also a bummer not to be able to see Shiprock on the way back. Again, I don't think that the organizers could do anything about this, but it did make for a less scenic return. All in all, this is a terrific marathon. Not easy to get to Shiprock, but absolutely worth it. A huge thank you to everyone who makes this race so incredible!

A scaled down race due to continuing COVID concerns, so only about 150 of us ran the marathon; about 450 ran the half. It was also on a different course than previous years: an out-and-back on 491 and N13 with the turnaround near Shiprock Mtn. It's quite scenic once you turn on to N13 (if you enjoy high desert scenery). The day started out nice, but the heat and wind picked up after the first two hours. We had headwinds most of the way back on N13, which slowed many of us already slow runners. I've never gone through this much water in a race. Temps were in the mid-80s with high winds when I finished in my slowest time ever. The course support was amazing. Lots of music on the course, and aid stations every mile with water, gels, Honey Stinger waffles, and other food choices. Navajo Rangers and EMTs regularly checked on anyone who was struggling. A few folks needed medical help, but I think most of us finished, though with a lot of walking in the last miles. One guy walked it in 9 hours, by which time the temperature and wind must have been brutal. It was an amazingly well organized race whose volunteers handled the conditions very well. A surprising amount of fan support, too, along 491. Definitely a race worth doing, and has peaked my interest in the other races in the Navajo series.

Flawless. So much fun and incredible vistas on this run. It was my NM race in my 50-state quest and I highly recommend it. Nice swag, great pasta party the dinner before with some members of the Navajo nation singing traditional songs. Just lovely all around.

This course was extremely scenic and very close to the St. George Marathon in Utah for those who have run it as far as scenery and the course itself. Focusing on the geological formations makes the time go by more easily. It starts at 6000' of elevation, which takes a lot to adjust to and finishes about 1,100' lower. The course is a lot harder than you'd think, even though it's a point to point downhill with a positive net drop of about 1,100'. It has a lot of uphills in between that beat up your legs big time. The first 5K are mostly uphill, which makes it difficult, especially with the altitude, but has several downhills that follow. This is not a PR course by any means, so don't be fooled! Spectators are scarce, since we start in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Most of them are people who follow their competitors and see them several times during the run. The natives do a great job of volunteering and there is plenty of fluids, Gel and fruits on the course, so no worries there. The race started chilly at about 45 degrees, but by the time we finished, it was about 75, so it increased by 30 degrees in about 4-5 hours. The race site is hard to get to if you're flying into Albuquerque. It's over 200 miles and takes about 3-4 hours to get to it, even with 70-75 mph speed limits. Not much scenery on the way out either, except for the formations. Other than that, just tumbleweed and different shades of brown. So, unless you really want to do this very race for some odd reason, I'd pick another one that's easier to get in and out. This was my 69th marathon and 48th State.

Top 10 Reasons for Running Shiprock Marathon 10) Mostly downhill 9) Race Director - communicative, passionate, accommodating 8) Impeccable race organization 7) Because of the vast expanses of desert it is possible to see the entire racing field at points along the course 6) Navajo seniors offering congratulatory handshake at the Finish Line 5) The race medal is unique and special 4) The stark beauty of the desert 3) Discovering the sacred history of Tsé Bit'a'í (Navajo name for Shiprock) 2) Navajo blessing at Race Start 1) You are supporting a very worthy cause - proceeds from the race go to Dine' (Navajo people) youth outdoor adventure experiences

This is a very enjoyable rural setting. Elevation of 5000 to 6000 ft doesn't seem to be much of an issue since it has slight downhill trend over course of the run. Porto john layout for this course was outstanding. Nice cool, cloudy weather for 2016. Traveled from Wisconsin and felt this was a great choice for my 50 states goal for NM. Parking for the start is a little chaotic, but otherwise excellent race support all around, especially for a somewhat remote area. 33 yrs of putting on this race showed in nice organization.

Having signed up for the 2016 Shiprock Marathon to venture along with my dad who is attempting a marathon in all 50 states, I didn't quite know what to expect from what appeared to be a tiny marathon in the middle of nowhere. I was pleasantly surprised by what I experienced on race day. To begin, prior to race day, the race director, Tom, sent several emails to participants with friendly reminders and news about the upcoming event; he strongly encouraged runners to contact him with any questions or concerns. This was the first positive sign about the race I had, I really appreciated Tom's openness and it really showed on race day. The race has a start time of 7 am for marathoners (8 am for half marathoners), which meant an early wake up call for us as we stayed near Durango, CO (there is closer lodging in nearby Farmington (about 25 minutes away). We didn't pick up on race bibs on Friday (as was encouraged by the race director) since we were staying so far away, but we arrived at around 5:20 on race morning to get our bibs and race shirts with no wait (packet pickup started at 5 am on Friday). The race is point-to-point, which means they basically bus runners out 26.2 miles into the desert, drop you off, and tell you to run back. Because of the point-to-point nature of the race, there is a fleet buses well organized and on time to take runners out. The buses all left by 5:55 (just as runners were told) and we got to the start line at about 6:30. The race starts about 200 feet from the Arizona border, so if you want to visit another state while waiting for the start gun, go for it! The start was well supplied with porta-potties (about 15 for 200+ marathoners) and the only real issue at the start was exposure to the elements. After a brief Navajo prayer and drum ceremony, the race started preciously at 7 (another big plus!). I noticed that there were pacers for starting at 3:30 and going up to about 5:30. The course itself runs along a 2-lane, asphalt road in the desert with Shiprock looming in the distance from mile 3 until you pass it at mile 13. At mile 20 the course turns onto a busier highway (4-lanes total) until it reaches the Shiprock Youth Complex where the finish line is. Runners are kept in the left lane of the roads for the totality of the race. Support along the course comes every 2 miles for the first 20 miles and every mile after 20 and includes water and Gatorade (some aid stations had bananas, oranges, Honey Stinger gels, Clif gels, etc.). There seemed to also be some impromptu aid stations at odd number miles during the first 20. Porta-potties appeared throughout the course about every 2 miles as well (near the half marathon start there were a bunch). The course is beautifully desolate, which can either be good or bad depending on the type of runner you are. I loved it, but someone used to big city marathons with lots of crowds may have a hard time. Crowd support picked up once past mile 20. Weather was perfect for the 2016 edition of this race  42 at race start and about 58 by the finish with cloud cover most of the race. I would imagine that some years the weather could be hot. The race medal is nice, solid, and detailed. It will look great on display. The race shirt for 2016 is a tech shirt in neon yellow with usual marathon logo and sponsors, nothing special but not bad either. My shirt was long sleeve because they ran out of short sleeve mediums, but my dad got a short sleeve shirt. Post race refreshments included: watermelon, oranges, crackers, pizza, blue corn mush, chocolate milk, water, and Gatorade. They had a large tent set up with tables and chairs. Family and friends can meet runners directly at the finish line. Finally, they give out age group awards (10 year age ranges) for the top 3 finishers in each age group (by gender). These awards are beautiful, custom-made, ceramic pottery pieces with the race information and age group place, a very nice touch. All in all, this is a surprise of a race that is a most do if you are in the region and should probably be the top pick for 50 staters when looking for a marathon in New Mexico.

This is a small marathon on the Navajo reservation that has a unique course in a rural setting. If you need people cheering you on the whole route then this race is not for you. To me, it was inspiring to see the local participation in the various events. The event plays out as expected; you do need to allow for time to get into the parking area early to board your bus, etc. The buses left on schedule as described. At the start staging area there could have been a few more porta johns placed more out of the way of the buses arriving. The course is a lot of rolling hills, and there is a definite drop of elevation throughout. The last 5 miles is as described; downhill until the finish at the youth complex. The relay event and half marathon unfolds as you run the course. I enjoyed watching the enthusiasm at the exchange points and then catching up to the half marathoners who start 1.5 hours later. There were plenty of aid stations every two miles with gels at many of them. Yes, it was warm and the elevation is high for some of us, but that is a marathon race! Post race had all the usual recovery drinks, food, fruit, milk,etc. The race medals are excellent, each participant got a long sleeve tech shirt, beautiful poster and a reusable knapsack. The age group awards were awesome Navajo pottery! Also, at the expo which is small and to be expected, you could purchase for nominal cost coffee cups and clothing souvenirs. Keep in mind, this is a destination not easy to travel to and one has to lodge in Farmington, but it is a great experience with an excellent RD that knows how to run an event. Ahehee!

I wanted to like this race, I really did. Shiprock (the natural formation) is remarkable, and the cause is a good one. Sadly, I found it lacking. Pros: Nice shirt, great communication from the RD. Volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful. Cons: The weather & lack of relief are not the fault of the RD. But having aid stations every 2 miles in that weather was ROUGH. Having portajohns every 5-7 miles was really rough, especially since there is no foliage along the course to facilitate a pit stop. Once I crossed the finish line, I had to be redirected to the table that held the medals, and the medals looked unfinished. You'd have to see one to understand I what I mean, but it looks like the medals were taken off the press before completion. NM is a rough state to get a full road race in, and none of them are particularly impressive. Sadly, this race stands out in my experience as one of the hardest to complete because I was nearly bored to tears by the course with a mouth that felt stuffed w/ cotton.

The race director and local volunteers do a great job putting this race on. The course is very unique and this is a great part of the country to visit. For most all of the course you can view Shiprock which is a pretty sight to see. This race provides a lot of support to the community and overall a great race and experience. I am glad I chose to do this race for NM.

The Shiprock marathon has been on my marathon to-do list for the past few years, and it met all of my expectations. The race director deserves 5 gold stars for all of his work and prompt responses to my questions. The volunteers at packet pick-up, pasta dinner, on the course and at the end of the race were all friendly and encouraging. I loved the beautiful course and the opportunity to run in the Navajo Nation.

This is my 10th marathon and my husband's 2nd. We BOTH LOVED this marathon! The race director answered questions quickly, the people of the Navajo Nation were AMAZING! You can make a vacation out of this one! It's truly a 'destination' marathon! Even though it was warm at the end there were aid stations EVERY MILE from mile 20 on!

This marathon is more about the community than anything else. Shiprock is the largest community on Navajo Nation, and this event is an amazing expression of so many people enjoying one another's company and circling the rock. As one who is moved to support the people of Navajo Nation, this was truly a highlight for me. Perhaps more than anything else, the simultaneous marathon/marathon relay creates an interaction like nothing else. I am sure I high-fived 400 runners on the route. Thanks Tom for the gift of this event. May it continue to bless the people of the region.

The day was great except for exiting the parking lot. A 55-minute nightmare of rude folks not letting others in line. Nice volunteers along the way. Always a bit dis-heartening to be passed by speedy relay runners but it is what it is. My husband says starting uphill stinks but the altitude may have also been a factor in his grumpiness. He met a man who described the route as 'trending downhill.'

Running the 2013 Shiprock Marathon was truly a gift! I felt the power of that ancient, volcanic land and culture of deep and profound running tradition. The event was graciously-, and well-,organized; the frequency of aid stations, staffed by enthusiastic, supportive volunteers, was superb! This was my 2nd Shiprock Marathon, and promises to be an annual Spring tradition!

For my third participation in a row to this marathon, I really enjoyed it once again, the course,the organization,the spectators. The 'problems' about the last miles of this marathon , the parking...is for me part of Shiprock marathon identity. Nothing to change for me and thank you once again to the staff and all the volunteers on this event in Navajoland.

Great marathon, particularly the course and support. True that the last few miles are less scenic, but no big deal. The first 22 or so are truly spectacular. Always something interesting to look at. Spectators were understandably sparse, but great and friendly. Terrific volunteer support. The shirt, medal, poster, and prizes were really well done - attractive and without the usual blitz of tacky sponsor labels. The parking (particularly the departure part of the parking) was awful as reported elsewhere, but the organizers seem committed to fixing it. Other feedback: a vegetarian option for the pasta dinner and the post-race sandwiches would be great. Putting a map to the starting line on the web page, with some detail about where to park and so forth, would also be helpful. It's hard to find some of this information online, and I know I'm not the only one who went at first to the wrong Dine College to register. Finally, I'm not sure how this would work, but it would be great to have a registration packet pickup at the hotel in Farmington. I would also suggest timing the half slightly differently, so that the marathon runners aren't passing through walking half runners as they pass the Ship Rock photo point. I can understand how that would complicate things, though.

I'm glad I did this race. It had a lot of positives going for it, including some great desert scenery for quite a bit of it. But it also had some glaring problems. The Good: First 18 miles of the course is very nice, a pleasant run through the desert, a lot of it with views of the Shiprock, but one can get alone pretty quickly, expected in a smaller marathon. The aid stations were excellent, well-stocked, friendly folks, one of the best things a good marathon needs. The community really seems to support this race. A great deal of the participants are relay racers, and they were exciting to see, and passing the exchange points, even as a full marathoner this was exciting. Great energy, great cheering at these exchanges. Post race food was pretty good, and chocolate milk, the elixir of life after a marathon, was plentiful. Showers at the end were great to have. A huge tip of the hat to all the wonderful volunteers that made this race possible! The not quite so good: Outside of the aid stations/relay exchanges, there aren't really any people on the course until you get to the last 6 miles, where the fans are sporadic, and at which point race just isn't pleasant. Occasionally a person with a truck would pull off on a side road and blare a song, so that was kinda nice. The expo was uneventful, small, and not really about running at all, but you done run a race because by its expo. The transportation and parking logistics were a nightmare. The buses barely arrived at the start in time to squeeze in one last pre-battle evacuation before the gun went off (I was on the middle bus, not the end). I barely had 2 minutes to stretch - I should have just stretched and crossed the start at my leisure. Sucked. The last six miles are touted as a gentle downhill, but it hardly seemed that way, and running along a smoggy boring highway in otherwise beautiful Navajo country wasn't exactly ideal. Still the aid stations were fantastic. After the finish, there was the absolute worst parking exit situation I've seen in years. Awful. Reprehensible lack of planning. Some people were probably stuck for a half an hour or more (tiny town, small race) just trying to get to daylight - it was worse than a Stones concert at a big arena. No idea what this was all about. The absolute worst thing about this race is the end when you turn off the highway onto a sandy patch of land, then finish off on a pitted surface that somebody calls a road. It's like your race grinds to halt for the last quarter mile. Awful. Please reroute to something sensible. There is no way to finish this race strong. While I think it's possible for many to PR on this course, you'd better have it well in the bag before the last quarter mile. I would recommend this race to friends, as I liked a lot of it (despite the negatives). There were genuinely nice, friendly, warm-hearted people involved - and the energy of the relay racers was just awesome. I just want to let runners know what they're getting into.

The hardest part of this marathon was finding the packet pickup 'expo' location. I read the website info but could not comprehend where the Dine College South Campus was located. I drove around Shiprock to the various school locations I saw signage to without success. I finally came upon a painted sign at the Hwy 491/64 intersection for the 'Expo'. If you are driving there from Farmington; the best directions would be to turn right at the stop light after you cross the San Juan river in Shiprock. On to the actual event. Packet pickup was flawless. They had run out of size small long sleeve tech shirts and the medium size was huge. The tasty spaghetti dinner of meat spaghetti sauce, garlic toast, drink and dessert cost $7. Parking at the college and buses to the marathon and 1st. relay leg start went smoothly. The course starts on a gradual incline along the Red Rock Highway. There were a couple of longer inclines along the way but nothing steep. The altitude can be tough on flatlanders at the 6000' start. The rock formations, including Shiprock, along the Red Rock Highway are amazing. The course was closed to most traffic until you returned to Hwy 491 to head into town. The last hot 6 miles were a gradual decline and one lane of the highway was closed. The RD definitely has runner safety as a major priority. The police and medical presence all along the marathon route was prolific. I can't recall the number of times a female police officer, on a bike, rode by and checked in with me to verify I was doing okay. I was hot and sweating and I can only imagine how uncomfortable she was in full uniform dress wearing her tactical vest. All of the volunteers at the aid stations were cheerful and supportive and did a great job. The weather was hot later in the race but there was a slight headwind on the Red Rock Highway. The local people were very nice and helpful and friendly. The relay race is the big draw for this event compared to the number of participants in the Marathon. It was great to see so many younger people running the relay and having a good time. This was a well organized event and a marathon I would do again. My criteria is small venue and scenic and Shiprock definitely qualifies. The proceeds benefit the Navajoyes program for the young residents of Shiprock.

I was born and raised most of my life in Shiprock. Coming back and running my first marathon was a memorable experience. The course was challenging for me. I would like to pace myself better next time, and train for rolling hils. I met a lot of good people during the run. Words of encouragement from the crowds and fellow runners help. After the race my wife and I went down to the market and enjoyed roast mutton and navajo burgers. The people of Shiprock are wonderful. I can't wait for next years race.

This was a great event. The course is very scenic and well supported. I would definitely recommend this event. Only downside is that there are no hotels in Shiprock(had to stay in Farmington which is 30 miles away).

It was not an easy marathon for me, it was too hot very early, the elevation was a big problem for me and I ran too fast at the beginning, so I did my worst performance in a marathon. BUT... Nevertheless, I really enjoyed this day in a wonderful land, with very nice people along the road, and it was a surprise for me at first ....and as a unique French man on this marathon, I came back with wonderful Navajo pottery (Thank you once more). For me, there is nothing to change, everything is OK (I ran 28 marathons- and very big ones- before this one). No doubt for me I will go again in Shiprock to run this wonderful marathon in 'Dinetah'.

I ran this race unfamiliar with the landscape and scenery, and expected it to be generally desolate. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the first 14 miles or so to be very scenic and was wishing I'd brought a camera. There are few fans in this very rural area, yet they are gathered heavily at the finish line to welcome you in. The organization of the race was the most impressive feature. This included keeping a long line of porta-potties at the start. These were moved continuously throughout the race to accommodate all runners as the race progressed. The start line was again set up at the half marathon start following the marathon/relay gun, and the buses transported relay participants every five miles promptly. Good eats at the finish, and the Navajo Nation provides a warm, wonderful welcome as you cross. Volunteers are set up for aid stations every two miles, and once every mile after the 20th. It did warm up after the third hour, but was by no means unbearable. I would recommend this race to 50-States members or anyone wishing to experience first-class treatment on a point-to-point course.

At the start of the race the staff announced that they encouraged people to let them know what could be improved. My suggestion is to regrade the course to lower the whole thing by several thousand feet, down to where there might be a little more oxygen for lowlanders like me. Then again, maybe I was the only person that had any difficulty in that department. Other than that I wouldn't change anything about it - not the uphills, not the downhills, not the scenery, not the people (either the fellow runners or the volunteers). Shiprock seems to be one of those rare places where the residents understand that a race can be a community event, with a lot of local participation in the events. One highway completely closed, another with a lane closed, and still not a single irate driver - only honks and waves of support. The aid stations were better than advertised; the patient volunteers were happy to repeatedly fill my water bottle on what turned out to be a hot day, at least by the time I got done. My thanks to the people of the Shiprock area for hosting a wonderful small race. And to the lady I walked with for a portion of the home stretch, I know your grandmother is very proud of you.

I have done the Shiprock Marathon for the past five years (the half in 2007 and 2008, and the full from 2009-2011). I am a local so I may be biased but this marathon is one of my favorites. I do several marathons a year and the majority of them have thousands of runners in urban areas. This marathon is low-key, laid-back, majestic, and breathtaking. The support staff is excellent, and since it is not a huge race, you don't have a lot of runner traffic to contend with. I would highly recommend this race to anyone who enjoys a scenic race! Also awards (Navajo pots or plates) are given to the top 3 male and females in the different age categories for the full half and relay.

This was my first ever full marathon; I have run a few half marathons before. First the positives: Beautiful course. The volunteers were great and there was plenty of water/Gatorade/oranges/bananas along the way. I loved the big rocks in the desert. Negatives: First, there are large cracks in the road that you really have to watch out for. I hurt my toe in one canyon-like crack at about mile 7. Also, the last 6.2 miles along the highway weren't my favorite. But, again, the first 20 miles were great. It was a lonely marathon after about mile 5 when the small crowd had spread out. I didn't mind, but for those who need bells and whistles for a marathon, this one isn't for you. Overall, I had a good time, but I probably wouldn't do it again.

This marathon was one of the best organized marathons I have run, especially for its small size. The aid areas were every two miles as advertised and the volunteers were great supporters. Most of the stops not only offered Gatorade and water, but also bananas and oranges, as well as gel at one or two stops. The first 20 miles were on a desert highway that was closed to traffic, so it was understandable that there was not a lot of fan support. But the relay runners and support crews were great. I thought the medal was very nice. The shirt was a nice, long-sleeve shirt. It was not a tech shirt, but that was ok considering the low entry fee. The low number of runners was nice for a change, because you did not need to weave in and out of slower-paced runners for the first few miles (as you need to do in most races). I would really recommend this race.

I really enjoyed this race. I was worried about the altitude but it never really was a factor. The course has a lot of downhill, which I like. The course map makes the uphills appear harder than they are - which is a big plus. I must disagree that the last 10K is all downhill. It is mostly downhill with some sneaky inclines. I don't recall seeing a single spectator on this course. The aid station personnel were uniformly great and the course was very well patrolled by police and EMTs. In short, this race is worth doing.

I chose this marathon to check New Mexico off of my list (state #5), and I'm so glad that I did. Although we got cold/drizzly/windy weather, the place was absolutely gorgeous nonetheless. All of the Navajo volunteers were terrific - kudos to them for standing at the numerous aid stations for hours in the cold and rain. I don't choose marathons for their expos (this race doesn't have one), spectators (hardly any here), etc.; and my 5-star ratings reflect my preferences - I love beautiful, interesting places and small races. The Four Corners area and the high desert in general are just spectacular. Go to Shiprock for the place, the people, and the experience. If you want a big expo and hundreds of cheering spectators, go somewhere else. I loved this race and this place.

The organization was great, there were wonderful fluid stops with cut fruit at each one (or almost each one), care was taken for the runners, the road was blocked, and the runners protected. EMT folks were always around and checking (much better than large races), and there were porta-potties all along the way! Although it was a lonely race for me, running on the Navajo Nation land was impressive.

Course: Impressive scenery which runs on the prairie to the East of the beautiful Chuska Mountains on the Navajo Nation. For a net-downhill course, it is one of the most uphill-downhill courses I have run. However, this just adds to an awe-inspiring journey. I would have given the course a five if it weren't for the fact that it was paved. Organization: The organization of this event was top-notch. Many kudos to Jeff and his group of fine people: good instructions, well-stocked aid stations, traffic control and EMS was not only excellent but also liberal with their encouragement. Spectators: Because traffic was restricted on the first 20 miles, there was little fan support outside of relay runners and emergency vehicles. Yet the last 10k to the finish offered both pedestrian and vehicular encouragement. In Summary: The Navajo people I met were warm and very pleasant, and this marathon was a perfect opportunity to run a marathon in a distinct Native American Nation-state. When here, one must make it a point to visit Canyon de Chelly, Mesa Verde, and Chaco Canyon to truly appreciate the creativity and endurance of these deeply-rooted, wonderful people.

I loved this race. It was much better than my first marathon and I PR'd by over 30 minutes. It's true that there was snow at the start, wind the whole time, and hail at mile 23 but the course was scenic and starkly beautiful and staffed by incredible people. Everyone was very friendly, the rest stops were well-stocked, and spectators/race personnel went out of their way to help the runners when needed. Out-of-staters should be aware that this is not a low altitude race (6,000 feet near the start and ending just under 5,000 feet) and that the weather can vary greatly in early May. This year, 2007, was cold, rainy, and windy, but return racers said 2006 was pretty hot and dry. The food at the end was basically water and fruit but the massage room was heaven-sent for cold and tired muscles. The age-group and overall awards were gorgeous pottery vases, bowls and plates, individialized for each place/group. Unfortunately, I didn't get one but the possibility of winning one is a huge draw to return.

Shiprock 2007 was definitely not my best run. In fact, I finished in much worse than my average time. I caught a bad cold three days before the run and I did not have a chance to recover. The beginning of the run was very cold, even with a few snowflakes. However, we got hot and dynamic support from the organizers, including the uplifting drums. The wind was very strong. Fortunately, it was blowing in the right direction, pushing the runners forward, towards the distant finish line. Dedicated and friendly volunteers offered drinks, fruits, energy gels and spiritual support. I liked the scenery, especially the overwhelming presence of the majestic Shiprock. The final approach to the finish line was slightly slowed because of the dirt road. I liked the T-shirt and the medal. The event was organized very well. However, I would expect more than just water and bananas as the post-race food. Thank you, Navajo people for a very memorable event.

If you are looking for something different than a major urban marathon, Shiprock can offer that. Located in the Four Corners region, it is a nice point to point race on closed streets. Spectators are minimal, but water and fruit stations are frequent and well stocked. Lots of natural beauty on the course and in the area for afterwards.

Cool weather; no traffic; well organized - plenty of aid (water & relief) stations, EMTs, law enforcement, etc. Toughest part of course was last 1/3 mile (dirt road). In spite of this, this marathon was a personal best (after several years).

Course is fair. Police did excellent job regarding traffic. Spectator support was great. Aid stations did a great job. One problem though - I think registration cut-off date should be closer to race, perhaps day before. Friend of mine could not enter; I am sure there were others as well. Overall (from the few marathon races I've run), this has to be the best one in all categories.

Having run this marathon several times in the past, this is where I am drawing my remarks and comparisons from.... I was very disappointed in the 2005 race. The old one-mile out-and-back start was much better; it is always fun to see everyone who is in the race. The mile markers were not accurate and the course itself was short. The finish-line food had a poor selection and what was left was out in the sun and hot (and there was no ice). It was lacking the personal touch that the previous race directors brought to the race. I hope they can make some corrections; it used to be a good race.