Colorado Marathon (prev. Fort Collins Old Town Marathon) - Race Reviews

The 2021 Colorado Marathon was a well-organized, lovely race through the Poudre Canyon and Fort Collins in northern Colorado. Packet pick-up was easy and straight forward with plenty of parking. There were great freebies like Hearts of Hemp and koozies. The t-shirt was long sleeved with a cool logo. I scouted out the parking situation the night before the race using the information from the race website, which included a helpful map of the parking sites. I'm glad I went the night before, because google maps gave me roundabout directions that had me going through the middle of very busy streets full of pedestrians. To give you perspective, I was coming from La Quinta by I25. I imagine others will use the hotels along I14. All you have to do is continue down this road, which turns into W Mulberry, and then take a right on Remington St. It was super easy to get to and there was plenty of parking on race day. Buses were close to the parking and lined up along Mountain Ave. Again, easy to find and well-organized. It's about a 45 minute bus ride up to the start line. I HIGHLY recommend you bring warm clothes and/or a blanket with you. Depending on which bus you catch, you could potentially wait about an hour at the start before the race begins. It was pretty cold and I was lucky I had lots of layers. It was easy to drop off your bag (as well as get it at the finish line). You're allowed to eat/drink on the bus and they have bathrooms. At the start, there were also lots of port-a-potties and free coffee/water. The race starts up in the canyon and you follow along a river the whole time. It's a peaceful decent into the valley. You're always going downhill but it's never steep. I should note that the road was canted for a decent amount of the canyon. At least for me, this aggravated my nagging tendon issues. Things level off in the valley, and then, you weave your way through the town parks. It's an awesome way to tour Fort Collins by starting in nature and ending in the cute downtown area. I never pay attention to the parties at the end. I'm pretty sure I heard a band playing. There were tons of food trucks and beer vouchers. It looked fun! From the race director to the participants, everyone involved with the race were fantastic. Everyone was friendly and encouraging. I had problems getting into the marathon, and the race director went above and beyond helping me. You could always count on water and Nuun appearing every 1-2 miles. There were no fans in the canyon due to the logistics of closing off the road, but there were lots of fans along the valley/town section. The race's motto was to leave the course looking better than when it started. Racers were respectful and there was minimal litter along the course. Overall, it was an awesome race! I loved the relative solitude the first part of the race brought. I was able to truly take in the beauty of the canyon without working hard due to the steady decline. The dreaded "wall" came right when the majority of fans appeared to carry you to the end. Again, the organization and thoughtfulness that went into this race were top notch. Combined with the beauty of the course and the friendly people involved, this is a marathon not to be missed!!

I loved this race! The fall color and temps made for a great experience. Volunteers on the course were enthusiastic and encouraging (and they were the primary 'spectators'). I wished I had brought a space-blanket to the start to wrap up in; it was chilly! I was glad I had a water-bottle with me on the course - the water breaks were frequent, but I wanted hydration between the stops and refilled my bottle frequently. The hill that started around mile 17 seemed to go on forever - not a complaint, just something to be aware of. Not a steep hill, but long. I am a back-of-the-pack runner (came in among the last 10 runners!) and there was plenty of food left. Due to the downhill and great weather conditions I was able to finish just under the 6 hr cutoff. Race was well organized; easy to get to start, and easy for spectators/family to meet you at the finish.

They bus you out to the starting line at 4:30am. You start at relatively high altitude (6300 ft) but it's literally downhill the whole way, and I felt fine, even coming from Michigan. It was flat and hot the last 7 miles or so. I was very pleased with the whole experience and I would recommend this marathon to any 50 staters for their CO marathon.

Overall, I really enjoyed this race. The miles through the canyon were beautiful and flew by. Other positives: easy expo, the most organized porta potty volunteers I've ever seen at the start (plus urinals for the guys to keep the lines moving faster), and a good number of water stops with some volunteers wearing signs stating if they had water or nuun. The big negative for me was the finish, specifically the post-race food. This was a comment on reviews from previous years, so I was expecting it, but some sliced fruit, cookies and water is really not sufficient for a race this size and distance. I heard there were also bagels, but they were gone by the time we finished (5+ hours due to the heat). It's a shame to let that be the final impression runners have of the race. A restaurant near the finish gave out pizza during the post-race party, so maybe that's why organizers don't provide much at the finish line, but I still think this needs improvement. Also, one thing to be aware of - the road up to the start is windy, so if you're easily carsick like me, that could be an issue - I was a little queasy until a few miles into the run. It obviously can't be avoided and the course was worth it in my opinion. The buses were really nice luxury coaches, not school buses, so it could be worse.

+ First 15 miles were just beautiful and soothing with the sound of the river through the mountains. The decline was easy,'just don't ride the brakes' + It's Colorado! I love Colorado! + Expo and host hotel were enjoyable. + Buses to the start were great! The organizers were awesome and friendly! - I hate concrete! I thought all runners hated concrete. The last 6 miles when the legs are tired... - Where's the water? From miles 15-21 I was looking for water! I did, however, love the experience and the thrill of running in the mountains.

Overall this was a good race. Things I felt were positive: well organized - particularly the shuttles to the start and most aid station volunteers wore signs indicating water or electrolyte drink. It was a very pretty course, particularly the first 18ish miles in the canyon beside the Poudre river. Some negatives to me were narrow running lane in the canyon shared with two way vehicle traffic which made passing difficult and very limited post race food (apple/orange slices, bananas, and cookies). There may have been bagels earlier, but unfortunately we had a slower race than planned. There wasn't a lot of crowd support early due to the nature of the road/course, but that wasn't a big deal to me. The spectators later were enthusiastic. There were train tracks within the last .2 mile of the race, so if you're trying to BQ, be aware there is a chance to get stopped by a train.

The expo was pretty lame and very small. They were also asking $60 for a simple plain tech event t-shirt that only said 'Run CO' or 'Colorado Marathon' on them, that's it, hence my 1-star rating. The first half of the course was simply awesome. Very scenic with a slight grade. No spectators were allowed here, so that's that. The second half got hilly, especially around mile 17. The course profile does not do justice with regards to his hill. It was steep and looong. The last 5 miles were on a concrete bike path with nothing to look at. This section was extremely boring and I could not wait for it to end. The finisher's medal was just OK and the finish line festivities were just fine. I would not recommend this race to anyone, unless you need Colorado for your 50 states.

The 16 miles through the canyon were beautiful and it was a very nice run. It was about 35° and a light snow, but not sticking to the surface. No spectators allowed in the canyon, but the aid station volunteers made up for it with enthusiastic cheering as we passed through. After the canyon, the spectators were positioned in pockets through the remaining miles, but were loud, encouraging and enthusiastic. The last 5 miles of the race are pretty utilitarian, running along a bike trail with nothing really to look at along the way. This is common for many longer races in Fort Collins, and I sure wish they'd change that. There have got to be nice places to run to get to Old Town. Race organization was great, transportation to the start was excellent. The race expo was small. The after race events seemed fun, but I left pretty quick because my quads were destroyed from the canyon and I needed to get off of them :) Overall, I really enjoyed this run and will most likely do it again in the future.

In short, I really enjoyed my experience at the Colorado Marathon. I ran this race primarily to run a marathon in Colorado. The Fort Collins area is pretty low-stress and an easy race to navigate. I had no problems finding nearby hotels and parking on race morning. The ride to the start of the course (at the top of a canyon) was long (maybe 40 minutes), but luckily it was in style; they had coach buses equipped with bathrooms. It was quite a bit colder at the top and there wasn't really any place to sit other than the wet / cold ground. So be prepared for whatever the weather situation holds. I felt like they had ample bathrooms at the start but of course right before the race the lines were long. The first 15 miles or so are a gentle downhill following the Poudre River. It was a beautiful morning and traffic was limited up the canyon. Other than the initial mile or so, there was ample room to get on pace and not be hemmed in. This was the best part of the race and I was stunned by the natural beauty. Judging from previous comments, it appears this year they dedicated a section of the road entirely for runners. I did not feel threatened by passing cars. The final miles are on a concrete bike trail, which was unforgiving but still scenic. Course support included water and Nuun roughly every 2 miles. I would argue they need a carbohydrate based drink. Gels didn't come until mile 18, so be sure to carry your own. The finish line had water and fruit. I was hoping for something more substantial. There were vendors with samples though. Volunteers were on the ball, friendly and well organized. Mile markers were spot on, although I felt the last .2 of a mile was way long. The race expo was fairly modest and it was an easy packet pickup. The shirt was a technical one but sort of a rough material. I bought an older 2013 shirt and liked that material better. I really liked the dedicated marathon finisher's medal. Fan support was better than I expected. A good crowd was still there pushing me to the finish well after the half marathoners were done and gone. My only gripe was the price of the race. I registered somewhat late and it was over $150. I suspect the cost of the park service and luxury buses made it costly, but it was one of the more expensive races I've done. I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a fast course, a scenic route or to take Colorado off your state's list. I was very happy with my experience from start to finish.

I have run this race twice, in 2014 and 2015. Most of my comments echo what others have said, but I'll say them anyway. Course 1. The first 16 miles of the course are indeed beautiful. 2. However... the last 8 are flat to rolling and are mostly run along highways that are not closed, or on a concrete bike path. At one point organizers had to direct traffic and let highway traffic cross the path of the runners. 3. The course isn't as fast as you may think, because the fast part of the course is the beginning. Ideally you take it slow in the beginning and pick up the pace several miles in. But you can't afford to do that here or you waste the first miles when it is really downhill and fast. I ended up crashing to some degree at the end of both years that I ran because of this. Organization 1. The bus pickup and drop-off were very well organized. 2. The biggest negative of organization is the limited water stops in the last miles of the race. In both 2014 and 2015 it was hotter than normal, with 2015 being very hot. They need more water stops in the latter part of the race, as at that point you are out in the open sun. There are several water stop gaps of 2 miles or more at the end. This is easily correctable. 3. As others have said, they really botched the logo and sponsor design in 2014 for the medals and shirts, but they corrected that error in 2015. But that error in 2014 was heinous and inexcusable really for a race of this size. 4. Also, limited food at the end of the race in 2015. I really don't understand this. No banana. No bagel. I ended up getting a bowl of oatmeal from a vendor free of charge. Not the post race fuel I'm used to. Spectators If you are looking for spectators lining the course, this isn't your race. It's not Chicago. Spectators were there where opportunity arose but with the course in the canyon and along busy roads it's really difficult for spectators. I do not plan on running this race again.

This was my 14th marathon and definitely the most organized, planned out race I have done. From the communication leading up to the race, to the expo, to the buses and finish line, it was all perfect! Thanks Colorado Marathon!

I was very excited about this race. I love nature, Colorado, the course looked great, size looked optimal. The beginning is lovely - can't beat the first 13 miles. Also, the coffee at the start was a nice touch. Too few port-a-potties for sure. Also, I don't know why the bus has to get us to the start by 5:15 for a 6:30 start? That said, they were nice buses and very organized. The expo was really nice for the size of the run (loved the paintings of bears, etc.) and the hotel was convenient. The big problem: it was a VERY WARM/HOT day and having water every 3 miles was NOT ENOUGH. I am surprised organizers did not end up with a serious situation on their hands akin to other races where no adequate preparation has been put in place for hot days and runner illness. Combine heat in the valley that comprises miles 16-20 or so with the altitude and lack of water and it was one of the worst races I've run of my 35 marathons. Simply put people in danger and that is not ok. Also, I agree with comments about too narrow of a shoulder. We were basically forced to run on the white line through the canyon since it stayed open to traffic.

Expo was small but efficient. I stayed at the Hilton and heard the train as well, but found the hotel fine. The bus to the start was nice and prompt. 48 degrees at the start. Could have used more port o potties at the start, long line. Race started on time. The canyon run was beautiful and the altitude did not bother me. Unfortunately after mile 16-17 you were in a wide open pasture with no shade. Even ran under high tension wires on a bike path. It became much hotter 70+ and there was not enough water stops (every ~3 miles). The only marathon I have finished with no food available at the finish. Did get the one free beer and a bottle of water. Very disappointing. RD stated farmers market was suppose to supply this and it ran out in one hour. There was a 5K, 10K, and half marathon, so you know who didn't get any food. Asked at info booth for direction to shuttle to hotel and given wrong information. Found other misguided runners and called the hotel to find location. Pizza available at local establishment not at finish.

It was the most beautiful marathon I have ever run. The course was tough and if you did your homework you would see it was not going to be easy. So the complaints about cambered roads etc. unfounded. just be ready. Don't go out too fast. If qualifying for Boston is what you are after I did with a 12 min cushion. Just be prepared. Hill work. Hill work. Hill work. The race directors are very approachable. As a matter of fact when we arrived in bus at start Logan got on the bus introduced himself and gave us final direction. We had plenty of porta pottys/loud music to pump us up/ steaming hot coffees and hot chocolate. It was a great start. There was a detour and we had a little extra hill at mile 24. That was tough. But actually it was a nice break. The roads are so varying. Sometimes you're on a steep downhill, next you're climbing, or you're winding through beautiful bike trails. Lots of unassessable areas for spectators. But they made up for it when we saw them. The race photos are plentiful and FREE!! Can't beat that. Medal is beautiful and not over kill. Hilton hotel was quiet and very accommodating. Nice cold pool to dip into after race was like ice cubes. Hot tub, good restaurant and bar and laundry across the street. Local and walkable to micro breweries and down town. Very nice comfortable location. Very quiet. Not sure where other run that complained was at. Easy to take elevator to lobby to bus to start. Also expo down stairs. It is the only place to stay for out of towners it has it all. I drank only the NUUN drink on the course wore a hydration belt and never needed it. Water stops a plenty.

This was my 20th marathon and my most difficult. Here are my pros and cons: Pros: Beautiful first half. Fast course. The expo was solid. The sponsors provided a lot of goodies after the race. Nice medal and tech t-shirt. Having coffee at the race start was AWESOME. Good crowd support for the 2nd half. Cons: I would not run this race if you have tendinitis issues on your right side. We had to run on the left side of the road which had a steep slope. They should really just close the road. I think 30 cars went by? I was also annoyed that the police kept telling us to run single file (and being pushy about it). I get that you're keeping us safe, but come on. Do not stay at the Hilton if you're a light sleeper or have small children. A train with a terribly loud horn woke us up around 2am every night. I didn't think it would, but the altitude really affected me. Know your body before running this race.

Beautiful, scenic course; 16 miles down canyon, then through countryside with horse and cattle farms; then into town. Big hill at 18? and 21? NOT ENOUGH WATER STATIONS. Promised every 2 miles but more like 2 1/2 to 3. BRING A BIG WATER BOTTLE. I ALWAYS ran out of water in my 10 oz. bottle between stations. Bring your own Nuun tablets; Nuun drinks were often quite diluted. Buses were great; beautiful start area along a river and surrounded by peaks; plenty of porta potties at start and along the way. CRAZY tiny area to run along shoulder all the way down the canyon. Police kept telling us to run single-file! yeah, right, we're all different paces; some are doing run-walk. Great post-race and free pizza and beer at a local restaurant. All the volunteers and people working the Expo were super nice and friendly.

As a flat lander, i was very nervous coming into this race and had no idea what impact the high altitude going to make, my target was breaking 3:10 (my age group BQ). I can say that for people not used to high altitude arriving 4 days at least prior to the race is SUPER important and as the days went by i started feeling more comfortable with the training. As for the race, the transportation arrangement was very efficient, my advice is to come early and get on the first bus, later the lines for toilets becomes insane and many people gave up and found spots in nature. the course is SUPER fast, the first 17 miles mostly downhill, the main problem was the road is uneven and on each turn 1 feet is above the other. it is very important to keep your planned pace, downhill can be very deceiving. i would recommend a positive split here, take advantage of the course profile. The second part of the course starts at mile 17, where it becomes flat, mile 19 have a small hill which on first sight seemed harmless to me but the high altitude made it a little more challenging. still, i faced much more challenging uphills than this. from that point it is mostly flat, the bike path is narrow and little boring but this is already the end and it didnt bother me too much. i was able to meet my target and finished just above 3:08. The aid stations were great, the volunteers were awesome, the finish line was full of energy and entertainment. anyone looking into qualifying Boston, i would strongly recommend. the weather for local was hot, for me it was perfect. i guess need some luck here as it can get very cold at this altitude at 5AM.

Pros: * The first 60% of the race is tremendously beautiful. * Fort Collins is an awesome town! Highly recommend it for out-of-towners. Come early (altitude adjust) and stay late (many micro-brews and scenic adventures). * Friendly people and volunteers (except for one person whom I'll not soon forget.) * Great pre-race logistics. (Forgiving the wrong turn the bus driver made. Still got to the start with time to spare.) * Beer! Real good beer! * efficient and decent little expo. Cons: 2014 was first year with a major sponsor and the sponsor's logo dominated the race shirt, crappy medal and on-sale merchandise. I bought a souvenir from last year since it was cheaper and much nicer. * I'm still not sure why the entry fee was so high. When I signed up there was no sponsor, so I assumed that factored in to it. Still ticked off about the advertisement they handed out in the form of a medal. They should send all 2014 finishers a new and better medal. * Major heat was not the race's fault, but they did little to adjust for it. Would have been nice to have had more stations towards the end. Went 3 miles without water at the end and exhausted my carried bottle. * Saw a medic (on bike) ride right past a person in obvious distress. I stopped to help instead. * Course was too tight in spots and the part through the park was on cement. With the heat, no water and no shade, this was tough. In the hills, the course has some steep and prolonged sideways tilts. Those with hip and knee issues should be cautious. * Shirt was the same for the 5K as the Marathon. That's just not right for commemeration of the achievement. :-)

Pros: 1) Nice course especially the first 16 miles. 2) Nice organization of transportation to start. 3) Nice expo - organized and fun with good vendors. 4) Friendly volunteers and well stocked aid stations. 5) Easy race start and baggage check. 6) Easy baggage pick up at end of race and transportation back to hotel. Cons: 1) This year the sponsor changed. Both the medal and shirt featured the vendor and did not even include the year of the race. Previous years' medal and shirt were much nicer. 2) It was VERY HOT this year, so for folks not used to altitude it was a double challenge with heat and altitude. It would have been nice to have some misters later in the race, though it did get hot the starting the day before race, so may have been difficult to plan. 3) The race course at times only had a narrow area for runners. This unfortunately did not stop some runners from running two abreast making it difficult to get around. 4) Chocolate milk at finish would have been nice...there was a lot of beer, but I don't drink beer. Also could not find food other than bagels and fruit. Would have been nice to have potatoe chips.

If you like a gentle downhill race with great average temperatures, this is the race for you! The expo was tiny, but no big deal. The early AM busing was a bit of a pain, but it didn't seem that early since I was coming from a couple of time zones ahead.

This was my worst marathon by 20 minutes, but it's my fault, not the course's, so let this be a warning to you. The expo was short & sweet, no problems, nothing to write home about. The buses were nice. Pro tip: sit at the front of the bus. Quicker to get off an into the line for the loo, and the curves don't seem as dramatic at the front. The early arrival at the bus depot kinda stunk. 4:15am departure for a 6:30am gun time was tough. We were sitting around up at the start for almost an hour in 28 degree weather. Most people were half-asleep and everyone was cold. That's probably my only complaint, really. That course is fast. And I mean eff ayy ess tee fast. It ruined me. I was irresponsible with my pacing, and despite having pre-run it just a few weeks prior, by mile 18 my legs were total mush. And not just my legs - my shoulders, lats, and neck were sore too. I really liked the course start to finish, it is truly beautiful. The finish was great - the crowd was 3 deep when I came in around 3:35 gun time and cheering like mad. They had empty chairs you could plop down in and decompress. I didn't attend any of the post-race festivities so I can't speak to that. I would definitely recommend this race - just be patient and you'll really enjoy it. I'll go back and run it again to get it right.

I am so pleased that I chose this for my Colorado race for my 50 states. What a beautiful run! I would have given the course 5 stars, but I'm one of the few runners who does not love bike paths. The first 18 miles or so were absolutely beautiful though, and worth the bike path to the end. I'm from the flat lands, and the downhill was a good way to compensate for the elevation. The race was organized very well from the beginning (registration) to the end. Nice amenities (aid stations, shirts, expo, finishers posters and medal, etc). The host hotel (Hilton) was very accomodating to runners as well. The 4:15 am shuttle buses were a little early, but it was quite a trek for the buses to travel up to the start. This marathon was well worth the trip as we took a few days on both sides of the marathon and explored the beautiful state of Colorado. Run this one for the beautiful course along the river, great volunteers and spectators, and well-organized run. Great job, race staff and volunteers!

Another great race Colorado Marathon in Fort Collins. The downhill course is beautiful for the first 16 miles or so along the river. It gets a little boring along parts of the highway and bike path, but that would be tough to change. It is just a fact that there won't be many fans along the course since much of the course is closed to traffic. That isn't a big deal to me but others might not like it. I loved the starting time change for the half marathon. It made those last 5-6 miles so much easier to navigate. Please keep that! The awards ceremony was nice with the free pizza and beer. But why was the announcement order - 5k, 10k, half, marathon? By the time the marathon winner was announced (the very last name called) many of the people had left and the remaining folks had grown weary of clapping for 30 minutes. I felt bad for the winner that he wasn't properly recognized by the crowd. The marathon is the main event. It should be done first in the awards.

Hands down one of the best marathons I've run. Fast and scenic course. Very well organized. Delicious oatmeal at the finish, free all you can drink beer and all you can eat pizza. Expo was smallish but nice. Race transportation was awesome.

Great scenery, especially for the first 16 miles or so. Nice downhill, too, although that plus the altitude took a toll on my legs the last 7 or 8 miles (yes, I'm a flatlander). That said, I still PR'ed. It can definitely be a fast course. Spectators can't get to the course before mile 16 or so, so if that's important to you, it may be a problem, but honestly, the scenery (and volunteers) are so nice that I didn't find it to be a bad thing. Really great awards ceremony afterward with 2.5 hours of free pizza and high-quality craft beers: awesome! Also a nice tech shirt and medal. Fort Collins also has fun breweries and restaurants and is worth hanging around for a couple extra days, if you can. Great job! Will definitely recommend.

This is significant downhill course. I trained for it, but it also really takes its toll on your quads. Absolutely gorgeous course for the first 15 miles, in the canyon, next to the stream, with no spectators, and a mostly closed road. The course is the steepest in this part, but not too steep, and you may run faster than you think. Miles 15-21 are out in the open, on the road, and are pretty boring in my opinion. The last 5 miles are on the bike path leading into town. Still a little boring, but at least more opportunities for shade. Wonderful custom medal. Was a little disappointed in the post race food, but otherwise, this is a great race.

I've run the marathon twice now and believe it's the best marathon in Colorado. The course scenery is superb, an early start time ensures cool temperatures, and the organization is excellent. Also, the after-race awards lunch at Cooper Smith is a nice touch.

A lot of the positives about this marathon have been mentioned but I want to warn people about that downhill. The road is very uneven and it took its toll on my right hip! The trail at the end was truly never-ending (it seemed) and utterly boring. I would've preferred rambling around No. Ft. Collins more. The half marathon walkers were in the way, no doubt. At mile 22/23/24 of a marathon it's just too hard to be maneuvering around anyone or anything. Also, for the cost, the finish area food was really a disappointment. I had more goodies at our local half marathon than there were available for something so expensive. Yes, it was pretty, and yes it was great weather-wise, but I wouldn't do it again because of the pain in my legs (deceiving because it wasn't obvious at the time) and hips and the lack of food at the end.

This is a net descent course, perfect for that Boston qualifying time. It's super-scenic, and well organized. The race organizers were extremely friendly, and this is the best marathon in Colorado.

This is a wonderful race. I've run it in 2010 and 2011 and have had nothing but a positive experience. The organization is flawless, the volunteers are fantastic, and the fans are out in force once you get out of the canyon. I love this race and hope to do it many more times. Oh, and the t-shirt this year is also really cool - different from all my other tech t-shirts. :) And, keep serving Hammer, please.

This is my 15th marathon, and with regard to natural beauty, this is the most spectacularly scenic course I've run. The course starts up at about 6,000 feet and is between the canyons above route 14 and 287 right next to the Poudre River. It was a fast course, so even though I was out of shape, I was still able to match my averages. The expo and organization are well orchestrated with not much complication to confuse the runners. I do take issue with the 10K runs converging with the end of the marathon, though. Because the first 15 miles of the course were well outside residential areas, fan presence was sparse until the last few miles. Getting into Fort Collins was a different story though. All in all, it's a fine race that I wouldn't mind doing again. Heck... I would love to do this race again.

With a cap at 1,000 runners, this was a great size for running down a canyon road at sunrise. The course was gorgeous and fast with a gradual down slope that helped the first 16 miles. Wish they could have cut out all traffic and let the runners take both lanes (and tangents) The bike path during the last 10k was mostly concrete, with a dirt path next to it, and a weird floating bridge that was a bit hard to handle at mile 23 or so. The last .2 miles to the finish had a torn-up road which was unfortunate. They did actually have Hammer gels at 2 spots on course, contrary to race reports, and had amazing organic steel cut oatmeal w/berries and nuts at finish (also an apparent change), plus free beer. The volunteers were so great. The 2-3 miles between stops was pretty doable, but with HEED as the drink, I was bringing my own gels. I PRed and BQed here, cutting 8:40 off my best time. Wish they would have had coffee or something warm at the start to wait with. Expo was minimal but a nice display from Brooks, which had wonderful race shirts this year.

The race starts out in the beautiful Poudre River canyon. You are bused up from downtown Fort Collins in luxury buses and allowed to mill around in Stevens Gulch campground for about thirty minutes prior to the start. The scenery is beautiful on the 16 mile descent through the canyon. It is mainly downhill. The road (State Route 14) is VERY cambered and you will find yourself running on a slant at many times. There is little traffic however, so you pretty much have the road to your own use. My primary complaints with this race are - there is not ANY food at the rest stops along the way. Only water and HEED. I am a fairly decent runner, but I need caloric replenishment in order to keep that up. The rather grim tasting HEED did not do the trick and I hit the wall early, starved of glycogen. The last six miles of the course are along the concrete Poudre River Canyon bike trail. Crowding was *not* a problem at the race, however, this was a jarring surface to run on at the end. The volunteer support was very good, crowd support didn't materialize (due to geographical logistics) until the base of the canyon at mile 17. Also, if you are from a low altitude part of the country - do be prepared for that higher altitude. It isn't terribly cumbersome, but can leave you feeling winded.

This was my second marathon, and I'm glad I chose it. I'll definitely plan to run it again! Pros: 1. Easy to get into/out of expo for packet pick-up. 2. Luxury buses take you up the canyon to the starting line. 3. (Free) bagels are available if you want them at the transportation center when you catch the bus on race morning. 4. Plenty of porta-potties at the start. 5. Easy bag check at start and retrieval at end of race. 6. A gorgeous race course for the first almost 20 miles, running through the Poudre Canyon next to the Poudre River with the Rockies in sight! 7. Enthusiastic and encouraging volunteers! 8. A great finishing stretch, with spectators lined up cheering you on! 9. I like the fact that they announced your name as you crossed the finish line. 10. Old Town Fort Collins is a fun place. 11. The finisher's medal is unusual - it represents the fact that you've just run in gorgeous Colorado. (Sorry, my bias is showing here!) :-) 12. The weather was neither too cold nor too hot. You'll need light layers while waiting to start, but you can easily shed them before the gun goes off. I ran in short sleeves, light Nike capris, and a throwaway hat and throwaway gloves (which I shed before the halfway point). Tip: you might want to take a little book light for a bit more light while waiting at the start. Cons: 1. Parts of the road in the canyon are steeply cambered, which is a bit hard on the legs. 2. The course isn't completely closed, and there are parts where we had to run on the shoulder - being funneled even from using the left lane. Some blind curves were a bit unnerving. 3. I didn't like running on the bike path for the last several miles. Too narrow in places for even a small race like this. 4. Some folks who'd stopped running were sometimes walking 2-3 abreast on the bike path, making it tricky to get around them. Out of courtesy, I would have appreciated them even being aware that I was trying to get around them and move over a bit. (How about some reminders of race-day etiquitte?) 5. Was there an official photographer at the finish? 6. The volunteers at the finish just handed you your medallion with it still wrapped up. After running a marathon, little things like having them place it around your neck are really meaningful. 7. Food at the end could have been much better and more plentiful. Leave the bananas and apples whole. Be aware - if you need a lot of spectator support, you won't get it until you're out of the canyon (around mile 17) because spectators aren't allowed in the canyon for logistical and safety reasons. However, if you're good without that and can focus on yourself and running your race, it's great! No race is perfect, but overall this is a fantastic race that I'd highly recommend. The course is fast, but it's not necessarily "easy." I ran a BQ and a PR, and got a great placement in my division, so my experience was great. But don't let our secret out too much - I want to run this one again! Way to go, Fort Fun! I'll be back!

Another great year for the Colorado Marathon! I've run this race 6 times and the weather is always beautiful. I keep coming back because it is such a nice, well run race. However, I do have the same to complaints that seem common among participants. The sidewalks over the last 10K or so are way too crowded. With the number of entries increasing for the half marathon, it is getting even worse. Each year I've finished in the top 10% or so of the marathon, so it has only been somewhat crowded for me, but I can't imagine how much of a bottleneck there is for marathoners who are back in more of a pack. Please consider another option as the path is just too crowded. My other complaint is the energy drink, HEED. Hammer may be a good sponsor and the gel isn't bad, but HEED just tastes awful. A few miles after I mistakenly took a cup of HEED, my stomach started churning and I had to stop at a porta-potty for only the second time in nearly 20 marathons. Who knows? It could have happened anyway, but going into the race I planned on not having any HEED because I knew from previous years that I didn't like it. Overall, great event. I expect to be back for my 7th year in 2011.

This race has beautiful scenery for the downhill portion, though the road is quite cracked and uneven. I had no problem with the altitude, and I loved running in the cool, crisp air. The bus shuttle to the start line was well organized, and the bagels were a nice touch. Dress warmly to wait at the start line, yet cool enough for comfort when running in the sun the latter half of the race. Two and a half or three miles is too far between water stops; however, I did like the signs at the water stops telling you how far until the next one. Once you finish the downhill portion, the course becomes less scenic. The narrow concrete trail for the last 5-6 miles is not ideal for a race. Spectators were great encouragers! Please have the volunteers at the end take the medals out of the plastic coverings and place them over the heads of the runners. Overall, I would run Ft. Collins again. Do away with the concrete trail, and I'd give this race 5 stars.

This is the 2nd time I've run this course. I love the course and knew what to expect; the water stops, elevation, busing, and path are all well described ahead of time. Kudos, but here are my concerns. For an expensive race, and with approximately half of the marathoners being women... why only offer men's sizing for the shirt? They are HUGE! 2. little food and no beer at the finish!? Are you kidding?! A beer glass for a first-place finish in your age group. That part was so disappointing! These comments are meant to help, as these were complaints I heard from a ton of finishers. They need to get better-fitting shirts, and MORE food and drink; and their awards have definitely gone way downhill since 2008.