Salt Lake City Marathon - Race Reviews

I ran this event to get Utah completed in my 50 state quest. The course was beautiful with the Rockies in the background and majestic homes through many areas of the route. It was hard for me in the beginning as it starts up a hill and the high altitude had me gasping for air! Also, after mile 2 or 3, it is about 4 miles all downhill which did a number on my quads! It should be noted that the road surface is very cracked and pot holed in areas. There were plenty of rest stops with water, Gatorade poured from bottles, so it was the correct mixture. Plenty of Gu shots as well. The expo was a bit smaller than I expected and is only for one day, so expect crowds. They had the usual stuff, although the IV drip booth was giving free B-12 injections! The logistics for doing this race were awesome. Easy to take the Trax train from the airport to downtown for only $2.50. The downtown is very walkable, clean and friendly. The Trax is also free in most of the downtown area. The medal and shirt were very nice and I would recommend this race if you need Utah.

Finally got to run this race after it being canceled twice for COVID! This was my 25th marathon. I've run all over the country, from sea to shining sea. I think this is the hardest marathon I've ever run. Some of it is baked into the cake (altitude, hills), and some factors couldn't be helped (snow). The good: * Beautiful course. Even though it was a cloudy day, you still had some terrific views of the mountains. I can't imagine how stunning the scenery would look on a clear day. * The city's light rail system very efficiently gets all the runners to the start line for this point-to-point race. (In general, SLC is an awesome city. So clean and friendly.) * Good expo and swag. I really like my medal. * Lots of water stations. Volunteers were great. What made this race hard: *Hills! The race starts at nearly 5,000 feet and loses a net of 700 feet throughout. But there are some challenging hills all the way, a couple of the hardest coming in the first few miles. So when you're trying to getting an early rhythm going, you get hit with tough hills that were mentally and physically taxing. ***This is a good destination to plan for if you're trying to do all 50 states. SLC is an awesome city (and I typically hate big cities in general and big city marathons in particular). This didn't feel like the big city experience at all. It was easy to get into the airport and easy to get out, and there was plenty to do when not running to make it a fun weekend.

I have run and completed 16 marathons and was on pace to complete this one but after mile 18 , no one told me there was a turn and I ended up by myself and way off of the course. The shag bus started following me closely at mile 13 and I finally asked him to pass me because the constant chugging and breaking of his bus was making me a nervous wreck. They told my husband the race was over when the bus passed but at least three of us were still on the course. Very little support after we split from the half's. The marathon sponsored van at the host hotel stopped running an hour and a half before the start when we were told it ran up until the start. We had to take an Uber. I contacted the race director to tell him all of this and all he said was that he was sorry I had a bad experience. He should have apologized for his staff not informing me of where to turn.

A nice race in a pretty part of the country. The first 6 miles or so are scenic, the rest not so much. Organization was good except for no race results on their website as of Tuesday and the results on Marathonguide are gun times. On course, the organization was on point with frequent water stops and plenty of portable toilets. I liked the race but didn't love it. Nice shirt and medal. We enjoyed liquid refreshment at Fisher's, Epic and Hopkin's Breweries. SLC and environs is a beautiful place to visit.

These guys covered everything runners wish for in a great race! 1st- I never had to wait for a porta-john. I arrived at the start with 30 mins to gun time and had no problem walking right to an open honey bucket. On the course when I needed one, there was no waiting. And again at the finish there was no need to wait in line! Super impressive! 2- Great course support! I swear sometimes the aid stations were not even a mile apart! Each one offered Gatoraid and water and several offered GU in popular flavors like Salted Carmel, Chocolate, and the Berry flavors. There were also a bunch of local musicians out on the course just playing for the runners. One was a woman just standing out there playing her banjo! Others had their full band and speakers set up playing their music. 3-Fantastic views throughout! The race hit all the famous SLC landmarks, starting at the University of Utah and ending right in the heart of downtown. It ran through several historic and unique neighborhoods, up and down a canyon (not an out-and-back), and right past the capitol building and temple. The trees were in full bloom and it smelled fantastic! 4- Finish line: included plenty of food (I couldn't carry everything I was being handed) including pancakes! There were free massages and free medal engraving. They had a jumbo-tron sized screen set up so people could see their runners coming in about a mile away. Plenty of music and party atmosphere at the finish. 5- Transportation to and from the race was a piece of cake. Your bib was your free ticket to public transportation and they had plenty of light rail cars running so I never had to wait more than 5 mins to catch one. I didn't have to get to the race super early and just stand around until the start because the transportation dropped you right at the start and you could catch it right at the finish again. Super convenient!

This being my first marathon, I don't have much to compare it to, so you can take that into account in reading my review. Pros: What struck me the most about the race was the organization of the course. This marathon runs through the city, there are no trails/paths. Therefore, each intersection had to be manned to ensure safety, and they were! I was blown away by how much planning and manpower that required, thanks to the men and women in blue! I'm from Wyoming, so I trained at altitude, so that wasn't an issue, but did hear that it was a struggle for some. There were some short hills, but nothing too brutal. It was a great way to see Salt Lake City, I'd never been there. Crowd support was minimal but very positive. Loved how many residents showed up to offer water and refreshments, in addition to the organized water stops, which were frequent and well stocked/staffed. Cons: The expo was just so-so. The gal handing me my bag and bib had no idea what she was doing and said so. The app that was supposed to keep my friends and family alerted to my location was a flop. It didn't work after.17 miles, they thought I had died or broken a leg or something. There were a LOT of half marathoners who started at the same time. This made for a crowded, and at times noisy, route for the first 10 miles or so. I prefer to run solo and in peace, so this took some getting used to. Overall this was a great experience, I'm glad I did it, and would recommend this race to anyone.

Well-run race! Most of the marathon course was pretty, some boring suburban 'blah', but that is the case with every marathon I've ran. The aid stations were amazing and the airline themed medal was very unique. Alaska Airlines (best airline ever!!!) did a great job of sponsoring the race. Living at an elevation of about 500 feet, SLC's elevation took more out of me than I expected and I ran a truly atrocious time. Still, I was able to visit a beautiful city and had a great time running a fun race, definitely recommend to others!

I got into the race nearly a year in advance and paid less than $3 a mile. The value, therefore, was a steal for me. Hard to find marathons for that price. The Expo was fairly small but is paired with a Fitness expo. Packet pickup was simple and efficient. The swag bag was filled with goodies and the shirt was nicely designed. Race communication was well done. Taking the TRAX system was the way to go. It drops you right off at the starting line (and a station is near the finish line as well). The bathroom situation at the start was good although there were lines of 10 - 12 people deep 15 minutes before the race. The race started on time and I was running within 10 minutes of the race's actual start. The first 8 miles or so are mostly downhill and absolutely beautiful. Running by the downtown area and the stately mansions was a treat. The latter part of the race is primarily run through residential areas. It isn't the most exciting but the scenery did change and I liked the parks that we ran around. Despite the race's net downhill change this course is challenging. There are plenty of rolling hills and small inclines that will challenge you. I wouldn't describe it as a fast course and if you aren't used to the 4000+ elevation, it'll will take you by surprise. Course support was awesome. There were plenty of aid stations and most of them had gels. If I were to run this race again, I don't think I would carry any of my own. I've never seen more gels offered at a race. My one small complaint was that the mile markers seemed off from the start. Mile 3, for instance, was at mile 3.22. Most everyone I talked to had a similar reporting via their Garmin. However, at mile 25 the markers made sense again. I ran about 26.32 miles for the day. The course was marshaled well (they had a police officer at every single intersection) and I felt safe running throughout the city. Finish line spread was typical offerings. I wish they had had some soda. There was water, some Gatorade (looked like they were running out though), popsicles and a few snacks. I got a good amount of cheering as I crossed the finish line but the majority of runners are half marathoners so the finish area was pretty thin. Crowd support on the course was nice - mostly locals sitting in their front yards. The volunteers were awesome and rallied you on as well. I would run this race again. It has the feeling of a big city marathon without all the big city headaches. If you sign up far enough in advance, the price is well worth it. I have very few complaints and was impressed with the experience I received. It is a worthy race to run for Utah.

I ran my first marathon in SLC and had a fantastic time. Although this was my first 26.2, I have been running shorter distances for years, so I feel that I can give some helpful input for this race. It should first be noted that if you are someone who needs a lot of crowd support and runner camaraderie during an event, this is not the race for you! The full marathon is very small (<1,000 runners) and by the time you're finishing, the crowds have mostly dispersed. When you separate from the half marathoners at mile 9, you are mostly by yourself for the race as the runners are very spread out. I personally liked this - it allowed me to focus on the UNBELIEVABLE scenery and the personal journey that brought me to the course. There were SO many people at each aid stations (of which there were plenty) and they would greet you by name as they offered water and gatorade. There were also tons of porta-potties - at no point did I ever have to wait in a line for one. I liked the shirt and medal, and the post-race festival was pretty decent with a live band and a lot of tents. I am very much looking forward to seeing the photos, which are COMPLIMENTARY! Most of the races I run are NYRR or RunDisney, so that blows my mind. In sum, I thought this was a lovely race. I registered almost a year in advance, and registration was under $100. A marathon is a great way to see this beautiful city, but I would only consider this if you are someone who can appreciate a quieter, more meditative environment.

This was a better course than last year-there was some open space, and a meander through downtown, past the governor's house, SLC temple, a BEAUTIFUL park, and other pretty sights. The course could be hilly, but that doesn't bother me and I don't understand how people who don't like hills live in the world. The world is hilly :) After the half marathoners left, my life improved. There were no lines at the toilets! There was plenty of gu on the course and I even got to try a new flavor-salted caramel! It was a stunning time of year in SLC with the spring flowers and buds on the trees and view of the mountains. The mormans (of which I met many) are also so sweet and welcoming. Drawbacks-food at the finish was subpar. Also the logistics of parking and taking the tram were ambiguous on the website. My uncle ended up driving me. And, the race started 10 minutes late! When I have to drive 550 miles after the race, I didn't appreciate accommodating the late-comers. I managed to make the race on time, and other people should too. If they cannot, race directors should not postpone, after all, it is chip timed. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience :)

Although, this was my first time to Salt Lake City and there were many 'firsts' for this trip, I couldn't have happier! This was my 24th marathon in the states, so I feel like I've seen and done a few to say that is in my top 5. Pros: Well organized transportation to the start line. Even though the train was a little late, they held the start gun for us. Great volunteer support. Always had plenty of water and powerade/ gatorade. They had both, which I've never seen before. The course was challenging but beautiful in most places. They blocked off entire boulevards downtown for the marathoners. You have views of the mountains where ever you are on the course. Well organized finish line and finish area. Loads of opportunities for photos. Cons: At the very begininig of the race, it bottlenecks on a hill, but its short. There wasn't a lot of food giving to us post-race. Although, it appears to be mostly downhill, it is challenging. I would recommend this marathon to any intermediate runner or if you are coming from a similar altitude.

Ran Salt Lake City in the hopes of enjoying a little bit of the city during the race. Not so much - just a course through the burbs, on the highway and pretty miserable. At the expo and on the website it suggested taking the Trax to the starting line. Our train never came - I guess that line was not running that morning and there was no signage or warning to that effect. We had to run 2 miles to the start, missing the beginning of the race all together. The shuttle back to the trax to our hotel took forever and with no heat blankets at the end my lips were blue by the time I got to the hotel. Signs at the train station would have been very helpful for any out of town guests as we were very confused. The shirt & Medal were nice and it was good to get another state accomplished but when I hear such great things about other UT races I wish I had tried something a little more off the beaten path.

I had heard about some of the issues in the past so I was very reluctant to run this one. I'm glad I did. The course was great, fans supportive despite it raining for the better part of the marathon, tables well-stocked with drinks, gels, etc., and plenty of porta-potties along the course. This was a week after Boston and there was a sense of foreboding, but marathon went off without a hitch. Great volunteers. I have already registered for next year. Can't wait.

The details and planning that went into every aspect of the race was well thought out from the route, water stations to the Boston tributes and the level of security (the race was 1-week after Boston 2013). The spectators were out there cheering us on despite the rain and cold weather and it was touching to see so many Boston tributes along the course. A very well-run race. I would recommend it to anyone travelling to the area or a nearby area.

It was a pretty cool day in the mid-40's and hard rain for the races. About 900 marathoners and about 4,000 half marathoners. Logistics - Not the easiest but still can be done without a car. You take the TRAX (Salt Lake's light rail system) to the start which is about 20 minutes ride. The train I was on was extremely packed. The finish at Liberty Park means you need to take their shuttle bus to the Ball Park TRAX station which is then about another 5-10 minute ride back to downtown. The hotels are about a half mile away from the Convention Center. The start is shared by both the Half and Full marathoners. Unfortunately, most of the runners chose to ignore the signs on where to line up. This resulted in spending the first mile and a half zig zagging past walkers and slow runners who decided to line up near the front. Since SLC was the first major city marathon following the Boston Marathon bombings, they had a nice tribute. First there was a moment of silence followed by a rendition of 'Sweet Caroline'. The first 3 or so miles of this race has some steep downhills as you are coming off the mountain. After that, the course can be described as rolling with good stretches of flat. One thing that struck me about this race was the tremendous camaraderie between the runners. On the out and backs, the runners on the out portions were exchanging high fives with the runners on the back portions. Throughout the whole race, there were so many shouts of encouragement from my fellow runners. I was so touched by the feeling of concern, enthusiasm, consideration and friendliness from the fellow runners that this turned out to be one of my most memorable marathons of the 26 ones that I have run. A decent amount of enthusiastic spectators. Not a lot but I assume the numbers were down because of the rain. SLC Police did an excellent job of traffic control. Hydration stations were well run and frequent. However, the first few stations were crowded because of the half. I suggest carrying a small water bottle with you to get you past the first few stations. After about Mile 8 when the half and full marathoners diverge, this is not an issue. At the finish, food offered was bagged pretzels, bananas, water, beer, gatorade, cookies and lots of yogurt. Several shuttle buses were waiting bringing you to the Ball Park TRAX station. So if you are looking for a somewhat smaller marathon in a city whose backdrop is surrounded by beautiful mountains, Salt Lake City is a fine choice.

I was excited to run this marathon. Little mistakes kept happening, which I will explain further down that impacted my view of it. It was a cool and rainy run, and I was impressed with the voluteers and law enforcement helping out. Extra security was in place since Boston, but it did not have a negative impact on the experience at all and those providing the security were all awsome. The medal was nice also as were all of the people. Now here are the little things that took away from the experience: 1) Very small expo for an event of this size, 2) No gear check bag provided, 3) Host hotel said they had a shuttle to take us to the start (in reality it just dropped of off at a light rail station and then we took that to the start, 4) Host hotel said they would have a shuttle at the finish area to bring us back to the hotel (in reality the shuttle took us from the finish area to a light rail station and had to take that back to the hotel area and walk the rest of the way), 5) Gear check bags were left out in the rain at the finish area, 6) No sign saying where gear check was at the start, 7) Poor signs saying where the shuttle at the finish was, 8) The pasta dinner was good, but it was at a park near the finish the night before the marathon, I think having it at the expo location would be better for a few reasons and 9) hard to find friends/family after the marathon as there was no designated 'family area' like a lot of marathons have. I know and appreciate what it takes to put on a marathon, but for one what has been going for a while I would expect better. I am still glad I went, but would not run it again.

I ran this half marathon in 2011 and again this year (2013). I loved both years, despite the poor weather this year. The expo was great, the race is a fun atmosphere. Even in the pouring rain, there were great spectators!! Transportation to the start was easy. Water stations were adequate. I loved the shirt this year,though they were sized very small and I was not allowed to exchange at the expo. The swag bags were not very impressive, but there were plenty of freebies at the expo to make up for it. And I have to say.....there is way too much hype for the Ogden Marathon and I much prefer to do SLC over Ogden. Looking forward to 2014!!!

You pay $95 or more to run a marathon and all you get in the 'goodie' bag is ads for more races sponsored by same organization??? That's not a goody bag! Course is nice and easy; good support at tables. NO gu or powergel, though. CHEAPO!

I had the oppurtunity to run the Salt Lake City Marathon and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It definitley made a memory for me. The crowds and fans were great, the support throughout the course was also great. One thing to be prepared for is that Salt Lake City sits around 4,200-4,300 feet. Keep that in mind as well as the course has a rather large elevation change throughout, something to keep in mind when you are training for it. Overall it was a great time.

I was pleasantly surprised how wonderful this race was. So well organized, and all the volunteers were friendly. Salt Lake City is beautiful, the snow-covered mountains are eye candy. For not having had much time to organize this race, the director(s) did a great job.

Salt Lake City is a great host city and this marathon had a lot going for it in it's favor. The main issue for 2012 was the transition from Devine race direction to the new owners of the race and the uneasiness that it gave us 'out of towners' that would fly in to the race, not knowing if the event was actually going to go off. The race did go off and although communication of the details was limited, it actually went very smoothly. No race goodie bag and no information sheet telling you how to get a drop bag, where the drop would be, what train to take to the start, etc., which created some unnecessary worry. The race overall was very scenic once you get off the main hwy thru town and although the temperatures were high, no water station I encountered ran out of fluids. Course is downhill and flat, but there was a significant incline from about mile 11.5 to past the half marathon point and one of about three blocks leading up to the temple at the end before turning left and providing a nice downhill to the Union Pacific train station (little over 1/4mile). Hopefully the race direction ownership is settled and this race can provide a more secure feeling in the future for those of us that had to travel to the event and were told that even if it is cancelled, there will be no refund. In addition to providing more information, the race directors need to detail the course map better, as very few streets were labeled and previewing the course was difficult. Kudos to the police department for blocking every cross street on the course. From my experience in many marathons, I have to say that this race had the best police protection of any event I have entered, and logistically, there were a lot of cross streets encountered. The small but enthusiastic crowds were also appreciated as well as the volunteers at all the aid stations. We stayed at a Hampton Inn downtown and it was very convenient to the expo, to catch the TRAX to the start and about a 4block walk back from the finish as well as an indoor pool and hot tub that came in handy before and after the race. The location is also convenient to the airport. For a Saturday race with an early start, I would think this would be a good choice for those wanting to do a double in one weekend.

It was my first visit to Salt Lake City and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I was a bit worried about the change of organization so close to the race date, but it was probably one of the better organized marathons that I have run. Pros: Great city, easy course Well staffed aid stations and plenty of police support at all road crossings Beautiful medal Small expo (which I personally prefer) Cons: So-so t-shirt A race held on Saturday morning. This made it extremely difficult for out of towners to get to the Friday expo before 7pm. Overall, great race. Thank you SLC!

To a great degree, the Salt Lake City marathon was a positive experience. The important things (those related to the race itself) were done right, but there were too many smaller (and admittedly less important) things that Devine got wrong, suggesting a lack of customer focus and doing things on the cheap. First the good news: 1. The scenery at the beginning of the course was beautiful. Running with the Wasatch Mountains in the background was a real treat for this flatlander from the east. 2. TRAXX ran at increased frequency, making it easier to get to the start line. It was crowded, but nothing out of the ordinary for a Metro rider from Washington, DC. 3. Packet pick up was a breeze and the volunteers were helpful and friendly. 4. Plenty of sports drink and water handed out by friendly volunteers. 5. Gear pick up was great-the handlers saw me coming and had my bag ready when I arrived. They were also very friendly (seems to be a pattern). Now the not so good news. 1. It took me 3 emails (which were never responded to) and 3 phone calls to get Devine to send my 'age group award' What was it? A generic finisher's medal-not a special age group award medal, but the common garden variety finisher's medal. In each of the 6 communications, I clearly stated that I was looking for my age group award. This was quite disappointing and has left a sour taste in my mouth about the race as a whole. 2. No pace groups. In an event of this size, pace groups are the norm. Why not this one? 3. The goody bags were about what you'd expect from a neighborhood 5k, not from a race of this size. The bags contained a few fliers hawking goods and services-nothing else. What's the point? 4. The goody bags were supposed to be used as the gear drop bags, according to the event web site, but the bags were flimsy plastic shopping bags. Mine was already ripping when I left the expo. To its credit, Devine did offer sturdy gear bags and permanent markers at the gear drop off point, but there was no way that we would know this in advance. 5. The finisher's medal was a nice design, but exceedingly generic. The medal did not specify the year or date of the race-but there was '2011' on the neck ribbon. Nothing really wrong with this, but it gave the sense of medals on the cheap-they could reuse the same medal next year and just substitute a new ribbon. It sent the wrong message.

Ran the 1/2 marathon this year, and I have to say that the race organizers stepped it up this year. The one area that needed attention, the clothing bag pick up, was organized and handled much better than in the prior two years - and that makes a huge difference. Course was well marked. Aid station at mile 8 for the 1/2 marathoners needs a little attention spacing-wise and help with both water and PowerAde distribution. Post-race support was very good. A great early-season event. All in all, very good. Volunteer effort was excellent and spectators were great, as always.

This was my third half marathon. I made it to Ogden and Pocatello in 2010. This one ranked right in the middle of those two. The Good: the course was entertaining and beautiful for someone who doesn't know Salt Lake all that well. It was a nice representation of all that SLC seems to be about. Started up at the University of Utah, wound its way through quaint neighborhoods, the Sugarhouse area and ended appropriately downtown with a jaunt past Temple Square and the Gateway Plaza. As far as organization goes, it was pretty well done. TRAX was easy to use (if you got on early enough) and post-race bag pickup was efficient as well. The Not So Good: Even the Pocatello Half Marathon I ran in offered Gu, bananas and orange slices at aid stations. For an event of this size, I really was appalled there was no more than just water and Powerade along the course. Especially since there was so much food at the end. Shift some money and resources to the aid stations rather than having so much food at the end. The spectatorship was a little underwhelming as well. Not much better than at Pocatello, and that's saying a lot considering the contrast in population. Also, the shirt this year was absolutely hideous. I would be embarrassed to use it as a car-washing rag, let alone run in it. Awful mustard yellow color with a huge sticker on the front. A huge disappointment.

This is a good race, but I'm not sure I'd do it again, especially considering how expensive it is. The course is nice, although a little boring at certain points. The weather is perfect this time of year, and the volunteers and spectators are great. My only complaints are that there are no gels or other type of fuel besides PowerAde at the aid stations (for the price of the marathon, there should've been SOMETHING else available), and that the marathoners have to weave around the walkers and half marathoners for the first part of the run. Different start times for the half and full marathon would help alleviate that. It's hard to find your groove when you're weaving around other runners/walkers. Overall, a good, well-organized run, though.

Devine appears to care about running the race on a shoestring budget. This could be a great race, but under the current race management I doubt the future. I will forward my comments to the mayor; we need change in 2012 - a new race director is in order. No potholes were marked on the course. I saw two people twist ankles. Not enough porta-potties. Long lines at every aid station and the beginning. No food or GU on the race course (except provided by spectators). For 90 bucks I would expect more. But Devine has had 8 years to run this race, and I see little improvement in that time. I will not run this race again, and advise other to skip this one next year.

This is the second year I have run this marathon. I will summarize pluses and minuses. Pluses: Numerous port-a-potties Great volunteers Decent course Minuses: Can be expensive if you sign up late Aid stations only have Gatorade and water (just be aware) Fan support is kind of weak, in my opinion Weak schwag Poor t-shirt design Overall, it was an okay marathon. I wrote a much stronger positive review last year, but after doing other marathons in Utah and elsewhere, I see that you pay a lot for not much in return. I am just not sure where all the money goes. I spent $95 and signed up over two months in advance. I almost would rather just pay the great volunteers out of my own pocket. The schwag was nothing compared to what I have received at cheaper marathons and the shirt this year looked like a bib painted on a t-shirt. We didn't even receive safety pins in our grab bag. The medal was pretty cool, I have to admit. I am from Salt Lake City and some of the fans were great, but others just kind of stared at you while you passed. At the end in the Gateway, I could have heard a pin drop as I came across the finish line. Kind of disappointing. There were some great people who were handing out oranges, bananas and other things, and I am so thankful to those people. There was an ice cream stand at mile 8 and I had a beer at mile 21 at the "temptation station," which really hit the spot. My complaints are probably nit-picky, but I just think this marathon is very close to being great if they just stretched your dollar a little more and the fans could be a little more supportive of the runners and this race. Course: The course is beautiful just because of the mountains in the background, but there are not many turns and in several areas you end up just going straight down the same road for quite a while. Didn't bother me, but it might be more interesting if we did a few more turns. First half is pretty much gradually downhill. The last 13 are pretty much flat, with a bit of an uphill at the end as you come up State Street, where many people were forced to walk. I would advise signing up super early if you want to do this marathon. I only spent $65 last year and felt like it was worth every penny. Maybe I am just bitter that I signed up too late....

This was my second SLC Marathon. I really like this event and will be back again. Aid stations were top notch. Police did a phenomenal job keeping us safe. My only complaint is that full marathoners make a loop through a park and merge with slower half-marathoners who fill the street. It is hard to navigate that section and find your groove. Yes, the hill in mile 24 is hard - but it's more mentally hard than physically hard. Finish is great! Good shirt again. Pretty good medal. While I prefer the Ogden Marathon, this one is definitely worth it.

The course elevation chart may be a little off. That two-mile hill at the end was gradual, but I'm sure it gained more elevation than the marathon website showed. (If not, it sure appeared that way). There was a special aid station for quitters somewhere around mile 17 - I think. It was hilarious. The sign read, "you know you want to quit," and they were handing out shots of what looked like Whiskey in dixie cups to anyone who would simply give up. That was so funny that I laughed for about 2 miles. Salt Lake is clean, and since they hosted the Winter Olympics in 2002, it is really a beautiful city to run.

All in all the event was fine, but it is clearly eclipsed by at least three other marathons in Utah for various reasons. The expo was very disappointing - there was almost nothing there. I did not find the pasta party, and people/runners simply were not hanging around on Friday before the race. By not holding the expo on Saturday, people where either going home from or coming from work, which limited the time runners had to hang around and socialize. I much prefer a Sunday race, since it makes the event feel like it is the entire weekend. The course was nice enough and gave you a pretty good tour of Salt Lake City. The police support was first-rate, but if they could find a way to spread the decline over a larger part of the course instead of all at once at the race start, it would be nice. The spectators were sparse but enthusiastic. My real complaint was the organization. The post-race handling of the checked bags was very poor. This is a event in a first-rate city which has too much potential to be great not to have someone put some real time and effort into ramping it up to create a truly top-notch event. Salt Lake City should not play second fiddle to Saint George and Ogden.

Thank you to the race organizers and volunteers who made this year's marathon (2010) a great experience. Course: I loved the race course. State Street and South Temple ARE Salt Lake and it is a rush and a privilege to be able to run on them. The course on State Street really only starts to rise for one block (between 1st South and South Temple) and then it is downhill the rest of the way. PLEASE do not change this. The previous finish via 4th Street/West Temple/2nd Street was not interesting or important to me. Running by Temple Square was an honor. Organization: This marathon is as well organized as any race I have been a part of. They do a superb job. This holds true for each of the three years I have participated in this marathon. Spectators: Fewer than past years. However, the ones who were there were very helpful. Thank you to those who gave the oranges at mile 10 and around mile 20. Constructive Suggestions (not criticisms): 1) I would like to split off from all of the half-marathoners sooner. This may involve altering the start times by 15-30 minutes between the marathon/half-marathon. The same aid stations could still be used and it should not cause significantly more congestion of the finish of the two races at Gateway. 2) With the appearance fees paid in the past to elite athletes now eliminated, I would like to see the entry fee lowered to be closer to those of other marathons in Utah. It is the same now as it was during those years of elite runners. I think this will attract more runners to the marathon. Summary: A great marathon and it is my hope to be able to return annually for many more years to come.

This was a good marathon, but not my favorite. I can't complain about the organization or volunteers at all. The volunteers were prepared, happy, and a joy to be around. Using the Trax system to get to the start is a great, no-stress way to move everyone. The course was generally flat to downhill and I enjoyed the areas that we ran through. The crowd was enthusiastic, but sparse for a big-city marathon. I did enjoy running into the Gateway and the crowd that was there. The food after the marathon was plentiful and good. I really enjoyed the burritos that were being passed out. I have heard that there was a problem with the bag pickup, but I arrived after the majority of the half runners and mine was found quickly With just over 1,000 running the marathon and over 4,600 running the half-marathon, the marathon felt like an afterthought at times. There were no pace markers to help people start with others going the same speed. That made for a slow start. At mile four the marathon split from the half and then joined back up at the same spot after making a mile-loop around a park. This put us with a lot of slower runners that we needed to navigate around. Although I don't use GU, some of the other runners I was with were looking for it or some other food at the aid stations. The runners' area was a parking lot that required a long walk to get through. There was no place to lie down or stretch without doing it on the warm asphalt. A grassy area would have been nice. It was also too far from the course to watch others finish without leaving the runners' area. These are small complaints, but enough that I will go to a different spring marathon next year.

This was the fifth year I've run the Salt Lake City Marathon. The fact I keep doing it says it all - they do a very nice job. The organization is excellent. The shirt and medal are very attractive. The course is generally pretty good. There's the hill at the end, which had most people walking up it at mile 24.5, and a section where you run on a "freeway" for a couple of miles, but the rest of it is very scenic and pleasant. There are not a lot of fans, but those who are there are enthusiastic. The volunteers are very supportive and helpful. If there were a special ranking for them, I'd give 5+ stars. I'll run this race again, but's it's been disappointing to see fewer and fewer marathoners at the race each year. I think there were only about 1,100 this year - much fewer than the first year I ran the race. I think the half-marathon, which shares the marathon course for the first 7 miles, is slowly eating up the marathon. That said, it is still a very good experience.

This was fairly well organized but I would suggest the organizers add some sort of food (gel or bananas?) on the course. I looked for gel at every aid station; there wasn't any. The spectators were few but very friendly. A big shout-out to the two who passed out orange slices around mile 10. I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! The course was awesome, very beautiful and through interesting sections of town. I'm used to running through a city's seedier districts and this one was no different. I don't expect a city to shut down its best and busiest streets. I loved the finish at the Gateway. The police did an EXCELLENT job of keeping runners and traffic separate. Overall, I would recommend this one to anyone.

My third marathon, and the hardest yet for me. Seeing the course elevation, I imagined it to be mostly downhill. The downhill is pretty much done in the first 10 miles, and then you get some ups and downs. The 25th mile was the hardest since you can see the road sloping up. Very well organized with police at every intersection making sure the runners were safe. Got a little warm after 10:30 a.m.

Great course through the city of Salt Lake. The net elevation drops about 700 feet, mostly in the first half of the race. The course ends with a lot of spectators at the Gateway. Some organizational flaws that can be easily corrected in the future: ran out of water for slower runners at some aid stations, had to wait in line for 1-2 hours for gear bag after the race, awards ceremony delayed over an hour and a half because of timing glitch (that was eventually corrected). Salt Lake City is a terrific venue for a marathon and this race has a lot of potential, with a little more attention to details. On a more positive note, the course was well laid out and the officers did a nice job directing traffic. The aid stations were good, except the ones that ran out of both water and Gatorade. They had good food at the end of the race.