Marathon 2 Marathon - Race Reviews

As noted, this was my first time to run this race and enjoyed the whole weekend tremendously. This race really matters to this small town and you could really tell their hearts and minds were into it! I frequently train alone so knew what running a lonely West Texas highway would be like, but enjoyed the scenery more than expected. Like most marathons, the view from the ground is more personal, special. Organization was solid, despite a record number of entrants. We stayed at the Marathon Motel & RV Park. Weather and food were great. No need to leave town. Spectators were phenomenal -- when there were some, hence the 2 -- but that was to be expected. Only regret was being a slow marathoner the free beer was gone and the lunch pickings a little thin by the time I got there.

This is the most fun I have had at any race of any distance. With a small town and fairly small race, my children were able to run around and play without my wife having to worry about them getting lost in a crowd. The water stations were perfect. The race people very friendly. The course was beautiful. There was not a building in site until mile 25. I would highly suggest this race to anyone. Sure you don't get a lot of stuff in your race bag, but whole doesn't already have tons of that junk already anyways?

The finish line was a truly positive experience because of spectator cheering and excitement. Fantastic food at the finish line where runners ate at the tables and could encourage others crossing the line. Ambulance availability was constant because it was mobile throughout the race cruising the length of the course (it seemed like more than one ambulance even). Hwy patrol cars also cruising the course and monitoring safety. Some confusion about the van/bus transport from Gage Hotel to start line(s). Race director should have taken a megaphone and assured runners that everyone will get on a bus to start line even if it's standing room only. Please state on the web site that packet pick-up is possible on race day morning as well as night before. For those of us driving in that morning it was a question mark leading up to race day starting moments. The awards ceremony and after-party were pretty cozy.

Marathon 2 Marathon Marathon, TX Saturday, October 16, 2010 8:00 AM The Marathon 2 Marathon (M2M) was created in 2003. The point-to-point, west-to-east course starts at the outskirts of Alpine and ends in Marathon. Elevation is about 4,000 feet. It is run on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 90. M2M is a small marathon. Packet pick-up was on late Friday afternoon in Gage Hotel, where many of the runners stayed (I stayed in Marathon Motel). Each runner received a short-sleeved cotton T-shirt and was treated to a very good spaghetti dinner. Race day temperature ranged from mid 50s to mid 80. It was sunny and very dry, which made hydrating very important. The runners could either take the shuttle from the Gage Hotel to the start line in Alpine or drive to the start and take the shuttle back to the start line. There were water/sports drink stations at every other mile. I recommend carrying your own water bottle. There were mile markers. The race was chip-timed. The route was being monitored by EMS personnel. As expected, there was no crowd support. Each finisher received a nice medallion. There were plenty of recovery food and drink items at the finish. In short, it was a well organized marathon in a small community. One friendly recommendation: please post the results. As of 25 October, the results were not posted on M2M's website.

Great race. First time for me. I would like to know my official time, though.

Marathon 2 Marathon is run in an area described as: "Loved by many, despised by others, but home to the adventuresome." This was my fourth marathon. The wind offered the "adventuresome" element and the scenery is unforgettable. A person would be hard-pressed to find as fine a place to run as in the far West Texas high desert. "Thank yous" go to all of the people who worked this event - the safety/road crews, the water stop people, the start and finish line volunteers, and the event organizers. Special thanks go to DJ for fixing my aching feet and cramped legs at the finish line. I was fortunate to have run three events in the Big Bend area in 2009. M2M is the most recent and longest distance. I will do more events in this area as I find them. Pax et amor (and hope to see you next year)!

This was my third M2M. The headwind from mile 5 - 14 was brutal, but after that point, it was OK. This is still my favorite marathon, although it does have some quirks. This is the only marathon I have run three times, because I know if I can finish this one, I can shoot for a PR in the next one. The high altitude and headwind are great for training for my next race. It's a great marathon.

Race support was superb in every respect. I really appreciate state trooper and sheriff vigilance in keeping the highway traffic speed down. There was no buffeting winds from traffic - just the abundant wind Mother Nature provided. This is my first "small" marathon and I'll be back to do it next year. Thanks, organizers!

This is a prototype point-to-point grassroots hometown marathon. I honestly don't see how it makes any money from entry fees, and there are a lot of hard-working folks in the background. The multi-start, one-finish approach (there is a half and a 10K too) gives running families different options but maintains the feeling of separate races. The weather this year included 20-mph wind in the face for nearly the entire race; otherwise, I would have given five stars for the course too. I dislike courses with a lot of turns, and this one has none. We camped at the Marathon Motel the night before and enjoyed the star party at McDonald Observatory nearby after the race. If you like to be pampered, this race is not for you, but if you are the self-sufficient type, then you will get along fine with the locals (who embody the term) and you'll enjoy yourself.

If you like big-city marathons with glitzy tech shirts and thousands of spectators, go elsewhere. If you like friendly people, beautiful countryside and a memorable experience in a picturesque small town, take the long ride to Marathon, Texas for Marathon 2 Marathon. The course was 100 percent asphalt, so it was easy on the legs. (The entire race was on the shoulder of a state highway, but this is not a populous part of Texas and traffic was not bad.) The long, slow inclines were challenging, as was an incredible wind. Unfortunately, the marathon is a point-to-point with no turns, so a headwind at the start is a headwind for the entire 26.2. Aid stations were two miles apart. This was a little sparse, considering the dehydrating effects of altitude, wind and dry climate, so bring a hydration system. This was a totally rural, totally unique event. (A Brewster County sheriff's deputy started the race by firing a shotgun into the air; the finishing chute was made of corral panels.) The T-shirt was cheesy and the goody bag was skimpy, but it's hard to hold it against these good, friendly folks. It's probably hard to pull off a marathon in a town with a population of only about 450. This was a cool event! I'd like to do it again.

The wind was howling at 5 a.m. but had calmed a little by 8 a.m. (start time). It kicked back up at mile five and pretty much pounded us the rest of the way to the finish line (steady at 20 mph, gusts to 30 mph). Otherwise the weather was great (low temp/low humidity). I think it was around 50 degrees at the start and maybe in the mid-60s when I finished at noon. Water/Gatorade every two miles, and porta-potties every six miles. I liked the point-to-point, zero-turn course. Even though it has a big net drop, we didn't get to feel it much due to the wind in our faces. The course is a tad long. I've heard this from a few people who have worn Garmin's in past years. Several of us measured it at 26.4 this year - not a big deal. There are very few spectators on the course. I stayed at the Gage - a great hotel. I had the pasta dinner on Friday night, and went to Alpine for dinner on Saturday. Johnny B's (in Marathon) is a great spot for breakfast/lunch. Skip Marfa.

I did this race in '07 and came back to do it again. This is a great small-town race with wonderful people at all of the water stops and the finish line. It's well organized, with lots of police support and EMS. It's a straight-forward, no-frills race that is organized well. My comments are all positive about this race. Now, a word about Mother Nature: she really kicked up the wind a notch between mile 4 and mile 14. Brutal head wind. The course has a net altitude decline of something like 400 feet, so one would think this course would lend itself well to a PR. But I think that headwind will be a challenge for even the strongest of runners. I want to offer a huge thanks to all of the police officers, fireman, and EMS staff, as well as the race organizers, water stop personnel, and the folks at the finish line. The friendly people of Alpine and Marathon, TX make this a good race to do. But I think PR's are elusive on this course.

This was my first marathon, and it was perfect for me. I'm not much into crowds or pacing off others or having them do the same to me. Just a straight road in the west Texas desert. Beautiful solitude. It was small enough for my family to be able to pull up wherever they wanted to cheer me on and hand off supplements, etc. It is a small-town organization, but I think that's the beauty of it. I only gave three stars for spectators because it's not exactly a course that's made for them. The water break booth people were great, as were all of the people at the end (they individually deserve five stars each). Be prepared for wind! I felt like I was in a wind tunnel the whole race and it made the uphills insane and the downhills feel like uphills. I was just glad that I finished, and thanks to all of those who got there before me and cheered me on! I'm going to make this one a family tradition, and next time we'll hang out for the post-race festivities and maybe hit Big Bend.

I have run this marathon twice. It is by far my favorite. It is a "small-town" marathon, so if you are looking for a big-city marathon experience, you won't find it here. You will find great people, pretty scenery, and a truly unique course and race. Prior to running this, research the area, altitude, water stops, weather, etc., to avoid any surprises. As I said, it is a small-town, grassroots effort, but it's well done. This is really what running is about. I will do it again next year.

Course is beautiful, weather cooperated, and it was a wonderful race. Marathon was "intimate," if any 26.2-mile event can wear that moniker. Unlike the previous poster, I drove to the start, and didn't have to stand around for long beforehand, as was clear would be the case from reading the pre-race info. I did, though, have to wait awhile for a ride back to the start. Such is life with point-to-point races. This was my 10th marathon. I've run NYC, Houston, Austin, Niagara Falls and Twin Cities, among others. This was my most enjoyable race by far. Even the trucks whizzing by on US 90 weren't a problem (the race is run entirely on the highway's left shoulder). Don't expect fans, crowd support, or shade. Do expect West Texas mountains, few hotel rooms in town, and water stops every 2 miles. Incidentally, the water stops had water, PowerAde, and free GU (an unexpected but nice touch). I too would have appreciated water stops every mile after mile 20. I'll definitely do this one again.

2008 had great weather but standing at the start for 1 1/2 hours before the race (with only 50 marathoners) was ridiculous. The course was fast and the water stops well staffed but being able to see for miles got old after awhile. Seeing the finish from 6 miles out was hard on me. Drive yourself to the start.

I participated in the '08 half-marathon. Most of the info on the website doesn't match the info given at packet pickup. The course is uninspired, most of the aid stations were unmanned, and a traffic cone placed every mile served as the safety measures. I have asked for my finishing time but have not received a reply to my email. Results are still not available online. Rather bland shirt and medal. Other amenities are pretty much lacking. Probably my least favorite event ever. Please note that I participated in the half-marathon, not the full - though both are on the same course. For the half marathon we had timing chips but no timing mat at our start.

I missed 2007 because I was overseas when I should have been training. I was one of the few locals who ran in 2006. It was a great experience. There was no wind to speak of and it was a nice, flat course. The scenery was nice, but I live here, so I am used to it. The weather cooperated as it was cloudy and maybe broke 70 degrees by the end. The volunteers at the aid stations were great... although towards the end a few more stations are needed. As with others, I expected to pay $50 for registration, but was told it was $60! The food was vending machine-quality at the finish and the t-shirt was nothing special. Still, I will go in 2008 because it is so close.

My husband and I have been running this marathon for the past four years. We live in Texas and try to run all local marathons every year. It seems like this marathon instead of improving is getting worse every year. The aid stations are 2 miles apart, and if it is a hot day, they don't accommodate you by adding more stations and you are out of luck! The race used to be 50 dollars, which is a lot for a small race with a cheap shirt, but we were charged 60 dollars even though the application says 50! BAD.... The food after the race used to be something to look forward to, but they don't have it any more because the local restaurants are losing business!?!? Even though none of them were open after the race! I won a so-called first age group award and asked for it after finishing and was told it will be mailed to me. I received it nearly 2 months later. The award is a piece of wood that says M2M 2007! There is no mention of place: 1st, 2nd or 3rd! I have won many awards, and by any measure, this is the worst.

They said that the hard part was getting there. Boy were they right on that! My family and I drove almost 500 miles to get there. I highly recommend staying in Alpine as there are more hotel and restaurant choices available. The added benefit is that almost any hotel in town is within a few miles of the starting line. My Garmin reported a 600' climb in the first 10-11 miles and then a 1000' drop in the remainder. The wind was definitely a hindrance, but like one of the other people said - with the low humidity - it was still good weather in spite of it being in the mid 70's. I agree with the others: plan on an extra day so you can visit Big Bend NP - you won't regret it or forget it. Also the Terlingua Ghost Town is a neat place to visit on the way to Big Bend.

This was my second marathon. It's a small marathon, only about 70 people, but pretty well organized. Plenty of water. Volunteers and law enforcement were great. Several portable toilets located along the course. The course is beautiful. It starts in Alpine, Texas and finishes in Marathon, Texas. You run over rolling desert hills through a valley located between mountain ranges. You can see the finish line from 4-5 miles away. The wind coming over the mountain pass during the first 12 miles was rough, but the extremely low humidity was a lot more pleasant than what I'm used to running in. Unlike most people, I stayed at the Holland Hotel in Alpine, which is a college town located in the Davis Mountains. There are more lodging and eating options than in Marathon. Running this race was also a great excuse to make side trips to Big Bend National Park on Sunday and to the star party at the McDonald Observatory on Saturday night. A good experience. I'll do this one again.

I really enjoyed this race - 95 percent of the time I was by myself and it suited me fine to run peacefully in such beautiful surroundings. It was quite warm and windy, but nothing too bad. Just be aware there is no shade at all and prepare accordingly. The road is gently rolling and easy on the legs. It was open to traffic, but in my opinion, it was not very busy compared with other open-road races I've experienced. Aid station volunteers were excellent. I never go to pre-race or post-race parties, so I can't comment on the ones here. I stayed and ate at The Gage - good food. I suppose the race shirt is nothing special, but I didn't go for the shirt. I drove 400 miles for an enjoyable run and some good memories, and I was not disappointed. I'd be happy to return.

The race gets worse every year. 3 years ago they had a real nice post race feast. Now they have junk snacks. There is no place to get a decent meal in Marathon. The few restaurants/cafes appeared to be closed. You have to drive to Alpine to eat. There is a party the evening after the race. Food is for sale and it is BYOB. There is a pasta party the night before the race, but that means leaving early in the afternoon to arrive in time from any city in Texas with a population over 50,000. The website said the price of the race was $50, but they charged $60. The race is $65 on line which is expensive considering that they didn't have energy drink until mile 12. Up to that point it is was just water every 2 miles. The T-shirt is a plain, thin and white, $2 cotton with sponsor's ads covering the back. Some volunteers were wearing nicer shirts that had the highway 26.2 miles to Marathon logo. Why didn't the runners get those? The aid station volunteers were friendly and caring. The course is on the shoulder of Highway 90. There wasn't much of a police presence on the course this year and that resulted in a few cars and trucks cruising past us at 70MPH+. It was like running a marathon on an open interstate highway.

This was my second marathon. The elevation change is about 400 feet. The first half is slightly uphill, and the second half is slightly downhill. The 15 mph headwinds on the first half were a bit rough. Easy course to follow; straight down the highway. The water stops were every 2 miles. During the last 6 miles, it really would have been nice to have a water station every mile. There was 1 porta-potty at the start; 2 would have been better. Overall, I really enjoyed this race. The volunteers were heaven-sent. This is a very small race on a relatively flat course. Only slight inclines and declines. You can see the finish line from about 5 miles out, so that's motivating! I would do this race again. Thanks to all the volunteers, organizers, supporters and law enforcement officials.

Very well organized, small, point-to-point race. Shuttle from the finish to the start and vice versa depending on whether you stay in Marathon or Alpine. You can't get lost running this race because it is a straight shot down the highway. The course is not closed to traffic, but the sheriffs keep traffic moving slow. It is somewhat hilly, but temperatures can be mild despite the fact that the race is through the desert. The scenery is beautiful. The post-race food is good and they have a post-race party in the evening. This race gives you lots of time to think because there about 12 spectators, not counting rabbits. Aid station support is good. Medal is OK. The 2006 shirt wasn't great, but hey, it's an inexpensive marathon. If you have a chance, visit Big Bend NP.