Calgary Marathon - Race Reviews

Calgary is one of my favorite cities, with the lovely Bow River through town and views of the Rockies. This marathon sells out because it is well organized and responsive to participant needs, with more than 1,000 volunteers helping. For example, the full marathon has pacers from three hours down to 4:30 at five-minute increments. (I led the three-hour group.) Further, the Calgary Stampede grounds have a lot of room for hosting a good crowd. The course has a few rolling hills and a couple of hairpin turns, but it is not bad for speed. This year there was wind and rain, so that made it a bit tougher. There is a slight downward gradient for the second half of the course, which helps you come home strong. As far as crowds go, they were a touch light, at least when you consider there were 10,000 participants (1,000 in the full marathon). However, they might also have been low on account of the weather. I would love to run this one again, primarily for the location and positive atmosphere among the runners.

Calgary Marathon 2018 was a loop race with start and finish in the famous Calgary Stampede Park. There was a large crowd at the simultaneous start of 50 km, marathon, half and 10 km runners. The course was not very exciting in mostly residential areas and a nice flat section along Bow River. Organization was above average with one exception: on a hot May race day there was NO ice-cold water at the stations, especially at the final kilometres. Only after the finish line we could cool down.

This was my second marathon and the first in the city where I live. (My first marathon was in Paris in 2014.) First, the race is superbly organized in EVERY way. Advance communication, logistics, route marshals, water stations, medical support and volunteers were all amazing. These aspects are world class. The course is NOT AS FLAT as some people expected. There is bit of a climb from 10 to 15 km. It gutted a number of people I talked to after the race. Since I train here, it was not a surprise. The course is A LITTLE BORING and with only 900 or so runners in the marathon, it gets a bit lonely. (I train alone but loved the 42.2-km mob of the Paris marathon.) There are water and Gatorade stations every three kilometres but no calories. (Paris had oranges and bananas, which was delightful.) The Calgary crowds are light but growing. (I did the Calgary half marathon in 2014.) The T-shirt was odd: a new design with heavy, rubberized screening that seemed unlikely for a running shirt. The FINISHER MEDAL IS IMPRESSIVE. The website did not convey the size and weight of a medal that doubles as a belt buckle - an appropriate and iconic choice for a city known for its western hospitality and Stampede. Some people complained that the ultra marathon, marathon and half marathons all start together. It may be a fair comment but with fewer than 5,000 people in total and excellent signage and sorting, it is managed well. (I missed the half marathoners when the marathon takes a turn to add the extra 21.1 km; the running group thins by about 80 per cent.) Overall, it is a very fine event. (The half marathon is really excellent: 5-star course.)

The Calgary Marathon has tripled in size over the last 10 years and is starting to look and feel like more than a local race. The race is very well organized. The location for the start and finish provides ample space to move around before and after the race, and there was never a lineup for anything (except the indoor toilets). The volunteers are amazing, which is typical of Calgary. Parking nearby is a challenge, so use public transit, bike, or take a cab/car share. The first 2/3 of the course itself is not easy, but the last 15K is mercifully flat. We locals who train at this altitude (3400 ft+) don't notice it, but sea level runners will find the hills tougher. For that reason, Calgary will always struggle to attract serious destination runners. Faster runners may find themselves running alone for long stretches (see the results and you'll know what I mean). The fan support along the way is sparse, but apparently growing each year. I see below that some don't like the belt buckle medals, but I love them and will wear mine at the 2015 Calgary Stampede! Only complaints are: 1. The food selection after the race was a bit limited. 2. The expo needs more space - way too crowded and not enough space for the speaker series.

The people of Calgary were great. I was really excited to be running this as a destination race. Unfortunately, when I finished the race, I was not doing well. I wanted a banana half or an orange slice. I was told that those were only for the 50K runners. I have never been to a marathon that treated the marathoners as second class citizens. Sadly, I won't be back.

Fifth time running my home town marathon, and finally, with a few minor concerns, the Calgary Marathon is at last coming of age with an event worthy of the city. Pros: - good registration and package pick-up. - fast, efficient gear check on race day. - Good start and finish areas, decent attempt at seeding runners at the start. Still a bit crowded getting to the start, but nice wide roadways for the first couple of kms is a big improvement over the cramped starting conditions at the previous location. - excellent water stations, great course marshalling and traffic control. Okay, but could be better: - the new route is a step up from the previous one, but there is still room for improvement. Sections through the older parts of the city, 17ave and Mt. Royal/Elbow Park are enjoyable, but the middle part around Mt. Royal University is uninspiring and at times somewhat ugly; it would be nice to have more of the race routed downtown or through more inner city neighbourhoods. The final section along Memorial Drive continues to be unenjoyable, pounding along the hot asphalt within site of the much more runner-friendly river pathways. Overall a decent route but could be better. - Spectators seem to be growing year by year; nice to finally see some neighbourhoods getting out to support the race. Organizers seem to be making an effort to involve the community and it appears to be paying off. Cons: - cramped Expo, not so much from crowds of people but rather from a poor layout that forces everyone through narrow aisles and numerous 'pinch points'. It would be nice to have the option to pick up your race package, T-shirt, etc. without having to negotiate the entire maze of the Expo. - butt ugly medal; even Liberace would be embarrassed to wear that tacky, over the top piece of bling. I know that some like it, but compared to the classy medals of many/most other races, Calgary's comes off as garish; bigger and louder is not always better. Celebrating our western heritage is fine, but those tacky medals have to go. Time for a redesign to something classier that we all can be proud of. Overall, this year's marathon was a step up, and with a few small tweaks could join the ranks as one of Canada's premier events.

Everything about this marathon was a fantastic experience. The weather in Western Canada this time of year is phenomenal. Coming from the southern US, I've been training in heat/humidity and the air up north allowed me to perform MUCH better than I did in training. The expo was great, although a little crowded on Saturday. The race itself was great. All the volunteers were fantastic and very courteous. My only complaint is that the last 2.5 km I came across people finishing the 5k and they clogged up my path to the finish line. I would recommend they get rerouted so they don't interfere with the marathon runners that are coming in late. Otherwise, a GREAT experience and I will come back in the future.

I'm very glad that I ran this race, my first 50k (after over 100 marathons). It was the perfect way to bridge to a longer distance on a road surface (rather than trails). There were so many positives: lots of port-o-potties at the start, on time start, awesome finisher's belt buckle/medal and 50k beer stein, and nice high tech shirt. However, there were so many things that put a damper on the whole experience. First, the expo was not well marked (no signs at all) and was not well laid out (for example, the ends of some aisles were blocked for no reason and you had to 'squeeze' around barriers). The speaker stage was right on the expo floor and for the mandatory 50k meeting (where 500 people needed to attend) crowded out the race shirt pickup area and made movement difficult. These are just some examples of organization that needed work. Also, they made a big deal about 'going green' and carrying your own water bottle to refill at the water stations. But then they 'hid' the spigots behind all the volunteers standing out on the road with cups. I finally just took the cups, as it was easier. And considering the great job with all the port-o-potties at the start, the number on the course for that many people was inadequate. The worst part though was that for the last 2-3k of the race (marathon and ultra), we were 'dumped into' the course where the 5K families and kids were running. Imagine on very exhausted legs while struggling to have a strong finish, suddenly you have to avoid all these kids, strollers, and walkers to get to the finish line. I actually stopped and asked one of the volunteers if I was still on the right course to finish the ultra. One woman pushing a 'racing stroller' with her toddler in it hit me in the back of my foot and almost knocked me over! There really should have been a dedicated lane for the long distance runners, so we wouldn't have had to deal with that. I'm sure this was the first time they has so many long distance finishers on the course at the same time as the 5K (because it was the first time they offered the 50k), but that should have been thought through. Then, once I finished, there were no water bottles (only cups of tepid water which were difficult to get to), and the post race food area was a mess (because all the 5k finishers were crowded in). I just walked away from it. I also never found the beer tent. From a spectator standpoint, my husband said the finish area was disorganized and the family meeting area was one of the worst I've ever seen. We did finish in the stadium, with a jumbotron screen that was cool, but my husband said you couldn't tell where the runners would be coming out and the material explained things differently than reality. In closing, it was a worthwhile experience and as always the volunteers are my heroes. It's just a shame that some areas lacked organization and therefore left me with an overall impression that it could have been so much better.

So organized and efficient!

This course seemed to have too many twists and turns and you never get going in any one direction for very long. I even prefer the old course that went out to Bowness and back. You had a better sense of direction which helps with pacing and knowing where you are during the race. Also the cobblestone road in the East Village is not suitable for running on and you actually go over it twice, and the second time at one of the most crucial points of the race. The half marathoners should not be starting with the marathoners.....I thought this was established for various reasons. The lack of parking at the start/finish makes getting to the race a pain for runners/family members etc. and the only real option is Calgary Transit. Things that were great : the weather, the bag check, the people cheering along the course, the mayor starting the race. All in all a good race.

This is my fourth time participating in the Calgary Marathon, and what a difference this year. Venue, Expo Speaker (Frank Shorter), Finisher medal/buckle, Course all remarkably improved from past years. Excellent jump forward for the positive. Can't wait to see what's in store for the 49th and then the 50th running of this event!

This is the second time I've run the Calgary Marathon (the Half). For 2012, they changed the course up quite a bit from previous years, moving to a much bigger venue of the Stampede Grounds. The expo/race package pickup this year was completely seamless. So easy to get there, easy to find, and no lineups whatsoever. In and out in 5 mins. Race day - parking was trickier b/c of strict parking enforcement, so next year ctrain or drop-off may be the way to go. Entry onto the grounds, finding the race chute, etc was simple and fast. This year there were so many porta-potties and opportunities to walk around/stretch, which is not always the case in claustrophobic start lines. The race started off a bit jammed in places - no corral control (which was fine for last year, but this year it didn't quite work), and despite the wide roads we were running on initially, it was jammed the first 2-3kms before it finally broke up. The course this year was lovely, scenic, and fast. The route they chose highlights some of Calgary's best hidden spots. Running down the center of Ingelwood, Bridgeland, the old Centre St bridge, Memorial Drive - awesome. The course had a good mix of old-city streets and pretty river views. There seemed to be a little bit more up/down with the inclines - but nothing more severe than off-ramps and tunnels. Course spectators this year were extremely minimal, maybe 100 total, likely due to the cool weather, with temps around 1-2 degrees celsius and grey skies. The organization and safety of the course, with the many course marshalls and police presence, was wonderful. I would say the only downsides to this year's race were flaws they didn't see coming because of the new venue and course, which I'm sure will be fixed for next year. The last 3kms of the race had lots of random people walking to the Stampede Grounds for the races later in the day - walking down the middle of the course. Rude and very stupid, considering how many people were dodging around them. Course marshalls did not seem to try and correct this. The very last km into the Grounds itself was also odd. Someone seemed to overlook that the windy road heading into the grounds was completely covered in gravel - a lot of it. It was very dangerous and I was worried for any of the elite runners who would hit this stuff at high speeds, trying to maintain their balance and grip on a windy road in the last km. Entering the Grandstand area was also a bit chaotic. The end chute was not being directed as well as it could have - it was completely congested and trying to get out/find food/find family members was impossible due to the narrow tunnels of traffic. Often my only choice was to ascend the grandstand steps to move, or try and spot any of my family members. Climbing up and down a bunch of stairs after running a race is not exactly something you want to do. It took me almost an hour to locate my family. Other than those organizational hiccups that I'm sure will resolve after the inaugural run out of the new venue, this course and run is 5 star for its ease, beauty, and energy! Calgary is my hometown and you would think it boring to run a race in your own backyard, but this one opens your eyes to many parts of the city you don't normally get to see. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an easy, no-fuss, enjoyable race. Thanks Calgary Marathon! I'll be back next year.

A great race this year. It is nice having an indoor venue especially given the ever-changing Calgary weather. The pancakes at the finish was an added bonus. Great organization at the bib pick-up, both before and during the race and at the finish. Very impressed with my hometown marathon this year!

I ran the Calgary marathon for the first time since 2008 when I ran it as the Stampede Marathon. It's my hometown marathon so I thought I should get out and support the new course. I have run both big city and small town marathons and I have a few comments good and bad about the marathon: The good: 1. I liked the change in the location and I didn't have to pay for parking which was nice. The BIg 4 building has a lot more space and felt more appropriate for this type of activity. Additionally there were not the long line ups that there were for last year's number pick up. 2. The finishers medal is a cowboy belt buckle which is kind of fun and unique for the city. 3. The start time and time of year were appropriate for the run. Last time I ran this it was the middle of summer and the heat was very tough. Additionally redesigning the course and keeping us out of Bowness where the marathon turns into a trail run was nice. The bad: 1. The race is not well organized. I ran my best time but after running for nearly four hours to come up against walls of people walking for the 10k is just unnacceptable it destroyed my focus as I was forced to dodge children, strollers and walkers. 2. Putting a bag check upstair seems like a great idea to keep it out of the way. But after 42km walking upstairs is a cruel and unusual punishment. 3. The expo needs more variety of vendors. The quality of the merchandise was terrible for a race this size. Also there are only so many booths about fitness clubs that I can visit. What about some destination marathons from Canada or the US. I am also willing to pay for some quality merchandise but that was just not available. The Running Room stuff is great but I wanted some branded items as well. In my opinion this was an opportunity gone beggin by the organizers. Finally this was the year of the new course and it was very tough. There is a lot of running through random neighbourhoods which can get a little boring. I would hope we can run a loop through downtown next year past the Calgary tower or Stephen Avenue. Overall I would run this marathon again because it is in my home town but some improvements need to be made.

I just ran the Calgary Marathon this past weekend and had a great time. The race is very well organized and the aid stations are well placed. The course is fairly challenging with a lot of steady climbs for the first half of the race (which translates into a steady downhill for the last 6 miles). The altitude can also be a factor if you are coming from sea level. The course is fairly spread out, so there aren't as many spectators as at some other more central races, but there is still a nice atmosphere. Weather is very unpredictable in Alberta (we had light snow the day before the race!), but at least hot conditions aren't usually a problem. My advice would be to bring clothes for every kind of condition. Calgary is also a great jumping off point for visits to the Rocky Mountains and Banff National Park, so it might make a good "holiday race." I would recommend this race to anyone looking for a bit of a challenge and a good, relaxing weekend.

Living in Calgary for the last 13 years, I really like this course. It's representative of the city. This was my first marathon and I had a great experience. The hills are not bad if you train for them, and if you live here then hill training should be a given. The steepest is the last hill in Varsity and its relatively short. Based on past comments the organization has improved. No problem with bag drop. The food at the end was nothing special - something hot and more appetizing would have been nice. Because of the rain the last few days, the eating/bag drop area was very muddy and quite a mess. The weather ended up being great (+2 to 4C) even though rain/snow was a threat. It might seem cold but again, if you live here then thats what we train in (better than a heat wave anyway). Not much for crowd support. The few bands were actually quite helpful. The race starts with the half marathoners so the running traffic disappears after about 13K. It can seem quite lonely after dropping the halfers so I hooked up with some likeminded runners, which made the last half more pleasant.

Course: Yes, there is a hill and it's a big one. Even if you cruise as gently as possible up, you will likely feel it down. It will slow you a bit. But it's not like they try and hide it. Congestion: (???) Others have said that there was congestion in previous years at the start - there certainly wasn't any for me, at least not compared to other races. Water/GU: I mostly carry my own, but every time I looked for it where it was supposed to be, there it was. Great volunteers shouting out whatever they were offering. Weather: Cold, and I loved it. I heard some didn't. Not controllable. Organization: Great package pickup. I went Friday at 4:30. Smooth and easy. Husband dropped me off by car one block from the start at 6:20 a.m. for the 7 a.m. start (easy). The lines were tolerable (10 minutes at worst, from my experience) at both of the porta-potties and at bag drop-off. I can't comment on the food - I got in a warm car pretty quickly. Fans - Enough for me, and while there weren't tons, they had the odd, great sign ("Sexy men ahead!"), cowbells, and so on. Pretty cold for those spectators. I was a little worried after reading some comments on here from 2009, but I need not have been. It meant I was pleasantly surprised, and my PB was an even bigger surprise. I would recommend the Calgary Marathon to others.

Reading the comments below, I feel I have to share that I really love this course, and after having lived in Calgary for 21 years, I finally chose to run it for my 38th marathon after spectating last year. The course is a very welcome change from the river paths. It is NOT grueling - the only hill is Shaganappi. The university is flat, and the 3 small hills in Varsity, each less than 300 meters, can hardly be testing a runner to the limit if he/she is trained. If you can't run those, then I would venture to say you aren't trained to run a marathon. Thanks for the gels on the course. Incredibly well marked, and traffic was well controlled. I loved having the mile and half split read out. I liked the change in time to May. Fans were great despite the chilly weather. Some changes I would suggest are to offer coffee and something warm like chicken noodle soup at the end, and I could do without a lot of the bands; though I enjoy string quartets, a race is not the right venue. Pacers, from what I could tell, did a good job. This race was really well organized, and I'd certainly recommend it.

I paced myself to run a 3:39 for this marathon; I was very well trained and had recently PR'd in the 10K and half marathon distances, so I felt confident that a full marathon PR was in the cards as well. I guess my legs had other ideas. I do not exaggerate when I say that this race is very hilly. It's not just the Shaganappi hill at 16K, (which is a full kilometer long and quite steep); but there are many more hills (smaller, but you feel them) between 18-30K. The parts of the course that ran through the U of C and the residential areas soon after are beautiful (but there were quite a few hills). I was on pace for a 3:39 by the half, but my legs ran out of gas and I ended up finishing in 3:49. In spite of the cold weather, the volunteers were amazing. The water/Gatorade stations were well-manned and appeared often, and there were also plenty of GU gels available to runners. The start/finish area was also well organized, although they did run out of Mylar blankets by the time I finished, due to the chilly temperature. Although I will say that this was by far the toughest of my 9 marathons, I really enjoyed the camaraderie of the other runners, as well as the excellent volunteers. It was a fun race, and I feel that the experience will help me in future marathons when there are hills (I will be able to look back and say, "It's a hill, but it's not as bad as Calgary!").

Package pick-up location was a bit out of the way, but well run. Small, nondescript expo. Severely understaffed bag drop-off at the start; close to 30 minutes in line meant no time for a warm-up or bathroom break; the volunteers were great, but overwhelmed by the numbers. Numerous water stations, which were well run and evenly spaced; great job, volunteers! There were few spectators outside of the start/finish area. I heard one small brass combo, a one-man band, and saw one steel band setting up, but otherwise, there was no entertainment along the route. As seems to be happening more and more at larger marathons, Calgary needs to look at better organization at the start. With both the half and full marathons, along with walkers, all starting at the same time, and a narrow, winding course for the first few KM's, it was a real mess. It was very frustrating; having to deal with groups of walkers starting in the front row and plugging up the course, and masses of slow runners out at the front right from the start. Stagger the starts of the different races, get the walkers out on the course early, get some signs/corrals up, and make announcements to have at least some semblance of seeding at the start. And now the BIG point: the route. Whoever set this course needs to give their head a shake. This was a new course for Calgary, and if the goal was to create a grueling course designed to test runners to their limits, they were successful. However, as a marathon course designed to promote the city and attract visitors and recreational runners, this course was deeply flawed. Calgary is blessed with a great system of pathways and parks, but this route managed to avoid them all. The hills were BRUTAL. Shagannappi Hill was advertised as being about 1.5K long, but if you include the hilly sections up top through the U of C campus, it was probably closer to 3K of continuous, grinding uphill. After making it up the the killer hill, numerous other smaller inclines awaited in the middle of the route, and then just as your legs were getting truly tired you got to run back down it all again; torture on the quads. I've done other races that are known for being "hilly," but this route (done at altitude) far surpassed anything else I've seen on a marathon course before. Long stretches of the course followed four-lane stretches of major roadways, and while two lanes were shut down for runners, the stream of traffic on the other side added heat, noise and exhaust to the mix. And yet, 20 or 30 feet off to the side were our lovely pathways alongside the banks of the river, which for some reason were avoided by the race route. If cities like Vancouver and Victoria can shut down their pathway systems for a few hours each year for their races, surely Calgary could do the same.... As a local who runs year-round in Calgary, I was disappointed and baffled at this choice of route for what should be our "signature" race. Would I run Calgary again? I'd like to support our local race, but probably won't if the route stays the same.

This was a brutal, difficult course, with hill after hill. Don't do this marathon if you want a PB. Do it only if you want to challenge yourself to a course that is harder than Boston and won't qualify you for Boston. The medal is cool; it doubles as a belt buckle. It's good if you are a cowboy. The shirt was a little lame, but better than the Vegas Marathon's cotton shirt.

Having run several course variants of this marathon over the years, I have concluded that this one is a tactician's course, with a "hill" (1200 meters long), a few shorter (but fairly steep) inclines throughout kilometers 20-31, and some banked surfaces. It's not a B.Q. for those close to the line. I do rate it highly for reasons of varied scenery. Organization is top-notch.

I was brought to the Calgary Marathon to run with my brother-in-law (way to go, David!!) in the half-marathon. Being from the very flat city of Winnipeg, I found the course to be hilly, which was a welcome challenge. I enjoyed the beautiful scenery along the way, but was especially impressed with the volunteers along the route. Our names were listed on our bibs, so volunteers would cheer us on by names - nice touch!! The combination of big smiles and encouraging words kept me pushing it to the end. A big "thank you" goes out to all of the great people who made for a great race!!

I found the 2009 revamped marathon course more challenging than in previous years but very pleasant. Shaganappi Hill comes at 15K, and if you have done your hill training, it doesn't pose a problem. I found that going down this same hill at 31K hurt more, as the quads were getting beat up by then. University and Varsity (17K to 30K) offer gently rolling hills in a scenic, well established neighborhood with supportive families. The last 9K are flat, running along Memorial Drive to the finish in Bridgeland. Both the volunteers at the well-stocked aid stations and the course marshals did a superb job.

I ran the Calgary Half-Marathon and loved it! It wasn't too hilly, there were lots of aid/sponge stations, and there were yummy snacks at the end! I can see how it might have been tough for the full marathoners to run into the sun for much of the last half, but I thought the course was very pretty! I ran a PB (1:45) and would recommend this half-marathon for sure!

Yes, there is a long hill on the course, but if you are looking for a qualifier, then you'll have to run hills sometime before the end of the Boston Marathon.... What goes up, must come down. The hill is long, probably a mile, but it comes before the halfway mark and you'll run down it on the homebound stretch. With the Red Mile and Shaganappi Hill, the Calgary Marathon finally has something to talk about other than, "Ooh, look at the caged animals in the zoo." Bring on the hill.

I live in Calgary and the new course has a brutal hill in it. I aspire one day in my running career to actually run up this hill. It is VERY long and steep. If you are looking for a qualifier, this is definitely NOT it.

Well organized, lots of very friendly volunteers, and a beautiful city. Looking forward to 2009.

This was my 80th marathon, but my first time to run Calgary. I was pleasantly surprised by how flat the course was. The only part that was not flat was the short section through the zoo. No way could you call this course hard, as in some of the comments here. The only 2 things I have to nit-pick about was the unpaved steets under construction around 15-20 miles, but this probably won't be an issue in future years. Also, splits were off by over a minute on 2 different kilometers somewhere around the zoo and near halfway. Other than that this was a well organized event that I would come back for.

This is my second time running the Calgary Marathon. I liked that they had the half marathon runners start at the same time this year - more company for us slowpokes. The course isn't that flat - there is a hill just past the Stampede Grounds and the zoo has some rises, but that is the part of the course that I liked the best - where else can you get cheered on by a mountain goat?! My only complaint is the road surface in the Bowness area was being paved and was uneven and hard to run on. Since it was an out-and-back route at that point, we had to run on that twice, but the people in the area are very supportive and enthusiastic. Love the belt buckle medal. Lots of water/Gatorade stations. It was also nice to have sponges at the water stops. There was quite a bit of musical entertainment on the route. The Elvis impersonator was hilarious - I needed a good laugh by that point. Brooks technical shirts were attractive and it was good they included ladies' shirts this time! Great volunteers and a fun run. I'll be back.

What to say about a race that was so disappointing? I love Calgary and was keen on running the marathon, but I left so disappointed that I shall never run it again. First, it's held during the Stampede, which makes finding a hotel room nearly impossible. Secondly the course is in no way even close to being flat. The winding switchbacks through the zoo were terrible and very tough on the knees. The July heat was unbearable and approximately 1 in 5 runners didn't finish. I actually saw a few expire around me. Fan support was negligible and motorists seemed very annoyed that we were holding up traffic. On a brighter side, local residents did help cool off runners with their garden hoses. Thanks a bundle. I like the finisher's shirt but am reluctant to wear it because I don't want to give any other runners the impression that I would ever recommend this race.

Upon arrival at the expo, I found that my name was not listed, nor had I been assigned a bib number, yet I showing on their computer. So I had to re-register and re-sign a waiver at the expo whereupon they gave me an extra large shirt even though I had indicated my size was medium. They asked me to come by on race day to make the switch, saying it could not be done beforehand. Then there's the course which is popularly described as flat... it's not!! Especially in the early stages through the zoo where the route literally zig-zags for too long!! This made for slow running, no rhythm and wasted energy. On the plus side, there were lots and lots of food and beverages at the finish line where volunteers were great as well as along the course handing out water, sponges and gels.

I ran the half marathon in 2007, and this was my first ever half. I have to say that I thought the race was really well organized - from the race expo and package pick up onwards. The volunteers were great, with lots of enthusiastic folks at the water stations. The course was really pretty, and I especially enjoyed running through the Stampede grounds and the zoo. The pathway does narrow at the zoo and gets twisty, which I really enjoyed, but if it would have been more packed it may have not been as much fun. My only negative comments concern the routing. I measured the half marathon long, and the two overpasses to climb in the last 0.5-mile of the race were tough. Otherwise the course has the odd incline, but for the most part, it's fairly flat. There was plenty of food at the finish (and I liked how they tried to make sure it was for runners only), with lots of bananas, oranges, bagels with peanut butter and jam, cookies, rice pudding, milk and yogurt. The tech shirts and medals were great this year. Excellent job; I'll definitely be back.

I have run this marathon 3 times and each time I have enjoyed it. It may not be the most exciting one but it ranks up there with some of the ones I have run. I found it very well organized, with plenty of aid stations. I enjoyed the run through the stampede grounds and zoo. The run back through Calgary was very pretty. It's a wonderful way to see the city. I found the food station at the end had plenty of food. Not to mention last year the best of the best - a Tim Horton's tent serving up my favorite beverage after a marathon: Tim's coffee. I always have one of these when I finish a marathon and last year there it was at the finish line. Thanks for a wonderful run and hope to be back this year. Also the finisher's shirts are the best ones I have received. They actually fit and are real running shirts. Hope to see you all again this year.

I've run this race twice, and both times I just had no idea when to expect water stations. They are sporadic, and not every mile. I was soooo dry by about mile ten, wondering if I would ever see another station. And when you pay $100 you expect chip times from every mile. I like to monitor my race after the fact. They cut corners in Calgary. Though the shirts have been nice.

Some of the negative comments regarding this race are out to lunch. I ran the full marathon in 2005 and 2006 and it was well organized, with lots of friendly volunteers, and contrary to what's written below, there were plenty of food and beverages at the end of the race. The course is not the most exciting... but it is in Calgary, not Paris or Rome. The route is well marked, there are plenty of aid stations and water/Gatorade stations. They even hand out power gel at several of the stations. The course is pretty flat except for: 1) The portion running from the zoo up to Bridgeland; 2) A tiny bridge on Memorial Drive (both ways because it's out-and-back); 3) The climb up from Bowness Park (once); 4) The small climb from Memorial Drive up to the 14th Street Bridge right at the end. It is a small event, so there's lots of room to spread out, except one bottleneck when you are running through the Calgary Zoo. Paramedics and first aid people are located at strategic intervals and even roam the course on bicycles making sure anyone experience difficulties is helped ASAP. There isn't a lot of fan support, but if you need that to run then you probably need to train a bit harder. The only negatives are the possible bottleneck when running through the twisty-turny paths of the zoo and the possible high temperatures... it can get really toasty really quickly in July in Calgary. Overall, I'd give it at least a 4 out of 5.

I have run this race six times. Over the years it has naturally evolved. The changes I have noticed have made an already great race even better. The course, at least in its latest version, is mostly flat. There are some short hills, but nothing insurmountable. The race starts at 7 AM, which is good because the weather can heat up quickly in July. There isn't much shade the last eight miles or so. The route is on city streets and asphalt bikepath. Traffic (from cars and runners) is not a problem. The organization is first-class. Calgary is a wonderful city, too.