Morgan Valley Marathon

I have lived in Utah for over a decade and I can't believe I had never run this marathon. What a gem! You get so much for the money. A nice shirt, a beanie with the marathon logo, a beautiful finisher's medal, a pasta-meal the day before the race, race organizers that care about the details, good volunteers at well-stocked aid stations, an absolutely beautiful course, and I could go on. One thing that surprised me is how much I enjoyed the small field and the quiet of running in the scenic setting of Morgan and the surrounding towns. The course is not easy with the rollers in the last 10 miles being mostly uphill. The upside is that the course is easy on your legs. The course was so quiet that the miles simply ticked by and it seemed that time went by so fast. What little spectators were there were very enthusiastic. The finish line area was well-stocked and you even got a very good post race massage included in your entry! Finally, the logistics were super simple since the start and the finish are in the same place. No bus to the start. MVM is a great marathon and a great destination race.

An amazingly well-organized race clearly put on by runners for runners. Everything they did made sense, it would be hard to improve on anything! I don't know why there were only 150 runners in the marathon (maybe they limit it?) but it might just be a well-kept secret. As a 50-stater, this was my Utah race, and I could not recommend it more highly! Plenty of accurate comments are listed below in previous years' reviews - all of which held true for this year, too (although I would consider this pretty flat with the hills b-a-r-e-l-y rolling). Put it on your list, and bring your family for the weekend - it's an area that is easy to access from SLC airport and has plenty to do for everyone. I gave the fans a 5 because this race deserved 5 stars and every one out there was awesome, although there were only a few fans - no bands and hoopla here if you need that. Thank you, MVM!

Marathons in Utah could learn a thing or two from the organizers at MVM. I have rune this marathon 4 times, more than any other Utah marathon. I do it because it caters to the runner in every way. The start time is spot on. I am usually done between 9:30 and 10:00 and home by 11. The course is great with just enough rolling hills to keep you honest. The aid tables are hands down the best of any marathon I have ever run. The post food is what post race food should be. And finally mile 23, where coke products are offered, in addition to the Gatorade and water, is genius. I live for mile 23. I will be back next year, and the year after, and the year after that...