Bear Lake Marathon - Utah

This race is the third of the "Trifecta" - Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah, in that order - and this was my second of those (I skipped Idaho). I loved the Wyoming leg (separate review) and I really liked this one too. Setting aside that it is a later race, it is significantly more challenging than Wyoming. The elevation didn't seem to bother me much even though I came from sea level, but unlike the Wyoming leg, this has a 2-3 mile trail path that is hilly, slightly rocky in parts, and new for me as a mostly road runner. So expect more effort if you're planning the trifecta. And the sun is relentless, with shade along maybe a couple hundred feet the entire race, even with a 7 am start. As for safety, this is along mostly country roads, most of them quiet, and I had no problem with local traffic, but you do need to be mindful of it. The race has a small field (I think around 70 this year) but I have found that to be a major plus as the runners were very supportive, with a lot of 50-staters who bring a positive vibe, along with family that would follow their racer along the event. This made up for the fact that without those people, there would be very few spectators except for maybe the first and last mile. Beautiful views and really a nice out and back. I found the organization and support to be excellent. It's small and informal, but robustly supported for the size of the race, with water/snack stations (mostly manned) every 2-3 miles, appropriately placed and spaced toilets, and clear trail markings with very little chance of getting lost. (The only turn I almost missed was right at the 26.0 mark when there is a little u diversion on a city street that your mind wants to ignore when you can clearly see the finish line. An attendant or sign there would be good in addition to the trail markings that were there). The support from the volunteers and the friends of other runners really made the race. I really loved this race, which was my first back-to-back marathon run. I highly recommend it.