Brian Yowler's Staging Area

As a 50-states Club member (or Maniacs), there were tons of extra “VIP” perks provided that were amazing! If you are in either of these clubs, do this race!
-Lots of free on-street parking in downtown Tulsa on race day.
-The course itself is hilly and not interesting. It simply winds through the neighborhoods of Tulsa. From this standpoint, it’s like any other small city race.
-However, what makes Tulsa stand out is the CROWD support! SO many folks are having parties at their homes, and they are happy to share!
-I lost track of how many jello shots, fireball shots, and beer samples I took along the way! Even some of the official aid stations had BEER!
-If you are looking for a lightning fast course, this isn’t for you. There are SO many turns and small climbs on this course.
-If you aren’t super concerned about the clock and want to have a great time running a marathon…RUN ROUTE 66!

Everything about this race was simple, but well-organized. I highly recommend!
The race is small, so parking and logistics are all very easy. I arrived about 45 minutes before gun and was directed to park just beside the trailhead.
Course: 2 identical loops of nearly all single-track and fairly technical (rocks and roots) trail. However, the first mile is an out-and-back on the paved road to spread out the field of runners (great idea!). There are also a few places where the trail is flat and wide, and although technical, most of the course is “runable”. There is over 3,000 feet of elevation gain over the entire race, which is expected for a mountain trail marathon, but each climb is manageable. Overall, a great trail race!
Swag: Very nice, quality hoodies instead of shirts! Love it! Thanks for something different! “Medals” are large and wooden, which is appropriate for the race. A cold beer and a delicious grilled burger post-race certainly hit the spot before my flight home.
I traveled alone to this race, so it wasn’t a big deal for me…but the only real “negative” would be that spectating is almost impossible (therefore, there are NONE on the course). The trail is not easily accessible (to my knowledge) from anywhere but the trailhead. Therefore, spectators only see runners at the start, halfway, and then the finish.

Overall, this is a very well-organized, solid marathon. There’s nothing terribly unique that sets it apart, but it’s a good race.
Pre-race: Parking was free and readily available beside the finish area. The indoor football field was a nice area to relax prior to the start. Perhaps most importantly, porto-o’s were PLENTIFUL!! Corrals were also well-organized, and the start times were accurate. I appreciated the attention to detail.
Race: The first half is a loop around Lincoln, while the 2nd half is an out-back to a park. It’s all relatively flat with some rolling hills. There’s only one significant hill in mile 19. We did run past the capitol building in the first mile or so of the race. Otherwise, it’s mostly residential and paved bike paths. I’m not a Huskers fan, but finishing on the track was cool.
Spectators/Aid stations: This was by far the best part of the race! The spectators were plentiful and the number of aid stations (especially in the 2nd half) were fantastic…especially on a hot/humid day. Lincoln comes out to support their race!
Swag: Shirts are nice, medal design is cool, and I appreciated the ability to do an shirt exchange at the expo. They also emailed a link to your clip of finish line video, which is a nice touch.

Beautiful 2-loop race through the Arizona desert! Watching the sunrise as you run the first loop was simply breathtaking. The first half of the 15-mile loop is a slow, but steady climb with a few rocky parts. However, the 2nd half is a nice gradual downhill, which was especially wonderful finishing the race! The entire trail is perfectly “runable”, although I walked a few of the short hills to save energy. There’s only about 1000 feet of elevation gain per loop, so by ultra trail standards, it’s relatively flat. The race was small and the organization was great! As a first-time ultra runner, I got a great little cactus trophy at the finish! The only negative is that there were no finisher medals.

This race was well-organized, but there’s not much to be excited about here. Pre-race: The expo was small and disappointing with very few vendors. It seemed like only the major race sponsors had a booth. The race shirts were soft, but sizing was small. When I asked about an exchange, I was given a firm “no”.
Race day: The number of porto-johns was embarrassingly few. If I actually waited in line, I would’ve missed the start of the race. So, I waited for a few miles and stopped mid-race. The course rolled the entire way. My garmin indicated over 1400 feet of elevation gain! There’s no avoiding this in Atlanta, so forget the PR or BQ. There were very, very few spectators and no on-course entertainment (if you are looking for that in a city race). The medals are fine, but nothing special. The post-race food selection was small and typical.
Overall: I was already in town for the Olympic Trials and I needed to check off Georgia for my 50 states goal, so this race worked out well. However, I certainly would NOT make a special trip for this race otherwise. With the huge number of marathon options out there, Atlanta doesn’t offer anything that makes it stand out from the rest. My advice…move on…there’s “nothing to see here”

This is NOT the race for a BQ or a big PR, but it’s worth doing. The first 8 miles are brutal, including several long uphills and downhills. However, the 2nd half is flat with a big downhill section before mile 18. So, if you are patient, you can run a big negative split (mine was 10 minutes). There was also really GREAT crowd support (for a mid-sized race) and on-course support from volunteers. As part of the I-35 challenge, this was overall a great experience!

I’ve run over 30 marathons, but have never run one on a trail. This one was amazing! It’s really small, but well organized. The course is mostly single-track trail, but very “runnable”. The full marathon is 2 loops around Timothy Lake with very rewarding views of Mt. Hood! There are 2 significant hills on the course, but it’s mostly flat. If you want a great Oregon experience, I’d highly recommend this race!

Packet pick-up was among the quickest I’ve experienced. The swag was awesome…short-sleeved tech-shirt PLUS a nice fleece quarter-zip! Overall, the marathon was well-organized and very easy to navigate. I stayed at an AirBnB less than a mile from the start/finish. It was an easy walk to/from the race, so no transportation needed. Pre-race bag check, restrooms, corrals, were all very nicely organized. The weather was absolutely perfect…40’s and overcast. The course was solid, with a few miles along the lakefront (although with the fog/clouds, there wasn’t much to see). The rest is mostly through residential areas. The uphills after mile 10 are slight, but provide a challenge. However, you get to come back down those hills during the last few miles, which is amazing! The only 2 negatives of the course are the out-and-backs, especially the last one, and nearly a complete lack of spectators. I’m fine without big cheering sections, but the out-and-back takes a real toll mentally after mile 20. Overall…a solid race. Recommended.

Monumental is a nice race that’s relatively flat and potentially fast. The course is not all that interesting. It’s simply a loop through the neighborhoods of Indy. It’s well organized and worth running. However, it’s not a destination race, unless you are doing 50 states.

There is plenty of free parking near the start/finish at Broadway at the Beach.
The “yeti-like” coffee mug has become my favorite piece of swag!
The course is obviously pancake flat, but since a large portion (miles 8-16) is in 1 direction, a headwind can kill you. That was the case this year. A really strong headwind killed my time. Without the wind, this course could be fast.

2 loop course around Presque Isle park. Shaded and flat!
Plus…you can hang out on the beach and take a dip after your race. If you are looking to PR and get a last minute BQ, this is the race for you.

I love this race! It’s a pancake flat, 2-loop course that’s spectator friendly. It’s shaded almost the entire way, and temps are always nice. Presque Isle is also an awesome location for a race! You can take a dip in the lake post-race and hang out on the beach. Also, stop by Sara’s on the way out of the park for a chili dog and some ice cream. Erie is a great place for a short family vacation, too! If you are looking for a new PR/BQ, this is THE race to do.