Christopher Stephens's Staging Area

There’s a more thorough review of the course elsewhere on this page, but I would just remind everyone that this course is entirely at a high elevation. Because of that and the fact that the course re-route took us up straight, with no flats at all, for the last 7 miles, this was my slowest half ever.
Also, while I get that this is a small event, the website and communication are, well, not great. The shuttles from the hotels were a little confusing, and the whole pre-race set up did not inspire a lot of confidence. Likewise, there’s confusion over whether this is a 13 mile race or a half marathon. My watch was a little short.
But oh, those views…

Stellar production values. Even better views. Yes, it’s up hill for five miles, then down hill, and no, there aren’t many crowds, but oh, that scenery. I normally sneer a little at people who stop in the middle of a race to take selfies, but I certainly took advantage of the views to snap some pics on this race.

… that Jackson Hole is at 6,200 feet of elevation. The course is flat, but the air is thin. And oh, the scenery! The Vacation Races people who stage this race are pros, and the number of repeat customers at these events show that they have earned that loyalty.
Given the nature of the event, there are lots of logistical challenges – getting to the start, getting back from the finish, etc. There were a few snafus related to traffic issues (when there’s only one road to get to the start and it gets blocked by construction…), but everything worked out in the end.

(Marine Corps Marathon), without so much of the running. Not as much crowd support, but still enough people with signs to keep you cheerful. Good race production (they’ve been doing this for 40 years). A nice autumn race.

Well organized, with a pleasant course through nice neighborhoods, as well as going past the state capitol towards the end. Great hot breakfast served at the finish (inside the local minor league ballpark, home of the Montgomery Biscuits. So, yes, they served biscuits). Not a whole lot of crowd support, but not complaining.

Be prepared for an early start and lots of humidity. The course is flat, a loop around a lake, followed by a run past some pickleball courts, into a very nice suburban development and back. Support was fine – not the most exciting event, but it got the job done.

After 45 years, the organizers definitely know what they are doing. The logistics of a point to point race can be tricky, but the production was seamless. There were frequent shuttle buses to the start, and since the start line was open for over an hour, you could start as soon as you got there, or you could wait a few minutes for a “mass” start. The scenery is unmatched – 13.1 miles of Rocky Mountains. The route follows what I assume was the main road along the creek before the interstate was built, and while the air is thin – the start is at over 8,000 feet, you lose a thousand feet of elevation along the way, with very little climbing, except for one cruel hill about a tenth of a mile before the finish.

The “Viking” in the name is a reference to the company that makes Viking stoves, which is headquartered in town. The race is small, very, very flat, and it winds through town – not a very big town, but pleasant.

The combination of heat, humidity and hills made this one of my slowest half marathons ever. I realized early on that this was not going to be a fast race for me, so I concentrated on enjoying what I could. There was surprisingly excellent course support, and lots and lots of water and Gatorade on such a hot, humid day. Did I mention it was hot?

The race production is top-notch, and there was good fan support along the way. Not too hilly, and the course ended with a lively festival. Nice combination of roads and parks.

Easy packet pickup, central location for the start/finish, lots of food at the end for the runners. Mostly flat course, with one steep hill right before the end. Surprisingly consistent fans cheering from the side.