Boise River Marathon
Eagle, ID
- Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Experience the beauty of Boise like never before! The Boise River Marathon offers runners of all levels a unique course that winds along the stunning Boise River Greenbelt — a flat, fast, and scenic route perfect for setting personal records or enjoying a memorable first race. Whether you’re running the … MORE
Local Historical Weather (May 02):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 80 | 83 | 53 | 78 | 65 |
| L (°F) | 47 | 48 | 44 | 54 | 43 |
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Best of the Greenbelt!
My favorite parts of the race: - Pre-race was a good setup, lots of bathrooms, easy start, plentiful parking. - Very scenic route, especially if you’ve run all the other … MORE
My favorite parts of the race:
– Pre-race was a good setup, lots of bathrooms, easy start, plentiful parking.
– Very scenic route, especially if you’ve run all the other green belt options.
– Swag is cool; medal, shirt, Boise 4 add-ons.
– Support was sufficient and friendly. Typical water, electrolytes, and occasional gels.
Areas for improvement:
– Race merging – Most of the Boise races do this and it’s often frustrating. It’s the practice of starting the races in a sequence that has marathoners, halfs, 10Ks, 5Ks, all finishing at the same time. I’m certain it helps coordinate volunteer support, but it is terrible if you’re in the last few miles of a marathon and you’re forced to navigate the sea of strollers, walking walls, kiddos, pets, etc. Those folks deserve a good time too, but it’s less than optimal placing them in the path of the longer distances especially during those final crucial miles.
– Course directions – generally speaking, this was decent, especially in the first 20 miles as I think there were so many signs, flags and helpers, the course was like following the Yellow Brick Road. It faded quite a bit in the final miles leading me to one wrong turn which I was able to remedy with a short backtrack, but in the last mile or two, there was also a helper that had a sign saying “Full” with an arrow pointing in the wrong direction. Ultimately they cased me down and got me back on track, but why?!? That was some straight Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote shenanigans. It didn’t ruin n the experience, but definitely something I hope they look at for next year.
– Finish line – It’s a bit chaotic. They have all races finishing at the same time so you are likely to run into a horde of people and you’ll need to swim through to find medal and nourishment areas. There’s also family and friends in this area, which I kinda like, but it increases the volume 2-fold, so perhaps the first 25-yards of finish could be a runners only area? It’s only an issue if you are performance focused as I suspect if you are in it for the race party vibe, this is probably a plus. Overall, good race that could be great with some small tweaks!
Good race? Depends on expectations?
I have mixed feelings about this race. If I was local to the race, I bet I would look on the race more favorably, as the staff were very nice … MORE
I have mixed feelings about this race. If I was local to the race, I bet I would look on the race more favorably, as the staff were very nice and the course was scenic. But as an out-of-state runner, I had a couple issues with my trip.
The first situation arose when the race changed the course and finish area one month before the event. The staff seemed happy with the change as it allowed for more running of the parks and rivers out the other side of Boise (and it was nice and scenic!). However, I had booked a hotel weeks (months?) earlier and it threw a major wrench into my travel plans (I figured out a solution & to the staff’s credit – they arranged hotel discounts at the new finish area). But maybe you hold off on a change like this until next year’s race?
The second questionable situation I encountered was at the finish line. I wasn’t feeling well and decided to check in with medical. The only problem was that all of the medical volunteers had vacated the finish line area as they went to assist in a situation on the course. Maybe this is par for the course but I’ve never seen an event where all of the med staff were gone from the finish area.
* Packet pick-up was smooth an easy. There was a tent in the parking lot of the finish area. While there were a few vendors, this wasn’t any expo of sorts.
* Swag – the medal was very nice and the race went with a nice hoodie rather than a t-shirt. All good.
* Boise – I enjoyed my stay. No problems with my hotel (downtown) and found some good places to eat.
* Course was mostly downhill and pleasantly scenic. Not difficult & I clocked my best time in the last 4 year (10 marathons). So that was nice.
*Shuttles to the race start were on-time and operated well. Our shuttle driver overshot the turn-off and we had a very brief detour getting back on track. The start area was very low key with a timer mat (not set up when the shuttles arrived) and a couple guys directing traffic & answering questions. Many racers were a little confused upon arriving but it all worked out.
* Finish area amenities were average. Standard food choices. No entertainment. Plenty of space.
— So overall – as a small scale race, this event works very well IMO. A lot of the quirks that caught my attention probably don’t matter much. And even as an out-of-state ‘destination race’, there weren’t a ton of Idaho options and I wanted to hit Boise for ease of travel. I enjoyed my time and don’t regret it, and again – the staff was kind & helpful. But if you choose this race, I’d just encourage you to pay attention as the event approaches & while at the race.
Beautiful river run
this was a point to point course in 2024. The buses lined up at the finish location in the early hours and dropped everyone off 'near' the start in a … MORE
this was a point to point course in 2024. The buses lined up at the finish location in the early hours and dropped everyone off ‘near’ the start in a state park. From the dropoff to the actual start was between .5-.75 miles of walking with the portapottys only located at the bus location and not at the start line so there were some grumpy people. The public restrooms at the park were closed. Once the race started, it was a downhill run into the city along the Boise river on a 2 lane bike/walk path and a short section of sidewalk.
I enjoyed the views but, as a back of the pack runner, there were parts near the end where I wasn’t certain where to go. The after-race had vendor booths and not much nutrition/swag but it does finish at a local brewery if that’s your jam.
Perfect Idaho State Marathon
Flat course with very scenic views of the river. Volunteers were excelent in registration and during the race, plenty water stations. Only issue was the trmendous headwind that the half … MORE
Flat course with very scenic views of the river. Volunteers were excelent in registration and during the race, plenty water stations. Only issue was the trmendous headwind that the half marathoners only ran it with wind at their backs.
Good choice for Boise Marathon
The Boise River Marathon Greenway offers a scenic 13.1-mile course, ideal for runners starting from town and looping back along the picturesque Greenway path. Initially, the path provides ample width … MORE
The Boise River Marathon Greenway offers a scenic 13.1-mile course, ideal for runners starting from town and looping back along the picturesque Greenway path. Initially, the path provides ample width and shading within city limits, but beyond mile 6, the surroundings open up, offering less protection from the elements. While the route generally ascends towards the turnaround point and descends on the return, occasional small inclines and declines keep the run interesting. Passing through the golf course around mile 5 adds a nice change of scenery along the route.
In 2024, participants faced challenging winds, notably a strong 20 mph southeast headwind on the outbound leg, which never seems to offset the returning tailwind.
The check-in process at a local sports store on Thursday was straightforward, involving the collection of bibs and hooded tee shirts. Brooksee Timing, the timing group, utilized GPS chips on bibs, providing accurate mile-by-mile tracking with receivers at each mile. Friends and family could track the actual, not interpolated, progress of runners online in real-time, with detailed split views available on the final results page.
Organization at the start/finish line was lacking. The organizers showed up at 5 minutes to start to set-up the PA system and could not get it working. At the finish, I had to pick my medal and water up off a table as no one seemed to be handing out medals or manning the food/water stations. This is a small race (288 marathon) so some lack of support is expected. The on-course stations were fine – about every 2 miles, and included water, Gatorade, and GU at all stations.
For those embarking on the 50-state challenge, this race is a good option, though there are other races along the Greenbelt in Boise worth considering. It’s worth noting that in 2024, the race coincided with Boise State University’s graduation, impacting travel arrangements with increased demand/prices for flights and accommodations.
Worth Doing.
Beautiful and pristine and Boise is amazing. This race is well run and has a small Town feel. Definitely worth running. The course is awesome and having the chance to … MORE
Beautiful and pristine and Boise is amazing. This race is well run and has a small
Town feel. Definitely worth running. The course is awesome and having the chance to high five the mini marathoners is sweet.
Beautiful and Well Run!
Great scenery. Perfect weather. Plentiful aid stations with friendly volunteers. There were easy to follow flags, as well as volunteers to make sure runners stayed on course. This is an … MORE
Great scenery. Perfect weather. Plentiful aid stations with friendly volunteers. There were easy to follow flags, as well as volunteers to make sure runners stayed on course. This is an up and back marathon along the Boise River and greenbelt. It’s such a beautiful area – and I saw two Bald Eagles today. Jonathan and Jamie, the race organizers, did an amazing job. The race medal and swag are excellent. Highly recommend this one!