Expo was small but was sufficient. Parking and buses were great! Very well organized! It was such an awesome race start with camp fires and sunrise, gravel/dirt roads for the … MORE
Expo was small but was sufficient. Parking and buses were great! Very well organized! It was such an awesome race start with camp fires and sunrise, gravel/dirt roads for the first six miles. Many rolling hills throughout the course, but no major inclines. Volunteers did a great job! Long sleeve wicking shirts and medal was perfect! I think they were even very informative with the information that they supplied on their website.
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Beautiful Course
Expo was small but was sufficient. Parking and buses were great! Very well organized! It was such an awesome race start with camp fires and sunrise, gravel/dirt roads for the … MORE
Expo was small but was sufficient. Parking and buses were great! Very well organized! It was such an awesome race start with camp fires and sunrise, gravel/dirt roads for the first six miles. Many rolling hills throughout the course, but no major inclines. Volunteers did a great job! Long sleeve wicking shirts and medal was perfect! I think they were even very informative with the information that they supplied on their website.
Enjoyable experience, small-town feel
I went for the scenery and because I love Arizona. The course was fairly flat, overall downhill but some minor ups and downs to stretch the legs. Well-organized start, shuttles … MORE
I went for the scenery and because I love Arizona. The course was fairly flat, overall downhill but some minor ups and downs to stretch the legs. Well-organized start, shuttles were very convenient with no waiting. Fun campfires in the staging area! Plenty of port-a-potties with little to no waiting. Great scenery running down gravel road for first 6 miles. Did not enjoy parts of the course that were on busy roads with lots of traffic, but that was fairly short-lived. The weather warmed up quickly into the 70s which took a toll on this New England runner! Struggled through the last six miles, but the cold towel around mile 22 saved me! Great swag and photo op with the Lost Dutchman and his mule Mary!
my overall race expeirence
The medal is super cool and amazing. The on course support and crowd support was so amazing. I will definitely be making a return trip for the full marathon. Got … MORE
The medal is super cool and amazing. The on course support and crowd support was so amazing. I will definitely be making a return trip for the full marathon. Got to see some spectaular views during the race
Run for the Gold
The course was fairly flat throughout. There were a few small hills, but not too difficult. Good organization with many vendors at the race site. The course was well marked … MORE
The course was fairly flat throughout. There were a few small hills, but not too difficult. Good organization with many vendors at the race site. The course was well marked and the support from the aid tables was excellent. Having the packet pick up spread over multiple days, with one closer in town made it a breeze to complete. I was very impressed by the shuttle – I highly recommend parking in the lot and taking the shuttle. The driver got us there and back quickly. I ran this race years ago once time as an 8K. This was the first time I ran the half. Nice photo op with the miner and donkey after the race. Good views of the superstition mountains
Well run race & great volunteers!
Did someone say bacon!? Yes! One of the aid stations actually gave out bacon & avocados! This is a very well organized race with plenty of scenery and just the … MORE
Did someone say bacon!? Yes! One of the aid stations actually gave out bacon & avocados! This is a very well organized race with plenty of scenery and just the right amount of difficulty.
Get Lost in this Scenic Run
The first time I ran the Lost Dutchman, I knew I would be back for another. Seeing the firing glow of the sun peaking behind the mountains that early in … MORE
The first time I ran the Lost Dutchman, I knew I would be back for another. Seeing the firing glow of the sun peaking behind the mountains that early in the morning was enough reason. Despite the running crowd, you can feel “lost” from just the great view alone. It’s one of those races that have found a permanent place on my running list year after year. It’s made up of all the best race ingredients: great weather, flat course, fun-filled and well-managed.
Should do it once!
Very, very small expo--but easy to get to and pick up bibs! Shuttles were great and parking was easy. Amazing morning scenery of the Superstition Mountains. Course was flat, mostly … MORE
Very, very small expo–but easy to get to and pick up bibs! Shuttles were great and parking was easy. Amazing morning scenery of the Superstition Mountains. Course was flat, mostly with some gentle rollers. Great aid stations/volunteers. Looong stretch of road to the turn around that had my mind wondering–so I just focused on the amazing cacti and coyotes running amok. Overall, Id say everyone should do this race once–then after you relax for a bit—go visit the Hole in the Rock and maybe hike the trail not far from the turnaround! Its beautiful!!
Beautiful course w/ nice weather
Lost Dutchman offers beautiful course with great running conditions from start to finish. Race starts near to Superstition Mountain with camp fires going on before the start to keep the … MORE
Lost Dutchman offers beautiful course with great running conditions from start to finish. Race starts near to Superstition Mountain with camp fires going on before the start to keep the runners warm and cozy. It looks amazing in the dark. They also provided a bus for runners to stay warm inside instead of being outside in cold. I chose the option to stay inside the bus as didn’t wanted to inhale the smoke due to my allergies. There were some snacks, coffee, hot water and enough porta potties.
Race started on time as soon as sunrise started happening and initial 6 miles are on the dirt road with beautiful views. After that the remaining 20 Miles course is on the road going through residential areas and freeways. One of the aid station around Mile 14 (if I remember correctly) had bacon and donuts. Aid station at Mile 16.5 had the best volunteer cheers giving high fives to all the runners! Loved crossing the Wall at Mile 24!
Overall it’s a small size race event and managed very efficiently with lot of great volunteers. If one is looking for scenic course and don’t care about spectators cheering for them then it’s a must do race. This race comes 2nd best in Race Raves for state AZ and the 1st one is Rock n Roll. I did Rock n Roll Half Marathon in 2017 but if I compare my personal experiences then Lost Dutchman would be my 1st in AZ!
Unique race
This race is run in a combination of dirt roads, country roads and city streets. Each has its own unique scenery. It is cool in the early morning but warms … MORE
This race is run in a combination of dirt roads, country roads and city streets. Each has its own unique scenery. It is cool in the early morning but warms up quickly.
Put this on your marathon bucket list.
You can tell a lot about a race organization when the weather is bad. The good races, adapt, the bad race directors blame everyone else. The Lost Dutchman, fortunately falls … MORE
You can tell a lot about a race organization when the weather is bad. The good races, adapt, the bad race directors blame everyone else. The Lost Dutchman, fortunately falls under the good race banner. Instead of the usual dry sunny day for this race, it was wet and cold. So, since they could not have mats and fires to wait for the start, they left the buses at the start for people to stay in. The volunteers were amazing. The course is very scenic. The bacon and donut stop was well received. In fact, the only thing anyone could say is a negative about this race is a lack of spectators … which does not really bother me since I love running with my fellow runners. Loved the “wall” at mile 24. Highly recommend the race.
Solid Race Overall
I completed the marathon in 2017. Here are what I consider to be the strengths: Packet pickup was easy and staffed by many friendly, helpful people. The race shirt is … MORE
I completed the marathon in 2017. Here are what I consider to be the strengths: Packet pickup was easy and staffed by many friendly, helpful people. The race shirt is solid. I will actually use it instead of donate it. The volunteers were amazing. The 2017 race was in rain the ENTIRE time but the volunteers were still out in force cheering and keeping us hydrated. The aid stations were great. They were frequent enough that I never got thirsty. There were also a good amount of food at some of them. I had bananas on multiple occasions. One station had oranges. Another station had bacon and donuts (AMAZING!). I brought nutrition for my run, but could have done it entirely with what the race provides. The first 6ish miles are gorgeous. You run on a trail through the desert. It’s mostly downhill so harness that race energy so you don’t trash your quads early in the race. The course is well marked with large mile signs at every mile. The busses to the start and from the finish back to your car is easy. I walked right on a bus each time and waited a few minutes at the most. I also appreciated that we don’t meet up with the other races until much later so crowding was never an issue.
The less than awesome parts: 2017 was run entirely in the rain. This is obviously not the fault of the race in any way. It was a bummer to miss the bonfire and star gazing at the start of the race. I would have loved to watch a sunrise over the mountains. The views could have been amazing but the low clouds and rain prevented all of that from happening. While I loved the first 6 miles of the race, many of the last 20 were a little bland. Some of it is running through suburban neighborhoods. There were also stretches of running along a highway with traffic close to you.
Overall the positives absolutely outweighed the negatives. I was looking for an authentic Arizona running experience and I got it. If you are like me and want to run a marathon in every state, the Lost Dutchman is a solid choice for the Grand Canyon state.
Fire and sun rise from the mountain top!
You get bussed to the top of the mountain, where you get off the bus and see small groups of people huddled around the fire, sharing stories. Shortly thereafter the … MORE
You get bussed to the top of the mountain, where you get off the bus and see small groups of people huddled around the fire, sharing stories. Shortly thereafter the sun rises and the view in the dessert is breathtaking. Truly a spiritual experience you will never forget. You run down the mountain along trails, which is amazing too. Not a fan of running in the hot sun on the highway, but hey, it was worth it for the one of a kind race start! Would love to do this one again!
If you HAVE to run in AZ...
I'm trying to run all 50 states, or else you couldn't compel to me run a distance race in Arizona. I don't care for hot weather, and I really don't … MORE
I’m trying to run all 50 states, or else you couldn’t compel to me run a distance race in Arizona. I don’t care for hot weather, and I really don’t care for RUNNING in hot weather! That said, I picked what I thought would be the lesser of all the Arizona marathon evils, and I’m actually glad I did!
This is one of those races that’s been around for a while, so they know what they’re doing and it shows. My experience, from start to finish, was positive. I arrived in Phoenix, rented a car, and stayed at a hotel in Mesa. It was an easy stop along the way to pick up my bib and shirt at a local running store and get that errand done (I never linger at expos long so this was great). There are many restaurants in the area and I had a nice relaxing Friday afternoon and Saturday in town. I drove out to the start Saturday morning to get a feel for where I’d need to park and check out the finish area, which was helpful.
Sunday morning I drove in the very early hours before even eating breakfast (I saved it for the bus ride so I didn’t eat TOO far ahead of the start). Parking at the rodeo grounds was simple and there were volunteers directing cars to spots so it wasn’t chaotic, even in the pitch black. After parking, I strolled right onto a marathon bus which drove us out to the start. It was chilly but nice, and the ride is long enough that I was able to enjoy my bagel, PB, and banana.
The starting area, in my opinion, is really the coolest part of this race. There are lot of volunteers around with breakfast foods, hot coffee, water, etc. There are lots of portajohns (amazingly, I never had to wait in line), and the absolute best thing is the array of campfires set up neatly by all of this. It’s a great place to warm up, talk with friends, and make new friends. Definitely enjoyed this part the most.
The start was organized well with a few last minute announcements. We went on the gun, and the first several miles were quite pleasant on grated dirt roads in the hills. The sun was rising behind us and it was very pleasant. I carried my hydration pack since I knew I’d get hot, and was able to take pictures with my phone periodically as well.
The course itself is nice. Pretty flat but with a few hills that you definitely feel. You run through some neighborhoods, there are nice mountain views in the background, etc. but there are some flat, dull highway portions as well. Of course, it’s hard to find a race without some boring bit somewhere in the 26.2 miles, so it was fine. The only downside to this race, in my opinion, is the temperature, which if I’m being totally honest, wasn’t so bad. I just don’t like heat so it makes me grumpy! But it was a beautiful day and the volunteers and folks cheering helped take my mind off of it.
The aid stations were good and had plenty of water and gatorade, and a few of them had Gu’s and cold towels too, which was awesome. Towards the end they also had a “wall” that you ran through which was a nice symbolic gesture!
I usually don’t walk during marathons, but I did end up walking towards the end of this one, finishing in 4:12, about 20-30 min slower than average. I blame the sun and temperature, nothing the race officials could control! The finish was good and I lingered in Prospector Park for a while listening to awards. The medal was GREAT, very solid with a unique image and coloring.
Overall, definitely recommend this race if for no other reason than its outstanding organization and unique race start area.
Scenic Arizona, Great Temps
The course is an out and back with beautiful views of Arizona at sunrise. The course had no shade but fortunately with it being in February, the temperature is comfortable. … MORE
The course is an out and back with beautiful views of Arizona at sunrise. The course had no shade but fortunately with it being in February, the temperature is comfortable. The half marathon is the second half the full marathon. Great medal and great course support. Altitude was not an issue.
Magical Start - Death March Finish
The race starts on Superstition Mountain. You get bused up there before dawn and dropped at a camp site (for lack of a better word) that is already set up … MORE
The race starts on Superstition Mountain. You get bused up there before dawn and dropped at a camp site (for lack of a better word) that is already set up with scores of small campfires with mats next to them. They have hot beverages and snacks as well as lots of porta-potties. I sat on a mat next to a campfire and star gazed, amazed at the night sky of the desert. When the sun rose, we all saw that we were next to a majestic red rock cliff that looked amazing with the morning sun dancing across it. The start line is on a dirt road . The first 6 miles are down this dirt road in the middle of the desert. The scenery is breath taking and it is down hill. The first half (give or take) is down hill, the second half is mostly up hill. If you are on the slow side you may find that it gets pretty hot as the sun rises. Also, there is no shade. Part of the race is on a high way, which meant a bit of car exhaust, most of it is on fairly empty stretches of highway. The support was fabulous, the town is friendly and easy to navigate. I loved the race, but wish I had trained more down hills.
Fun
Only did the 10k this year because I didn't like the medal for the half lol. The 10k was fun and enjoyable. I recommend this to anyone who wants to … MORE
Only did the 10k this year because I didn’t like the medal for the half lol. The 10k was fun and enjoyable. I recommend this to anyone who wants to see a beautiful side of Arizona.
Beautiful start, so-so middle, harsh end
This is a race that, like the Flying Pig and Grandma's, has a certain allure to it that makes its way through running groups. Everyone seems to know about this … MORE
This is a race that, like the Flying Pig and Grandma’s, has a certain allure to it that makes its way through running groups. Everyone seems to know about this race, even if it’s not a large one. Drawn by that mystery, I ran it and left with a mixed opinion. The start is gorgeous, at a sandy camp under the desert sky with various campfires to keep runners warm. After 10k of running on a rocky trail beneath the Superstition Mountains, runners end up on the highway and then alternate between long stretches of uninterrupted asphalt and winding through neighborhoods. If the entire race had been like the fist 10k, I would have been in love. Sadly, that was not the case. However, the production was spot-on, with incredibly friendly volunteers and race-day logistics that deserve accolades. Lastly, the medal was beautiful this year, already one of my all-time favorites.
I remember a flat course
This race was a long time ago, but I remember it as flat and fast. It was the perfect temp: not too cold, but not warm. Swag could have been … MORE
This race was a long time ago, but I remember it as flat and fast. It was the perfect temp: not too cold, but not warm. Swag could have been better, but it was the half instead of the full. Would definitely run it again, though.
Wish this race could remain a secret
It's a Boston Qualifier. You take a bus to the start. The start is staged in a big valley with lots of small fires with yoga mats where you can … MORE
It’s a Boston Qualifier. You take a bus to the start. The start is staged in a big valley with lots of small fires with yoga mats where you can chat to fellow competitors and stretch before the race gets started. It is held in February so if your’e motivated by the fear of sucking in a race like I am. Then its great to keep you running through the cold dark winter months. Point to point course – rolling hills and mostly flatish. Race Directors are awesome and really care. Small crowds and true local fans! Run this race- it was my first and best marathon experience.