| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
| H (°F) | 74 | 84 | 84 | 68 | 70 |
| L (°F) | 48 | 53 | 52 | 46 | 47 |
Extremely difficult for me. The hills are awesome and murder your lungs. The scenery is so beautiful it helps you forget how much you’re in pain. I loved my first … MORE
Extremely difficult for me. The hills are awesome and murder your lungs. The scenery is so beautiful it helps you forget how much you’re in pain. I loved my first half marathon. Only thing I wish I would have trained more incline and decline running.
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For some reason, I decided to run the highest road race in the world as my first-ever half marathon and TBH, I'm so glad I did! I'm a very new … MORE
For some reason, I decided to run the highest road race in the world as my first-ever half marathon and TBH, I’m so glad I did! I’m a very new runner and despite having to wake up at 3:30am in Bozeman to catch the bus in Ennis, I had the best time and I’m looking forward to next year. It was a super chill race, with incredible views and great support volunteers at aid stations (every three miles). There are a crap ton of hills in the first few miles but they’re worth it. Thanks for a great first race!
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Despite the course being insanely beautiful, I will never ever run another race organized by this group. I have run 35 marathons or longer including many trail marathons and ultras; … MORE
Despite the course being insanely beautiful, I will never ever run another race organized by this group. I have run 35 marathons or longer including many trail marathons and ultras; this was the worst organized race I have ever run.
The race advertised that there would be limited support but “some food” at aid stations. There was zero food at any of the aid stations. Zero.
This advertises as a road race, I guess technically this is true, but it is on an extremely poorly maintained gravel road. Lots of cars drove by very quickly on the narrow road with no respect for runners.
At the turn around spot I asked the volunteer where the turn around was and he said “right here” at this point *I* had to yell to the woman who he had let pass the spot by about 50 yards. Then he joked with her that she actually did have to keep going so she turned back around again. I don’t know how he thought that funny or acceptable.
Finally, none of the aid stations had first aid kits!! This is so incredibly unacceptable and dangerous.
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What an incredible experience with absolutely gorgeous scenery. I thought I was prepared by doing lots of training runs at 5-6000 ft but adding another few thousand feet of elevation … MORE
What an incredible experience with absolutely gorgeous scenery. I thought I was prepared by doing lots of training runs at 5-6000 ft but adding another few thousand feet of elevation makes a big difference. It is a difficult course but oh so worth it. Come prepared with lots of water and food but I thought the water stops on course were good. The bus ride to the start is an adventure in itself but it all adds to making a very memorable event. Plan to come and enjoy the jaw dropping scenery, get a PW (personal worst), and save some energy for the hills at the end. The RD is very friendly as well as everyone in the town of Ennis. It is a smaller race but I never felt alone on the course and all of the other runners were encouraging of one another.
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Even though this was my first marathon, I'd like to preface this review saying that I have lots of experience running and competing at a high level at the collegiate … MORE
Even though this was my first marathon, I’d like to preface this review saying that I have lots of experience running and competing at a high level at the collegiate level. With that being said, this race has without a doubt been the hardest thing I’ve ever physically done. The first half is fine, sure there are some steep uphills, but it feels like a net downhill. The second half ate me alive. I swear I should have brought climbing gear to get up some of those uphills. They were killing my will to live. I walked up some hills— I NEVER walk, but I physically couldn’t go any faster. As someone who never hydrates during a run, I stopped at every water station. I would recommend drinking 3 or 4 glasses of water at each one, even if you don’t think you need it. The water stops are pretty spaced out; they feel especially spaced out the second half! All in all, it definitely lived up to the billing and I’m glad that this race was my first marathon! Heck of a job by the race organizer, Sam. Thanks and good luck with this race in the future.
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When I first heard of this race, I had never run a marathon before. The opportunity to run on an open road surrounded by some of the best scenery in … MORE
When I first heard of this race, I had never run a marathon before. The opportunity to run on an open road surrounded by some of the best scenery in the U.S. and in Montana of all places was enough to make me pursue this dream. It took two years to get there, but there I was right next to Black Butte on the morning of July 22, 2017 ready to get this epic run under way. And what a run it was!
While it was easily the toughest race I’ve ever undertook, it went by very quick. The scenery pulls you forward and you just keep wondering what’s over the next hill. Mile 23 was possibly the hardest mile I’ve ever faced in my life. I cursed it at the time, but hours later I found myself contemplating coming back next year. If you get motion sickness like me, the bus ride was the worst part about this race.
Highly recommend this race. The race staff is so friendly and down to earth. I know for sure I’ll be back. Next time, running two marathons.
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This race is definitely unique and a must do. The course is very difficult. The constant uphill climb, heat, and elevation will knock you out. You feel that much more … MORE
This race is definitely unique and a must do. The course is very difficult. The constant uphill climb, heat, and elevation will knock you out. You feel that much more accomplished at the end for sticking through. I will continue to do this race. Race director and team are awesome and friendly. They make an effort to get to know the runners. I also prefer smaller races where you can get to know other runners. It’s nice to see everyone on the course.
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Suggest take your own hydration system and plan to refill on the course. Altitude was not an issue for myself despite living and doing most of my training at sea … MORE
Suggest take your own hydration system and plan to refill on the course. Altitude was not an issue for myself despite living and doing most of my training at sea level. However I did spend three weeks at an evelation of around 5000 feet before the race. Very friendly atmosphere which I really liked. Race was well organised.
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The headline for this race; These Ain't no Pansy Big City Races lives up to its billing. The aid stations are sparce, but the skyline isn't. The view was just … MORE
The headline for this race; These Ain’t no Pansy Big City Races lives up to its billing. The aid stations are sparce, but the skyline isn’t. The view was just breathtaking as the altitude. Don’t worry about the race clock, instead enjoy where you are. I have ran many races where your pace and the clock are the focus of the race, but this was different. I took time to just soak everything in.
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Just like it's advertised this ain't no Pansy Ass City Race,! This race reaches high altitudes with big hills, it is not a race you just comes and run! The … MORE
Just like it’s advertised this ain’t no Pansy Ass City Race,! This race reaches high altitudes with big hills, it is not a race you just comes and run! The views are amazing, it is worth every hard hour!
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Montana is great and the people who live there love it. This was my first off road marathon - I trained at high elevation and worked on long hills, but … MORE
Montana is great and the people who live there love it. This was my first off road marathon – I trained at high elevation and worked on long hills, but the long rolling hills in the last half brought we to a walk. Sam is a great race director with lots of energy and passion. I gave it a 5 for swag since I got a reserve bottle of bourbon from Willies Distillery for coming in first.
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Unbelievable course. Scenery is unreal. Coming from sea level the day before, the elevation was tough. I could breathe fine, no headache or nausea, but man my legs wouldn't go! … MORE
Unbelievable course. Scenery is unreal. Coming from sea level the day before, the elevation was tough. I could breathe fine, no headache or nausea, but man my legs wouldn’t go! There are some long grueling up hills that are near to impossible to run. Starting at mile 1! Eased up by mile 5. Maybe 100yds of flat running in 26.2 miles. Footing is great, aid stations were every 3ish miles. Not a lot of calories though. Water and sometimes Gatorade. I ran with a camelback and was glad I did. PW for sure. Ironman marathon time + almost an hour.
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My previous marathons have all been Asian city based. Whilst I have run some mountain trails in Dalat and Sapa Vietnam, none compare. This marathon is simply breath taking, every … MORE
My previous marathons have all been Asian city based. Whilst I have run some mountain trails in Dalat and Sapa Vietnam, none compare. This marathon is simply breath taking, every corner you turn offers a new stunning panorama. With under 200 participants it is a very personal and fun experience. I ran the first half with my 14 year old daughter and as she approached mile 20, I reminded her of how lucky we were to be here, to be healthy and to be able to run in such a incredible environment. In previous marathons the last few miles are a mental challenge, here the experience is far more serene as the mental duress is extinguished by the splendor if the mountain scenery.
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Difficult in a good way but so beautiful and not crowded! You can just take in all the scenes. The elevation is so high that it stays very cool even … MORE
Difficult in a good way but so beautiful and not crowded! You can just take in all the scenes. The elevation is so high that it stays very cool even though it is summer. I only struggled with the elevation going uphill, so I just walked up the hills. You do need to be self-reliant in water and food, which is tough sometimes. But wear sunscreen! Sun is brutal! I got burned doing the race pretty badly. The shirts were disappointing. Most shirts are now made with running material but these are cotton. I won’t wear them. I will just use them for a quilt. The medals are very nice, though. I will do this race every year for sure since I live in Montana. It’s a refreshing break from running in the city.
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This race bills itself as the highest road marathon in the country. The road itself is crushed gravel, so it's a far cry from asphalt or concrete, but the organization … MORE
This race bills itself as the highest road marathon in the country. The road itself is crushed gravel, so it’s a far cry from asphalt or concrete, but the organization has the hallmarks of a barebones trail race. The logistics are challenging and will require lots of time. Buses pick up from Ennis, Montana and drive about an hour to the finish line, then drive another 45 minutes to the start. The half is a point-to-point and is always either climbing or descending. But the views you get in the process, including some excellent panoramas of the imposing Black Butte, are worth the thin air. Generic medals and not much of a post-race spread though.
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First time Go Big or Go Home!
Extremely difficult for me. The hills are awesome and murder your lungs. The scenery is so beautiful it helps you forget how much you’re in pain. I loved my first … MORE
Extremely difficult for me. The hills are awesome and murder your lungs. The scenery is so beautiful it helps you forget how much you’re in pain. I loved my first half marathon. Only thing I wish I would have trained more incline and decline running.
The Hills Are Worth It
For some reason, I decided to run the highest road race in the world as my first-ever half marathon and TBH, I'm so glad I did! I'm a very new … MORE
For some reason, I decided to run the highest road race in the world as my first-ever half marathon and TBH, I’m so glad I did! I’m a very new runner and despite having to wake up at 3:30am in Bozeman to catch the bus in Ennis, I had the best time and I’m looking forward to next year. It was a super chill race, with incredible views and great support volunteers at aid stations (every three miles). There are a crap ton of hills in the first few miles but they’re worth it. Thanks for a great first race!
TERRIBLE organization
Despite the course being insanely beautiful, I will never ever run another race organized by this group. I have run 35 marathons or longer including many trail marathons and ultras; … MORE
Despite the course being insanely beautiful, I will never ever run another race organized by this group. I have run 35 marathons or longer including many trail marathons and ultras; this was the worst organized race I have ever run.
The race advertised that there would be limited support but “some food” at aid stations. There was zero food at any of the aid stations. Zero.
This advertises as a road race, I guess technically this is true, but it is on an extremely poorly maintained gravel road. Lots of cars drove by very quickly on the narrow road with no respect for runners.
At the turn around spot I asked the volunteer where the turn around was and he said “right here” at this point *I* had to yell to the woman who he had let pass the spot by about 50 yards. Then he joked with her that she actually did have to keep going so she turned back around again. I don’t know how he thought that funny or acceptable.
Finally, none of the aid stations had first aid kits!! This is so incredibly unacceptable and dangerous.
I could not stop saying WOW!
What an incredible experience with absolutely gorgeous scenery. I thought I was prepared by doing lots of training runs at 5-6000 ft but adding another few thousand feet of elevation … MORE
What an incredible experience with absolutely gorgeous scenery. I thought I was prepared by doing lots of training runs at 5-6000 ft but adding another few thousand feet of elevation makes a big difference. It is a difficult course but oh so worth it. Come prepared with lots of water and food but I thought the water stops on course were good. The bus ride to the start is an adventure in itself but it all adds to making a very memorable event. Plan to come and enjoy the jaw dropping scenery, get a PW (personal worst), and save some energy for the hills at the end. The RD is very friendly as well as everyone in the town of Ennis. It is a smaller race but I never felt alone on the course and all of the other runners were encouraging of one another.
Holy shit...
Even though this was my first marathon, I'd like to preface this review saying that I have lots of experience running and competing at a high level at the collegiate … MORE
Even though this was my first marathon, I’d like to preface this review saying that I have lots of experience running and competing at a high level at the collegiate level. With that being said, this race has without a doubt been the hardest thing I’ve ever physically done. The first half is fine, sure there are some steep uphills, but it feels like a net downhill. The second half ate me alive. I swear I should have brought climbing gear to get up some of those uphills. They were killing my will to live. I walked up some hills— I NEVER walk, but I physically couldn’t go any faster. As someone who never hydrates during a run, I stopped at every water station. I would recommend drinking 3 or 4 glasses of water at each one, even if you don’t think you need it. The water stops are pretty spaced out; they feel especially spaced out the second half! All in all, it definitely lived up to the billing and I’m glad that this race was my first marathon! Heck of a job by the race organizer, Sam. Thanks and good luck with this race in the future.
Miserable is Memorable!
When I first heard of this race, I had never run a marathon before. The opportunity to run on an open road surrounded by some of the best scenery in … MORE
When I first heard of this race, I had never run a marathon before. The opportunity to run on an open road surrounded by some of the best scenery in the U.S. and in Montana of all places was enough to make me pursue this dream. It took two years to get there, but there I was right next to Black Butte on the morning of July 22, 2017 ready to get this epic run under way. And what a run it was!
While it was easily the toughest race I’ve ever undertook, it went by very quick. The scenery pulls you forward and you just keep wondering what’s over the next hill. Mile 23 was possibly the hardest mile I’ve ever faced in my life. I cursed it at the time, but hours later I found myself contemplating coming back next year. If you get motion sickness like me, the bus ride was the worst part about this race.
Highly recommend this race. The race staff is so friendly and down to earth. I know for sure I’ll be back. Next time, running two marathons.
Hell on Earth but worth it!
This race is definitely unique and a must do. The course is very difficult. The constant uphill climb, heat, and elevation will knock you out. You feel that much more … MORE
This race is definitely unique and a must do. The course is very difficult. The constant uphill climb, heat, and elevation will knock you out. You feel that much more accomplished at the end for sticking through. I will continue to do this race. Race director and team are awesome and friendly. They make an effort to get to know the runners. I also prefer smaller races where you can get to know other runners. It’s nice to see everyone on the course.
Fantastic venue!!!! Highly recommended!
Suggest take your own hydration system and plan to refill on the course. Altitude was not an issue for myself despite living and doing most of my training at sea … MORE
Suggest take your own hydration system and plan to refill on the course. Altitude was not an issue for myself despite living and doing most of my training at sea level. However I did spend three weeks at an evelation of around 5000 feet before the race. Very friendly atmosphere which I really liked. Race was well organised.
Lives Up to its Hype
The headline for this race; These Ain't no Pansy Big City Races lives up to its billing. The aid stations are sparce, but the skyline isn't. The view was just … MORE
The headline for this race; These Ain’t no Pansy Big City Races lives up to its billing. The aid stations are sparce, but the skyline isn’t. The view was just breathtaking as the altitude. Don’t worry about the race clock, instead enjoy where you are. I have ran many races where your pace and the clock are the focus of the race, but this was different. I took time to just soak everything in.
KIck Ass
Just like it's advertised this ain't no Pansy Ass City Race,! This race reaches high altitudes with big hills, it is not a race you just comes and run! The … MORE
Just like it’s advertised this ain’t no Pansy Ass City Race,! This race reaches high altitudes with big hills, it is not a race you just comes and run! The views are amazing, it is worth every hard hour!
Difficult and Rewarding
Montana is great and the people who live there love it. This was my first off road marathon - I trained at high elevation and worked on long hills, but … MORE
Montana is great and the people who live there love it. This was my first off road marathon – I trained at high elevation and worked on long hills, but the long rolling hills in the last half brought we to a walk. Sam is a great race director with lots of energy and passion. I gave it a 5 for swag since I got a reserve bottle of bourbon from Willies Distillery for coming in first.
Tough
Unbelievable course. Scenery is unreal. Coming from sea level the day before, the elevation was tough. I could breathe fine, no headache or nausea, but man my legs wouldn't go! … MORE
Unbelievable course. Scenery is unreal. Coming from sea level the day before, the elevation was tough. I could breathe fine, no headache or nausea, but man my legs wouldn’t go! There are some long grueling up hills that are near to impossible to run. Starting at mile 1! Eased up by mile 5. Maybe 100yds of flat running in 26.2 miles. Footing is great, aid stations were every 3ish miles. Not a lot of calories though. Water and sometimes Gatorade. I ran with a camelback and was glad I did. PW for sure. Ironman marathon time + almost an hour.
Most stunning run on earth
My previous marathons have all been Asian city based. Whilst I have run some mountain trails in Dalat and Sapa Vietnam, none compare. This marathon is simply breath taking, every … MORE
My previous marathons have all been Asian city based. Whilst I have run some mountain trails in Dalat and Sapa Vietnam, none compare. This marathon is simply breath taking, every corner you turn offers a new stunning panorama. With under 200 participants it is a very personal and fun experience. I ran the first half with my 14 year old daughter and as she approached mile 20, I reminded her of how lucky we were to be here, to be healthy and to be able to run in such a incredible environment. In previous marathons the last few miles are a mental challenge, here the experience is far more serene as the mental duress is extinguished by the splendor if the mountain scenery.
A must-do race! A new tradition!
Difficult in a good way but so beautiful and not crowded! You can just take in all the scenes. The elevation is so high that it stays very cool even … MORE
Difficult in a good way but so beautiful and not crowded! You can just take in all the scenes. The elevation is so high that it stays very cool even though it is summer. I only struggled with the elevation going uphill, so I just walked up the hills. You do need to be self-reliant in water and food, which is tough sometimes. But wear sunscreen! Sun is brutal! I got burned doing the race pretty badly. The shirts were disappointing. Most shirts are now made with running material but these are cotton. I won’t wear them. I will just use them for a quilt. The medals are very nice, though. I will do this race every year for sure since I live in Montana. It’s a refreshing break from running in the city.
Tough road races at 9,000+ feet
This race bills itself as the highest road marathon in the country. The road itself is crushed gravel, so it's a far cry from asphalt or concrete, but the organization … MORE
This race bills itself as the highest road marathon in the country. The road itself is crushed gravel, so it’s a far cry from asphalt or concrete, but the organization has the hallmarks of a barebones trail race. The logistics are challenging and will require lots of time. Buses pick up from Ennis, Montana and drive about an hour to the finish line, then drive another 45 minutes to the start. The half is a point-to-point and is always either climbing or descending. But the views you get in the process, including some excellent panoramas of the imposing Black Butte, are worth the thin air. Generic medals and not much of a post-race spread though.