Overall an OK race - but there's room for lots of improvement. First negative - the packet pickup was over at 4:00 pm. I arrived about this time (Sioux Falls … MORE
Overall an OK race – but there’s room for lots of improvement. First negative – the packet pickup was over at 4:00 pm. I arrived about this time (Sioux Falls is not easy to get to) and by the time I drove to the site – it was shut down – which meant that I had to arrive at the race start by 5:30 am (race started at 7:00) to pick up my bib and shirt. Also I had to tie my shirt around my waist which I hate doing. Stayed at the nearest hotel – the Sheraton which was in walking distance to the start and finish. There was also a “pasta” buffet the night before at this hotel (nice idea – but there was no selection). The course was scenic in the beginning but very boring at the end – it was like they were trying to desperately add miles. Also the race was 13.5 miles long – not 13.1. My biggest complaint about the coaurse was that it was terribly marked at the end – I had no idea of where I was going because it was not clear. In all the pictures – I have this stupid look on my face because I had no idea if I was going the right way or not. Good points – the course finished inside a stadium – that’s always fun and the people were very nice all over. the medal was just ok and the shirt was a long sleeve which I love. Since there are not many choices for South Dakota – I would recommend this one.
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OK - but could be so much better
Overall an OK race - but there's room for lots of improvement. First negative - the packet pickup was over at 4:00 pm. I arrived about this time (Sioux Falls … MORE
Overall an OK race – but there’s room for lots of improvement. First negative – the packet pickup was over at 4:00 pm. I arrived about this time (Sioux Falls is not easy to get to) and by the time I drove to the site – it was shut down – which meant that I had to arrive at the race start by 5:30 am (race started at 7:00) to pick up my bib and shirt. Also I had to tie my shirt around my waist which I hate doing. Stayed at the nearest hotel – the Sheraton which was in walking distance to the start and finish. There was also a “pasta” buffet the night before at this hotel (nice idea – but there was no selection). The course was scenic in the beginning but very boring at the end – it was like they were trying to desperately add miles. Also the race was 13.5 miles long – not 13.1. My biggest complaint about the coaurse was that it was terribly marked at the end – I had no idea of where I was going because it was not clear. In all the pictures – I have this stupid look on my face because I had no idea if I was going the right way or not. Good points – the course finished inside a stadium – that’s always fun and the people were very nice all over. the medal was just ok and the shirt was a long sleeve which I love. Since there are not many choices for South Dakota – I would recommend this one.
Needs a Bit More Polish
Sioux Falls Marathon is a fine race, but I would suggest looking at all SD options before committing to this race. The organizers provide adequate communication about the race, and … MORE
Sioux Falls Marathon is a fine race, but I would suggest looking at all SD options before committing to this race. The organizers provide adequate communication about the race, and the expo and finish line are no frills. My family commented that it was difficult to know where the race finished from across the track and with no signage.
My primary disappointment was the mile marker accuracy. I ran with the 4-hour pace group. The mile markers were spot with all our watches ticking off at each marker – until Mile 20. The mile 20 marker was a quarter mile long and the additional distance wasn’t absorbed in the last 6 miles. We tracked just ahead of our goal only to realize that we were actually one minute behind pace. I finished with 26.63 miles.
Be prepared for direct sun exposure from mile 18 to the end with too few aid stations from mile 22 to the finish.
Good, but room for improvement
The 2023 edition of this race shows a good race that can be great with a little more work. Bare bones expo - no additional swap available Minimal water stations, … MORE
The 2023 edition of this race shows a good race that can be great with a little more work.
Bare bones expo – no additional swap available
Minimal water stations, pre and post race experience
Both the half and full were reported long by some participants
Great crowd support
Responsive race team
Scenic route.
Nice race to complete South Dakota.
Lots of river path running and a lot of turns. Smooth overall race in a nice welcoming community. I loved the support by people coming out of their homes to … MORE
Lots of river path running and a lot of turns. Smooth overall race in a nice welcoming community. I loved the support by people coming out of their homes to cheer through the neighborhoods.
Well Produced Race
This race reminded me a lot of the Fargo Half Marathon. It has the same main sponsor so perhaps that has something to do with it. From start to finish … MORE
This race reminded me a lot of the Fargo Half Marathon. It has the same main sponsor so perhaps that has something to do with it. From start to finish a solidly organized race. The packet pick up and expo was small but delightful. The directions coming into the event were well times and definitely informative, The organization of the morning of the race was well executed. I liked the course overall as you really were able to take in what Sioux Falls has to offer. There are a few inclines in the course but nothing of too much consequence. The finish like was well stocked and the physical therapists were a nice touch. The only issue I would like to see addressed is that it is very difficult to get out of the finish line area and get to gear check as you have to cross the race course in two places. This was definitely the right choice for my South Dakota race.
Not bad for East River :)
No complaints here which I’m so glad for after it seems like this race has struggled since Covid with good things to say. This race was a very delightful surprised … MORE
No complaints here which I’m so glad for after it seems like this race has struggled since Covid with good things to say. This race was a very delightful surprised at how nice this course was for this side of South Dakota. The course followed a nice path and had a great variety of things to see along the way. The only thing I wish was different was having downtown and falls park near the end not beginning but I know that’s out of the races control likely and just wherever 26.2 miles takes one. The volunteers from the colleges were top of the line supportive and made the race come alive. 🙂
Well run marathon on a fast course
This was the fourth time I've run the Sioux Falls Marathon. For the last few years, I've been running mostly ultramarathons and only one or two marathons a year. The … MORE
This was the fourth time I’ve run the Sioux Falls Marathon. For the last few years, I’ve been running mostly ultramarathons and only one or two marathons a year. The only reason I did this one is that it is close to where I live, so travel time is short and I don’t have to spend money on a motel. If it was further away from me, I probably wouldn’t do it as often. There is only one short stretch that is scenic, which is near the falls. Much of it is along urban bike trails and the last 10 miles or so is along the Big Sioux River with no shade. This race is know for being very hot and humid some years, but this year we were lucky as there was plenty of cloud cover for the first 4 hours. The race was well organized and volunteers were plentiful and enthusiastic. I was a little disappointed in the swag though. The finisher’s medal was a rather smallish, plain medal in the shape of the state of South Dakota, and the shirts were very thin “t-shirt” hoodies. They had soft granola bars, bananas, ice cream bars, and beer from a local brewery. We started and finished at Howard Wood Field this year, rather than starting inside the arena. I actually kind of liked it better as it didn’t seem as crowded.
Nice course
This was very slow for me even as an already slow runner. I had just run a marathon the weekend before and decided to walk a lot. The course goes … MORE
This was very slow for me even as an already slow runner. I had just run a marathon the weekend before and decided to walk a lot.
The course goes through nice neighborhoods, the nice parts of downtown, over the Falls, and along the river through the majority. Not one area was “Sketchy”. The medal was OK, the lightweight hoodie was nice (but I’m also glad I have the 1/4 zip shirt from last year’s cancelled race.) The expo was small but efficient. The volunteers were all great at every water stop. It seems the police and the city in general embrace this race.
I always recommend to all races to have an extra water stop near 24 and 25 miles. It seems like forever at the end and particularly with the heat.
Post race had ice cream bars!!! And I love any race that has another option than beer! And of course chocolate milk( however they had the chocolate milk on the table in the sun so it was not very cold. Maybe keep in ice coolers.
All in all a solid race and well run. I enjoyed the time and meeting new running friends!
So many parks and greenways
I drove 9hrs here in 2021 just to get rained out, so I flew this time. I am too cheap for Uber, so I tried to walk everywhere I needed. … MORE
I drove 9hrs here in 2021 just to get rained out, so I flew this time. I am too cheap for Uber, so I tried to walk everywhere I needed. Don’t do this. I walked about 10 miles this weekend before I even raced. The bus system only gets within a mile of the airport and the packet pickup location (Sanford Fieldhouse). Packet pickup was once again in a basketball court in the Fieldhouse. Race swag only gets 2/5 stars because WHY did they give me a black long-sleeved shirt for a race on August 28th. This was the first race I have ever seen zero people wear the shirt. Can’t imagine why; it was 69 at race time with >90% humidity.
I didn’t park, but I think there were still some parking spots at the start line (Howard Wood Field) at the start. Bag check was in the stadium, on the side opposite from the finish line. I was impressed with the Sioux Falls course, a clockwise loop around the city almost exclusively in parks, greenways, and neighborhoods. Running through Falls Park at mile 5 was a highlight, and miles 17-24 were alongside a river. There was almost no running on roads, which was great. You finish by running around an athletic track in Howard Wood Field, and the announcer calls your name. Plenty of stands to sit in post-race, but all of them are in the sun.
The course was great, the crowd support was okay, but I wish they had more water stops. They were only every two miles. And WHY do so many marathons forget to put up a mile sign in the last few miles?? There was no mile 24 marker here, just as there were none for 17, 20, or 23 in Denver. Takes a mental toll on the runner when they never see the next mile marker.
Scenic course, over indexes on river
As others have commented, small town race, small but organized expo and production. First time to the city and enjoyed sight seeing. I stayed near Sanford hospital which required an … MORE
As others have commented, small town race, small but organized expo and production. First time to the city and enjoyed sight seeing. I stayed near Sanford hospital which required an easy 2 miles to the start and a miserable 2 miles back home afterwards.
Course was a big loop starting downtown out to Falls Park and then through a very nice residential part of the city. Nearly the entire remaining 14 miles was along the riverside which, while nice at first, became hypnotizing as it went on and on. Preferred it to all residential, but was very happy to finally escape the river. My performance was poor due to lack of training and surprising heat / humidity. Not a glorious finish, but proud to have stuck it out.
Small town race.
Good communication with the race Staff beforehand via email regarding parking. The expo is rather small but package pick up went very smoothly. It turned out to be pretty warm … MORE
Good communication with the race Staff beforehand via email regarding parking. The expo is rather small but package pick up went very smoothly.
It turned out to be pretty warm on race day, but other than that had a nice time on the course until they ran out of water at the aid station near mile 20. With the sun beating down and the heat and humidity high I was lucky I carried my own water bottle.
The after party was pretty quiet, but then again I took a long time to finish
Race review
Beautiful views of the course, and breathtaking views of the water, and a awesome medal. The one thing that needs to be improved is mileage signs for the half marathon … MORE
Beautiful views of the course, and breathtaking views of the water, and a awesome medal. The one thing that needs to be improved is mileage signs for the half marathon after mile 8. Also, all the people working the race were so friendly.
Sioux Falls Half Marathon
We could not have had better weather for this run! The course was beautiful and was a mix of running through (paved) park trails and urban areas. There was amazing … MORE
We could not have had better weather for this run! The course was beautiful and was a mix of running through (paved) park trails and urban areas. There was amazing course support. Everyone was super positive and cheered on everyone… even those of us towards the back.
Race production was good. The expo was very small, but the vendors were relevant and they had some great information available. The only complaint I have is that from miles 8 – 11, the mile markers seem to have disappeared. It made the miles in between feel longer which made the run more difficult.
There were aid stations every couple of miles and one first aid station about halfway through the course. Aid stations had Powerade and water, but no gu or snacks, so you’ll want to bring those if you need them.
I LOVE the shirt for this race. It is a lightweight long-sleeve hoodie. It will be perfect for running this fall. This shirt has minimal advertisements. I get why they are on so many shirts, but it makes it less likely that I will wear them. This one will definitely be worn. The medal isn’t the greatest design, but it’s OK.
One potential word of caution… they say there is a strict 3:15 limit for the half marathon and a strict 6:30 limit for the full. If you’re concerned about that timing, this may not be the best race for you.
All in all, this is one of my favorite races so far. I could see myself returning to Sioux Falls to run it again in the future.
So disappointed with my 12 minute PR :,(
I drove 9.5 hours from eastern Illinois to run this marathon. The night before the race, there were record floods, and the morning of the race, they cancelled the full … MORE
I drove 9.5 hours from eastern Illinois to run this marathon. The night before the race, there were record floods, and the morning of the race, they cancelled the full marathon because many parts of the back end of the course were flooded. I was devastated and I felt sick. 625 miles of driving alone, for this.
They still ran the half marathon, though. I shrugged and decided to run that. I took all the energy I’d been saving for my marathon, and ran a 12 minute PR for the half. Oh well.
The half course was pretty good, though. You run through downtown a few times, and loop past Falls Park, which is Sioux Falls’ pride and joy. Great crowd support and the finish line was on a track, with the announcer yelling your name. Most of the course was parks and downtown, so you don’t really run through neighborhoods at all.
*a month later, I wondered, why did they have to cancel the marathon? Why couldn’t they have just run the half marathon course twice over?
Come in summer
It didn’t affect me, but storms took our the marathon course, causing the marathoners to be dropped into the half. The course is mostly urban& flat with a couple hills, … MORE
It didn’t affect me, but storms took our the marathon course, causing the marathoners to be dropped into the half. The course is mostly urban& flat with a couple hills, looping around the falls a bit. Really nice crowd of runners made for good race motivation. Nice people in the streets with fun signs. Water stations every 2 miles. I picked up my packet day of vs night before so missed expo goodies. They announce most runners’ names and cities over the loud speaker upon finish line (except mine because a toddler went missing around that time lol…turned out ok tho). Beer at finish line (amazing from local brewery) & unique medals. The race team forgot to stamp my bib and my niece’s as being 21 so jic bring your ID. Bottom line: I’ma Midwestern gal, this race isn’t too far for me, so I would do it again.
So many feelings
Well, I know race directors can’t control the weather. I travelled to SD for this race, went to the expo, checked in to my hotel. (No ubers—walked; hopped into another … MORE
Well, I know race directors can’t control the weather. I travelled to SD for this race, went to the expo, checked in to my hotel. (No ubers—walked; hopped into another rubber’s Uber).
Would have been nice if the expo would have been at the start, but I chose a hotel by the start, so race morning going to be smooth. Then there was a storm overnight. Woke up, got all my outfit on, went to the start—surprise! The full was cancelled! The half was available. Could we run it twice? No. Much sadness and disappointment. The half course was lovely (isn’t it alway the prettiest part?) we ran over the falls, through downtown, finished in the track. Weather was great for the race itself. I may return to SD; not sure I’ll do this race. I think there was flooding last year, too, but not to the same extent . The medal is pretty—but it says full and it feels like a lie. Happy I got to run something in SD
A good choice for South Dakota
Race expo was bigger than I expected for a smaller race and packet pickup went smoothly. Indoor start and finish was nice because of rain at the start, but of … MORE
Race expo was bigger than I expected for a smaller race and packet pickup went smoothly. Indoor start and finish was nice because of rain at the start, but of course this brings with it GPS issues. Post race food was good (BBQ sandwiches and fudgesicles) and they didn’t seem to be in any danger of running out. Course was a mix of streets and paved bike path most of which was fairly flat with only a few bigger climbs. Swag was not all that impressive. Race shirt was a fairly plain, lightweight cotton hoodie and the medal was kind of small by today’s standards. There were less than 300 marathon finishers, which made the end of the race kind of lonely while running on the river levees. Overall I think it was a decent race, but not an outstanding race. I would recommend it to others, given that there are not a lot options for South Dakota and it is in fact the largest in the state.
Well-organized small marathon
The Sioux Falls Marathon is an outstanding small marathon that feels like a medium-sized marathon. The expo is small, but well-stocked by competing running stores to sell you all the … MORE
The Sioux Falls Marathon is an outstanding small marathon that feels like a medium-sized marathon. The expo is small, but well-stocked by competing running stores to sell you all the last minute running gear that you forgot at home. The race starts and ends inside a modern arena, so you are completely sheltered and comfortable before and after the race. The course is scenic and gently rolling with miles 15-25 on trails along the river. (If I had a complaint about the course, I’d say that it had a few too many turns.) Aid stations were plentiful and well-stocked with water and sports drink, and three stations offered Gu sport gels. Volunteers were plentiful and enthusiastic despite the pouring rain for the first half hour and rainy conditions all day. (If I had a second complaint about the race, it would be that the mile markers could best have been taken as approximations.)
Hillllssss
Disclaimer: ND is wicked flat, and to get hills, I run over the overpasses on the interstate. That being said, I’m not sure how the race director did it, but … MORE
Disclaimer: ND is wicked flat, and to get hills, I run over the overpasses on the interstate.
That being said, I’m not sure how the race director did it, but he managed to have the wind in our face for every hill. That’s some major skill! 😉
The packet pickup was really quick, and the vendors there were really nice. I had a hard time navigating the Sanford center to find the bag drop, there were only signs from the main enterance, but I managed to find it before the gun went off.
The course was really pretty. Google Falls Park. It’s beautiful. The paths were nice and tree lined. The weather was cooler and perfect for me running. I did cramp a little today, but I didn’t get much stretching in so I was a little tight all race.
Scenic course in Sioux Falls
The course starts indoors, so signal may not be accurate right of the bat, but it's a fairly flat course with a few minor hills. Crowd support is nice and … MORE
The course starts indoors, so signal may not be accurate right of the bat, but it’s a fairly flat course with a few minor hills. Crowd support is nice and there’s just enough water and aid stations on the course. Swag comes with a nice long sleeve shirt and medal is pretty good as well.