Portland Marathon

Distances: marathon, half-marathon

http://www.portlandmarathon.org/

I did the marathon in 2010. The course was fairly flat with the exception the climb onto the bridge around mi 18. After the climb, I was looking forward to a downhill to get off the bridge on the other side, but there really wasn't one. The number of fans cheering at the start at 6 AM was impressive. There were also drummers playing near the start and I found it really hard to stay slow and on pace when I heard them. They don't provide water in the starting area, so I'd recommend bringing your own in a disposable bottle. I was kind of surprised they gave us a participant shirt and medal, as well as a finisher's shirt and medal. I wouldn't mind just finishers shirts/medals. (What am I supposed to do with a participant medal?) It was well organized with one glaring exception- the drop bag pick up. I waited nearly an hour in the rain to get my warm clothes. At the start there were several trucks for drop bags, but it seemed like everyone dumped their bag in the 1st one- making finding any specific bag nearly impossible. Unless they do a better job of controlling who drops off their bag where, choose the truck for the back-of-the-pack folks. If you want to do the half-marathon, it fills quickly, so register early.

Beartooth Run

Distances: 4.2 mile, 8.4 mile
http://www.beartoothevents.com/

Despite its long history the event didn’t draw many runners. Both races are point to point, finishing at the Vista Point scenic pull-out. The races start at the same time, with the shorter one starting at about the midpoint of the longer one, farther on up the switchbacks. Buses shuttle racers from the Lake Fork parking area to the starting lines. The buses are exclusively for one race or the other so make sure you know which is which! Plastic bags are provided to carry warm, dry clothing to the finish.

The course is all uphill with a 4% average grade and middle and back-of-the-pack runners can run most of it. Elevation gain is about 2000 feet for the 8.4 mile race. With the finish line at over 9000 feet elevation, you will likely notice the elevation (and the amazing views!) before the race is over. The number of water stations was more than adequate. (I don’t believe any offered snacks.) Due to the early start, the course lies almost entirely in the shade. It was a cool with no wind at the start and most people went with bare arms or shoulders. However, with the big change in elevation and exposure, unexpected winds could make it miserable for slower runners looking at a couple hours on the course without enough clothing.

Motels in nearby Red Lodge are pricey this time of year; therefore, many people camp at one of the nearby campgrounds.
****reviewed by a guest reviewer****

Bloomsday

Distance: 12k
http://www.bloomsday.org/
Probably the biggest race in the pacific northwest. Since I grew up in Washington, I've been hearing legends about the difficulty of Doomsday Hill... and when I first ran it (in 2006) ended up almost disappointed with how easy it was. Which is not to say the course, or Doomsday Hill, is easy. It is a tough, hilly course for a road race. But the LEGEND of Bloomsday's difficulty was created by the majority of participants who train to do just this one race every year. Any runner who has trained to race a 12k should have no problems. I enjoyed it immensely and have been particularly impressed with how good natured all the volunteers and participants seem to be. Even though they use chip timing, if you are hoping to put in a fast time, try to get into the second seed. Things are just far less chaotic at the start and finish. Even from the first box of the general starters, there are so many people to weave around that it's hard to do more than 7 min/mile for the first 2 miles. Second seed has gotten more difficult to get into, so you will need to 1) register on-line with a qualifying time from a past Bloomsday 2) mail a qualifying time from another race to the Bloomsday folks in advance or 3) cross your fingers and get to the check-in as early as possible on Friday. Start is cold and there are no drop bags, so wear old clothes, hang them on the trees in the start and they will be collected and given to thrift stores. Lots of food booths in the finish area so I recommend bringing a little money so you can hang out in the park and have some lunch after the race.

St. Patrick's Day Race

Distances: 3 mile, 6 mile
I did the 3 mile in 2010 and the 6 mile in 2007. This race attracts a decent field despite its poor organization. For example, in 2010, the race started 40 minutes late because they didn't have enough busses- 1/2 an hour after the race was supposed to start an empty bus came to the 3 mile start, picked up ONE person too dumb to figure out the bus system and took them to the 6 mile start! There's no drop bags to bring warm-up clothes from the start to the finish, so that was a long time to be waiting in the cold. In addition, there was only 1 porta-potty at the start for several hundred runners. The course is fairly scenic with a steady downgrade, making it a fast course. Both races start in the hills west of Anaconda then run into town and finish on the main street. Participants in the 6 mile should expect weaving through the walkers in the 3 mile for the last 2 miles. It would be nice if they could make some effort to keep the 3 milers on one side of the road so the 6 milers can run through. If the race organizers can update their race to accomadate it's increasing popularity, it would be a nice way to start off the Montana running season.

Mesa Falls Marathon

Distances: marathon, half-marathon, 5k, 1 mile
http://mesafallsmarathon.com/
It is a beautiful place and a fun race. Apparently, it is also a destination race as there were running clubs from Lawrence KS and Austin TX as well as Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters from all over. Mile 11 of the marathon goes by the overlook to the Mesa Falls.
The highlight of the race for me was the hometown participation. Ashton is small and this race fills every motel room and restaurant. The locals made the spaghetti dinner and deserts while their kids helped dish it out. Pre-race morning there were bagel and homemade jams as well as fruit, donuts and coffee. All finishers received a huckleberry shake from the ice cream shop on Main Street.
****reviewed by a guest reviewer****

Missoula Marathon

Distances: marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay
http://www.runwildmissoula.org/
Race participation increased by about 50% between 2008 and 2009, which is a testament to the good reputation this race has earned over it's 3 years. The marathon course is notably flat with one modest hill around mile 13, followed by a modest downhill around mile 14. The half-marathon starts on a side road off the marathon course. The half-marathon is slightly uphill until it joins with the marathon course near the bottom of the mile 14 downhill. Traffic was allowed on the race course, but due to the very early morning start time (6 AM), most traffic was race related. Aid stations were consistently located every 2 miles and were stocked with both water and energy drink. All aid stations also had porta-johns. It would be good to see two or three aid stations in the last half of the race carry some minor 1st aid supplies. A bit of vaseline, band-aids, or ibuprofen can make a marathon finish much more comfortable, especially for new marathoners.

Governor's Cup

Distances: 5k, 10k, 1 mile
http://www.govcup.bcbsmt.com/
I joined the planning committee for this race in 2009, so I am going to try to refrain from future updates of this race. But there have been so many changes I did want to acknowledge those.
For the 2008 race the race directors finally asked for advice from local runners, which was a big first step in overcoming the race's organizational problems. The nonsensical old system of charging extra to FedEx people their t-shirts and race numbers has been replaced with a standard pre-race packet pickup. More importantly, they started using chip timing at the finish. This resulted in a dramatic decrease in reports of inaccurate times and places.
I ran the 10k in 2006 and 2008 and the half marathon in 2007. The 10k is a little hilly for a road race, but it does have a downhill finish and I'm personally fond of the sections that pass the capitol building. The 5k has a lot of participants, but most aren't racing. I saw plenty of water stations in the 10k, but in 2008 the volunteers just had the cups of water on the table rather than handing them to runners. The addition of some on-course entertainment in 2008 was also nice.
In 2009, the half-marathon and marathon were discontinued. Many members of the Helena running community were disappointed with this as it was the only marathon or half-marathon in town. I did not participate in this decision but I do support it. I would rather see a well-organized 5k/10k than have resources spread between 4 or 5 poorly organized races. Hopefully someone will step up to start a new marathon/half soon.

Transmountain Challenge

Distances: 20k, 20k relay, 5k
http://www.runelpaso.com/main.shtml?ge_calendar.shtml
A name like 'Transmountain Challenge' makes you grit your teeth and prepare for a lot of mountain climbing. You do get a solid serving of hill running on this one- 4 miles uphill, then 3 down. But the tough part, for me at least, was the 5 miles of flat to get to the finish. The finish looked so close from the 6 mile mark! The road that the race was on was closed to vehicle traffic for the duration of the race, so make sure to allow plenty of time to get to the start before the road closes. There were about 6 water stations, all with porta-johns, though it didn't look like any of them had 1st aid supplies available. I think the aid station at the top of the hill had gatorade as well. This race gets kudos for the substantial post-race grub. Although the race was generally well organized, the information on the website is a little thin. It would have been nice if they'd publicized that there is a bus that will shuttle people from the finish back to the start and they will take drop bags to the finish area.

Snow Joke Half-marathon

Distance: half-marathon
http://www.cheetahherders.com/snowjoke.html
Running Snow Joke is a great way to encourage yourself to get your winter mileage in. Given the time of year there is potential for ugly weather, but one perennial runner has assured me the weather is usually good. I'd recommend you hedge your bets and bring the extra layers anyways. The course starts by heading north on Hwy 83 for 5 miles of long rolling hills- should be clear of snow. Then you turn left onto a well used dirt road . Watch your footing when you turn off the highway, you're coming off a downhill and the turn can be icy! This portion of the course is flatter, but expect packed snow and ice. Depending on the year yaktrax may be helpful. The most notable hill is a gentle uphill starting at mile marker 12 until you get back on Hwy 83, about 1/4 mile from the finish. There are two aid stations, I think both had water and HEED. Since it isn't hot out this was plenty. The staging area is the elementary school gym, so there is a warm place to stretch and an opportunity to clean up post-race in the (child-size?) locker room showers. It is reasonably well organized with a low-key atmosphere- this is off-season racing after all.

Tri-Cities Marathon

Distances: marathon, marathon relay
http://www.3rrr.org/marathon/
This race has been around almost 30 years. It's a flat and fast marathon. Or rather, it's fast if the wind isn't blowing- and it has been windy 3 of the last 4 years. You cross the Columbia River 4 times. The start is in Richland, you cross the river into into Pasco, then into Kennewick, and then cross again into Pasco (on windy days, this is where you could start running into a headwind), then a final bridge back into Richland. The only hills are over the bridges. It is very well done and worth doing.
****reviewed by a guest reviewer****

Columbia River Power Marathon

Distances: marathon, half-marathon
http://www.columbiarivermarathon.com/
2008 was the 1st running of this race. The course crosses McNary Dam and runs a 5 mile loop in Washington, crosses back across the columbia via the I-82 bridge footpath and then the remainder is one big loop on the Oregon side. It is all paved except a five mile section on the Oregon side along the river. The unpaved part is old dirt road with small and large rocks and a lot of sand, which is sometimes hard to run on. Once back on pavement, heading back to town, you run on the right side of the road along mostly narrow shoulders (that is with oncoming traffic at your back). To increase safety, I suggested that they reverse the loop on the Oregon side, so runners can see the oncoming traffic. Great aid stations. Very well done for a first time event.
****reviewed by a guest reviewer****

Wolf Creek Canyon Relay

Distance: 28 mile relay for 4 runners
http://wolfcreekrelay.com/documents/Wolf%20Creek%20Canyon%20Relay06.pdf
The relay follows a the Missouri River along a frontage road off I-15 from Wolf Creek to Hardy. It is modestly scenic, but the atmosphere, rather than the course, is why most teams do it. The first leg tends to be a little chilly because it is well-shaded. The second leg is known as the hilly leg. The third leg is sort of moderate in both distance and hilliness. The fourth leg is pretty flat, but slightly longer than the others and tends to be a bit windy. There are bathrooms ast start and finish, but not in the exchange zones. Fortunately, there are several fishing access sites along the route that have pit toilets. Be extra careful parking at the exchange zone between legs 3 and 4! A few feet past the exchange on the right hand side of the road there is a culvert hidden in the weeds. Every year someone tries to park there, one wheel goes into the culvert and either rolls, or almost rolls, their vehicle. The finish is at a diner where you can buy a beer or a burger while you wait for the awards to start. The awards are worth sticking around for because of the random prize drawings. Unlike most races they don't give running paraphernalia, but rather prefer to give tools, office supplies and small kitchen appliances. The website I listed above was last updated in 2005. The leg descriptions are accurate and you can enter with this form, but if you need current info you'll have to get in touch with Carl whose contact info is on the race entry.

Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon

Distance: marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay
http://www.leavenworthmarathon.com/
about 800 runners, 86 for full amd 700 for half. good course. Hilly for first 3-4 miles. slightly less the next 4 miles. run through a park on gravel and dirt for about a mile. fairly flat for the next 5-6, and then you do it all over again if you are doing the full. down hill finish. the race number pickup could have been a little more organised. long lines for the half marathoners and then another long line to pick up your shirt. should have given the shirt at the same time you picked up your race number. all in all a good marathon.
****reviewed by a guest reviewer****

Madison Marathon

Distance: marathon, half-marathon, marathon relay
http://www.madcoedc.org/marathonresults2008.htm
The organizers believe this is the highest road marathon in the Northwest. Whatever the case, it must be right up there (pun intended), lying between 8500 and 9500 feet in elevation. Hoping to make this an annual event and a destination marathon, they did well with the inaugural (2008) race: good pre-race communication with (very useful!) directions to the start and mile-by-mile course descriptions; late weather updates, mile markers on the course and temporary signage on race morning, marking the road up to the start. The event included a half marathon, a full marathon and a marathon relay. Both distances were out and back, with the HM turning around at the marathon midpoint, at around 9350 ft in elevation. Plenty of rolling hills happened on the way out so it wasn't all just downhill on the way back. There were door prizes, shirts, an after-race BBQ and beer.

The race lies entirely along a narrow, gravel or dirt Forest Service road in the Gravelly Range, southwest of Ennis, MT, amidst beauty rivaling that of the Beartooth. Runners shared the course with a few motorists and four-wheelers, all of whom were polite and respectful of runners' safety. It is also possible that runners might share the road with moose, cattle, bears and other wildlife. Aid stations were provided along the route. The race begins at Clover Meadows campground, so camping is an alternative to making the long, bumpy drive on the morning of race day.

Given the race's exposed topography, it's probably a safe bet that the wind --which pounded runners pretty good --blows hard most of the time. Ironically, though the draw of the event is its high elevation, the wind will likely be the real challenge. In any case, this is a unique and beautiful race that's worth the trip.
****reviewed by a Helena Running Club guest reviewer****

Spokane to Sandpoint Relay

Distance: 190 mile relay for 12 runners
http://www.spokanetosandpoint.com/index.htm
This is a great way to spend a weekend playing with your best running buddies. The views as the course winds from Spokane, WA through Coeur d'Alene, ID to Sandpoint, ID are stunning and the much advertised rollercoaster was a pretty cool addition. All the teams displayed overwhelming support for all the runners. 2008 was the first year for this relay and I was very impressed with how well organized this race was, especially considering the challenges a race this long faces. Here's a few insider's tips if you are putting a team together:
*** Race start times varied from 5 AM to 11 AM on Friday morning. So if you are driving to Spokane from any distance, plan to travel on Thursday.
*** There was good cell phone coverage along the entire route. We found our 2 vans were constantly calling each other to check on the runners' progress. Designate a specific phone in each van, and make sure it has a car charger.
*** The race is self-supported. Temperatures topped 100 degrees in 2008, so bring a lot of water to keep your team's runners hydrated. Most of the first 12 legs are in rural areas, which means there are no stores of any kind to replenish depleted supplies or grab forgotten items. The race organizers did provide portajohns at every exchange zone. If you or your team is interested in leg splits, you will also need to keep track of those yourself.
*** There were some problems with runners going off course. The race organizers seemed interested in improving the race, so I expect the course will be better marked next year. Unfortunately, one reason people got off course was that mischievous people in the Coeur d'Alene area moved course markers and thereby led runners astray during a night section of the race. So I recommend you stay alert and read your leg descriptions before you run. Bike pacers would also be helpful for legs 12-21.
*** Don't be intimidated by night running. Many of my teammates felt that they ran their best during the night, in the second set of legs. Our first legs at midday on Friday were hot (by the end of the race, my team was referring to them as the 'heatstroke legs') and by the third leg we were so tired we were weaving. But during that magical middle the weather had cooled, car traffic has dropped off, you were seeing other runners because teams from the different start times were catching each other. Additionally, adrenaline was still able to hold its own against bleary-eyed sleep deprivation through most of the night.
*** There were showers available near some of the major exchanges. Runners from one of our team vans took advantage of the showers. I think they decided that the time would have been better spent getting a little extra sleep.
*** In 2008, no teams ran in the "ultra" division (6 runners rather than 12). There were 2 teams in an unadvertised "high school" division that ran only 122 miles. Race organizers hinted that a shorter version may be offered more officially in the future.

Wenatchee Marathon

Distances: marathon, half-marathon, 10k, kid's run
http://www.wenatcheemarathon.com/index.htm
This is a first-class effort by the organizers, with chip timing, lots of pre-race communications, medals for finishers, drop bags, great "poly" shirts and blocked hotel rooms with discounted (though still pricey) rates for runners. The event includes a marathon, and 10K and kids' races as well. The event is easily accessible for anyone living in western Montana and should be close enough to return home post-race. (You can postpone hotel checkout till after the race to get a shower before getting back on the road...) Except for a portion on downtown streets at the start, the course follows an asphalt trail and lies mostly within the area's river park system. The route crosses a ped bridge and then another large bridge over the Columbia (on the bridge's sidewalk). Course info has the run at about 600 feet elevation with a 60' gain, though there were several ups and downs. Some in the half-marathon may see it as a problem that the half-marathon starts first and the 10K and Marathon start shortly after with the result that slower half marathoners will be overtaken by the pace bike for the later races, before their turn-around point. Personally, I enjoyed seeing the faster people and the bikers were good about giving warnings before passing. With the river and surrounding mountains, this is a wonderful, scenic run, even on a cloudy day.
****reviewed by a Helena Running Club guest reveiwer****

Laughlin Half-Marathon

Distances: half-marathon, 5k
http://www.laughlinhalfmarathon.com/
This race is on an extraordinarily flat, well-maintained dirt road. The race organizers call it a trail race. I can see their point, but I call it a road race. I ran the half-marathon. Both race distances are an out-and-back on an road along the banks of the Colorado River. Even though it was flat, I was slowed after the turn around by running into the wind. Talking to locals, it sounded like an upstream breeze is normal weather for this area. Half-marathoners can expect 5 aid stations. It would be nice to have some signs directing you through the resort to the race start and parking. Other than that, the race organizers did an exceptional job. In particular, everything started extraordinarily punctually and the timing system (Runnercard) ran very smoothly and got results out quickly .

Shamrock Shuffle

Distances: 10 miles, 10k, 5k, kid's run
http://www.the-athletes-edge.com/
This is a new race (or at least I hope it's a new race) and once it gets around its organizational problems, there is potential for a great local race. My #1 beef- prior to the race, the "race website" had no race information except the race logo. At the bare minimum it needed a link, or even a sentence, directing you to Active.com for race info and registration. After the race, results did get posted on this "official website." I ran the 10k which was two loops around a golf course. I think the 5k was supposed to run the second of the two 10k loops, although the participants got misdirected and did the first loop instead. I think the 10 mile made a loop outside the golf course, then joined up with the 10k. The 5k and 10k were all on asphalt paths. The course was far from hilly, but it was never really flat either. The biggest hills were a few hundred meters at the start and a 1/4 mile long grade into the finish. Expect distance markers every 2 miles. Top 3 overall get gift certificates to the local running store, which is nice.

August Road Race

Distance: 3.8 miles
This is a point-to-point race mostly on dirt road. At the end you can carpool back with the volunteers or just run back to the start. As the "publicity" for the race says: no prizes, numbers, t-shirts or door prizes. Just local runners getting together to race and have a fun evening. Fun and low-key.

Icebreaker

Distances: 5 miles, 3 miles, 1 mile
Location: Great Falls, MT
I've heard the 5 mile race is the only "money race" in Montana. That may be, but you can give up on winning any of it. The race directors bring in exactly enough professional runners to win the money. Three pros and everybody else isn't much of a race. On the other hand, it is your only chance to see pros without leaving Montana- and man, do they look smooth! The 5 mile does have an out and back section, so you should get the chance to see them even if you're racing. All three races start and finish in the same spots. They are also all pretty flat and turnout is high so you can hope for a fast time. It is also a pretty decent course for spectators- you should be able to see your friends about 3 times on either the 5 or 3 mile course.