I absolutely loved Jackson Hole Marathon, and I'd say it probably earned the top spot of my all time favorite marathons both in terms of organization and scenery. I prefer smaller and more scenic as opposed to crowded city runs and it definitely fit the bill. From the beginning:

I flew into Salt Lake City and drove the 4.5 hours to Jackson (cheaper than flying directly into Jackson airport). The Wyoming Inn of Jackson Hole was a beautiful, quiet place to stay, and convenient to downtown, the grocery store, and everything else. Jackson isn't a cheap place to visit but it's totally worth it with lots to see and do, and great restaurants and beer. The bib pickup location was the Chamber of Commerce downtown on Friday afternoon. Very quick and efficient - and great t-shirt for 2016!

The start is in downtown Jackson (about a mile from Wyoming Inn - my husband dropped me off but shuttles also run from the finish to the start area). The town square is lovely with the antler arches on each corner. I think there were supposed to be heated bathrooms in the visitor center open that morning but that didn't happen for some reason. There were portajohns and I found an open hotel with easy bathroom access! There are lots of fellow Marathon Maniacs and 50 Staters at this race so the start was a fun, casual few minutes before the gun went off at 7:07am. The weather was cool but not cold, and mostly clear.

The course itself is point to point, running from Jackson to Teton Village on mostly paved paths with only a few manned road crossings. It's absolutely breathtaking and not at all crowded. I carried my phone and took several pictures. It's not a downhill course, but not terribly challenging either. You are at about 6600 feet and there are some hills but nothing bad. There are several aid stations but the most important consideration is that it's a cup-less race, so you need to carry your own water system with you, either a bottle, hydration pack, or hydra pouch. Volunteers were very helpful and supportive the entire way.

Again, the course was beautiful, within sight of the Tetons, pastures, the Elk Refuge, and lots of other breathtaking beauty around you. You may be alone for some of it, as it's a small race, but nothing wrong with that!

The finish was in Teton Village which was lovely. My husband met me there and we drove back after hanging out a bit (about 11 miles to Jackson). The medals were very cool, one of my favorites, and there were snacks and drinks available, including the local Snake River Brewing which I fell in love with. It was low-key but festive.

The weather really cooperated with us this year. I can see how it could be a very hot course without a ton of shade in some parts, but it was cool with partly-cloudy skies the entire race, only getting a little warm towards the last couple of miles. Perfect!

Be sure and take the time to see Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. We spent time in each and saw tons of wildlife! Well worth taking a couple of days minimum!

I ran Leading Ladies Marathon for my South Dakota race and it was well worth the travel hassle! It's not easy to get to Spearfish, SD from Virginia. It was expensive to fly to Rapid City, so I flew to Bismarck, ND and drove almost five hours to Spearfish. It was a pretty drive, which helped. I stayed at the host hotel, Holiday Inn and Convention Center, which was convenient and quiet. Nothing fancy, but there was a discounted rate and the shuttle picked up/dropped off from there. The restaurant actually has a very good burger too (post-race)!

Packet pickup was also at the Holiday Inn. I was apparently number 33 to get my bib, which made me bib #33, which was awesome because it was my 33rd state. Quite a coincidence! It was fast and efficient with a few vendors present as well.

Race morning: probably my only "complaint," and it's minor, is that the bus picked us up at 4:00am. The race didn't start until 6:00am, which meant we had over an hour at the start area. Luckily the bus stayed so we could stay warm, and it was pleasant chatting with the other runners, and convenient as the portajohns (or trees) were right there. I just would have appreciated another 30-45 minutes of sleep. Not that big a deal though, and they might have their reasons for doing it this way.

The race started right on time and it lived up to the hype of being primarily downhill. There is one kind of large hill around mile 11 or 12 on an out-and-back. The whole course was absolutely beautiful. The route is mostly paved road/path and runs through Spearfish Canyon. Waterfalls, cliffs, lovely homes, rivers and rapids...just gorgeous! I wish I'd had my phone to take pictures. There were aid stations at about every 2-3 miles after the first 3.5 miles of the course. I would have liked a couple more water stops in the last five or six miles, as that's when it started getting a little warmer.

The weather was lovely - cool start, warming up at the finish, but with a 6am start and a fast course, I was done by about 9:40am which was awesome. The days before and after were significantly warmer, so we lucked out.

The medal was nice, and the shirt was good quality and nice navy blue color. You also get a long stem red rose and a scented, cool towel at the finish. There was cold water and a few food options, plus a shuttle to take us back the mile or two to the hotel.

Overall I'd put this race near the top of my list of favorite marathons. It was all women, small, and well organized. The swag was good and the course was spectacular. I don't know what other options there are for South Dakota marathons but this one is a must-do in my opinion. Oh, and go see some of the sights, like Mt Rushmore, while you're there!

-Side note: I originally registered for this race in 2015 but had to cancel due to a wedding the same weekend. The RD was VERY generous and accommodating, allowing me to rollover my entry to this year without any fee or hassle. One of the benefits of smaller events is the personal touch. Great people!!

Mesa Falls is a beautiful and very small marathon in Idaho. It was a bit of an odyssey for me to travel there, going from central VA to Salt Lake City, driving to Ogden and spending a night, then driving to Ashton, ID and spending a night there. I returned to Salt Lake City after the race before flying home. Well worth the effort!

This is a low key event, my favorite kind! Packet pickup (which comes in a potato sack!) takes place at the local elementary school. Literally took 60 seconds. After I got my shirt (a nice green long-sleeve tech shirt) I drove to the upper and lower Mesa Falls, which was beautiful! It was a pretty drive too, with a few scenic overlooks. The only downside was that this was around the time of the wildfires in Idaho and surrounding areas, so there was some haze, though we were unaffected by smoke.

Race morning they offer a runners' breakfast, which was convenient. It's in the same school cafeteria and after you get your coffee and use the facilities, you get bussed to the start, 26.2 miles away in the Targhee National Forest. It's a comfortable charter bus, not school bus, and it's a pleasant enough trip in the pre-dawn hours.

The course is point to point and has the added benefit of running on several different surfaces. You start on about 10 miles of gravel roads (easy running) in the beautiful forest. It's about 6100 ft but I felt unaffected. You meet up with the half runners on 2.8 miles of packet trails by the Warm River, which was really pretty. The only downside is it's a narrow trail and some of the half runners are slow or taking up the whole trial, so you have to be aware and let them know you're coming up on them. I didn't have any problems, just be conscious of it. It is a beautiful segment of the course. Then you're on about 13 miles of pavement to the finish, with one big hill between mile 17-19. The last 10k is pretty flat through the farmland leading into Ashton. We had great weather last year; cool with sunny skies. If it's a warm year, that last portion could get hot, but it was fine for us. I carried my hydration pack so never hurt for water, but I can't recall how often aid stations were available.

The finish line is in Ashton, easy walking distance back to the school where most people park. Don't forget to claim your free huckleberry milkshake at the local place around the corner - it's so good!! The medal is actually a small wooden medallion with the logo on it. Small, but unique and nice. I got an age group place here which meant I got a nice wooden plaque. Swag is pretty good considering it's such a small event.

Overall: easy to maneuver this small, well-organized race. Book your lodging early because there aren't a ton of places in Ashton, if that's where you want to stay. I spent the night at Eagle Peak Lodge which was perfect and gave me a late checkout. If you can take advantage of where you are and explore the surrounding national forests, do so. And make sure you see the falls - you run right by one of the overlooks but you can see more at upper and lower viewing locations the day before or after the race. It's worth seeing! And don't forget your milkshake. Enjoy the scenery and excellent organization of this friendly, small-town event.

Running all 50 states, I chose Aspen Valley for my CO marathon. I didn't choose it because it's a Boston Qualifier or downhill, only because I read good things and it seemed to be one of those scenic courses that I can't resist. It didn't disappoint.

The good: basically no expo; I picked up my packet in Basalt on my way up to Snowmass Village where I stayed. Quick stop, very simple. It's a beautiful area and the course is very scenic, especially in the first half, but also in the last half, just a little less so towards the end. The path itself is mostly paved or very small grain dirt/gravel, so good running surfaces. Not many water stops in the first few miles, so be aware. I wore a lightweight hydration pack which was perfect.

The shirt is pretty good, technical short-sleeve, and the medal is pretty - a shiny silver aspen leaf on a white ribbon. The volunteers were great as well, and it's a peaceful course, with a few spectators and nice vistas.

The not-quite-as-good: I don't want to say "bad" because there wasn't anything bad about the race, just observations. You are at a significant elevation to start and even at the end. Aspen is around 8000 ft or so, and even Basalt is around 6000ish. I didn't feel sick or anything but I think it affected me regardless; my legs felt leaden by halfway and that's not usually a problem. It was ultimately the heat that got me though. My running buddy and I were cruisin' for the first 13 miles then hit a heat wall. I think the temps were in the high 80s as we got lower into the valley, and there was little shade. Granted, it wasn't humid which was a huge plus, and the race started at 6am which helped a lot. I just don't do well in the heat, so what may be a super fast course and BQ for lots of people was more of a slog for me. I got my slowest time of the year (except for the double I did in KY and OH). I don't really care about that, just funny to see the differences in peoples' performance.

Also of note, it can be expensive to stay in the area but worth it for the beauty in my opinion. Parking wasn't bad; if you aren't in Aspen, drive to the intercept lot down the hill from Snowmass and take the bus up to the start. That worked perfectly. It's bit more of a pain to get back, as the finish is about 12 miles past Snowmass. Luckily my friend's mom was there and we were able to drive straight back. The bus system does operate for runners for free but I was glad to not have to wait around for it in the sun.

Post race food - I didn't hang around long but I know salad was the main offering (seemed weird), plus champagne. It was a festive area with other things to do - listen to music, etc.

Photos are great - you can download them for free or purchase prints. I love free race photos; I wish every race would factor that into the registration fee somehow.

Bottom line - there are some logistical issues to getting to the race (about 3.5-4 hrs from Denver) and it's not cheap to visit, but I'm glad I ran it. The beauty in the area, even just on the drive to and from Denver, was breathtaking, and the weather was great (despite the heat later in the day). The marathon is wonderfully organized and I definitely think it can be a fast course, just wasn't in the cards for me that day.

The Dam Marathon is a very small race (maybe 120 marathoners or so) set in Oakridge, OR. I chose this event as my Oregon marathon because I wanted to see scenery, not cityscapes. It was a great match - set in a beautiful place and on a small scale. You don't run this race to get crowd support or if you need an aid station ever mile or because you like bands along the course. You run this race to see national park beauty and experience a new place. It was well organized and easy to navigate the logistics.

Packet pickup was flexible with multiple locations and times, both in Eugene and in Oakridge, including race day pickup. The shirt is a nice tech (unisex) and you could choose between a few color options. There were stickers, a small calendar, and a string satchel. Race morning was easy - I drove two miles from my motel to the Greenwaters Park. I left my rental car in the lot and boarded a school bus around 7:15am. It's about a 15 minute ride up to the start area at the dam. It was a rainy and cool morning (rain came out of no where but I always carry a thin poncho to races and was glad I had it for this one!) but not too bad once we got up to the start area (which was beautiful!). We all stood around for a few minutes while the bus went back for the last load of runners. The con to this was the one portajohn was locked. Luckily you're in the boonies and surrounded by woods so if nature called, you could still answer.

We started a few minutest late (it happens with small races with one or two people wrangling everybody...not a big deal in my book). You run across the dam and immediately have stunning views - I'm looking forward to seeing the drone footage! The course follows the lake all the way around back past the start at the dam and down the road to Greenwaters Park. It's not an easy course - there's a mix of road, gravel, and trail, and it's fairly hilly. No one hill is bad, it's a nice variation, just don't expect a flat run.

There were aid stations about every two or three miles. They had lots of flavors of Gatorade (I've never seen such variety), plus water and also bars, bananas, and oranges at most of them. Volunteers were friendly as well. My only other "complaint" is that the bathroom advertised at the halfway point was also locked (I think this was a miscommunication with the park service), but again, lots of woods from which to choose!

The last two or three miles is mostly downhill, then along a gravel road, then a dirt trail through what feels like a rainforest from another time - it was beautiful - before you finish in the park. The medal that we got was a nice quality on a nice ribbon - matches the logo and honestly for such a small race, I was especially pleased that they didn't skimp on this.

This was not one of my fastest races but it is one of my favorites for scenery alone. I took photos, saw a bald eagle, and got to experience a place that I may never get to visit again. If you run this race, soak it up and enjoy every step!