Famous Idaho Potato Marathon Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Mike C.
Boise, ID

  (05-18-2010)

"Although I ran the 1/2 marathon at this race the year before, this was the first time I ran the full marathon. In fact, it was my first marathon ever. This is a fund raiser for the YMCA and it includes a full and 1/2 marathons as well as a 5K and 10K.

EXPO
This was pretty much non-existent. You picked up your packet at the finish line (which is a park) the day before the race. It consisted of a tent with tables and the side of a U-haul van. First you had to go to the van and look up your number a sheets of paper that were taped to the side of the van. (They were separated by race.) Once you had your bib number, you then went over to the tent and stood in line in front of the table for your race. Now for the full marathon runners, they had your bib, chip, coupons and plastic potato pen (they give them out every year) in a manila envelope. For all the other races, the first line would just get your bib. Then you stood in another line for your chip. Then you would go over to another table to get your coupons and plastic pen (with you grabbed and put into a plastic bag that they use for 10lb sack of potatoes at the grocery store). This seemed a little disorganized to me (at least for the none marathon runners).

PARKING
This race does have transportation down. There is ample parking available at the finish line and they have free bus rides to the starting line. They even will transport a bag back to the finish line for you so you don't have to freeze to death waiting for the race to start.

TURN OUT
There were over 3000 people who turned out for all four races. Over 1700 where signed up for the 1/2 and full marathon. However, only about 200 people signed up for the full marathon.

COURSE
I have to say, this is a great first marathon course. It is almost flat. In fact you start up stream and run down along the Boise River. There are lots of trees for shade and it is very pretty. The race is almost entirely along the Boise Green Belt trail system. Although this is a great trail system, there were a couple of draw backs. First, this is a multi-use, paved trail system and they did not block it off for the race. This meant that we had to share the trail with people out for walks, bikes, roller-bladers and other people out for a run. This wasn't too much of an issue, but some people on bikes got rather impatient passing people and I got run off the path once because of this. The second issue issue with the path is that in places the roots from trees have made the trail a bit rough and you have to be careful running.
The full and half marathon are on the same course until about a quarter mile from the finish where the 1/2 marathon turns to the finish but the full marathon keeps going. The Second 1/2 of the marathon was out and back along the green belt and since the 1/2 marathon, 10K and 5K runners all turned into the finish line, the trail got a lot less crowded.

WATER STATIONS
For the first 1/2 there were water stations every 2 miles and they offered water, watered down sports drink, and power bars. Some stations also offered power jells. According to the map of the race, after mile 18, there was supposed to be a water station every mile but for the second half of the marathon, the water stations were about every 2 1/2 miles. At least the sports drinks were not watered down for these.

REST ROOMS
Given the number of port-a-potties the race provided at the start, finish and along the race, coupled with the restrooms already along the green belt, there was enough rest rooms. There was a bit of a line at the start and the race was delayed until the lines were gone and it only delayed the race by 15 minutes.

CROWDS
For the most part the crowds along the course were small and someone subdued. But that is not to say there wasn't some great people along the way. One family had even setup their own aid station in their front yard was offering free bloody marys.

FINISH/POST RACE
I finished my first marathon in about 5 1/2 hours. By the time I got to the finish line, most of the "party" was over. The live band had packed up and most everyone had left. I waited for a good 45 minutes waiting for them to post my time (paper printout on the side of the u-haul truck), but they never did. The official timer did say he was posting them on the web and would provided the YMCA with a link. I am still waiting to see my official time. For food, they had bananas, grapes, cookies, milk and water. I don't know if they had anything else and it was just gone by the time I got there.

SWAG
This is a race that you do not get a shirt until you finish (at least for the 1/2 and full marathon). The shirt is a poly/blend material with the Famous Idaho Potato Marathon logo on the front. If you ran the full marathon, then your shirt also had "Marathon Finisher" printed on it. Both the full and 1/2 marathon finished got a very nice metal.

OVERALL/FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall I did enjoy the marathon and thought it was a good "fun" event. Parts of the event seemed very well organized and other parts were a bit chaotic. If you are looking for a fun run, then I would recommend this race. However, if you are looking for a serious race to get a PR, then stay away. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2010

Mike C.
Boise, ID

  (05-18-2009)

"This was the first time I ran the Famous Idaho Potato half marathon (my second half marathon ever). The start of the race was at the Luck Peak park and the finish was at Ann Morrison park (13 miles away). Parking was at the finish and a free shuttle was provided to the start. The race also provided to take from the start back to the finish one bag for each runner. This was greatly appreciated as it was cold and windy at the starting line. The course runs along the Boise green belt (along the Boise river). It goes from East to west and downstream. That means no big up hills and the sun at your back (at least for the half marathon). This was very nice as it was a nice sunny day. The green belt is very pretty. The race proved water and sports bars/gels every two miles. The course was also very well marked and along paved bike paths most of the way. There was a great turn out at the finish with food and other boths. It was a nice half marathon.

OK, now for the negative. They started the Half and full marathoners at the same time. This meant that there were server hundred people all jocking for position on a narrow 2 lane road that quickly turned into a 5 foot wide path. for the first two miles is was very tight passing and trying to pass people. Also, the days events included a 5 and 10K walk/run. Sadly they timed them so that they would finish about the same time. This meant as I was pushing to the finish line, I had to dodge people, two abreast, pushing strollers. This made the finish more of an obsticle course. My only other complaint is that they did not give finishing metals to half marathoners, only the full marathoners. This was my own fault as I didn't read the web site well enough as it does only mention the full marathon getting a finishing marathon. But I did get a shirt at the finish line.

This is a good half marathon if you are looking to just have fun and not really trying to best a time. I probably won't do the half marathon again, but I might do the full next year."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009