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☰
Fargo Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Fargo Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.4 
Organization 4.6 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 391 [displaying comments 91 to 101]
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John Eng from New York
(5/22/2012)
"Fargo Indeed Rocks!!!!" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Logistics - easy. If you stay in the 2 hotels near the FargoDome then you just walk to everything since the Fargodome is the start/finish/expo. If you stay by the multitude of hotels by West Acres Shopping Mall, there is a shuttle bus service that takes you to/from the race. Expo - Nice setup inside the Fargodome. Plenty of vendors and not too crowded. Well organized. PastaParty - I recommend going. Good tasting food, with 2 types of pasta, lefse, bread and even gluten-free options Course - 95% of it is pancake flat. Just a few hills but nothing too long and easily manageable. Lots of turns though so it's important to try and run the tangents efficiently. Hydration Stops - Plentiful and well-organized on both sides of the course with Powerade first and water second. Spectator Support - The residents really come out and support this race. I was surprised how many people lined the course and offering plenty of ad-hoc services. From the two busty blond girls riding on huge, mechanical chickens, the 'Grim Reaper' with the sign that said 'The End Is Near' at Mile 25.5 and the dozens holding signs, the spectators were not only enthusiastic but really funny. Atmosphere - I was pleasantly surprised how friendly the volunteers, runners and residents were. There were tons of music and bands throughout the course if that is your thing. You never had more than half a mile without some music or band playing. Volunteers - Enthusiastic, friendly and attentive. Thanks so much! Organization - Top notch. From expo to the finish was done with perfection. After reading the comments from last year, the organizers decided to start the marathon 45 minutes AFTER the half which proved to be a wise and prudent decision. Never got held up by half marathon walkers and it was a pleasure to have an uncrowded course as well as unobstructed path to the finish. In summary, the entire city of Fargo really gets behind the race. If you're looking for a fast course, fun and enthusiastic crowds, well organized race that cares about runners' feedback then I highly suggest you consider Fargo. It was marathon #23 for me and definitely a top 5 pick. Thanks to the organizers and the city of Fargo for a fantastic experience. | |
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T. M. from Montana
(5/21/2012)
"Excellent Marathon-Highly Recommend" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Like another writer, I had low expectations for the marathon. I counted 105 turns (not bends) on the course map and the race was in Fargo, ND. On top of that, the race was going to start at 8:15 which is a late start. Boy, was I wrong on my thinking. This is a great race. For the size of the expo, it was excellent. It had many options of clothing and quite a few vendors with nice clothes. The swag from the race was nice. I had read in years past that the marathoners had to fight swarms of halfers so they modified the start times. This makes for a late start for the marathon but it was perfect. Once the halfers left the dome, it was spacious and an exellent place to warm up. Bathrooms were plentiful but probably would help to add a few more outside. The course is almost entirely treelined. Spectators lined the course, not deep, but on every block. Much better than larger races such as Houston, who brag of the number of spectators. The spectators were awesome and into supporting the racers. It was excellent not having to compete with halfers at the end of the race. When I did see them, they were wall to wall going the other direction and it would have been tough to have to get around them. Food wasn't spectacular at the end, but was nice to be able to shower upon finishing. I would highly recommend this race. It was very well organized unlike my comments and writing :) | |
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G. M. from Winnipeg,Canada.
(5/21/2012)
"We band of brothers" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Fargo Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race is a must.It seems to get better every year. Everything from the packet pick up to the finish food is great.I only did the half but some things stood out. Wonderful race shirt& bag. What can you say about the medal? World class.Spectators and the wonderful folks managing the water stations were outstanding. Starting & finishing in the Fargodome wonderful. Loved the Grim Reaper complete with scyth & sign The end is Near. Also the sign,You trained longer than Kim Kardashian was married. I would encourage all Manitoba runners to come and run this as this is how a race should be put on. Any race that starts with Eye of the Tiger is OK by me. Thanks to all the staff,volunteers and all the unsung heroes for making this a wonderful but above all a fun event. | |
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B. R. from St. Louis
(5/21/2012)
"Flat and Friendly, a better RnR marathon" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This had to be the flattest course I have run outside of Chicago. The spectators lined the course and the neigborhoods we ran through were freindly and beautiful. Water, powerade and GU were more than enough. Bands and DJ's all over the course were great. A rock and roll race without the BS RnR franchise to ruin it. The race was capped off with an indoor finish in the Fargodome. I highly recommend for everyone. | |
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N. A. from Illinois
(5/20/2012)
"Fun, flat course" (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I went into the race with pretty low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. The course was very flat and fast, and there were spectators nearly the whole way. Water stations were plentiful and well stocked, and the other runners were very friendly. Finish line in the dome was a very cool experience as well. My only complaint was the start time. They start the 10K at 7 a.m. the half marathon at 7:30 and the marathon at 8:15. It all seems pretty backwards. That is just too late to start a marathon in late May. The day before this year's race it was 95 in Fargo. If the heat would have lasted another day it would have been a nightmare. The 10K could have easily been held the day before, along with the 5K. And there is no reason why the half and full marathons can't start, together closer to 7 a.m. All that being said, I would recommend this race to anyone looking to run a PR. | |
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M. V. from Minneapolis
(5/20/2012)
"A good race . . ." (about: 2012)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Fargo Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This is the second time I have run Fargo. I thought it was improved from 2008. Course is flat and fast. Good crowd support. The people of Fargo-Moorhead are genuinely happy you are there. They ran out of my size shirt at the fitness fair, but other than that, organization is good. | |
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C. S. from IA
(5/20/2012)
"Best race we've ever done." (about: 2012)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My husband ran the full marathon and I ran the half. We both have lots of prior experience with both distances, and we both agreed this race was the best we've ever done, hands down. There were no problems whatsoever with the race. Here are the positive points: 1) The course was mostly residential, but very interesting, because spectators lined the course and were both helpful (handing out tissues/beer) and enthusiastic! 2) The organization with the expo, volunteers, start/finish and everything else was flawless. 3) The swag was awesome - great shirts, nice gear bags, and lots of freebie takeaways at the expo. 4) Finish is in the Fargo Dome, which makes you feel like a rockstar to enter to roaring crowds. Finish area, therefore, is covered and protected from elements, making it easy to wait around for others. Lots of seats, free food and beer were great and hit the spot. 5) A truly walker-friendly half marathon is very rare, but this is the most walker-friendly half I've ever done. Spectator support never waned even for those taking over 2:45 to finish the half. 6) The city of Fargo was lovely to visit. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming to the runners, and the hotels are cheap and nice. Lots of great restaurants for pre- and post-race options. We were charmed by Fargo! Definitely a must-do, and it would make a GREAT first marathon for anyone. | |
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K. H. from Fargo, ND
(5/20/2012)
"Fantastic Start/Finish" (about: 2012)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was not disappointed by my first Fargo Marathon. It meets or exceeds the standards that I have come to expect from my marathon experiences so far. One characteristic that really stood out in my mind was the Fargodome. The weather on race day was comfortable enough that standing outside waiting for the start was no problem, but as I was waiting to start the 5K on Friday with 90 degree temps, being able to sit inside the Fargodome was a real blessing. Finishing in the Fargodome was great: immediately getting out of the weather, family sitting above as you cross the finish line. The course was great. Lots of tree lined roads and very flat. The volunteers and spectators were amazing. People were everywhere along the route cheering, bands/DJs playing music, plenty of aid stations and portapotties. The whole family was able to participate during marathon weekend: kids runs on Thursday, 5K on Friday, and three races to choose from on Saturday. | |
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G. A. from Phoenix, AZ
(5/14/2012)
"a must run! best kept secret!" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Wow the Fargo Marathon was a blast! I ran it last year and will be returning so I thought I would add comments. Pros. Best finish line ever. There are thousands of spectators in the Fargodome and the roaring crowd gives you goosebumps. Amazing community involvement. The fans are cheering you on big time and keep you motivated. Must have seen 20 bands. Plenty of porta poties and poweraid stops. Super flat gave me my best ever time. Nice scenery. Coming from Arizona I appreciated the different vibe. Plenty of trees. They even had a post party with bands. Easy parking. Good communications on the web. Downtown Fargo is a fun time. Good price too. CONS. I have to dig pretty deep to find them but it was congested at the end. They said it was due to flood re routing and will be fixed | |
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D. B. from Lincoln, Nebraska, USA
(8/9/2011)
"Great race, Great town!" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Fargo Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had never been to Fargo before, but the race itself, the fans, and the organization were all fantastic. It was my first marathon and the expo and organization made everything really easy. Great pasta feed and speaker. The weather was perfect for running and the course was full of spectators and bands and had enough turns to keep things interesting. I can't wait to run Fargo again. Uff-da! |
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