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Marathon Details - Steamboat Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > CO > Steamboat Springs > Steamboat Marathon

Steamboat Marathon

Steamboat Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K

Steamboat Springs, CO USA

June 1, 2025

http://www.steamboatchamber.com/events/annual-events/steamboat-marathon

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Race Details

USATF Certified course is a scenic, mountain valley run on paved county roads.

Contact Information

Name:	Kara Givnish
Address:	Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association P.O. Box 774408 Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
Phone Number:	970-875-7002
Fax Number:	970-879-2543
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (60)

Course 4.5

Organization 4.2

Spectators 3.1

Write a review

Number of comments: 60 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

J. C. from Philadelphia, PA (6/15/2017) "Awesome scenery" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The expo was small but it was held at a really nice ski & bike shop so you were able to get gels if you needed it. My wife was able to use the $10 coupon from my bib for a pair of flip flops. Vendors and sponsors were in tents in the parking lot. I went to the expo on Saturday afternoon and they had plenty of t-shirts in all sizes. I've run 23 marathons and this was the most scenic course I've run. We ran past ranchlands with the Rockies in the distance. The course was downhill but with lots of rolling hills. The weather was sunny with temps around 50F at the start but it got into the 70's fairly quickly. There was hardly any shade on the course but I put on sunscreen before the race. They had some at the start if you needed it. Not many spectators along the course as the organizers discouraged people from driving on the route. It was a 2-lane road and only one lane was open to traffic in both directions. Volunteers at the aid stations were great. At a station around Mile 18, a volunteer took my water bottle as I ran past, filled it with Powerade, and caught up with me to give it back. Overall, this was a really nice marathon with awesome scenery and great but slightly warm weather but don't expect to PR.
K. O. from Colorado (6/5/2017) "Great Race - Need more Aid Stations" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Steamboat Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 SBS Marathon is well organized and well done marathon with breath taking scenery. Recommend aid stations spaced out every 2 miles after mile 13. Runners were hurting with the warm temperatures. Suggest the aid station with only beer have water/power aid to assist runners. Mile marker 14's message says it all - 'Hydration is key'. Support the runners.
m. s. from mansfield, tx (6/8/2015) "Great point-to-point scenic course" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Steamboat Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Great cool weather in 2015 for the first 20 miles, a lot of shade too. Overall downhill and many small hills. Around 22 one long incline, this is also about where the shade stopped and the heat started - also the end of 'scenic'. Good aid stations but there could have been more. Few spectators until the last mile. Overall a great small town marathon in a fantastic place. One to do again!
P. P. from Omaha Nebraska (6/1/2014) "great course good water stations but not enough" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Very well organized from top to bottom. Good stocked and supported water stations, could have used one more in the first half of the marathon with the altitude. I prefer a t-shirt that actually says Steamboat Springs Marathon. Nobody from my family and few runners at the start of the race knew what SBS stood for.
P. S. from Alabama (6/10/2013) "Beautiful! Fun! Needs Better Website Info!" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my second marathon. The course is completely gorgeous - rolling hills all the way with a killer hill around 21 that was really tough given the heat. I'm in agreement that this shouldn't be your first marathon, not only because of the hilly course, but because of the lack of spectators. The people who are watching are enthusiastic, but they are few and far between, and the nature of the course makes it difficult to follow your runner. There were tons of bathrooms at the start, but too few until the half mark. There should be two port-a-potties at every site at least. I'd also agree that the post-party was lacking, especially in food which should be placed immediately after the finish. The most important thing the organizers should do is review the website. Directions to the expo site, for example, would have been helpful to post. I also would have liked an FAQ email to be sent prior to the expo just to fill in some missing information. To end on a good notethe people running the race - both runners and organizersare some of the nicest people I've met anywhere. I've never felt quite so supported by other runners during a race as I did during this one. So that, plus the AWESOME views will keep me coming back.
R. H. from Houston, TX (6/7/2013) "Great small race" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Easily the most difficult course I've done. Living in Houston there's no way to train for the altitude and also for the hills. Still, I enjoyed the challenge and the beautiful scenery along the way. Pros -Beautiful course. Winding your way through the Yampa Valley and along the Elk River provided great scenery while running the marathon. -Small field. Sometimes I like running big races, but sometimes I prefer a smaller and less crowded atmosphere. The Steamboat Marathon had ~250 people run it, so for the majority of the course I was by myself and this provided a great opportunity to have some solitude and 'me' time while running in the Rockies. -Technical t-shirt has good design. Nothing's worse than doing a marathon and getting a crappy-looking shirt that I'll never wear (think Toronto Marathon.) Cons -They had plastic cups at the aid stations...really?! After 32 years of running this race they haven't figured out that they should be using paper cups? It's frustrating when trying to drink and run at the same time and spilling half the water b/c you can't fold the cup. -The aid stations were well placed throughout the course, but towards the end they really should have had bananas, orange slices, pretzels, etc... They did have Honey Stingers, but I've never heard of those and didn't want to risk trying something new during this race. They really should consider other food snacks at the aid stations in the last 10K. Overall, if you're looking for a small, summer marathon with some great scenery, Steamboat should be on your list.
A. L. from 586 Feet Above Sea Level (6/6/2013) "Fun! Hard! Race organization a little lacking." (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Course: is beautiful. Long rolling hills for entirety of course which makes this a hard marathon and not a PR or BQ course. Very little shade. Sometimes running directly into oncoming traffic. Organization: Online is terrible and lacking in information. No race shirts other than in XL for men was stupid and left a bad taste. No need for a prior day expo for less than 300 runners. Could have done a morning pickup. Bus transportation, gear check, start area and aid stations were handled well. Finish area was a joke. Maybe a banana? Fans/spectators: None, other than aid station folks or a few people in their front yards. Note: they don't make this clear because of the non-existent web presence, but your family can't see you on the course even if they want to as traveling anywhere on the course is discouraged. Altitude: This was my first race at altitude and everything was fine after the first mile or so (for any flatlanders out there). Overall: It was fun and unique. As it was a destination race that coincided with a family trip, I won't be back. Race organization is a little lacking and it shows. Nothing to do with size as I have run races with less than 100 people that were run better and felt 'bigger'.
M. L. from Colorado (6/2/2013) "Don't bother" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Pros: - well organized bus transportation to the start - plenty of port o potties at the start Cons - ran out of ALL men's shirt sizes at the (poor excuse for an) expo - PLASTIC cups at the aid stations (who made that decision?) - not enough aid stations - you had to pay for the post race beer (which is pretty criminal for a Colorado race where post race beer is STANDARD) - you also had to pay for a post race massage (first time in 15 marathons I've seen that) - post race food was virtually non existent (tiny subway sandwich, cookie and chips was all you got) - age group awards were pretty pathetic....we just ran a marathon! Smartwool (main sponsor) needs to step it up in this department Basically the marathon is the sideshow event of the half marathon. I wouldn't waste my time with this one again....you can get stellar scenery at other small marathons in CO and avoid all these cons.
S. S. from Colorado (6/10/2012) "Scenic course well organized" (about: 2012) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Had run the half several times before. The full had a field of under 400 runners which made aid stations very easy to get fluid at. Spaceing of aid stations was perfect for me. The stations are closer together on the second half of the course. If you were patient on the downhills early and saved something for the last 6 tough miles you prob. enjoy this race. It was very important to be well trained for both downhill and uphill running. If your training was all about running fast and flat this course would chew you up badly. It got warm near the end, maybe 80, on the asphalt, but again if you trained for the heat and ran smartly, not a problem. With the temps and hills I would not recommend this race for a first timer or anyone that takes much more than 4 hours to complete the race. Despite the overall net drop, elevations are in the 7000's and the ups and downs, etc.. make this far from an ideal course to think about pr s on. The only thing this race has lost on lately are the quality of awards for placing runners. I did not see any prizes that would not find their way to the trash can pretty quickly.
m. s. from Mansfield, TX (6/6/2012) "Great small town race!" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Fantastic race in a great location. Weather was ideal in 2012, bus transport to the start was well organized. Aid stations were fun and well stocked, great volunteers. A brutal & long hill at mile 22. Overall a great race, one I hope to do again!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]



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J. C. from Philadelphia, PA (6/15/2017) "Awesome scenery" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The expo was small but it was held at a really nice ski & bike shop so you were able to get gels if you needed it. My wife was able to use the $10 coupon from my bib for a pair of flip flops. Vendors and sponsors were in tents in the parking lot. I went to the expo on Saturday afternoon and they had plenty of t-shirts in all sizes. I've run 23 marathons and this was the most scenic course I've run. We ran past ranchlands with the Rockies in the distance. The course was downhill but with lots of rolling hills. The weather was sunny with temps around 50F at the start but it got into the 70's fairly quickly. There was hardly any shade on the course but I put on sunscreen before the race. They had some at the start if you needed it. Not many spectators along the course as the organizers discouraged people from driving on the route. It was a 2-lane road and only one lane was open to traffic in both directions. Volunteers at the aid stations were great. At a station around Mile 18, a volunteer took my water bottle as I ran past, filled it with Powerade, and caught up with me to give it back. Overall, this was a really nice marathon with awesome scenery and great but slightly warm weather but don't expect to PR.
K. O. from Colorado (6/5/2017) "Great Race - Need more Aid Stations" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 3 Steamboat Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 SBS Marathon is well organized and well done marathon with breath taking scenery. Recommend aid stations spaced out every 2 miles after mile 13. Runners were hurting with the warm temperatures. Suggest the aid station with only beer have water/power aid to assist runners. Mile marker 14's message says it all - 'Hydration is key'. Support the runners.
m. s. from mansfield, tx (6/8/2015) "Great point-to-point scenic course" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 2 Steamboat Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Great cool weather in 2015 for the first 20 miles, a lot of shade too. Overall downhill and many small hills. Around 22 one long incline, this is also about where the shade stopped and the heat started - also the end of 'scenic'. Good aid stations but there could have been more. Few spectators until the last mile. Overall a great small town marathon in a fantastic place. One to do again!
P. P. from Omaha Nebraska (6/1/2014) "great course good water stations but not enough" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Very well organized from top to bottom. Good stocked and supported water stations, could have used one more in the first half of the marathon with the altitude. I prefer a t-shirt that actually says Steamboat Springs Marathon. Nobody from my family and few runners at the start of the race knew what SBS stood for.
P. S. from Alabama (6/10/2013) "Beautiful! Fun! Needs Better Website Info!" (about: 2013) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my second marathon. The course is completely gorgeous - rolling hills all the way with a killer hill around 21 that was really tough given the heat. I'm in agreement that this shouldn't be your first marathon, not only because of the hilly course, but because of the lack of spectators. The people who are watching are enthusiastic, but they are few and far between, and the nature of the course makes it difficult to follow your runner. There were tons of bathrooms at the start, but too few until the half mark. There should be two port-a-potties at every site at least. I'd also agree that the post-party was lacking, especially in food which should be placed immediately after the finish. The most important thing the organizers should do is review the website. Directions to the expo site, for example, would have been helpful to post. I also would have liked an FAQ email to be sent prior to the expo just to fill in some missing information. To end on a good notethe people running the race - both runners and organizersare some of the nicest people I've met anywhere. I've never felt quite so supported by other runners during a race as I did during this one. So that, plus the AWESOME views will keep me coming back.
R. H. from Houston, TX (6/7/2013) "Great small race" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Easily the most difficult course I've done. Living in Houston there's no way to train for the altitude and also for the hills. Still, I enjoyed the challenge and the beautiful scenery along the way. Pros -Beautiful course. Winding your way through the Yampa Valley and along the Elk River provided great scenery while running the marathon. -Small field. Sometimes I like running big races, but sometimes I prefer a smaller and less crowded atmosphere. The Steamboat Marathon had ~250 people run it, so for the majority of the course I was by myself and this provided a great opportunity to have some solitude and 'me' time while running in the Rockies. -Technical t-shirt has good design. Nothing's worse than doing a marathon and getting a crappy-looking shirt that I'll never wear (think Toronto Marathon.) Cons -They had plastic cups at the aid stations...really?! After 32 years of running this race they haven't figured out that they should be using paper cups? It's frustrating when trying to drink and run at the same time and spilling half the water b/c you can't fold the cup. -The aid stations were well placed throughout the course, but towards the end they really should have had bananas, orange slices, pretzels, etc... They did have Honey Stingers, but I've never heard of those and didn't want to risk trying something new during this race. They really should consider other food snacks at the aid stations in the last 10K. Overall, if you're looking for a small, summer marathon with some great scenery, Steamboat should be on your list.
A. L. from 586 Feet Above Sea Level (6/6/2013) "Fun! Hard! Race organization a little lacking." (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Course: is beautiful. Long rolling hills for entirety of course which makes this a hard marathon and not a PR or BQ course. Very little shade. Sometimes running directly into oncoming traffic. Organization: Online is terrible and lacking in information. No race shirts other than in XL for men was stupid and left a bad taste. No need for a prior day expo for less than 300 runners. Could have done a morning pickup. Bus transportation, gear check, start area and aid stations were handled well. Finish area was a joke. Maybe a banana? Fans/spectators: None, other than aid station folks or a few people in their front yards. Note: they don't make this clear because of the non-existent web presence, but your family can't see you on the course even if they want to as traveling anywhere on the course is discouraged. Altitude: This was my first race at altitude and everything was fine after the first mile or so (for any flatlanders out there). Overall: It was fun and unique. As it was a destination race that coincided with a family trip, I won't be back. Race organization is a little lacking and it shows. Nothing to do with size as I have run races with less than 100 people that were run better and felt 'bigger'.
M. L. from Colorado (6/2/2013) "Don't bother" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Pros: - well organized bus transportation to the start - plenty of port o potties at the start Cons - ran out of ALL men's shirt sizes at the (poor excuse for an) expo - PLASTIC cups at the aid stations (who made that decision?) - not enough aid stations - you had to pay for the post race beer (which is pretty criminal for a Colorado race where post race beer is STANDARD) - you also had to pay for a post race massage (first time in 15 marathons I've seen that) - post race food was virtually non existent (tiny subway sandwich, cookie and chips was all you got) - age group awards were pretty pathetic....we just ran a marathon! Smartwool (main sponsor) needs to step it up in this department Basically the marathon is the sideshow event of the half marathon. I wouldn't waste my time with this one again....you can get stellar scenery at other small marathons in CO and avoid all these cons.
S. S. from Colorado (6/10/2012) "Scenic course well organized" (about: 2012) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Had run the half several times before. The full had a field of under 400 runners which made aid stations very easy to get fluid at. Spaceing of aid stations was perfect for me. The stations are closer together on the second half of the course. If you were patient on the downhills early and saved something for the last 6 tough miles you prob. enjoy this race. It was very important to be well trained for both downhill and uphill running. If your training was all about running fast and flat this course would chew you up badly. It got warm near the end, maybe 80, on the asphalt, but again if you trained for the heat and ran smartly, not a problem. With the temps and hills I would not recommend this race for a first timer or anyone that takes much more than 4 hours to complete the race. Despite the overall net drop, elevations are in the 7000's and the ups and downs, etc.. make this far from an ideal course to think about pr s on. The only thing this race has lost on lately are the quality of awards for placing runners. I did not see any prizes that would not find their way to the trash can pretty quickly.
m. s. from Mansfield, TX (6/6/2012) "Great small town race!" (about: 2012) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Steamboat Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Fantastic race in a great location. Weather was ideal in 2012, bus transport to the start was well organized. Aid stations were fun and well stocked, great volunteers. A brutal & long hill at mile 22. Overall a great race, one I hope to do again!

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Marathon Details - Steamboat Marathon