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Marathon Details - Shiprock Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NM > Shiprock > Shiprock Marathon

Shiprock Marathon

Shiprock Marathon & Half Marathon, 5K

Shiprock, NM USA

May 3, 2025

http://www.navajoyes.org/events/shiprock-marathon

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Race Details

The course is a high desert classic running by the spectacular 1800-foot ancient volcanic pinnacle of Shiprock. This monolith has great spiritual significance to the Dine'. Marathon start line and finish is 4850 ft. Contact Information Note:

Contact Information

Name:	Thomas Riggenbach
Address:	NavajoYES P.O. Box 1487 Teec Nos Pos, AZ 86514
Phone Number:	(928) 429-0345
Email:	Email the organizers

More Information

These details were last updated by the race director on 1/28/24 and may be out of date.
Number of Runners:	1,000
Number of Spectators:	1,000
Fees & Deadlines:	Check website for current fee schedule.
Start Time:	7:00 AM
Course Highlights:	The solitude of the course and stunning landscapes make it a race to remember. Running past the 1800-foot volcanic pinnacle of Shiprock is a magical experience. The course is rolling hills, but a net loss of over 1200 feet.
Course Refreshments:	Gatorade Honey Stinger gels, fresh fruit, salty and sweet snacks
Certified? Certification:	Yes, USATF #NM04003DS
Race Day Registration:	Not Available
Online Registration:	http://www.runsignup.com/Race/NM/Shiprock/ShiprockMarathon
Packet Pickup Info:	Packets can be picked up the day before the event from noon to 7:00 p.m. at Shiprock Youth Center south campus. Additional information is available on the website.
Marathon Ratings:	Course Scenery/Beauty/Interest: Good for First Timers: Crowd Support: Course Speed:

Race Organizer

Shiprock Marathon race details and preview (5/8/19)

Tom Riggenbach

Shiprock Marathon is a marathon on the Navajo Nation, offering runners a unique opportunity to run in stunning Navajo country. Shiprock is the longest-running marathon tradition (est. 1983) in the Four Corners region and rated "best marathon in New Mexico".

The race is intimate (just over 2000 runners) yet has many of the amenities of larger races.

* Packet pick-up on Friday includes an Expo, pasta dinner, traditional music and a taste of Navajo culture.

* Over 190 amazing Southwestern pottery overall and age-group awards go to top finishers, three deep in marathon and half.

* Finisher's medals feature a rough cut of Shiprock, the volcanic namesake of our race.

* Well-stocked aid stations are placed all the route - 16 total, including every mile for the last six. Honey Stinger gels, Gatorade, fresh fruit plus some salty and sweet snacks, and awesome medical support.

* Awesome views of the surrounding country, highlighted by the majestic Shiprock, the Chuska and Carrizo Mountains and the local Navajo communities of Red Valley, Mitten Rock and Shiprock.

* Beast Pacing provides pacers for both the marathon and half marathon.

* Bus transportation from Shiprock takes you to the marathon/relay and half start lines.

* Entertainment at the start lines, along the course and at the finish. Your finest moments on the course are likely to be enjoying the solitude and expansive views of the high desert.

* Hearty fare at the finish, including pizza, chips, melon, granola bars, chocolate milk, Gatorade and Navajo tea

* Events include marathon, half-marathon, 5-person relay, 10K trail race and 5K fun run.

Please feel free to contact us at info@shiprockmarathon.com or give us a call at (608) 201-8175 if you have any questions about the race.

Runner Reviews (49)

Course 4.4

Organization 4.5

Spectators 3.4

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Number of comments: 49 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

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C. K. from Kalamazoo, MI (5/5/2024) "Unique, tremendous organization, great community" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Shiprock Marathon was a truly one-of-a-kind experience - it's no wonder it was just ranked as a top marathon by USA Today! The marathon is relatively small, with less than 200 runners. Quite a few more run the half. Positives: -Fantastic communication from the race director in the weeks leading up to the race. -All around stellar organization, from easy parking to absolutely on time start(to the second!) to plenty of portapotties at the start and along the course. -Incredibly supportive community. So much positivity all along the course and at the expo! -Water stops every mile(!). All water stops had gatorade and water, and many had pickle juice, pretzels, gummy bears, oranges and gels. -A small but nice expo outside at the start/finish area. Free massage and free medal engraving at the race end, several different food stalls in addition to the free pizza and snack box for all runners. -Music wasn't all set up on course when I went out with marathon (presumably was for half marathon runners who went out a little later), but what was on course was great. -Starting the half marathon 30 minutes after the marathon made for an easy, congestion-free start to the marathon. -Hearing the national anthem sung in Navajo was really special, as was the traditional music and prayer. -Beautiful views of Shiprock an the way out. -Closed course, with car lanes blocked. -Awesome finisher medal and age group medal, too. And the first time I've gotten one of those - amazing that they go 3 deep in each age group for a small race. Negatives -Tough! The altitude, dry air and a warm day made this a very challenging run. -Not necessarily a negative, but I had expected a flatter course. I actually liked the rolling hills, but was not totally prepared for the fact that most of the course was either uphill or downhill. -I don't love an out and back course, although I understand that the logistics wouldn't work well to do this one differently. It was also a bummer not to be able to see Shiprock on the way back. Again, I don't think that the organizers could do anything about this, but it did make for a less scenic return. All in all, this is a terrific marathon. Not easy to get to Shiprock, but absolutely worth it. A huge thank you to everyone who makes this race so incredible!
S. S. from Albuquerque, NM (5/8/2022) "Amazing support for runners on a hot, windy day" (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A scaled down race due to continuing COVID concerns, so only about 150 of us ran the marathon; about 450 ran the half. It was also on a different course than previous years: an out-and-back on 491 and N13 with the turnaround near Shiprock Mtn. It's quite scenic once you turn on to N13 (if you enjoy high desert scenery). The day started out nice, but the heat and wind picked up after the first two hours. We had headwinds most of the way back on N13, which slowed many of us already slow runners. I've never gone through this much water in a race. Temps were in the mid-80s with high winds when I finished in my slowest time ever. The course support was amazing. Lots of music on the course, and aid stations every mile with water, gels, Honey Stinger waffles, and other food choices. Navajo Rangers and EMTs regularly checked on anyone who was struggling. A few folks needed medical help, but I think most of us finished, though with a lot of walking in the last miles. One guy walked it in 9 hours, by which time the temperature and wind must have been brutal. It was an amazingly well organized race whose volunteers handled the conditions very well. A surprising amount of fan support, too, along 491. Definitely a race worth doing, and has peaked my interest in the other races in the Navajo series.
P. W. from New York City (7/3/2019) "Terrific NM marathon" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Flawless. So much fun and incredible vistas on this run. It was my NM race in my 50-state quest and I highly recommend it. Nice swag, great pasta party the dinner before with some members of the Navajo nation singing traditional songs. Just lovely all around.
A. N. from Rockville, MD USA (5/10/2018) "Big Al's Comments" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This course was extremely scenic and very close to the St. George Marathon in Utah for those who have run it as far as scenery and the course itself. Focusing on the geological formations makes the time go by more easily. It starts at 6000' of elevation, which takes a lot to adjust to and finishes about 1,100' lower. The course is a lot harder than you'd think, even though it's a point to point downhill with a positive net drop of about 1,100'. It has a lot of uphills in between that beat up your legs big time. The first 5K are mostly uphill, which makes it difficult, especially with the altitude, but has several downhills that follow. This is not a PR course by any means, so don't be fooled! Spectators are scarce, since we start in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Most of them are people who follow their competitors and see them several times during the run. The natives do a great job of volunteering and there is plenty of fluids, Gel and fruits on the course, so no worries there. The race started chilly at about 45 degrees, but by the time we finished, it was about 75, so it increased by 30 degrees in about 4-5 hours. The race site is hard to get to if you're flying into Albuquerque. It's over 200 miles and takes about 3-4 hours to get to it, even with 70-75 mph speed limits. Not much scenery on the way out either, except for the formations. Other than that, just tumbleweed and different shades of brown. So, unless you really want to do this very race for some odd reason, I'd pick another one that's easier to get in and out. This was my 69th marathon and 48th State.
T. K. from Cincinnati, OH (5/10/2016) "Beauty in the Desert" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Top 10 Reasons for Running Shiprock Marathon 10) Mostly downhill 9) Race Director - communicative, passionate, accommodating 8) Impeccable race organization 7) Because of the vast expanses of desert it is possible to see the entire racing field at points along the course 6) Navajo seniors offering congratulatory handshake at the Finish Line 5) The race medal is unique and special 4) The stark beauty of the desert 3) Discovering the sacred history of Tsé Bit'a'í (Navajo name for Shiprock) 2) Navajo blessing at Race Start 1) You are supporting a very worthy cause - proceeds from the race go to Dine' (Navajo people) youth outdoor adventure experiences
Lee Stock from Green Bay, WI (5/9/2016) "Beautiful nature views on course" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is a very enjoyable rural setting. Elevation of 5000 to 6000 ft doesn't seem to be much of an issue since it has slight downhill trend over course of the run. Porto john layout for this course was outstanding. Nice cool, cloudy weather for 2016. Traveled from Wisconsin and felt this was a great choice for my 50 states goal for NM. Parking for the start is a little chaotic, but otherwise excellent race support all around, especially for a somewhat remote area. 33 yrs of putting on this race showed in nice organization.
M. K. from Salt Lake City, UT (5/8/2016) "A surprise gem in the desert" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Having signed up for the 2016 Shiprock Marathon to venture along with my dad who is attempting a marathon in all 50 states, I didn't quite know what to expect from what appeared to be a tiny marathon in the middle of nowhere. I was pleasantly surprised by what I experienced on race day. To begin, prior to race day, the race director, Tom, sent several emails to participants with friendly reminders and news about the upcoming event; he strongly encouraged runners to contact him with any questions or concerns. This was the first positive sign about the race I had, I really appreciated Tom's openness and it really showed on race day. The race has a start time of 7 am for marathoners (8 am for half marathoners), which meant an early wake up call for us as we stayed near Durango, CO (there is closer lodging in nearby Farmington (about 25 minutes away). We didn't pick up on race bibs on Friday (as was encouraged by the race director) since we were staying so far away, but we arrived at around 5:20 on race morning to get our bibs and race shirts with no wait (packet pickup started at 5 am on Friday). The race is point-to-point, which means they basically bus runners out 26.2 miles into the desert, drop you off, and tell you to run back. Because of the point-to-point nature of the race, there is a fleet buses well organized and on time to take runners out. The buses all left by 5:55 (just as runners were told) and we got to the start line at about 6:30. The race starts about 200 feet from the Arizona border, so if you want to visit another state while waiting for the start gun, go for it! The start was well supplied with porta-potties (about 15 for 200+ marathoners) and the only real issue at the start was exposure to the elements. After a brief Navajo prayer and drum ceremony, the race started preciously at 7 (another big plus!). I noticed that there were pacers for starting at 3:30 and going up to about 5:30. The course itself runs along a 2-lane, asphalt road in the desert with Shiprock looming in the distance from mile 3 until you pass it at mile 13. At mile 20 the course turns onto a busier highway (4-lanes total) until it reaches the Shiprock Youth Complex where the finish line is. Runners are kept in the left lane of the roads for the totality of the race. Support along the course comes every 2 miles for the first 20 miles and every mile after 20 and includes water and Gatorade (some aid stations had bananas, oranges, Honey Stinger gels, Clif gels, etc.). There seemed to also be some impromptu aid stations at odd number miles during the first 20. Porta-potties appeared throughout the course about every 2 miles as well (near the half marathon start there were a bunch). The course is beautifully desolate, which can either be good or bad depending on the type of runner you are. I loved it, but someone used to big city marathons with lots of crowds may have a hard time. Crowd support picked up once past mile 20. Weather was perfect for the 2016 edition of this race 42 at race start and about 58 by the finish with cloud cover most of the race. I would imagine that some years the weather could be hot. The race medal is nice, solid, and detailed. It will look great on display. The race shirt for 2016 is a tech shirt in neon yellow with usual marathon logo and sponsors, nothing special but not bad either. My shirt was long sleeve because they ran out of short sleeve mediums, but my dad got a short sleeve shirt. Post race refreshments included: watermelon, oranges, crackers, pizza, blue corn mush, chocolate milk, water, and Gatorade. They had a large tent set up with tables and chairs. Family and friends can meet runners directly at the finish line. Finally, they give out age group awards (10 year age ranges) for the top 3 finishers in each age group (by gender). These awards are beautiful, custom-made, ceramic pottery pieces with the race information and age group place, a very nice touch. All in all, this is a surprise of a race that is a most do if you are in the region and should probably be the top pick for 50 staters when looking for a marathon in New Mexico.
r. l. from MN (5/10/2015) "Organized and well run Marathon" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a small marathon on the Navajo reservation that has a unique course in a rural setting. If you need people cheering you on the whole route then this race is not for you. To me, it was inspiring to see the local participation in the various events. The event plays out as expected; you do need to allow for time to get into the parking area early to board your bus, etc. The buses left on schedule as described. At the start staging area there could have been a few more porta johns placed more out of the way of the buses arriving. The course is a lot of rolling hills, and there is a definite drop of elevation throughout. The last 5 miles is as described; downhill until the finish at the youth complex. The relay event and half marathon unfolds as you run the course. I enjoyed watching the enthusiasm at the exchange points and then catching up to the half marathoners who start 1.5 hours later. There were plenty of aid stations every two miles with gels at many of them. Yes, it was warm and the elevation is high for some of us, but that is a marathon race! Post race had all the usual recovery drinks, food, fruit, milk,etc. The race medals are excellent, each participant got a long sleeve tech shirt, beautiful poster and a reusable knapsack. The age group awards were awesome Navajo pottery! Also, at the expo which is small and to be expected, you could purchase for nominal cost coffee cups and clothing souvenirs. Keep in mind, this is a destination not easy to travel to and one has to lodge in Farmington, but it is a great experience with an excellent RD that knows how to run an event. Ahehee!
D. H. from Albuquerque, NM (5/5/2015) "Hot, dry, and boring" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I wanted to like this race, I really did. Shiprock (the natural formation) is remarkable, and the cause is a good one. Sadly, I found it lacking. Pros: Nice shirt, great communication from the RD. Volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful. Cons: The weather & lack of relief are not the fault of the RD. But having aid stations every 2 miles in that weather was ROUGH. Having portajohns every 5-7 miles was really rough, especially since there is no foliage along the course to facilitate a pit stop. Once I crossed the finish line, I had to be redirected to the table that held the medals, and the medals looked unfinished. You'd have to see one to understand I what I mean, but it looks like the medals were taken off the press before completion. NM is a rough state to get a full road race in, and none of them are particularly impressive. Sadly, this race stands out in my experience as one of the hardest to complete because I was nearly bored to tears by the course with a mouth that felt stuffed w/ cotton.
J. R. from Atlanta, Georgia (6/3/2014) "Very unique must do marathon for NM" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The race director and local volunteers do a great job putting this race on. The course is very unique and this is a great part of the country to visit. For most all of the course you can view Shiprock which is a pretty sight to see. This race provides a lot of support to the community and overall a great race and experience. I am glad I chose to do this race for NM.

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C. K. from Kalamazoo, MI (5/5/2024) "Unique, tremendous organization, great community" (about: 2024) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Shiprock Marathon was a truly one-of-a-kind experience - it's no wonder it was just ranked as a top marathon by USA Today! The marathon is relatively small, with less than 200 runners. Quite a few more run the half. Positives: -Fantastic communication from the race director in the weeks leading up to the race. -All around stellar organization, from easy parking to absolutely on time start(to the second!) to plenty of portapotties at the start and along the course. -Incredibly supportive community. So much positivity all along the course and at the expo! -Water stops every mile(!). All water stops had gatorade and water, and many had pickle juice, pretzels, gummy bears, oranges and gels. -A small but nice expo outside at the start/finish area. Free massage and free medal engraving at the race end, several different food stalls in addition to the free pizza and snack box for all runners. -Music wasn't all set up on course when I went out with marathon (presumably was for half marathon runners who went out a little later), but what was on course was great. -Starting the half marathon 30 minutes after the marathon made for an easy, congestion-free start to the marathon. -Hearing the national anthem sung in Navajo was really special, as was the traditional music and prayer. -Beautiful views of Shiprock an the way out. -Closed course, with car lanes blocked. -Awesome finisher medal and age group medal, too. And the first time I've gotten one of those - amazing that they go 3 deep in each age group for a small race. Negatives -Tough! The altitude, dry air and a warm day made this a very challenging run. -Not necessarily a negative, but I had expected a flatter course. I actually liked the rolling hills, but was not totally prepared for the fact that most of the course was either uphill or downhill. -I don't love an out and back course, although I understand that the logistics wouldn't work well to do this one differently. It was also a bummer not to be able to see Shiprock on the way back. Again, I don't think that the organizers could do anything about this, but it did make for a less scenic return. All in all, this is a terrific marathon. Not easy to get to Shiprock, but absolutely worth it. A huge thank you to everyone who makes this race so incredible!
S. S. from Albuquerque, NM (5/8/2022) "Amazing support for runners on a hot, windy day" (about: 2022) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A scaled down race due to continuing COVID concerns, so only about 150 of us ran the marathon; about 450 ran the half. It was also on a different course than previous years: an out-and-back on 491 and N13 with the turnaround near Shiprock Mtn. It's quite scenic once you turn on to N13 (if you enjoy high desert scenery). The day started out nice, but the heat and wind picked up after the first two hours. We had headwinds most of the way back on N13, which slowed many of us already slow runners. I've never gone through this much water in a race. Temps were in the mid-80s with high winds when I finished in my slowest time ever. The course support was amazing. Lots of music on the course, and aid stations every mile with water, gels, Honey Stinger waffles, and other food choices. Navajo Rangers and EMTs regularly checked on anyone who was struggling. A few folks needed medical help, but I think most of us finished, though with a lot of walking in the last miles. One guy walked it in 9 hours, by which time the temperature and wind must have been brutal. It was an amazingly well organized race whose volunteers handled the conditions very well. A surprising amount of fan support, too, along 491. Definitely a race worth doing, and has peaked my interest in the other races in the Navajo series.
P. W. from New York City (7/3/2019) "Terrific NM marathon" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Flawless. So much fun and incredible vistas on this run. It was my NM race in my 50-state quest and I highly recommend it. Nice swag, great pasta party the dinner before with some members of the Navajo nation singing traditional songs. Just lovely all around.
A. N. from Rockville, MD USA (5/10/2018) "Big Al's Comments" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This course was extremely scenic and very close to the St. George Marathon in Utah for those who have run it as far as scenery and the course itself. Focusing on the geological formations makes the time go by more easily. It starts at 6000' of elevation, which takes a lot to adjust to and finishes about 1,100' lower. The course is a lot harder than you'd think, even though it's a point to point downhill with a positive net drop of about 1,100'. It has a lot of uphills in between that beat up your legs big time. The first 5K are mostly uphill, which makes it difficult, especially with the altitude, but has several downhills that follow. This is not a PR course by any means, so don't be fooled! Spectators are scarce, since we start in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Most of them are people who follow their competitors and see them several times during the run. The natives do a great job of volunteering and there is plenty of fluids, Gel and fruits on the course, so no worries there. The race started chilly at about 45 degrees, but by the time we finished, it was about 75, so it increased by 30 degrees in about 4-5 hours. The race site is hard to get to if you're flying into Albuquerque. It's over 200 miles and takes about 3-4 hours to get to it, even with 70-75 mph speed limits. Not much scenery on the way out either, except for the formations. Other than that, just tumbleweed and different shades of brown. So, unless you really want to do this very race for some odd reason, I'd pick another one that's easier to get in and out. This was my 69th marathon and 48th State.
T. K. from Cincinnati, OH (5/10/2016) "Beauty in the Desert" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Top 10 Reasons for Running Shiprock Marathon 10) Mostly downhill 9) Race Director - communicative, passionate, accommodating 8) Impeccable race organization 7) Because of the vast expanses of desert it is possible to see the entire racing field at points along the course 6) Navajo seniors offering congratulatory handshake at the Finish Line 5) The race medal is unique and special 4) The stark beauty of the desert 3) Discovering the sacred history of Tsé Bit'a'í (Navajo name for Shiprock) 2) Navajo blessing at Race Start 1) You are supporting a very worthy cause - proceeds from the race go to Dine' (Navajo people) youth outdoor adventure experiences
Lee Stock from Green Bay, WI (5/9/2016) "Beautiful nature views on course" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This is a very enjoyable rural setting. Elevation of 5000 to 6000 ft doesn't seem to be much of an issue since it has slight downhill trend over course of the run. Porto john layout for this course was outstanding. Nice cool, cloudy weather for 2016. Traveled from Wisconsin and felt this was a great choice for my 50 states goal for NM. Parking for the start is a little chaotic, but otherwise excellent race support all around, especially for a somewhat remote area. 33 yrs of putting on this race showed in nice organization.
M. K. from Salt Lake City, UT (5/8/2016) "A surprise gem in the desert" (about: 2016) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Having signed up for the 2016 Shiprock Marathon to venture along with my dad who is attempting a marathon in all 50 states, I didn't quite know what to expect from what appeared to be a tiny marathon in the middle of nowhere. I was pleasantly surprised by what I experienced on race day. To begin, prior to race day, the race director, Tom, sent several emails to participants with friendly reminders and news about the upcoming event; he strongly encouraged runners to contact him with any questions or concerns. This was the first positive sign about the race I had, I really appreciated Tom's openness and it really showed on race day. The race has a start time of 7 am for marathoners (8 am for half marathoners), which meant an early wake up call for us as we stayed near Durango, CO (there is closer lodging in nearby Farmington (about 25 minutes away). We didn't pick up on race bibs on Friday (as was encouraged by the race director) since we were staying so far away, but we arrived at around 5:20 on race morning to get our bibs and race shirts with no wait (packet pickup started at 5 am on Friday). The race is point-to-point, which means they basically bus runners out 26.2 miles into the desert, drop you off, and tell you to run back. Because of the point-to-point nature of the race, there is a fleet buses well organized and on time to take runners out. The buses all left by 5:55 (just as runners were told) and we got to the start line at about 6:30. The race starts about 200 feet from the Arizona border, so if you want to visit another state while waiting for the start gun, go for it! The start was well supplied with porta-potties (about 15 for 200+ marathoners) and the only real issue at the start was exposure to the elements. After a brief Navajo prayer and drum ceremony, the race started preciously at 7 (another big plus!). I noticed that there were pacers for starting at 3:30 and going up to about 5:30. The course itself runs along a 2-lane, asphalt road in the desert with Shiprock looming in the distance from mile 3 until you pass it at mile 13. At mile 20 the course turns onto a busier highway (4-lanes total) until it reaches the Shiprock Youth Complex where the finish line is. Runners are kept in the left lane of the roads for the totality of the race. Support along the course comes every 2 miles for the first 20 miles and every mile after 20 and includes water and Gatorade (some aid stations had bananas, oranges, Honey Stinger gels, Clif gels, etc.). There seemed to also be some impromptu aid stations at odd number miles during the first 20. Porta-potties appeared throughout the course about every 2 miles as well (near the half marathon start there were a bunch). The course is beautifully desolate, which can either be good or bad depending on the type of runner you are. I loved it, but someone used to big city marathons with lots of crowds may have a hard time. Crowd support picked up once past mile 20. Weather was perfect for the 2016 edition of this race 42 at race start and about 58 by the finish with cloud cover most of the race. I would imagine that some years the weather could be hot. The race medal is nice, solid, and detailed. It will look great on display. The race shirt for 2016 is a tech shirt in neon yellow with usual marathon logo and sponsors, nothing special but not bad either. My shirt was long sleeve because they ran out of short sleeve mediums, but my dad got a short sleeve shirt. Post race refreshments included: watermelon, oranges, crackers, pizza, blue corn mush, chocolate milk, water, and Gatorade. They had a large tent set up with tables and chairs. Family and friends can meet runners directly at the finish line. Finally, they give out age group awards (10 year age ranges) for the top 3 finishers in each age group (by gender). These awards are beautiful, custom-made, ceramic pottery pieces with the race information and age group place, a very nice touch. All in all, this is a surprise of a race that is a most do if you are in the region and should probably be the top pick for 50 staters when looking for a marathon in New Mexico.
r. l. from MN (5/10/2015) "Organized and well run Marathon" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a small marathon on the Navajo reservation that has a unique course in a rural setting. If you need people cheering you on the whole route then this race is not for you. To me, it was inspiring to see the local participation in the various events. The event plays out as expected; you do need to allow for time to get into the parking area early to board your bus, etc. The buses left on schedule as described. At the start staging area there could have been a few more porta johns placed more out of the way of the buses arriving. The course is a lot of rolling hills, and there is a definite drop of elevation throughout. The last 5 miles is as described; downhill until the finish at the youth complex. The relay event and half marathon unfolds as you run the course. I enjoyed watching the enthusiasm at the exchange points and then catching up to the half marathoners who start 1.5 hours later. There were plenty of aid stations every two miles with gels at many of them. Yes, it was warm and the elevation is high for some of us, but that is a marathon race! Post race had all the usual recovery drinks, food, fruit, milk,etc. The race medals are excellent, each participant got a long sleeve tech shirt, beautiful poster and a reusable knapsack. The age group awards were awesome Navajo pottery! Also, at the expo which is small and to be expected, you could purchase for nominal cost coffee cups and clothing souvenirs. Keep in mind, this is a destination not easy to travel to and one has to lodge in Farmington, but it is a great experience with an excellent RD that knows how to run an event. Ahehee!
D. H. from Albuquerque, NM (5/5/2015) "Hot, dry, and boring" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I wanted to like this race, I really did. Shiprock (the natural formation) is remarkable, and the cause is a good one. Sadly, I found it lacking. Pros: Nice shirt, great communication from the RD. Volunteers were enthusiastic and helpful. Cons: The weather & lack of relief are not the fault of the RD. But having aid stations every 2 miles in that weather was ROUGH. Having portajohns every 5-7 miles was really rough, especially since there is no foliage along the course to facilitate a pit stop. Once I crossed the finish line, I had to be redirected to the table that held the medals, and the medals looked unfinished. You'd have to see one to understand I what I mean, but it looks like the medals were taken off the press before completion. NM is a rough state to get a full road race in, and none of them are particularly impressive. Sadly, this race stands out in my experience as one of the hardest to complete because I was nearly bored to tears by the course with a mouth that felt stuffed w/ cotton.
J. R. from Atlanta, Georgia (6/3/2014) "Very unique must do marathon for NM" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Shiprock Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The race director and local volunteers do a great job putting this race on. The course is very unique and this is a great part of the country to visit. For most all of the course you can view Shiprock which is a pretty sight to see. This race provides a lot of support to the community and overall a great race and experience. I am glad I chose to do this race for NM.

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Marathon Details - Shiprock Marathon