Nov 8, 2024

☰

Premium Listings

Verified Accounts

Free Race Organizer Account

Become An Advertiser

Marathon Details - Miracle Match Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > TX > Waco > Miracle Match Marathon

Miracle Match Marathon

Miracle Match Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Marathon Relay

Waco, TX USA

~~January 29, 2023~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.miraclematchraceseries.run

News

Marathon Results

By Year:

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

The Course runs through Baylor University, historic downtown Waco, follows Lake Waco and across the dam to beautiful Cameron Park, then follows the Brazos River back to the Suspension Bridge. Hilly and challenging, but breathtaking all the way!

Contact Information

Name:	Nancy Goodnight/Debbie Mabry
Address:	2401 S. 31st Street Temple, TX 76504
Phone Number:	254-405-2518/254-724-7000
Fax Number:	254- 724-9601
Email:	Email the organizers

Race Organizer

Our 2010 event (5/3/12)

Nancy Goodnight

The greatest moments in your life are the ones that are the most challenging, the ones that take you out of your comfort zone, the ones that scare you to death... those are the moments when we feel most alive.
If you are happy with big, crowded races with flat, fast courses, music at every mile to 'motivate' you, a bagel and a factory medal at your finish line, then move on; this race is not for you.
If, however, you are looking to evolve into a real runner, read on.
If you are seeking a challenge and ready to be rewarded with a finishers jacket, a medal with meaning, spirit, and history as well as festive margaritas, beer, freshly grilled fajitas and live music, then Miracle Match is definitely for you....
Don't fear the hills. Embrace them. Own them. And know you have conquered one of the toughest courses in the country, for the most amazing of reasons.
Our philosophy? We don't want to be a big race, we just want to be your favorite little race. And trust us, you ain't seen nothin' yet...
Nancy and Debbie

Runner Reviews (113)

Course 4.5

Organization 4.3

Spectators 3.2

Write a review

Number of comments: 113 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 12 > ]

c. a. from Texas (2/4/2019) "Great small marathon" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 So much to love about this small race. (Yes, it is hilly!) Two early starts if you need it, almost every aid station had extras like oranges, candy, pretzels, pickle juice. Jacobs ladder challenge at mile 23 is a fun addition. The after party is the best I've seen in years: Shiner beer, margaritas, fajitas, music, and actual tables and chairs to sit in while eating. There was still plenty left even after 6 hours. That never happens at large races. Hats and hand made medals at the finish. Close in free parking, race morning registration and packet pick up available. The course has some really pretty parts (Baylor, McClellan College and the park.) This marathon is a must do for Texas runners.
John Limongelli from Houston, TX (12/24/2017) "Challenging. What a great race!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What a great race. Nancy Goodnight, Debbie, and all the volunteers do a fabulous job. The course is VERY hilly and VERY challenging but so worth it. Running through Baylor campus was awesome. Saw Nancy at the Fire Truck pull the day before the race and again on the course at mile 6 during the race talking to runners as they ran by. She does a fantastic job as race director, she owns it and it shows! I ran the full and my wife ran the half in 2017. The charity, the medals, the challenges, the post race food, the SWAG and the spirit can't be matched by the big races. Way to go Miracle Match! I let all my running friends know how great this race is. We plan to come back in 2018.
p. e. from valatie,NY (2/8/2016) "NIce, friendly laid back Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Wanted a smaller race for Texas and Miracle Match fit the bill. Race director very accommodating for early starters. Nice course but back loaded hills as advertised. Do the Jacobs ladder challenge at mile 24 to sample a Jalapeno at the bottom and a beer at the top. Nice job Waco. Run this marathon if you need a Texas low key race you will not be disappointed. Good job RD.
K. L. from Colorado (2/1/2016) "Hills are no joke!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I read the website comments and the reviews about the hills. After looking at the elevation chart, I thought the comments we a bit much. HA, this is a hilly course, and all in the wrong places. All that said, this is a fun race with great organization. If it hadn't been for the unusually warm temps, it would have been an awesome day for me. If you need crowds and lots of runners around you, this isn't your race. I really enjoyed the time alone on the course, but also the small groups in different places encouraging me as well. Nice job Waco!
T. P. from Mpls, MN (1/31/2016) "Not that ridicously tough - but a challenge" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Did the Phoenix challenge for this marathon - which means I completed the 5K on Saturday and the marathon distance on Sunday. 1st Age Group for both events - but the awards for age group were disappointing as only color was the difference of the medals and not noted age group or place engraved on medal - just a blank medal. Great overall organization for both events - including emails with up to date information and help. The Hilton is the place to stay - while it may be pricey, you can just park your car and not have to worry about driving anywhere. Just walk out the door and you are right at the start/finish of the races. Spectators on the course were fantastic. The volunteers were wonderful. The pancake breakfast was great after the 5K and the free beer and fajitas after the marathon were a real treat. Take the first half of the marathon easy as the second half is hillier/tougher than the first 1/2. I did the Jacobs ladder challenge, as well as the jalapeno, beer, bacon, etc. Enjoy the run and if needed walk a few hills. Just make sure you get some hill workouts in before the marathon and you will be okay. Great overall experience and thank you to the race committee for putting on a great race weekend. I hope to do this again some day soon.
Angela Tortorice from Dallas, TX (1/29/2015) "The Toughest Little Marathon in Texas!" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Miracle Match Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Overview: Miles 1.5 are flat and along University Drive passing by the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum toward the beautiful Baylor Campus. Runners turn right onto Baylor drive so they can experience the campus life. After leaving the University, runners then experience the new McLane Stadium by running a loop around it and the pond, heading back on the foot trail toward the start. Runners head up from the foot path to the start finish area and head out around the convention center down Austin Street where much of the downtown restaurants and shops are located and then into some lovely and okay neighborhoods (you may have to go one mile to get to the good stuff) before passing the Heart of Texas Coliseum, crossing mile 13, and then enjoying some down hills and up hills around mile 14. The hills continue from here until approximately mile 18, but you get some really good downhill stretches, you will arrive at Cameron Park at mile 20 and this is where the fun begins. The aid stations will cheer you, there will be signs on the side of the road to encourage you as you start climbing, descending and repeating this process through mile 23. Once you reach 23 miles, you will slowly come out of the park where you will have the opportunity to climb Jacobs Ladder (this is optional, but if you eat a jalapeno at the bottom and climb the tough stairs there is extra bling coming your way). It is from here that you will have a fast, flat course bringing you into the finish which is where you will get to experience crossing over a suspension bridge as you are greeted at the finish line with hugs, medal, jacket, fajitas, OJ, chocolate milk, beer, wine and margaritas! Some other things to mention are there is an early start option, a 50K has been added, the half marathoners get to run through the zoo and finally this race helps save lives. Bottom Line: I highly recommend this race for three reasons: 1. It is your opportunity to challenge yourself and prove you can do a 3 mile hill workout after running 20 miles, 2. It is your chance to get bling, I mean a lot of bling: race shirt, finisher jacket, (headband and warm winter beanie new for 2015), custom big medal and a post-race BBQ and party 3. Finally, you are running for a cause. You are helping those individuals who have been diagnosed with Leukemia find a chance to further their lives via stem cell donation, etc. You make a difference and the purpose of this race is to make a difference.
Keith Caruso from Nahsville, TN (1/26/2015) "The good, the bad and the ugly" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 They are not kidding about the hills. As a reference point, I took second in 3:19:59, much to my surprise. I generally run in the 3:10 range, plus or minus, depending on conditions. 2015 had near perfect weather39 degrees and relatively still at the start, up to low to mid-50's by the time I finished. It was probably about 60 by noon. After the first hour, we had winds gusting up to 15 mph, which is nothing to sneeze at. This alternated as a headwind, crosswind or tailwind in the second half of the race, depending on location. As for the course, it started out relatively flat for about the first 5 miles. We ran through campus and over to Baylor's new stadium. A few small hills over bridges and a lot of sharp turns slowed things down until we hit the riverwalk. Near mile 6, we had a switchback path up to the street, and the marathoners split off from the half-marathoners and 10K. Even with three races starting together, after the first 200 yards, it really wasn't crowded at all. In fact, after we parted, it was downright lonely. We had a long slight grade up Austin Avenue, which became a legitimate hill by around mile 8. After that, we ran through rather nondescript residential and industrial areas for about 5 miles. At mile 13, things got a little more scenic, and the hills began in earnest. Around mile 14, it got so steep, I was doing the 'old lady shuffle' by the time I crested. There were some very enthusiastic cheerleaders along the roadside at that point. Although I appreciated their enthusiasm, I would have appreciated some water even more. Soon after, we descended and then climbed for over a mile along Lake Waco. Fortunately, there was nothing so nosebleed steep as the earlier climb, but it was draining. The view wasn't bad, but I was busy trying not to trip over my own feet. By mile 17, it was warm enough to peel off my gloves. Rolling hills came between then and mile 20. Approaching mile 21, you hit the community college and another nosebleed steep climb. One of my complaints was that about 3/4 the way up, the road was no longer marked. There were traffic cones straight ahead, so I continued going straight. Wrong move. I was a good tenth of a mile off course before I realized my error, so I had to descend and then add another nosebleed section as I rejoined the course. I was not a happy camper. We were soon in parkland, which was scenic, but the hills were short and steep ascents and descents. You could not regain the momentum that you lost on the uphills because the downhills were so steep that you had to lean backwards to keep from falling. We also hit a neighborhood with speed bumps. It was all that I could do not to trip over them. We descended through parkland until mile 24, which presented the option of climbing Jacob's Ladder. I had already tacked on an extra quarter mile or more, so I decided to forego this section, as beer, bacon and jalapenos did not provide much incentive. The rest of the course was pretty flat, although mostly concrete, which my knees felt acutely. I had heeded warnings about not going out too fast, so I ran my fastest 2 miles to close out the race. There was one more climb to get to the bridge to the finish, and the wooden bridge didn't have the greatest footing, but I finished upright and with something between a smile and a grimace on my face. Overall, those involved with the race were very dedicated, enthusiastic, encouraging and invested. They really put out to make this a great experience. For those of you who feed off the crowds, though, most of your race will be in no man's land. The course was relatively scenic in the second half, although it was difficult to appreciate it fully due to the effort level that the course required. My major beefs are that there were not enough volunteers at critical turns. I either had someone to chase early on or guessed right until the community college at 21, but that was a painful mistake that could have been avoided. Also, the website promised water stops at almost every mile, and it seemed we were lucky to find half that many. That can't happen. A lot of runners strategize about when they are going to take water to wash down Gu or something else, and this made it impossible to plan. I was lucky that I was experimenting with Gatorade Prime chews instead of my usual Gu, otherwise, this could have been disastrous. Also, someone needs to instruct volunteers about the proper way to balance cups on their hands. Runners cannot grab a cup through the back of someone's hand on the run, and that seemed to be what I was offered most of the time. I know that volunteers want to be as helpful as they can, otherwise they wouldn't be out there. A little teaching in this area would go a long way. My son ran the half-marathon and also got lost, totaling 13.7 miles. He was also advised that the course 'wasn't that hilly,' which did not match up with his experience, nor with what was described on the website. He said that the second half of the course, especially running through the zoo, was pretty enjoyable.
J. A. from Wylie, Texas (2/28/2014) "They weren't kidding about the hills ..." (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I really liked this marathon. It has a small town feel and Waco folks are incredibly friendly and helpful. I had more fun out on course taking a minute to talk to the volunteers at the water stops or with the folks who came out out to their yards to support us. The kids were a hoot and the grown ups were all cheerful and encouraging. The hills are pretty epic. Overall I think I had a little over 2,000' of climb on the course, which is similar to Cowtown if you want to use that as a comparison. This course loads pretty much all the hills into the back half of the course but if you train for them you can get into a nice rhythm, feeling a little god-like each time you make it over the top of another one. There is also an optional 'Jacob's Ladder' stair climb at about mile 23 that adds a short detour off course, basically climbing up the side of a cliff and taking a road loop back down. I did it too and found out that they add a little black fire fighter ladder to your finisher's medal. They also give you a finisher's long sleeve zip jacket. The food and music at the finish festival added a nice 'you've made it' vibe and most of the runners hung around to socialize which was great too. No real Cons on this event for me. Some of the marathon course was a little less scenic, with less spectators, but nothing bad. This is a solid 4 out of 5 stars, 'runner oriented' event and staging it right near downtown Waco means that if your are coming in from out of town there are plenty of options for hotels, parking, restaurants and shops.
N. M. from Odessa, TX (2/23/2014) "Tough course but worth it!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Miracle Match Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The first time I ran this course in 2012 I was abused by the hills. Somehow I fell in love with the pain and I keep coming back for more. The aid stations are well-stocked, volunteers are great, after-party is fun, and special details are nice. This year, the Jacob's Ladder challenge was totally worth those jumbo steps at mile 24.5. Plus, it is a dog-friendly race and I can bring my 4-legged running buddy, too.
Brandon Carius from Texas (1/28/2014) "Small-Town Course, Big-Time Organization" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Although I had heard they changed some of the course with less hills, they certainly seemed to have retained some of the harder ones. Be prepared for a deceiving flat course in the beginning, and progressively harder hills in the last 10 miles. No PR's on this course, but it is one heck of a fine challenge. The beginning is a nice loop through Baylor's campus, and although the marathon did seem to get a bit barren at times, let no one say that the smaller aid stations were nevertheless stocked with enthusiastic and supportive volunteers. You will be hard-pressed to find such genuine support and enthusiasm in a marathon in a time when companies try to make the marathon into a big profit-grab. All the volunteers wanted to be there for the cause, and what an amazing cause it is. The neighborhoods and scenery were beautiful, and the weather was perfect. The race seems to pride itself on being a bit zany and 'outside the box', and it makes it all the much more appealing for me to come back next year. I promise that given the opportunity, I will be back to do MMM again.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 12 > ]



Getting ready for this event? Get a personalized adaptive training plan and 1:1 coach assistance.	Get Your Plan

Quick Links

Marathon Search
Upcoming US Marathons
Upcoming International Marathons
Search Marathon Results
Latest Running News
Recent Newsletters
Race Director Tools

Calendars

US/Canada

International

World Marathon Majors

c. a. from Texas (2/4/2019) "Great small marathon" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 So much to love about this small race. (Yes, it is hilly!) Two early starts if you need it, almost every aid station had extras like oranges, candy, pretzels, pickle juice. Jacobs ladder challenge at mile 23 is a fun addition. The after party is the best I've seen in years: Shiner beer, margaritas, fajitas, music, and actual tables and chairs to sit in while eating. There was still plenty left even after 6 hours. That never happens at large races. Hats and hand made medals at the finish. Close in free parking, race morning registration and packet pick up available. The course has some really pretty parts (Baylor, McClellan College and the park.) This marathon is a must do for Texas runners.
John Limongelli from Houston, TX (12/24/2017) "Challenging. What a great race!" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 What a great race. Nancy Goodnight, Debbie, and all the volunteers do a fabulous job. The course is VERY hilly and VERY challenging but so worth it. Running through Baylor campus was awesome. Saw Nancy at the Fire Truck pull the day before the race and again on the course at mile 6 during the race talking to runners as they ran by. She does a fantastic job as race director, she owns it and it shows! I ran the full and my wife ran the half in 2017. The charity, the medals, the challenges, the post race food, the SWAG and the spirit can't be matched by the big races. Way to go Miracle Match! I let all my running friends know how great this race is. We plan to come back in 2018.
p. e. from valatie,NY (2/8/2016) "NIce, friendly laid back Marathon" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Wanted a smaller race for Texas and Miracle Match fit the bill. Race director very accommodating for early starters. Nice course but back loaded hills as advertised. Do the Jacobs ladder challenge at mile 24 to sample a Jalapeno at the bottom and a beer at the top. Nice job Waco. Run this marathon if you need a Texas low key race you will not be disappointed. Good job RD.
K. L. from Colorado (2/1/2016) "Hills are no joke!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I read the website comments and the reviews about the hills. After looking at the elevation chart, I thought the comments we a bit much. HA, this is a hilly course, and all in the wrong places. All that said, this is a fun race with great organization. If it hadn't been for the unusually warm temps, it would have been an awesome day for me. If you need crowds and lots of runners around you, this isn't your race. I really enjoyed the time alone on the course, but also the small groups in different places encouraging me as well. Nice job Waco!
T. P. from Mpls, MN (1/31/2016) "Not that ridicously tough - but a challenge" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Did the Phoenix challenge for this marathon - which means I completed the 5K on Saturday and the marathon distance on Sunday. 1st Age Group for both events - but the awards for age group were disappointing as only color was the difference of the medals and not noted age group or place engraved on medal - just a blank medal. Great overall organization for both events - including emails with up to date information and help. The Hilton is the place to stay - while it may be pricey, you can just park your car and not have to worry about driving anywhere. Just walk out the door and you are right at the start/finish of the races. Spectators on the course were fantastic. The volunteers were wonderful. The pancake breakfast was great after the 5K and the free beer and fajitas after the marathon were a real treat. Take the first half of the marathon easy as the second half is hillier/tougher than the first 1/2. I did the Jacobs ladder challenge, as well as the jalapeno, beer, bacon, etc. Enjoy the run and if needed walk a few hills. Just make sure you get some hill workouts in before the marathon and you will be okay. Great overall experience and thank you to the race committee for putting on a great race weekend. I hope to do this again some day soon.
Angela Tortorice from Dallas, TX (1/29/2015) "The Toughest Little Marathon in Texas!" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 6+ Miracle Match Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Overview: Miles 1.5 are flat and along University Drive passing by the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum toward the beautiful Baylor Campus. Runners turn right onto Baylor drive so they can experience the campus life. After leaving the University, runners then experience the new McLane Stadium by running a loop around it and the pond, heading back on the foot trail toward the start. Runners head up from the foot path to the start finish area and head out around the convention center down Austin Street where much of the downtown restaurants and shops are located and then into some lovely and okay neighborhoods (you may have to go one mile to get to the good stuff) before passing the Heart of Texas Coliseum, crossing mile 13, and then enjoying some down hills and up hills around mile 14. The hills continue from here until approximately mile 18, but you get some really good downhill stretches, you will arrive at Cameron Park at mile 20 and this is where the fun begins. The aid stations will cheer you, there will be signs on the side of the road to encourage you as you start climbing, descending and repeating this process through mile 23. Once you reach 23 miles, you will slowly come out of the park where you will have the opportunity to climb Jacobs Ladder (this is optional, but if you eat a jalapeno at the bottom and climb the tough stairs there is extra bling coming your way). It is from here that you will have a fast, flat course bringing you into the finish which is where you will get to experience crossing over a suspension bridge as you are greeted at the finish line with hugs, medal, jacket, fajitas, OJ, chocolate milk, beer, wine and margaritas! Some other things to mention are there is an early start option, a 50K has been added, the half marathoners get to run through the zoo and finally this race helps save lives. Bottom Line: I highly recommend this race for three reasons: 1. It is your opportunity to challenge yourself and prove you can do a 3 mile hill workout after running 20 miles, 2. It is your chance to get bling, I mean a lot of bling: race shirt, finisher jacket, (headband and warm winter beanie new for 2015), custom big medal and a post-race BBQ and party 3. Finally, you are running for a cause. You are helping those individuals who have been diagnosed with Leukemia find a chance to further their lives via stem cell donation, etc. You make a difference and the purpose of this race is to make a difference.
Keith Caruso from Nahsville, TN (1/26/2015) "The good, the bad and the ugly" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 They are not kidding about the hills. As a reference point, I took second in 3:19:59, much to my surprise. I generally run in the 3:10 range, plus or minus, depending on conditions. 2015 had near perfect weather39 degrees and relatively still at the start, up to low to mid-50's by the time I finished. It was probably about 60 by noon. After the first hour, we had winds gusting up to 15 mph, which is nothing to sneeze at. This alternated as a headwind, crosswind or tailwind in the second half of the race, depending on location. As for the course, it started out relatively flat for about the first 5 miles. We ran through campus and over to Baylor's new stadium. A few small hills over bridges and a lot of sharp turns slowed things down until we hit the riverwalk. Near mile 6, we had a switchback path up to the street, and the marathoners split off from the half-marathoners and 10K. Even with three races starting together, after the first 200 yards, it really wasn't crowded at all. In fact, after we parted, it was downright lonely. We had a long slight grade up Austin Avenue, which became a legitimate hill by around mile 8. After that, we ran through rather nondescript residential and industrial areas for about 5 miles. At mile 13, things got a little more scenic, and the hills began in earnest. Around mile 14, it got so steep, I was doing the 'old lady shuffle' by the time I crested. There were some very enthusiastic cheerleaders along the roadside at that point. Although I appreciated their enthusiasm, I would have appreciated some water even more. Soon after, we descended and then climbed for over a mile along Lake Waco. Fortunately, there was nothing so nosebleed steep as the earlier climb, but it was draining. The view wasn't bad, but I was busy trying not to trip over my own feet. By mile 17, it was warm enough to peel off my gloves. Rolling hills came between then and mile 20. Approaching mile 21, you hit the community college and another nosebleed steep climb. One of my complaints was that about 3/4 the way up, the road was no longer marked. There were traffic cones straight ahead, so I continued going straight. Wrong move. I was a good tenth of a mile off course before I realized my error, so I had to descend and then add another nosebleed section as I rejoined the course. I was not a happy camper. We were soon in parkland, which was scenic, but the hills were short and steep ascents and descents. You could not regain the momentum that you lost on the uphills because the downhills were so steep that you had to lean backwards to keep from falling. We also hit a neighborhood with speed bumps. It was all that I could do not to trip over them. We descended through parkland until mile 24, which presented the option of climbing Jacob's Ladder. I had already tacked on an extra quarter mile or more, so I decided to forego this section, as beer, bacon and jalapenos did not provide much incentive. The rest of the course was pretty flat, although mostly concrete, which my knees felt acutely. I had heeded warnings about not going out too fast, so I ran my fastest 2 miles to close out the race. There was one more climb to get to the bridge to the finish, and the wooden bridge didn't have the greatest footing, but I finished upright and with something between a smile and a grimace on my face. Overall, those involved with the race were very dedicated, enthusiastic, encouraging and invested. They really put out to make this a great experience. For those of you who feed off the crowds, though, most of your race will be in no man's land. The course was relatively scenic in the second half, although it was difficult to appreciate it fully due to the effort level that the course required. My major beefs are that there were not enough volunteers at critical turns. I either had someone to chase early on or guessed right until the community college at 21, but that was a painful mistake that could have been avoided. Also, the website promised water stops at almost every mile, and it seemed we were lucky to find half that many. That can't happen. A lot of runners strategize about when they are going to take water to wash down Gu or something else, and this made it impossible to plan. I was lucky that I was experimenting with Gatorade Prime chews instead of my usual Gu, otherwise, this could have been disastrous. Also, someone needs to instruct volunteers about the proper way to balance cups on their hands. Runners cannot grab a cup through the back of someone's hand on the run, and that seemed to be what I was offered most of the time. I know that volunteers want to be as helpful as they can, otherwise they wouldn't be out there. A little teaching in this area would go a long way. My son ran the half-marathon and also got lost, totaling 13.7 miles. He was also advised that the course 'wasn't that hilly,' which did not match up with his experience, nor with what was described on the website. He said that the second half of the course, especially running through the zoo, was pretty enjoyable.
J. A. from Wylie, Texas (2/28/2014) "They weren't kidding about the hills ..." (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I really liked this marathon. It has a small town feel and Waco folks are incredibly friendly and helpful. I had more fun out on course taking a minute to talk to the volunteers at the water stops or with the folks who came out out to their yards to support us. The kids were a hoot and the grown ups were all cheerful and encouraging. The hills are pretty epic. Overall I think I had a little over 2,000' of climb on the course, which is similar to Cowtown if you want to use that as a comparison. This course loads pretty much all the hills into the back half of the course but if you train for them you can get into a nice rhythm, feeling a little god-like each time you make it over the top of another one. There is also an optional 'Jacob's Ladder' stair climb at about mile 23 that adds a short detour off course, basically climbing up the side of a cliff and taking a road loop back down. I did it too and found out that they add a little black fire fighter ladder to your finisher's medal. They also give you a finisher's long sleeve zip jacket. The food and music at the finish festival added a nice 'you've made it' vibe and most of the runners hung around to socialize which was great too. No real Cons on this event for me. Some of the marathon course was a little less scenic, with less spectators, but nothing bad. This is a solid 4 out of 5 stars, 'runner oriented' event and staging it right near downtown Waco means that if your are coming in from out of town there are plenty of options for hotels, parking, restaurants and shops.
N. M. from Odessa, TX (2/23/2014) "Tough course but worth it!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Miracle Match Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 The first time I ran this course in 2012 I was abused by the hills. Somehow I fell in love with the pain and I keep coming back for more. The aid stations are well-stocked, volunteers are great, after-party is fun, and special details are nice. This year, the Jacob's Ladder challenge was totally worth those jumbo steps at mile 24.5. Plus, it is a dog-friendly race and I can bring my 4-legged running buddy, too.
Brandon Carius from Texas (1/28/2014) "Small-Town Course, Big-Time Organization" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Miracle Match Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Although I had heard they changed some of the course with less hills, they certainly seemed to have retained some of the harder ones. Be prepared for a deceiving flat course in the beginning, and progressively harder hills in the last 10 miles. No PR's on this course, but it is one heck of a fine challenge. The beginning is a nice loop through Baylor's campus, and although the marathon did seem to get a bit barren at times, let no one say that the smaller aid stations were nevertheless stocked with enthusiastic and supportive volunteers. You will be hard-pressed to find such genuine support and enthusiasm in a marathon in a time when companies try to make the marathon into a big profit-grab. All the volunteers wanted to be there for the cause, and what an amazing cause it is. The neighborhoods and scenery were beautiful, and the weather was perfect. The race seems to pride itself on being a bit zany and 'outside the box', and it makes it all the much more appealing for me to come back next year. I promise that given the opportunity, I will be back to do MMM again.

Become a better runner

Marathon Details - Miracle Match Marathon