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Marathon Details - Famous Idaho Potato Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > ID > Boise > Famous Idaho Potato Marathon

Famous Idaho Potato Marathon

Idaho Potato Commission Famous Idaho Potato Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Boise, ID USA

May 18, 2024

http://www.ymcatvidaho.org/runs

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Race Details

All courses are flat and fast! Course follows the Boise River on the greenbelt. Cool and shady.

Contact Information

Name:	Tim Severa
Address:	Treasure Valley Family YMCA 1177 State Street Boise, ID 83702
Phone Number:	208 344 5502 ext. 295
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (54)

Course 3.9

Organization 3.7

Spectators 2.5

Write a review

Number of comments: 54 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

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

D. W. from Clermont, Florida (5/20/2019) "Great Race, Wonderful Organization" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I just ran this marathon for number 42 and I have to say it was really great. The weather was perfect and the route was beautiful and pretty flat for all the hills surrounding the race. I think there were fewer than 200 marathoners but the support overall was great, even for a slower runner like myself. They still had a handful of folks cheering at the finish and still had potatoes to eat with all the fixings. The race organizers were very accommodating throughout and even went out of their way when I wanted to exchange my shirt afterwards. I would highly recommend this race.
S. W. from Boise, Idaho (11/30/2017) "Course Changed due to high river, still nice!" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I wasn't looking forward to this race because it seemed like more of a half marathon course and then it had to be changed last minute due to the high level of the river (from all the snow last winter). I was pleasantly surprised by the organization and enjoyability of the course. There were plenty of aid stations- I didn't need to carry my own water, and much of the run was in the shade during the later part of the morning. The medal was kinda chintzy. But it was a good run in all.
K. B. from Colorado Springs, CO (5/19/2014) "Great Small Race! Keep an Eye on the Course!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a really nice small race in a beautiful place. Idaho features generally low humidity, cooler temps at the start, and a relatively forgiving 2000+ feet above sea level - fairly easy for a mountain locale. The scenery - especially the first six miles - is wonderful. After that, you get river views along the greenbelt and a bit of neighborhood running. It's pretty flat all the way, and with the early start and cool starting temps, it's a nice 26.2. This race is well-organized with a small expo (really just your packet pick-up and you're out of there), good shuttles to the start line, and a nice little post race party. The baked potato bar is a nice touch. Aid stations are VERY well stocked, and the power bar options are extremely generous. Lots of gels and bars available along the way. As others have mentioned, we started with a rather large field since marathon and half marathon start at the same time. For the first half, it's easy to follow the trail with the pack. Once the bulk of runners peel off for the half finish, the marathoners continue onwards. The path is fairly easy to follow along the river, with white chalk arrows on the pathway at most points. After mile 14, other marathoners are sparse along the trail ... it's not until a short out and back portion (mile 17 - 22) that it's possible to see more racers. Regardless, with all the twists and turns, it was easy to miss a guidance arrow or a mile marker if not watching carefully. The course is not closed, which is not a problem until the end of the race. I was running along the path, but it was really full of people celebrating, walking away from the party, etc. Suddenly, things seemed to be thinning out, but I could not see a finish line. Knowing I was close to the end, I asked someone if I was still headed the right direction ... nope, I had missed a 90 degree turn, hidden by the throngs of people milling about in the midst of the home stretch. No big deal - I was not going for a speed record or anything, but still a little annoying when you're tired. Very few spectators for this race, which is not a problem for me, but might be difficult for those expecting big race support. It's a good one to have music or podcasts or a buddy for company. Bottom line: I sure did like this marathon ... and it's a great value that benefits the local YMCA. Medal this year was very nice.
Knud Hermansen from CO - Colorado (5/19/2014) "Nice shaded course, fun smaller marathon" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The course for both the marathon and half-marathon starts at Sandy Park. This little beach and picnic area sits at the base of a good-sized earthen dam which proclaims 'Keeping Our Forests Green' in painted rocks. The baggage pick-up was well run and the number of porta potties was pretty normal (i.e., get in line no later than a half-hour before the start). About 90% of the course follows Boise's Greenway - a 25 miles bike path that goes along the Boise River. The first two miles go through a beautiful section of canyon. Then there is a section that weaves through some neighborhoods west and south of the river before rejoining the Greenbelt. Just before 13 miles the half-marathoners break off and it suddenly gets very lonely. At 19.25 miles the marathoners turn-around a double back on sections of the course. The design reminds me of the Philadelphia Marathon course. The greenbelt runs along the river for large portions and (as you would expect in the 'city of trees') is well shaded. I can only remember three or four crossing that even required guards. The water stops were every mile-and-a-half to two miles. The first 19.25 miles follows the Boise River as flows downstream. This makes this race a great one to go for a half-marathon PR. It makes the last 10k of the marathon rather tough. This is already a tough section of race, but for this marathon it was a steady uphill. The finish area was well organized. The post race food consisted of a half baked potato (sour cream, chives, broccoli and chili available), bananas, watermelon, chocolate milk-like recovery drink and a bagel. There was plenty of shade to recover in. The marathon had about 300 people and the half-marathon about 1600. This made for relatively small marathon feel. Overall this was a well-run medium-small sized marathon. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a smaller race in nice city.
L. G. from Prescott, AZ (5/19/2014) "beautiful, shady route along the river" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I really enjoyed this race along the Boise River on the greenbelt. The packet pick-up and pasta dinner at the host hotel were topnotch and transportation to the start went like clock-work. They could have used many more porta-potties at the start, and in fact started the race late to give people in line for the porta-pottie more time. It was crowded at the beginning with half-marathoners and full marathoners starting together, but thinned out fairly quickly. There are few spectators, but the water stop volunteers were fantastic. The course was well-marked with painted arrows, but after the half-marathon split off there were several intersectons with no arrows. If I lived in Boise and was familiar with the greenbelt I would have known which direction to go, but for an out-of-stater this was really confusing. A couple of volunteers stationed at the last 2 turns before the finish would have been much appreciated. The post-race food and celebration was excellent, and I really loved the baked potato. I stayed at the host hotel which made transportation simple and their breakfast is a definite go-to!
Paula Eyvonne Hamilton from Ontario, CA (5/18/2014) "Astoundingly Beautiful all 26.2 miles!" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This race weekend was perfect from beginning to end. The host Riverside Hotel shuttle picked me up from the airport, presented me with a free bottle of water and a chocolate chip cookie, then transported me to the lovely hotel, right next door to Joe's Crab Shack where I spent three great meals! The hotel stay also included a huge, incredible breakfast buffet - what a delight that was! The race shuttle took us from the hotel to the race start, which was a little chilly, but the rest of the race weather was perfect. In fact, perfect is a great word to describe this gem of a race. This was Marathon #51 for me, and it was, by far, the most naturally scenic and lovely of all the courses I've run, of any distance. And the beauty never ended from Mile 0 to 26.2. As a slower runner, I was alone most of the time to commune with my amazing surroundings and I was happy to do this, having run a big city, dirty street race a couple weeks before. The only thing I would improve are the marathon course markings. Some of the road forks were trial and error, as markers were missing or confusing. But I never got lost, except in the beauty of this heavenly place. The baked potato snack at the end was wonderful, as well as the kind, race official (Travis), ride back to the hotel, when the shuttle didn't come. I loved the blue shirt. It has the word 'marathon' on it so I didn't care if it was generic. The medal is not the most elaborate and memorable, but the course and the pictures I took will always remind me of the best little marathon out there! And, when adding up my expenses, this was, by far, the least expensive marathon I've run. Another gem of this race is Allison, the RD, who helped me with several pre-race questions and concerns, all the time patient and caring, and just wonderful! Again, beginning to end, this was an adventure I will always cherish! One last word - this race benefitted YMCA, the great organization that rescued me from the scary Chicago streets when I was a kid, taught me how to swim, how to get along with other kids, and how to know my Lord, through Y-Teens. I was so happy to give back!
v. s. from california (5/17/2014) "i would like to see more aid stations" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I would of like to see mile markers and first aid stations. I did fall at mile two as my ARM started to swell and finally found a first aid station at the finish line.
E. M. from Toronto, Canada (5/25/2013) "Nice River Route" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A pretty well organized smaller race. I loved running on the Boise River Greenbelt as it provided plenty of shade when the sun came out behind the early morning clouds that day and temps began to rise. Interesting run by the local horse track stables as trainers exercised their horses at the 17/21 Mile out and back. A little crowded on the trails with the much larger half marathoner participants, so that it was sometimes hard to run the tangents on the twisty paths. You did run the first couple of miles on a secondary highway so there was a bit of stretch out of the race pack before you hit the narrow fitness path. Once the half marathoners split off to the finish of their race, it became much lonelier and at times felt like a training run by yourself. I had no trouble following the chalk marks and route signage when marshals werent present. Good support and friendly volunteers at the aid stations with plenty chances for water, electrolytes drink or PowerBar products. T-shirt was generic for all the races, 5K, 10K, Half and Full Marathon, so it took away some the bragging rights you instantly get with a specific marathon t-shirt. Also the medal was the same for all races, with a sticker in the middle with tiny lettering denoting you were a 'Marathon Finisher.' Baked potato with lots of fixins' and chocolate milk was great at the end.
C. P. from CA (5/21/2013) "Needs improvement... but I still recommend it." (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 It was a pretty good marathon with a very low registration fee, and it was a flat course. There are definitely improvements to be made. The shuttle to the starting line was easy to find and went very smoothly. It would have been nice to have staggered starts since all of the half and full marathoners started at the same time, it was pretty crowded. The race wasn't marked clearly, there were times when cars would be driving in between runners, a group of runners had to get out of the way of a bus while waiting in line at the porta-potty at mile 10, and it became especially confusing for the full marathoners during the second half of the race, I found myself confused at some points and nearly going the wrong way a couple of times. The worst was at around mile 25, there was a sign that pointed forward for full-marathon which was meant to be seen at mile 13-14, but you were really supposed to make a u-turn to go back under a bridge to the finish and that was only marked by chalk on the pavement. I saw a few runners ahead of me make that mistake because they ended up crossing the finish line 5 minutes after I did. I'd be so angry if that was me, especially when you think you're almost done. Another huge improvement that they really need to make is the amount of first-aid they had out there, I only saw one medical aid stand and that was after the finish line. No first-aid help on the course of the race. The course was nice, it would have been better if I just did the half on this one because the greenbelt did get a little boring after a while. There weren't too many spectators, but the few that were there were super supportive! Also the other runners, especially the straggling/suffering marathoners (ahem, me) all pulled together and supported each other... I just loved that. I would definitely recommend this race so that you can experience Boise, it's cheap, flat, we got a free sack of potatoes and everyone there is really nice. But I do hope they make those few improvements!!
Amy Gross from Boise, Id (5/20/2013) "Doing a Boise marathon?....Do City of Trees" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Famous Idaho Potato Marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Dislikes: I have ran this marathon 2 times now. The river running along the course provides lots of shade and is pretty, but not for 18-20 miles(there is probably 6-8 miles not by the river)!I really wish the course would venture out through the town more! Boise has so many beautiful spots that could easily be covered in 26.2 miles! City of Trees, which I have also ran, covers much of the city. It is nice to see different scenery when you are running that distance and that long. This year, 2013, the last 5 miles, or so, of the course was changed from when I ran it before. In 2010 after the turn around, you ran along the green belt, past softball fields and ponds to the finish. This year, 2013,after the turn around, the course took you along a trailer park! Also, I ordered an XS shirt, and received a small because people who ordered small switch to XS when they saw how big the small was. I contacted the YMCA to ask for them to order the size I originally asked for, and the first person informed me they would get it ordered and be in contact with me. The second person informed me there is no XS...it was a typo. Drink flavor could have been better and not so watered down. Likes Cold chocolate milk at the finish! Delicious! Had lots of energy food options available through out the course. Potato bar at finish.

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



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D. W. from Clermont, Florida (5/20/2019) "Great Race, Wonderful Organization" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I just ran this marathon for number 42 and I have to say it was really great. The weather was perfect and the route was beautiful and pretty flat for all the hills surrounding the race. I think there were fewer than 200 marathoners but the support overall was great, even for a slower runner like myself. They still had a handful of folks cheering at the finish and still had potatoes to eat with all the fixings. The race organizers were very accommodating throughout and even went out of their way when I wanted to exchange my shirt afterwards. I would highly recommend this race.
S. W. from Boise, Idaho (11/30/2017) "Course Changed due to high river, still nice!" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I wasn't looking forward to this race because it seemed like more of a half marathon course and then it had to be changed last minute due to the high level of the river (from all the snow last winter). I was pleasantly surprised by the organization and enjoyability of the course. There were plenty of aid stations- I didn't need to carry my own water, and much of the run was in the shade during the later part of the morning. The medal was kinda chintzy. But it was a good run in all.
K. B. from Colorado Springs, CO (5/19/2014) "Great Small Race! Keep an Eye on the Course!" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This is a really nice small race in a beautiful place. Idaho features generally low humidity, cooler temps at the start, and a relatively forgiving 2000+ feet above sea level - fairly easy for a mountain locale. The scenery - especially the first six miles - is wonderful. After that, you get river views along the greenbelt and a bit of neighborhood running. It's pretty flat all the way, and with the early start and cool starting temps, it's a nice 26.2. This race is well-organized with a small expo (really just your packet pick-up and you're out of there), good shuttles to the start line, and a nice little post race party. The baked potato bar is a nice touch. Aid stations are VERY well stocked, and the power bar options are extremely generous. Lots of gels and bars available along the way. As others have mentioned, we started with a rather large field since marathon and half marathon start at the same time. For the first half, it's easy to follow the trail with the pack. Once the bulk of runners peel off for the half finish, the marathoners continue onwards. The path is fairly easy to follow along the river, with white chalk arrows on the pathway at most points. After mile 14, other marathoners are sparse along the trail ... it's not until a short out and back portion (mile 17 - 22) that it's possible to see more racers. Regardless, with all the twists and turns, it was easy to miss a guidance arrow or a mile marker if not watching carefully. The course is not closed, which is not a problem until the end of the race. I was running along the path, but it was really full of people celebrating, walking away from the party, etc. Suddenly, things seemed to be thinning out, but I could not see a finish line. Knowing I was close to the end, I asked someone if I was still headed the right direction ... nope, I had missed a 90 degree turn, hidden by the throngs of people milling about in the midst of the home stretch. No big deal - I was not going for a speed record or anything, but still a little annoying when you're tired. Very few spectators for this race, which is not a problem for me, but might be difficult for those expecting big race support. It's a good one to have music or podcasts or a buddy for company. Bottom line: I sure did like this marathon ... and it's a great value that benefits the local YMCA. Medal this year was very nice.
Knud Hermansen from CO - Colorado (5/19/2014) "Nice shaded course, fun smaller marathon" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 The course for both the marathon and half-marathon starts at Sandy Park. This little beach and picnic area sits at the base of a good-sized earthen dam which proclaims 'Keeping Our Forests Green' in painted rocks. The baggage pick-up was well run and the number of porta potties was pretty normal (i.e., get in line no later than a half-hour before the start). About 90% of the course follows Boise's Greenway - a 25 miles bike path that goes along the Boise River. The first two miles go through a beautiful section of canyon. Then there is a section that weaves through some neighborhoods west and south of the river before rejoining the Greenbelt. Just before 13 miles the half-marathoners break off and it suddenly gets very lonely. At 19.25 miles the marathoners turn-around a double back on sections of the course. The design reminds me of the Philadelphia Marathon course. The greenbelt runs along the river for large portions and (as you would expect in the 'city of trees') is well shaded. I can only remember three or four crossing that even required guards. The water stops were every mile-and-a-half to two miles. The first 19.25 miles follows the Boise River as flows downstream. This makes this race a great one to go for a half-marathon PR. It makes the last 10k of the marathon rather tough. This is already a tough section of race, but for this marathon it was a steady uphill. The finish area was well organized. The post race food consisted of a half baked potato (sour cream, chives, broccoli and chili available), bananas, watermelon, chocolate milk-like recovery drink and a bagel. There was plenty of shade to recover in. The marathon had about 300 people and the half-marathon about 1600. This made for relatively small marathon feel. Overall this was a well-run medium-small sized marathon. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a smaller race in nice city.
L. G. from Prescott, AZ (5/19/2014) "beautiful, shady route along the river" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I really enjoyed this race along the Boise River on the greenbelt. The packet pick-up and pasta dinner at the host hotel were topnotch and transportation to the start went like clock-work. They could have used many more porta-potties at the start, and in fact started the race late to give people in line for the porta-pottie more time. It was crowded at the beginning with half-marathoners and full marathoners starting together, but thinned out fairly quickly. There are few spectators, but the water stop volunteers were fantastic. The course was well-marked with painted arrows, but after the half-marathon split off there were several intersectons with no arrows. If I lived in Boise and was familiar with the greenbelt I would have known which direction to go, but for an out-of-stater this was really confusing. A couple of volunteers stationed at the last 2 turns before the finish would have been much appreciated. The post-race food and celebration was excellent, and I really loved the baked potato. I stayed at the host hotel which made transportation simple and their breakfast is a definite go-to!
Paula Eyvonne Hamilton from Ontario, CA (5/18/2014) "Astoundingly Beautiful all 26.2 miles!" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This race weekend was perfect from beginning to end. The host Riverside Hotel shuttle picked me up from the airport, presented me with a free bottle of water and a chocolate chip cookie, then transported me to the lovely hotel, right next door to Joe's Crab Shack where I spent three great meals! The hotel stay also included a huge, incredible breakfast buffet - what a delight that was! The race shuttle took us from the hotel to the race start, which was a little chilly, but the rest of the race weather was perfect. In fact, perfect is a great word to describe this gem of a race. This was Marathon #51 for me, and it was, by far, the most naturally scenic and lovely of all the courses I've run, of any distance. And the beauty never ended from Mile 0 to 26.2. As a slower runner, I was alone most of the time to commune with my amazing surroundings and I was happy to do this, having run a big city, dirty street race a couple weeks before. The only thing I would improve are the marathon course markings. Some of the road forks were trial and error, as markers were missing or confusing. But I never got lost, except in the beauty of this heavenly place. The baked potato snack at the end was wonderful, as well as the kind, race official (Travis), ride back to the hotel, when the shuttle didn't come. I loved the blue shirt. It has the word 'marathon' on it so I didn't care if it was generic. The medal is not the most elaborate and memorable, but the course and the pictures I took will always remind me of the best little marathon out there! And, when adding up my expenses, this was, by far, the least expensive marathon I've run. Another gem of this race is Allison, the RD, who helped me with several pre-race questions and concerns, all the time patient and caring, and just wonderful! Again, beginning to end, this was an adventure I will always cherish! One last word - this race benefitted YMCA, the great organization that rescued me from the scary Chicago streets when I was a kid, taught me how to swim, how to get along with other kids, and how to know my Lord, through Y-Teens. I was so happy to give back!
v. s. from california (5/17/2014) "i would like to see more aid stations" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 I would of like to see mile markers and first aid stations. I did fall at mile two as my ARM started to swell and finally found a first aid station at the finish line.
E. M. from Toronto, Canada (5/25/2013) "Nice River Route" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 A pretty well organized smaller race. I loved running on the Boise River Greenbelt as it provided plenty of shade when the sun came out behind the early morning clouds that day and temps began to rise. Interesting run by the local horse track stables as trainers exercised their horses at the 17/21 Mile out and back. A little crowded on the trails with the much larger half marathoner participants, so that it was sometimes hard to run the tangents on the twisty paths. You did run the first couple of miles on a secondary highway so there was a bit of stretch out of the race pack before you hit the narrow fitness path. Once the half marathoners split off to the finish of their race, it became much lonelier and at times felt like a training run by yourself. I had no trouble following the chalk marks and route signage when marshals werent present. Good support and friendly volunteers at the aid stations with plenty chances for water, electrolytes drink or PowerBar products. T-shirt was generic for all the races, 5K, 10K, Half and Full Marathon, so it took away some the bragging rights you instantly get with a specific marathon t-shirt. Also the medal was the same for all races, with a sticker in the middle with tiny lettering denoting you were a 'Marathon Finisher.' Baked potato with lots of fixins' and chocolate milk was great at the end.
C. P. from CA (5/21/2013) "Needs improvement... but I still recommend it." (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Famous Idaho Potato Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 It was a pretty good marathon with a very low registration fee, and it was a flat course. There are definitely improvements to be made. The shuttle to the starting line was easy to find and went very smoothly. It would have been nice to have staggered starts since all of the half and full marathoners started at the same time, it was pretty crowded. The race wasn't marked clearly, there were times when cars would be driving in between runners, a group of runners had to get out of the way of a bus while waiting in line at the porta-potty at mile 10, and it became especially confusing for the full marathoners during the second half of the race, I found myself confused at some points and nearly going the wrong way a couple of times. The worst was at around mile 25, there was a sign that pointed forward for full-marathon which was meant to be seen at mile 13-14, but you were really supposed to make a u-turn to go back under a bridge to the finish and that was only marked by chalk on the pavement. I saw a few runners ahead of me make that mistake because they ended up crossing the finish line 5 minutes after I did. I'd be so angry if that was me, especially when you think you're almost done. Another huge improvement that they really need to make is the amount of first-aid they had out there, I only saw one medical aid stand and that was after the finish line. No first-aid help on the course of the race. The course was nice, it would have been better if I just did the half on this one because the greenbelt did get a little boring after a while. There weren't too many spectators, but the few that were there were super supportive! Also the other runners, especially the straggling/suffering marathoners (ahem, me) all pulled together and supported each other... I just loved that. I would definitely recommend this race so that you can experience Boise, it's cheap, flat, we got a free sack of potatoes and everyone there is really nice. But I do hope they make those few improvements!!
Amy Gross from Boise, Id (5/20/2013) "Doing a Boise marathon?....Do City of Trees" (about: 2013) 6-10 previous marathons \| 2 Famous Idaho Potato Marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 Dislikes: I have ran this marathon 2 times now. The river running along the course provides lots of shade and is pretty, but not for 18-20 miles(there is probably 6-8 miles not by the river)!I really wish the course would venture out through the town more! Boise has so many beautiful spots that could easily be covered in 26.2 miles! City of Trees, which I have also ran, covers much of the city. It is nice to see different scenery when you are running that distance and that long. This year, 2013, the last 5 miles, or so, of the course was changed from when I ran it before. In 2010 after the turn around, you ran along the green belt, past softball fields and ponds to the finish. This year, 2013,after the turn around, the course took you along a trailer park! Also, I ordered an XS shirt, and received a small because people who ordered small switch to XS when they saw how big the small was. I contacted the YMCA to ask for them to order the size I originally asked for, and the first person informed me they would get it ordered and be in contact with me. The second person informed me there is no XS...it was a typo. Drink flavor could have been better and not so watered down. Likes Cold chocolate milk at the finish! Delicious! Had lots of energy food options available through out the course. Potato bar at finish.

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Marathon Details - Famous Idaho Potato Marathon