Veterans Marathon

Veterans Marathon is very well organized with a good BQ course! Small town that honors and supports veterans while catering to all the runners! Prerace festivities to recognize and honor veterans from presenting colors and flags to the children's choir singing the National Anthem reminds everyone that others have protected our freedom to have the opportunity to run. Great volunteers and aid stations. Great race to run a PR!

Excellent communication, wonderful people, nice scenery, cold weather. I love these small races. Joanne, the RD, was extremely nice to me and my son, who had to kill time waiting for me to finish the race. She was really awesome. Course support was also top notch. I have zero complaints. Super 8 (reluctantly) gave us a 1pm checkout. No frills hotel and under $70/night. I highly recommend this race to anyone.

As former marathon directors, organization is critically important to us, and this one did not disappoint!!! Temps stayed between 36 - 39, wind was quite brisk and was a head wind for first few miles in loop and a tailwind in last few miles in loop. Busier road section at front end of loop wasn't bad bc either traffic was non existent (1st loop) or cones let drivers know there is a race going on. Beautiful country roads are like a bacon strip - it is rolling hills, but none of the hills are severe. Farmland scenery is very lovely & zen. Had light rain for the first half hour so the conditions did make it challenging, but we both still managed decent times for us (I did full, hubby did half). Very happy with the result, and not sore at all (I'm about to turn 60 & ran 3:53). Super 8 motel was accommodating with a 1 p.m. checkout, sizeable fridge, microwave, hairdryer, huge room. Columbia City is charming and tiny. Aid stations on course are awesome & plentiful, few spectators were nice but if you are the type that wants crowds (I prefer the small races), this is not your race.