Missoula Marathon Review

Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Missoula Marathon to promote on social media as part of being a BibRave Pro.

Well folks, I made it to the end of my Missoula Marathon training cycle, and survived. I’m going to give a quick review of the race, then go into some ramblings about my adventure.

I rate the Missoula Marathon a 10/10 and a “Must Do” on the race-cation list. I can’t speak highly enough about how well organized the race was, and how seamless everything seemed to work.

Pre-Race Logistics & Communication

Things like signing up for the race were super simple. The Missoula Marathon uses RunSignUp as their registration platform, and since I run lots of races, all my information was saved and pre-populated. What’s nice about this particular combo is that RunSignUp saves the spouse and children’s profiles for when they join me on race weekends. Missoula offered an event for everyone, so multiple registrations were easy.

The communication was fantastic. There was an appropriate amount of information in the weeks and days leading up to the event, and I was impressed with how active and responsive the staff was on social media all year long. The race website was also a great one-stop shop, offering tons of really good information on travel to and things to do in Missoula.

Packet Pick Up & The Expo

If you have followed me for any duration of time, you know that while I love race expos, my travel arrangements generally don’t permit my attendance. This year I arrived 3 days before the expo and still almost missed it!

I was able to make it to the end of day 2, and there was still a buzz about the air, an anxiousness that you feel before a big game, and some neat local vendors. The race bag they provided also doubled as a gear check bag, and the boxes for your 3-4 digit race number were already printed on it, which makes for a neat race day memento.

The two things to write home about were the late pick up at the airport and the post-race massage sign-ups:

• Late Airport Pick Up: Despite the expo ending at 4 PM, the Missoula Marathon offered packet pickup at the airport until 10 PM! I think this is an absolutely game-changing option.
• Pre-Paid Massages: At the expo, we were able to pre-pay for a post-race massage. I would have loved a free one, but I’m not above securing a spot by paying for it.

Race Day Logistics

The Missoula Marathon is a point-to-point race, and the downtown area is not 26.2 miles long. We started in a place called Frenchtown, about 26 miles northwest of downtown Missoula. All the participants needed to be bussed from the University of Montana to the start line. I am not generally a morning person, and having to be at the bus pick up area at 4 AM for a 6 AM race start wasn’t my idea of a good time, but it beats having to drive anywhere after the race.

All-in-all, getting to the start line was not bad. There were ample porta-johns in both the parking area and the start line. The race also provided coffee and snacks at the start line, which I think is a unique experience. I don’t remember snacks being a pre-race thing before... kudos to Missoula.

Pro-Tip: If you were a pace setter for the race, you got your own porta-john area. If anyone who organizes races reads this, do this for your pacers. Please and thank you.

Course Support

The support on course was second to none. I would say the Missoula Marathon course support was on par with some of those big, fancy races that people need qualifying times or charity bibs to get into.

The aid stations were almost perfectly spaced every two miles, and there were porta-johns at every single one. With the exception of Mile 3, where I guess everyone had to get their race-day jitters evacuated, there were no lines at the rest stops. There were medical tents at 13 and 20, every aid station had Powerade and water, the volunteers were actually helpful and paying attention to the runners, and somewhere around 17 there were little kids handing out sponges soaked in water (thank you, little kids!).

Finish Line & Post-Race Experience

The finish line has you crossing the Clark Fork River. The road into and out of downtown is closed off, and there was an archway spanning four lanes of traffic welcoming you back from your desert odyssey. The bridge was absolutely packed with spectators cheering you in, making for an unforgettable final stretch.

Once you cross the finish line, you are routed to medals, medical, water, and gear pickup. Then you walk downhill to Caras Park for the post-race festivities (coming back up may be problematic, but that’s a different story...).

When I first decided to run in Missoula, I had a pie-in-the-sky idea to go rafting on the Clark Fork River. It didn’t pan out, but I had still been dying to go in the water all week. I took the opportunity post-race to rest my feet and legs in the river.

Of course, I got my post-race massage, which was really nice. The food options at the end of the race were great too: a small tortellini salad, a grain salad, your choice of chips, and the classic chocolate milk and banana. There was a food truck in case you wanted something different, and plenty of local spots nearby to grab lunch. There was also a post-race beer truck with local options. Sadly, the local beers were not gluten-free (I was going to share with my wife), but they did have a hard seltzer she could enjoy.

With tons of seating, great photo ops near the water, plenty of restrooms, and a shaded, family-friendly area under the bridge, the finish line festival was enjoyable and perfectly low-key.

Final Thoughts & Pro-Tips

• The Thrift Shop Throwaway: With the race starting so early in the morning, I highly recommend wearing a light, long-sleeved shirt to the start line. The race has a collection bin for discarded clothing, so I suggest stopping at one of the dozens of thrift shops in the area, grabbing a low-cost overshirt, and staying warm before the gun goes off.
• Book the Massage: I mentioned this above, but pay for the post-race massage in advance. They had a dozen people ready to work on the runners, but if you are a "later in the race" finisher, they may run out of available time slots unless you have one locked in.