Saturday, July 17, 2010

Thank You for Missoula Marathon Feedback


Thank you to all of the people who have contacted us with feedback from your experience here at the 4th Annual Missoula Marathon. The Missoula Marathon Committee reads all your comments and we use them to improve our event. Everyone is busy and we know it takes time to stop what you're doing and write us with your insight, compliments and suggestions. We appreciate it. If you have something you'd like to share with the Committee, please email at jen@runwildmissoula.org. Thank you!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

It's Not Too Late to get your Free Missoula Marathon Photo


If you didn't pick up your Free Photo by HuHot down in Caras Pavilion on race day -- you still can! It's not too late. Just click on the link on our home page or go to http://huhot.com/html/loc/missoula.html and look for the "Missoula Marathon." Hey -- it's free -- don't miss out. One caveat is that if you must have had your photo taken on race day in the HuHot Photo Booth. It was in the finish area. With a backdrop. The photo crew was pretty hard to miss but if you did, and you didn't pose to have your photo taken, then you'll have to wait until Sunday, July 10, 2011 for your next opportunity.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Looking for a Missoula Marathon Runner

This blog was sent to me by a spectator who needs some help finding a runner:

When my family and I went to the Run Wild Missoula Marathon this past weekend our intentions were to encourage and inspire our mom and the other runners. It wasn't long after the race began, however, that we realized they were in fact the ones inspiring us.

As we drove from check point to check point (my dad, two sisters, and friend) to cheer for our mom and the runners around her, we were pleasantly surprised, impressed, and inspired by everyone who said "Thanks for being here!" or "Thanks for coming out!" as they ran by mile after mile no matter how exhausted they were. It was so cool to be able to see the same runners each stop and create a 26.2 mile long distance friendship along the way. From their smiles, waves, and shouts of gratitude, to their jokes, looks of determination, and even dancing, we couldn't wait to get to the next stop to see them again and cheer them on.

There was one runner in particular, however, that keeps coming to mind.
He was an older man, wearing black shorts and a blue runner's shirt. Each stop he would smile and wave and we'd exchange friendly words. Somewhere along the way as he was running by he asked if we would be at the finish line and if we would take a picture with him. After running a few yards with him before he crossed the bridge to the finish, we assured him we would be at the finish line and it would be an honor to take a picture with him. About 10 minutes later, our mom finished at 4 hours 26 minutes. Unfortunately, when we got to the finish we were unable to find him and deeply regretted not being able to congratulate him on his finish or share in his memory of the marathon by taking a photo with him as he requested.
We failed to catch his name or running number, so if anybody knows how to find out who this man is, or if you saw him or us along the way please respond to this blog. Any help in finding who this man was would be greatly appreciated.

Congratulations to all the finishers, thank you for inspiring me.

-The Girl in the Green Hat
Contact Information: hollz17@yahoo.com

Monday, July 12, 2010

What's New on the Missoula Marathon Website

Now on the Missoula Marathon website you'll find:
1. Results link 2. Timer link if you need to request a correction in your results. This includes people who cannot find themselves in the results. PLEASE USE THIS LINK INSTEAD OF EMAIL! The link includes coding information so Accu-Split knows the correct event and they use it to track that corrections have been made. 3. A FinishCam link brought to you by KECI-TV! Watch yourself and your friends cross the finish line! 4. And you can still buy a poster, there are still some left.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Missoula Marathon Registration Hits 4,500+

It was a great day at the Missoula Marathon Expo and Registration. We want to thank everyone for participating in our event. The final numbers are in and here is how many we have registered for each event: 1,462 for the Marathon; 2,694 for the Half Marathon; 5 Handcyclists/wheelchair; 29 Relay Teams; and over 300 Kids Marathon for a total of 4,577, or roughly double compared to 2009. We have registrants from every state and also international guests from Hong Kong, Chile, Columbia, Australia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Canada and Singapore.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Missoula Marathon On Line Registration Closed

On Line registration is closed, but you may still register for the Missoula Marathon through Saturday at the Expo and Registration event, 8 am - 6 pm, in Caras Pavilion downtown Missoula. Thank you for running!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Missoula Marathon Green Efforts 2010

For this year’s Missoula Marathon, we again worked on our commitment to keep the environmental impact of our event to a minimum, while improving what we had started in the past years.

If you have never eaten from and with 100 percent bio-degradable plastic plates, bowls, cups and “silver wear”, you will now have the chance at the Missoula Marathon while re-fueling your body with fantastic post-race food, provided by the Good Food Store of Missoula; and you might find that this material is actually very strong, even though it can and will break down (bio-degrade) in only a few months after you use it.

Several dozen volunteers put in approximately 100 volunteer hours last Saturday, to clean up large parts of the Missoula Half and Full Marathon courses. It was a great success and all of our participants and spectators ought to find a great course. Thanks to Frank Scariano Construction for donating his Truck and the necessary gas. While visiting and running, please enjoy the beautiful scenery of western Montana!
Our 2010 high-end, technical finisher’s T-shirts are made from at least 50 percent recycled plastic – so thanks for recycling your plastic bottles; now you may proudly wear those old bottles on your back, for you earned it! In addition, you’ll find more T-shirt options of the same caliber as well as other “green” Missoula Marathon memorabilia at the Expo.

The Missoula Marathon Goodie bags for this year are fully recyclable and re-usable polyester bags. Plus, they look great and you may get some attention while carrying your goods, even long after this Marathon.

Without surprise, we again will recycle aluminum cans, plastic water bottles and cardboard at the starting lines, finish area, and the Missoula Marathon Expo.
For your immediate hydration needs, and to save on many of thousands of plastic bottles, we opted to have an additional water station at the finish area, just after you cross the finish line. And speaking of water stations, all of the water cups used during the Marathon are 100 percent compostable.

For the first time, the Missoula Marathon will use Solar Power Energy at the Expo and for its post-race festivities and awards ceremonies. The solar power will be provided by Axmen of Missoula. Look for the solar panels, and stop by at their informational table, to see how it all works. Axmen also will have a little experiment on-site, to show what else is possible with this technology. The Missoula Marathon experience is not only beautiful, fun, with fast times, but also educational for young and old.

As always, all Mountain Line Buses can be used for free all day on Saturday. So consider taking the bus from your home or your hotel to get to and from the Expo.
The Missoula Marathon will have several water stations set up at the Expo, provided by Culligan Water, and you are encouraged to bring your own re-usable water bottle. It’s a great way to monitor your own water intake the day before the race, while keeping up your hydration. Besides, it saves a lot of unnecessary trash, too.
Lastly, and more as a side note, Missoula features two great Farmers’ Markets on Saturdays, where you can stock up on locally-grown and/or produced, and mostly certified organic or at least pesticide-free vegetables, fruits, dairy products, baked goods, meats, jams, coffee and freshly-squeezed juices. One Farmer’s Market will be open on Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., while the other operates until about 1:00 p.m. A nice plus for all our race participants and their support is that the two Farmers’ Markets, the People’s Market (featuring crafty items), downtown businesses, and, for the younger visitors to Missoula, the Missoula Carousel, all are within a very short walking distance of the Missoula Marathon Expo. Literally, you can see all of the sites listed above, while walking less than a mile. And just in case your feet get hot while walking that one mile, or perhaps after the Marathon, you can dip your feet into the frigid waters of the Clark Fork River, while watching white-water kayaks performing tricks in “Brennan’s Wave”, and looking down “Hellgate Canyon” – all less than 100 yards from the Expo!
We hope you will enjoy your Missoula Marathon experience, and that our “green efforts” will enhance that experience.

The Missoula Marathon Committee and the city of Missoula is exited to welcome all of you to our beautiful “back yard”, which we call home, and wish you safe travels, a fantastic time while in western Montana and during the race.

Best wishes,
Volkmar “Vo” von Sehlen
Director, Green Efforts
Missoula Marathon Committee

Run Wild Missoula Cleans Up for Missoula Marathon

At 8:30 a.m., this past Saturday morning, with their coffee in one hand, gloves and trash bags in the other, approximately three dozen volunteers showed up at the location of the start of the Missoula Half Marathon on Blue Mountain Road, to receive their instructions to clean up trash from the Missoula Marathon and Half Marathon courses. Young and old were eager to get started. Our volunteers had a fantastic “can-do” attitude, and donated anywhere between two and seven hours of their time to collect a total of at least 45 bags of trash, amongst a lot of other, at times, very strange objects, one would never expect to find on rural roads of Montana. The clean-up efforts for the Missoula Full Marathon and Half Marathon courses were very successful, and we want to thank Frank Scariano Construction for donating his truck and gas. We could not have done it without his truck!

We are confident you will enjoy our great, stunningly-beautiful, and clean Missoula Marathon or Half Marathon. Safe travels to all of you, no matter how far your journey may be! And, thank you for choosing the Missoula Marathon as your next Marathon!

Missoula Marathon Powered by Solar

As part of our Green Efforts of 2010, the Missoula Marathon is proud and excited to announce that Axmen of Missoula has agreed to be the provider of Solar-Powered Energy at the Missoula Marathon Expo and after the Marathon for the post-race activities and award ceremonies. The Missoula Marathon Expo will take place at Caras Park Pavilion in downtown Missoula, on Saturday, July 10, and the Missoula Marathon post-race festivities and award ceremonies are scheduled for Sunday, July 11. During both days, Axmen also will be available to answer any questions about solar energy, and will demonstrate their “science experiment” right in front of your eyes. This ought to be educational and fun for all ages. You will find their solar panel, their informational table and their “science experiment demonstration” outside of Caras Park Pavilion, right next to the entrance of the Expo. Thank you!
Vo von Sehlen
Director, Green Efforts
Missoula Marathon Committee

Monday, July 5, 2010

Missoula Marathon Photos to Share

We really like people to have photos from the Missoula Marathon AND we like you to share them. The good news is, so does RacePhotos (division of Referee Photo). RacePhotos has a great advance offer: an electronic option at a 70% discount to those who sign up at the Expo before 6pm. The offer includes ALL your photos and yes, photographers are positioned in many locations along the course. Be sure to stop by their display on Saturday 10th to receive the discount and then if you enjoy your experience here, send your photos out into the electronic universe!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Missoula Marathon Confirmed Registrants Updated

We just posted the latest confirmed registration list on the Missoula Marathon website. Go to http://www.runwildmissoula.org/index.php/fuseaction/registration.main.htm and click on the link to confirm your registration. As always, since that list was compiled more registrations have come in so if you've registered in the last week you're probably not on the list. It'd be great if you check now and make any corrections. Send any changes to Registration Director Vic Mortimer at vic@runwildmissoula.org.