Fargo Marathon

Expo: In the morning, I drove out to the expo at the Fargo Civic Center. I found free street parking a couple of blocks away on 5^th St N. The expo was very well organized with lots of volunteers holding up signs ready to answer any questions. You first picked up your bib in the tent outside. Then you went inside where there was a table with people handing out free popcorn. They had footprints on the ground to help with the flow of traffic. You went through the exhibitor booths before you went downstairs to pick up your race shirt and a pretty nice Under Armour bag that they personalized for free. Since it was pretty popular and there was a big backlog, you had to wait about 30 minutes for them to heat press your initials onto the bag.
Race Day: Per the race instructions, I parked at the parking structure just off of 3^rd St N at the Moorhead Center Mall and met up with my friend. The different race lengths had different staging areas. We waited inside the mall where it was warm. Gear check was just outside. There were portapotties next to the parking lot. As the race start approached we walked a few blocks over to the starting area at the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Once it was about time to start the race we went into the corrals and bumped into other fellow Marathon Maniacs and 50 States Marathoners.
Course: This was the 10^th year of the race. According to their website, the course has changed several times already. One thing that has remained constant was that the course was flat. It sure was for this year. The course took us through a lot of residential streets and we finished right in front of the Fargo Theatre on Broadway. There was plenty of aid stations manned by some awesome volunteers all along the course.
Overall: I would definitely recommend running this well organized marathon!

Just finished running the 2013 Fargo Marathon in Fargo, ND on Saturday, May 18, 2013. It was my first trip to North Dakota ever and I heard that the Fargo marathon was a popular race destination choice from my running groups: the Marathon Maniacs & 50 States Marathon Club. Fargo was the only choice for picking up North Dakota on my quest for 50 States from Hawaii. In completing Fargo, this was lifetime #56 and state #35. Almost, but not quite done!
The Fargo marathon expo was held at the Fargodome, the football stadium, home of the North Dakota State University Bison. It almost is comparable to the Competitor Group’s Rock n Roll Marathon series expo, but not quite. The expo fanned out to reach all parts of the stadium floor and it contained packet pick up, vendors from other races, running stores, and other active lifestyle products and services. It was nice to come here and get my packet here and to relish the joy of participating in 26.2 miles through downtown and residential Fargo. This year, the race bibs feature MyLaps, formerly known as Championship — the timing system used to record your performance during the race. I rather have the D-​Tags, those orange tags that just loop around your shoe laces.
The marathon start line was just outside the Fargo dome parking lot. The anxious crowds gathered in the Fargodome ready to tackle their individual goals that morning. The finish line was located in the Fargodome itself, so we got to run inside the Fargodome and finish to the sea of cheering spectators. That was pretty darn awesome. It was rainy that morning with thunderstorms predicted. As the morning turned out, it stopped raining and the sun came roaring out, making it a challenging day. The course was hilly on some spots, due to the nature of the bridge overpasses, but it was mostly a flat course. Aid stations and course support were adequate. It felt like a quite training run in the early going through Fargo.
There were a few out and back loops that were not maintained with a timing check point, so you could theoretically cut the course, if you wanted to do so. The Fargo course was scenic and nice. Weaving around the streets of downtown Fargo and into the residential areas were particularly satisfying. It reminds me how carefree I can be when I am out there running and logging those miles. An awesome feeling no doubt, which is why I keep doing what I am doing. :0) There were multiple timing mats along the course, among which were at mile 5, 12, and 20. There were a couple others that appear to be check points rather than timing mats that just served as a check to see if the participants were there and not cutting the course.
The Fargo marathon is in its 9^th year and continues to grow at a steady pace. Just 4 hours from Minneapolis-​St Paul, this could be your destination spring race that you could be looking for. Known for being flat and fast, this is perfect for your first half marathon or first full marathon. If you are a seasoned veteran, come and sign up for your PR course! I tried to PR that morning, but the heat made it more challenging than I would have liked. The course time limit currently stands at at 7.5 hours. Course support is still available for those out there longer than 6 hours, myself included. Just get to the finish line and you will be rewarded for sure.
For many people, staying at the University of North Dakota State dormitories is a very feasible and cheap option, versus staying at a hotel. I was advised to do the same and partnered up with another Marathon Maniac and we split the dorm and saved $ 50 for the entire stay. While the dorms isn’t exactly the Hilton or the Westin, it serves a basic level of comfort for a nominal fee, which was great. Overall, I would recommend running the Fargo marathon. While it can be a hassle getting to Fargo, it may prove to be the best weekend ever for you, 13.1 or 26.2. Rock on!
Run more!
B+

This is my 10^th marathon. I really enjoyed myself, and like any marathon, there are things that are just good to know about the marathon itself and the area.
1. Hotels. Book your hotel when you register. This is a huge marathon, and there will be no vacancies unless you want the Executive Suites for $ 360 per night. I actually ended up camping at Buffalo River SP 18 miles away for $ 27 per night and it worked out splendid. It’s a lovely SP.
2. Course. It’s 100% urban. We didn’t run along the Red River but perhaps the course was rerouted because of Spring flooding. A fun tidbit, the Red River is one of the few rivers in the U.S. that flows directly north. It’s an out-​and-​back marathon with at least 3 loopy-​loops through parks and neighborhoods. I’m not a fan of out-​and-​backs but I must admit it’s encouraging to see the front-​side of runners once in a while. You get a sense of progress and there’s a sense of distraction in seeing the outfits and even their grimacing miserable expressions, «Oh my gosh, they’re at mile 25 already. Is that how I’m going to look!?»
3. Support. Wowza. There was lots of support. Toward the end, I felt there were water stations every 2 miles. And the crowd was super handing out their own supplies of Jolly Ranchers, orange slices, ice cubes, and there was some homeowner every mile in the last 5 miles standing out at the curb with their water hose!
4. FargoDome. What a fantastic location to hold such an event. Parking was plentiful, and it was free. Bring a change of clothes. There are free hot showers available inside the locker rooms on the main floor. No worries if it’s raining, you can simply warm-​up by walking around-​around-​around the Dome. Plus there are plenty of bathrooms. My favorite get-​away place to stretch was to take the Main Entrance elevators to the 2^nd floor where there was carpet and conference rooms. On the day of packet pick-​up, take note, at least this was true for me in 2013. Exit from the South parking lot or only take right exit turns out of the North parking lot. Why? It’s absolutely hideous trying to take a left hand turn out of the North parking lot. With no stoplights or people directing traffic expect a 5 minute wait per car and be prepared to have no left visibility (because of all the cars coming into the Dome) and then be prepared to gun it. Bottomline: Just don’t turn left out of the North parking lot Exit and you’ll be fine.
5. Race shirt and goody bag. They’re keepers! Good quality and functional. The marathon race shirt, long-​sleeved with a zippered neck, is super functional and fits well. The adidas bag is beautiful and strong. It’ll last forever. I also liked that the goody bag didn’t have any paper advertisements in it. You get all the advertisements online through their «virtual online goody bag.» I love technology.
6. Christian community. There’s something about a small town. They did a 1 minute group prayer before the 5K! That’s practically unheard of in bigger cities due to being mindful and respectful to other religions. I thought it was especially sweet and I was glad for it. It was refreshing and brought back childhood memories of when public prayer used to be more acceptable. Even homeowners played Christian music from their driveways. Typically it’s AC/​DC. So, this was quite an experience.
7. Chip Timing and Online Communication. Results were online in 30 – 60 minutes! Communication updates were fast and thorough leading up to the marathon. Marathon photos in my inbox for purchase within 12 hours. Bam. Bam. Bam. Everything was so fast and easy and simple.
8. Toll bridge. Fargo actually has a toll bridge in the middle of the city that you pay 0.75 cents to cross. A toll? Why, I’m not in Chicago. I suppose it’s to pay flooding expenses. It was a memorable experience and I was glad to contribute to this cute little, but big, town.
9. Friendly. Oh my gosh. People are friendly and sincere. They are the salt of the earth. Truly.
10. Restaurants and Things to Do. I didn’t spend much time in Fargo and Moorhead. I didn’t do any scenic ventures, regrettably, although I don’t necessarily know what there is to see. That would require some research on Unilocal,I guess. As for restaurants, I had no problems getting into one and having good luck thanks to Unilocal’s recommendations.