Being a city slicker from Orange County, CA, completing Montana started out as just a check mark on…read moremy way to completing the 50 States. But when I stumbled across the Madison Marathon website I was struck by the photos of the incredible course. Now, have you ever been fooled by hotel websites with unbelievable photography only to show and and find out that the place was a dump? Well, make no mistake, the beauty of this race is as advertised. If anything, the pictures cannot do the experience proper justice. The endless blue skies and miles of velvet green fields, the smell of the wildflowers, and the touch of the gentle breeze are simple indescribable by words or photos. The Madison Marathon is billed as "highest road marathon in America." The course peaks at near 9,600 feet near mile four of the course at Monument Ridge. My Garmin recorded a total elevation gain of 2,894 (drop of 3,547) throughout the course. The first four miles presented the most major climbs but climbs continued throughout the course with some real tough SOBs after mile 19. The last six miles were "hard" as the knees began feeling the effects of the descends. There were places on the course so beautiful I wanted to cry. At times during the run I forgot that I was running altogether. Madison Marathon is a must do and I hope everyone gets to experience it in person. full race report here: http://thepedestrianrunner.blogspot.com/2013/07/state-25-montana-madison-marathon.html