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To offer a fun, friendly, enjoyable Marathon experience. We will provide a well organized event that offers many of the amenities of larger marathons but without the crowds. |
This was one great trip. We went to run the 10th anniversary
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| Marathon Maniacs, Casper Marathon 2012 |
THE COURSE
The course starts at the Casper Events Center. The Events Center is on the bluff above the Platte River and the City of Casper. A large indoor space is available for warm up with pre race water and snacks, coffee and restrooms. The City of Casper, Wyoming, a Marathon sponsor, operates the Events Center. Ample parking is available at the Events Center, or for intrepid souls wanting a warm up walk, the Casper Ramada Plaza Riverside finish line is 120 feet and a half mile below. A shuttle bus will run between the Event Center and the Host hotel before the marathon.
The starting line is located just beyond the statue of city namesake Caspar Collins, the U.S. Calvary officer killed in an Indian battle in May, 1865. The route proceeds along Events Drive, then turns north onto East Road. The course passes the Model Airplane facility and the Casper Speedway, two of a number of City of Casper recreational facilities in the area. Watch for antelope herds in the area. Turn left on East Road past the East Road/ Amoco Road aid station at mile .75 onto Amoco Road, and up a slight uphill stretch. To the north is Soda Lake, originally an oil refinery wastewater site, now a bird sanctuary. The next left puts you on North Poplar to the Poplar/Events Drive aid station at mile 2.5. The course turns back on Events Drive and the East Road/Amoco Road aid station at mile 4.0. Turn right on Amoco Road leads to a rolling stretch to Bryan Stock Trail road at mile 5. The view to the south is of Casper Mountain, elevation 8200 feet. The Mountain is a recreation gem for the City, with downhill and cross country skiing facilities, and mountain bike and running trails. This section of the course drops 120 feet to the Platte River, and the Platte River Parkway aid station at mile 6.
The remainder of the Marathon follows the Platte River Parkway, a paved recreational trail operated by the Platte River Parkway Trust, and the recreational trails at the Platte River Commons. This recreational corridor extends 11 miles following the Platte River through Casper. The softball field bridge at mile 6.5 is the second of nine river crossings. The next mile and one half runs through Crossroads Park, an undeveloped park area. Oregon Trail wagon ruts are still visible in the park. Watch for deer and antelope in the area. At mile 8 the Crossroads Aid station is adjacent to the Crossroads Adventure Park, a Casper Rotary Centennial Project. The trail passes behind the outfield fence of Mike Lansing Baseball Fields. Runners pass the finish area at the Ramada Plaza Riverside and jog back across the Platte at mile 10.7. From this point on the course is out and back.
After crossing the Platte River and looping beneath the interstate, the Parkway Plaza comes into view. The course parallels the Platte River and passes several boat launching areas and the Old Town miniature golf course at Mile 8.5/25.8. A loop under First Street leads to another crossing of the Platte River to the Jonah Bank. Look for sculptures along the bank and the fisherman statute In the middle of the river. The oil derrick at mile 9.5/ 25.3 celebrates the Natrona County oil and gas industry. Oil and gas production spurred the growth of Casper when the famous Salt Creek Oil Field opened in the 1880s. The infamous Teapot Dome Oil Reserve Field, thirty miles north of Casper, was central to a national scandal during the President Harding administration in 1922. Across the river is the former site of the Amoco oil refinery, which operated from 1910 to 1990. It has been redeveloped into a Platte River Commons Business Park.
The Amoco Park aid station is at mile 10.2/24.4. This part of the course parallels the Casper Whitewater Park. There are 5 drops for kayaks, canoes, and other watercraft. Marathon runners continue west past the Tate Pump House building, which has been renovated into Platt River Parkway business office. The course continues to the Town of Mills 1st Street Park aid station at mile 11.6/19.7. The next stretch of trail passes behind the WOTCO plant, a manufacturer of huge coal mile hauling equipment. The course crosses Southwest Wyoming Blvd. at Mile 12.5/18.8, and across the Platte River one last time on the outbound loop. On the right is Fort Caspar Park, a city-operated museum containing a wealth of information about the history of Casper, especially the military and immigrant trails.
The next aid station is at Morad Park, mile 13.7/17.3. The trail continues through Audubon Park, then past the Wyoming Game and Fish headquarters and BLM Casper office. The trail leaves the river and goes up a short, but steep, little hill to Magnolia Street at mile 15/16.8. A gradual downhill leads to the turnaround point on Paradise Valley Park aid station at Mile 16.
The return trip follows the same route back to the Pump House, where runners turn right across the bridge to the Platte River Commons Business Park trail system. The trail loops around the Business Park and Three Crowns Golf Course, a Robert Trent Jones designed course. The Railroad Bridge Aid Station is at Mile 21.8, and the Three Crowns Golf Course aid station is at mile 23.5. Runners return across the Tate Pump House Bridge and turn right to the Amoco Park aid station at mile 24.7. Follow the trail past the Casper Ramada Plaza Riverside sign and across the finish line. Relax, smile, you did it!
The results:
45 Angeline Pace 45 Draper UT 5:10:18 5:10:17.20 11:51 24847 Teota Dangel 48 Salt Lake City UT 5:10:45 5:10:34.30 11:51 21180 Marsha Monson 56 Riverton UT 6:19:05 6:18:55.00 14:28 217 91 Liz Gotter 32 Orem UT 6:37:55 6:37:45.70 15:11 214Marsha FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 59 I came in 26 of 27.21 Laurence Macon 67 San Antonio TX 6:12:45 6:12:45 14:13 112 22 Nick Karem 68 Louisville KY 6:13:57 6:13:13 14:15 199 
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