Billed by race organizers as a race with all the amenities of a larger race but without the crowds, the Visit Casper Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay usually draws a few hundred runners each year for its three road race events, which take runners on a course along the banks of the North Platte River.
Run in what is normally some of the best weather of the year here in Wyoming’s second-largest city (Casper had a population of just over 55,000 in 2010), the race offers a hilly, scenic course and the chance to jump in the river and cool down at the finish line.
Along the half marathon course, which shares the same starting line as the full marathon (at the Casper Events Center), the terrain is a mixture of hills and flat stretches along an entirely paved course.
Runners from different parts of the country (and around the world) need to prepare to run a high-elevation race — the starting line elevation is 5,270 feet above sea level, while the finish line lies at about 5,100 feet.
