Sponsors of the Missoula Marathon have been supporting this event since way back when it was nothing more than an idea and a notebook that said "Missoula Marathon 2007" on the front.  They believed with us before it even happened for the first time.

If you ever have an opportunity to thank a representative of one of our sponsoring entities, please do so.  Spend money there.  Have your friends and family spend money there also.  These organizations do a lot to make Missoula what it is - a great place to be.

The sponsors are listed in random order because every single one of them is very important to us.  If you ask, "But what do these people mean to me?"  This is your answer.

THE FIRST MISSOULA MARATHON WEBSITE.  It was put together by Steve Franklin, creator of RunMt.com, who had been hosting our static running club site for years.  We got ambitious when we put the marathon together, and Steve Franklin was right there the whole way.  If you want absolutely the best most comprehensive list of races taking place in the entire state of Montana, visit www.runmt.com right now.

DRINK UP IT'S HOT OUT HERE.  The very first year of the Missoula Marathon we broke every heat record in the book, but we've always had enough water including the people at the back.  Every year we ask for more water and every year Culligan provides it.  Thank them -- they deserve it.

THE MOMENT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR -- POST RACE PARTY AND AWARDS.  The Missoula Downtown Association makes sure that when you're done running, you've got a place to go for fun and awards -- and beer.  They're responsible for the Caras Pavilion and all that happens within -- so this is an event within an event and they handle it all.  We love them for it.

START TRAINING HERE.  Sponsor of the Missoula Marathon and Half Marathon Training Class.  Tim and Anders Brooker, co-owners of Runner's Edge, have our local athletes excited and prepared for race day.   I kid you not, this is the world's best training operation.  If you don't live here and can't take their class, you wish you did.

KEEP THE VOLUNTEERS MOVING.  Break Espresso has been providing the Missoula Marathon Volunteers good treats and coffee to keep us going through all the year-round planning.  Make sure you stop in for a cup of coffee and I recommend the bear claws.

KEEP THE VOLUNTEERS HAPPY.  Schmautz and Smith came up with their own sponsorship idea when they saw the cotton t-shirts from last year.  They are now the Volunteer Shirt sponsor and provide top quality shirts for our volunteers.  If you can't run, be a volunteer and get a great shirt thanks to Schmautz and Smith Mortgage Company.

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS.  That's because Morgenroth Music provides us all our sound systems for race weekend.  It's a lot of equipment because it includes both starting lines and the finish area, and it is far better than equipment from somebody's garage.

 DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.  We've got an entire attorney staff on hand thanks to Kevin Twidwell and all the other running attorneys at Garlington Lohn Robinson.  If you ever need running advice -- or any legal kind - call these guys.  That's what we do.

REAL FOOD FOR REAL ATHLETES LIKE YOU.  Has anyone ever tried to feed you a deep fried taquito after running a marathon?  I hope not but it's happens.  We can't thank the Good Food Store enough for giving you real good food after your run.  Athletes leave so satisfied they don't need the usual post-race humongo meal.  The favorite:  fruit flavored popsicles.

THE COURSE OF COURSE.  When you have 26.2 miles of event happening, a little help along the course goes a long way.  We look forward to Karl Tyler Chevrolet's enthusiastic staff providing Race Vehicles and helping you have a great day.

WAITING FOR YOU AT THE FINISH AREA.  Bob Taylor and his Coke Truck filled with an assortment of beverages is waiting for you, filling up his troughs with ice, so when you cross the finish line you receive your hard-earned Dasani, Vitamin Water, and the myriad of other Coke choices.

SUPPORT FOR THE RELAY TEAMS.  Ashley and Sleep City have teamed up to support the relay teams.  Not only will you have your own shirts, but you'll have your own exchange station banners and now awards -- wonderful pillows for a great night's sleep after your race!  The relay was fun before and now it's better!

 KEEP GOOD VENDORS COMING BACK.  DoubleTree has been providing rooms for our traveling vendors since the first Missoula Marathon.  It's hard to convince someone with a little business sense to drive hundreds of miles with all the various paraphernalia required for a one day job.  The DoubleTree is one of the reasons it makes it worth their while.  

FREE PHOTO FOR FINISHERS.  HuHot's national headquarters are right here in Missoula, Montana, and they wanted to offer up something awesome for the Missoula Marathon.  So they brainstormed and are the ones providing you a free photo at the finish, in conjunction with our race photography company, Referee Photo.  You'll also get some yummy free samples.

CLEAN UP AFTER YOU.  We're doing our best to be as environmentally friendly as possible, but there will still be garbage because that's just the way these things go, and Allied Waste has been helping us get it all in the right place since the beginning. 

KEEP YOU RUNNING.  Missoula Bone & Joint has a group of orthopedic surgeons who understand you intend to keep moving.  These are the sort of people with whom you can entrust your passion for sport and they'll make help you maintain it.

DRIVE YOU AROUND TOWN.  FREE.  Mountain Line -- the local bus company -- offers free bus rides to everyone, and I mean EVERYONE -- the day of the Expo.  This is one way of showing you how hospitable this town can be.  I don't care if you show up in town with 12 people -- get on a Mountain Line bus and pay nothing. 

A COLD SHOWER AT THE END OF A HOT RACE.  The Montana Ace Oasis is what we call it, and it's a shower waiting for you in the finish area.  The Montana Ace people figured this out all on their own -- we didn't even think of it.  When you run a marathon or half marathon in Montana in July, this is a popular spot.

CANDID SHOTS THAT MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD.  Nobody wants a photographer around who makes you look bad, so be thrilled that Rocky Mountain School of Photography owner Neil Chaput is the one taking those candids on race day.  Everyone looks great in photos by Neil.

LOOKING GOOD.  We look good thanks to DJ at Rattlesnake Studio Design.  If you have something you need to look good in the graphic design department, talk to DJ.