Trisha Drobeck likes to refer to the weekend of the Missoula Marathon as Christmas In July.  And, you know, I think that I have to agree with her.

The excitement and energy around town are on par with the Christmas celebration.  And, all the good little boy and girl runners will find it hard to sleep the night before in anticipation of what they'll find at the start and finish lines.

Let's not forget the nice little retail bump that our local stores, restaurants and motels get during the week.  Maybe not quite the same as Black Friday; but, it's still pretty significant.

But even more than that, it's the community's giving spirit that makes it comparable to Christmas for me.  The marathon committee members that give of their time (all year) to plan, coordinate and execute this incredible event.  All of the volunteers (many of whom are not runners) that come out and lend a hand for a day (or two or three) (Literally - we could not do this without them!).  The great sponsors who donate to and support the event.  The thousands of runners who have trained for hundreds of thousands of miles in order to test their fitness here in the Garden City.  And, all the families who supported their runners while they logged those miles.

No wonder it's so easy to get excited about the Missoula Marathon weekend!  We so appreciate everybody who is part of the event; and, we can't wait to open your amazing gifts.