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Rhonda Williams
2015 REVEL Canyon City Marathon
Published: Nov. 10, 2015, 8:30 p.m. 
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Overall Rating
5/5 Stars
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Describe your race day.
We loaded onto the bus for the hour long ride to the start. There was a lot of nervous energy on the bus. Most people were dead quiet- my friend Nici and I chatted and giggled the whole way up! It was cold at the top! Thank you Revel for the gloves and blanket; I also had on some fleece pants and a jacket to check. I huddled
with my running buddies as we all waited nervously for the start. Speaking of nerves, there were plenty of porta potties(super important!) and water and Gatorade. The announcers kept us posted on race start details and even told us when to get our check bags on the truck. We lined up to start- I found my 3:45 goal pacer and got ready to run. The horn went off (the national anthem was missing?) and away we went. We started the descent down the mountain - I was moving at a much faster than anticipated pace. I pulled away from the 3:45 pacer and soon joined the 3:40 group. I had my music going with one earbud in and my friend Vickie to my left. We sang and danced and chatted through the first few miles which flew by! She ran this course last year and kept me in check , conserving energy for the second half. I pulled away from the 3:40 pacer and closed in on 3:35. I was at a pretty good pace at the half point and was well ahead of my goal pace. I kept going, enjoying the beautiful views, and appreciating the well placed aid stations for a couple of sips of water when I needed it. Miles 15-21were super hilly after hitting all of that downhill in the first half. My legs were tired but I kept pushing. As we descended into Azusa, I knew my goal pace was well within reach. When I hit mile 23 the calf cramps started. I could barely pick up my
feet but told myself to keep pressing on. As I hit mile 26 and made the right turn to head to the finish I began to cry- tears of joy and pain and exhaustion. I crossed the finish line at just over 3:39! That was an 18 minute marathon PR, a 16 BQ (I needed 3:55) and 6 minutes under goal pace! Thank you Revel for the epic day, the great views and the BQ! -
Did you PR?
Yes! I PRed my marathon time by 18 minutes! I qualified for Boston!!!
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How would you describe the course?
The scenery is gorgeous- I kept saying "wow" and " this is beautiful!" The downhill
Grade is a bit brutal but makes for some fast legs- the uphills feel like mountains after the downhill! My friends that have run Boston say this course is much more difficult. -
Tell us about your training.
I used Runner's World Smart Coach plan for training. I also teach 3 spin classes a week which I think make a huge difference! I think cross training is essential. I also think hill training is essential. I live in a hilly area where we have no choice but to run lots of hills- it paid off!
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What advice would you give future runners?
We didn't stay at a host hotel but found a hotel close to the busses and finish line. It wasn't luxurious but it was clean and close. We dined at BJs in West Covina. There are lots of places to eat close to the venue. For the race I recommend throw away warm clothes or something you can check for the start area - it was cold! I recommend compression socks or sleeves during the race as your calves will love the extra support. Don't bring a brand new pair of shoes. Make sure your shoe has a good toe box area as your toes will hit the fronts of your shoes with the downhill. Enjoy the beauty and happy running.
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What fun things did you do in the area before or after the race?
We traveled from Temecula in the inland empire. We went to the expo to get our race packets, checked into our hotel and went to dinner. Early to bed to rest for the race!
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