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Tiffany Moreno
2016 REVEL Canyon City Marathon
Published: Nov. 13, 2016, 12:22 p.m. 
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Overall Rating
5/5 Stars
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Describe your race day.
The race was very well organized and small (just over 1,000 runners I think). I've been running for 10 years (7 marathons) and had yet to run a sub 4 hour marathon. I had run the Marine Corps Marathon 2 weeks prior to Revel Canyon and didn't achieve my sub 4 goal so I decided to run this one. I had already been training and it was the only local race that was close to the Marine Corps Marathon in terms of timing. Anyway, loaded the bus (directions were very easy) and it took about an hour to get to the top of the mountain. It was cold at the top, so I was so grateful for the gloves and mylar blanket they provide you with. The wait prior to the marathon was pleasant with plenty of places to sit and beautiful scenery. The race started promptly at 7:00 a.m. with no real signal for it, people just started running. There was no horn or National Anthem (that's one thing I'd change. You should play the National Anthem prior to the start). There were pacers that were easy to identify and easy to stay with if you wanted as the race was not crowded. Plenty of room for everyone. As I took off, I quickly passed the 4:00 hour person, then ran past the 3:40 person and stayed well ahead of the 3:40 pacer until about mile 17 when she caught up to me...and then passed. The first half of the marathon is all downhill and it's a dramatic down hill. I finished my half 10 min faster than usual (1:43). I just went with it. I was feeling good and thought well, I'll just bank the time because I didn't know what the second half was going to be like. Well friends, it's a good thing I banked the time because my legs went into a state of shock during the 2nd half. They had no idea what had hit them. I decided in the second half to walk up the hills and run when it was flat or downhill. Around mile 22 that strategy was difficult for me to stick with and I began to run/walk. My mind was at ease though because the 4 hour pacer hadn't passed me yet and was no where in sight. It wasn't until mile 25.5 that I saw him coming up on my heels. No way was I going to let 4 hours pass me by. I had trained too hard, had been through too much, and that's when my mind took over and pushed me through the final half. I finished in 3:59:48 and couldn't be more proud of myself. My toe nail is black (as an experienced runner, that has never happened,) and I'm having a hard time walking today. My legs are trashed! Another new experience. Although the first half of this race is downhill, my body had to fight hard to get me to the end because the downhill portion really beat me up. It was a beautiful race and I loved the experience. The medal is beautiful, too.
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Did you PR?
Yes, by 10 minutes.
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How would you describe the course?
First half of the race is a dramatic down hill and the second half is rolling. The first half is hard on the body so the second half felt harder than it was. Had I just ran the half, I wouldn't have noticed it as much. Very beautiful, peaceful, scenic course. I enjoyed the serenity of this small, no frills, race.
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Tell us about your training.
I started training in July. I only run 3 days per week and my long runs aren't over 20 miles. I did two long runs in Palos Verdes, but over all, little to no hill training. I also spin one day per week. I ran the Marine Corps Marathon 2 weeks prior.
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What advice would you give future runners?
Take advantage of the first half that is downhill and just let your body fly. You will need the banked time for the second half. I suppose it would be good to get some hill training it and the website offers good advice for that. I had a difficult time walking 4 days after the race. I didn't do a lot of hill training, but still PRed.
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What fun things did you do in the area before or after the race?
Just had dinner in downtown Arcadia, which is a really cute town. I could see it being a little hipsterish in a few years.
We traveled all the way from Long Beach!
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