4/5 Stars
Beautiful course
Yes
Breathtaking
Would work more on downhill training
Great restaurants and bars all within 10-15 mins from host hotel Hampton Inn
5/5 Stars
This was my first half marathon and I was very excited. Everything was so smooth from start to finish. I was impressed by how organized everything was. Great job!
I set a goal to complete in 2:20 and completed in 2:09. I am very pleased with my time and my experience.
So pretty, I would run that course every day if I could.
I did not read anything about training and never heard any horror stories. I knew I was prepared and just set out to go for a nice run on a beautiful day. It worked! Training advice, run regular routes with hills, get up to at least 8 mile runs and you will be able to do this downhill run with no problem.
hydrate the days before the race.
n/a
I will do this one again and hope it will be the full marathon next year.
I decided to take the day as it came rather than worrying about splits and my time. Had a bad head/chest cold and didn't want to make it worse. Also, had cataract surgery on Wednesday and told my doctor I would take it easy. Brought the wrong pair of shoes, but was able to blow that off. Busing to start and start area were great! Started with the 3:45 pace group so as not to get caught up in going too fast on the downhills. Ran very comfortably and chatted with other runners for about the first 5 miles. Lost the pace group and then caught up with the 3:40 group. Stayed with them for another 5+ miles and still felt pretty comfortable. Lost them and then caught the 3:35 pacer and stayed with him for about 2 miles. Felt good so went on my own. Only had to walk for a few short breaks due to trouble breathing from the altitude and my cold. Uphill finish was a bit of a surprise as I was totally spent at that point. Reminded me of Bolder Boulder, only a greater incline but not as long.
No
Beautiful!!
Had been sick for the past 2 weeks and also sick two months out for 3 weeks with the exact same thing. Wasn't able to get in as many long training runs as I would have liked to.
If you do this race, train for a lot of downhill, ESPECIALLY at the end. Make sure to leave a little for the finish! I would highly recommend this race!
Nothing, we took off pretty quickly. The food in the finish area could have been better.
Very enjoyable
no. legs hurt with such downhill ouch!
tough. I would start the course 5 miles into the race (miles 1-6 all downhill sucks). TOO MUCH DOWNHILL!!!! :( Otherwise soooooooooooooooooooooooo beautiful!!!
normal - meaning not specific to such down hill course.
train more down hill. and don't assume it easy.
fun but course could be better. start race next year at mile 5 and extend finish to include red rocks.
PR'd and 14th in my division. Could not be happier!!!
By 10 min!!
Awesome! More uphill than I anticipated though.
I trained on downhill so I was ready
Train some uphill too... Legs are tired from downhill and then the uphill pops hurt
I was there to race :)
The morning started out fabulously! Being greeted with rows of buses already ready and waiting for runners was so terrific that I took a pic in the dark of all the bus lights. The ride up was uneventful and then to walk off the bus and be greeted with tons of port-a-poties was amazing. The communication throughout the morning was great well organized. The run was so scenic and beautiful!
I did not train as well as I should have. I'd been having breathing and energy issues.
Bring your cold weather gear you received at the expo with you to the start. It's always colder up in the mountains.
We enjoyed the beer garden (although it was annoying to have to stay in a small gated off area) and waited for a massage.
As soon as I saw the buses lined up I knew the day would go well. Beautiful course. Legs not quite prepared for the cambered downhill slopes but happy with the results. Handy to have a creek with ice cold water next to the post-party location but thought the beer garden needed to be larger and possibly put the gear bag pick-up closer to the finish line. No complaints, just suggestions.
So well run/organized. It was pleasure to participate in. Plenty of water stations for me there are never too many! Love the medal it's one of my nicer ones.
No, just ran for fun wasn't concern about time
Beautiful, not too steep
Start training earlier only entered the race a month before
Wear good sneakers and socks . It's tough on your feet running downhill most the race
Wonderful race and will do again next year
X
Hhhhh
Hh
No :-(
To be more precise, I run my PB half-marathon but not a marathon.
Beautiful and really fast
I trained for several months using Endomondo training plan.
Do not run so fast in the first half.
Raced to the airport. I made it! (but it was close)
Fabulous views, fabulous time, fabulous PR, Boston here I come! Well organized buses, kinda cramped at the start holding area, but it lead to some nice conversations with new friends. Ran with a great bunch of people for much of the race and the group regulated the pace and tried to make sure nobody got too far ahead of the pace.
PR by 9 minutes, ran 4.5 minutes faster than my BQ qualifying standard.
A really beautiful course. Despite the huge elevation drop the course never appeared to be that steep. Small but well run drink stations. Ah, wasn't expecting the three (four including the turn at mile 15) sisters hills along the Evergreen Parkway.
Didn't train any differently from my other marathons and despite everyone telling me my quads would be burning, they didn't complain. Of course today I can't walk, but with a BQ time, who cares! My advice to others is to make sure that you train at the pace you intend to run and do one long run at marathon pace. And beyond mile 20 your brain, not your legs, is in control. Be ready for those doubting little thoughts! Make sure you and your friends share runs on media such as Strava to keep you honest during training.
Don't be put off by the start altitude or the steepness of the course, neither really had that much of an affect on me. Make sure you buy the Goodwill clothes as it's windy and cold at the top (except this year!), remember that it's 5,000 foot higher at the start than where you park at Bandimere Speedway - just because it's warm at Bandimere doesn't mean it is at Echo Mountain. As the course runs downhill, tuck in with one of the pace groups to stop yourself starting too fast. If you run by feel you'll go out way too fast.
Somehow missed that you needed to get a wristband at the Expo to get a drink and despite the fact the bib shows your age (58) I couldn't get a beer. That sucked!
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