REVEL Mt Hood

Thomas Craven

2018 REVEL Mt Hood Marathon
Published: July 31, 2018, 6:37 a.m.

Overall Rating

4/5 Stars
Describe your race day.

I met a lot of old friends, made some new ones. I also missed some —it would be helpful to have the entrant list on the web.
Did you PR?

I’m 71, so an age graded PR is the best I can hope for. It was my best race of the year, 15 minutes under BQ.
How would you describe the course?

The first part is very steep, but I knew that. I have run Hood to Coast. The setting was beautiful, surprising warm at the top. I took the first 6 miles at a very relaxed pace.
Tell us about your training.

I have a 7 mile loop from home that takes me up a steep trail then down road with 1.5 miles steeply down. I do think the short downhill practice at top speed was a help. This was my first marathon this year without hamstring camps at the end! I did something right.
What advice would you give future runners?

Take the first part easy. There are 20 miles left for pushing, which is much easier if your legs still work.
What fun things did you do in the area before or after the race?

I drove from Corvallis, car camped at Sandy HS along with several other runners. That worked well.