Nov 8, 2024
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☰
Aspen Valley Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Aspen Valley Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 3.8 
Spectators 2.6
Number of comments: 25 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
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S. B. from Colorado
(1/22/2024)
"Highly highly recommend" (about: 2023)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Aspen Valley Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The Aspen Valley Marathon was an unforgettable experience that exceeded all my expectations. From the stunning course to the organization, every aspect of the marathon left a lasting impression. The finish line after-party was a highlight, with a DJ and champagne creating a fun atmosphere. I'm already looking forward to next year's race! | |
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J. g. from Wisconsin
(11/12/2021)
"Scenic race. Beautiful location" (about: 2021)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 We did the race in October, which is a change from their normal race due to covid. The weather was perfect- 20' s at the start and 50' s at finish. I really enjoyed the race- it was flat on the Rio Grande trail. Of course it had the Colorado elevation, but it didn't bother me much (even being from Wisconsin). The course does drop in elevation from 8000 feet to 6500 feet approximately. Aspen is a beautiful area with a lot of things to see. We stayed at the Aspen chalet. I highly recommend it. It was very reasonable and included a hot breakfast item every day along with continental breakfast. The race is small and spectators are sparse but the ones cheering are amazing. I am so happy I chose this as my Colorado race. A great weekend with friends and a marathon, what else could be better! Don't miss the hot springs in Glenwood. A great way to recover after the race on the way out of Aspen. | |
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L. c. from Texas
(11/15/2018)
"Hot with a frustrating finish" (about: 2018)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Hot after mile 10 with very little shade. The finish is a little weak, lots of roads in farm areas with cars sharing the road with runners. I would have preferred to do more running at the beautiful setting near Aspen and have a clean finish in Basalt like the 1/2 marathon runners get instead of having the big hilly loop at the end; I think the course could use some work. There are essentially no spectators, which is a little strange at the end on the road, but makes more sense at altitude on the trail. Race is well run and organized aside from the frustrating route. | |
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N. M. from Monroe Michigan
(7/30/2017)
"Hot Race in High Elevation" (about: 2017)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I ran the race on July 15th. The scenery was pretty amazing. However it was pretty lonely out there and I certainly thought that I was the only one out there or lost sometimes. The weather was great, but after about mile 7, you are in direct sunlight for the rest of the race and it got pretty hot out there. I am from the flatlands and not used to high elevation. I had already dreaded Colorado because of this. (I'm a Fifty State Marathon Club Member). If you like crowd support, this race isn't for you. | |
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Sam Friedman from Roseburg, OR
(7/21/2017)
"Fantastic scenery" (about: 2017)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran this course last Saturday and enjoyed it overall. I felt there was plenty of great scenery, the course was pretty easy, mostly downhill, the weather was spot on. Aid stations were more than adequate. Spectators were few, but the course is designed to be in the country, not easily accessible. Similar to other downhill races along bike trails, like Light at End of the Tunnel, there was bicycle traffic. Most of it was the volunteers checking on us. My Garmin recorded 26.09. I don't know if that's due to a short course or bad GPS coverage. Overall, I had a wonderful experience and would do it again! | |
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M. H. from Mobile, Alabama
(7/21/2017)
"Beautiful, Fun race" (about: 2017)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I disagree with one of the commenters about this race being unsafe due to bikers and traffic. While there where some bikes on the Rio Grande trail they were never an issue for me. I may have passed 5 bikes total but they were always courteous when passing. The road crossings were not closed but they had volunteers at each crossing there to stop traffic if a runner was crossing a section. I usually listening to music while running but after 2 miles the scenery and sounds of nature inspired me to take off the headphones and just be one with nature. I would definitely recommend this race to anyone. | |
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S. S. from Denver
(7/15/2017)
"Bike Race or Running Event?" (about: 2017)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 2 I would not recommend this marathon. The organizers do a terrible job securing the course and ensuring runner safety. The narrow trail that you're on for most of the marathon is packed with bikers and hikers. The bikers would ride up really close behind us yelling at us to move over. When bikers are behind you yelling and passing in both directions, the quality of the marathon is significantly diminished. Not to mention that these race organizers neglect to shut down the roads and post traffic controllers at every intersection. It isn't safe. And I was there to focus on running a marathon through gorgeous scenery, not safety issues and major inconveniences that the organizers failed to adaquetely address. Save yourself the disappointment and run a marathon that is designed properly. | |
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J. P. from Boulder, CO
(7/27/2015)
"So good I had to run it twice" (about: 2014)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I ran the full marathon in 2014 as my second marathon and had a great time, but since I didn't meet my time goal I decided to do it again this year. A sprained ankle two weeks before the marathon almost sidelined me, so I ended up switching to the half this year, which was every bit as enjoyable and it was no hassle to switch my entry the morning of. The course isn't conducive to spectators and it's a fairly small race, so expect that you might spend some time running alone (although likely at least in sight of another runner the whole time). Most of the people who come out to watch are presumably cheering for one or two friends or family members, but there were a few that hooted and hollered and gave high fives to everyone and a few that had funny signs, so it wasn't all just trees and a smattering of people lounging lazily waiting for their runners to go by. And who needs spectators anyway when the area is so beautiful and the course is fantastic (flat, peaceful, well maintained, and has very little non-race traffic)? The one downside is that shade is scarce at the end (last 8 miles or so of the marathon), so that slowed me way down last year, but the iced keepsake towels at the finish line last year and the icy inflatable pool for leg soaking this year more than made up for the heat (mid 70's at the finish). The aid stations seem well-spaced and well stocked. If you run the half, I'd advise using the porto-potties when you get there and not to wait until close to the start. As I was doing a shakeout jog I noticed that the lines were quite long in the 10 minutes before the start and I felt bad for the folks at the end who I'm sure didn't have time to go. Aside from that, the volunteers were all very sweet and friendly, the shuttle to the start line went without a hitch, and the post-race salad bar was awesome. Don't worry - they have champagne, beer, and donuts too, to satisfy all your weird post-run cravings. The finisher medals are lovely and the after party is fun and family friendly. Last year they had people making balloon animals and doing fortune-telling paintings (super fun!) and this year they had a bouncy castle setup for the kiddos. It's a great destination race with a good mix of locals and people from far away. Give it a try next year, but register early to avoid steep fees! | |
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A. A. from Denver, CO
(7/27/2015)
"Lives up to" (about: 2015)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The course is spectacular, with picturesque mountains and rivers to distract from the 26.2. The trail is mostly paved, and much of it has a gravel shoulder if you prefer a softer surface (or some variety). The 6 a.m. start meant temperatures ranging from low 50s to high 60s - very pleasant. This is certainly a smaller race (226 finishers), which means no expo, no start corrals, no fuss. But the community really comes out to help with aid stations, traffic marshaling, and some cheering. My only quibble (which is easily fixed) is around pre-race communication. There were no pre-race emails until the week before the event, and even those lacked solid info on aid stations (e.g. nutrition and hydration at each stop). Overall a wonderful experience and a very special race. | |
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E. B. from Camden, NJ
(7/21/2015)
"My favorite marathon" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Aspen Valley Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 WOW. From the lovely downtown of Aspen, on mostly paved paths, over roaring brooks through the Rocky Mountains: need I say more. This is a gentle downhill course (mostly not perceptible, not as hard on the quads as I expected), with a few easy inclines (can't really call them hills) toward the end of the race. The altitude was not an issue, probably because of the steady 1400 ft drop in elevation. I stayed in Aspen for a few nights prior to race day, which I recommend. Packet pick up was quick and easy (no expo, but who cares). I walked to the start from my hotel; it appears there is plenty of parking near the start. No porta potties, a nice public restroom was available 20 ft from the start, without much of a line. This is a small race (a few hundred runners). You run past the half marathon start around 7 miles or so. A few half marathoners passed us before the two races split up. Plenty of aid stations, minimal spectators. I was not particularly in the mood for a salad after the race, but most people seemed to love the idea. The food looked good; I guess I was looking forward to cold pizza! The medal is OK, technical T-shirt is nice. Overall: a well-organized race, a beautiful course, and a chance to spend a short vacation in this magnificent part of the country. If you are looking for a race with thousands of runners and supporters, look elsewhere; otherwise, you will not regret running this gem of a marathon. |
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