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Marathon Details - REVEL Canyon City Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > CA > Azusa > REVEL Canyon City Marathon

REVEL Canyon City Marathon

REVEL Canyon City Marathon & Half Marathon

Azusa, CA USA

November 4, 2017

http://www.runrevel.com/rcc

Marathon Results

By Year:

2017 2016 2015 2014 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

This incredibly fast and remarkably beautiful road race down Highway 39 takes runners from the forests and canyons of the Angeles National Forest to the foothills of Azusa. Featuring a smooth downhill slope and spectacular scenery, this race will be sure to help you set your PR and finally hit that Boston Qualifying time. REVEL in speed. REVEL in beauty. REVEL in Canyon City.

Contact Information

Name:	Race Director
Address:	11968 N. Ithica Drive Highland, UT 84003
Phone Number:	720-467-2188
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (13)

Course 4.6

Organization 5.0

Spectators 2.2

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Number of comments: 13 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 > ]

J. Y. from Dayton, OH (11/12/2017) "You can't beat the views" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I signed up for this race a bit late because it happened to line up with a work trip, so I knew I was not as prepared as I could have been for all the elevation loss. So yes, I was more sore from this marathon than any since the first one I did 17 years ago. But even with that, it was a fantastic event. The organization is great, starting with a really informative, easy to navigate website. The race hotel (Fairfield Inn in West Covina) put together breakfast bags at 3 am for runners since we had to leave so early for the bus. Parking, the bus to the start and space/bathrooms waiting to start all went smoothly. Volunteers at the water stops were great and were cheering for people by reading the names on our bibs. Lots of gels at the water stops that had them. The announcer at the finish was doing a great job recognizing every runner. Fun backdrops with signs to hold for photos in the finish area. Pizza, pie, water and beer were good as post-race food for me. I was even able to exchange my race shirt for a different size at the finish once they knew how many extras there were from the expo. Just know that it's a pretty long walk from the finish back to the marathon parking lot, but logistically it was probably the easiest place to get everyone in and out of, so I understand why we parked there. I'm trying to do all 50 states, and would definitely consider another Revel race after running this one. And seriously...the views running out of the mountains at sunrise are gorgeous.
l. p. from california (2/17/2017) "Gorgeous, fast course - only with serious prep" (about: 2016) 3 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 People sign up because of the crazy elevation loss and the scene. It's a gorgeous race in California, and there's definitely a lot of eye candy along the course. I trained in Seattle on hills, and was unprepared for how much impact there was on my legs. I ran the first ~16 miles way faster than planned, and as soon as there were flat sections or even slightly uphill sections, my legs failed. I found myself having to walk a few times (have never done that in any of my past 8 halfs or 3 fulls), and finished with the back half of the race being slow enough to bring my final time to what I'd normally have on a flat or rolling hills course. Another note - you're going to be on a bumpy, winding uphill bus ride for 45 minutes in the wee hours of the morning. That gave me a slight head and stomachache, and messed with fatigue more so than other races. If I were to do this again, which I would, I would get to the mountains, hike up them, and do long runs down them. Doing 1-3 miles downhill isn't sufficient preparation. Never had such bad pain after a race. I usually have zero pain, but after this race, I could barely walk for ~4-5 days. Bear in mind - it's also a pain to get to this race. You have to do a lot of public transit from LAX, or pay a ton for a rental car/taxi. LA and surrounding area is NOT transportation friendly.
A. T. from Chicago (11/15/2016) "Scenic, well-organized, lots of downhill" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Recommend this race. Very well-organized. Be prepared for temps WAY colder at start than down in Azusa (was 41 degrees). 5000' descent in first 8 miles? Lots of hills in second half. Plenty of pizza and Maria Callendar pies and beer at end. Fairfield (one of the host hotels) would not give late checkout.
A. S. from Minnesota (11/14/2016) "Insanely beautiful course!!!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This course has the best views of any marathon I have run. I enjoyed it so much even though the downhill took a toll on my legs. It was my 21st marathon and probably my hardest. It is a fast course but your legs will be screaming at you after mile 13. There is a steep downward decline for the first 13 miles, then get ready for uphill the next 3-4 miles. The marathon is worth every penny ~ the medal is HUGE, the shirts are awesome and I love that you get to pick what type of shirt you get. Organization was top notch. Water stops were plentiful. Free photos!!!! They give so many extras with this marathon that you would have to pay for at other marathons, I just love that. Because of the course there is little crowd support, which I could care less about but I know that is important to some. Overall it ranks in one of the top marathons I have run, definitely worth doing!
Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (12/27/2015) "California Screamin'" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:16:46. The REVEL Canyon City Marathon was my thirty-sixth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: weather conditions at start time were 37 degrees, 46 percent relative humidity, and wind from the east at 3 mph with gusts up to 7 mph. At 5748 feet in elevation (according to REVEL) in the Angeles National Forest, we began our marathon journey adjacent to the Crystal Lake Cafe. We stayed on Crystal Lake Road, heading south, going downhill all the way, for the first two miles, until reaching San Gabriel Canyon Road (SR39), turning right, heading uphill for about 0.2 miles before turning around to resume our descent toward Azusa, being subjected to staying on the northbound side of the road while the California Highway Patrol provided escorted transportation on the southbound lane. For most of the first eight miles, we encountered steeply descending roads with numerous hairpin turns, which afforded us views of not only San Gabriel Mountains and Valley, but also, for those of us in the back-of-the-pack, the leaders of the race miles ahead and hundreds of feet below. For the following five miles, the switchbacks ended but the descent did not. All told, we dropped approximately 4201 feet in elevation the first half of the race. The second half of the marathon was less forgiving. Even though we had another 933 foot drop in elevation to go, immediately following the halfway point, we encountered our first ascent, followed by downhills but interrupted with a 0.6 mile ascent near mile 16, adjacent to San Gabriel Reservoir, and a mile incline near mile 20, next to Morris Reservoir. The steepest part of the second half descent took place after we passed by Morris Reservoir Dam at mile 21 until we reached the Azusa city limit at mile 23. We continued our southbound descent onto the northbound portion of SR39, Azusa Avenue, until just past mile 25, where we turned left onto East 9th Street, where the course began to level out. Our course turned right on the fittingly named Palm Drive just before mile 26 and finished with a right turn onto Foothill Boulevard, completing our endeavor in front of Azusa Pacific University, elevation: 614 feet. Weather conditions at finish time were 83 degrees, 12 percent relative humidity, and wind from the northwest at 4 mph with gusts up to 11 mph. ORGANIZATION: First rate. An unusual thing happened at the expo: those of us who arrived early were given the opportunity pick up our packets and purchase merchandise before the 10 a.m. opening! In addition to the usual tech tee (long or short sleeve, our choice made during registration), an emergency blanket and gloves were provided to us to help us keep warm at the start. For transportation up the mountain to the start line, those of us who arrived first were put on motor coaches; later arrivals were obliged to travel up in school buses. At the start line, the Crystal Lake Cafe was open early to accommodate marathoners with food, coffee, and hot chocolate. Also, the merchant kept on adding wood to the patio fireplace, a charitable act greatly appreciated by the participants. Aid stations were situated approximately two miles apart, beginning at mile 3. Large, easily visible mile markers were in place, although some of them may have been as much as 0.1 miles off the mark. At the finish line, Miller Coors treated us to two cans of Miller Lite or Coors Light inside the shaded beer tent as we listened to the post-race band on stage next to us. (Word to the informed: do not detach the beer coupons from your bib, let the bartenders do it; otherwise, the offer is void.) Finally, our race photos were available for free downloads within a week after the race - a very nice touch on the part of the folks at REVEL. SPECTATORS: Given the first 23 miles of the race was on country roads, spectators could not be accommodated. A few showed up for the Azusa portion of the course. No bands to speak of until after reaching the finish line. CONCLUSION: Very well organized race; almost perfect course. (The out-and-back kept it from being a true point-to-point course in the spirit of Pheidippidess legendary run.) Likely the steepest road marathon you will encounter, affording scenic panoramas, and providing you one of your fastest times in your marathon career. It would not be surprising if this event sells out quickly in future years.
T. P. from Pleasant Hill, MO (11/11/2015) "Still hurting 3 days later but great race" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I selected this race as it was billed a guaranteed BQ and PR course. I was looking for fast and had high hopes. I felt prepared for the downhill, but wasn't prepared (mentally) for the uphills. You almost miss them in the elevation profile as they look like little bumps compared to the significant downhill. DO NOT BE FOOLED - they are hills and they are not inconsequential. You will feel them. I've run 64 marathons and this one ranked #18 in my rank of times - for me, it wasn't as fast as I'd hoped and the flat course I ran 3 weeks prior I ran 2 minutes faster. I'm 3 days out from the marathon and still having difficulty walking as every muscle from my neck to my ankles is sore save for my arms. Haven't had pain like this in years. All that said, the organization from start to finish was top-notch and couldn't have been better. Hard to believe they are only on their 2nd year - feels like they've been doing this for years. Very impressed. I was surprised though to see actual plastic cups at the first several water stops. Running downhill at a fast pace and being unable to pinch and gulp your water...that must've been an oversight as the later stops did have paper cups.
M. E. from Los Angeles, CA (11/9/2015) "Downhill to Boston" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I tried to not run this marathon. But the LA Marathon was brutally hot and I missed qualifying for Boston by less than three minutes. San Francisco was a wonderful course, but a little too hilly to make really good time on. Then the Santa Barbara Marathon was cancelled. Canyon City, with its weird, extreme downhill course was the logical replacement. The course scared me. I pre-rode it on my bicycle and there were long stretches with 5-8% grades. Furthermore, the road had a fairly pronounced crown, meaning that it sloped downward toward its edges, probably to help with storm water runoff. So, my training run strategy was to practice proper downhill technique. My rules: keep stride length down, don't heel-strike, don't lean back, run toward the center of the road, wear cushy shoes. On to marathon weekend. Race packet pickup was easy and well-organized, although there wasn't much to do or see at the expo. The tech shirt appears well-made, and for a few extra bucks I upgraded to the long-sleeve version. On race day, parking was in a large college parking lot that had more than enough space. The shuttle buses to the start were easy to find and there were no hassles. Because the start of this marathon is at 5700 feet, it's a cold wait before the start. Luckily, the goodie bag given to all entrants included gloves and a mylar space blanket. Most people also brought a jacket, and then placed it in the drop bag before lining up at the start. The first half of the course is nearly all downhill, some of it steeply downhill. I ran conservatively, staying between the 3:35 and 3:45 pacers. The second half of the course is less consistently downhill, and even had a few rolling uphills, which felt good even if they cost me a little time. Rest stops were every three miles or so. All had energy drinks and water. Some had food, gels and porta potties. The last couple of miles were through the pleasant LA suburb of Azusa (allegedly named because it has everything from A to Z in the USA). This was the only part of the course where there were spectators. The medal was absurdly huge, my race number included coupons for two beers, and the recovery zone had food, water and cold towels. The management of this marathon was very well-organized and professional. And they have created pretty much the perfect Boston Qualifier race. I was among the BQs, making the cutoff by a little over 14 minutes. I came out of this marathon uninjured (yay!) but quite sore. My quads are about as sore as they would normally be, but my calves are unusually sore. If I ever run this marathon again (and I probably will, but not every year) I will include calf-strengthening exercises as part of my preparation.
D. G. from Golden, CO (11/8/2015) "Beautiful, fast, well-organized" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run several downhill halfs and fulls and this one is far and away the best. Truth in advertising: course was indeed fast and beautiful. Awesome views, especially on the switchbacks where you could see mountains, the valleys, and runners below. This course is FAST. I don't think it makes sense to try to run negative splits because the first half is so steep/fast. Take advantage of the drop bags so you can dress for wide temperature differences - 40F at the start and 80F at the finish. You BETTER train on hills or you're going to HURT! Great logistics, volunteers and course. Favorite memory was realizing at about mile 8 that I could be in PR territory and by mile 20 pouring it on to guarantee it. Finally, this is about the twistiest course you'll ever run, and if you care about your finish time, you MUST run the tangents. I executed this pretty well and actually logged 26.25 miles on my GPS, which is pretty good because my last downhill marathon was almost 27.5 miles. Only disappointment was fairly lame food at the finish; no protein options other than tacos for $1.
D. D. from Los Angeles, California (12/10/2014) "Fantastic Challenge" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Amazingly beautiful course, great weather, and terrific organization. EXTREME downhill required careful training and execution, and yielded my fastest race in 14 years and near-negative split.
B. G. from Pasadena, CA (12/4/2014) "#RunRevel In The Azusa Foothills" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've participated in the 2014 Revel Race Series in Colorado, Utah and California. I appreciate that I have friends new to the running game while others are more seasoned. I learn so much from both sides of the coin. It's a joy to see determination and uplifted spirits when we come together for race events. Thanks to the many who have shared their positive experiences about Canyon City race (expo, packet pick-up, scenic views, PRs, BQs, volunteers, runner swag, snacks, vendors and the finisher's festival) amongst other things. I'm proud to represent #RunRevel as an ambassador.

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J. Y. from Dayton, OH (11/12/2017) "You can't beat the views" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I signed up for this race a bit late because it happened to line up with a work trip, so I knew I was not as prepared as I could have been for all the elevation loss. So yes, I was more sore from this marathon than any since the first one I did 17 years ago. But even with that, it was a fantastic event. The organization is great, starting with a really informative, easy to navigate website. The race hotel (Fairfield Inn in West Covina) put together breakfast bags at 3 am for runners since we had to leave so early for the bus. Parking, the bus to the start and space/bathrooms waiting to start all went smoothly. Volunteers at the water stops were great and were cheering for people by reading the names on our bibs. Lots of gels at the water stops that had them. The announcer at the finish was doing a great job recognizing every runner. Fun backdrops with signs to hold for photos in the finish area. Pizza, pie, water and beer were good as post-race food for me. I was even able to exchange my race shirt for a different size at the finish once they knew how many extras there were from the expo. Just know that it's a pretty long walk from the finish back to the marathon parking lot, but logistically it was probably the easiest place to get everyone in and out of, so I understand why we parked there. I'm trying to do all 50 states, and would definitely consider another Revel race after running this one. And seriously...the views running out of the mountains at sunrise are gorgeous.
l. p. from california (2/17/2017) "Gorgeous, fast course - only with serious prep" (about: 2016) 3 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 People sign up because of the crazy elevation loss and the scene. It's a gorgeous race in California, and there's definitely a lot of eye candy along the course. I trained in Seattle on hills, and was unprepared for how much impact there was on my legs. I ran the first ~16 miles way faster than planned, and as soon as there were flat sections or even slightly uphill sections, my legs failed. I found myself having to walk a few times (have never done that in any of my past 8 halfs or 3 fulls), and finished with the back half of the race being slow enough to bring my final time to what I'd normally have on a flat or rolling hills course. Another note - you're going to be on a bumpy, winding uphill bus ride for 45 minutes in the wee hours of the morning. That gave me a slight head and stomachache, and messed with fatigue more so than other races. If I were to do this again, which I would, I would get to the mountains, hike up them, and do long runs down them. Doing 1-3 miles downhill isn't sufficient preparation. Never had such bad pain after a race. I usually have zero pain, but after this race, I could barely walk for ~4-5 days. Bear in mind - it's also a pain to get to this race. You have to do a lot of public transit from LAX, or pay a ton for a rental car/taxi. LA and surrounding area is NOT transportation friendly.
A. T. from Chicago (11/15/2016) "Scenic, well-organized, lots of downhill" (about: 2016) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 Recommend this race. Very well-organized. Be prepared for temps WAY colder at start than down in Azusa (was 41 degrees). 5000' descent in first 8 miles? Lots of hills in second half. Plenty of pizza and Maria Callendar pies and beer at end. Fairfield (one of the host hotels) would not give late checkout.
A. S. from Minnesota (11/14/2016) "Insanely beautiful course!!!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This course has the best views of any marathon I have run. I enjoyed it so much even though the downhill took a toll on my legs. It was my 21st marathon and probably my hardest. It is a fast course but your legs will be screaming at you after mile 13. There is a steep downward decline for the first 13 miles, then get ready for uphill the next 3-4 miles. The marathon is worth every penny ~ the medal is HUGE, the shirts are awesome and I love that you get to pick what type of shirt you get. Organization was top notch. Water stops were plentiful. Free photos!!!! They give so many extras with this marathon that you would have to pay for at other marathons, I just love that. Because of the course there is little crowd support, which I could care less about but I know that is important to some. Overall it ranks in one of the top marathons I have run, definitely worth doing!
Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (12/27/2015) "California Screamin'" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:16:46. The REVEL Canyon City Marathon was my thirty-sixth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: weather conditions at start time were 37 degrees, 46 percent relative humidity, and wind from the east at 3 mph with gusts up to 7 mph. At 5748 feet in elevation (according to REVEL) in the Angeles National Forest, we began our marathon journey adjacent to the Crystal Lake Cafe. We stayed on Crystal Lake Road, heading south, going downhill all the way, for the first two miles, until reaching San Gabriel Canyon Road (SR39), turning right, heading uphill for about 0.2 miles before turning around to resume our descent toward Azusa, being subjected to staying on the northbound side of the road while the California Highway Patrol provided escorted transportation on the southbound lane. For most of the first eight miles, we encountered steeply descending roads with numerous hairpin turns, which afforded us views of not only San Gabriel Mountains and Valley, but also, for those of us in the back-of-the-pack, the leaders of the race miles ahead and hundreds of feet below. For the following five miles, the switchbacks ended but the descent did not. All told, we dropped approximately 4201 feet in elevation the first half of the race. The second half of the marathon was less forgiving. Even though we had another 933 foot drop in elevation to go, immediately following the halfway point, we encountered our first ascent, followed by downhills but interrupted with a 0.6 mile ascent near mile 16, adjacent to San Gabriel Reservoir, and a mile incline near mile 20, next to Morris Reservoir. The steepest part of the second half descent took place after we passed by Morris Reservoir Dam at mile 21 until we reached the Azusa city limit at mile 23. We continued our southbound descent onto the northbound portion of SR39, Azusa Avenue, until just past mile 25, where we turned left onto East 9th Street, where the course began to level out. Our course turned right on the fittingly named Palm Drive just before mile 26 and finished with a right turn onto Foothill Boulevard, completing our endeavor in front of Azusa Pacific University, elevation: 614 feet. Weather conditions at finish time were 83 degrees, 12 percent relative humidity, and wind from the northwest at 4 mph with gusts up to 11 mph. ORGANIZATION: First rate. An unusual thing happened at the expo: those of us who arrived early were given the opportunity pick up our packets and purchase merchandise before the 10 a.m. opening! In addition to the usual tech tee (long or short sleeve, our choice made during registration), an emergency blanket and gloves were provided to us to help us keep warm at the start. For transportation up the mountain to the start line, those of us who arrived first were put on motor coaches; later arrivals were obliged to travel up in school buses. At the start line, the Crystal Lake Cafe was open early to accommodate marathoners with food, coffee, and hot chocolate. Also, the merchant kept on adding wood to the patio fireplace, a charitable act greatly appreciated by the participants. Aid stations were situated approximately two miles apart, beginning at mile 3. Large, easily visible mile markers were in place, although some of them may have been as much as 0.1 miles off the mark. At the finish line, Miller Coors treated us to two cans of Miller Lite or Coors Light inside the shaded beer tent as we listened to the post-race band on stage next to us. (Word to the informed: do not detach the beer coupons from your bib, let the bartenders do it; otherwise, the offer is void.) Finally, our race photos were available for free downloads within a week after the race - a very nice touch on the part of the folks at REVEL. SPECTATORS: Given the first 23 miles of the race was on country roads, spectators could not be accommodated. A few showed up for the Azusa portion of the course. No bands to speak of until after reaching the finish line. CONCLUSION: Very well organized race; almost perfect course. (The out-and-back kept it from being a true point-to-point course in the spirit of Pheidippidess legendary run.) Likely the steepest road marathon you will encounter, affording scenic panoramas, and providing you one of your fastest times in your marathon career. It would not be surprising if this event sells out quickly in future years.
T. P. from Pleasant Hill, MO (11/11/2015) "Still hurting 3 days later but great race" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I selected this race as it was billed a guaranteed BQ and PR course. I was looking for fast and had high hopes. I felt prepared for the downhill, but wasn't prepared (mentally) for the uphills. You almost miss them in the elevation profile as they look like little bumps compared to the significant downhill. DO NOT BE FOOLED - they are hills and they are not inconsequential. You will feel them. I've run 64 marathons and this one ranked #18 in my rank of times - for me, it wasn't as fast as I'd hoped and the flat course I ran 3 weeks prior I ran 2 minutes faster. I'm 3 days out from the marathon and still having difficulty walking as every muscle from my neck to my ankles is sore save for my arms. Haven't had pain like this in years. All that said, the organization from start to finish was top-notch and couldn't have been better. Hard to believe they are only on their 2nd year - feels like they've been doing this for years. Very impressed. I was surprised though to see actual plastic cups at the first several water stops. Running downhill at a fast pace and being unable to pinch and gulp your water...that must've been an oversight as the later stops did have paper cups.
M. E. from Los Angeles, CA (11/9/2015) "Downhill to Boston" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I tried to not run this marathon. But the LA Marathon was brutally hot and I missed qualifying for Boston by less than three minutes. San Francisco was a wonderful course, but a little too hilly to make really good time on. Then the Santa Barbara Marathon was cancelled. Canyon City, with its weird, extreme downhill course was the logical replacement. The course scared me. I pre-rode it on my bicycle and there were long stretches with 5-8% grades. Furthermore, the road had a fairly pronounced crown, meaning that it sloped downward toward its edges, probably to help with storm water runoff. So, my training run strategy was to practice proper downhill technique. My rules: keep stride length down, don't heel-strike, don't lean back, run toward the center of the road, wear cushy shoes. On to marathon weekend. Race packet pickup was easy and well-organized, although there wasn't much to do or see at the expo. The tech shirt appears well-made, and for a few extra bucks I upgraded to the long-sleeve version. On race day, parking was in a large college parking lot that had more than enough space. The shuttle buses to the start were easy to find and there were no hassles. Because the start of this marathon is at 5700 feet, it's a cold wait before the start. Luckily, the goodie bag given to all entrants included gloves and a mylar space blanket. Most people also brought a jacket, and then placed it in the drop bag before lining up at the start. The first half of the course is nearly all downhill, some of it steeply downhill. I ran conservatively, staying between the 3:35 and 3:45 pacers. The second half of the course is less consistently downhill, and even had a few rolling uphills, which felt good even if they cost me a little time. Rest stops were every three miles or so. All had energy drinks and water. Some had food, gels and porta potties. The last couple of miles were through the pleasant LA suburb of Azusa (allegedly named because it has everything from A to Z in the USA). This was the only part of the course where there were spectators. The medal was absurdly huge, my race number included coupons for two beers, and the recovery zone had food, water and cold towels. The management of this marathon was very well-organized and professional. And they have created pretty much the perfect Boston Qualifier race. I was among the BQs, making the cutoff by a little over 14 minutes. I came out of this marathon uninjured (yay!) but quite sore. My quads are about as sore as they would normally be, but my calves are unusually sore. If I ever run this marathon again (and I probably will, but not every year) I will include calf-strengthening exercises as part of my preparation.
D. G. from Golden, CO (11/8/2015) "Beautiful, fast, well-organized" (about: 2015) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run several downhill halfs and fulls and this one is far and away the best. Truth in advertising: course was indeed fast and beautiful. Awesome views, especially on the switchbacks where you could see mountains, the valleys, and runners below. This course is FAST. I don't think it makes sense to try to run negative splits because the first half is so steep/fast. Take advantage of the drop bags so you can dress for wide temperature differences - 40F at the start and 80F at the finish. You BETTER train on hills or you're going to HURT! Great logistics, volunteers and course. Favorite memory was realizing at about mile 8 that I could be in PR territory and by mile 20 pouring it on to guarantee it. Finally, this is about the twistiest course you'll ever run, and if you care about your finish time, you MUST run the tangents. I executed this pretty well and actually logged 26.25 miles on my GPS, which is pretty good because my last downhill marathon was almost 27.5 miles. Only disappointment was fairly lame food at the finish; no protein options other than tacos for $1.
D. D. from Los Angeles, California (12/10/2014) "Fantastic Challenge" (about: 2014) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 Amazingly beautiful course, great weather, and terrific organization. EXTREME downhill required careful training and execution, and yielded my fastest race in 14 years and near-negative split.
B. G. from Pasadena, CA (12/4/2014) "#RunRevel In The Azusa Foothills" (about: 2014) 3 previous marathons \| 1 REVEL Canyon City Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've participated in the 2014 Revel Race Series in Colorado, Utah and California. I appreciate that I have friends new to the running game while others are more seasoned. I learn so much from both sides of the coin. It's a joy to see determination and uplifted spirits when we come together for race events. Thanks to the many who have shared their positive experiences about Canyon City race (expo, packet pick-up, scenic views, PRs, BQs, volunteers, runner swag, snacks, vendors and the finisher's festival) amongst other things. I'm proud to represent #RunRevel as an ambassador.

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Marathon Details - REVEL Canyon City Marathon