A course strategy – and overall race strategy – is a must for optimal performance on race day. Whether this is your first REVEL Canyon City race and your goal is simply to finish, or you are Canyon City veteran aiming for a PR or BQ, you should have a well-planned strategy for how you intend to manage the course!

Our head coach, who has run a Boston Qualifier in all of the REVEL marathons, has prepared a detailed description of the Canyon City Marathon and Half-Marathon courses.

Managing the Course Based On Segments

A critical component of your strategy is the course profile itself. Where are the sharp descents? Where are the climbs? Where does the course “flatten” a bit?

You definitely want to plan your race with course segments in mind, and with an overall strategy for varying paces throughout. Your varied paces will be dictated by the elevation losses and gains, and you want to know before the race where those variations will occur.

Generally, the Canyon City Marathon course can be divided into six sections:

• Miles 1-14: Blazing Fast 14
• Miles 15-17: Climbing Part 1
• Miles 18-19: The 2-Mile Reset
• Miles 20-21: Climbing Part 2
• Miles 22-25: The Last Downhill
• Miles 26-26.2: The Flat Finish

Similarly, the Canyon City Half-Marathon course can be divided into six similar sections:

• Mile 1: The Gently Fast Start
• Miles 2-4: Climbing Part 1
• Miles 5-6: The 2-Mile Reset
• Miles 7-8: Climbing Part 2
• Miles 9-12: The Last Downhill
• Miles 13-13.1: The Flat Finish

You can study the courses yourself on the REVEL Canyon City Course page. You can zoom in, use the interactive elevation chart, and get a feel for what lays ahead of you on race day.

If possible, you should drive the course before race day to get a feel for what the segments look and feel like. Knowing what to expect, and when, is helpful when preparing your course strategy.

The marathon and half-marathon courses are summarized below based on the segments described above.

The Marathon Course

Miles 1-14: Blazing Fast 14

Starting at almost 5,700’ elevation, the first 14 miles of the course descend San Gabriel Canyon and include several winding turns and switchbacks. There are several miles with significant elevation loss and zero gain – notably miles 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, and 13. The others have minor gains but with equally notable elevation loss.

Overall, the first 14 miles of the marathon course account for over 4,200’ of elevation loss – more than 300’ per mile. Resist the urge to chase people as they pass you. While you want to take advantage of gravity, you should not feel as if you are running “too hard” or “too fast.” If you do, then you should ease back a bit and aim for a “comfortably hard” pace.

Miles 15-17: Climbing Part 1

Shortly after you pass the halfway point of the race, you will encounter the first noticeable climb on the course. This is actually before mile 14, but the overall elevation loss within that mile is still over 100’. It is the next three miles after mile 14 – miles 15, 16 and 17 – where you will need to “switch gears” to a slower “climbing pace” based on even effort.

The elevation at mile 14 is approximately 1,482’. Over the distance of the next three miles, all the way to mile 17, you will climb over 180’ total. This is a segment where you do not want to get caught up with the pace of other runners if they are passing you. You still have many miles to go, and you want to conserve your energy for the miles ahead. If you feel yourself working too hard, then simply slow down.

Miles 18-19: The 2-Mile Reset

This is where you will “reset” your pace back to where you were in the first 14 miles of the course. Over this 2-mile segment, you will feel the downhill under your feet again. The drop in mile 19 is especially noticeable, where you lose roughly 250’ of elevation and gain zero.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself running well ahead of your goal pace. This segment is where the downhill profile of the marathon course will benefit you significantly. At the same time, be wary of a sensation of “running too fast.” If you feel out of control, or if you feel yourself working “too hard” while running downhill, then slow down.

Miles 20-21: Climbing Part 2

From the start of the race up to mile 20, you will have run mostly downhill, with a total elevation loss of roughly 4,400’ – which is almost 220’ per mile. There is no question that your legs will have worked very hard up to this point. Starting just past mile 19, you will “switch gears” again to your “climbing muscles.” In reality, you still have a slight net elevation loss from 19 to 21, but it might feel harder than that. The good news is that once you reach mile 21, the climbing is over, and you will have a very nice, gradual downhill ahead of you.

Miles 22-25: The Last Downhill

The 4-mile stretch that includes miles 22 to 25 is where you will exit the San Gabriel Canyon and enter the City of Azusa. You will lose over 600’ of elevation in this segment, with almost zero climbing. With an average loss of about 150’ feet per mile, your legs will appreciate the gradual downhill.

Miles 26-26.2: The Flat Finish

The final 1.2 miles of the course are relatively flat. The elevation gain and loss essentially is a net zero. Better yet, you will encounter terrific crowds who will cheer you towards the finish line of the fast and beautiful Canyon City Marathon!

Summary of the Marathon Course

The Canyon City Marathon course loses almost 5,100’ of elevation from start to finish. Over the 26.2-mile course, you likely will surprise yourself with your speed on the downhill segments. Although it is generally true that you never want to "go out too fast" in the opening miles of a marathon, remember that gravity is your friend, and you want to take advantage of the benefits of downhill running.

The Half-Marathon Course

Mile 1: The Gently Fast Start

Starting at 1,591’ of elevation, the course drops around 100’ from the start to mile 1. That is a comfortable and manageable descent for your first mile. You will want to manage the early downhill by easing into your pace, settling in for the long haul, and letting gravity pull you along at a comfortably fast pace. You should not feel as if you are running “too hard” or “too fast.” If you do, then you should ease back a bit and aim for a “comfortably hard” pace.

Miles 2-4: Climbing Part 1

Shortly after you pass the first mile of the race, you will encounter the first noticeable climb on the course. Over the next three miles - 2, 3 and 4 –you will need to “switch gears” to a slower pace based on even effort.

The elevation at mile 1 is approximately 1,477’. Over the distance of the next three miles, all the way to mile 4, you will climb about 160’ total. This is a segment where you will likely be slowing down on the uphill segments, which is normal. Remember, this is still fairly early in the race, and you have downhill miles ahead where you can expect to speed up significantly.

Miles 5-6: The 2-Mile Reset

This is where you will “reset” your pace back to where you were in the first mile of the course. Over this 2-mile segment, you will feel the downhill under your feet again. The drop in mile 6 is especially noticeable, where you lose more than 250’ of elevation and gain zero.

Be wary of a sensation of “running too fast.” If you feel out of control, or if you feel yourself working “too hard” while running downhill, then slow down. However, you will definitely be “warmed up” by this point, and will want to take advantage of the favorable downhill miles.

Miles 7-8: Climbing Part 2

From the start of the race up to mile 6, you will have run mostly downhill, with a total elevation loss of roughly 350’. There is no question that your legs will have worked very hard up to this point. Starting just past mile 6, you will “switch gears” again to your “climbing muscles.” In reality, you still have a slight net elevation loss from 6 to 8, but it might feel harder than that. The good news is that once you reach mile 8, the climbing is over, and you will have a very nice, gradual downhill ahead of you.

Miles 9-12: The Last Downhill

The 4-mile stretch that includes miles 9 to 12 is where you will exit the San Gabriel Canyon and enter the city of Azusa. You will lose about 600’ of elevation in this segment, with almost zero climbing. With an average loss of about 150’ feet per mile, your legs will appreciate the gradual downhill.

Miles 13-13.1: The Flat Finish

The final 1.1 miles of the course are relatively flat. The elevation gain and loss essentially is a net zero. Better yet, you will encounter terrific crowds who will cheer you towards the finish line of the fast and beautiful Canyon City Marathon!

Summary of the Half-Marathon Course

The Canyon City Half-Marathon course loses more than 1,000’ of elevation from start to finish. With an average loss of more than 74' per mile, this one of the fastest half-marathon courses you will ever run. Over the 13.1-mile course, you likely will surprise yourself with your speed on the downhill segments.