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!

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 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 Flat, Easy 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 website. 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 roughly 4,100’ of elevation loss – more than 290’ 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 50’. It is the next three miles after mile 14 – miles 15, 16 and 17 – where you will need to “switch gears” to a slower pace based on even effort.

The elevation shortly before mile 14 is approximately 1,465’. Over the distance of the next three miles, all the way to almost mile 17, you will climb almost 220’. 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 about mile 19, you will have run mostly downhill, with a total elevation loss of almost 4,400’ – which is more than 220’ per mile. There is no question that your legs will have worked very hard up to this point. Starting just before 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 will feel a lot 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 400’ of elevation in this segment, with almost zero climbing. With an average loss of about 100’ 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 Flat, Easy Start

The first mile of the half-marathon has basically zero gain or loss of elevation overall. You should approach your first mile as a warm-up for what lies ahead. More importantly, you will need to resist the urge to chase people as they pass you. Settle in for the long haul, let gravity pull you along at a comfortably fast pace on the downhills, and easy back on the climbs. 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 1,505’. Over the distance of the next three miles, all the way to mile 4, you will climb up to about 166’ total. This is a segment where you will likely be slowing down on the uphill segments, which is normal. Remember, this is still 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 5 is especially noticeable, where you lose more than 260’ 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

Starting just before 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 will 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.

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 almost 400’ of elevation in this segment, and 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 almost 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.

Paul Carmona is the Online REVEL Coach who has designed training plans specifically for REVEL downhill courses. He is a 12-time REVEL Marathon Finisher and has run multiple Boston Qualifiers on every REVEL course!

 

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

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 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 Mt. Lemmon Marathon course can be divided into three sections:

Miles 1-4: The Very Slow Start

Miles 5-25: Blazing Fast 21 Miles

Miles 26-26.2: The Flat Finish

Similarly, the Mt. Lemmon Half-Marathon course can be divided into four sections:

Miles 1-2: The Gently Fast Start

Mile 3: Short Slowdown

Miles 4-12: PR Territory

Miles 13-13.1: The Flat Finish

You can study the courses yourself on the REVEL website. 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 1-4: The Very Slow Start

Starting at over 7,900’ elevation, the first 4 miles of the course are challenging, but with proper planning and strategy you can manage the slowdown that you almost certainly will experience here.

From the very start, the first half-mile of the race gains about 100’ of elevation, which is nearly identical to the famous “Heartbreak Hill” in The Boston Marathon. The second half of mile 1, and all of mile 2, loses elevation and can be fairly fast. Overall, mile 2 loses more than 220’ which is a comfortably fast downhill grade of -4.2%.

Miles 3 and 4 is where you can expect to slow down the most. Mile 3 gains over 280’ of elevation, and that is at altitude of roughly 8,000’. Breathing will be difficult, and the climbing will be tough. Mile 4 offers a little less of a challenge, but it still has about 150’ of gain.

Allow yourself to slow down in these climbing miles. You still have many miles to go, and you want to conserve your energy for the next 21+ miles ahead, which are all remarkably fast and markedly downhill.

Miles 5-25: Blazing Fast 21 Miles

The elevation at mile 4 is approximately 8,184’. Over the distance of the next 21 miles, all the way to mile 25, you will lose over 5,420 feet. That is more than 250’ per mile, with a downhill grade of approximately -4.7% per mile.

Resist the urge to chase people if 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.

There is no question that this 21-mile section is what will make Mt. Lemmon a fast race. Every mile in this stretch, except for miles 9 and 16, drops more than 200’ per mile, with most well over 250’.

Speaking of miles 9 and 16, there are a couple of short but steep climbs in those sections. At mile 8.5 and again at mile 15.5, you will encounter two climbs (around 50’ and 80’, respectively) that will slow you down a bit, but overall your pace in those sections will still be faster than what you encountered in the climbs inside the first 4 miles.

Miles 26-26.2: The Flat Finish

After mile 25, the course flattens out sharply from the prior 21 miles. Mile 26 drops less than 30’, and the final .22 drops barely over 10’.

Summary of the Marathon Course

The Mt. Lemmon Marathon course loses almost 5,200’ of elevation from start to finish, but actually loses more than that from miles 4 to the finish. Over the 26.2-mile course, you likely will surprise yourself with your speed on the downhill segments. After the anticipated slow miles from the start up to mile 4, remember that gravity is your friend for the next 21+ miles. Take advantage of the benefits of downhill running!

The Half-Marathon Course

Miles 1-2: The Gently Fast Start

Starting at 5,850’ of elevation, the course drops over 270’ from the start to mile 1, and then loses another 200’ from mile 1 to mile 2. That is a comfortable and manageable descent for your first two miles. 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.

Mile 3: Short Slowdown

Shortly after you pass the 2-mile mark, your elevation will be 5,372’. Over the next half-mile, up to mile 2.5, you will drop to 5,170’, which is a loss of over 200’ in a half-mile. That is a big drop. However, from mile 2.5 to mile 2.63, you will climb almost 100’ to 5,268’.

You can expect a short slowdown in the second half of mile 3 due to the short, but steep, climb. You will need to “switch gears” to a slower pace based on even effort, and should be prepared to run slightly slower than you ran the first 2.5 miles. Remember, this is still fairly early in the race, and you have downhill miles ahead where you can expect to speed up significantly.

Miles 4-12: PR Territory

This is where your half-marathon personal record (“PR”) will be made. Miles 4-12 all totaled lose about 2,400’ of elevation, which is more than 260’ per mile. If you are keeping tabs on your pace, don’t be surprised to see that you have picked up significant speed. This is where gravity is your friend, and you will want to take advantage of the favorable downhill miles. However, 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 13-13.1: The Flat Finish

The final 1.1 miles of the course are relatively flat. The elevation gain and loss essentially is roughly 40’ for the entire final 1.1 miles of the course.

Summary of the Half-Marathon Course

The Mt. Lemmon Half-Marathon course loses 3,125’ of elevation from start to finish. With an average loss of around 240' per mile (a grade of -4.5%), 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.

Paul Carmona is the Online REVEL Coach who has designed training plans specifically for REVEL downhill courses. He is a 12-time REVEL Marathon Finisher and has run multiple Boston Qualifiers on every REVEL course!