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:

Click To View Interactive Elevation Profile

• 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.

The fifth edition of the REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon and Half-Marathon started on Saturday, September 10, 2016, under perfect conditions: clear, calm, dry, and cold. Thousands of runners enjoyed a remarkably beautiful course as they made their way from the stunning canyon views to the lively and festive finish area. PRs and BQs were plentiful!

"The route is breathtakingly beautiful, fast, and a joy to run," said Heidi Bates, who ran her first half-marathon. Heidi’s comments matched those of hundreds of runners who finished in either the marathon or half-marathon: "I loved watching the sunrise in the valley below us, and listening to the river rushing down the canyon. It was truly an unforgettable experience."

The REVEL Big Cottonwood Marathon and Half-Marathon, on September 10, 2016, in Salt Lake City, was a resounding success. In the marathon, runners began the race over 1,000 feet above Brighton Ski Resort on Guardsman Pass Road. With breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, the marathoners were treated to a gorgeous sunrise as they began the race.

Meanwhile, 13.1 miles ahead, thousands of half-marathoners began their race in the serene and majestic valley, complete with moose sightings and waterfalls nearby.

Marathoners and half-marathoners alike were treated to spectacular views as they ran downhill towards the finish area in Cottonwood Heights. Overall, the extremely fast and beautiful downhill course drew outstanding reviews from the marathoners and half-marathoners, and remarkable finish times from the overall winners in both events. Marathon finisher Linda Sheeran, who beat her BQ by over 17 minutes, described the Big Cottonwood Marathon as "absolutely perfect," adding "this was my first time to run this course and I loved it! Very well-organized race."

Top Finishers

Male Marathon Winner Zachary Cater-Cyker 2:32:55 (course record)	Female Marathon Winner Amanda Blair 2:53:32
Male Half Marathon Winner Jonathon Kotter 1:04:31	Female Half Marathon Winner Sylvia Bedford 1:17:25

The marathon winner was Zachary Cater-Cyker, 31, with a finishing gun time of 2:32:55. This is a new course record. In second place was Jacob Gustafsson, 32, with a finish of 2:35:51. Brent Bailey, 30, finished third with a time of 2:36:47.

The top woman finisher in the marathon was Amanda Blair, 26, with a gun time of 2:53:32. Lyndsy Schultz, 35, was the second-place finisher in 2:54:29. In third place, with a time of 2:56:17, was Shannon McGinn, 40.

In the half-marathon, Jonathan Kotter, 31, won with a gun time 1:04:31. Justin Park, 36, and Brian Summers, 30, rounded out the top 3 with finishes of 1:09:42 and 1:11:54, respectively.

The winners in the women’s half-marathon had a close finish. Sylvia Bedford, 26, was the overall female winner of the half-marathon with a gun time of 1:17:25. In second place, clocking a 1:19:02 finish, was Melissa Terpenning, 33. Only 26 seconds behind Terpenning was Cassandra Allred, also 33, with a finishing gun time of 1:19:28.

Runners Praise the Overall Course and Race Organization

Douglas Avery, who finished with a BQ in his first marathon at Big Cottonwood 2016, lauded the race organization and volunteers, saying "The announcer at the start line kept us well informed of the time and when to be ready, so I was prepared for the start and got off to a great beginning. The aid stations were organized well and all the volunteers were super helpful, so everything went so smooth to keep hydrated and fueled along the way."

Sunshine Szedeli, who ran a 38-minute PR in the half, complimented the race extensively: "This was my first experience with a Revel race. It was not my first experience with the marathon/half marathon distance and man am I impressed! Well organized, great swag, friendly people everywhere, frequent and efficient aid stations, amazing scenery, and awesome bib transfer/withdrawal options on registration. Thank you for a wonderful experience, you definitely stand out in the race business and this customer can't wait to be a 'repeat.'"

"Race day was wonderful," said Kacy Robinson, who PRd in the marathon by 17 minutes. "Everything was well organized. The support on the course was fantastic. Everyone was kind and helpful."

Scott Allen, who ran a 3-minute PR and beat his BQ time by over 12 minutes, praised many aspects of the race organization, saying "the aid stations were plentiful and were staffed by cheerful and helpful volunteers. I liked the professional signage that enhanced the experience. The finish area was lively and well organized."

"Beautiful views, amazing volunteers, well organized with attention to every detail especially at the finish line, LOVED everything," said Amy DeVries, who ran the marathon. "Best of all, I got my BQ."

Alisha Harrison PRd in the half by 7 minutes, noting that Big Cottonwood "really was a perfect half marathon. Everything was so well organized, volunteers were so happy and cheerful. I do mean all of them from the packet pick up (asking if it was my first race, be sure to kill it, etc.), volunteers at water stations, and after party."

Daniel Gillespie, who ran the half-marathon, raved about the overall organization: "This race was extremely well organized, from the check-in on Friday to the finish line festivities! It seems like they thought of everything, and everything was executed to perfection. I was constantly being surprised at how efficient everything was: getting my bag and number on Friday, parking on race morning, loading buses, having bathrooms available, mile markers and posters along the way, drinks and snacks, getting results, getting pictures, turning in and retrieving my bag. The most memorable thing was the beautiful scenery while I ran, and the outstanding organization let me focus on that. What a great experience!"

Runners Marvel at the Beautiful Course

Pearce McCarty, who ran a marathon BQ, raved about beautiful course: "The most memorable aspect of this marathon is undoubtedly the breathtaking scenery, i.e. the course itself. From watching the sun break over the eastern ridge early in the race, to taking in the dabs of bright color splattered across the mountainside as fall foliage began to appear, to the rugged rock faces later in the race, to the sweeping views of Salt Lake City during mile 19...." McCarty added that "this is a well - organized, well - executed marathon that I would recommend to anyone."

Marla Gale summed up the half-marathon course as "BEAUTIFUL. MAJESTIC. STUNNING."

Alisha Van Orman, who PRd by 20 minutes and qualified for Boston, described the course as "Beautiful!" and added "I love how organized this race is! You do a great job!"

Aleshia Lindhardt finished her first half-marathon and described the course with one word: "Gorgeous!"

Jolie Morris qualified for Boston with her 13-minute PR, happily stating "Today I got a marathon PR and also qualified for Boston! On top of that the course is absolutely beautiful and the race was so well organized! The BEST race!"

Jan DeGiulio, who has run 108 marathons and ran a BQ, said "I love the beautiful course! The mountains are covered in beautiful fall colors. Volunteers were fantastic. Race organization was fantastic. Packet pickup was organized. This was my 108th marathon and the Big Cottonwood Marathon is a favorite!"

Jana Eckles, who raved about the "beautiful scenery and downhill glory," commented that the course was "beautiful all around" and that she "loved the change of scenery as you go down the canyon."

Yulia Kirkpatrick ran a 10-minute PR in the half, summed up her experience as "very impressed. Smoothly run, scenic course, went without a hitch. Highly recommend."

Elizabeth Evans completed her first half-marathon, and described the course as "almost magical - seeing a moose shortly after the start, the sound of the babbling creek, the beauty of trees with colors already changing." Elizabeth added "I'm so glad this was my first half as the course was beautiful, the volunteers were so positive and supportive, and instructions to runners prior to the race were clear."

"This was my fifth half and first Big Cottonwood Half...it has become my favorite," said Angela Curtis who added that the course was "fast and gorgeous, breathtaking in spots."

Carey Roberts called the Big Cottonwood Half-Marathon "the best course I have ever run, love it…I'm already looking forward to next year!"

David Allred, a veteran half-marathoner, noted "This is one of the best run races I have participated in, the the top race in Utah. This was my third Big Cottonwood and will continue to run this race in the future. Great job!"

Nadia Despain PRd in the half by 13 minutes, saying "it was AMAZING! The course was gorgeous. Very well organized. The volunteers were great. Everything was perfect, even the weather was perfect."

Runners Praise the Fast Course

Michelle Lomu, who ran a PR by almost an hour in the marathon, said "It was absolutely incredible. The downhill made me feel like a speedster!" Echoing those comments was Doug Chase, who ran a 52-minute PR in the marathon: "Beautiful, fast, fun…So many extras with this race. You exceeded expectations."

Myrriah Gomez, who ran a 14-minute PR, praised the course simply as "fast," and marveled that "the sunrise right before the start of the race was beautiful."

Marathon finisher Linda Sheeran, who beat her BQ by over 17 minutes, called the Big Cottonwood Marathon "absolutely perfect," adding "this was my first time to run this course and I loved it! Very well organized race."

Shanny Baldwin, who ran a 9-minute PR in the half-marathon, exclaimed "Beautiful, FAST, downhill but not so severe that it was uncomfortable or that you had to hold yourself back. Loved it and will run it every year!"

Elizabeth Hamilton, who PRd the half by 15 minutes, said "This race took my breath away! It is so beautiful and so fast! This is my third half marathon and by far my favorite!"

James Howton PRd in the marathon by 7 minutes, and complimented Big Cottonwood as the "Best marathon in Utah!"