Chad Cook's Staging Area

Classic Race Servies pulled off this incredible race with an impending ice storm. Heated inside start and finish area with real bathrooms, and lots of them. Warm and inside staging area feet from the start line. Downhill start and stroll through the neighborhoods of Athens then onto the Greenway and Firefly trail. Finally finishing around Sanford Stadium and down Milledge Ave where the Frat and Sororities are lining the roads. It’s a little hilly with several long gradual climbs and some punchy short pulls. Make sure you check the elevation profile if you don’t know the area. I’ll see you there next year?

This race is the perfect setting, the perfect size, and the perfect challenge. The “Highest Start Line in the US” for road marathons should be a draw for those who like a tough race.
Packet pickup the evening before the race was quick and simple. The shirts were a nice dry-fit, long sleeve Headsweats shirt. The design was great without lots of advertising. Pre-race pasta dinner was simple and perfect. Two types of pasta, red and white sauce, salads, and cake. All you can eat and the race staff was there to talk.
Race morning the shuttles ran from the rec department to Boreas Pass start line frequently. It was cold and breezy so wear your layers. There is a bag drop at the start.
The race starts downhill but it wasn’t too steep to cause me any issues while gating my speed. The views coming down from the pass are incredible. After winding down from the pass you come through town where there are people cheering. Coming out of town the race proceeds through a nice multi-use trail next to the river. At mile 9 the race turns up through a nice residential valley following another stream to the out and back turnaround. After rejoining the multi-use use trail there is a quick out and back with the finish line back at the rec center.
You will see the same smiling faces at packet pickup up, pre-race dinner, race morning, and at the finish. Breckenridge Police and CSOs were wonderful on course checking on runners. One even ran with me, in full gear, for a few hundred yards. Not all of the aid stations are manned and may just be two self serve coolers and a snack box but they are there every two-three miles. I ran in a hydration vest and never had to refill between the temps and downhill start.
This is my new favorite marathon and I’ll be happy to return and run it again.