The Aspen Valley Marathon takes place in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier, offering runners the opportunity to qualify for one of the most prestigious races in the world. With its stunning natural beauty and downhill course, the marathon is a must-do for …
MORE
The Aspen Valley Marathon takes place in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier, offering runners the opportunity to qualify for one of the most prestigious races in the world. With its stunning natural beauty and downhill course, the marathon is a must-do for any runner or outdoor enthusiast.
Runners will traverse a scenic route that winds through alpine forests and past the Rio Grand river ending in downtown Basalt. The race offers multiple options, including a full-marathon, half-marathon, and 5K, making it accessible to runners of all skill levels. After crossing the finish line, runners can celebrate their achievement at the Aspen Valley Marathon’s afterparty, complete with live music, champagne, and delicious local food.
Top 5 reasons to run the Aspen Valley Marathon:
- The Aspen Valley Marathon is a Boston Marathon Qualifier
- Fast! Times in the top 50 fastest marathons in North America.
- Downhill drops 1,418 ft in elevation from start to finish
- Breathtaking Aspen Valley scenery
- Off road, old railway route, next to river, 80% paved trail /20% hard-packed dirt.
LESS
Great course and views. Needs help!
This course was really beautiful and an easy run, being mostly downhill, but those were the only positives were me. - There weren't enough porta potties at the beginning and … MORE
This course was really beautiful and an easy run, being mostly downhill, but those were the only positives were me.
– There weren’t enough porta potties at the beginning and there was a huge line when the race started.
– There also weren’t enough porta potties throughout the entire race. I, and many others, chose to pee behind a bush. This wasn’t very safe since the sides of the trail were downhill with a lot of shrubbery to sneak into and get scratched up!
– There were a couple big hills towards the end. The race website shows the trail and elevation, but this is something one might want to prepare for.
– The miles weren’t all marked. In the beginning it was confusing because the marathon miles were marked but not the half and I wasn’t sure how far I had run.
– The end of race food was ok. sandwiches. It was cool that they offered champagne and beer!
– I was really disappointed with the Tshirts 🙁 The women got tank tops. I’ve never seen that before. The women’s small and medium were a completely different design than the women’s large and XL. I got a Large and I can barely fit into it and I am not a big lady! The S and M looked bigger than the L and XL. I honestly wonder if they were youth tank tops.
– There were photographers at the finish line but no mention of how to access these photos.
It was fun and the park in Basalt was cute, but I doubt I’ll be running that race again.
I wish my first full had been different
> Race shirt is somewhat see-through > Medal is pretty but small > There were only two pacers for the full marathon (4:20 and 5:00 - no sweepers, either) > … MORE
> Race shirt is somewhat see-through
> Medal is pretty but small
> There were only two pacers for the full marathon (4:20 and 5:00 – no sweepers, either)
> They evidently stopped taking pictures at the finish line after 4:12, which I found weird because the cut off was 7 hours and they didn’t even wait for the first sweeper to come through
Nice half marathon
Ran the half marathon. Some random thoughts before race review. Would be interesting to hear race directors thoughts on having a marathon in the middle of July. Came to town … MORE
Ran the half marathon. Some random thoughts before race review.
Would be interesting to hear race directors thoughts on having a marathon in the middle of July.
Came to town 2 days before race to try to get use to the 9,000 foot elevation. Didn’t help much.
Aspen is a really nice small town with beautiful scenery but very expensive. Can see why the hotel / food prices would deter some potential out of town people from entering.
Now for the race.
Weather – marathon started at 6. Half marathon at 7:30. Clear and low 50’s for both with temps rising about 6 degrees an hour once the sun came up – about 8 am. Rather warm and sunny for back half of course.
Start / logistics – race director did an amazing job. Full started in a park in downtown Aspen. Started right on time. Half started about 8 miles out from downtown. Shuttles were provided to start line and ran smooth with no delays. Half started right on time.
Race / course – first 2 miles pretty much downhill then gradual downhill for about 7 more miles. Then at mile 9 to 11.5 some pretty nasty uphills. My garmin ended up clocking in at 13.5 miles. They changed the course a couple of days before to end in a new park. They claim the distance was the same but not so sure.
Course runs along a paved path along the river and was what you would expect scenery wise. Really nice river views, Mountain View’s and homes.
Finish / after party – finished in a new park. Really nice area. Food was great and beer available. Shuttles back to town were right on time and easily available.
Race workers / volunteers were nothing but great.
So final thoughts.
Excellently run race with 3 races starting in three different places all starting at different times without a glitch.
Course length? Would like a double check.
And finally for the bling. For a half marathon I really don’t care if we get a medal. But thought the medal was really pretty small and cheap looking. Thought the full marathoners deserved a better finishers medal. Running shirts were nice.
So glad I ran it but not on my repeat list
Beautiful Marathon
I have run marathons in major cities so this was my first scenic marathon experience. The start line was at Wagner Park in Aspen and was very easy to coordinate … MORE
I have run marathons in major cities so this was my first scenic marathon experience.
The start line was at Wagner Park in Aspen and was very easy to coordinate getting to. It was fun to have my Family wave, “good-bye” when the race started at 6am.
The course is gorgeous. I was entertained with scenery for most of the run.
The course has a gradual descent so you are not feeling like you are out of control down hill. It’s a comfortable road to pace.
Around mile 20 there is a stretch of incline, nothing terrible.
When the sun comes out, it’s out so don’t let that surprise you. It’s strong but really beautiful.
Aid stations were available with electrolytes and water. I carried a hand held container with me.
The post race party is great!
I’m not sure if there are pictures this year, I haven’t asked.
I would do this again without question.
Gorgeous course!
Marathon #51 for me, and this was one of the most scenic. I was in awe from start to finish and stopped many times for pictures. The course itself is … MORE
Marathon #51 for me, and this was one of the most scenic. I was in awe from start to finish and stopped many times for pictures. The course itself is one of the most “friendliest” in that the first 20mi is downhill. No obstacles, no crazy turns, just 20 miles of beautiful scenery. Heaven.
The challenges: it is high altitude. I had to hold way back so I didn’t blow up later, as i have in other high altitude races. It is mostly exposed to the sun and it can get warm as the race goes on, but the race wisely starts at 6am when it is cool, so that helps tremendously. The race does flatten out starting around 19-20. At Mile 21 there is a long slight incline that you just have to endure before some short downhills. If you haven’t blown up, the last few miles can be fast.
There are very few Porto potties on the course. I finally stepped off of the trail at one point , but this may be an issue for some people.
The after party is great with plenty of food and drinks. The champagne at the finish line is a welcome touch.
I love this race and highly recommend it.
Beautiful but needs improvement!!
There is indeed pretty scenery and good communication via email. However, I am not sure how this is a certified course! Neither the half marathon or full marathon were accurate … MORE
There is indeed pretty scenery and good communication via email. However, I am not sure how this is a certified course! Neither the half marathon or full marathon were accurate distance. The half marathon the first mile was short so it threw the accuracy of ALL the miles following. Most of the mile marks were .15 to .20 short. Then the last mile was nearly 1.5 miles and caused the distance to be long. Poorly done. The marathon runners were frustrated because their distance was actually short. And be aware that despite the course description there are multiple decent uphill climbs late in the race.
Something that was dumbfounding was there was only ONE port a potty at the start line! 😮 What? Never have I seen that at a race. It was also where marathon runners already running could not even have quick access to it running by because all the half marathoners were lined up for it before their race.
There was good food and drinks – though being gluten free I could only eat the fresh fruit. Some of the music the dj was playing had vulgar language/lyrics and was not family friendly. That was not appropriate.
In summary: I enjoyed the scenery and the down hill decent of good portions of the race. But overall was disappointed by the things mentioned above. It’s an expensive race. If you are going to charge a high price and say it’s certified, I expect the time to be given to make it accurate and that you provide basic expected things – like sufficient port a potties.
Majestic!
Definitely a race and a place to visit. Awesome course with spectacular views. This is a must race if you are checking off states. Easy expo, easy parking, post race … MORE
Definitely a race and a place to visit. Awesome course with spectacular views. This is a must race if you are checking off states. Easy expo, easy parking, post race party is awesome as well.
Pretty decent, but needs attention
This is a BEAUTIFUL race! It’s mostly shaded, at a slight downhill, and is small enough you can get lost in the beautiful scenery around you. The finish line champagne … MORE
This is a BEAUTIFUL race! It’s mostly shaded, at a slight downhill, and is small enough you can get lost in the beautiful scenery around you. The finish line champagne toast was great!
However, the race directors poorly plan the restroom situation and for the cost of the race, it’s not acceptable. There is only one potty stop on the course (right past mile 9). Huge issue! That’s a long way to hold your bladder. I saw several male runners relieving themselves off course. As a female, this wasn’t a comfortable option. Please figure this out for next year! I’d love to run it again, but 9 miles without a restroom is insane. As well, it’s gross to see men peeing on the side of the course!
My second issue is the post race salad bar. WTF. I just ran 13.1 miles, my jostled stomach does not want hearty and fibrous foods added to it. Give me carbs!!! Didn’t see one banana, bagel, or anything similar post race. Who the heck wants to eat lettuce after running their a$$ off? As a nutritionist, I am all for healthy meals, but be smart. Glycogen stores are diminished and need replenished post run. Salads, champagne, and beer are not great post race nutrition.
Last, the bus situation is a joke. You bussed us around the corner and said spectators could not park or drop us off. We saw spectators doing both.
Otherwise, it was a great race. The post race party was fun, enjoyed the champagne and music. Enjoyed the course.
Downhill with mountain scenery!
This is a fast downhill race in the beautiful Aspen Valley. Although the full marathon starts in Aspen, the half starts about 6 miles down the valley in the middle … MORE
This is a fast downhill race in the beautiful Aspen Valley. Although the full marathon starts in Aspen, the half starts about 6 miles down the valley in the middle of a field (shuttle buses run from a parking lot off the main road, so you either need to drive or take a local bus to that parking lot. The race is 99% paved on the Rio Grande recreation trail with lots of river (Roaring Fork) and mountain views and ends in the town of Basalt, CO.
There’s literally only one hill, at the 10 mile mark. It’s not that big a hill, but you want to be mentally prepared for it because it kicks your butt at that altitude after nothing but downhill.
Starting altitude is close to 8,000ft and you drop approx 1,400ft over the 13 miles. Provided you’re okay with that elevation and a long gentle downhill you’ll post a good time. Soak in the hot springs in Glenwood afterwards if you want to avoid an angry conversation with your quads the next day.
Amazing post-race lunch buffet of very fresh salad. I highly recommend this race.
Incredible views...for a price
Overall Rating: Average run. Bling wasn't great, but scenery was outstanding. Cost was high. Course Difficulty: This was a pretty tough course for me, mostly because of the elevation, but … MORE
Overall Rating: Average run. Bling wasn’t great, but scenery was outstanding. Cost was high.
Course Difficulty: This was a pretty tough course for me, mostly because of the elevation, but the consistent downhill was hard on the knees and ankles too (never thought I would say that). It was as advertised, a net downhill, and I had no surprises. I actually thought about taking a few pics of the signage directing half and full runners…this RD did an outstanding job letting us know where to go and I never once questioned if I was on the right path.
Course Scenery: Outstanding. Constant views of rivers, mountains, and beautiful mountain homes. Plenty of shade on the first half, pretty hot and sunny on the second.
Race Production: It was pretty good. No frills expo packet pick up with several freebies. Volunteers were excellent. races went off without any issues. Bus transportation was great. My one complaint would be trying to access packet pickup; we didn’t stay in Aspen, and it was a pain to get to when we rolled in at 4:30 Friday afternoon. Small issue, but an issue.
Race Swag: Meh. The t-shirt was standard dri-fit, and the medal was ok, but not great. For the $160 entry fee, I expected more.
My Performance: Ok. Got to visit with a friend for the first 8 or ten miles, and walk ran the rest simply due to the altitude. Overall I was ok with my 5hr finish at this race…
This is a small race, and the scenery was very good. After looking for almost a year, I just don’t think you’re going to find an inexpensive marathon in Colorado. For the value, I would probably look for a different race, for the scenery, it doesn’t get much better.
Beautiful, kinda tough
Running all 50 states, I chose Aspen Valley for my CO marathon. I didn't choose it because it's a Boston Qualifier or downhill, only because I read good things and … MORE
Running all 50 states, I chose Aspen Valley for my CO marathon. I didn’t choose it because it’s a Boston Qualifier or downhill, only because I read good things and it seemed to be one of those scenic courses that I can’t resist. It didn’t disappoint.
The good: basically no expo; I picked up my packet in Basalt on my way up to Snowmass Village where I stayed. Quick stop, very simple. It’s a beautiful area and the course is very scenic, especially in the first half, but also in the last half, just a little less so towards the end. The path itself is mostly paved or very small grain dirt/gravel, so good running surfaces. Not many water stops in the first few miles, so be aware. I wore a lightweight hydration pack which was perfect.
The shirt is pretty good, technical short-sleeve, and the medal is pretty – a shiny silver aspen leaf on a white ribbon. The volunteers were great as well, and it’s a peaceful course, with a few spectators and nice vistas.
The not-quite-as-good: I don’t want to say “bad” because there wasn’t anything bad about the race, just observations. You are at a significant elevation to start and even at the end. Aspen is around 8000 ft or so, and even Basalt is around 6000ish. I didn’t feel sick or anything but I think it affected me regardless; my legs felt leaden by halfway and that’s not usually a problem. It was ultimately the heat that got me though. My running buddy and I were cruisin’ for the first 13 miles then hit a heat wall. I think the temps were in the high 80s as we got lower into the valley, and there was little shade. Granted, it wasn’t humid which was a huge plus, and the race started at 6am which helped a lot. I just don’t do well in the heat, so what may be a super fast course and BQ for lots of people was more of a slog for me. I got my slowest time of the year (except for the double I did in KY and OH). I don’t really care about that, just funny to see the differences in peoples’ performance.
Also of note, it can be expensive to stay in the area but worth it for the beauty in my opinion. Parking wasn’t bad; if you aren’t in Aspen, drive to the intercept lot down the hill from Snowmass and take the bus up to the start. That worked perfectly. It’s bit more of a pain to get back, as the finish is about 12 miles past Snowmass. Luckily my friend’s mom was there and we were able to drive straight back. The bus system does operate for runners for free but I was glad to not have to wait around for it in the sun.
Post race food – I didn’t hang around long but I know salad was the main offering (seemed weird), plus champagne. It was a festive area with other things to do – listen to music, etc.
Photos are great – you can download them for free or purchase prints. I love free race photos; I wish every race would factor that into the registration fee somehow.
Bottom line – there are some logistical issues to getting to the race (about 3.5-4 hrs from Denver) and it’s not cheap to visit, but I’m glad I ran it. The beauty in the area, even just on the drive to and from Denver, was breathtaking, and the weather was great (despite the heat later in the day). The marathon is wonderfully organized and I definitely think it can be a fast course, just wasn’t in the cards for me that day.
Beautiful scenery! Altitude!
We rode to the start in a classsic old passenger train that was fully refurbished and beautiful! We ran along the roads and also some beautiful bike paths. If you're … MORE
We rode to the start in a classsic old passenger train that was fully refurbished and beautiful! We ran along the roads and also some beautiful bike paths. If you’re a sea level runner, it may be tough to adjust to the altitude. Prepare to slow your pace and drink a lot of water. See the maroon belles while you’re there and do some hiking!x Beautiful ski town. A terrific vacation race spot! Stay at least a few days.
Beautiful small town race!
I ran this for the first time in 2014 and loved it! I'm from Colorado, but live at a lower altitude than Aspen, but had no difficulty with the elevation. … MORE
I ran this for the first time in 2014 and loved it! I’m from Colorado, but live at a lower altitude than Aspen, but had no difficulty with the elevation. The slight downhill on the course is very gentle and works nicely for a PR. The last 6 miles do become very hot and exposed though as the day gets later. Overall, this race is very well organized, and the small size keeps the course very run-able from the get-go. Lots of awesome food at the finish line and the Aspen Leaf medals were great!
Small, pretty race
I completed this race in 2013. This race was one of the smaller races that I’ve participated in. With only 200+ people in the half marathon it lacked some of … MORE
I completed this race in 2013.
This race was one of the smaller races that I’ve participated in. With only 200+ people in the half marathon it lacked some of the organization that I am used to. For example, on the printed material they showed different times for pick-up for the half marathon. Even on the day of the race I was directed to the wrong location. Thank goodness for one of the volunteers who offered to drive me directly to the start line.
The course itself was relatively flat with a slight downhill incline. It combined beautiful scenic portions followed by running through a neighborhood. Overall, it was a smooth course.
Because it was so small there were limited spectators. There were portions of the race where I didn’t see a single person (including runners) for a good span. But what it lacked in spectators it made up for at the finish line. There was a great crowd cheering everyone on at the end.