Fountain to the Falls
Monrovia, CA
- 7 Miler
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Fountain to the Falls Run/Walk is a 6.38 mile out-and-back race, from the Library Park Fountain to the Canyon Park Waterfall. This race is limited to a maximum of 325 participants.
Local Historical Weather (May 12):
| 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | |
| H (°F) | 64 | 72 | 76 | 72 | 91 |
| L (°F) | 56 | 57 | 59 | 58 | 59 |
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Fountain! Falls! Fun!
The Monrovia Fountain to the Falls Walk/Run is back after a 5-year hiatus, and it’s such a fun local 10k. It’s part road-race, part trail-race, 1,100+ feet of elevation climb, … MORE
The Monrovia Fountain to the Falls Walk/Run is back after a 5-year hiatus, and it’s such a fun local 10k. It’s part road-race, part trail-race, 1,100+ feet of elevation climb, and 100% fun.
Expo / pick-up / parking / pre-race:
-Bib and race shirt pickup was only available that same morning, beginning at 6 am, an hour before the race began. You’ll need to sign off on some waiver forms before being issued your bib and shirt. Street parking was available all around the Monrovia Library area, though many streets were blocked off the closer you got to the start area, so get there early for the best spots. I don’t believe gear check was offered or even necessary since the race was a quick out-and-back. Several sponsors had their tables set up bright and early before the race, including Sealey Strength, Monrovia Parks, Wilderness and Recreation Foundation, Lead the Way Fitness, and Chick-fil-A. The Chick-fil-A cows were even walking around for photos, encouraging you to keep it moo-ving! As you gather at the start line in front of the Monrovia Library’s fountain, don’t expect any organized corrals or pacer groups. Just position yourself how you’d like to start in the crowd of 200+ runners and get ready!
Course:
The race starts off in front of the Monrovia Library fountain between Palm Ave and Lime Ave, and heads north on Myrtle Ave. It’s a steady uphill run for 3/4 of a mile until you make a right on Hillcrest Blvd. You’ll hit the first water/aid station around here before turning left onto Canyon Blvd a quarter-mile later to head north again. The course enters Monrovia Canyon Park near Mile 2, and amidst the beautiful greenery, the elevation climb also picks up. Say hello and thank you to all the park rangers cheering you on! Keep pushing for a little over a quarter mile until you reach Mile 2.3 where the paved road turns into dirt trails. You’ll follow the Nature Trail, which quickly merges into Falls Trail. Watch your footing as the trail can be rocky and uneven in parts, and you’ll need to go single-file through some small stream crossings and narrow paths. The trails take you up to Monrovia Canyon Falls at Mile 3.2 and it’s a relief to hit the half-way point! You’ll turn around and begin the best part of the race: heading back! It’s a real rush to just blast downhill past everything that you’ve previously seen, waving at park rangers and the other runners as you zoom past them. Before you know it, you’re back on Myrtle Ave and the finish line and the fountain is in sight! You’ve done it, woo-hoo!
Scenery/Weather/Support:
-The Fountain to the Falls race combines cozy neighborhood views of the city of Monrovia with the water and greenery of the Canyon Park. And your route includes a waterfall (albeit dimmed by lack of recent rain), it’s overall really nice! It was a cloudy day with cool temperatures starting around 67 degrees F. Even if it warmed up a bit, I noticed there was quite a bit of shade along most of the route, especially in the early parts of the course. Water support was good, with stations around Mile 1 (on Hillcrest, between Myrtle Ave and Canyon Ave), Mile 2 (near the parking booth of Canyon Park), and Mile 2.3 (in the park, just before the paved parking lot turns into dirt trails)—a special thank you to all the volunteers and park rangers who were very supportive!
Post-race:
-Once you cross the finish line, grab your shiny finisher’s medal. Wave to the Chick-fil-A cows, and celebrate with some photos in front of the titular fountain! Post-race refreshments included water, bananas, tangerines, and Zico coconut water. Downtown Monrovia boasts so many neat restaurants and cafes, and breakfast or coffee are great ways to refuel after a grueling 10k.
Swag:
-The official race shirt was bright blue, with “Fountain to the Falls 10K Run/Walk 2025” printed across the center in light blue text, and a cursive “City of Monrovia” at the top. Little graphics of a fountain, waterfall, and yellow/orange/green runners surround the text. Sponsors like Monrovia Parks, Wilderness and Recreation Foundation, and Chick-fil-A were listed on the back of the shirt. One laundry-related note: the shirt really bled its colors upon first wash for me, so make sure you give it a couple washes before mixing it with any other shirts. The finisher medal featured a similar design as the shirt: “Fountain to the Falls” in blue all-caps text across the center, “10K” in silver and a cursive green “City of Monrovia” near the top, a silver “2025” at the bottom, fountain and water fall graphics on either side, all in front of a light orange/yellow/green/blue gradient background. The medal is outlined in green and looped in a green ribbon.
Bottom-line:
-The Monrovia Fountain to the Falls Walk/Run combines the charm of a local neighborhood 10k race, with a small taste of an uphill trail race. It’s a fun combo that I love, and I’m so glad to add this to my annual race schedule!
Challenging yet fun road/trail race
This is a fairly tough course with about 3.5 miles up, but then goes straight back down. One thing to be careful with is the trail section of the course … MORE
This is a fairly tough course with about 3.5 miles up, but then goes straight back down. One thing to be careful with is the trail section of the course because much of it is single track with some sections that open up to be able to pass. And you want to make sure that you are aware of runners coming down as you go up and vice versa. There are spotters on the side of the course to help prevent these kind of collisions. It is a very fun race with a nice post race that ends with a pancake breakfast at the fire station. The course is beautiful as you reach the waterfalls of Monrovia Canyon, and end in downtown Monrovia on Myrtle.
First class small town event
I love community events like this. Monrovia is proud of it's canyon park, and it's clear that they are proud of their race and community, too! The course was roped … MORE
I love community events like this. Monrovia is proud of it’s canyon park, and it’s clear that they are proud of their race and community, too! The course was roped off so well that it was practically impossible to veer off course, and the volunteers and course marshals were plentiful and very helpful. This event is such that anyone can participate, from speedy runners to walkers. I just love the vibe at this event, and how it brings everyone together. The age group awards from A Snail’s Pace were great!