Big Cottonwood Marathon

Cottonwood, UT

Race Dates

2013: Saturday, September 14, 2013
2012: Saturday, September 22, 2012

Course Information

Profile: Downhill
Type: Point to Point
Surface: Road/Pavement
Certified?: Yes

Miscellaneous Information

Early Entry Fee: $89
Pace Groups?: No

Rating: Be the first to Rate it!

PR Score & Course Score

PR Score: 103.61
Course Score: 106.25

Race Day Weather

Mean Temperature: 57°F (13°C)
Average High: 70°F (21°C)
Average Low: 44° F (6°C)
Historical Weather

Race Size

2012: 272 Finishers

2011: No Results

2010: No Results

Elevation Chart

Maximum Elevation: 9643 feet

Minimum Elevation: 4360 feet

Course Description

The Big Cottonwood Marathon course starts at a very high elevation of 9.600 feet and finishes at just below 4,400 feet (5,200' net loss). It drops about 4,000 feet in the first 15 miles - an average downhill grade of over 5%.

Although the course has a significant downhill grade, it starts at a very high elevation which will adversely affect finishing times for those not sufficiently acclimated to elevation. In addition, the steep downhill grade can be very hard on the quadriceps - especially for those who have not trained for downhills.

If your quads and lungs survive, the course could be fast.

From the race website - Nowhere will you get a better combination of fast and beautiful than at the Big Cottonwood Marathon. The course has been redesigned this year to include 3 more miles in Big Cottonwood Canyon and to eliminate some of the rolling hills at the end of the previous course. We had many people achieve a PR last year and with these improvements it is going to be faster still! The marathon begins at Guardsman Pass at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. You will have amazing views of the canyon with the sun coming up and the fall leaves glowing brightly as you run alongside Big Cottonwood Creek for nearly 17 miles to the mouth of the canyon. After exiting the canyon, you enter Cottonwood Heights and continue to follow the Big Cottonwood Creek past the Old Mill to the Cotton Bottom and into Holladay. You will then head north on Holladay Boulevard to 4500 South and then return to 6200 South on Highland Drive, where you will rejoin the half marathon course for the last mile to the finish at Cottonwood High School.

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