The Aspen Valley Marathon course runs from Wagner Park in Aspen to Lions Park in Basalt along the Rio Grande trail. The race starts at nearly 8,000 feet and drops 1400 feet down to 6500 feet by mile 20. The last six miles are rolling to the finish at 6,600 feet.
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.
The Aspen Valley Marathon was the 241st largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 270th largest in 2022.
This year 9.9% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 13% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Aspen Valley Marathon the 126th highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 143rd highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 96.67 ranks it as the 388th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest course in Colorado.
The typical race time temperature and humidity levels are slightly above the ideal range for optimal marathon performance. This, coupled with the Course Score, gives the Aspen Valley Marathon a PR Score of 96.36. This PR Score ranks it as the 363rd fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 3rd fastest in Colorado.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Aspen Valley Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 7960 feet (2426m) Min Elevation: 6507 feet (1983m)
Chaos at the packet pickup. Short window of 3 hours to pickup night before. Not ready and only 4 volunteers and one apparently learning on the fly. So that was a bad start. Tank top way to small, medal kinda basic. After all that it's ok. I personally felt the altitude, just be warned. Nice course and scenic. Decent finish line experience. Pricey for what you get.
Race Tips
I found the altitude affected me. Its probably various degrees for other out of towners. I stayed near the finish and mornings shuttle worked well. Early start to beat the heat
Stayed at Basalt mountain inn 5 minutes from finish
JD's review of 2024 Aspen Valley Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
I personally love running this marathon and the finish area atmosphere was so fun!
I ran the half marathon, I found that the race was well organized. Shuttles worked perfectly and dropped us off at the start of the half. The race started on time and the course was well marked.
Food options for athletes this year were great. They offered us fruit, cookies, sandwiches and a variety of drinks.
This is an absolutely STUNNING race to run (this is my second time), sometimes it's hard not to get distracted by how beautiful the scenery is.
I found that the staff at the start were super involved and talked to everyone, everyone was super excited and we cheered on the first marathoners that went past us.
Race Tips
Be aware that altitude is real! I struggled at the beginning but was able to find my pace eventually. The fact that the race is mostly downhill helps A LOT!
If you are someone that struggles with altitude allow yourself an extra day or two to acclimate. That helped me this time. Buses and shuttles are great and easy to find.
SB's review of 2023 Aspen Valley Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
I had the best time running the Aspen Valley Marathon. The organization was phenomenal and the course was beautiful. The after-party was also so much fun. I can't wait to do this race again.
Race Tips
Dress wisely because mornings are cold but it warms up a lot.
This was a low key, smaller race. The course itself was very fast and the gradual downhill easily negated any effect of the altitude. I ran this race in 2019 and the last 6 miles were sunny but really not hot - and I'm saying that as someone who is usually very heat sensitive. Beware mile 24 though - I actually went off course 0.5 miles because the course was poorly marked. Every single aid station had honey stinger gels, and some had waffles and fruits. There was a very nice salad at the end with tons of veggie, protein and fruit options.
4.2 Stars from 5 Reviews
