Colorado Marathon
Fort Collins, United States · May · Independent
Why people love it
- Net drop of about 305 to 365 m (1,000 to 1,200 ft) through a shaded river canyon.
- Listed as a Boston qualifier; 96 runners (8.9% of finishers) qualified in 2025.
- Small field with no corrals and an uncrowded first mile.
- Finish in Old Town with food trucks and free post-race beer.
Watch out for
- Buses leave 4:15 to 5:15 a.m.; waits at the 1,830 m (6,000 ft) start run 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Almost no spectators in the canyon; crowds appear only in town.
- The last 13 km (8 mi) are flat, exposed and warm after the quad-hammering descent.
- A 2026 runner reported no fluids at 30.6 km (mile 19).
- Because of the large net drop, check Boston's current rules before counting on a qualifier.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.1
RaceRaves 4.2 from 27 ratings and MarathonGuide about 4.0: praised canyon and finish party, with a pre-dawn bus, thin crowds and a hard second half. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.8
Packet pickup took under 10 minutes and reviewers call it well run, but start waits are long and a 2026 runner found no fluids. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.1
Net downhill and small field help, but the 1,830 m (6,000 ft) start, 4 a.m. buses and a hard, shadeless finish suit experienced runners. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.9
The net drop is fast early, but a hill near 31 km (19 mi) and a hot, flat, shadeless finish cost time. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course scenerySpectacular4.7
Every account praises the shaded Poudre Canyon, with fall colour and river views. · High confidence
- Room to runRoomy4.2
Small field with no corrals and an uncrowded first mile; the trail sections are the narrowest parts. · Medium confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.3
Highway shoulder, partly sand or dirt, then paved river trail; one reviewer noted a cambered road. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.6
Canyon highway shoulder, then trail and park paths; no major traffic complaints. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat3.6
A long descent with small rises near 19, 27 and 29 km (miles 12, 17 and 18) and a hill near 31 km (mile 19). · Low confidence
- Net downhillBig drop4.7
Net drop of over 305 m (1,000 ft) per Andrew Skurka; listings give about 365 m (1,200 ft). · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsFiddly2.3
Buses leave at 4:15 to 5:15 a.m., waits at the cold canyon start run 1 to 1.5 hours and toilet lines are long. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.5
Small event with some pace groups; reviewers say little about timing. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportSparse2.4
No spectator access in the canyon and little crowd until Old Town and the finish park, per 2022 and 2024 reviewers. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.6
Frequent stations and Nuun were reported in 2022, but patchy drink was noted and a 2026 runner found no fluids at 30.6 km (mile 19). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm4.0
The canyon shelters runners; only one reviewer mentions a slight headwind. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.4
The canyon start is 2 to 4 °C (35 to 39 °F), but the final 13 km (8 mi) can reach 23 °C (74 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.0
Early May has brought snow forecasts and highs from 7 to 23 °C (44 to 74 °F) across editions. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyTricky2.2
Spectators cannot reach the canyon section, so friends mostly see runners only near Old Town and the finish. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeElevated1.8
The start is at about 1,830 m (6,000 ft), dropping to Fort Collins at roughly 1,500 m (4,900 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.9
Fort Collins is a college town with decent hotels; book early for race weekend. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
No race-weekend price data; staying near the shuttle pickup is advised. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.2
Runners take buses from town to the canyon start; the finish is in Old Town. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.2
Denver airport (DEN) is about 120 km (75 mi) away by road. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Packet pickup is quick, but the pre-dawn shuttle to a remote start adds work. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.5
Old Town Fort Collins has craft beer and food trucks, with free post-race beer. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.1
Open entry with about 1,100 finishers; one MarathonGuide reviewer mentions a sold-out year. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.4
A 2019 reviewer estimated about USD 150; the fee for 2027 is unconfirmed, though the finish party is liked. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Fort Collins, Northern Colorado, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 2 May 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 1,100 athletes
- First held
- 2002
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Start time
- 06:30
- Cutoff
- 6 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Paved highway shoulder (some sand or dirt shoulder), then paved river trail and park paths
- How to get in
- open
- Entry fee
- About $150
- Air temperature
- 2–20 °C (36–68 °F)
- Humidity
- Dry, high-plains
- Altitude
- 1,830 m (6,000 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Denver International (DEN), 120 km (75 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Old Town Fort Collins, Near the Convention Center
- Booking
- Fort Collins is a college town. Book hotels early for race weekend; shuttles to the start leave 4:15 to 5:15 a.m., so stay near the shuttle pickup.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves Colorado Marathon pageRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
4.2 of 5 from 27 ratings across 2019 to 2026. Runners agree on gorgeous shaded canyon miles, little crowd support until town, buses at 4:15 a.m., long waits and toilet lines, and a flat, shadeless final 8 miles (13 km). Downhill is fast early but hard on quads later.
“Those first 17 miles are gorgeous”
- MarathonGuide reviewsRaced 2026 · aggregator · Positive
Three reviews average about 4.0. Two (2021) praise the fall colours and friendly organisation, one notes a long hill near mile 17 (27 km) and a cambered road. A 2026 reviewer found no fluids at mile 19 (30.6 km) and left with a medical bill.
“Beautiful course, well organized, friendly race!”
- Team Run Run, Emily ParkerRaced 2022 · blog · Positive
Finished 4:31:27 in 2022. Mostly downhill with small rises near miles 12, 17 and 18 (19, 27, 29 km). Boarded a 4 a.m. bus, found frequent aid but patchy Nuun, high 30s °F (about 3 to 4 °C (39 °F)) to low 50s °F (about 11 °C (52 °F)) and almost no spectator access.
“The race was downhill which was awesome!”
- Andrew Skurka race reportRaced 2016 · blog · Positive
Ran 2:44:42 for 5th overall. Calls the course a net drop of over 305 m (1,000 ft) through the canyon then along the Poudre trail to Linden Street. Light snow and 30 °F (-1 °C) turned out mild.
“the course has a net downhill of over 1,000 vertical feet”
- Felix Wong, 2006 reportRaced 2006 · blog · Positive
A 6:15 a.m. start with 630 runners after charter buses. Canyon descent with a sand or dirt shoulder, aid every 2 to 4 miles (3 to 6 km), flat final 9 miles (14 km), cheering in Old Town. 45 °F (7 °C) at the start, high 60s °F (about 20 °C (68 °F)) later.
“the scenery was, in a word, spectacular”
Show 2 more
- Felix Wong, 2019 reportRaced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Hit sub-3:30 but called it deceptively hard: starts near 6,200 ft (1,890 m), mostly downhill first half, more climbing after, a hill at mile 19 (31 km), much smaller crowds than Boston, and more sun and heat late.
“This is truly a race of two distinct halves.”
- Laura Norris Running (half, same canyon)Raced 2022 · blog · Positive
Ran the half but covers the shared logistics: shuttles 4:30 to 5:15 a.m., 1 to 1.5 hour waits, about 800 half runners, no corrals, Nuun at every station, and packet pickup in under 10 minutes. Post-race food trucks and free beer.
“The race was well-organized and on the smaller side.”
Raced Colorado Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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