Chessie Trail Marathon
Chessie Trail Marathon race day weather
Crisp morning, steady headwind
Runners will face a temperature rise from 41°F at the start to 49°F by the finish. Wind will be moderate at 15 mph from the WNW, creating a consistent headwind effect on one-third of each lap. With humidity at 59%, runners should consider pacing conservatively in early laps to manage the temperature increase as the race progresses.
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Chessie Trail Marathon route and elevation
The Chessie Trail Marathon course has about 440 ft (134 m) of climbing and 429 ft (131 m) of descent, a net rise of about 11 ft (3 m). It is flatter than 70% of the marathon courses racecast.io has mapped, measured by what the hills cost in time. It has no steep miles: no mile climbs more than 55 ft (17 m).
Biggest climbs
- Miles 4.4 to 8.6: climbs about 55 ft (17 m).
- Miles 17.4 to 22.6: climbs about 70 ft (21 m).
What the hills cost
- 3:30 on a flat course is about 3:30:25 here (25 seconds slower).
- 4:00 on a flat course is about 4:00:30 here (30 seconds slower).
- 4:30 on a flat course is about 4:30:30 here (30 seconds slower).
Hills only, priced mile by mile on the course map. The pace calculator above adds the race-day weather.
Even-effort splits for a 3:30, 4:00 or 4:30 finish
| Mile | Climb | Descent | 3:30 | 4:00 | 4:30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 ft | 17 ft | 7:58 | 9:07 | 10:15 |
| 2 | 7 ft | 34 ft | 7:53 | 9:00 | 10:08 |
| 3 | 19 ft | 11 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:21 |
| 4 | 23 ft | 36 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 5 | 51 ft | 46 ft | 8:01 | 9:09 | 10:18 |
| 6 | 22 ft | 18 ft | 8:01 | 9:10 | 10:18 |
| 7 | 8 ft | 10 ft | 7:58 | 9:07 | 10:16 |
| 8 | 34 ft | 15 ft | 8:09 | 9:18 | 10:28 |
| 9 | 33 ft | 33 ft | 7:59 | 9:07 | 10:15 |
| 10 | 39 ft | 18 ft | 8:09 | 9:20 | 10:30 |
| 11 | 14 ft | 21 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 12 | 23 ft | 20 ft | 8:00 | 9:09 | 10:17 |
| 13 | 23 ft | 41 ft | 7:55 | 9:02 | 10:11 |
| 14 | 37 ft | 29 ft | 8:03 | 9:12 | 10:20 |
| 15 | 9 ft | 37 ft | 7:52 | 9:00 | 10:08 |
| 16 | 15 ft | 10 ft | 8:01 | 9:10 | 10:19 |
| 17 | 33 ft | 41 ft | 7:57 | 9:05 | 10:13 |
| 18 | 46 ft | 52 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 19 | 28 ft | 12 ft | 8:07 | 9:17 | 10:26 |
| 20 | 8 ft | 13 ft | 7:58 | 9:06 | 10:15 |
| 21 | 36 ft | 12 ft | 8:11 | 9:21 | 10:31 |
| 22 | 13 ft | 26 ft | 7:56 | 9:04 | 10:12 |
| 23 | 42 ft | 12 ft | 8:14 | 9:24 | 10:35 |
| 24 | 17 ft | 22 ft | 7:57 | 9:06 | 10:14 |
| 25 | 24 ft | 18 ft | 8:02 | 9:11 | 10:20 |
| 26 | 20 ft | 43 ft | 7:54 | 9:01 | 10:08 |
| Last 0.2 | 17 ft | 9 ft | 1:50 | 2:06 | 2:22 |
Explore the Chessie Trail Marathon course with the weather and your pace along the route, or compare it with other races.
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About the Chessie Trail Marathon
Run America’s most spectacular rail trail! The Chessie Nature Trail was voted one of the top three recreational trails in the nation in 2023. The seven-mile Chessie Trail, situated at the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley, parallels the scenic Maury River and connects historic Lexington, Virginia, with the boom-town community of Buena Vista. The smooth, flat, and fast, gravel and grass trail runs along the former Chesapeake and Ohio rail line and parts of the earlier James and Kanawha Canal towpath. Source
