Colorado Marathon
Race Day Weather
Cold start, warming trend ahead
Runners will face a chilly start at 36°F, warming to 54°F by race end. With light winds at 7 mph and an average humidity of 56%, conditions will feel comfortable but may require pacing adjustments early on. The descent from miles 2 to 14 will provide a boost, but headwinds between miles 13-14 and 20-27 will demand effort. A throwaway layer may be beneficial during pre-race warm-up.
This course drops 1,122 ft from start to finish, so we look at it at 2 points, not just the start line. In a typical year, at 9:00/mi, you start at 36° and finish around 10:25 AM in 56°; typical start-line conditions say 50° then.
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Race Info
The Colorado Marathon starts at Stevens Gulch in the Poudre Canyon northwest of Fort Collins and finishes in downtown Fort Collins, with a total elevation loss of roughly 1,200-1,366 feet over the full course. The USATF-certified course (CO 15007DCR) is net downhill, and organizers report 16-18% of finishers qualify for Boston. Half marathon, 10K, and 5K races run alongside the marathon each May. Source
