The Cascade Express Marathon course is one of the fastest in the country. The low starting elevation of 2,550' and gentle decent makes the courses great for fast times. It is the perfect race to set a PR, snag a BQ and have a great time. Don't let "trail" in the description deter you. The courses are smooth and runnable much like road events. You can expect fast feet with 1,500' of total elevation loss at a consistent grade.
The Cascade Express Marathon course starts at Snoqualmie Pass, makes a 5 mile out and back on the Iron Horse trail before entering the 2.4 mile Snoqualmie Tunnel. The first 7.5 miles of the course are relatively flat with minimal elevation gain or loss. The course becomes downhill after running through the tunnel to the finish at Rattlesnake Lake Park.
The < a href="https://findmymarathon.com/race-detail.php?zname=Super%20Marathon">Super Marathon is run on the same course in June.
The Cascade Express Marathon was the 235th largest marathon in the U.S. last year and was the 187th largest in 2022.
This year 25.9% of finishers qualified for the Boston Marathon and 19% of runners qualified for Boston in 2023.
This gives the Cascade Express Marathon the 61st highest percentage of Boston Marathon qualifiers in the U.S. last year and the 29th highest percentage so far in 2024.
Its Course Score of 103.73 ranks it as the 14th fastest marathon course in the U.S. and the 7th fastest course in Washington.
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 Cascade Express Marathon a PR Score of 102.97. This PR Score ranks it as the 16th fastest marathon in the U.S. and the 7th fastest in Washington.
Learn more about PR Scores and Course Scores on the FAQ page.
Cascade Express Marathon Elevation Chart
Max Elevation: 2578 feet (785m) Min Elevation: 992 feet (302m)
Hotel & VRBO Accommodations for the Cascade Express Marathon
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This is a scenic and fun course to run. But the organization is poor. The flashlights they hand out at the tunnel entrance are pathetic. You may as well be running with a match. Runners near me could also not see well. Take a headlamp with you. You will need to see your way well as there are many potholes.
Race Tips
Take your own headlamp. They will not handle your headlamp, so you must carry it the whole way. But it is worth it. Do not trust the flashlight handouts. They are small, cheap flashlights. I lost 2-3 minutes in the tunnel not being able to see anything, but maybe the ground as I hit it. This is a real hazard!
Pay the parking fee. They send out someone to issue tickets. The race people do not tell you this. Don't count on any special grilled cheese sandwich as advertised. They were small, cold and plain. Eat something else instead.
JOG's review of 2018 Cascade Express Marathon.
5 /
5 Stars
Review
This was a lovely marathon. The weather was perfect and the downhill is very gentle so it's not hard on the knees. The pacer I followed was very supportive and cheered as we passed each mile market. I was able to beat my previous marathon time from 6 months before by 8 minutes.
There was plenty of support along the trail in terms of water, gatorade, and gels.
There was even parking, so you didn't have to spend a long time bussing to the location. Lines for porta-potties were short.
Because it's only a few hundred runners and is along a trail with not a lot of access to cars, there's not much in the way of crowd support. But, I didn't mind that.
The tunnel section is quite surreal. If you live near the course, I'd recommend running through it before the race to get a sense of what it will be like. I found this the hardest part since I don't have great night vision. They give you a flashlight, but it's a little tricky to run at marathon pace and carry a flashlight.
Race Tips
I brought an extra light that clipped on my belt to help with the dark 2.5 mile tunnel.
3.5 Stars from 2 Reviews
