The Peak to Creek Marathon course loses a total of 2800 feet from the high to low points, with the most of the loss occurring from about mile 6 to mile 15 (~2200 feet). Although the course has a net downhill and is generally fast, it has many turns and is run mostly (20 miles) on dirt roads. These two factors may slow some runners down on this downhill, point-to-point course.
In addition, as with any downhill course, pace management is a key component of race strategy. Being too aggressive on the fast downhill sections (~4% average downhill grade) may result in extremely fatigued quads the last 10+ miles of the race.
From the race website - The Peak to Creek course consists of approximately 7 miles of paved surface: approximately 5.5 miles at the start in Jonas Ridge, and a few short stretches in various places along the course, including the last quarter mile or so. R2BM veterans will see the map below and notice some enormous differences, especially the noticeable lack of hills on the back half.
The majority of the course is run on quiet, unpaved country roads that pass through dense forests and open fields, and provide for some outstanding views of the mountains. The unpaved surface is far more forgiving than pavement, and as long as there are no vehicles coming, you are free to run left, right, or center. Camber is not an issue.
The course is not a “trail,” in any sense of the word, but simply an unpaved road. There can be rocks and sticks that may have fallen from overhanging trees, but there will be no large stones or roots lying in wait to catch the shuffling foot. If you are not accustomed to running downhill on an unpaved surface and you plan to run aggressively, we urge you to be especially careful when negotiating turns. There may be some loose stones in some places and it may be possible to slip if you’re not paying attention to what you’re doing.
4.3 Stars from 16 Reviews