Spirit Trail Race
course details
We commit…
…to giving you a safe, challenging, beautiful,
well-marked, and fully-supported race course.
Spirit Trail Race Courses
Click the image to view the interactive Strava map.
8 Kilometers
Start @ 8:30 am
Finish by noon (42 min/mile pace)
A single loop course of pure single track gold starting with a stout climb up from the river and fast descent into the finish.
8k elevation gain = 980 feet
Click the image to view the interactive Strava map.
Half Marathon
Start @ 7:30 am
Must be through mile 6.2 by 10:30 am (30 min/mile pace)
Must be through mile 7.8 by 11:30 am (30 min/mile pace)
Finish by 3:00 pm (34 min/mile average pace)
It’ll be a fast course but don’t get fooled, this course will be rolling, often technical, always scenic trail.
Half-marathon elevation gain = 1, 200 feet
Click the image to view the interactive Strava map.
Marathon
Start @ 6:30 am
Must be through mile 6.2 by 8:15 am (17 min/mile pace)
Must be through mile 13 by 10:30 am (18 min/mile pace)
Must be through mile 22.1 by 1:30 pm (19 min/mile pace)
Finished by 3:00 pm (19 min/mile average pace)
The marathoners will basically run all the single-track trail in the Four Mile Travel Management Area. This is one single loop.
Marathon elevation gain = 3,200 feet
Aid Stations
All aid stations will have ice cold water, soda, and an electrolyte drink (Tailwind).
For food, we have pretzels, fruit, cookies, and Huma gels.
Marathon : mile 6.2, mile 13 (with bathrooms), mile 17.8 (water cooler only), mile 22.1 (with bathrooms), and mile 24 (water cooler only)
Half-marathon: mile 6.2, mile 7.8 (with bathrooms), and mile 10.3 (water cooler only)
8k: mile 3.0 (water cooler only)
SPECTATORS (for the marathon and half)
You are welcome to cheer for your runners along the race course, so long as your car and your person stay out of the way of other travelers/racers. You are allowed to provide aid in the form of food, water, gear, high fives, etc, as long as it is AT an established aid station.
If your racer is running the marathon or half, we suggest dropping them off at the start then making your way to their first aid station (mile 6.2). Navigate to the Collegiate Peaks Overlook (on CR 304), which is an 8 min drive from the start line. You will need to park in the official parking lot and make the short walk to the aid station (which you will see before you park). After your racer passes through there, continue up the dirt road for another 1.2 miles to get to the Midland Bike Trailhead Aid Station, where you will get to cheer them through again (mile 22.1 for the marathon, mile 7.8 for the half-marathon). After seeing them a second time, you will have plenty of time to make the 10 minute drive back to South Main to cheer them through the finish line!
Mileages on this map are for the Marathon. See the written description above for mileages related to the 8k and half-marathon courses.
START / FINISH AREA: Front Loop, Buena Vista, CO (near Surf Hotel + South Main St Area)
Plan to arrive 30-45 min before your race. Grab a parking spot along South Main, or use the lot we have reserved, just west of South Main.
Racer check-in will be very near the start line and only takes 2 minutes.
Bathrooms and a spot to leave your things will be available.
At the finish line, we will have awards, food, drinks, and celebration!
Plan to hang around and meet some local vendors!