RacesReviewed / Race Intelligence

Colorado Marathon

Marathon2026-05-03

Colorado's original road marathon takes runners on a scenic 26.2-mile journey from Fort Collins to Greeley along the beautiful Poudre River. With a net 300-foot downhill course and ideal May timing, this race is perfect for runners seeking a fast, picturesque marathon or a Boston qualifier. The stunning spring scenery and downhill advantage make this Colorado classic a must-run for any serious marathoner.

RegisterOpen signupcomarathon.comLocationFort Collins, CORace start area

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Course format

Canyon-to-city downhill marathon

Road · point-to-point.

Elevation profile

1119 ft net down

325 ft up and 1444 ft down across the Marathon. Net downhill overall. The biggest climb hits late-race.

Pressure point

Downhill pacing trap

The route gives away enough elevation that the bigger risk is going out too freely before the later miles start to bite back.

Weather bias

Usually weather-dragged

Typical starts are around 54F, so even manageable mornings can still get more expensive later.

Free training plan

Build a free Marathon plan for this race.

Keep race research first. When you want it, open a quick planner that uses the selected distance, the selected race date, and the course itself.

Course Profile

Colorado Marathon course profile

Full course view

This course section is built from a mapped route and elevation profile so you can understand how the race is likely to run.

Synced course focus

Marathon checkpoint 2

Mile 3.5 · 5879 ft · Built from the stored course profile in Supabase.

Course trace

The route line and elevation chart reflect the selected distance.

Pressure model

Pressure points highlight where pacing or effort may change during the race.

What comes next

Use the course, weather, logistics, and reviews together to build your race-day plan.

Difficulty Meter

Marathon race demand

Course-based read
76/100
Course detail
Detailed
Weather detail
Historical + forecast
Race-day detail
Moderate
Weather view
Live forecast

Weather read

Strong tailwind assist

Route-aligned wind gives you a quick feel for how the day may race before you dig into the full weather section.

Jump to weather analysis

Weather Analysis

Colorado Marathon weather outlook

Forecast + history

Weather blends the live forecast with the race's historical weather patterns to help you plan.

Route-aligned wind

+5.3 mph

Interpretation

Strong tailwind assist

NOAA race-window forecast is live. Wind is scored relative to the course bearing where possible.

Course bearing 110.3 degAverage wind 7.0 mphDominant direction WNW

Estimated weather effect

+0.95%

Heuristic read

Net weather penalty

Help score

-17

Historical profile

Historically weather-dragged

Based on 7 years of race-weekend weather in the archive.

Avg start temp 53.9FAvg wind 7.4 mphAligned wind N/A

Tailwind years

0%

Headwind years

0%

Helpful weather

0%

Forecasts use current race-area weather, and history looks at past race-weekend conditions to show what runners have typically faced.

Weather history

2025 race-weekend conditions

Race date

May 4, 2025

Avg temperature

69.1F

Avg wind

11.7 mph

Aligned wind

N/A

Historical weather pending

+1.85% estimated finish-time effect · 13 hourly observations

Start

61F

Patchy Smoke

6.0 mph · W

Mid-course

63F

Patchy Smoke

8.0 mph · WNW

Finish

67F

Patchy Smoke

7.0 mph · N

Course Breakdown

Where the race starts costing more

Pacing watchpoints

Active segment

Middle rhythm

This is a deterministic pacing band built from the available course trace and race distance.

Avg grade -157.6 ft/miFocused mile 3.5Pacing watchpoint

Race-Day Logistics

Colorado Marathon race-day logistics

Planning basics

Race weekend

8 recorded years

The basic race structure is in place for planning.

Distance options

1 distance

This page can show the event correctly even when some race-day detail is still light.

Race-day planning

More details coming

Packet pickup, parking, support flow, and reunion details may still be limited.

Course Map

Route shape, city context, and key course moments in one view.

Map + course context

Map overview

This map follows the available route for the selected distance and stays in sync with the elevation chart.

Highlighted point

Marathon checkpoint 2

Built from the stored course profile in Supabase.

Mile 3.55879 ftOpening settle

What to watch

Use this map to spot turns, neighborhoods, and where the race starts to feel different.

Course coverage

Route shape and elevation are available, while aid stations and spectator overlays may still be added over time.

Why it matters

Fort Collins, CO should still be easy to plan around, even when some course details are lighter than others.

Qualification

This Marathon is best viewed as a qualification-focused marathon.

BQ fit

BQ angle

Boston qualifier

This race is currently marked as a Boston-qualifying event.

Race posture

Qualification-friendly marathon

The page should frame it as a performance opportunity, not an exclusivity gate.

Certification

Certification not confirmed

Treat certification as unconfirmed until the official race information is clearer.

Colorado Marathon official siteBoston qualifying standards reference

Race History

Race history overview

Some history available

Past editions tracked

8

Recorded race years

Archive

Current route view

Available

Marathon

Current

Benchmarks

Growing archive

More historical context will be added here as the archive grows

In progress

Review Radar

Runner signal for Colorado Marathon

Runner reviews live
CourseCourseLogisticsLogisticsCrowd supportCrowd supportAid stationsAid stationsFinish areaFinish areaRecommendRecommend

Course

87/100

Logistics

43/100

Crowd support

67/100

Aid stations

87/100

Finish area

87/100

Recommend

87/100

Your draft saves locally as you answer.

Common questions

FAQ

Related race pages

More course-ready races to compare.

Walden · CO · The Double (60km & 100km)

Never Summer 100km & 60km

Open the race page for route shape, elevation, weather context, and runner review signals.