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Marathon Details - American Discovery Trail Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > CO > Colorado Springs > American Discovery Trail Marathon

American Discovery Trail Marathon

American Discovery Trail Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K

Colorado Springs, CO USA

~~September 7, 2020~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.adtmarathon.com

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Race Details

Beautiful (mostly trail) run from Palmer Lake through the Air Force Academy and ending in Colorado Springs' America the Beautiful Park!

Contact Information

Name:	Jim Cannon
Address:
Phone Number:
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (58)

Course 4.4

Organization 4.3

Spectators 3.5

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Number of comments: 58 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

A. T. from Aurora, CO (9/9/2017) "Scenic, low-key race" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Very pretty run, especially the first 16-17 miles. The volunteers were terrific. Do not underestimate the middle miles (8-15) through the Air Force Academy-although a net downhill, there are some rolls and climbs which did me in on a warm day. I am disappointed the medal isn't specific to the marathon (there was also a half and 10k and all are printed on it).
M. S. from mansfield, TX (9/4/2017) "Nice mostly flat course, hot in 2017" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Nice 'trail' course thus little traffic and few road crossing points. Quiet & peaceful run. A lot of gravel and sand and some places had incline/declines which were difficult to run thru due to sand and tee roots. RD said to park at downtown parking garage however the address was misspelled on the website and there was plenty of parking at the bus loading point, no need to park in a garage and walk.
E. W. from Mississippi (9/19/2016) "Good double with WY" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 -I doubled this race with Jackson Hole Marathon (a Saturday race), as recommended by a friend. -It's my understanding that the course used to be a point to point. In 2016 - it was an out/back. -The course was a nice cement/gravel mixed trail along the small river starting from America the Beautiful Park. -The volunteers were awesome! I got a nice massage afterwards. The Negatives: -The trail was home to several homeless camps, abandoned camps and hangout spots. There was also a good amount of trash along the trail in some areas (especially under the bridges). While I never felt unsafe, I would likely not run the trail on my own if I were a local. -The shirts are a disappointment. Compared to the 2015 shirts they were giving away at PP, the 2016 shirts were just blah. I got a small (what I normally get and rarely have size issues), but realized quickly, that it was WAY too small. I asked about exchanging but had to wait until after the race. I didn't bother honestly, because I would never wear it. (I only kept it to be used in my quilt-in hindsight, I should have grabbed a 2015 shirt for my quilt and cut out the date). Bottom line: Compared to Jackson Hole, this race failed to live up to my expectations. But I checked off the state and got to spend a great weekend with family in the area!
A. L. from Colorado Springs, CO (9/3/2014) "Scenic course, although not easy" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I chose this as my first marathon for two reasons: because it is local for me, and because of the course. I was very familiar with the course beforehand and I knew I would enjoy it. For the runners considering this as a destination marathon, the course won't disappoint: you run southbound along the southern Front Range with views of Pikes Peak and the Air Force Academy along the way. There are several uphill sections, even though there is a net elevation loss. The aide stations seemed frequent enough. I brought my own water, but I took Gatorade at a few stations. The first time it was mixed properly, but it was too watery the second time I took it. The food at the finish was adequate, but nothing to write home about. There was pizza, Chick-fil-A, and sub sandwiches. Nothing too special. Having read previous comments about a lack of fans, I was surprised to find lots of groups of folks cheering. Very enthusiastic fans for a point-to-point trail marathon. I love the race medal (very heavy) and the t-shirt. The timing was accurate and posted immediately. The race director is a good guy who will take the time to listen to your concerns. Overall, I had a good experience at this marathon. I am glad I chose this as my first.
S. C. from Denver, CO (9/2/2014) "Beautiful views the entire way!" (about: 2014) First Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 My first marathon! I have also run 3 previous half-marathons and 2 ten-mile races. The weather really favored us this year; the starting temps at Palmer Lake was in the high 40's and quickly warmed to the 50's when the sun rose. Finishing temp at the park was 63*F close to noon. There was a bit of a S 10mph headwind at the end of the course. Course: This is the reason I chose this marathon, the views were spectacular and inspiring the entire way. The first 2/3 of the course is crushed gravel, the last portion was concrete. Unfortunately, this caused me to develop plantar fasciitis the last 4 miles of the course. There is a little bit of gravel alongside the concrete but it wasn't consistent enough for me to stay on. I didn't notice the overall downhill, but I'm certain it helped keep my run more pleasant. There were a few very short steep hills (50m long each) mostly in the middle of the course. Organization: Most other races are good about providing updates or last minute instructions by email to remind everyone how to prepare. No emails were released to provide any helpful reminders or tips. You have to be completely independent and find what you need on their website, which doesn't provide more than the basics. There were shuttle buses provided to the marathon start which was great, but it seems they failed to place a volunteer to check who was boarding since a few half-marathoners accidentally got on and had to bail at the start. Past reviews indicated not enough portajohns in the past. There were about 15 provided this year causing very long lines - I hope they will eventually read these reviews and improve. Bag check could have been faster if they handed out bags in line so we could be ready to tag and drop - we even had a tear-off tag from our bibs we could have quickly tied to the bags but they opted to write our numbers with magic marker instead, hanging up the line. I read that Hammer Gels would be provided at the aid stations, but it was not indicated on the map which ones. I took one each time they were offered, which turned out to be enough - just don't skip one when offered unless you brought your own. Water and gatorade were at every station. Also not indicated was where the restrooms would be. The course map info could really use improving, especially for the out-of-towners who have supporters who want to cheer along the way. The finishing area was nice and the refreshments good. However, I only saw water and soda, no gatorade or chocolate milk for the runners. Pizza was plentiful, but I opted for the watermelon and sliced oranges - perfect! I see there were some pictures and a video taken at the start, but at the finish only the award winners got their photos taken. I'm mostly disappointed that there is no finishing photo of me crossing my first marathon finish line. This seems too big an oversight to leave out, on top of everything else previously mentioned, this alone removed another star from my rating in this category. Spectators: There were a lot more spectators than I expected for a marathon crowd of approx 500 runners. It was very encouraging and just the right amount I needed to enjoy my performance. The volunteers were superstars and I enjoyed seeing them at every aid station - they were uplifting, motivating, energetic, helpful, and organized yelling out what was offered and quick to refill our handheld bottles. Lodging: I stayed at the Antlers Hilton and was questioning myself at the end why this was the location chosen when the park is still a few good blocks away. They charge you $17 for self-parking (street parking is free Sundays and Holidays, so we did that, but there are a lot of sketchy people around that area so don't leave any valuables) and charge $10 for wi-fi. It's an expensive place to stay. They don't even provide mini-fridges so you have no place to keep food and drinks cool, nor a microwave. I hope they can reconsider another location for next year's group rate (I suggest the Holiday Inn Express). Overall: I would still recommend running this race to anyone. The main advice I'd give is to arrive early to get in line for the portajohns, dress warm at the start with toss-away clothes, take the gels when offered, have your supporter(s) take photos of you and be ready to catch you at the finish. Also have a supporter bring a pre-packed cooler of your favorite refreshments (for me it was chocolate milk, coconut water, bathing wipes, and ice packs).
T. H. from Illinois (9/2/2014) "Great race, and great course, until the end" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This race was all that I expected and more considering the great weather. The course is so beautiful and serene until you run into chaos at the very end. I was experiencing GI issues from Mile 18 until I finished. When I got to the fountain there were children running to and fro. The fountain is a nice touch, but the finish should be redirected so that there is no potential for a child to get hurt, or puked on in my case, as runners endeavor to finish that dreadful .2 miles. I think this was mentioned last year. It is unfortunate that the race director did not listen. If they fix this minor problem, they've got a top notch race.
J. K. from Garden City, Kansas (9/15/2013) "Beautiful trail race" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a beautiful race. The course was mostly downhill and very scenic. There were aid stations every two miles. The volunteers were encouraging and made up for the lack of crowd. It is a smaller trail race (there were about 400-500 full marathon participants). The racers I found to be really friendly too. I'm a back of the packer and I never really felt alone. The last few miles in town were even still pretty scenic. When I finished the race at about an hour before the cutoff there was still more than enough food left. They easily still had over 20 boxes of pizza left and tons of sub sandwiches left. I also got a few bottles of water. The only downside I experienced during this race was that the trail is still open to the public so there were a lot of bicyclists. For the most part they would warn you when they were behind but on a couple of occasions they didn't and I almost became road kill. Other than that it was an excellent race, and I would love to do it again next year.
J. W. from Kansas City, Kansas (9/9/2013) "Good smaller race with room for improvement" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have few complaints with this race but think the few criticisms I have need to be addressed. The course is nice (very little pavement). Although it's a net downhill there are some short steep climbs that can do you in if you're not having a good day. The start around the lake is a stop and start bottle neck. If the race grows much this is going to be a problem. Okay, here is what I think needs to be addressed. The final 1/2 mile or more of the race is open to everyone. I was struggling to finish and there were people meandering all over the course. As I neared the fountain, barely hanging on, a small boy darted out in front of me and stopped. It was all I could do to keep from knocking him over. When I finished I was given a cold bottle of water. Glad I was, because there were absolutely no cold beverages left (and I'm a midpack runner, really sorry for those who finished later). I desperately needed some carbs as I was shaking very badly. My partner was kind enough to find a vendor and buy me a soda. That helped a lot. It's very bad that the organizers were so ill prepared to supply at least iced beverages for the marathoners (hold back some drinks!). I saw families eating the race food. Again, I pity the racers who were still out on the course. They most likely had nothing left to aid in their recovery.
A. K. from Denver, CO (8/17/2013) "Great Beautiful Course" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 After doing the 1/2, the full marathon is the way to go. Some of the PRETTIEST trail running I've done, esp. in the AFA area between 10-17 miles. A Fast course, my 2nd best time ever. Great runners and support along the way to talk to. Great Beer and food at the finish. Couldn't think of a better way to spend labor Day!
K. F. from Chicagoland (9/6/2012) "Great race and weather. Beautiful, well organized" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I really enjoyed this race. The trail was well marked, easy to run on and very flat. Very well organized, plenty of stations, gels, etc. Very friendly volunteers. A really nice small race. I definitely would recommend it. There is not a lot of opportuntiy for volunteers to be on the course, but of course there were some.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]



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A. T. from Aurora, CO (9/9/2017) "Scenic, low-key race" (about: 2017) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Very pretty run, especially the first 16-17 miles. The volunteers were terrific. Do not underestimate the middle miles (8-15) through the Air Force Academy-although a net downhill, there are some rolls and climbs which did me in on a warm day. I am disappointed the medal isn't specific to the marathon (there was also a half and 10k and all are printed on it).
M. S. from mansfield, TX (9/4/2017) "Nice mostly flat course, hot in 2017" (about: 2017) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Nice 'trail' course thus little traffic and few road crossing points. Quiet & peaceful run. A lot of gravel and sand and some places had incline/declines which were difficult to run thru due to sand and tee roots. RD said to park at downtown parking garage however the address was misspelled on the website and there was plenty of parking at the bus loading point, no need to park in a garage and walk.
E. W. from Mississippi (9/19/2016) "Good double with WY" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 -I doubled this race with Jackson Hole Marathon (a Saturday race), as recommended by a friend. -It's my understanding that the course used to be a point to point. In 2016 - it was an out/back. -The course was a nice cement/gravel mixed trail along the small river starting from America the Beautiful Park. -The volunteers were awesome! I got a nice massage afterwards. The Negatives: -The trail was home to several homeless camps, abandoned camps and hangout spots. There was also a good amount of trash along the trail in some areas (especially under the bridges). While I never felt unsafe, I would likely not run the trail on my own if I were a local. -The shirts are a disappointment. Compared to the 2015 shirts they were giving away at PP, the 2016 shirts were just blah. I got a small (what I normally get and rarely have size issues), but realized quickly, that it was WAY too small. I asked about exchanging but had to wait until after the race. I didn't bother honestly, because I would never wear it. (I only kept it to be used in my quilt-in hindsight, I should have grabbed a 2015 shirt for my quilt and cut out the date). Bottom line: Compared to Jackson Hole, this race failed to live up to my expectations. But I checked off the state and got to spend a great weekend with family in the area!
A. L. from Colorado Springs, CO (9/3/2014) "Scenic course, although not easy" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I chose this as my first marathon for two reasons: because it is local for me, and because of the course. I was very familiar with the course beforehand and I knew I would enjoy it. For the runners considering this as a destination marathon, the course won't disappoint: you run southbound along the southern Front Range with views of Pikes Peak and the Air Force Academy along the way. There are several uphill sections, even though there is a net elevation loss. The aide stations seemed frequent enough. I brought my own water, but I took Gatorade at a few stations. The first time it was mixed properly, but it was too watery the second time I took it. The food at the finish was adequate, but nothing to write home about. There was pizza, Chick-fil-A, and sub sandwiches. Nothing too special. Having read previous comments about a lack of fans, I was surprised to find lots of groups of folks cheering. Very enthusiastic fans for a point-to-point trail marathon. I love the race medal (very heavy) and the t-shirt. The timing was accurate and posted immediately. The race director is a good guy who will take the time to listen to your concerns. Overall, I had a good experience at this marathon. I am glad I chose this as my first.
S. C. from Denver, CO (9/2/2014) "Beautiful views the entire way!" (about: 2014) First Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 My first marathon! I have also run 3 previous half-marathons and 2 ten-mile races. The weather really favored us this year; the starting temps at Palmer Lake was in the high 40's and quickly warmed to the 50's when the sun rose. Finishing temp at the park was 63*F close to noon. There was a bit of a S 10mph headwind at the end of the course. Course: This is the reason I chose this marathon, the views were spectacular and inspiring the entire way. The first 2/3 of the course is crushed gravel, the last portion was concrete. Unfortunately, this caused me to develop plantar fasciitis the last 4 miles of the course. There is a little bit of gravel alongside the concrete but it wasn't consistent enough for me to stay on. I didn't notice the overall downhill, but I'm certain it helped keep my run more pleasant. There were a few very short steep hills (50m long each) mostly in the middle of the course. Organization: Most other races are good about providing updates or last minute instructions by email to remind everyone how to prepare. No emails were released to provide any helpful reminders or tips. You have to be completely independent and find what you need on their website, which doesn't provide more than the basics. There were shuttle buses provided to the marathon start which was great, but it seems they failed to place a volunteer to check who was boarding since a few half-marathoners accidentally got on and had to bail at the start. Past reviews indicated not enough portajohns in the past. There were about 15 provided this year causing very long lines - I hope they will eventually read these reviews and improve. Bag check could have been faster if they handed out bags in line so we could be ready to tag and drop - we even had a tear-off tag from our bibs we could have quickly tied to the bags but they opted to write our numbers with magic marker instead, hanging up the line. I read that Hammer Gels would be provided at the aid stations, but it was not indicated on the map which ones. I took one each time they were offered, which turned out to be enough - just don't skip one when offered unless you brought your own. Water and gatorade were at every station. Also not indicated was where the restrooms would be. The course map info could really use improving, especially for the out-of-towners who have supporters who want to cheer along the way. The finishing area was nice and the refreshments good. However, I only saw water and soda, no gatorade or chocolate milk for the runners. Pizza was plentiful, but I opted for the watermelon and sliced oranges - perfect! I see there were some pictures and a video taken at the start, but at the finish only the award winners got their photos taken. I'm mostly disappointed that there is no finishing photo of me crossing my first marathon finish line. This seems too big an oversight to leave out, on top of everything else previously mentioned, this alone removed another star from my rating in this category. Spectators: There were a lot more spectators than I expected for a marathon crowd of approx 500 runners. It was very encouraging and just the right amount I needed to enjoy my performance. The volunteers were superstars and I enjoyed seeing them at every aid station - they were uplifting, motivating, energetic, helpful, and organized yelling out what was offered and quick to refill our handheld bottles. Lodging: I stayed at the Antlers Hilton and was questioning myself at the end why this was the location chosen when the park is still a few good blocks away. They charge you $17 for self-parking (street parking is free Sundays and Holidays, so we did that, but there are a lot of sketchy people around that area so don't leave any valuables) and charge $10 for wi-fi. It's an expensive place to stay. They don't even provide mini-fridges so you have no place to keep food and drinks cool, nor a microwave. I hope they can reconsider another location for next year's group rate (I suggest the Holiday Inn Express). Overall: I would still recommend running this race to anyone. The main advice I'd give is to arrive early to get in line for the portajohns, dress warm at the start with toss-away clothes, take the gels when offered, have your supporter(s) take photos of you and be ready to catch you at the finish. Also have a supporter bring a pre-packed cooler of your favorite refreshments (for me it was chocolate milk, coconut water, bathing wipes, and ice packs).
T. H. from Illinois (9/2/2014) "Great race, and great course, until the end" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This race was all that I expected and more considering the great weather. The course is so beautiful and serene until you run into chaos at the very end. I was experiencing GI issues from Mile 18 until I finished. When I got to the fountain there were children running to and fro. The fountain is a nice touch, but the finish should be redirected so that there is no potential for a child to get hurt, or puked on in my case, as runners endeavor to finish that dreadful .2 miles. I think this was mentioned last year. It is unfortunate that the race director did not listen. If they fix this minor problem, they've got a top notch race.
J. K. from Garden City, Kansas (9/15/2013) "Beautiful trail race" (about: 2013) 1 previous marathon \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was a beautiful race. The course was mostly downhill and very scenic. There were aid stations every two miles. The volunteers were encouraging and made up for the lack of crowd. It is a smaller trail race (there were about 400-500 full marathon participants). The racers I found to be really friendly too. I'm a back of the packer and I never really felt alone. The last few miles in town were even still pretty scenic. When I finished the race at about an hour before the cutoff there was still more than enough food left. They easily still had over 20 boxes of pizza left and tons of sub sandwiches left. I also got a few bottles of water. The only downside I experienced during this race was that the trail is still open to the public so there were a lot of bicyclists. For the most part they would warn you when they were behind but on a couple of occasions they didn't and I almost became road kill. Other than that it was an excellent race, and I would love to do it again next year.
J. W. from Kansas City, Kansas (9/9/2013) "Good smaller race with room for improvement" (about: 2013) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I have few complaints with this race but think the few criticisms I have need to be addressed. The course is nice (very little pavement). Although it's a net downhill there are some short steep climbs that can do you in if you're not having a good day. The start around the lake is a stop and start bottle neck. If the race grows much this is going to be a problem. Okay, here is what I think needs to be addressed. The final 1/2 mile or more of the race is open to everyone. I was struggling to finish and there were people meandering all over the course. As I neared the fountain, barely hanging on, a small boy darted out in front of me and stopped. It was all I could do to keep from knocking him over. When I finished I was given a cold bottle of water. Glad I was, because there were absolutely no cold beverages left (and I'm a midpack runner, really sorry for those who finished later). I desperately needed some carbs as I was shaking very badly. My partner was kind enough to find a vendor and buy me a soda. That helped a lot. It's very bad that the organizers were so ill prepared to supply at least iced beverages for the marathoners (hold back some drinks!). I saw families eating the race food. Again, I pity the racers who were still out on the course. They most likely had nothing left to aid in their recovery.
A. K. from Denver, CO (8/17/2013) "Great Beautiful Course" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 After doing the 1/2, the full marathon is the way to go. Some of the PRETTIEST trail running I've done, esp. in the AFA area between 10-17 miles. A Fast course, my 2nd best time ever. Great runners and support along the way to talk to. Great Beer and food at the finish. Couldn't think of a better way to spend labor Day!
K. F. from Chicagoland (9/6/2012) "Great race and weather. Beautiful, well organized" (about: 2012) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 American Discovery Trail Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I really enjoyed this race. The trail was well marked, easy to run on and very flat. Very well organized, plenty of stations, gels, etc. Very friendly volunteers. A really nice small race. I definitely would recommend it. There is not a lot of opportuntiy for volunteers to be on the course, but of course there were some.

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Marathon Details - American Discovery Trail Marathon