Moab Trail Marathon

I have run over 100 marathons, but the Moab Trail Marathon was definitely a unique experience. Do not expect a PR, in fact, this might be your slowest marathon time ever. Going into the race, I did not expect this race to be tougher than Pikes Peak, but it certainly was...yet I LOVED every painful minute of the race. The scenery was amazing, the terrain (rocks, sand and hills) was punishing and exhilarating. Aid station volunteers went above and beyond, quite literaly, having to hike the supplies in to some of these spots. Also, there are absolutely no spectators on the course, which, in my opinion, was great. It allowed runners to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. The one suggestion to improve the overall experience would be to have more buses for the return trip to town The bus wait times notwithstanding, if I lived near Moab, I would run this race every year!

This is the 2020 year of Covid and I have run this Marathon. It was my first Marathon of my life, I have never participated in any race before this one. The training and terrain has to be the most important part to get you ready for this course. Everything was so well marked and organized! It was fun, challenging and with unbelievable views!

Everything the race guide tells you about the Moab Trail Marathon is true. It is challenging terrain, with obstacles, slick rock, water to run through, ladders to climb and sand to trudge through. The graph shows the vertical gain and loss well, so you will know to be prepared for hiking. Running on slick rock is similar to running on pavement, so some training on pavement would be appropriate. If this appeals to you, what a treat! Running and climbing 26.2 miles in the desert with aid stations every 3-6 miles and unrivaled views was an ultimate high. The bottleneck at the beginning was a drawback, but the field spread out within the first mile. It was difficult to pass on the single track climbs. However this group was the happiest and team oriented family of runners - everyone saying 'good job' and 'way to go' as you pass each other. There was not much opportunity for spectators to catch glimpses of runners, so it was nice to have the friendly camaraderie of the participants.