The Aspen Backcountry Marathon is a well-organized and challenging trail marathon. They also offer a "heavy half (a little over 14 miles) as a shorter option.

I have to say, initially, that the swag for this race was awesome. It is sponsored by Adidas, so my registration netted a running cap, tech tee, and my choice of 3 different colors/sizes of very nice duffel bags. Upon completion of the race, finishers are awarded an engraved metal pint glass.

The course is run alternating directions, each year. I ran it in 2018, which meant I had 3,000 or so feet of gain during miles 3-10, followed by a gentle descent and rolling downhills for the last 16 miles of the race. Every other year, the race would involve 16 miles of gradual climbing followed by a steep descent over what would be miles 17-23. That steeper section though is tough, no matter which direction you might be going, because it is rocky and very steep. The views are stunning, though, not only from the mountain vistas, but also as you're running through a pleasant, flat meadow in the middle sections of the race.

My only complaint about this race is that it is run on the same day as a Duck Derby, and 1/4 mile or so from the finish is a bridge. The Duck Derby finish is at that bridge, and so by the time I came through (I was one of the slowest runners on course that day as I was using this as a training run for an upcoming 50 miler) the bridge was crowded with Duck Derby spectators and I had to walk and weave my way through. The only other drawback is that parking is limited in the area of the start/finish. Nevertheless, the race is very well-run, the swag was great, the views were spectacular, and I highly recommend this race to anyone who may be considering it.