I ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon in 2017. I like downhill running, so for me, this was a great race. However, if your knees, hips or other body parts do not like downhill running, I would avoid this race. The grade was not terribly steep but the first 10 miles or so are definitely on a down-hill grade, and on a highway, so the combination of hard surface ad grade can catch some people off-guard.

The expo for this race was quiet, did not have a lot of vendors, and so the check-in process was quick.

My biggest complaint about this race is that you cannot drive to the start. You drive to the finish and take a bus to the start. The bus drops you at the start more than an hour before the race. It is cold and dark and although there are bonfires and porta-potties, I would have preferred to be in bed that extra hour.

Once the race started it was great. The water stations were frequent enough and the volunteers were awesome. About 10 miles into the race, you start to come into Provo, the road is flatter (less downhill) and there is a fair amount of spectator/crowd support.

I had a hard time meeting up with family at the finish. It was hard to transition from "runner-only areas to public areas. Also, my gear drop bag from the start had the tag ripped off so it took a good 30 minutes to locate my bag with my sweats and jacket inside. But we did find it, so in the end all was good.

The finisher medal was cool, and the race jacket was nice. Also, all finishers received a gift certificate toward a purchase at a local jeweler. I am not local so never used mine but it was a really nice perk.

I ran this race in 2017. IT was one of my first half-marathons, and it was a doozy!

First, the race starts at about 7800 feet above sea level. I live at 5400 feet and thought the elevation would not affect me. But it did. Second, if you run this race, be prepared for elevation gain on tired legs. The race is an out and back that starts with 4 miles downhill, then 2.5 miles uphill to a turn-around spot. Even during that first 4 miles, the air felt thin. Then, after the half-way point, you come back doing the reverse course - 2.5 miles downhill, then the final 4 miles is uphill. It's all uphill. A relentless uphill. My quads and glutes were sore for a few days after this one!

This course is very scenic and the race is very well-run. It's a low-key event, everyone is super-friendly, and all of the race organizers, volunteers, and the other runners were all very friendly and welcoming. This was a fun event, for sure! If you're planning to run it, my suggestions would be to train on some decent hills, and if you can, also spend some time training at elevation.

The Carbon Valley Half Marathon is a race that is run each May as part of an effort to raise money toward Autism awareness. The race runs between Frederick and Firestone, CO, two small towns north of Denver.

I ran this race as part of my quest to run 52 races in 52 weeks to celebrate my 52nd birthday. It was a fun race with some beautiful views. Bib pick-up is available the night before the race if you are local. I got mine race morning, and it worked out well. The race short was a long sleeved tech tee and I like it a lot.

This is a very low-frills kind of a race. I loved it but if you're looking for a lot of crowd support or huge expos this is not your race. It was well-run and I loved running through the small towns and checking out the sights. It was a road race with a trail race kind of a feel about it - small and comfortable and unassuming.

This is a great race for a great cause. May weather in Colorado is usually perfect race weather, so if you're looking for a May half-marathon in the Denver area, this is your race.