REVEL Mt. Charleston Marathon
Las Vegas, NV
5 April 2025
Looking back to my college physics lessons, gravity is one of the four fundamental forces of our universe and in our lives. It’s the force that keeps us firmly on the ground. When we run downhill, we experience gravity in a unique and powerful way. It propels us forward with little effort.
It is often said that when running downhill, gravity is your friend and never pass on the opportunity to use that “free” energy. So, is gravity really a source of “free” energy? The short answer is no － not in the sense of an unlimited, self-sustaining power source. Gravity only helps release energy that’s already stored.
To run downhill, we must first go uphill. When we go uphill, we store potential energy in our bodies until it is released into kinetic energy as we descend downhill. Gravity isn’t creating energy out of nothing, it’s just helping convert stored potential energy into usable kinetic energy. The sensation is almost like flying － fast, smooth and powered, not by us, but by the Earth itself.
Gravity does give runners a free ride, but only after we’ve done the work to go uphill. Gravity doesn’t break any of the laws of physics or quantum theory, but it offers us a reliable and natural way to move energy around.
To begin my review, words from REVEL’s 2019 website describe Mt. Charleston:
“The REVEL Mt. Charleston Marathon course offers the best of Kyle Canyon, including breathtaking views of the forests and cliffs of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. Runners will enjoy the fresh scent of towering pines, glimpses of mountain wildlife, and the charm of the Mt. Charleston community as they run through the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. If that were not enough, the course is entirely downhill on a paved highway and is a Boston Marathon qualifier!
“The marathon begins roughly [twenty-one] miles up Kyle Canyon Road near the original Mt. Charleston Lodge. Standing at 7,600 ft above sea level surrounded by snowcapped peaks and fresh mountain air, runners will feel a world away from nearby downtown Las Vegas. The course meanders through the Cathedral Rock area for the first mile before reaching the main stretch of Kyle Canyon Rd.
“Once on the main highway, the route begins a 20-mile stretch of pure running bliss as the course heads downhill towards Las Vegas at a nearly steady 4% grade. Along the way, runners will enjoy stunning views of the sun rising over nearby Gass Peak to the east and the Las Vegas Strip to the south.
“The final five miles take runners through the beautiful palm-lined roads of the Centennial Hills neighborhood. Continuing its downhill slope, the course ends at the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex, where finish festivities await. REVEL Mt. Charleston is the fastest and most beautiful marathon in Nevada.”
That’s pretty much the crux of what this marathon epitomizes. First, let’s take a journey back to April 27, 2019, a date that will live in infamy. A date at my first crack at Mt. Charleston, and my second such REVEL series marathon course.
Las Vegas can be hot in late April, and it was. I completely fell apart during the middle part of the second half as temperatures rapidly rose near the desert floor. With temperatures hovering near 90°F, coupled with the heat radiating off the pavement, I played it smart and walked before heat stroke became a real possibility. Crossing the finish line in 5:09:06, I was grateful just to finish. Aside from Hatfield-McCoy Marathon, it was unequivocally my toughest marathon finish.
Jumping ahead to 2025, I decided to give Mt. Charleston another try －to improve my time by employing gravity’s free ride and to BQ now that I’m in a new age group bracket.
So, it’s time to once again redeem myself with the hopes of procuring a runner’s much adored abbreviations (BQ and/or PR).
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| Posing at the expo |
The REVEL series includes races around the country specializing in downhill courses: Big Bear, CA; Big Cottonwood Canyon, UT; Mt. Charleston, NV; and White Mountains, NH. The races are advertised as fast, beautiful, PRs and BQs.
All races are downhill, and from personal experience of two REVELs, training for downhill runs are paramount to successful completion and recovery, emphasis added.
My wife and I embarked on the six-hour road trip from our humble place of abode through the Mojave Desert up the crowded I-15 corridor to Las Vegas to run Mt. Charleston once again. No gambling – just running.
The Expo/Packet Pick-up
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| Expo |
The North Hall at the World Market Center played host for the marathon expo. Upon entering the pavilion hall, runners are greeted with a plethora of vendors peddling the usual merchandise seen at expos. Bib pick-up was easy and arranged numerically by bib number.
Participants receive a high-quality race tech shirt, REVEL swag and miscellaneous items including a pair of gloves and a Mylar blanket to insulate yourself from the cold temperatures at the top of the mountain.
In addition, REVEL’s on-line running coach Paul Carmona spoke at the Expo on his course experiences, topography, pacing, insight/science into downhill running, and race advice for na successful finish.
Let’s Do This
My wife and I hit the sack early, enough to squeeze in maybe two or three hours of shut-eye before our alarms rudely sounded at 0300, early enough to find parking in the designated parking area near the finish line and to board one of the shuttle buses to the start. The marathon buses loaded between the hours of 0315 to 0415 along Grand Montecito Parkway and Rome Blvd. So, getting a lot of sleep beforehand was pretty much non-existent and, for me, typical of most marathons. I quickly consumed a pre-race breakfast consisting of a banana, protein drink and two bagels as we departed our hotel. I had also packed a bottle of honey-water mixture to carry with me on my run.
Because of the expected sub-freezing temperatures at the start, we didn’t want to be on one of the first buses, so we waited for one of the final buses to leave. A convoy of school buses were first to depart, so it was nice to be seated on one of luxury motor coaches －in the front seat I might add.
Understandably, REVEL races can present challenging and unpredictable weather conditions at the start. Because of the substantial elevation gain, it’s always much colder at the start area than it is at the finish – just a price one must pay to run one of these steep downhill races. Inevitably, runners must endure waiting in freezing conditions before anyone can start running. By the time you finish; however, you’re hot.
The marathon begins promptly at 0600 on Kyle Canyon Road at the Mt. Charleston Lodge at an elevation of 7600 feet. Weather forecasts looked promising with finishing temperatures in the 60s. The temperature at the start was around 26 degrees under starry skies with a stiff northerly wind. Some winter snow accretions still surrounded the hillsides around the area, but the roads were clear.
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| On the bus waiting to disembark |
I’ve been monitoring the weather for Mt. Charleston and Las Vegas for the week leading up to the event, hoping to not have a repeat of the 2019 marathon.
The high temperature for Las Vegas was forecast to be in the low 70s, nearly ideal for running and a far cry from the 2019 marathon. For those who know me, I usually fall apart as I run in the sun and heat. Needless to say, I wasn’t concerned about the weather.
Instead, runners donning their mylar blankets huddled under a number of heat lamps.
As our bus pulled up to the queue of buses, I was ready to disembark. Unlike 2019, runners were not permitted inside the lodge to keep warm. Instead, runners must utilize their mylar blankets and huddle under one of the many heat lamps.
Volunteer staff directed our bus driver not to let anyone off. While other buses were unloading, ours was not for some reason. The driver became noticeably agitated and irritated and began to drop F-bombs. He indicated he didn’t want to be cited for doing so. As the time ticked past 0530, runners started putting pressure on the driver and he relented. It was quite comical listening to a Chinese man throw F-bombs. The cause of all this confusion －a broken-down bus.
Being past 0530, there wasn’t much time to use the porta-johns. The race director instructed runners to hurry and use the bag-drop before the doors of the truck closed. I removed my warm layers, checked my bag and headed to the long lines at the porta-johns for one last pit stop. Because of the chaos and scrambling, I forgot to grab my honey-water bottle from my drop-bag. But, I had enough gel packs with me just in case.
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| Starting line area at the lodge |
After the race director made a few announcements and the playing of our national anthem, it was go-time with hundreds of runners still waiting in line to relieve themselves. He kept insisting the race is chip timed and it doesn’t matter when you start. Comforting thought.
It was a little chilly and breezy, but the temporary discomfort of shivering paid off once the race began.
The first half: (8:45, 7:50, 7:26, 7:46, 9:33, 8:04, 7:12, 7:52, 8:06, 8:06, 8:06, 9:07, 9:07)
According to the website, the first half of this race has a net descent of around 3,100 feet (-4.5 percent), while the second half has a net descent of 2,000 feet (-2.9 percent), largely because the course levels off in the last few miles as one enters the desert floor. For that reason, I expected to run faster in the first half than in the second half. My plan, run the first half in under 1:50 and hope to conquer 21 miles in 2:55, corresponding to average paces of around 8:20 per mile.
Although the course is ordinarily downhill, the first half-mile requires runners to actually scale a significant little incline. Because of the high elevation at the start, even a small hill is exhausting. It was recommended to use this as a half-mile warm-up. My legs felt like concrete and my breathing felt labored. Hence, I didn’t attempt to negotiate the short incline at any kind of speedy pace. Besides, there’s ample time to make up for the slower start.
Once the road turned downhill at elevation 7650 ft, a sign read, “It’s time to put down the gauntlet.” I quickly caught my breath, trying not to push the downhill pace too much, and I quickly settled into a slightly faster pace with a higher cadence without excessive bounding or overstriding. I focused on the correct posture for downhill running by leaning forward, keeping my nose slightly ahead of my torso. Of course, this is at the start and who knows how I will feel at Marathon Mile 21.
As Marathon Mile 1 approached, I glanced at my Garmin showing a pace of around 8:45. Following to the highest point on the course, I increased my race pace sticking with a pace that felt natural. I wasn’t working to run faster, but I also wasn’t going out of my way to apply the brakes.
Within the first 1.5 miles, enough clothes lay dispersed alongside the road to fill a department store. Sweatshirts, gloves, beanie caps, t-shirts, hoodies to name a few. Personally, I tough-it-out when it’s cold, knowing I’ll warm up within a couple of minutes.
My second mile clocked in at 7:50 as I continued to run by feel. I was feeling relaxed, and I wanted to keep it that way – how long it would last was anyone’s guess. I listened to my body and adopted whatever gait felt most comfortable.
For the early miles, step by step, I gradually settled into a comfortable pace until the round-about at Marathon Mile 5. Here, runners deviate from Kyle Canyon Road into the Spring Mountain Visitor Gateway parking lot for a short uphill out-and-back loop with views of the snow-capped peaks and canyons captivating my attention. I took a quick walk breakup the short hill to consume a GU pack before the aid station just ahead. At this higher elevation, I didn’t want to expend too much energy running uphill and I knew I would quickly make up the time as the gradient changed once again.
The gateway center lays claim to the Silent Heroes of the Cold War National Memorial. I understand the secrecy surrounding Area 51, CIA, Groom Lake, and Las Vegas, but Mt. Charleston? Besides the silent heroes memorial stone honoring CIA personnel from the cold war era, one can touch a propeller from a C-54 aircraft that crashed on Mt. Charleston in 1955 on a secret mission to Area 51 (USAF 9068). Southern Nevada becomes more interesting when one listens to the heartbeats of the past.
After five or so miles of gliding along the highway as if I were on a large treadmill, I searched for a mantra germane to the course. I told my inner self to relax and to just float down the hill letting the gravitons mediate the forces of gravitational propulsion. Then it hit me, I finally found that mantra from the lyrics of a Tom Petty song, Runnin’ Down a Dream.
“It was a beautiful day; the sun beat down…I put the pedal down to make some time / there’s something good waiting down this road / I’m picking up whatever’s mine.”
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| Kyle Canyon |
Coming out of Marathon Mile 5 amidst all the cups scattered on the road being shuttled by the wind, I glanced at my Garmin to gauge my pace and as I looked up, I heard a chirping noise from my phone – a text notifying me that I crossed the 5-mile mark in 41:19 (8:15 pace).
With my legs feeling nearly one hundred percent, I continued pressing forward down the hill to the second hill just before the half marathon point.
The scenery of the canyon’s geologic and hydrologic features and formations is awe inspiring, which kept my mind engaged and away from the mind-numbing scenery that lie ahead.
Between nine and ten miles, runners passed some interesting geologic creations and one that resembled a giant gate. About this same time, the course’s grade became more uniform. On average, it wasn’t as steep, but with less variation, I was able to get into a uniform rhythm. Since the grade wasn’t as steep, gravity released its solid grip. I slowed a little as I began to feel some fatigue, and my pace drifted to around ten minutes.
I recalled the REVEL running coach advising runners to take shorter strides with a rapid cadence, to avoid overstriding. Realizing I was probably doing just that, I shortened my stride and picked up my cadence. Instead of floating downstream, I was now conscious of everything I did. At the risk of overstriding, I decided to go back to my mantra – “there’s something good waiting down this road / I’m picking up whatever’s mine.” The finish line, a medal and the satisfaction of running the distance.
I took a quick walk to fuel my muscles at the hill just before the half marathon check point and quickly resumed my quick pace at the top, crossing the half marathon timing station with a time of 1:47:40, ahead of my goal of 1:50 or less. I continued to listen to my body and trusted that I was running the pace that felt best for my legs. It wasn’t too fast and it didn’t feel like I was working too hard. The gravity assist was doing most of the work.
The second half: (8:26, 8:38, 9:24, 8:59, 11:15, 10:17, 10:26, 10:21, 11:20, 12:11, 11:38, 10:51, 10:16, 10:59 projected pace [final 0.22 mi])
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| Hanging with the 3:45 pacer |
In general, I wasn’t thinking too much about my running mechanics. I let myself subconsciously find the stride that felt comfortable. Gravity’s tug made it easy to run fast. I just had to keep my legs moving fast enough, hoping not to tire out too much, and rapid turnover requires good hip rotation and core strength. In the gym, I worked on my core strength; and in the field, I worked on running up and down hills.
I expected to slow down in the second half as the course begins to level off for a long sustained shadeless section of highway. Upon exiting the valley, everyone became more exposed to the elements as a stiff northerly crosswind plagued runners. But lucky for us, it would turn into a stiff tailwind at Marathon Mile 21 as the course shifts to the south. The crosswind felt good against my face, cooling my body’s furnace as my sweat levels dwindled to near zero..
I continued at a steady pace of around 8:30 per mile as the road’s gradient became noticeably flatter.
Just past Marathon Mile 17, the unthinkable happened. I started to feel my right calf muscle begin to cramp and tighten altering my gait and stride. I stopped at the aid station to apply some doTERRA deep blue rub lotion to soothe my fatigued muscles.
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| The road is long |
My calf wasn’t a big issue at the time, but I knew it would tighten up more as the miles progressed. I began to worry as my BQ time looked bleak. My quads still felt okay and my back wasn’t bothering me, so I held onto hope.
At the right turn at Oso Blanca Road at Marathon Mile 21, I was still on pace to finish in 3:50. With a time of 3:04:40, I needed to run the final 5.2 miles in 45:20 (8:43 per mile). With my calf gradually worsening, that goal was quickly falling through the cracks. I wasn’t counting on my legs to deliver such an order.
Here, the road began to level off. It was still “downhill”, but it sometimes seemed flat in comparison to the earlier miles. The tailwind was the only thing making it feel easy.
Shortly after the aid station at Marathon Mile 22, the wind blew hundreds of water cups down the road following the runners (some rolling along beside me). The sound of the cups was quite comical. Oso Blanca Road crosses under an expressway providing the first shaded section of the course. I vividly remembered the last time I crossed under the expressway in the oppressive heat on 2019 as runners sat on the curb, sprawled out and enjoying the cooler air.
Marathon Mile 23 welcomed the “get over it mile.” The unwelcomed final hill was upon us. It’s not steep, but it certainly makes running uncomfortable, especially with fatigued and sore muscles. With only five kilometers left, both calves tightened, but I continued running. It was slow, but was all I could muster. I was determined to run to the finish line.
I knew I wasn’t going to finish with a BQ or PR, so I felt content with a finish in under 4:05. I received a text at Marathon Mile 25 that I was on pace for a 4:01:42 finish.
After a right turn onto Durango Road I picked up my pace a bit, fighting the pain and discomfort. I saw the Marathon Mile 26 flag and I could see the finish line. I had less than a quarter-mile. I made the wide right turn into the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex parking lot, focused, wincing, and fighting my way to the final timing mat crossing in 4:03:05.
RACE STATS:
Distance: Marathon (26.2 mi) – my Garmin clocked in at 26.22 mi
Date: 5 April 2025
Bib No.: 1256
Weather at start: 26°F, clear moon-lit sky, breezy
Gun time: 4:09:00
Chip time: 4:03:05
Average cadence: 161 steps per minute
Average pace: 9:16 per mile
Overall rank: 1745 of 2678
Gender rank: 1062 of 1523
Division rank: 61 of 105
Elevation: 177 ft gain / 5095 ft loss
Half split: 1:47:40 (8:14 pace)
Age graded score: 62.04%
Age graded time: 3:16:06
Garmin splits: 8:45, 7:50, 7:26, 7:46, 9:33, 8:04, 7:12, 7:52, 8:06, 8:06, 8:06, 9:07, 9:07, 8:26, 8:38, 9:24, 8:59, 11:15, 10:17, 10:26, 10:21, 11:20, 12:11, 11:38, 10:51, 10:16, 10:59 projected pace [final 0.22 mi])
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| Finishing steps |
LIKES / WHAT WORKED:
· Easy expo. Gloves and mylar blanket included with swag.
· Downhill course as advertised.
· Very well-organized event from the expo, packet pick-up and to the multiple aid stations along the course.
· Super friendly volunteer support.
· Post-race food and refreshments.
· Easy parking and transportation race morning.
· Luxury buses for transport.
· Nice shirt and attractive finisher’s medal.
· Free race photos!
· Food, beer and cookies at the finish (a REVEL tradition).
· Great finish line announcer calling out the names of each finisher.
· Fantastic traffic control by law enforcement. Can’t say enough about the professionalism of the NHP and Metropolitan Police.
· FINISHING!!
DISLIKES / WHAT DIDN’T WORK:
· Getting up so early to catch the start line shuttle bus.
· The heat － sometimes.
· The post-race aches and pains associated with downhill running.
· The hills in the closing miles – perhaps to redirect ones focus from a day of downhill bliss to uphill misery.
After finishing, I enthusiastically accepted my gold finisher’s medal and an ice-cold bottle of water from a volunteer. Somehow, I wasn’t interested in looking for the post-race food, but rather to seek out a chair to take a load off my extremely achy, sore and wobbly legs and have a cold, refreshing Michelob Ultra 0.0.
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| My gold medal |
What sets aside REVEL races from others is the results tent. Sure, a marathon may have a results tent where a runner may look at a computer screen, print a slip resembling a grocery store receipt or read from a sheet of paper how they performed, but with REVEL, runners are presented with a postcard-like receipt. If some lucky runner is fortunate to BQ, he/she is presented with a stylish plastic card printed with “REV >> BOS” they may drape around their neck notifying the world of their achievement. It’s one of many small details that makes REVEL races so appealing to many.
At the REVEL expo, runners may choose a photo-op with backdrops while holding signs saying BQ or PR. I did pose for a photo, but with a prop simply reading “26.2”. I decided not to pose with a BQ or PR sign, because qualifying for Boston or obtaining a PR is still just a pipe dream. I had to earn it first.
Sign or no sign, I’m glad I finished a tough marathon course with a finish time I haven’t seen in years. While downhill running is fairly easy and enjoyable, it can wreak havoc on the legs. I’d love to say I ran a really fast race, but it’s more accurate to say I ran slow on a really fast course.
I believe I paced myself appropriately for the first 18 miles. But if my calf hadn’t cramped up I believe my BQ time was within reach. The conditions were right －tailwind and cooler temperatures.
Unless a runner desired additional pain, he/she could walk nearly a mile back to the designated parking lot to retrieve their car, but I decided to catch the shuttle bus back to the parking area.
As I was walking to the bus stop, the rapidly increasing soreness in my quads and calves became apparent. That’s to be expected. But as the days passed, it only got worse － debilitating and crippling worse.
Final thoughts:
I’m going to speak candidly; practice and train for hills. This course is a quad buster and you will be sore for a few days after. Beginning in 2020, organizers moved the race up the calendar to the first Saturday in April as a way to mitigate the heat related effects experienced in 2019. But, this is the desert and anything can happen.
I recommend runners seek out some external source of motivation to overcome the monotony and pain associated with this marathon course.
Race organizers coned off about a third of the road dedicated for the runners. On the traffic side, Nevada Highway Patrol escorted all vehicular traffic up and down the canyon with well-controlled speeds and organization. Being an engineer with traffic experience, I thought they were highly professional in their jobs and set a great example of proper traffic control. Not once did I ever feel unsafe. Running lanes are wide enough making for comfortable running, passing and aid station stops.
Las Vegas may be a gambling mecca, but don’t expect any gamblers from the Strip to stop by to place bets on your performance or cheer runners. Twenty-three miles of the course route is either in a mountainous or desert area, so do not expect many spectators to show up. The only spectators are the wonderful aid station volunteers. Without them, this race wouldn’t be possible.
However, many spectators lined the course for the final three miles and at a time when runners need inspiration and cheer the most. The energy they brought gave me the strength needed to push through some difficult miles.
Mt. Charleston doesn't feel like a large, overbloated event, but more like a runner’s race. The hospitality was great and you really felt like the organizers wanted you to genuinely enjoy yourself whether or not you run a PR or earn that BQ.
I’m not going to complain about my performance. I still had a great time – even with the pain, soreness, being barely able walk and all that comes with REVEL races. Will I do it again? Perhaps. Now that I’ve run it twice, I know what I need to work on and how to pace myself more conservatively.
“Your mind is your strongest muscle” － Tunde Oyeneyin, athlete, fitness instructor, author
As always, it’s onward and upward.
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| The reward after a hard run! |
