REVEL Big Bear Marathon: Pacing & Race-Day Strategy
A screaming mountain descent from Big Bear toward Redlands — a BQ magnet that eats quads alive.
- Where:
- Big Bear, California
- When:
- November
- Course:
- Steep net downhill · point-to-point
- Best run as:
- Even pace
Course & elevation
REVEL Big Bear plunges roughly 5,000 feet from the alpine start near Big Bear down the mountain highway toward Redlands, making it one of the steepest net-downhill marathons in the country. The relentless drop is a Boston-qualifying magnet, but the grade is severe enough to shred unprepared quads — downhill-specific training is non-negotiable here.
- Start → Finish
- 6,629 → 1,545 ft
- Net
- −5,084 ft
- Total gain
- ≈ 280 ft
Key moments
- Mile 1–6Steep alpine descent off the mountain — hold back hard, because the grade is steepest early.
- Mile 7–20Sustained downhill on the canyon highway; keep a quick, light cadence to spare your quads.
- Mile 23–26.2The grade mellows toward Redlands — battered quads make these flatter miles the real test.
Pacing strategy
Resist the temptation to bomb the early descent — the steepest grades come first, and over-striding them will destroy your quads by mile 18. Run a short, fast, low-impact stride and let even effort carry you to a fast time; weeks of downhill training beforehand are essential.
Plan your mile splits
Enter your goal time to get a mile-by-mile pacing band for REVEL Big Bear Marathon. The even pace option is pre-selected to suit this course.
| Mile | Pace | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9:09/mi | 9:09 |
| 2 | 9:09/mi | 18:18 |
| 3 | 9:09/mi | 27:28 |
| 4 | 9:09/mi | 36:37 |
| 5 | 9:09/mi | 45:46 |
| 6 | 9:09/mi | 54:55 |
| 7 | 9:09/mi | 1:04:05 |
| 8 | 9:09/mi | 1:13:14 |
| 9 | 9:09/mi | 1:22:23 |
| 10 | 9:09/mi | 1:31:32 |
| 11 | 9:09/mi | 1:40:41 |
| 12 | 9:09/mi | 1:49:51 |
| 13 | 9:09/mi | 1:59:00 |
| 14 | 9:09/mi | 2:08:09 |
| 15 | 9:09/mi | 2:17:18 |
| 16 | 9:09/mi | 2:26:28 |
| 17 | 9:09/mi | 2:35:37 |
| 18 | 9:09/mi | 2:44:46 |
| 19 | 9:09/mi | 2:53:55 |
| 20 | 9:09/mi | 3:03:05 |
| 21 | 9:09/mi | 3:12:14 |
| 22 | 9:09/mi | 3:21:23 |
| 23 | 9:09/mi | 3:30:32 |
| 24 | 9:09/mi | 3:39:41 |
| 25 | 9:09/mi | 3:48:51 |
| 26 | 9:09/mi | 3:58:00 |
| 26.22 | 9:09/mi | 4:00:00 |
Fueling & hydration
Aid stations sit roughly every 2 miles with water and sports drink along the canyon road. The fast, cool descent makes fueling easy to skip — keep a disciplined gel schedule, since late-race quad fatigue is brutal without steady energy.
Weather
Mid-November starts are cold at altitude near Big Bear (often 30s°F, sometimes below freezing) and warm steadily during the descent toward the lower desert — layer for a cold start you’ll shed quickly.
Train for REVEL Big Bear Marathon
Build a free, personalized marathon plan that progresses you safely to race day — with paces tuned to your goal.
Create your free plan