REVEL White Mountains Marathon: What You Need To Know -

The REVEL races have reached the east coast! If you’re considering running the REVEL White Mountains Marathon in New Hampshire, here are recaps of the expo, course, and five tips on how to train for this race and execute a successful run. Personally, I loved this race and I hope you’re swayed into running it too after reading this post.

This is a dark haired woman in a black sweatshirt and black leggings. She is smiling at the camera and holding a young girl who is one year old. The woman has a shiny race medal around her neck, and she's holding it in one hand. The baby is looking at it and holding onto it too. The woman is standing outside in a grassy area next to a parking lot and smiling at the camera.

REVEL White Mountains Marathon Expo:

This was my first REVEL race and I was very impressed with the organization. The emails leading up to the event were clear and direct, and as someone who was traveling, I felt assured that I knew where I was going and when.

Check out my free Race Weekend Checklist and take the stress out of packing for your next big race!

The expo was bustling with runners and well organized. REVEL made it clear what you needed to pick up and where to gather these items. There were plenty of staff members to help answer any questions and talk to you about the course.

Additionally, there were lots of shuttle buses in the early morning hours on race day. I was able to get on one immediately, find a seat, and off we went to the start.

This is a dark-haired woman in a blue and white jacket smiling. She is pointing to her name, Elizabeth Jansen Amell, on a wall that lists many other names. This was at the REVEL White Mountains Marathon expo.

REVEL White Mountains Marathon Course:

To start, the first five miles of this course are the steepest downhill of the race. Because of this, it will be easy to run too quickly. My choice was to not start faster than goal race pace, despite the steady climb during miles 11-12. Personally, I felt like if I started faster than goal pace, I would end up paying for it in the later miles.

The climb before the halfway point was gradual and steady. It was an out-and-back, so runners heading uphill will see people ahead of them coming downhill. According to my GPS watch, we gained 240 feet of elevation during those two miles.

The last ten miles of the race are a steady downhill with short sections that felt like they were flat and a slight incline. There are plenty of twists and turns along the scenic Kancamegus Highway, so be sure to run the tangents! Lastly, the course ends in downtown Conway, NH. Runners are greeted by enthusiastic spectators and a finish line festival.

The aid stations were extremely well stocked. They offered water, Gatorade Endurance, and some had Gu Energy Gels and orange slices. Personally, I carried all my Gu Energy Gels in my FlipBelt, though would not have lost any time if grabbing these items from aid stations.

To get an in-depth look at the course, check out the elevation profile and map here.

Tips for Running the REVEL White Mountains Marathon:

Train for both uphill and downhill running

At first glance of the elevation map, we see significant downhill with a steady climb during miles 11-12. If you are able to complete long runs on routes with rolling hills, that would be beneficial for training. Additionally, if you have access to a route with several consistent downhill miles, I suggest practicing long runs there as well.

Related: Ultimate Guide to Hill Training: All About Running Hills

Strengthen your quads and glutes

Downhill running means sore quads. Before this race, I read reviews by people who said their quads started feeling sore at mile 3. Turns out, so did mine!

Prioritizing lower body strength will help you sustain your race pace, maintain proper form, and mentally endure running with sore quads. To prepare for this course, I consistently followed strength workouts from Stronger Runners.

Related: Strength for Runners: Why Strength Matters and How To Get Started

A man and a woman are both running a marathon. They are running side by side past a sign that says "White Mountain National Forest Scenic Area. Rocky Gorge". The man is wearing a grey shirt and blue shorts, and the woman is wearing a light blue t-shirt and pink shorts. There is a red car in the background.

Be okay with very few spectators

There are no spectators on most of this course, as it’s not open for the public to travel through. The volunteers at the aid stations are, of course, excited to cheer you on, but that’s pretty much it until you reach the last mile in Conway.

If you rely heavily on crowd support, this might not be the right race for you.

Related: Ultimate Guide to Run Your Best Race

Practice an early morning long run

Next, it’s important to note this race starts at 6am. You might find it helpful to start a long run early in the morning so you practice running and fueling around that hour.

More specifically, nail down your fueling and know exactly when you plan to eat your pre-race breakfast and fluids before the race starts. Personally, I ate my breakfast at 3:45am and finished drinking fluids by 5am. It was early!

Related: Fueling for Running: How To Fuel and Why It’s Important

Prepare to wait outside in any kind of weather

Lastly, runners must take the shuttles REVEL provides to the starting line. The ride is approximately one hour and once there, all participants wait outside. I caught a 3:30am shuttle to the start, so I had 90 minutes to wait in the rain before the race started. If the weather looks soggy, be sure to buy throwaway clothes and lots of warm layers.

Fortunately, REVEL included a pair of gloves and thermal blanket in the expo bags. I covered myself with the thermal blanket while waiting for the race to start, and was able to stay mostly dry before beginning the race.

Related: What To Do On Race Morning

A woman is sitting outside in the dark. It is raining and she has a thermal blanket over her head so she doesn't get wet. She is wearing an unzipped light purple jacket and purple fleece underneath. She has a plastic bag in her lap that is tied. The woman is smiling at the camera.

In short, I loved this marathon! REVEL goes above and beyond to make sure participants are well prepared for a fun and successful day. The course and scenery were beautiful, and I hope you are able to experience this race too.

Looking for Guidance with Marathon Training?

I would love to help you train for the REVEL White Mountains Marathon or a different race! Email me at [email protected] or check out my Run Coaching Services page to learn more and get started.