REVEL Big Bear Marathon & Half

REVEL Big Bear Marathon & Half is run at Big Bear Lake, California, on November 7, 2026, with the half marathon (13.1 miles) starting at 6 a.m. and the marathon (26.2 miles) also on the program. Both are point-to-point courses built for speed, among the fastest certified routes in California: they begin at altitude in the mountains near Big Bear Lake and descend through San Bernardino National Forest to the foothills at Redlands, on a gentle, steady downhill. The REVEL series handles the logistics tightly, with warm blankets at the start, shuttle transport and aid stations along the way.

A sustained downhill is a personal best and Boston qualifying opportunity, but only if your legs are ready for it. Downhill running loads the quads eccentrically, and runners who have trained exclusively on flat ground often fall apart in the last six miles. Build downhill repeats into the final two months and hold back early.