Rim Rock Marathon

Rim Rock Marathon is run in Grand Junction, Colorado, on November 1, 2026. The full marathon (26.2 miles) starts at 7:30 a.m. and the half marathon (13.1 miles) follows at 9 a.m. The marathon begins at the Colorado Gem and Minerals Club, heads west and climbs Monument Road into Colorado National Monument, continues up and through the Monument, then descends to the west entrance before turning left onto Highway 340 and running to James M. Robb State Park, where the finish sits at the pavilion.

A point-to-point with a long sustained climb early and a descent to the finish asks for specific preparation: run your long runs on hills, and practice downhill running so your quads can absorb the second half. This is not the race for a flat-course personal best, so set an effort-based plan instead of a target split, and build over 16 weeks with a weekly long run.