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First Timer's Guide
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California > Death Valley Borax Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K
Death Valley National Park, CA • Saturday, February 2, 2013 • Course Map
Run entirely along a 6.55-mile stretch of Highway 190 through the flat,
desolate desert terrain of California's Death Valley National Park, the
Death Valley Borax Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K offers one of the
country's most unique courses for running a road race of any kind.
Out-and-back and surrounded by the sandy hills and mountains for which
the park is known, the race is also relatively flat, featuring no more
than 500 feet of elevation change over the entire route.
From the starting line at the aptly named Furnace Creek Ranch on
Highway 190, the race follows a simple, out-and-back route northward
and southward along the road, and is run entirely on paved surfaces.
Famous for its elevation below sea level (and, at 282 feet below sea
level, as the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere), the race features
views of nearby mountain ranges including the Cottonwoods, the Blacks,
the Grapevines and the Panamints.
Though the race is run -- thankfully -- at a time of the year when Death
Valley experiences relatively cooler temperatures, runners are
encouraged to bring water with them along the course -- even though aid
stations will be provided -- to prevent dehydration from occurring.
Runners will start the race at 8:00 AM, and should expect the
only real rolling hills of the race in the first three miles and last
three miles of the race, as the out-and-back course takes them along
the course they've just run back toward the finish at Furnace Creek.
The race is a smaller one by most running event standards, as just over
160 runners crossed the finish line in the half marathon in 2012 (out
of just over 340 runners overall in all three races). Also, runners
will need to keep a pace of at most 13:45 minutes per mile, as there is
a 6-hour time limit for all participants in the marathon, half marathon
and the 10K.
Race Weather & Climate
Located within the Mojave Desert of Southern California, just over 300 miles north from Los Angeles and roughly 130 miles west of Las Vegas, Death Valley typically sees February temperatures that average between 73°F and 46°F, while rainfall totals average less than half an inch for the month. On the day of the race (Feb. 2), the average high is 70°F and the average low is 43°F.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Death Valley Borax Half Marathon
Fees
$75 for adults
$40 for those 17 and under
Registration
To reserve your spot in the 2013 running of the Death Valley Borax Marathon, Half Marathon or 10K race, register online at the event website.
Official Race Website
www.envirosports.com
Leave a Comment
Ever run in California's annual Death Valley Borax Marathon or Half Marathon? Share your impressions, stories and tips from the event.
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