Designed to take runners along the Rio Grande Trail, now a paved running, walking and hiking trail that runs alongside the Roaring Fork River, the Aspen Valley Half Marathon follows a downhill trajectory for nearly the entire route. Runners star the half near the W/J Ranch just south of Woody Creek, and head northwest from there all the way to the finish line at Lions Park in Basalt, Colo.
(MORE: Aspen Valley Half Marathon event details)