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Bizz Johnson 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k

October 11, 2025
Susanville
Trail
Distances
Marathon, Half-Marathon, 10k
Starting Time

9:00 AM

Fees

$50+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

1-100
Downhill
Forested
High: 80°
/ Low: 51°

Runners in the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon, Half Marathons, 50K & 10K get one of those rare treats seldom found at any race event, whether road race or trail race — a course that’s nearly all downhill, which has helped it become known as the “fastest marathon in the West,” according to race organizers.

There’s actually two half marathons at this race — the first on Saturday, known as the Bizz Johnson Half Marathon, and the second on Sunday, the Bizz Johnson Express Half Marathon.

Sunday’s half starts at the midway point of the full marathon course (which took place the preceding day), and runs through California’s Lassen National Forest all the way to the finish line in nearby Susanville, with really only one significant hill during the entire race.

Organizers also emphasize that this race is considered one of the state’s best opportunities for runners looking to set personal record times, because while the race is all downhill and runners descend about 1,100 feet overall throughout the race, the angle of descent is never steeper than about 2%, so the course offers a mild, easy downhill run throughout. Gorgeous mountain scenery. After the first few miles of the Saturday half, runners enter the area known as the Susan River Canyon, where runners will cross the river no fewer than 10 times over wooden bridges that overlook the river flowing far below. All around there is beautiful natural scenery, from the high cliffs of the surrounding mountains to the trees making their seasonal turn to many different shades of yellow, orange and brown. Runners hit a quick downhill and uphill just before the 7-mile marker in the half marathon (and the 20-mile marker in the full marathon), where the course falls and quickly rises a little over 100 feet in elevation, but after that the course resumes its steady, mild descent toward the finish.
Overview
Runners in the Bizz Johnson Trail Marathon, Half Marathons, 50K & 10K get one of those rare treats seldom found at any race event, whether road race or trail race — a course that’s nearly all downhill, which has helped it become known as the “fastest marathon in the West,” according to race organizers. There’s actually two half marathons at this race — the first on Saturday, known as the Bizz Johnson Half Marathon, and the second on Sunday, the Bizz Johnson Express Half Marathon. Sunday’s half starts at the midway point of the full marathon course (which took place the preceding day), and runs through California’s Lassen National Forest all the way to the finish line in nearby Susanville, with really only one significant hill during the entire race.
Organizers also emphasize that this race is considered one of the state’s best opportunities for runners looking to set personal record times, because while the race is all downhill and runners descend about 1,100 feet overall throughout the race, the angle of descent is never steeper than about 2%, so the course offers a mild, easy downhill run throughout. Gorgeous mountain scenery. After the first few miles of the Saturday half, runners enter the area known as the Susan River Canyon, where runners will cross the river no fewer than 10 times over wooden bridges that overlook the river flowing far below. All around there is beautiful natural scenery, from the high cliffs of the surrounding mountains to the trees making their seasonal turn to many different shades of yellow, orange and brown. Runners hit a quick downhill and uphill just before the 7-mile marker in the half marathon (and the 20-mile marker in the full marathon), where the course falls and quickly rises a little over 100 feet in elevation, but after that the course resumes its steady, mild descent toward the finish.

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Bizz Johnson 50k, Marathon, Half Marathon & 10k Course Map

Distances
Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k
Starting Time

9:00 AM

Fees

$50+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

Train with Runna

Use code HALF for 2 weeks FREE

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