I Ran a Downhill Half Marathon – Here’s Why My Legs Are Still Filing Complaints

By Gaz Morris

When I signed up for the Revel Big Bear Marathon I had no idea that I’d end up running the Half instead. It was a race I was excited to try having heard about it being a fully downhill marathon, but when mudslides further up the mountain forced the organisers to cancel the marathon, I decided the Half would have to do. I’d already planned a trip to California to visit family, so switching to the 13.1-mile distance seemed like the obvious decision. In hindsight, being transferred was probably a blessing, but I certainly didn’t realise this when I was standing at the start line on 1.5 hours of sleep, wondering what I’d signed up for.

A 3:30am Bus Ride 

The race day started far too early. I had to leave the house at 2am to catch a shuttle bus up the mountain for the 6am start. Big Bear sits high in the San Bernardino Mountains, and the race begins at around 1,400m (4,700ft). The finish is a casual 450m (1,500ft). That’s 3,240ft (1,000m) of descent in 13.1 miles and zero elevation gain.

After being dropped off in the freezing mountain air, I kept reminding myself to just enjoy it. I had no time expectations and put no pressure on myself. The plan was to just run downhill and see what happens. With this being my first fully downhill half, I was looking forward to gravity helping me down the mountain, not fully appreciating the toll the descent was going to have on my body.

Pre-Race Nutrition: Carb Loading and Collagen 

I took the nutrition side seriously. Three days out, I consciously upped my carb intake, making sure the glycogen tank was full. Morning and evening I took Protein Rebel’s Run Easy collagen, which has become a daily staple for me.

I also used Protein Rebel’s Power Up magnesium, especially during race week. Downhill running or not, I wanted my recovery and sleep to be top notch.

The night before wasn’t glamorous. I enjoyed a huge pizza and whatever leftovers the kids abandoned (classic carb loading).

Fuel for the Race

My nutrition plan was to have a Maple Coffee gel 30 minutes before the start and another at 8K. I then took a Maple Ignite gel at 15K and ensured I had an electrolyte drink with breakfast as well as water on the course. It worked perfectly, giving me a steady release of energy throughout the race.

Gravity-Assisted PBs… Until My Legs Quit

The gun went off and the first half felt incredible. With gravity on my side, I cruised through 5k and 10k PBs without even dipping deeply into the aerobic tank. The views were amazing and I genuinely felt like I was floating, but around 15km my quads started shouting at me after all the pounding downhill.

From this point, I was in survival mode with every step feeling like someone was tightening a vice around my legs. Thankfully, the last mile flattened out a bit, which actually helped me pick up the pace again, but the moment I crossed the finish line, my legs left the chat. I was completely ruined but at the same time delighted I had done it.

I crossed the line in 1 hour 14 minutes, finishing 16th overall. Considering I had no time goal and barely any sleep due to matters outside of my control, I was genuinely happy with that.

Recovery: The Week My Legs Filed a Complaint

I expected some soreness. What I got was DOMS of biblical proportions.

Within minutes of finishing, my legs were shot. For the next week, stairs became my mortal enemy so I concentrated on my recovery with walking and a gentle recovery run a few days later. I also upped my protein, got back to my collagen routine and enjoyed a few recovery beers while trying not to look like a baby giraffe every time I stood up.

I’ve learnt that downhill races may look easy on paper, but they deal out punishment like nothing else.

Would I Do It Again?

Absolutely. Next time I visit California, I’d love another shot, but this time at the full Big Bear Marathon, assuming the mountain behaves and doesn’t slide off again. It’s a race that you don’t get the chance to do often, and knowing what I’m letting myself in for means I can prepare best I can for the inevitable leg pounding.

Despite the early start, the unexpected course change, and the weeklong quad destruction, it was definitely one of the most memorable racing experiences I’ve had and I’d recommend it to anyone.