REVEL Big Bear Marathon Recap: Qualifying for Boston After 30 Marathons

This post goes with Episode 29 of Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure Podcast. Listen wherever you get your podcasts for the full story, including a few moments that are even better heard than read.

Nathan and Alicia at the finish line of the REVEL Big Bear races back in 2021!

Some races are just races. Some change your life. For us, REVEL Big Bear in Southern California was the second kind.

In November 2021, Nathan lined up for his 30th marathon with one goal he had been chasing for more than a decade: qualifying for the Boston Marathon. That same morning, Alicia ran her very first half marathon down the very same mountain. With Big Bear running under the REVEL name for the last time on November 7, 2026, before the series joins Vacation Races, we wanted to look back at the race weekend that remains one of the highlights of our lives, and share what we learned for anyone thinking about running it.

Getting ready for a Boston Qualifier and a first half marathon!

How We Found REVEL

We first discovered REVEL at a race expo, of all places, while getting chair massages. Next to us was a sign with the elevation chart REVEL is famous for: start high on a mountain, then run down a paved road all the way to the finish.

Nathan was hooked. His first REVEL race was REVEL Rockies in 2018, practically a hometown race back when we lived in Denver. He came away with sore quads and a big realization: downhill running is not easier, it is just hard in a different way. With the right training, though, it could be fast. We went on to run REVEL Mt Charleston too, with Nathan running the full and Alicia the half and then Alicia ran the half at at REVEL Rockies in 2022.

Alicia up early for the start of the REVEL Big Bear Half Marathon.

What kept us coming back was how professionally REVEL runs their events. Gloves and mylar blankets at the cold start lines, plenty of porta potties, coffee while you wait, free race photos, live tracking for family back home, and a finish line that feels like a party for runners and spectators alike. Plus crumble cookies at the finish. Alicia is still talking about those.

Alicia getting swag at the REVEL Rockies Half Marathon Finish line back in 2022.

The Road to Big Bear

In April 2021, Nathan ran the Golden Driller Marathon in Tulsa (you can hear that whole story in Episode 17). He held Boston qualifying pace for the first 20 miles before slowing down, and he left that race believing something new: with the right training and the right course, he could finally do this.

So he went on a mission. Nathan ran more than 2,160 miles in 2021, about 41 miles a week, all while in the middle of a run streak of at least a mile every single day. He used the Main 2 Main Marathon in Osage, Iowa, as a training run in August, finishing in about 3:30 in classic Midwest summer heat and humidity.

Alicia (10K) and Nathan (Marathon) at the finish line in Iowa!

Knowing Big Bear would punish his quads, he also found the perfect training ground in Colorado: the Slacker Half Marathon, which starts above 10,600 feet at Loveland Ski Area and drops about 2,200 feet down to Georgetown. He set a half marathon PR there in June, then went back to that course again and again to train his legs for the pounding and his lungs for the altitude. And yes, our old treadmill had a decline setting, which we highly recommend if you can find one.

Meanwhile, something just as important was happening at home. On a walk around our Denver neighborhood with our pups, we talked about big goals and how we could help each other reach them. Alicia had done plenty of fun 5Ks and obstacle races, but nothing longer. Nathan asked, "What if you ran a half marathon?" She said yes, and suddenly we were training side by side, with Alicia running her first 10K at Main 2 Main as part of her own build.

Remember, you are always faster than the person who never started.

The Day Before: Finding the Finish Line

We flew from Denver into LAX and spent our first day at the beach before heading inland (that part of the trip is getting its own episode). The next stop was Redlands, where both the marathon and half marathon finish at the Redlands Sports Park.

We do not always scout a finish line, but this time we did, and we are so glad. The barricades were going up and the finish arch was already in place, with the San Bernardino Mountains we would be running down rising right behind it. Standing there and picturing the last stretch made race morning feel a lot less unknown.

Big things would happen here just a day later!

Nathan's run streak was not taking a day off, so he got a short shakeout run in right around the sports park, 1.37 miles. His Strava caption that day said it all: streak intact, envisioning tomorrow's finish. Alicia kept it light and found some shade.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn and Suites San Bernardino, one of the partner hotels. It is about what you would expect from the chain, but the location was the real win: we could walk right outside to the race buses. When your alarm goes off around 3 a.m., every extra minute in bed counts. We also loved seeing other runners around the hotel before and after the race.

At the expo, Nathan sat in on Coach Paul Carmona's course presentation, slides and all, on top of the Facebook livestreams he had already been training with. Then came a Jersey Mike's sandwich that Nathan was briefly convinced had made him sick (it hadn't, just pre race nerves), a carb loading dinner of fettuccine Alfredo, and an early night.

Inside the Expo.

Race Morning

Because REVEL races are point to point down a mountain, everyone rides a bus to the start, with separate buses for the marathon and the half. That meant we said goodbye early and headed to our own start lines. Alicia's bus had multicolored party lights, which felt about right for 3:30 in the morning.

At the top, it was cold. Nathan's screenshot shows 44 degrees just before the start, with campfires, coffee, snacks, and plenty of porta potties. Alicia wore every layer she brought, kept most of them on for the whole race, and at one point took shelter from the wind inside a porta potty. Spectators cannot get onto the mountain road, so if you are cheering for someone, you will see them off at the bus and meet them at the finish.

Nathan prerace at the start, chilly, early, and nervous.

Alicia's First Half Marathon

The half marathon starts partway down the mountain and covers the second half of the full marathon course. Alicia lined up with the pacers, watched the sunrise over the mountains, and walked through the aid stations to drink her water, chatting with some of the friendliest volunteers we have ever met.

Then, less than half a mile from the finish, came the speed bump. A regular, painted yellow, everyday speed bump that felt like a mountain after 13 miles of downhill. Listen to the episode for the full story. It is one of our favorite moments we have ever recorded.

As she turned toward the finish, a spectator looked her right in the eye and told her to go pass the runner in front of her. She did not, but she did finish her very first half marathon, and then she did something Nathan did not learn about until we recorded this episode. She pretended she still needed to sit in the recovery chairs near the finish line so she could stay right there and see Nathan cross. For almost an hour.

Alicia running the half!

Nathan's Race: 30 Marathons in the Making

Coach Paul's advice stuck with Nathan the whole way down. The first half of the marathon has some rolling hills, so you will be behind pace early. Do not panic. You will get it back once the long downhill stretch begins.

Around the halfway point, the course opened up into what felt like an endless straightaway. Nathan thought about how Alicia had already run that exact same road, and a runner flew past him laughing and cheering like she was at a party. That is the magic of a REVEL course.

Mile 15 was the only time Nathan doubted himself. Right then, his favorite song came on, "I'll Find You" by Lecrae and Tori Kelly, and it felt like exactly the reminder he needed to keep going. His watch kept buzzing with encouragement from Alicia, his mom, and his running partners Ben and Chase. If you have a runner in your life, send those texts. They matter more than you know.

The course flattens out near the bottom and gets hot. It was about 80 degrees when Nathan finished and pushing 90 an hour later, with very little shade, so be ready for that.

Around mile 25, Nathan looked at his watch and realized he had 10 to 11 minutes to cover the last mile. He just had to keep moving. He crossed the line in 3:02:50, under the sub-3:05 he needed to qualify for the Boston Marathon, on his 30th marathon! Alicia caught the finish on video, fist pump and all, and then stopped recording just before he started jumping up and down.

Nathan just across the finish line as a Boston Marathon qualifier after 30 marathons.

He rang the PR bell, and REVEL handed him a special bag tag given only to Boston qualifiers that reads "Not done yet." It is framed on our wall today, along with our finish photo together. Nathan went on to run the 2023 Boston Marathon.

Our REVEL swag hangs in our entryway hallway including the luggage tag. Like we said, this race means a lot to us!

Celebrating, DINK Style

We had planned to celebrate at a Florida Georgia Line concert that night, but it was canceled. So we pivoted: dinner at Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel and a walk around Downtown Disney. Magical, cheesiness fully intended. Plans change, you adjust, and you still celebrate.

We were in a very Goofy and celebratory mood!!

Running REVEL Big Bear in 2026: What to Know

If this story has you thinking about running it yourself, here is what we would want to know:

The date. Saturday, November 7, 2026, with the marathon and half both starting at 6:00 a.m. Both races have a time limit of 6 hours and 33 minutes.

The buses. Everyone rides a bus to the start. Marathon buses load from 3:15 to 3:45 a.m. and half marathon buses from 3:30 to 4:15 a.m. at 650 E Hospitality Lane in San Bernardino. The Hampton Inn and Suites where we stayed is at 895 E Hospitality Lane, a short walk down the same street.

The expo. Friday, November 6, at the Ontario Convention Center. Bring a photo ID, since there is no race day packet pickup.

Flying in. Ontario International Airport is the closest, about 25 minutes from the hotel area. LAX (Los Angeles International) is roughly 65 miles away and only worth it if you want a beach day first, like we did.

The weather. Expect cold at the start and heat at the finish. Dress in layers you can put in your drop bag.

Training. Train specifically for downhill running. Your quads will thank you.

The future. After this race, Big Bear moves to Vacation Races. Same mountain, new chapter, but this is the last chance to run it under the REVEL name.

Give It a Listen

Thirty marathons, one first half marathon, a speed bump, a secret at the finish line, and a dinner with Goofy. This episode is part race recap and part love letter to REVEL, and we hope it brings back memories for every REVELer out there, or inspires you to chase a big goal of your own!

Next up in Episode 30, we sit down with Coach Paul Carmona for our full conversation about downhill racing, the course, Boston, what comes next, and some great advice for life, not just running.

Not someday. Today.

Goofy's Kitchen after the races during the age of COVID was still a blast of a way to celebrate!
(Look at those shirts!)

Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure podcast is hosted by Nathan and Alicia Adams, married 19 years and DINK by choice, who travel, run marathons, scuba dive, and eat their way through life together. This is a space where your latest adventure is the opening line, not your kid's age. Whether you're a DINK couple, empty nester, or anyone ready to adventure NOW, this podcast is for you. New episodes every other week. Subscribe, leave us a review, and keep adventuring!

Places Mentioned in This Post

Nathan's swag post race.

Alicia and Nathan celebrating post race.

Nathan before boarding the bus.

The starting area for the REVEL Big Bear Marathon.

Nathan getting ready for 26.2!

Alicia getting ready for 13.1!

Finishing park for the races!

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Marrying Your Passions: The DINK Travel and Adventure Podcast