God’s Country Marathon, Half Marathon & Relay
Overview
Course Description
Traveling along Route 6, the course travels east until the U-turn marker sends them back to meet up with the full marathoners at the beginning of the hill. Climbing up to an elevation of 2,424 feet above sea level, the course takes approximately three miles to climb over 700 feet.
It’s all downhill after the mile 5 marker. For the remaining eight miles, runners will enjoy a gentle descent of over 800 feet. The course heads due west along Route 6 and towards Coudersport. Route 6 is the second longest highway in the United States and stretches from Bishop, California to Provincetown, Massachusetts. It is also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, a name bestowed to honor American Civil War veterans.
There are a few rolling hills to contend with after mile 5, but racers can feel confident after climbing the hill. Runners can easily rehydrate as water stations are at nearly each mile marker.
The peaceful countryside of Potter’s County makes for beautiful scenery along the race. Signs of a more populated area begin to pop up as racers near Charles Cole Memorial Hospital near mile 11. Past mile marker 12, racers exit Route 6 and make a left turn onto Park Avenue.
