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Monument Valley Veterans Marathon

Saturday November 21st, 2020

Monument Valley, UT

Official Website

Description

MONUMENT VALLEY MARATHON 


Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, Kids Marathon & Wildcat Trail Fun Run


Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park


November 20-22, 2020


Welcome to the MV Marathon weekend!  Native runners can use the coupon code RUNNER20 to save 25% on all events.


REGISTRATION – Online registration for the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K is now open through Friday, November 20 at the NavajoYES website: www.navajoyes.org   If there are still open slots, on-site registration will be held at the race dinner on Friday evening and at the MV Visitor’s Center in the Park on Saturday morning between 8:00-9:30 a.m.  


Your registration includes professional timing, light pre-race food between 8:00-9:30, a race poster, on-course support (including Honey Stinger gels, Tailwind Nutrition, sweet and salty snacks, fresh fruit plus medical support and portable toilets), long-sleeve tech shirt, race bag and post-race food and entertainment.  All proceeds benefit community health and wellness programs on the Navajo Nation.


LOCATION – Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 23 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona and 20 miles south of Mexican Hat, Utah.  The park straddles the Arizona/Utah border, and the races all start and finish in Arizona.  


PACKET PICK-UP – Packet pick-up will be available at Tsebinezghai Elementary School (near the junction of the park road and Hwy 163) from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Friday and on the patio near the MV Visitor Center on Saturday morning from 8:00-9:45 a.m.  The marathon and half marathon begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.  The 10K begins at 10:15 a.m.


RACES – The Marathon is capped at 100 runners.  The course begins and ends in Arizona neat the AZ/Utah stateline.  The route includes several miles in the backcountry of the Valley through some dramatic, rarely seen landscapes. This is a challenging marathon mostly on dirt and jeep roads and is one of the most scenic routes in the country.  There is a significant amount of sand on this route. Highlights include the Arches loop and Totem Pole. The Half Marathon is the main Valley loop road – a graded dirt road; the event is capped at 300 runners.  A competitive 10K Trail Race will be held on the Wildcat Trail around and between East and West Mitten on a singletrack horse route.  The Wildcat Trail Fun Run is a four-mile trail fun run open to the general public on Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  The Kids Marathon will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, with students completing their “final mile”.


For all races, there will be signage and pin flags at main junctions and along the course.  


Please study the course map to get a feel for the course and to develop your energy and hydration plan.


PRE-RACE DINNER – You do not want to miss the Friday night pre-race banquet at the Monument Valley Welcome Center, just five minutes from the park on hwy 163. This event will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will include spaghetti, salad, bread, corn-on-the-cob, a cookie and drinks. The evening will include a race preview, entertainment and a silent auction to benefit youth and community wellness programs on the Nation. 


AID STATIONS – There are aid stations throughout the course, providing hydration, medical support and a variety of nutrition: Honey Stinger gels, Tailwind nutrition, salty and sweet snacks and fresh fruit.  There will be portajohns on the course, along with excellent course support by Navajo EMS, Utah Navajo Health System, Kayenta Fire Department and the Navajo Rangers.


LODGING – Our host hotel is The View Hotel in Monument Valley Tribal Park.  You can reach them at 435-727-5555. (They expect to sell out quickly). You can see more about The View at the website: http://monumentvalleyview.com/ .  


Additional lodging and camping is available at Gouldings Lodge and Gouldings Campground, about five minutes from the start line.  You can reach Gouldings at 435.727.3235; visit their website at www.gouldings.com.  


Kayenta, Arizona (25 minutes) and Mexican Hat, Utah (20 minutes) also have additional lodging options if The View and Goulding’s sell out.


AWARDS – There are pottery awards for Overall (winner and runner-up, male and female) in the Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K.  First place finishers in age-groups finishers receive pottery in the following marathon categories: 14 & under, 15-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70+.    Age-group 2nd place receive a unique NPRS tumbler. 


The Monument Valley View Hotel is offering $1000 gift certificates for the overall male and female winners in the marathon and half marathon, plus $100 awards for age-group winners.  The certificates are redeemable in The View’s world-renown arts & crafts gift shops, and includes a wide array of quality Navajo rugs, jewelry and art.


POST-RACE PARTY – The event at the finish line will welcome all runners with medals, food, drink, medical assistance and massage, along with age-group/overall pottery awards.  A major part of the MV Veterans Marathon will be live music and recognition of veterans from the Navajo Nation and beyond throughout the day. Among the special guests will be Navajo Code Talker John Kinsel, Sr. and Bataan Death March survivor Paul Kerchum.


WEATHER – The average November high in MV is 54, with an average low of 26.  The weather in the high desert is variable, of course, and winter weather, wind, rain are possible, as are much more warm, mild conditions.  


The MV Marathon and the Navajo Parks Race Series are co-sponsored by the nonprofit organization NavajoYES, Navajo Parks & Recreation, with major support from The View Hotel, Navajo United Way, Utah Navajo Health System, the Navajo Rangers, Office of Navajo President & Vice President, Kayenta Township, Kayenta Fire, Navajo EMS and MV Fire.


CONTACTS


Course questions: [email protected]


Registration questions: 608-201-8175; [email protected] or [email protected]  

Race Distances

Price Register
Monument Valley Marathon Click to Find Out Register »
Monument Valley Half Marathon Click to Find Out Register »
Monument Valley 10K Click to Find Out Register »

Places to Stay

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Start Location

P.O. Box 360289, Monument Valley, UT

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