This isn’t some Dutch angle.  Trust me, Sue’s not that good a photographer.  This is the slope of the final stretch toward the finish line down N. Oak Street in Telluride for the Imogene Pass Run.  Better down than up.

I can tell you this too.  By running conservatively on the top half of the hill, we were able to seriously unwind the final couple of miles into town.  I rarely put on a kick in 10Ks let alone half marathons and marathons, so this was special.  The slope-aided speed reminded me of sprinting when I was young.  What a kick.

The Denver Marathon this Saturday has a sensible finish as I recall.  There’s a sizable downhill somewhere in the final mile.  Maybe, they’ve changed the course along the last 10K.  But I don’t recall there being any vomit-inducing uphill near the finish line like in so many Colorado events.  And that includes Moab where the final 3 miles are uphill.  Don’t even get me started on the Bolder Boulder hill up into Folsom Stadium.  That’s insane.  Fairly certain Denver has a flat finish.  So the rare downhill finishes are fine from time to time.