A lot of the races that we preview here at Run Oregon are located in the Portland metro area, and I have to confess that I personally have not ventured much beyond the comfortable Willamette Valley region. However, this site is Run Oregon, not Run PDX, so we do write about races throughout the state, like the Cougar Fun Run in Echo, OR in Umatilla County. Apparently, this race started in 2006 as a high school senior project but has in recent years been run by Eastern Oregon Sports Training LLC.
Chip-timed race options include 1 mile, 5K, and 10K. The 5K and 10K races are out-and-back routes on Rieth Road (one of the main thoroughfares through Echo) somewhat parallel to the Umatilla River. (Here’s the 5K route; and here’s the 10K route.) It looks like there’s about a 100 foot elevation gain over the first half of the 5K, so the way back should be quick. Yea for negative splits!
Cougar Fun Run
When: March 21, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. (10K) or 10:15 a.m. (1 mile, 5K)
Where: Echo High School, 600 Gerome Street, Echo, OR 97826
Register: Here; 1 mile race is $10, and the 5K and 10K races are $20. Day of race registration is available for $5 more per race. T-shirts are $10 and require registration by March 10 to ensure receipt on race day.