Last year, there were many sad runners when it was announced that the Gorgeous Relay had to be cancelled due to the devastating Eagle Creek fire. This year, the race is back, with a new and (of course) gorgeous course to look forward to. This race will be a celebration of the Columbia Gorge at the Friends of the Columbia Gorge!
The 2018 Gorgeous Relay, “the one that started it all,” should be a treat if you’ve never run a Gorgeous Relay before. I’ve personally always been impressed with all the Gorgeous Races, as there is so much thought placed on where the course goes and they are well planned events with organizers and volunteers who are some of the nicest around. You will be well taken care of before, during, and after the journey which means so much when you’re sacrificing a whole exhausting day to do a relay.
There are a few important things worth noting for this race. Each team must provide a volunteer and their own van (nothing longer than 20 feet) to participate. To receive start times and race bibs, all the people on your team must submit a waiver and their estimated 10k time by August 26th. The volunteer info needs to be submitted beforehand as well. The team’s average must be an 11:30 minute per mile pace and exchanges will close after this window of time. 
The cost of the relay varies depending on how many people are on your team. A regular team consists of 5-6 people, but you could have a team of less. You could even run it solo if you were one of those amazing people who do that sort of thing. You decide! If you are short a member or looking for a team, view the team matching availability here.
There will be a Captain’s Meeting and packet pick-up on September 9th from 4:00PM to 5:30PM at Foot Traffic Southeast and the store will be offering 10% off on merchandise so you can shop while you’re there.
The race course will be 60 miles long, starting just outside of Cascade Locks in Mosier at the Mark O. Hatfield East trailhead and will head into Portland and finish at Rogue Eastside Pub & Pilot Brewery. Check out the course and all the leg information here.
All runners will receive Gorgeous headgear, a free beer, a pint glass, and a finisher’s medal when they celebrate the end of another epic race. The Gorgeous Relay is completely untimed, as this race is about having fun and making memories, not about getting your fastest time. Also, unlike most relays, any leg can be run by anyone on the team in any order they want. Do whatever works for your team and have fun!
Details:
What: 2018 Gorgeous Relay
When: September 16th, 2018. Waves start at 6:40AM and team captains will receive start times on 8/26.
Where: The relay begins at the Mark O. Hatfield East trailhead parking lot in Mosier (69 miles east of Portland.)
Register: Here
Registration Cost: Team of 5-6 runners is $540, team of 3-4 runners is $360, team of 2 runners is $180, and a solo runner is $90
Packet Pick-Up: Captain’s meeting and packet pick-up is Sunday, Sept 9th from 4:00PM-5:30PM at Foot Traffic Southeast (7718 SE 13th.)
