I’m not going to lie and say this was easy, nor am I going to tell you I ran the whole way with a smile on my face. To be fair, there were moments that found me smiling, especially as I crossed that finish line. But this race was all about determination and redemption, as are a lot of ultras for most of us. We kick, scratch, claw, bite at, and gnaw our way through…
Outside of a little town called Glide, there is a trailhead called Swiftwater – located a mere 25 minutes northeast of Roseburg. The trailhead gets its name from the quick current running downstream from Deadline Falls, which happens to be right next to the starting point of the NUT 100K/50K trail race, put on Go Beyond Racing. The NUT was first introduced to us in 2015, and met with much enthusiasm as a premier ultra…
Most anyone who runs trails knows that Bend is a Mecca, of sorts, when it comes to primo places to run and race. Out toward Mt Bachelor, and throughout the Cascade Lakes area, there are miles and miles of trails to lose yourself in, including some popular routes that meander near and along the Deschutes River. One such set of trails, called Tiddlywinks (I’m not making that up, I swear), makes up the entirety of…
Trail races abound in Oregon, from east to west, from north to south; every distance you want is out there, pretty much. Some are much tougher than others, some offer stunning scenery, and some even have amazing race organizers and volunteers. However, few offer all that and more like you’ll find at Ochoco Trail Runs from Alpine Running. Last year at Ochoco, I completed my first 50K. Why in the world did I attempt a…
“Every race is different. Every race organizer is different. Showing up at an event is different for every course, every race, some are just weird. Today, I find myself just outside of Tri-Cities, in fact, just outside of the city of Pasco. When I first got here, at about 4:30 AM, there was no one here. To be honest I didn’t expect too many people to be here, as it is my understanding this is…
Run Oregon had a few bloggers out for Alpine Running‘s Run The Rock at Smith Rock State Park. Read on for their accounts, then go here for the 2018 results, here for the 50M/50K photos, and here for the half marathon photos! Bobi Jo: Less than a week has passed and we’re still on our runner’s high over here at Run Oregon from our weekend spent at Smith Rock! It was a full on adventure, with the 50M and 50K…
One hundred mile races are the primary pinnacle distance for ultra-marathon runners.There are obviously distances that one can run that are further, but the 100-miler is seen as the distance to shoot for when getting into ultra-marathons. Around the country, and even the world, are well-known races that often feature big name runners. The scenery is all that, the hype is through the roof and the experience is why people show up. Here in Oregon,…
I find ultramarathons and ultramarathoners totally inspiring, motivational, amazing, crazy and bad ass! I can not even comprehend running for 14+ hours at a decent pace – I mean, let’s be honest, I’m feeling like I might die after 1. The Waldo 100k Trail Run sounds incredible to me – this is no beginner level ultra here, this is a super challenging 100k loop starting at the Willamette Pass Ski Area (70 miles outside of…
Wine. Beer. Fundraiser to help people in poverty. Costumes. Lots of running, with friends or all by yourself. What else could you need in a day? The 7th Annual Barrel to Keg Relay to End Poverty is a great and scenic one day relay through the back country of the beautiful Oregon Coast that starts at the Harris Bridge Vineyard in Philomath, Oregon, winds through back roads, some trails and the usual paved roads, crosses…
Over the course of the past few years, I have experimented with different ways to manage hydration on long runs. As many of you know, there are several ways to carry or manage your hydration from hand-helds to belts to vests with pockets and vests with built-in bladders in the back. Each of these ways have their own merits and surely you have your favorite. I found myself bouncing back and forth between a belt…
