New in 2021 on the docket for our friends at Daybreak Racing is the Kalapuya Crest 50 miler. Running on the old trails in the Oregon Cascades, the race will start and end at Crescent Lake Resort (~75 minute drive from Bend; 90 minutes from Eugene; 60 minutes from Crater Lake), and circumnavigates Sawtooth Mountain in its lollipop course. With about 6,800 feet of ascent and equal descent, it’s a fairly moderate course – but…
**GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF THINGS DUE TO COVID-19, PLEASE NOTE THAT WE ARE PREVIEWING THIS RACE AS IF IT IS STILL OCCURRING . WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THESE RACES ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR THEIR WEBSITES TO DETERMINE IF CHANGES ARE BEING MADE** It’s not every race that could truly be called one of a kind, but the Banana Slug Backyard Ultra is the first of its kind in Oregon. Inspired by Big’s Backyard Ultra,…
Rainshadow Running’s Oregon Coast 50k & 30k event has been on my race bucket-list for quite awhile now and I’m happy to report that I was able to finally participate, running the 30k (technically 32k at 20.1 miles). I make no exaggeration when I say that this was one of the most beautiful and well-run races, and it’s an event that I absolutely intend on doing again in the future. October 13, 2019: Race morning…
Every year, new races pop up all over the place while some go away. This fall, there’s a trail race happening in the Columbia River Gorge, being put on by a new race director, that is sure to get your attention … if you like hills. The 25K has 4,300 feet of gain, while the 50K has 7,300 feet of gain. And while runners of ultras know that hills are often part of the bargain,…
If you were to ask me to name one event that I would recommend all trail runners do at least once, it would be Go Beyond Racing’s Elk King Trail Races. It’s been almost 2 years now since I first took part, and it is still easily one of my most memorable races to date. Taking place October 12 in the Tillamook State Forest, the 25k, 50k, and Mountain Marathon includes dreamy single track trails…
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…
http://waldo100k.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/picture12.jpg The first way to know that an ultra-marathon is not going to be easy: it’s an ultra-marathon. The second way is when the overview online includes this message: “It is not a beginner-level ultra and participation in the race should not be taken lightly.” And the third way is when the race organizers have a page dedicated to “How to avoid getting lost.” Welcome to the Waldo 100K. The 2019 event is already filled…
Every Alpine Running race is on my to-do list, and having done a couple already, I know they’re guaranteed to be great. The problem: they keep adding races to the lineup and my calendar can’t keep up! They took over directing the Elkhorn Crest 50 (and marathon) from Crux Ridge Running but the details are nearly identical. If you’re not trained and ready for it this summer, put it on the list for 2020 (I…
