Bear Lake Trifecta-3 races, 3 states, 3 days The Bear Lake Trifecta offered both full and half marathon options. I chose half marathon, with Idaho being on Thursday, Wyoming on … MORE
Bear Lake Trifecta-3 races, 3 states, 3 days
The Bear Lake Trifecta offered both full and half marathon options. I chose half marathon, with Idaho being on Thursday, Wyoming on Friday and Utah on Saturday. We stayed in Garden City, Utah, which was a quaint and very friendly little town. The Idaho race was 25 minutes away from there, the Wyoming race was 50 minutes away and the Utah race was in Garden City itself. There were plenty of beautiful views in the area, including Bear Lake itself. We even went to the Teton mountains, about 3 hours away.
The T-shirts were tech material, with all featuring the same design. The bear logo and state name were a different color to designate which state it was for. The finishers medals were the same shape and design for each state. The ribbon and bear logo on the medal were different colors, depending on the state.
Each race was a timed out and back, with a rolling start and 100-120 runners completing the half marathon distance. Each race had water/aid stops roughly every two miles, with a porta potty every other water stop. A deejay welcomed runners back as they finished each race. The age group awards were just like the finishers medal, but were gold, silver or bronze. Runners who completed all 3 races received a nice medal hanger featuring the bear.
This series of races was difficult for me, but not because of the 3 races/3 states/3 days. I was not accustomed to the altitude (6000-6500 feet above sea level). While not sore at all, my legs felt like they just did not want to move, from the very beginning! I was surprised by just how much the altitude slowed me down.
Idaho-Idaho had the best views, especially of Bear Lake. My watch registered over 500 feet of gain. The mountains provided some shade early, but the race ended with lots of sun exposure.
Wyoming-Wyoming was the flattest of the three, yet my watch still registered over 380 feet of gain. Wyoming was also the coolest of the three days.
Utah-Utah had the longest and steepest hills and was my least favorite of the 3 races. My watch registered over 600 feet of gain. This course started in the middle of town, so we didn’t get the great views until after mile 4. The middle 3 or so miles was on dirt/rock trail that went up in the hills of sagebrush. We had to watch our steps, not just for rocks and ruts, but also cowpies!
I’m glad I completed this series but was even more glad when it was done…the running anyway!
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3 races in 3 states in 3 days
Bear Lake Trifecta-3 races, 3 states, 3 days The Bear Lake Trifecta offered both full and half marathon options. I chose half marathon, with Idaho being on Thursday, Wyoming on … MORE
Bear Lake Trifecta-3 races, 3 states, 3 days
The Bear Lake Trifecta offered both full and half marathon options. I chose half marathon, with Idaho being on Thursday, Wyoming on Friday and Utah on Saturday. We stayed in Garden City, Utah, which was a quaint and very friendly little town. The Idaho race was 25 minutes away from there, the Wyoming race was 50 minutes away and the Utah race was in Garden City itself. There were plenty of beautiful views in the area, including Bear Lake itself. We even went to the Teton mountains, about 3 hours away.
The T-shirts were tech material, with all featuring the same design. The bear logo and state name were a different color to designate which state it was for. The finishers medals were the same shape and design for each state. The ribbon and bear logo on the medal were different colors, depending on the state.
Each race was a timed out and back, with a rolling start and 100-120 runners completing the half marathon distance. Each race had water/aid stops roughly every two miles, with a porta potty every other water stop. A deejay welcomed runners back as they finished each race. The age group awards were just like the finishers medal, but were gold, silver or bronze. Runners who completed all 3 races received a nice medal hanger featuring the bear.
This series of races was difficult for me, but not because of the 3 races/3 states/3 days. I was not accustomed to the altitude (6000-6500 feet above sea level). While not sore at all, my legs felt like they just did not want to move, from the very beginning! I was surprised by just how much the altitude slowed me down.
Idaho-Idaho had the best views, especially of Bear Lake. My watch registered over 500 feet of gain. The mountains provided some shade early, but the race ended with lots of sun exposure.
Wyoming-Wyoming was the flattest of the three, yet my watch still registered over 380 feet of gain. Wyoming was also the coolest of the three days.
Utah-Utah had the longest and steepest hills and was my least favorite of the 3 races. My watch registered over 600 feet of gain. This course started in the middle of town, so we didn’t get the great views until after mile 4. The middle 3 or so miles was on dirt/rock trail that went up in the hills of sagebrush. We had to watch our steps, not just for rocks and ruts, but also cowpies!
I’m glad I completed this series but was even more glad when it was done…the running anyway!
Pretty
Expected more for the swag for the trifecta... so a little disappointing. Race was low key. Loved the rolling start and chill vibe and letting runners do there own thing! MORE
Expected more for the swag for the trifecta… so a little disappointing. Race was low key. Loved the rolling start and chill vibe and letting runners do there own thing!
Fantastic small-town race
This was the second race for me in two days--I signed up for the Wyoming and Utah legs of the Bear Lake Trifecta. I had never run two marathons before … MORE
This was the second race for me in two days–I signed up for the Wyoming and Utah legs of the Bear Lake Trifecta. I had never run two marathons before and had no idea whether I would even make the finish line, let alone finish, or what that would like like. (And I’m not a particularly gifted runner.)
With those caveats, this was an amazing race, and my second favorite of all time (the first being the Wyoming leg I ran the day before).
This race had a small field, with 70 or so runners, many of whom were 50-staters. That made for a very cool vibe–a very friendly supportive–which helps in those remote quiet areas of the race.
The marathon itself is an out-and-back run leaving the small town along Bear Lake into fairly quiet farming areas, and some dirt paths at one point. It’s a gorgeous and scenic race, mostly on quiet farming roads (traffic safety could be an issue in theory, but there’s not a lot of cars–most are traveling in support). The race is at altitude, in the 6,000-foot range, but I didn’t experience extra fatigue or suffering (I aggressively stayed hydrated).
This race is more challenging than the Wyoming leg, with a challenging hill on a somewhat rocky trail near the 8-9 mile mark, which was especially hard coming in with dead legs having run the day before. (That hill is the reason I name this my second-favorite race–I’m not a trail runner so it was a challenge and I liked Wyoming a little more because of it.) No way is this a PR or BQ course. Especially when weather is factored in, with it being fully exposed to the sun (we had 70-80 degree temperatures by the end.) But I really liked the course and thought there were good choices made with the course.
The overall course setup, with an out-and-back, was an excellent idea for such a small race. The out-and-back allowed for setting up aid stations about 2 miles apart that would serve both directions, and also cut (in half) the number of volunteers necessary to man the tables. The aid station support was the best I’ve ever seen in any race, with a huge spread of options at *most* tables (and some variety along the way too)–water, gatorade, gels, pretzels, chips, fruit snacks, bananas, etc.
In terms of spectators, there are not many, there were a few in the town at the start and finish (maybe Miles 1-2 and 25-26.) Don’t expect many locals except perhaps at the start and finish. However, I found that the spectator support was surprisingly good, and that came from the runners themselves, but especially the family/friends of other runners who drove along and supported their runner, and from the aid station crews. Over the race, there were 5-10 or so cars stopping at various points along the race, and you could get to know those supporters. I liked that kind of intimacy and had a lot of conversations with those supporters at the finish line.
I was really impressed with this race. I loved the accomplishment of finishing a “back-to-back” marathon for the first time, which is something that is offered here (with the Trifecta, you could run three days in a row if you wanted to.) And it’s in a gorgeous area with an RD and a small crew of volunteers who know how to use their resources carefully to put on a really solid and well-supported race.
Over the hills and through the trails.
Awesome course support, hilly and at elevation. Fantastic views, friendly people. Fantastic overall. Wouldn't do this particular Trifecta again, but glad I did it. I am a flatlander and the … MORE
Awesome course support, hilly and at elevation. Fantastic views, friendly people. Fantastic overall. Wouldn’t do this particular Trifecta again, but glad I did it. I am a flatlander and the elevation made the course more difficult for me. I would highly recommend this event.
Hills, trails, but finally the beach
The entire series of races was well organized and had good support. The aid stations had water and snacks about every 1.5 miles. Good after-race snacks, drinks, and music. Utah … MORE
The entire series of races was well organized and had good support. The aid stations had water and snacks about every 1.5 miles. Good after-race snacks, drinks, and music.
Utah started out in the mid 40’s but ended in the 70’s. They said it was the hilliest of the courses. There was one monster hill that was very challenging and another big one toward the end before the turn around, but I felt the Idaho course was hillier overall. The Utah course went from street to trail, with some large loose rocks on the trail portion. After the run they had soda, chips, water, and pizza. This is the best race to get down and spend time along the lake after the run. Like prior review recommendations we stopped for the raspberry shakes at LeBeau’s – there are three other places right there that also have raspberry shakes, but we tried LeBeau’s and it was a great after-race treat.
I really enjoyed the race production and organization. The participants were all very friendly and seemed to have a good time. This was the first time I stayed with others during a race. Five of us completed all three days and getting to know them and spend time with them made the weekend an even better experience.
Beautiful Bear Lake
This was my first half ever. I loved it so much. The people were fun, the location was beautiful, and the course wasn’t difficult. Mostly road then you go up … MORE
This was my first half ever. I loved it so much. The people were fun, the location was beautiful, and the course wasn’t difficult. Mostly road then you go up a short trail and turn around for the half. I loved this run so much I wish I didn’t have plans for 2021’s date or I would run it again.
Candace from Utah
First Trifecta! I'm in love!
One of my friends was trying to get her 50 states, so I was conned into doing this race with her (3 marathon in 3 states in 3 days!) :) … MORE
One of my friends was trying to get her 50 states, so I was conned into doing this race with her (3 marathon in 3 states in 3 days!) 🙂 We had an absolute BLAST! I loved the sense of community between all of the runners, and the aid stations/volunteers/swag/views were all top notch!
Amazing views and very well organized.
I truly enjoyed this race. I participated in the all three included in the trifecta and so glad I did. The swag was nice and the organizers did a fabulous … MORE
I truly enjoyed this race. I participated in the all three included in the trifecta and so glad I did. The swag was nice and the organizers did a fabulous job. Lots to do in the area. It definitely felt like more of vacation then my typical runcations. I plan to do it again with my friends. Recommend you book room and board early. There are some pretty amazing cabins that sell out quickly. If it is warm bring your swimsuit the lake was amazing. We also did horseback riding.
Over hill and dale in Utah.
Day three of the trifecta, this course gave me more challenge. I begged my friend to do the race with me because as a true back of the packer, I … MORE
Day three of the trifecta, this course gave me more challenge. I begged my friend to do the race with me because as a true back of the packer, I was getting bored with spending so much time alone. We walked the course. My time is an estimate but I forced my friend to let me finish last when we finally reached the finish line.
Even at the back of the pack, we were extremely well cared for. Unlike the first two races, this course contained a bit of a hilly trail. Despite that, there still was a proper water stop on the rugged trail.
The Bear Lake Trifecta was a major part of my 2019 running schedule and one of the biggest highlights of my running career. Given the opportunity, I would do it again.
Well run smaller sizes race.
Great opportunity to check off three states at once. Nice small town feel with friendly people. The area has some nice outdoor activities for after race. Also very good restaurant … MORE
Great opportunity to check off three states at once. Nice small town feel with friendly people. The area has some nice outdoor activities for after race. Also very good restaurant at the registration site. Would recommend this race.
3 of 3 in 3 days
Overall about the Bear Lake Trifecta: The owner bought the race 6 days before the event. It was very...bumpy, but he did his best with what he inherited. The previous … MORE
Overall about the Bear Lake Trifecta:
The owner bought the race 6 days before the event. It was very…bumpy, but he did his best with what he inherited. The previous owners did not leave much information or direction for him. The issues that occurred, he apologized for and was determined to fix for next year. He is an experienced runner and triathlon and knows what we expect. He also owns other events, so I am confident that the race will improve. The swag we got was great! I was expecting a shirt for each race, but we only got one. The quality was great. The medals were gorgeous and state/day specific, but not race specific. This doesn’t bother me, but it does bother others. The swag bag had the most things from sponsors of any race I’ve done. There were all sorts of goodies! For completing all 3 races, we got a flask, which is awesome! It also had a race decal in it. We got a zip up race hoodie and a buff, but I don’t remember what for. They basically had a bunch of different race logo merch and no specification of what each piece was for. The post race goodies were amazing, especially for such a small race. There were many food and drink options after each race. They capped the total participants at 500. They also added a 5k, which added a lot of local runners. This was a difficult task—3 half marathons in 3 days—but the staff and volunteers made it much easier!
Specific To This Race:
The scenery of this course was my favorite of the 3, but it was the most difficult. There were some crazy hills. It may not be as bad as I remember though. I had HORRIBLE blisters and blisters on blisters on this day, so I was mostly miserable about that. lol! For most of the course, you could see Bear Lake, which is GORGEOUS! I had a hard time looking ahead because I was looking at the lake to the side. The first part of the down and back course wasn’t too bad. Typical road race experiences, I would say. After the gorgeous lighthouse, things got worse. There were CRAZY hills. Very steep. Very long. There was one area that didn’t have a downhill afterward. There was a part of the course (mile 5/6 I think) that was a trail course. I don’t do trail races for a reason. There wasn’t really any warning about this part either. It was basically a mountain side with tire tracks as a “trail”. The tire tracks were dirt and rock, so there was not any part that you could step flat (super fun with my blisters). There also was a constant incline Along with some rolling hills. I felt horrible for the marathoners because they had more of this to endure than we did. The volunteers at the aid station/turn around point were incredible. They were only able to get there in their Jeep, and luckily it wasn’t muddy like the previous year. After getting off of the trail part, I was so ecstatic that everything else didn’t seem so bad. I was so happy to get back to that lighthouse! Some of the volunteers were there for multiple days, so it was great to have their support and remember us from the previous days.
TIPS: If you are doing the trifecta, I suggest getting to Bear Lake a few days before the packet pickup. We thought we would explore after the races, but we were exhausted. There are so many things that this little area has to offer, and I’m sad we didn’t get to do much. Leave Bear Lake the day after. This way you can relax. We drove back to Salt Lake after the 3rd race, and I wish we would have stayed. Be prepared for any weather. We experienced an Oklahoma-like thunderstorm on one of the days after the race. I was shocked! Look at the condo rentals. We rented a home that was GORGEOUS and perfect for our trip. I also suggest staying in Garden City. It’s the most “central” to all races. We used Vacasa to rent a home and still have the link to our rental, if interested.
Race # 3 in the Bear Lake Trifecta
The Bear Lake Utah Marathon & Half is a race that can be ran on it’s own or if you want to challenge yourself, you can sign up for the … MORE
The Bear Lake Utah Marathon & Half is a race that can be ran on it’s own or if you want to challenge yourself, you can sign up for the Trifecta and take home some additional swag and bragging rights. The trifecta is a great way to gain membership or level up if you are a member of Half Fanatics, Marathon Maniacs or the 50 States Club.
Below are some pros and cons from what me and some of the other runners thought about the race.
scenery- Different kind of scenery today than from the previous races. Along with the white cap mountains & countryside, you get a beautiful view of the lake, neighborhoods & the town of Garden City. This is what I’ve been wanting to see at all 3 races.
Aid stations – Like the previous 2 races for the half, they had 3 ad stations (5 total since the course was a down and back) and they were fully stocked with water, electrolytes, gu, jelly beans, pretzels and a ports potty. Just like the previous 2 races, a negative about the aid stations were they would sometimes run out of cups and toilet paper. It was an issue for the back of the pack runners and most marathoners.
Course – This course was a down & back with mostly paved roads with about 2 miles of trail near the turn around point. The start and finish was in the grass at a small park in downtown Garden City. Once you leave the park area & cross the street, the first 2.5-3 miles, you’re running on a narrow bike path next to the main street, which was great because i felt safe not having to worry about oncoming traffic. Once you make the turn at the lighthouse, you run about 2 miles through some neighborhoods. Just before the second ad station ( & 4th on your way back) you run up a steep hill, but once you get to the top, be sure to turn around and check out the view. When you get to the 5 mile marker, you start making your way towards a trailer park & the beginning of the trail part of the course. It’s an uneven packed country dirt road with large rocks with a gradual incline up to the 3rd ad station & turn around point. Negative – Since I’ve only ran paved courses, it would have been nice to know how much of the course was going to be trail so i could have been better prepared with my training & gear. Still felt odd starting and finishing the course on grass rather than in the parking lot area. My wife is a back of the back runner so on her way towards the finish line, some of the people in the neighborhoods along the course were out mowing, which with her allergies, made it difficult for her to breathe. If the RD could make it know to the community about what is happening during the day, maybe that would help some of the others still out on the course.
Pre & Post Race – Packet pickup for this race was either the day before the first race, the day prior or the morning of the race. You get a tech shirt, drawstring bag, local sponsor swag, and the choice of either a mug or buff. Post race, whenever you finished, you got a nice size medal with a ribbon showing the state and under the pavilion, they had fruit, water and pizza from a local sponsor. If you placed in your age group or overall, you got a gold medal (which they didn’t have available on the first day so they brought them on the second day). They had an announcer and music playing throughout post race so even if you’re a back of the pack runner, everyone is cheering and are happy to see you finish. At this race, they had a local sponsor selling beer & another one handing out ice cream sandwiches.
Con – Like the previous races, a lot of the swag and medals were from the previous year so some people got a medal with a bears head on it (this years design), some got a medal with a bear paw on it (last years design) & some got a different color than others. When i finished, i got a blue medal, but whenever my wife finished her race, she got a yellow one. i had to go get swap out mine so that we matched. Some runners didn’t like the new design because it didn’t say ‘half marathon’ on it. If you ran all 3 races in the trifecta, you got a flask. If you were a marathoner that ran all 3 races, you got a belt buckle. Me & some of the other runners were also expecting to get a separate “Trifecta” medal as well but i never saw any out on the table at the finish line. There was also some confusion about if you registered early, you would get a free hoodie. Me, my wife & some other runners registered in June whenever it first opened up & some runners registered during a Black Friday sale. The RD came by the table & honored what the previous owners of the event promised & we got a hoodie for finishing the event.
Even though the course had trails, I will still say that Utah was my favorite out of the 3 courses. All 3 races had amazing course support & volunteers to help everyone make it through this challenging endurance event. With what this RD & his staff was able to do within the 6 weeks prior to the start of this, I have no doubt that any hiccups that they had will be fixed & this will be THE summer event for every runner. I would still recommend this to any runner who’s looking for a challenge & i look forward to trying this again in the near future.
Finally Some Variety
The 3rd race of the Trifecta was in the lovely beach town of Garden City. I opted to start at 6am with the marathoners so I could finish early to … MORE
The 3rd race of the Trifecta was in the lovely beach town of Garden City. I opted to start at 6am with the marathoners so I could finish early to make my quick cleanup and get on the highway to the airport 3 hours away. Anywho, this course took us through town, through neighborhoods, had some challenging hills/mountains, a little gravel, and 2 miles it trail! Aid stations were positioned every 2 miles as before. The weather was perfect for running and was incredibly my best day is the series. When I finished, there were medals, a Trifecta flask, and immediate results. BUT, after I got home, I learned that there was possibly a 4th medal and jacket I did not receive. I expect to hear more about this soon.
Had a fun time run/walking race on day 3
This is also a beautiful course to run. This run is primarily trail so a bit of a challenge. But enjoyed the sites and scenes of this race near the … MORE
This is also a beautiful course to run. This run is primarily trail so a bit of a challenge. But enjoyed the sites and scenes of this race near the lake. All 3 days were a great experience and would definitely return with my new wife.
Gorgeous views, challenging route
This was a very well put together race! Smaller numbers kept it unique. The views were unbeatable and the course was just challenging enough that I felt like a rock … MORE
This was a very well put together race! Smaller numbers kept it unique. The views were unbeatable and the course was just challenging enough that I felt like a rock star at the end! Met some of the most amazing people while running. I would do this race every year!!
Trifecta Finish
I mentally prepared for a flat course, and am unsure when it changed, but it was a little bit of a partial trail course, which i wasn't ready for. However, … MORE
I mentally prepared for a flat course, and am unsure when it changed, but it was a little bit of a partial trail course, which i wasn’t ready for. However, the scenery was amazing and couldn’t have been prettier. 2 aid stations, with water if you needed it 4x along the out and back course.
Scenery great organization is F
I signed up for Trifecta (Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah). Overall scenery of all 3 except Wyoming was great. Here is what I experienced. 1. No volunteer at all in some … MORE
I signed up for Trifecta (Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah). Overall scenery of all 3 except Wyoming was great. Here is what I experienced.
1. No volunteer at all in some of the aid station. You will have to serve drink by yourself which takes extra time.
2. Not enough Gatorade or electrolytes drink at the aid station.
3. No swags or award ceremony in all 3 races.
If your goal is to check off the list of the states, it’s OK to do it. If you are a serious runner like me, I won’t recommend this. On top of the above issue I mentioned, I had the worst experience as below.
I finished first overall in Idaho and Wyoming with finishing time 3:23 and 3:33 respectively and overall 3rd positing for Utah with finishing time 3:25. There was no award ceremony on the first day. I personally spoke with the race director about it, he assured that he would do the award ceremony on the final day which is Utah run day June 9th. Finished the race and asked him the time of award ceremony. He responded that he won’t do it. I was extremely disappointed. He said that he would send all the prizes via mail. Let me give you a breakdown of what I was expecting by mail.
First place in 2 races is $300.00 ($150 for each race for the 1st place winner), $75 for the 3rd place winner. Age group prize (doesn’t clarify what exactly the prize is in their website), overall Trifecta winner (Special medal like none others and prize). I received $400 check and a flask which organizer was selling at the expo. I haven’t received the Trifecta medal. Contacted multiple times through email, facebook but no response from organizer. I know someone won Trifecta in the past and continue to will in the future by someone if organizer continue to manage the races. I wanted everyone to aware that if you are a serious runner and win the race, you might be disappointed.
Totally Worth It
This was the third race in the series and after taking second in the first two it was nice not to have any fresh legs. Unlike the first two courses, … MORE
This was the third race in the series and after taking second in the first two it was nice not to have any fresh legs. Unlike the first two courses, this course was not an out and back. The course was on the highway and then up through some dirt hills. The day was slightly overcast which helped greatly. The race organizers do a great job making sure there was water and gels every three miles. Highly recommend running this series if you are working on all 50 or just running one.
Beautiful scenery
Several miles of the race were on a very narrow busy road. Plenty of porta potties and support. The beauty of Bear Lake is unsurpassed, it is within view the … MORE
Several miles of the race were on a very narrow busy road. Plenty of porta potties and support. The beauty of Bear Lake is unsurpassed, it is within view the whole time you are racing.
LOVE LOVE LOVE
The people are amazing, everyone waits till the last finisher!! Beautiful scenery so amazing!! MUST DO RACE!!! Loved my Trifecta jacket, and hat!!! So much fun!!!! MORE
The people are amazing, everyone waits till the last finisher!! Beautiful scenery so amazing!! MUST DO RACE!!! Loved my Trifecta jacket, and hat!!! So much fun!!!!