This race really exceeded my expectations. There was a farmer's market and chili cookoff at the packet pickup, which created a festive atmosphere. The shuttle bus pickup went off without … MORE
This race really exceeded my expectations. There was a farmer’s market and chili cookoff at the packet pickup, which created a festive atmosphere. The shuttle bus pickup went off without a hitch, but it was below freezing at the start which was at an altitude above 5,000 feet. My breathing was rather heavy right off the bat, but settled down after a couple of miles. It didn’t seem like I was running very fast at first, but in hindsight I should have started out a little slower or taken more frequent walk breaks from the start. The first half of the course was through mainly pine forest, but the vegetation an terrain got better the closer we got to the Susan River. The day before, I saw Scrub Jays, White-crowned Sparrows, Steller’s Jays, and some smaller birds that I couldn’t identify with certainty, but may have been Dark-eyed Juncos. Most of the finishing times were faster than the average trail run, so this would be a good race for a beginner or for someone wanting to PR. There was a good selection of food and drink at the finish, and the 50K finishers were given a ceramic drink coaster and a medal.
Flat and fast rail trail course
This race really exceeded my expectations. There was a farmer's market and chili cookoff at the packet pickup, which created a festive atmosphere. The shuttle bus pickup went off without … MORE
This race really exceeded my expectations. There was a farmer’s market and chili cookoff at the packet pickup, which created a festive atmosphere. The shuttle bus pickup went off without a hitch, but it was below freezing at the start which was at an altitude above 5,000 feet. My breathing was rather heavy right off the bat, but settled down after a couple of miles. It didn’t seem like I was running very fast at first, but in hindsight I should have started out a little slower or taken more frequent walk breaks from the start. The first half of the course was through mainly pine forest, but the vegetation an terrain got better the closer we got to the Susan River. The day before, I saw Scrub Jays, White-crowned Sparrows, Steller’s Jays, and some smaller birds that I couldn’t identify with certainty, but may have been Dark-eyed Juncos. Most of the finishing times were faster than the average trail run, so this would be a good race for a beginner or for someone wanting to PR. There was a good selection of food and drink at the finish, and the 50K finishers were given a ceramic drink coaster and a medal.
Beautiful course, small-town event
This is a really well done event for a small-town race, with an ideal course surface (slight downhill on fine gravel, on an old converted railroad track trail) through the … MORE
This is a really well done event for a small-town race, with an ideal course surface (slight downhill on fine gravel, on an old converted railroad track trail) through the foothills of Lassen National Park. They have several events to choose from: I ran the half marathon on Saturday (as opposed to the out and back option on Sunday), and I was really happy with that choice, since the first 6 miles are especially beautiful. It is a small race, which can either be awesome or boring, depending on what you’re looking for – but the natural beauty and fresh mountain air (it is at elevation) makes it super enjoyable. The weather was perfect both years I ran it (2014 and 15) – would do it again if scheduling allows! The slight downhill cancels out the elevation as far as impact on pace (in my experience), and the grade is very slight so you won’t destroy your quads – though I can’t speak to the first 13 miles of the full marathon. They do a great job at the finish line with post-run snacks too, especially for a small event – M & Ms, oranges, hot soup / chili, and a free Sierra Nevada beer. The shirts are all right, and the medal is lacking, but those should not be the reasons you choose this race anyhow! If you’re looking for a beautiful, mellow fall race on a great surface, this is a good choice.