Join in May for the Happy Girls Run in Bend, Oregon, the first of a two-race series aimed at empowering women and girls! Women from a wide range of backgrounds, physical strengths and running experience, come together for a race that is nothing short of life-changing for many runners. From …
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Join in May for the Happy Girls Run in Bend, Oregon, the first of a two-race series aimed at empowering women and girls! Women from a wide range of backgrounds, physical strengths and running experience, come together for a race that is nothing short of life-changing for many runners. From the moment the race , the air is electric with excitement and camaraderie! There is nothing more motivating than meeting runners who, despite having their own hurdles to overcome, cross the finish line together with huge smiles.
Why run Happy Girls Bend?
Grab your bestie and take in the beauty of Central Oregon as you embark on your scenic journey. You’ll be well-supported with multiple aid stations, medics and helpful event staff to make the day all about achieving your personal goals.
Happy Girls is all about embracing each and every woman’s fitness level. We believe that running is a way to achieve personal goals by overcoming fears and obstacles. Featuring out-of-this-world goody bags, cute t-shirts, cozy sweatshirts and lots of Happy Girls athletic wear too, it’s not just about the finisher’s medal (although that’s so cool!)
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I love this race series, even with quirk
I have run this 5k for the past few years so my sister suggested we try the half this year. Generally, I love the vibe, I love running with mostly … MORE
I have run this 5k for the past few years so my sister suggested we try the half this year. Generally, I love the vibe, I love running with mostly women (you can participate as a man but I think you need to be escorted by a woman), and Bend is beautifully scenic. However, while the 5k is a fun run along the riverfront, the half is mostly a trail run with some big hills. I also wasnt expecting the high temps (nearly 80). That said, there is a 4hr cutoff (after which you will be swept), but it seemed reasonable & I think most people made it. The course is an out & back and the signage out was great but coming back was awful (I got lost several times); someone suggested that cars & people were maybe blocking signs since they were close to the ground. It is also run on VERY POPULAR trails, so you’re dealing with race traffic plus everyone in Bend enjoying the weather. The medal was adorable (a multi-colored smiley face) but it was not race or year specific (and I am still salty about 2023 when they told 5k runners their medals were in the mail, which was a lie). I will probably run this and/or the Sisters race again (maybe the 10k instead) & it was the perfect activity for Mother’s Day weekend.
Tough course
I was in town so ran this knowing I wouldn't likely love it. It's mostly trail with a few miles total of paved segments. You start out in a park … MORE
I was in town so ran this knowing I wouldn’t likely love it. It’s mostly trail with a few miles total of paved segments. You start out in a park and pop on the riverside trail that quickly turns to crushed cinder/limestone and then full on dirt single track. The issue is, the race starts late (9A local) which means 1) if it’s going to be a hot day, you don’t get a jump on that and 2) the trail is crowded by Saturday folks out for walks or bike rides or runs, sometimes with kids/old people/dogs who don’t know what to do for trail etiquette. The first 3 miles are through dirt trail up and down and through the woods which is pretty but has the technical challenge of tree roots and rocks and people who don’t move their dogs or kids causing constant trip hazards. After you finish this segment, you run on the paved trail along the river for a bit through a HIGHLY trafficked area (it literally has a mall and multiple river access points) so this is a real hazard and requires constant dodging and weaving. Then you come to more trail–some crushed cinder, then gravel (like full on break your ankles gravel), then dirt and some monstrous hills that –bonus– may or may not have mountain bikes tearing down them. The course marshals were great at traffic control but since this is a small race, you easily could lose sight of the person in front of you and the signs are not frequent enough, you could easily make a wrong turn or take the wrong fork. I was constantly in free of losing the person in front of me and not knowing where to go. Because the course is somewhat challenging, there aren’t a lot of water stops, and it was HOT. I highly recommend carrying what you need. There were some hills that were so staggering I had no choice but to walk (and I live in the mountains). At about mile 8 you turn around and head back along the same dirt/gravel/neighborhood/paved section but now it’s later in the morning and it’s RIDICULOUS crowded. To the point that you sometimes have to stop because people would not move and their dogs would try to trip you. The finish was nice, you get a beautiful sunflower. The medal was meh. Instead of a shirt (which you can buy), you get socks. There are only awards/ceremony for overall and masters. If you AG, you get a ribbon. There are tons of other activities like jazzercise, yoga, stretching, lots to do for kids, good food (but no water bottles? Just shot glasses of water and tons of beer??) It was SOO hot, I wish they start around 7A before it heats up but I guess this was an anomaly. This one really took it out of me between the course and the heat but I still got 2 AG. Not a big field so the older you are, the more competitive you can be.
More challenging than expected
So this is a trail run, I didn't read that when I signed up for it! It started out with about 5km of single tracking uneven footing on a trail … MORE
So this is a trail run, I didn’t read that when I signed up for it! It started out with about 5km of single tracking uneven footing on a trail and then transition out onto paved paths and sidewalks. The swag was decent, and the medal was good.