In chronological order; Packet pick up was smooth, but held on the sidewalk of the Nike store. I was disappointed that there wasn’t an expo for a race that’s been … MORE
In chronological order; Packet pick up was smooth, but held on the sidewalk of the Nike store. I was disappointed that there wasn’t an expo for a race that’s been around as long as this one has.
Transportation to the start was the responsibility of the racer. They said there would be busses to bring us back to the parking lot at the finish line (I waited over an hour for the bus) The day was forecast to be hot and humid, so they started the race 30 min earlier and had extra water stations.
The course was fantastic! Very scenic with quite a few bridge crossings. I wore all terrain shoes and was happy with the choice due to the changing ground cover from loose gravel to hard packed dirt. This is a dual track trail race.
The finish line is minimalist with a few things for the runners. Shade was hard to come by at the finish. The medics were not well supplied for those that were extremely dehydrated or cramping (Usually the weather for this race is much cooler). And as stated earlier, the busses were few and far between causing some to call for an Uber due to having to get to their hotels on time for checkout and/or the airport on time for their flight.
The redemption of this race coordination is the trail itself, B-E-A-utiful gradual shaded downhill.
Please login to reply to this review.
I’ll be back to BQ
In chronological order; Packet pick up was smooth, but held on the sidewalk of the Nike store. I was disappointed that there wasn’t an expo for a race that’s been … MORE
In chronological order; Packet pick up was smooth, but held on the sidewalk of the Nike store. I was disappointed that there wasn’t an expo for a race that’s been around as long as this one has.
Transportation to the start was the responsibility of the racer. They said there would be busses to bring us back to the parking lot at the finish line (I waited over an hour for the bus) The day was forecast to be hot and humid, so they started the race 30 min earlier and had extra water stations.
The course was fantastic! Very scenic with quite a few bridge crossings. I wore all terrain shoes and was happy with the choice due to the changing ground cover from loose gravel to hard packed dirt. This is a dual track trail race.
The finish line is minimalist with a few things for the runners. Shade was hard to come by at the finish. The medics were not well supplied for those that were extremely dehydrated or cramping (Usually the weather for this race is much cooler). And as stated earlier, the busses were few and far between causing some to call for an Uber due to having to get to their hotels on time for checkout and/or the airport on time for their flight.
The redemption of this race coordination is the trail itself, B-E-A-utiful gradual shaded downhill.
As fast as it is scenic.
If geography allowed, I would run this race every year. It really is a gem, hidden in plain sight, to be experienced. The course is fast, yes, but the terrain … MORE
If geography allowed, I would run this race every year. It really is a gem, hidden in plain sight, to be experienced. The course is fast, yes, but the terrain changes provide the challenge you’re looking for. If there is such a thing as an “ideal” race, this one qualifies.
This one should be on everyone’s bucket list.
Scenery was Amazing!
For this Indiana girl the scenery sure beats corn fields! The tunnel was in the first 1/4 mile and was about 2.5 miles long (stay in the middle and take … MORE
For this Indiana girl the scenery sure beats corn fields! The tunnel was in the first 1/4 mile and was about 2.5 miles long (stay in the middle and take good headlamp/flashlight, it is dark and uneven). The course of as very very gradual, for me no additional pain, besides the normal. Lol! Beautiful wild flowers along side the course with the huge towering mountains in the background for a majority of the run! Loved the medal and the tank! Packet pick up was fast, smooth and easy! The after party was okay, no beer or much food, , but there is a cool spot about 1 mile down the road MT SI Tavern, with some pretty good food!
Great overall race
Gravel terrain was much harder than i anticipated it would be...Scenic, beautiful course. Plenty of hydration stations with port-a- potties along the route. MORE
Gravel terrain was much harder than i anticipated it would be…Scenic, beautiful course. Plenty of hydration stations with port-a- potties along the route.
It’s all downhill from here!
Expo was horrible and practically non existent. Not sure if it was due to Covid or not, but disappointing Race morning, the shuttle parking area was a mess if you … MORE
Expo was horrible and practically non existent. Not sure if it was due to Covid or not, but disappointing
Race morning, the shuttle parking area was a mess if you had the earlier bus to the start line. Gates were closed at the school, then they opened them, then they closed them only to reopen them again.
Race start was a little messy. Could not here the MC as he only had a handheld megaphone and the honor seeding by pace was chaotic and non existent.
But all of that was worth the 2.3 Mike trip through the Iron Horse tunnel and after that, non stop scenery and only one road crossing the whole 26.2. Aid stations were plentiful about every two miles and everyone was friendly.
Medal was nice as was the dri fit shirt. Order up a size lol
Great race to PR or BQ.
Scenic course, not the most organized
Pros: 1. Very scenic course 2. Gentle downhill course makes for fast race times 3. I thought the tunnel was really cool and made the first 3 miles fly by … MORE
Pros:
1. Very scenic course
2. Gentle downhill course makes for fast race times
3. I thought the tunnel was really cool and made the first 3 miles fly by
4. Aid stations every ~2 miles (water and gatorade only, no gels)
5. Nice shirt and finisher medal. You got to pick from 3 different shirt designs which I thought was cool.
Cons:
1. The race is not very well organized. The race director was not very communicative leading up to the race and many runners questions went unanswered. There was nobody organizing the buses (aka nobody to tell you which bus to get on and the bus assignment time you reserved was completely meaningless). I asked the bus driver if I was on the right bus but many other runners didn’t do this so the runners on the full marathon bus had to keep telling half marathon runners they were on the wrong bus. They also told my husband who switched from the full marathon to the half marathon at packet pickup that there were no more spaces on the half buses for him if he switched and he would have to arrange for his own transportation which he did and paid a decent amount of money to arrange. Then when he got to the start he saw multiple buses pulling in half empty. They also did a weird “rolling start” that didn’t make any sense and wasn’t organized at all. The runners were just standing around the start line all confused wondering when they should go (no assigned corrals or signs for a self-seeded start). You could also barely hear the national anthem for the full and my husband said they didn’t even play one for the half. Lastly, trying to find my headlamp bag after the finish was a nightmare.
Overall, beautiful downhill course but poor race organization.
Other things to note:
1. I wore Hoka Cliftons for this course which were perfect for the packed gravel (did not feel a need for trail shoes)
2. They mention on the website that you may lose signal in the tunnel and your running watch may not be accurate. I ran with a Garmin Forerunner 245 and it never lost signal and was very accurate!
beautiful downhill course
- great downhill course. nothing steep at all. very gradual - beautiful green scenery. lots of shade! - tunnel just after the start line. in a completely dark tunnel for … MORE
– great downhill course. nothing steep at all. very gradual
– beautiful green scenery. lots of shade!
– tunnel just after the start line. in a completely dark tunnel for what seemed like a couple of miles. definitely will need a headlamp. a little bit disorienting being in there so long, but the rest of the course is just beautiful.
A bucket list race
This race should be on everyone's bucket list. Starts high in Snoqualamie Pass, runs through a tunnel that is 2 MILES long and so dark it cannot be imagined, and … MORE
This race should be on everyone’s bucket list. Starts high in Snoqualamie Pass, runs through a tunnel that is 2 MILES long and so dark it cannot be imagined, and scenic. Though I greatly enjoyed the race, there are a few things that made it a bit interesting. First, our shuttle driver got lost. We still made it to the start OK, but definitely anxiety producing! Second, I did not truly understand how difficult it would be to run in the tunnel. It is dark. I had a light as well as everyone I saw, but it was not bright enough. I expected the tunnel to be cooler than outside, but it was warmer and very humid. The trail was uneven through the tunnel so a little scary to run with little light, unsure footing and humidity. Third, it gets a little redundant. The scenery is the same, over and over and over. For 26 miles. And 4th, the flashlights again. There is a drop right after the tunnel to put your flashlight in so you don’t have to run with it forever. BUT, at the finish, there is no huge marked area with the flashlights. There is barely any finish area. A spot to take a picture, some merchandise to buy, some food. I took the shuttle back to my car and then realized I forgot my light! Drove back to the finish and had to ask where the lights were. There were 100s of them in a grassy area behind the merchandise. Not intuitive to look there are no sign indicating they were there. As I was one of the last folks there as the finish was being dismantled, all those lights were forgotten. Still, I would recommend this race. Just know that it isn’t perfect!
PR/BQ COURSE WITH BEAUTIFUL SCENERY
Simply Gorgeous course. Running through the Washington Pines, through a 2.5 mile tunnel, over bridges with views of gorges and waterfalls and rock faces. I almost stumbled twice admiring the … MORE
Simply Gorgeous course. Running through the Washington Pines, through a 2.5 mile tunnel, over bridges with views of gorges and waterfalls and rock faces. I almost stumbled twice admiring the scenery. 2000 foot slow descent on dirt packed/stone road leads to very fast times without Quad soreness normally associated with large descent type courses.
Beautiful Mountain View’s and PRS!
The most beautiful course! Loved my medal and shirt! I stayed in Issaquah… I loved it there! My favorite marathon! Very gradual downhill. I never felt like I was going … MORE
The most beautiful course! Loved my medal and shirt! I stayed in Issaquah… I loved it there! My favorite marathon! Very gradual downhill. I never felt like I was going downhill except for one little part. I ran this race in July it did get kind of hot at the end but I’m from Texas so I’m used to it but for anyone who is not just know it may warm up especially at the end. Also the tunnel wasn’t my favorite thing but it was neat and different. I lost the 3:10 pacer but I still ran a PR and had a fabulous time! Lots of great people at this race! Everyone I talked to after the race ran a PR or a BQ!
Not that down hill
Downham not as I expected it running on gravel road hard on your feet if you're not used to that scenery was awesome I would not recommend this restaurant to … MORE
Downham not as I expected it running on gravel road hard on your feet if you’re not used to that scenery was awesome I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone
Jack and Jill fell down the Hill
Small expo. Simple shirt. Hotels are several miles away, so you must drive to catch the bus, which will take you to the start. The vast majority of the marathon … MORE
Small expo. Simple shirt. Hotels are several miles away, so you must drive to catch the bus, which will take you to the start. The vast majority of the marathon is run along an abandoned railroad trestle and as such is hard packed gravel. For the vast majority of the marathon, you do run a very gradual down hill, although you may not even notice, so the legs don’t get the hard pounding from a true downhill pavement run. The race begins in small groups so that the course is never too crowded, and in fact i ran alone much of the race. The scenery was beyond beautiful as you are out in nature, very rarely on roads, so no vehicular traffic to disrupt your run. Not much of a post race gathering, but overall a very enjoyable course.
Exactly as advertised "gradual" down!
Thank God this is not so steep that your quads are completely thrashed by the time you're done. This is a gradual downhill on an easy gravel trail. Definite PR … MORE
Thank God this is not so steep that your quads are completely thrashed by the time you’re done. This is a gradual downhill on an easy gravel trail. Definite PR course. Most organized run of ever done and definitely the fastest. Strawberries at mile 21 were a big hit.
Beautiful BUT, hype more than substance.
The marathon course and time of year enticed me to register. Each of my communications to the Race (Facebook, email) went unresponded. Shame on me for not recognizing this behavior … MORE
The marathon course and time of year enticed me to register. Each of my communications to the Race (Facebook, email) went unresponded. Shame on me for not recognizing this behavior as a sign of things to come. Similar to the runner above, my impression is this race is not necessarily as advertised as much is left out or exaggerated.
Course is downhill with very few mild inclines. This is nice, but hard on the quads even for those with very good biomechanics fairly uneven, gravel embedded in hard ground, like running on an old country driveway. The final miles are gravel. Technically, it is trail, yet, course composition at trail races is commonly discussed, responses to inquiries the norm, too.
I, nor any of the several runners I spoke, noticed on-course support from marshals or EMT’s on bikes, as these are needed to locate any runners in difficulty mid-course. Given the temps, hydration and some on-course coverage should be there. Possibly, they had some, but we did not see it (start 50, 60 within an hour, achieved 70+ according to Underground with humidity at 63%).
A bright spot is they appeared to have added some water stations on the second half of the course (where both marathon and half marathon combined). Sadly, not the case on the first half and fluids were sorely needed given the warm, humid conditions that had temps rising quickly.
Another bright spot, there were multiple time strips to monitor splits and discourage cheating. The downside, not a single one of these had a time clock. No volunteers or anyone calling out splits anywhere on the course. If your thinking, that this should not be a problem with a HRM watch…do not assume. If you read about the race, you know it goes into a tunnel that is over 2 miles long. This disrupts GPS satellite connection, thus, pace and mileage are incorrect. Possibly, this is mentioned in other posts. I never saw it on their website.
Bib pick-up was interesting. Upon arrival, they validated ID (good) and asked, actually demanded, another waiver be signed (duplicate of the one that came with registration). Subsequently, was given the wrong bib. Noticed it as it said Half Marathon. Subsequently, given the right bib, wrong shirt type (singlet). Give them credit in that the shirt is good looking, nice quality. The medal is nothing noteworthy. Std custom die-cast. (I don’t care about medals, but some do). Swag bag was minimalist.
Race start is 6:30. Wanted to know about buses to the start as well as the possibility of getting transportation back to the start after the race. No response to each prerace inquiry. Get to the bib pick-up and find buses are prior to race, not post, and I am scheduled for bus at 4:30 a.m. Supposed to arrive 15-20 minutes prior. Race is 30-60 minutes from two closest hotel areas. Did they do the math on the timing and what this does for prerace rest? Even care?
I requested a change in my scheduled bus time to a later one. Answer, we cannot do it. Should have written. I did. Asked for my email id so she could verify. Asked her if when she found them was she going to change the time. Answer, I cannot do that. Was there a desire to make an exception, some value in checking for my emails and social media communication? Or, was it now about ascertaining my integrity, not customer service? Will not waste your time with the nonsense that followed. Suffice it to say, she would not change nor assist in getting it changed. Apparently, she worked for the company that runs the events – endurance events.
Other things to note: Race had sufficient port-o-cans at the start and the on-course volunteers were amazing, just too few manning some water stations (2 people does not cut it in a race this big.) Shade on course was not to the level advertised. Maybe half to 60% at best. The final station had only water, not Gatorade. At that point, both are very much needed especially in the hot, humid conditions.
Post race had some vendors, a small med tent, plenty to drink. No stretch or massage tables. Did not see any police security.
I run various races around the US with distances from 5K to marathon, finishing as high as 14th in the US at 15K. In addition, I assist with many races, as well as directing them. My impression of this race looked is one that is overly focused on maximizing margins, profitability to the point of hurting the race (some EMT support at multiple locations, traversing the course or both, a few more buses or better utilizing them) Full pricing, minimalist delivery, by capitalizing course notoriety. If I were to consider running this race again, it would not happen. I would, however, register for another race on this course due to its sheer beauty. If a runner’s ankles and/or knees are weak, I would not recommend running this course. If you want a gorgeous course, this is it. Just register for another race held on this course.
Best First Marathon EVER!
What fun it was running through the tunnel! Bring a headlight and stay in the middle of the tunnel, the edges drop off unexpectedly and there was at least 1 … MORE
What fun it was running through the tunnel! Bring a headlight and stay in the middle of the tunnel, the edges drop off unexpectedly and there was at least 1 girl who had a bloodied skinned knee but finished the Marathon.
Easy trail to run and the scenery was awesome! Old rail trail at it’s best!
Take the bus to the starting point, park your car at the finish line.
Such a beautiful course!
There is a creepy long unlit tunnel in the first mile. Wear a headlamp and watch your footing. The ground is uneven in the tunnel and there are puddles. The … MORE
There is a creepy long unlit tunnel in the first mile. Wear a headlamp and watch your footing. The ground is uneven in the tunnel and there are puddles.
The course is gorgeous! Not a car or building to be seen the entire 26.2 miles. Since the course is remote there are not enough bathrooms (but plenty of bushes!) and not enough water stations. Carry water and wear sturdy soled shoes, the gravel will take a toll on your feet. And then just enjoy the blissful downhill grade!
Not what I was lead to believe.
The first 13 miles are better than the last 13 miles. There were more "small rocks" on the second half as opposed to gravel. I had a very hard time … MORE
The first 13 miles are better than the last 13 miles. There were more “small rocks” on the second half as opposed to gravel. I had a very hard time with the perception of the trail having a slight rise but having miles splits faster than my normal split times. Marathons are a very mental game to me and I could not conquer the challenges thrown my way. The scenery was beautiful. I loved the bridges and tunnel, but the gravel/rocks (especially at the end of the race) was not what I expected for a hard packed dirt/gravel course