Tunnel Light Marathon
Snoqualmie Pass, WA
- Marathon
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
The Tunnel Marathons offer one of the fastest courses in the country. The point to point has the best profile in the country for a fast time due to the consistent gentle downhill grade and the low starting elevation. It is the perfect race to set a PR and snag … MORE
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Beautiful Course
We arrived late Friday night into Seattle/Tacoma. Saturday we made our way to the packet pickup at the school. It was quick and easy. They had shirts from other/past races … MORE
We arrived late Friday night into Seattle/Tacoma. Saturday we made our way to the packet pickup at the school. It was quick and easy. They had shirts from other/past races for free. We stayed at an air BNB in North Bend. I highly recommend staying in one of these small towns near the race. North Bend was the perfect area. Such a cute town. Race morning we made our way to the start. We had a non-runner with us so she dropped us off. I was in the first wave but came into the race injured. So I was way to the back of the wave in the tunnel. Fortunately for me there was another runner who I made my way through the tunnel with. It was nice and cool in the tunnel (2024.) Once we made our way out of the tunnel it was not as cool as previous years. The course was pretty great other than when the 2nd wave came through and the path was not so wide. I tried to stay far to the right but some of the runners were pretty rude. Also there were quite a few cyclist on the trial who were kind of rude. I used the outhouse around between 11-12. I do not recommend doing this. Wait for a port-a-potty at an aid staton. The outhouses on the path are disgusting. The aid stations were great. Overall even though I was not in my best shape it was one of my most consistent marathons. It felt great to still be running so late in the race. I would recommend gators over your shoes and plan to get fairly dirty. I also LOVED the ice cold cocacola at the finish. The finish area was very crowded and I could not find a place to sit down. I was very sore and just needed to sit but things were a bit crazy. I ended up just taking the cocacola and heading out.
Gorgeous! Beautiful! Worth It!
I can see why tons of people run here in order to PR, BQ, and/or have their Washington marathon! The course is beautiful since I stopped over a dozen times … MORE
I can see why tons of people run here in order to PR, BQ, and/or have their Washington marathon! The course is beautiful since I stopped over a dozen times to take pictures! There were plenty of water and fluids at the aid stations, and the volunteers were great!
There were a couple of difficult parts to this race. The course starts in the tunnel for about 2 miles, so it’s hard to watch where you are stepping. Afterwards the rest of the course is on gravel, so it was sometimes hard to have steady footing. The next difficult part was that the trail is used by the public, so we had to dodge bikers, other runners, and dog walkers.
The expo was nonexistent since it was just the bib pickup. I was there for about 3 minutes since there weren’t vendors or anything to look at. The end of the race was great since there was a water tank, LOTS of food (ex. chips, cookies, chili), and the opportunity for a massage. Lastly, there were shuttle busses to take runners back to the start where cars are parked.
It was so hot!
The race itself is a very fast one. I went into the race expecting to run sub 3 and BQ; however, I did not expect it to be so hot. … MORE
The race itself is a very fast one. I went into the race expecting to run sub 3 and BQ; however, I did not expect it to be so hot. I ended up cramping very badly and finished the race in pain. During the race there also weren’t enough volunteers helping out at the water stations. At a couple of the water stations, I had to wait in line for water.
The race is also shared with the public, so there would be hikers, dog walkers, and other runners sharing the course with me. I had to run around them several times. There also weren’t many spectators so it felt like I was running alone for most of the course.
I would run this race again but earlier in the year when it isn’t as hot.
Great small race
Pros: Great scenery, great course, great support, great change for a PR and your Washington race for 50 staters. The tunnel is the beginning is something unusual, but a memorable … MORE
Pros:
Great scenery, great course, great support, great change for a PR and your Washington race for 50 staters. The tunnel is the beginning is something unusual, but a memorable experience.
Very few spots for spectators, so if you are looking for large crowds to scream at you, this is not that race. Expect to be alone and no pacers.
Highly recommend making a vacation out of this race if you live outside of Washington. Beautiful place to visit and run!
Definitely check this one out!
I ran this on September 15, 2019. The temperature was in the low to mid 50s and it rained the entire time. A couple spots on the course had a … MORE
I ran this on September 15, 2019. The temperature was in the low to mid 50s and it rained the entire time. A couple spots on the course had a slight headwind, but not enough to slow you down. Yes, this is a downhill course but you really need to train your legs for running downhill for a long period of time. I started off conservatively and it paid off in dividends the second half. Many people went out way too fast because of the downhill and were dragging those last 8 miles. Be prepared to run on a trail. The trail did have puddles on most parts, so I really had to watch where I was running the entire race due to puddles, mud, and rocks. This did make it more challenging but it kept my mind preoccupied. I was not a huge fan of the 2 miles in the tunnel. It is humid and dark, so a headlamp is a must. There are some small potholes in the tunnel so you need to be careful about where you step in there. There is hardly any crowd support but the scenery makes up for that! I ran a personal best by over 6 1/2 minutes and BQed by over 7 1/2 minutes. If you are looking to BQ and/or run a PR, this is the course for it!
Great course in dry weather, rainy not
Beautiful gradual downhill course. I ran this race two times – once in dry weather and most recently in 2019 September in terrible downpour weather windy cold rainy muddy conditions. … MORE
Beautiful gradual downhill course. I ran this race two times – once in dry weather and most recently in 2019 September in terrible downpour weather windy cold rainy muddy conditions. Two dramatically different experiences. I BQ’d when it was dry and it was a horrible experience when it was pouring down rain.
After half mile you go through a 2 mile long train tunnel. This can be tricky and I saw several people twist their ankles. It’s heavily cambered when you first get into the tunnel so try to stay in the middle.
The course is easy trail with gravel and some larger stones. On a dry day there are 2 rutted out lanes which you can get into and cruise down the course. In September 2019, the rain was sheeting down and both of those lanes were full of water and muddy as heck. So you had a choice – either run on the side of the trail in the grass and wet leaves or run in the little hill between the two write it out lines were all the bigger stones were kicked up. It was an absolutely miserable experience in the rain and wind so you had a choice – either run on the side of the trail in the grass and wet leaves or run in the little hill between the two rutted out lanes where all the bigger stones were kicked up.
Because of the secluded nature of this trail, which I enjoyed immensely when it was dry, there is no sag wagon and only one bail out point around mile 13. I just checked the race results and they were 876 registered runners, 599 actually finished – which means about a third of the field either didn’t start or didn’t finish this race.
It was a test of endurance of another kind, and I think I ran the last half mildly hypothermic. Coming through the finish line they ran out of space blankets and then I spent 20 minutes shivering uncontrollably in the pouring down rain waiting for the bus to get back to the parking lot. In talking with other runners that ran this on Strava, sounds like the ambulances were very busy trying to get to people that had wiped out and injured themselves. IMHO, they should have postponed this race. It ended up being a very dangerous race.
Overall, in dry conditions I would absolutely recommend this race, maybe even in slight sprinkling or showers. In a torrential down pour absolutely not. It was a dangerous place to be and I feel grateful to have finished without any major issues.
Your best place for a BQ pace
The fall version of this race had varying degrees of rain from start to finish and a twin-rutted path that collected water. My feet got soaked early and found that … MORE
The fall version of this race had varying degrees of rain from start to finish and a twin-rutted path that collected water. My feet got soaked early and found that my shoes and socks had collected enough dirt, rocks, leaves and other vegetative matter to open my own Garden Center. (One unusually sharp rock went completely through my sole and into the sock liner!) The need to relieve myself took hold at about mile 8, and every five miles thereafter. My most aggressive goals fell by the wayside and I became content to take it easy for the last three miles. Enough with the excuses. That said, I beat my BQ time by over 6 minutes.
I can recommend this course with confidence. Though we _know_ it’s downhill, it seldom looks or feels that way (there were only about three short (<50m) sections that felt like a downhill scramble – only the quick splits were evidence of gravity’s assistance. The first several hundred yards upon entering the 2+ mile-long tunnel were heavily cambered and there were puddles and uneven surface throughout – I saw at least one runner go down in front of me. Advice to other runners includes stick to the center, and mind your foot placement. Gaiters and trail shoes might have been a good idea, though would have made less of a difference in dry conditions. On-course aid stations were stocked and located as expected, but sometimes short on volunteers- DIY was sometimes required. On-course toilets were infrequent and I made use of discreet trees and rocks. The post-race feed was abundant and varied. Pre-race had lots of port-o-lets, water, supplies, and even coffee, though lacked a PA system. As a result I didn’t/couldn’t hear pre-race announcements or instructions, but there were enough race veterans that getting around pre-race and into the start area felt spontaneous and organic.
I didn’t see any mention of Age Group awards (and in this group, I was well outside of any podium opportunity), but that’s not the point of this race. If you’re looking for a BQ or a PR, this race can serve you well.
Best Race Ever!
I have done this marathon so many times - I have lost count! It is by far the best marathon I have ever done. The scenery is beautiful! The marathon … MORE
I have done this marathon so many times – I have lost count! It is by far the best marathon I have ever done. The scenery is beautiful! The marathon starts with a unique run through an old railroad tunnel, followed by a slight downhill run through the lush green trees of Western Washington.
For those speedy gazelle’s who care – this Boston qualifier is fast because it is ever-so-slightly downhill. But not so much that your knees would ever know. I am a rather slow runner and I enjoy it because there are so many places to stop an take photos.
The race support is always amazing as well. There are plenty of water stops along the way and everyone is extremely friendly! The weather is usually mild that time of year but one year it was pretty warm and the volunteers stayed at the water stops until the last person finished! All with encouragement along the way! And the food at the end is always delicious! Try the chili – yum!
Truly the greatest marathon of all time!
It's great for a BQ
This course makes you feel like you're floating on air. The unique start of running 2 miles through a pitch black tunnel to crossing bridges and seeing waterfalls and rock … MORE
This course makes you feel like you’re floating on air. The unique start of running 2 miles through a pitch black tunnel to crossing bridges and seeing waterfalls and rock climbers along the way makes for interesting scenery.
A couple of words of advice:
1) Don’t rely on pacers for your BQ. There aren’t many pacers for the BQ times you’ll need. Pace band and accurate timing via TRT is the way to go because the tunnel will mess with your GPS.
2) Bring your own water and fuel. I ran with a pack and didn’t stop at any of the water stations that could potentially be enough for some runners, but I know i needed my pack, most people have hand held water bottles.
3) Wear a headlamp through the tunnel. It’s easy to drop it off at the bag check specifically for the headlamps at the end of the tunnel.
4) Train for downhill running. Even though it’s gradual, if your quads aren’t prepared the last few miles will be very tough.
While this race is small, there’s some pretty good competition out there. This particular race can sometimes straddle the Boston Entry Window so if you BQ in it, you could potentially use the race for the following year and the year after (I qualified in 2016, which meant I was able to register for Boston 2017 and can register for 2018 off of this same race)