Washington

lake sammamish half marathon

Lake Sammamish Half – Matt U

Race: Lake Sammamish Half Marathon – http://www.lakesammamishhalf.com/

Runner: Matt U

Date: 3/5/2016

Location: Starts in Redmond Town Center and finishes in Lake Sammamish State Park

Results – 2nd place, 1:12.47

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

The course is flat and fast. The race was deep with a good amount of fast runners. It was well organized and ran very smoothly.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

This was my first half marathon in 5+ years, so first, I’m happy that it went smoothly, that I worked hard, and I didn’t blow up. I am happy with the pace I was able to maintain. The biggest challenge was that one guy went out fast early and I had to make the decision whether to go after him or to stick with the pack and let the lead guy go. I didn’t do either very well and I ended up spending almost the entire race in no-man’s land. I finished almost a minute ahead of third (and the pack behind him) and five minutes behind the winner (he ran 67+ minutes!). I was really looking forward to racing and running with people and instead, the run ended up being a grind-it-out solo workout effort. This is just the luck of the draw based on who shows up to the race on race day. The field was deep with 10th place still being under 76 minutes.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Establish your position early. This year they changed the start location which removed the silly back and forth parking lot finish. As a result, there are lots of little turns and the path narrows quickly. If your goal is to post a fast time or be competitive, I strongly suggest using a little speed burst early to get into position for your race. There are a lot of people in this race and it’s easy to see how someone could get stuck farther back and spend precious energy dodging and weaving to try and get up where they belong in the race.

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

If flat is tough, then this course is a killer. Nearly completely flat. My watch maybe registered 40ft of total gain over the 13 miles.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

I was really pleased with how smoothly this went. The start area was big and open. Parking was abundant. Packet pickup went quickly. There were tons of porta-potties. The start was easy to find and on time. Very smooth and well run race.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

I don’t know if the race sold out, but it never seemed like an issue. They offer better pricing for signing up early. This is an easy one to jump into.

Aid Stations

They were there and they were offering gels, water, and probably a sports drink. I didn’t take anything, but it was nice knowing they were there!

Weather and typical race conditions

We got nice weather. 50s and dry. There was a slight headwind but nothing serious. The course is fairly protected for much of the race as it’s tucked in between houses and trees. However, it was the first week in March and weather could certainly be crappy this time of year in the Pacific NW.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

There were plenty of spots along the way for people to stop and cheer. It’s a point to point course and the bike path parallels a road the entire way. So long as your friends can find parking along the way, they will be able to cheer for you. That said, there were some quiet sections out there.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 stars. For what I was looking for, a flat, fast half marathon that was local to Seattle, this race was perfect. It was well run, the weather cooperated, the competition was deep, and I ran well. All positives!

stephanie gundel

Orcas 50k – Stephanie G

Race: Orcas Island 50k –  http://www.rainshadowrunning.com/orcas-island-50k.html

Runner: Stephanie G

stephanie gundel
Photo: Glenn Tachiyama

Date: 2/6/2016

Location: Orcas Island

Distance raced and other options: 50k. 25k is the week before and the 100 miler is two weeks after the 50k.

Results: 90th overall, 11th female; 6:23.15.

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. The views. I love running near the water, and there seemed to be water everywhere you looked on this course.
  2. The trails were soft, beautiful, and largely runnable.
  3. The option to wait inside prior to the race. Didn’t really need it this year, but it would be a really nice option if the weather was cold and wet.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you?

  1. Would not recommend catching the 5:30am ferry the morning of the race. Makes a really long morning before you even start running, and the earliest you can arrive at the race is about 30 minutes prior to the start. I usually like a little more cushion.
  2. I know lots of races are going cupless, and it’s better for the environment, but I’m not quite past the inconvenience factor yet. All I had was a bladder so I couldn’t grab any coke or drinks other than water. Guess I need to get a cup.
  3. The (non) transfer policy. It didn’t affect me, but it did friends. I know races oversell with an expected no-show rate, but it’s still frustrating sometimes.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

There’s actually quite a bit of road at the start.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I wasn’t sure I was up to the distance that day and decided to not stress out about time. I had a much more social race than I usually do which made the time fly by in the first half. Still felt pretty fresh in the second half and enjoyed catching people along the course. Also, every once in awhile I remembered to look around and enjoy the scenery!

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Powerline is as hard as people say, and at times I felt like I was making no progress, but it eventually does end.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

Very!

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

I thought it was hard, but not overwhelmingly hard. Similar to Crystal Mountain Sky Marathon maybe. The only other Rainshadow Runs I’ve done are Deception Pass and Beacon Rock – it was harder than both of those.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Well organized! Although I heard that trail markers got moved which caused some mishaps.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

Seemed strong, and more male dominant than most runs.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Requires being selected in the lottery, which is unfortunate if you’re trying to do the race with somebody. Ferry reservations recommended going and coming home. Haven’t had a problem finding a place to stay on the island – either Doe Bay or Rosario. Lots of camping too.

Aid Stations

4 aid stations. No cups.

Weather and typical race conditions – I think we got lucky this year – 45 and partly sunny! I’d do it every year if I could be guaranteed that weather. But it is in February…

Gear – Did you need anything special or is there anything you’d recommend for the next guy?

Nothing special

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Not great – they can be at 2 of 4 aid stations though.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

Highly recommended

orcas island 25k dionne himmelfarb

Orcas 25k – Dionne H

Race: Orcas Island 25k – http://www.rainshadowrunning.com/orcas-island-25k.html

dionne himmelfarb
Photo: Glenn Tachiyama

Runner: Dionne H

Date: 1/30/2016

Location: Orcas Island

Distance raced and other options: 25k. 50k is one week later and the 100 miler is two weeks after the 50k.

Results:  127th place, 53rd female in 3:49.51

3 Bests: The scenery/location, how well the race is organized, awesome race director and volunteers.

Not so much:  How chaotic the parking lot can be when people try to get in and out in the same time as runners start to come back.

Weird factor: I have not done a lot of trail races but I found it odd when I was in the middle of nowhere all of a sudden there is this little kid cheering up on us from high up on the tree. I guess the family must have lived in the area or something.

Highlights of your race: This is my only trail race I have done. I really love the fact that the trail is well marked but not so much that you feel like it’s been staged. I still feel like I run deep in the woods with a very well sense of direction. This way I can totally enjoy the run and not to where I should turn next/direction.

Lessons for others: Learn about the race profile and elevation gains helps me set up my pace and expectation. Therefore I get to enjoy the race even more. And making sure you dress properly is very important, it will either make it or break it.

Aesthetics: It is probably the most scenic run I have ever had. Everything is in one package: beautiful, serene, the moss, the water, the mountains.

Difficulty: There is a part that I found it difficult for me because I am not used to it. The tough hill, Power Line, is definitely something that I wish I had trained for. The downhill part of the trail is fun but can be challenging when it is wet outside. It is not as technical but the turns can slow you down.

Organized and well run: This is definitely a well organized race.

bridle trails matt urbanski

Bridle Trails 5 mile Race Report- Matt U

Race: Bridle Trails 5 miler. http://www.seattlerunningclub.org/Events/Bridle/bridle.html

Runner: Matt U

Date: 1/9/2016

Location: Bridle Trails State Park, Kirkland WA

Distance raced and other options: 5M, 10M, 50k, 50k relays

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

1. Great Seattle trail running community race. Lots of locals out for this one which gives it a great sense of community.

2. It’s inexpensive and easy to get into. $15 for the 5 mile.

3. The course is fast and runnable, and the competitiveness is good for being a small local race.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you?

All positives. Really enjoyed the day. Maybe a downside would be needing to buy a Discover Pass if you didn’t have one already. We had one so it wasn’t an issue.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

It starts at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon in January. The 5 milers and some of the 10 milers finished before dark, but many ran well into the night. Given that the race could start earlier, it’s unique that they set it up to go into the night on purpose. Cool concept, something to definitely be prepared for.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I raced from start to finish with Keith Laverty, with Greg Crowther on our tail for the majority of the race. Keith led most of it but I was able to push it in for the win, my first in a long time. It was awesome being in a competitive race and I was focused and into the race the entire time. I thought he might break me a couple times but I continued to hang around. I had run the last mile as my warm up so I knew the course well. I pushed it up the final hill and then held on for the win. We were both smiling big at the end because of the fun that comes with a good race.

Lessons for others – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner

Scout out the last mile for your warm up. Knowing the final steep little hill was coming, and that it wasn’t too long was helpful. It was also good knowing that there was some winding, narrow trail within the final half mile, and that once the trail opened up, it was a bombing downhill into the finish. This

played into my hand well knowing that I wanted to be in the lead after the top of the hill and that once we were on the downhill, it was all out to the finish.

Also, watch out for horses! Keith and I were slowed big time and it felt like we were both lucky not to get kicked by a skittish horse that we ran around in the middle of the race. I guess it’s called Bridle Trails State Park for a reason.

Aesthetics – Is it a pretty course?

The course is all in the woods with big trees and well groomed trails. I think it’s pretty, but I wasn’t looking too much!

Difficulty – Is it a tough course?

It’s tougher than a road race but by trail racing standards, it’s a pretty easy course with minimal climbing. I could see the ups getting more challenging over the 50k distance, but for the 5 miler, they went by so quickly that I hardly noticed them.

Organization – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

Has the small town feel while still being well organized. The start of the race felt low key and like a race I would do as a young kid, with a line in the sand and a buddy saying “Ready, set, go!”. Good vibes for sure.

Competition – Is there a strong field?

It’s not huge, but there are enough fast locals that come out to make it interesting and competitive. This is one of the reasons I chose this race because I wanted to be pushed over a shorter distance. The race didn’t disappoint.

Logistics – Does it require a special handshake, registration a year in advance, hotels all booked? Give us the low down on the nuts and bolts of making the race happen.

Super easy. Signup was through ultrasignup.com. It was inexpensive and simple. Much appreciated after dealing with lotteries, points, and lots of hoops for other races I’ve been trying to get on my schedule. The race did ultimately sell out, but not until the last minute, so that is something to be aware of.

Aid Stations

There is one aid station at the end of each 5 mile loop.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

5 stars. It was what I was looking for and I was very pleased with the experience. I recommend it.