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The inaugural Great Olympic Adventure Trail Run (GOAT Run) is a one-way trail marathon on a route that traverses Kelly Ridge between the Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State. The race follows the entire length of the Olympic Adventure Trail (21+ miles of single track and about 4 miles of gravel logging road), and finishes with less than a mile of paved road to get to the finish line at Lake Crescent, inside Olympic National park.
When: September
(This trail race takes place in September each year. Visit race website link below for details.)
Location: Washington, United States
Geographic Area: Olympic Peninsula
Nearby City: Port Angeles
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Event 1:
Race Length: 26.2 miles (42.1 km)
Elevation Gain:
2,260 feet (+86 ft/mi)
High Point: 1,722 feet
83% dirt trails, 15% dirt roads, 2% paved
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Additional Information
Website URL: http://www.greatoatrun.org (opens new window)
Race Director: lorriemittmann
Phone: (360) 775-4620
Details
The 26.15-mile course starts near the Elwha River, just ½ mile from the start of a landmark dam removal project (when both dams are removed, the Elwha River will flow freely for the first time in 100 years!).
The route follows the entire length of the Olympic Adventure Trail, 21+ miles of single-track trail and 4 miles of forest road. The final ¾ mile of the race is on a paved road, finishing with a bang as runners enter Olympic National Park at the deep, glacially carved Lake Crescent.
Famous for its turquoise blue waters of exceptional clarity, the lake is the perfect place to end the race. The finish line is at Log Cabin Resort on the lake, and runners will be greeted by stunning lake and mountain views, food, and fun. There are rooms, cabins, and campsites at the resort (how great would it be to have your room right at the finish line?), as well as public showers, restrooms, beach, restaurant and beer!
The course reaches a maximum elevation of 1,722 feet, with a cumulative elevation gain of 2,260 feet over the 26-mile rolling course. The first mile and the last mile are… uh… really hard. The hills in the middle grind on and on. The last logging road stretch? Where it looks flat on the elevation profile? Nope. Misleading. That’s gonna hurt too. Challenging? Absolutely! This is a difficult course. But it’s worth it! The trail is impeccably constructed and maintained, and goes through a variety of forest ages. Highlights include a view up the Elwha Valley from the “living room” at mile 3.5, stunning water views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca over to Vancouver Island in Canada, and an incredible log bridge over Whiskey Creek near the town of Joyce. And of course Lake Crescent, the biggest highlight of them all.
here will be minimal aid stations for the GOAT Run, and runners should be prepared to be self-sufficient and carry water and food as needed. The six aid stations will be at approximately miles 3.2, 7.5, 12.5, 16, 20, and 23. There will be food and drinks at the finish line as well. Sanicans will be available the start and finish, and at miles 7.5, 12.5, and 20.
No t-shirts for this run—runners get a GOAT Run pint glass to commemorate the run. Prizes will be prizes raffled off at the post-run party! A portion of the proceeds from this race will be donated to the Peninsula Trails Coalition for the construction and maintenance of the Olympic Discovery Trail and Olympic Adventure Trail.
The race is limited to 250 participants. No refunds after August 15.
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Submitted On: 5/18/2014
By: lorriemittmann (Race Director)
Modified On: 5/18/2014
Editors: cityoftrails
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