Course Conditions & Markings

​The race course is in great shape!  As of Sunday March 10, dry and virtually no mud.  Of course that is relative to PNW trails, but the parks department has done amazing trail improvements to help with water flow and drainage.  Rain is predicted for the next couple of days, so come prepared for anything.

Please be aware of all of the course changes for this year's race.  The Course Map is your best reference.​  

The course is marked with ORANGE ribbons, directional arrows, and the famous Doug McKeever humor signs to encourage you along the way.  There are white ribbons hung for the wrong direction.​

Thanks to my Strava app on my phone, I confirmed that this year's course is 31.5 miles.​

USATF Prize Money

It is now confirmed that the Chuckanut 50k will be the Pacific NW Regional USATF Championship race.  With that comes a prize purse from USATF.  This is in addition to the Chuckanut 50k prize purse that was announced this weekend.  

To be eligible runners must be current  Western Washington USATF members before the race starts.  PNW USATF representative Eric Sach will have signups at packet pickup Friday night and at race check in on Saturday morning.  If you are a current member then you will need to bring your USATF card to be checked off.

To be clear, this will be for only the Western WA USATF members and will be awarded separately.

Open Men and Women

1st  $200

2nd  $150

3rd  $125

Masters Men and Women 

1st  $150

2nd  $125

3rd  $100

PRIZE MONEY!!

In addition to the amazing product donations that our sponsors and supporters have made to the Chuckanut 50k year after year, this year our SPONSORS have raised the bar.  Patagonia, Udo's Oil, First Endurance, Clif Bar, Patagonia Footwear, Ultrarunning Magazine, Fairhaven Runners and Pro-Tec have each donated cash summing up to $4000!!! I'm very excited about this evolution to the event.  In 10 years of race directing the race has only requested product from sponsors.  This year it was an ask to support the prize purse and every dollar donated from the sponsors has been pooled to create this sizable purse for an early season 50k.  THANK YOU to our Sponsors for making this special addition to the race!!  This year's purse comes with an interesting twist.  The course record ($250 per gender) bonus will be pulled from the prize purse.  Sooooo, if a course record is set the subsequent prizes will be adjusted.  See below.

Prize Purse breakdown:​

AS IS

Open Men and Women

1st  $800

2nd  $400

3rd  $200

Masters Men and Women 

1st  $400

2nd $200

WITH NEW CR

Open Men and Women

1st  $750 + $250 CR Bonus = $1,000

2nd  $350

3rd  $150

Masters Men and Women 

1st  $350

​2nd $150

TOTAL $4,000

TOTAL $4,000

I realize this is a bit tricky with the new course adjustments.  Course records will be based on current fastest times for the Chuckanut 50k race (even though it is an altered course).  Times to beat: Geoff Roes 3:41:52 and Ellie Greenwood's 4:09:28.​  Also, there is no double dipping.  If a Master's win's the race that person will receive the first place open money and the next Master's runner will receive the 1st place Master's money.

Finish Line Massage

Once again Theron Eirish will have his team of LMP's available at the finish line to aid in your speedy recovery.  This is a donation based service and I hope each of you will recognize the value of post race massage and if you do find yourself on the table, plan to tip this team generously.​

A New View on Poo

There is nothing sexy about porta-potties, yet they serve a huge purpose at our events to make sure we leave our area as good or better than we found it.  Still, I found it funny to be so excited about the opportunity to help support a Utah business that is getting off the ground and making something pretty amazing from this particular type of race waste.  The Eco Commode ​model is an inspired race director that is looking for a solution to problems bigger than our human waste at races, yet is sharing this vision with events as he grows and learns more in this new line of business.  You can read more about his story and hopefully embrace this new system of disposal.

We will have EIGHT Eco Commodes at the start / finish area.  There will be one Eco Commode placed along the Interurban Trail.  Since we are not passing through the Clayton Beach Parking lot as we have in the past you will notice an Eco Commode placed at the last street intersection (Dolphin Place) on the Interurban Trail before you get to the first Aid Station just inside the park boundary.  Please make use of this facility to avoid having a tree visit later in the race.  The Eco Commode will still be there for your return visit.

Thank you for your support in our efforts to reduce race waste.​

Finish Line Food - YUM!

The Chuckanut 50k is very fortunate to have the support of local Fairhaven and Bellingham businesses.  Last year, Al Coyle introduced me to a number of locals that jumped in to support the 20th Anniversary in a big way.  While not celebrating as big a milestone this year, it is exciting to continue these supportive relationships.  Charles of the Book Fare Cafe is adamant about nourishing the Chuckanut 50k finishers and this year is cooking up his special Vegan Red Lentil and Potato Soup.  A tall order to make soup for 400+ runners!  We are very, very thankful for this donation. 

Additionally we have secured a great ​price from the local Great Harvest Bread Company and have purchased many of their hearty loaves.  Probably one of my favorite post run meals is yummy bread dipped in hot, hearty soup.

​Please bring your own mug/bowl and spoon for finish line food.  

We are working hard to reduce our use of consumables and need each runner to take part by bringing these items.  Your car will be close when you finish and packing a bowl & spoon is easy.

Soup and bread will be provided for runners with bib numbers and volunteers of the race.  Please understand that we can not feed family, friends and spectators.  There will be some snacks at the finish line for all to share in, but the soup, bread and hot drinks are for those with race bibs and the volunteers that have donated their day to help make the race a success.​

Mountain Runners Film

The backyard to the Chuckanut 50k - on a clear day you can see the snow-capped peak of Mt. Baker from the technical ridge trail if you dare look over your right shoulder.  Adventurers were running in these mountains long before the Chuckanut 50k existed.

The Mountain Runners film is an official selection of the Slovenia Mountain adventure film festival! The film, which sold out in its first DVD edition and just completed a run at the Spokane International Film Festival, will be screening in April in Slovenia (http://www.imffd.com/)  The DVD is currently selling online at www.themountainrunners.com/dvd.htm

Also, don’t miss the opportunity to win an autographed Mountain Runners Poster, DVD and race pennant prop (used in the film) just by “liking” the Mountain Runners facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TheMountainRunners

Trail Runner Magazine Trophy Series

Once again the Chuckanut 50k will be a part of the Trail Runner Trophy Series.  Participants of the series will accumulate points by completing the 21st running of the Chuckanut 50k.  

Going Cupless...

Each year we have limited the number of disposable cups on the course by insisting that runners carry at least one water bottle over the 50k distance.  Still, to provide runners with a gulp of EFS drink, or cola we have had to have some cups on the course.  This year there will not be any cups.

Instead, we have joined with UltrAspire to provide each runner with a reusable cup.  This cup will be given to you when you pick up your bib number.  If you want anything to drink outside of what you would like to put in your water bottle, then you will need to carry your own cup.

This thing is awesome!  UltrAspire has provided the cups to the race at a discounted price (retail is $6.50).  Runner Girl Races paid for them, this is not an added cost to you.  They are a phthalate free, BPA free and PVC free 6oz cup that racers can carry for their aid station drinking needs.  Completely foldable to stick in a small shorts pocket, and also are equipped with a loop to clip on somewhere with a carabiner or cord.

Hopefully most of you will be psyched with this option.  I assume there will be some racers unhappy with breaking the tradition of the aid station tables lined with pre-filled cups of cola and electrolyte drink, but think of the reduced waste!  If you use a disposable cup at each of our five aid stations and say half of the field also does the same thing that is 1,000 (400 field size /2 = 200 runners x 5 aid stations) cups going straight in the garbage.  Even if recycled it is still added waste.  Now each of you will have your own cup to carry not only at the Chuckanut 50k, but to every race you attend.  Start a new trend!  It is a small way, but a great step towards reducing your waste.

Hampton Inn - Lodging Option

The Hampton Inn has provided discounted room rates to our runners for four years.   Easy access from I-5 the hotel is 9 miles from the start using the freeway, or 6.5 miles using back roads.  I have placed a pin on the Chuckanut 50k Race Start & Finish Area Google Map for you to see.

Hampton Inn hosts an easy website page that allows you to book your rooms online.  The rate is $94 per night for March 15-17, 2013.  Rooms must be booked on or before March 2.  There is a block of rooms reserved at this rate, so once they are all reserved then they are gone.

A great option for out of towner runners that want to be close and enjoy the known comforts of Hampton/Hilton Hotels.

Chrysalis Inn & Spa - Lodging Option

If you are looking to spoil yourself over the Chuckanut 50k race weekend the Chrysalis Inn and Spa is the place to stay.  The fact that it is located less than a mile from the start/finish area of the race is the first perk to staying in this beautiful water front Inn & Spa.  I have posted it's location on the Race Start/Finish Area Map and their website has enough information to convince you to come up Friday and leave Sunday.

The details that I need to share with you:

Chrysalis Inn & Spa

804 10th Street, Bellingham, WA 98225

1) Rooms are reduced to $199 a night for a Full View (of the water) King or $189 for a Side View King.  These rates are good for 3/15 and 3/16.  You can stay for one or two nights.

2) We will be hosting our prerace packet pickup in their Baker Conference room on Friday night.  (more details on that in a future post!)

3) To make a reservation call 360-756-1005 and let them know that you are a participant in the Chuckanut 50k.

Enjoy!