Amazing Awards: Millbrook Clayworks

In the chaos of the 20th Anniversary (the 2012 race) a kind man walked up to me and asked if there was anything he could do. In a split second I took in that he was on his bike, I needed the supplement of coffee picked up from Tony's and I had my car keys in my right jacket pocket. I handed him my car keys, asked him to pick up six pump pots of coffee from Tony's on the corner of 10th and Harris, then shook his hand and introduced myself. Turns out I just met the creativity behind this year's (2013) awards. It is awesome when you meet those people that you know you can trust right off the bat.

We reconnected this past fall and started putting together the plan and order for this year's awards. I love the idea of local art and Todd's studio in Port Hadlock definitely fits the bill. His love of sport (to ride his bike to the race site and volunteer for the majority of the afternoon) told me he would be able to make something that resonated with our finishers.

I was extremely thankful with the beautiful products he delivered the day before the race and I think the age groupers and overall winners were also pleased... I hope!

Thank you Todd for your beautiful work and gift to the Chuckanut 50k.

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UltraRunning Magazine article

Chuckanut 50k- RD's perspective
21st running, March 16, 2013
RD Krissy Moehl
coRD Heather Anderson

A 3:30am alarm is early no matter who you are, but on race morning for a race director it is likely you are either still up from the night before or lying there waiting to get the day started. This year it was the later for me and when the alarm went off I first listened for the pitter patter of rain outside. None. Thankful. Driving the Uhaul up I5 on race morning is the quiet headspace I look forward to in preparation for the day ahead.

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Upon arrival at our new start/finish location at 6th & Harris in Fairhaven I was greeted by the lights of my parents' RV. Ma had spent the night and was already bustling about getting her kitchen ready for the runners. From the time I jump out of the Uhaul the day unfolds, twists and turns much like the trail does for the runners once we send them under way. There is a plan, a hope and intended execution, but things come up and it is how we deal with those differences that determines what the end of the day will look like. This year's new coRD Heather Anderson jumped right into the mix and rolled with the day like an old pro. We had fun getting out on the course to cheer the runners through Aid #1 and then hustling back to the finish area to get things set up. Our big initiative at the Chuckanut 50k for many years has been to reduce the amount of waste created by our event. With the help of UltrAspire's new collapsible, reusable cups each runner carried their own cup for water, cola or EFS electrolyte drink. The aid stations did not have cups lined up on the tables, instead volunteers stood at the ready with pouring pitchers.

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Finish line set up was rushed along a bit as the lead guys were pushing the pace. The Radio Club was letting us know updates of where the lead runners were and my phone was full of text messages ensuring we knew their status. The awesome team of volunteers turned the soggy parking lot at 6th & Harris into a welcoming finish line. BuDu Racing in charge of the timing set up an arch to identify the spot. Patagonia, Flora Health, Fairhaven Runners, Clif Bar and Nikwax created a welcoming area right after with shelter and products to check out. This was completed by my parents' RV ready with hot soup from the local Book Fare Cafe, coffee from Tony's Cafe and bread from the Bellingham Great Harvest. Furthering our reduced waste initiative each runner was asked to bring their own mug/bowl for their coffee and soup. The plan worked well and we saw an awesome collection of people's kitchenware wandering around the finish area. We hired a 30'x30' tent to be set up providing shelter and heat, but there was still something missing. Eight bales of straw did the trick to tie the whole finish scene together and help sop up the puddles (for a bit) and block against the mud created by the rain that started just as the first finishers made their way across the line.

The runners' results this year were inspiring start to finish. The lead men pushed each other all day as the photos indicate and it was only in the final miles that David Laney pulled away from Max King and slipped under Geoff Roes's 2011 course record. Local Bellingham favorite Jodee Adams-Moore, familiar with the course and how to run it fast after chasing Ellie Greenwood last year ran out front of a strong women's field and lowered the women's record by an impressive eight minutes. (side note: 13 years ago when I first participated in the Chuckanut 50k no woman had run faster than 5 hours. Now women are creeping in on the 4 hour mark!) Thanks to the support of Patagonia, Patagonia Footwear, Flora Health, First Endurance, Clif Bar, Ultrarunning Magazine, Pro-Tec and Fairhaven Runners the Chuckanut 50k was able to give away a $4000 prize purse. Additionally USATF named this year's Chuckanut 50k the PNW Regional Championship, meaning local registered runners partook in their $1700 prize purse.

All day the parking lot continued to fill with muddy, smiling Chuckanut finishers and volunteers swarming about taking good care to keep them warm. Our incredible medical team rose to the occasion for a few underdressed, near hypo-thermic runners, and we were thankful this was the extent of their need that day.  Most of our age groupers seemed surprised with their top performances and the addition of Millbrook Clayworks clay pints were the cherished take home. Runners and volunteers both were spoiled with countless prizes of gear and product from our supportive list of sponsors and supporters.

The day wrapped up with the parking lot clearing out, tents collapsing and everyone helping. Our sweeps worked the longest hours ensuring the trails were clear of any accidental trash (surely no one would drop a wrapper intentionally!) and our determined final finishers. With everyone safely off the course and with a warm cup of soup in their bellies we picked up the final pieces and locked the gates. The Uhaul packed, ready for clean up the next day, we joined the crew at Big Fat Fish Company for stories from the day and more eats.

My BIG thanks to all of the enthusiastic people that make this event so special each year.  There is a lot of love and energy that goes into pulling together any event and I feel the energy that surrounds the Chuckanut 50k is extra special.

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.​

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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.

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

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.

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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.