Oregon

I watched this race with curiosity over the past few years. It is literally in my backyard. Go Beyond Racing has been organizing races since 2013 so they have it down. Each year they clear the single track trails of the winter debris right as the snow melts, which benefits us locals who don't run the race, because we use the trails for mountain biking all summer. And each year there is the debate of whether the trails will be snow free by the time the race rolls around. In 2024 they've decided to move the race to September which should relieve the snow anxiety. My race took place on a clear, sunny day with spectacular views of Mountain Hood (W'yeast) in the background. The course has a modest elevation gain of 4222' with much of that being in the first half and It ends with a 2 mile quad burning downhill on Oakridge Trail near Parkdale. Being my first 50K, I was not sure how to pace myself, especially 10 days post covid infection, so I went out conservative until the last 8ish or so miles. I finished 3rd in my age bracket.