On Saturday November, 3th my friend Anna and I got up early, bundled up against the cold and headed about an hour and forty five minutes east to the little tiny town of Klickitat to run 13.1 miles. We had a very enjoyable and scenic drive through the Columbia Gorge following the winding Highway 14. The town of Klickitat is 13 miles north of HWY 14 and you reach it by following the winding Klickitat River.
We saw the trail head as we turned off 14. It was at that time I decided to wear my Nike Frees instead of my New Balance Trail Minimus. Even from the distance, the trail looked fairly well groomed and not at all like traction would be a problem.
We got to the Community Center in Klickitat and quickly signed in. Both Anna and I had opted to not buy tee shirts. They were just a basic cotton and although the logo was nice, we both knew a plain cotton tee would just sit in the draw. The volunteers were friendly and efficient. There was only one working bathroom in the community center but the lined moved fairly fast.
At 9:30, we were supposed to be bussed down to the start of the race at the Klickitat Trailhead. The bus drivers were very friendly but due to more than expected day of the race sign ups, we weren't anywhere near ready to go at 9:30. They had two short busses for the half marathon and longer bus for the 5Kers. They ended up having to take everyone off the 5K bus and switching a them with a halfer bus. We finally made it down to the trailhead and the very nice race director postponed another 20 minutes or so, while everyone waited in line for the bathrooms there.
Finally about 10:30, the race director and Columbia Gorge running club representative said a few words of thanks and we were off!
The trail is gorgeous! It follows the river. It was groomed alleys underneath golden and maroon leaved trees and then the next minute it was technical, rocky and slippery. It was a challenge to watch you step for the whole 13 miles but man, it was gorgeous!
The two aid stations and the crossing guards were friendly and helpful. I didn't partake at either of them since I had my camelbak but I did notice peanut butter cookies at the first aid station.
I was mostly alone for the majority of the race. With such a small field, less than a couple hundred I would imagine, the leaders went out quick and were out of sight. The rest of us strung out quickly to do our own work. I kept pushing hard knowing I wanted to see what I could do on my own after training for much longer distances all summer. I got passed by a few men but to my delight, no women.
At about mile 9, I started thinking about the port a potty I remembered seeing as we drove up. I was pretty sure we were approaching it but before we got there was a road crossing and the the very friendly volunteer told me I was "looking good and the third place woman"! Not wanting to stop after hearing that, I pushed it a little harder to the finish line.
Third woman! 1:57:05!
I was really proud of this time. The course was technical and although, there wasn't huge inclines, there was slight elevation gain the whole time. The volunteers and post race was great! Homemade soup, breads, pastries and fresh fruit was delicious! There were great raffle prizes! Anna took home a delicious bottle of a local wine and I won two beers to a local restaurant.
Would I do this race again? In a heartbeat! It was on the less expensive side of race fees. The trail was challenging but gorgeous. The only con in my mind was the drive but it was worth it!
You don't need trail shoes for this race but I would recommend a little cushion, as there are a good amount of rocks. Anna wore her Minimus and her feet weren't happy with her at all!
Check out the facebook group here for more info and beautiful photos!
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