GOAT Run

n the Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State, ending at Lake Crescent inside Olympic National Park. 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 Olympic Adventure Trail is impeccably constructed and maintained, and goes through a variety of forest ages. Highlights include 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. Course Descriptions

GOAT 50K:

The Great Olympic Adventure Trail Run (GOAT Run) 50K course takes place on a combination of single-track trail and logging roads that traverse Kelly Ridge between the Olympic National Park and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State.The 50K starts at Granny’s Cafe. After about 1000 feet on a path next to Hwy 101, runners will verge onto a dirt logging road for 6 miles, followed by the entire length of the Olympic Adventure Trail (20 miles of single-track trail), then 4 miles of gravel logging 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. The course reaches a maximum elevation of 1,619 feet, with a cumulative elevation gain of over 3,700 feet across the 31-mile rolling course. The first mile and the last mile are… uh… really hard. The last logging road stretch? Where it looks flat on the elevation profile? Misleading. That’s gonna hurt too. Challenging? Absolutely! This is a difficult course. But it’s worth it! There 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 eight aid stations will be at approximately miles 5, 8, 12, 16.5, 20, 24, and 27. There will be food and drinks at the finish line as well. There’s a time limit of eight hours. GOAT marathon:

The marathon course starts near the Elwha River, just ½ mile from the start of a landmark dam removal project. The route follows the entire length of the Olympic Adventure Trail, 21+ miles of single-track trail and 4 miles of forest road. The course reaches a maximum elevation of 1,619 feet, with a cumulative elevation gain of over 3,500 feet across the 26-mile rolling course. The six aid stations will be at approximately miles 3, 7, 12.5, 16, 20, and 23. The time limit is seven hours. GOAT half marathon:

The Great Olympic Adventure Trail Run (GOAT Run) half marathon follows the Olympic Adventure Trail for 8+ miles of single-track trail and 4+ miles of forest road. The course starts at 1,266 feet, near the top of the Joyce-Access Road, and reaches a maximum elevation of 1,619 feet, with a cumulative elevation gain of 1,500 feet over the 14-mile rolling course. While not as much climbing as the full marathon course, this is still a challenging route. There will be three aid stations for the Half Marathon, and they will be at approximately miles 3, 7, and 11. No t-shirts for this run—runners get a GOAT Run pint glass (and contents) to commemorate the run. A portion of the proceeds from this race will be donated to the Peninsula Trails Coalition, for use in the construction and maintenance of the Olympic Discovery Trail and Olympic Adventure Trail. A portion is also donated to the Peninsula Chapter of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington, for their extensive trail work around the entire Olympic Peninsula.