Washington > North Olympic Discovery Marathon & Half
Marathon
Port
Angeles,
WA
Date
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Event
Details
Billed by race organizers as a great course for both runners and
walkers, the North Olympic Discovery Marathon & Half Marathon
(the
event also includes a corporate relay, high school relay and kids'
marathon) takes runners along the picturesque waterfront of the Strait
of Juan de Fuca, in the shadow of Washington state's Olympic Mountain
range. Both the full and half marathon races are point-to-point races
that
take runners along the Olympic Discovery Trail, which stretches
approximately 100 miles from Port Angeles through Sequim to Port
Townsend.
From the starting line on Barr Road near the Agnew Soccer Fields, those
running the half marathon follow a course that's a combination of city
streets through Port Angeles as well as a
wide, hard-surface trail made of mixed materials. For the first several
miles of the race, the course snakes its way along trails that parallel
the Old Olympic Highway and through forest-shaded areas just a stone's
throw from the water's edge of the Port Angeles Harbor. Runners trek
through a number of small creekbeds as they cross through the race's
first few miles from Siebert Creek on the way to Morse Creek, with some
steep but short hills along the way.
At about the seven-mile marker, runners approach the crossing over
Morse Creek, which organizers say is perhaps the most scenic and
inspirational point of the race, and makes the miles you've run all
worth it. Here, runners head downhill from the trail and then cross
over an old railroad trestle bridge over the creek, which brings water
down from the nearby Olympic Mountains toward the harbor, and then head
out onto the finish stretch of the race, the five-mile run along the
Strait of Juan de Fuca, where the finish line lies at
the downtown City Pier.
With the exception of the aforementioned hills around the creekbeds in
the first few miles of the race, the half marathon's first seven miles
are mostly fast, with little in the way of elevation changes. The last
five miles along the water are perhaps the flattest stretch of the
race, save for a brief uphill just before the 12-mile point in the
race. The event is open to runners as well as walkers, and the half
marathon begins at 9:00 AM (those running or walking the full marathon
start at 7:00 AM).
Race
Weather & Climate
Even in the summer months, the Port Angeles area (located on the Strait
of Juan de Fuca, just north of Olympic National Park) tends to stay
cool to moderately warm, with June temperatures that average between
65°F and 49°F. Rainfall is usually scarce this time of
year in the local area, averaging less than an
inch
for the month.
Fees
$60 for the half marathon, if registered before February 1, 2009
$75 between Feb. 1 - May 15
$85 for registrations after May 15
Registration
To reserve your spot in the summer 2009 running of
Port Angeles's North Olympic Discovery Marathon & Half
Marathon, register online at AthletesLounge.com
or print out and mail in this downloadable entry form.
Website
www.nodm.com
Half
Marathon Course
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Your Race Story
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Half Marathon?
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and tips for the event.
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