With a day of events that includes a half marathon, 10K run, and 5K run/walk, the Nookachamps Winter Runs offers a road race that is by turns easy and challenging, with plenty of trails and hills thrown in for good measure.
Set in Washington State’s Skagit Valley, in the shadow of the Cascade Mountains in the northwest corner of the state, this cold-weather race starts and ends at Skagit Valley College, with 9:00 AM starting times for the runners in all events (walkers and runners expecting to take longer than 2 hours, 30 minutes start an hour earlier at 8:00 AM).
The USATF-certified course for the half marathon follows a mostly flat loop through the Skagit River lowlands to the town of Clear Lake, where the turnaround point is and from which runners begin their trek back to Mount Vernon.
The terrain is a mixture of city streets and trail courses with plenty of hills, including a steep grade as participants approach Clear Lake, and then again in the final few miles of the course.
Organizers note that thanks to the cold weather, hot soup will be served in the Skagit Valley College gymnasium, where runners also will be able to take hot showers after the race.
